Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 11:2 — Gods. See Exodus xxxiv. 16., and Deuteronomy vii. 4. The law only forbids expressly the marrying of the women of Chanaan. But is was easy to discern, that the spirit of the law equally prohibited connexions with others who were addicted to idol-worship. See 1 Esdras x. 3. Such

1 Kings 11:28 — (Menochius) --- He was of the former tribe. (Salien) --- At first Solomon employed none of the Israelites to work, chap. ix. 22. But he afterwards oppressed them grievously. The king’s right was to make his subjects cultivate his lands, &c., 1 Kings vii. 11. They did not pay money, (Matthew xvii. 24,) but wrought for the king. Hebrew, "he made him ruler over all the charge," (or levy.) (Haydock) --- The Vulgate often uses the word tribute (Calmet) for sebel. Josephus believes that

1 Kings 21:2 — pleasure we can find in rambling round our long walks for the sake of exercise. --- Money. Hence we perceive that, notwithstanding the despotic power of the kings of Israel, they did not imagine that they had a right to take their subjects’ lands, 1 Kings viii. 14. (Calmet) --- Naboth’s conduct is therefore here applauded; and St. Ambrose (Off. iii. 9.) styles him a martyr, (Worthington) and a great saint. (Tirinus) --- Maluit periculum cum honestate, quam utilitatem cum opprobrio.

1 Kings 6:34 — Fir-tree, or some species of cedar, ver. 15. --- Double. In the large doors, other smaller were made, that the priests might pass more easily. (Menochius) --- And so, &c. Literally, "and holding each other, was opened." Both the great and the small doors might open at the same

2 Kings 17:26 — King; Assar-adon, 1 Esdras iv. 2. They did not send as soon as they came into the country. --- Land. They reason according to their false notions, as if a plurality of gods were not incompatible: and all would go on well, if each were served according to his will. On the

2 Kings 20:12 — Berodach, or Merodac Baladan, Isaias xxxix. 1. (Calmet) --- The latter was his father; the famous Nabonassar. (Du Hamel) --- Letters, or books, Isaias. --- Sick. They came to congratulate him on his recovery, and also (Menochius) to inquire of the wonder that had happened upon the earth. God left

1 Chronicles 28:2 — --- Thought. Hebrew, "I, with my heart, thought to," &c. (Calmet) --- And, or which is the footstool. (Haydock) --- The ark is often so called, because God was considered as sitting upon the wings of the cherubim, over it, Psalm xcviii. 1., &c. --- Building. No doubt what David left would have been sufficient. Yet Solomon thought that he could make something still more magnificent.

1 Chronicles 29:22 — all. (Haydock) --- Priest. This at least only took place after the death of David, when Abiathar fell into disgrace, 3 Kings ii. 35. Both prince and priest must act by God’s authority; and those who resist them, resist God himself, Romans xiii. 1. (Calmet) --- They are ministers of the Lord. (Haydock)

Nehemiah 10:1 — (Menochius) --- They may be designated by different titles. An aristocracy, mixed with oligarchy, was the present form of government. The advice of the ancients, and of the people, was taken. (Calmet) --- Hachelai, is less properly styled Helchias; (chap. i. 1.) where the Septuagint read Chelchias, or Achalia, (Hebrew chacala) as well as here.

Job 22:14 — not." Septuagint, "is not seen." --- Poles, on which the whole machine seems to turn. (Calmet) --- "Hipparchus intimated that there would be a time when the hinges, or poles of heaven, would be moved out of their places." (Colum. i. 1.) Hebrew and Septuagint, (according to Origen’s edition, ver. 13 to 16) "he walketh about in the circuit of heaven." (Haydock)        Immortali ævo summa cum pace fruatur         Semota

Psalms 112:1 — (Berthier) --- Children. Hebrew, "slaves." (Menochius) --- The Greek and Latin may signify both. (Haydock) --- He addresses the Levites, who were addicted to God’s service, or the new converts, who were become docile like little children, (1 Peter ii. 2., and Psalm viii. 3.; Calmet) and in a word, (Haydock) all God’s servants. (Worthington)

Psalms 17:35 — answer the same purposes. See Proclus, Hesiod, &c. (Haydock) --- They made all sorts of weapons of it. Job (xx. 24.) seems even to insinuate that it was harder than iron. Our brass is too brittle. To break a bow, often means to obtain a victory, 1 Kings ii. 4., and Jeremias xlix. 5. (Calmet) --- David gained many over a lion or a bear, over Goliath, &c. (Worthington)

Psalms 17:42 — Lord. This must be understood of Absalom, who offered sacrifices, (2 Kings xv. 12.; Berthier) or of Saul, who, receiving no answer, consulted a witch. The Philistines also brought their gods with them, so that they were taken and burnt; (2 Kings v. 21.) and the other pagans, finding no aid in their idols, might in time of danger,

Psalms 23:6 — Jerome) --- Protestants (marginal note, God of) Jacob. Selah. (Haydock) --- Thus they intimate that the Hebrew is imperfect. All the preceding virtues belong to Jesus Christ, who obtained mercy for us. The generation of Adam multiplied, (Genesis v. 1.) and soon forgot the Lord: but it shall not be so with the disciples of Christ, who must delight in fervent prayer, and in the constant practice of good works; and not merely serve him in certain fits of devotion. (Berthier) See Proverbs xxix. 26.

Psalms 35:10 — With thee, Lord, is the fountain of life, Jesus Christ. --- See light, of the Holy Ghost. (St. Ambrose) (Theodoret) --- We shall see thee, Father of light, in thy Son. (Origen, Prin. i. 1.) (Calmet) --- The saints behold in the light of God all that they can desire to know; and of course they will not be unacquainted with our wants and petitions, though they have not the asses’ ears of Calvin. (Haydock) --- Light and life denote

Psalms 55:1 — Geth. Before (Berthier) or after his escape to the cave of Odollam, (Calmet) he composed this psalm, to comfort his followers with the consideration of God’s protection. (Haydock) --- See 1 Kings xxii., and Psalm x. The title is variously rendered. St. Jerome, "to the victor for the dumb dove," &c. Protestants, "upon Jonath elem rechokim Michtam of David." This is to elude the difficulty, and we might as well adhere

2 Samuel 10:8 — usual, and it continued for a longer period, and in the end proved destructive to all. (Haydock) --- Gate of Medaba. (Paralipomenon) Besides the 33,000 auxiliaries (ver. 6) and the natives, 32,000 chariots of war were hired from beyond the Euphrates, 1 Paralipomenon xix. 7.

2 Samuel 13:23 — esteemed the best husbandry, "to have fine flocks;" bene pascere: (Cato) even for the nobility. --- Ephraim, or Ephrem; (John xi. 54.) probably near Bethel. (Josephus, Jewish Wars v. 33.) (Calmet) --- Nabal had made a feast on a similar occasion, 1 Kings xxv. Absalom invites his father to avoid suspicion; (Menochius) though he would be glad at his refusing to come, unless perhaps he would not have hesitated to order his brother to be murdered in his very presence, in order to punish both. (Haydock)

2 Samuel 21:10 — former opinion seems more plausible. We here behold the custom of watching by the bodies of the dead. See Homer, Iliad xxiii. --- Beasts. The gibbets were formerly very low. (Calmet) --- Thus Blandina was exposed to wild beasts. (Eusebius, Hist. v. 1.)

2 Samuel 24:6 — Eliazer, (6) and they came into Galaad, and into the land of Ethaon Adasai, and they went into Dan Jaran." The other editions vary. Hebrew means, "to the land of new subjects," or "lately conquered" (Junius) from the Agarites, (1 Paralipomenon v. 10,) which agrees with this situation. (Calmet; Lyranus) --- The commissioners first took an account of the tribe of Ruben, (Menochius) and then proceeded northward, till they returned from Dan towards the south. (Haydock) --- Woodlands.