Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 7:16 — Five. Comprising all the ornaments. The body was only three cubits, 4 Kings xxv. 17. If we include the circles, which joined it to the pillar, it would be four; ver. 19, and with the rose, and ornaments at the top, five cubits high. Atheneus distinguishes three parts in the Egyptian chapiters; (1) next to the pillar, was seen a circle

2 Kings 16:11 — was guilty of a great weakness; as the altar of Solomon had been so solemnly consecrated by God’s presence. All changes in religion are dangerous. The Machabees behaved with far greater respect, with regard to the altar which had been profaned, 1 Machabees iv. 45. (Calmet) --- Isaias (viii. 2.) calls this priest a faithful, or competent witness, (Haydock) on account of his dignity, not approving his conduct. (Salien) --- But he had not erected this altar when the prophet spoke thus to him. (Du

2 Kings 19:37 — CHAPTER XIX. Nesroch. Jospehus calls both the idol and the temple Araskes. Sennacherib persecuted the Israelites for 45 (Greek 55) days. (Tobias i. 21.) --- Sons, as the Jews suppose they were destined for victims by their father, and got beforehand with him. (St. Jerome, in Isaias x.) (Calmet) --- Armenia. So the Protestant translate Ararath, (Haydock) where Noe’s[Noah’s] ark rested.

2 Kings 24:12 — (Jewish Wars vi. 8.) insinuates, to save the vessels of the temple. --- Jeremias had persuaded him to desist from making resistance. (Tirinus) --- Nabuchodonosor did not comply with his promise, (Menochius) but took the king and all the artificers (ver. 14.) to Babylon, that the former might not attempt to revenge the injuries done to his father, nor the latter contribute to fortify the towns. The Philistines had deprived the Israelites of blacksmiths, with the same design, 1 Kings vii., and xiii. (Angelomus.)

2 Chronicles 33:11 — Captains; probably Tharthan. the year of the world 3328. About five years before, Asarhaddon had made himself master of Babylon, to which place the captive king was brought, in the 22d year of his reign, 4 K. xx. 10., &c. and Isaias xxii. --- And carried. Heb. "among the thorns, and bound him with fetters (Protestants) of brass; (Junius; &c.) or, "they took Manasses with a hook," insidiously. He might have retired to some desert place, as

Ezra 8:27 — CHAPTER VIII. Solids. Hebrew adarconim. Darics, equivalent to the golden sicle. (Calmet) (1 Paralipomenon xxix. 7.) --- Best. Protestants, "of fine copper, precious as gold." It might resemble the Corinthian brass, or aurichalcum, (Haydock) composed of gold, silver, and brass melted together, in the burning of Corinth, by L. Mummius.

Nehemiah 8:10 — Wine. Hebrew and Septuagint, "things." Syriac and Arabic have simply, "drink." --- Portions. The Greeks styled them, Greek: merides; and the Latins, sportulæ. The custom prevailed not only among the Jews, (Esther ix. 19.) but also among Christians and pagans. Moses frequently exhorts the people to invite the poor; (Deuteronomy xvi. 14.) and St. Paul blames the rich Corinthians, for giving no part of their feast to them, 1 Corinthians xi. 21. --- Strength. By this

Psalms 23:10 — (Worthington) and the arbiter of war. (Haydock) --- Both Jews and foreigners were convinced that God granted victory to his people, if they had not forfeited his favour by their crimes, as in the case of Achan, and of the sons of Heli, Josue vii., and 1 Kings iv., and Judith v. 24. The title of Lord of hosts, was very applicable to Christ after his victory. (Calmet) --- Glory. St. Jerome adds, "for ever;" thus frequently sela seems to form a part of the sentence though it be neglected by

Psalms 27:3 — signify. Suffer me not to follow bad example. They often paraphrase, to render the text clearer. A similar petition occurs, Psalm xxv. 9. --- Hearts. Such double dealers are abominable, and quite opposite to the candour of a Christian, John i. 47., and 1 Peter ii. 22. (Berthier) --- The psalmist prays that God would comfort and support him, as he knew that God tempteth no man, James i. (Worthington)

Psalms 3:6 — teach us how to behave. (Calmet) --- He was buried, and rose again, and his disciples believed the Scriptures (John ii. 22.) recorded here, and in other places. (Worthington) --- The same word refers to past and future things. (St. Gregory, Mor. xx. 1.) (Worthington)

Psalms 71:2 — Messias. Most blessed Trinity, enable the Son of man, or of David, to judge the world. (Worthington) (Isaias x. 3., and John v. 22.) --- Judgment. Equity is the duty of governors, as obedience is that of subjects. Solomon acts with the greatest sagacity, 1 Paralipomenon xxii. 10., and xxix. 23., and 2 Paralipomenon i. 10. The psalmist inculcates the obligation of defending the rights of the poor, who are under God’s protection. To him even judges and monarchs must give an account, Deuteronomy i.

Leviticus 13:13 — Clean. The white leprosy causeth no itching. (Gorrheus.; Celsus, v. 28.) Theodoret (q. 16,) says, it is incurable; and therefore, the person infected is not shut up, out of pity. So St. Paul (1 Corinthians v. 11,) forbids us to eat with a dissolute Christian, while he allows us to have commerce with infidels, though they be wholly corrupt.

Numbers 13:27 — which is Petra, the capital of the stony Arabia, and lies rather nearer to the Dead Sea than to the Mediterranean. It was on the high road from the Red Sea to Hebron. In one part of the desert of Cades, the people murmured for want of water, chap. xx. 1. But there was plenty near the city. Moses continued here a long time after the return of the spies, Deuteronomy i. 19, 46. (Calmet)

Numbers 28:16 — Phase, or Passover, the most solemn of all the festivals, when the lamb was to be eaten on the 15th of Nisan, and during the eight days no leavened bread was allowed. The Jews searched all the corners of their houses, lest some might be concealed by mice, and they would not so much as name it. St. Paul exhorts us to do the like, in a spiritual

Numbers 32:40 — still alive. Many children are attributed to Machir and his father, Manasses, who were not their immediate offspring. The latter had only Machir, who survived him; Ezriel was probably a grandson of Machir, as he is styled the son of Galaad, chap. xxvi. 31., and Josue xvii. 2. See 1 Paralipomenon vii. Adoptive and legal children are often confounded with those who are really born of a person, as also those places which are inhabited by his posterity. (Calmet)

Deuteronomy 7:15 — Sickness, sent in punishment of sin, (Haydock) like the plagues of Egypt, Exodus ix. (Menochius) --- Egypt was afflicted with some peculiar disorders, such as the leprosy, called Elephantiasis. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxvi. 1.) The people were also much troubled with sore eyes, or blindness, and with ulcers upon their legs. (Juvenal, Sat. xiii. 91.) One-fourth of the inhabitants of Grand Cairo have sore eyes, or are blind. (Brun.) --- Joinville speaks of the diseases which

Judges 6:8 — prophet is unknown. The Jews say it was Phinees; others think it was an angel in human shape: but he might be one divinely commissioned on this occasion, to make an exhortation to the people, assembled on some of the great festivals, (see chap. ii. 1.; Calmet) though he might continue to exercise his authority afterwards. (Menochius) --- St. Augustine (q. 31,) thinks that the angel (ver. 11,) is here called a prophet, because he appeared in human form. (Worthington)

1 Samuel 21:15 — death, which made him have recourse to this expedient. Some of the saints have imitated him, to avoid worldly honours and dignities of the Church. (Haydock) --- Thus the conduct of Jesus Christ himself, was accounted foolishness by worldlings, Mark iii. 21., Luke xxiii. 11., and 1 Corinthians i. 23. (Ven. Bede) (Worthington)

1 Samuel 29:1 — as they may refer to him. (Calmet) --- David had retired from the army of the Philistines before Saul went to Endor, and some of the tribe of Manasses went after him, and were present in the battle, in which the Amalecites were slain and plundered, 1 Paralipomenon xii. 19. (Salien)

2 Samuel 9:1 — solicitous only about the descendants of Jonathan, who was the eldest son. The rest he afterwards gave up to be crucified, while he ordered the patrimony of Saul to be given to Miphiboseth, who was now about twenty years old. (Salien, the year before Christ 1058.) --- It is rather wonderful that David had not thought of his old friend sooner. But we are not obliged to suppose that he had reigned fifteen years, without being mindful of his repeated promises to Jonathan, 1 Kings xx. 42. (Haydock) --- This