Bible Commentaries

Genesis 11:29 — then does Moses mention Sarai before, and then call her Jescha in the same verse? It seems as if he intended to designate two different women. (Haydock) --- In effect, Abram himself says, Sarai was truly his sister, born of the same father, chap. xii. 13. See chap. xx. 12, where we shall give the reasons that seem to prove that she was the daughter of Thare, and not Aran. (Calmet) --- Jescha does not accompany her grandfather, preferring, perhaps, to stay with Nachor, or to marry in her own country;

Genesis 27:19 — thought an officious lie to be lawful. (St. Chrysostom,, hom. 52; Origen; Bonfrere.) And even if we allow that they did wrong; the Scripture relates, but does not sanction what they did, Let him that thinks himself to stand, take heed lest he fall, 1 Corinthians x. 12. (Calmet) --- As our Saviour says of St. John the Baptist, He is Elias, Matthew xi, so, Jacob says, I am Esau, not in person , but in right of the first-born. (Worthington)

Exodus 3:22 — authorizing theft or injustice: but was a just disposal made by him, who is the great Lord and Master of all things; in order to pay the children of Israel some part of what was due to them from the Egyptians for their labours. (Challoner) --- Wisdom (x. 17) rendered to the just the wages of their labours; and (ver. 19,) the just took the spoils of the wicked, in a just war. It is an ancient tradition of the Jews, that the Egyptians appealed to Alexander the Great for the recovery of these spoils; but

1 Kings 10:28 — CHAPTER X. Egypt was once very famous for horses, and the breed is much admired by travellers. The Turks will not suffer strangers to have them. The canals made by Sesostris and other kings, caused their numbers to be diminished. (Herodotus ii. 108.) --- Yet there were many used in the time of Ezechias, 4 Kings xviii. 24. --- And Coa. Some take this to be the name of some unknown place, (Du Hamel) or of a town in Arabia Felix, (Ptol. vi. 17.) or "of a fair." (Tirinus) --- Hebrew, "and

2 Kings 2:12 — particular manner on his burning zeal. (Calmet) --- Elias stood up as a fire, and his word burnt like a torch...he brought down fire from heaven thrice, on the holocaust, and on the captains. (Haydock) --- Who can glory like to thee? Ecclesiasticus lxviii. 1, 4. See Sts. Ambrose and Chrysostom on Elias. His resemblance with Christ is very striking. His name puts us in mind of Christ’s divinity; who burnt with zeal for God’s house, (John ii. 17.) was persecuted, (Calmet) raised the dead to life,

2 Kings 25:9 — Great. This word is supplied from Jeremias lii. 13., and Hebrew, "great man’s house." (Protestants) But Jeremias xxxix. 8., we read, they burnt the houses of the people, (Haydock) even the meanest, destroyed the walls, and took the people to Babylon, only leaving some countrymen to

1 Chronicles 15:27 — fabric. Yet as it would hardly assume any colour but black, it was not so much sought after as the silk of Persia. Not only David, but all the Levites, were thus richly adorned; as the latter were at the dedication of the temple, 2 Paralipomenon ii. 14. There was a manufactory of this byssus established by David, chap. iv. 21. That of Egypt was white, and is called schesch, or "cotton," Exodus xvi. 4. (Calmet) --- Ephod. Septuagint, "a stole of byssus," or a long silken robe,

Nehemiah 2:8 — or garden planted with trees. Pliny ([Natural History?] v. 23.) mentions a "paradise," in Cœlosyria. (Grotius) --- But Nehemias might petition to be supplied with cedars from Libanus, (Tirinus) as they had been given for the temple, 1 Esdras iii. 7. (Haydock) --- Tower. Hebrew bira, means also "a palace or temple." It may designate the porch of the temple, which was 120 cubits high; (2 Paralipomenon iii. 4.; Calmet) though that had been lately repaired by Esdras. (Menochius)

Leviticus 2:1 — --- Of sacrifice. Hebrew mincha, which is applied to inanimate things, particularly to flour, "a present of wheat." (Vatable) --- As the other sacrifices have peculiar names, this is barely called sacrifice by the Vulgate. It was instituted, 1. for the poor; 2. to support the ministers of religion; 3. to shew that God was to be honoured with the fruits of the earth; 4. sacrifice being intended as a sort of feast, bread, salt, wine, and oil accompany it; and also incense, which was almost

Numbers 13:24 — "vale." --- Its. Hebrew, "one cluster." --- Two men, Josue and Caleb; (St. Maximus) though the Rabbins say they carried nothing. --- Lever, or staff, suspending it thus, in order that it might not be crushed. In that valley, Doubdan (i. 21,) was assured by the religious, that clusters, weighing twelve pounds, might still be found. Pliny (Natural History? xiv. 1,) says, there are some in Africa, larger than a male infant. Strabo (xi.) describes some in Carmania, two cubits high. Forster

Numbers 27:18 — Spirit of God, which was given to him, when he was appointed a judge; (chap. xi. 17,) the spirit of prophesy, (Onkelos,) and of wisdom, (Deuteronomy xxxiv. 9,) of which he received a fresh increase, by the imposition of the hands of Moses. By the like ceremony people are confirmed, and ministers of religion are still ordained, Acts

Numbers 35:3 — Cities, in all forty-eight, with a thousand paces round them. This land belonged to the community: but some built upon it, Josue xxi. 18., and 1 Paralipomenon vi. 60. The burial place for the Levites lay behind it. (Drusius) --- In these cities alone, the Levites had houses and gardens of their own; other might live with them, and indeed the cities acknowledged other lords, as Hebron

Joshua 11:21 — after the victory of Gabaon, Josue defeated the Enacim at Hebron, &c. Many of them fled into the country of the Philistines, and afterwards seized an opportunity of re-establishing themselves, so that Caleb had to drive them out afresh, chap. xv. 14. --- Cities, or inhabitants. We have seen that he did not demolish all the cities, which were built on a commanding situation, ver. 13. --- Enacim. Goliah[Goliath] is supposed to have been of this family, being six cubits and a span high, 1 Kings xvii.

Joshua 2:5 — they might easily overtake them. (Haydock) --- Notwithstanding this officious lie, which is a venial sin, St. Paul and St. James testify that she was justified by her faith in God, and by good works towards these men. See St. Augustine, contra Mend. 17. and note on James ii. 25. (Worthington) --- Rahab might suppose that an officious lie was not a sin, (Menochius) as many great and learned men seemed to have maintained this doctrine. See Grotius, Jur. iii. 1. 9.; Origen, contra Cels. iv. p. 171.;

Joshua 5:6 — who receive, what their rebellious fathers had been refused, are a sensible figure of the Christian Church; as that second circumcision under Josue, represents the spiritual cleansing of the heart, which Jesus Christ has enjoined, Romans ii. 28., and 1 Corinthians vii. 19.

Judges 11:1 — Harlot. Hebrew Zona, Josue ii. 1. It is uncertain whether she was properly a concubine, or a wife of inferior dignity. She lived with her son in the house of Galaad; (Calmet) at least the latter was in his father’s house. (Haydock) --- Hence Jephte complains that he had been

Judges 17:13 — Good. He was in hopes that the people would come and make their offerings with more zeal, so that he would derive greater advantage: the true character of superstitious misers, 1 Timothy vi. 5. (Calmet) -- He foolishly flattered himself that God would be pleased with his devotion; though he had done so many things contrary to the law. (Menochius) --- Thus many form a religion to themselves, and would still claim the title of

1 Samuel 9:7 — chose to shew their respect for God, the king, prophets, &c., by making them some presents. People still never go to visit one another in Syria without something of the kind, as it would be deemed uncivil or cruel to act otherwise. See 3 Kings xiv. 1., and Micheas iii. 11. --- Bread. They would have made a present of some. Saul received two loaves, chap. x. 4. See chap. xvi. 20. Hence we may form some idea of the beautiful simplicity of those ages. People were then forced to carry their own provisions,

2 Samuel 23:16 — Camp, or station of soldiers, ver. 13, 14. --- Offered it, as "a libation," according to the Hebrew and Septuagint. Vayasec is commonly used; but vinsoc, in Paralipomenon is the truer reading, as "it contains the three radical letters; and it were greatly to be wished that

2 Samuel 7:19 — interrogation; "Is this the law of Adam?" (Calmet) --- Protestants, "manner of man." Can this felicity attend a man in his fallen state? Does the greatest friend treat his companion with so much condescension and regard? (Haydock) --- In 1 Paralipomenon xvii. 17, it is thus expressed, and hast made me remarkable above all men, O Lord God. Osiander translates, "Behold the law of man, of the Lord God." I now discern the mysterious union of the godhead with our humanity, in the