Bible Commentaries

Genesis 4:19 — have no right to pass sentence of condemnation upon him, as some Protestants have done, after the Manichees. Hence the fathers defend the one, and reject the other with abhorrence. (Haydock) --- Tertullian (Monog. c. 5.) and St. Jerome, contra Jovin. 1, says, "Lamech, first of all, a bloody murderer, divided one flesh between two wives." It was never lawful, says Pope Innocent III. contra Gaudemus, for any one to have many wives at once, unless leave was given by divine revelation;"

2 Kings 13:20 — Buried him, near Samaria. (Menochius) --- He had been chosen by Elias sixty-eight years before, and had lived eleven with him. His perfect character is given, Ecclesiasticus xlviii. 13. His double spirit represents the plentitude of grace in Jesus Christ; as his raising the child to life, in such a wonderful manner, denotes his incarnation. The waters of Jericho made sweet, and the healing of Naaman, set before us the virtue of baptism:

2 Kings 16:18 — king’s entry without, the turned (Haydock) round (Menochius) from the temple, for the king of Assur." He despoiled these rich ornaments, to gratify the Assyrian. (Haydock) --- Solomon had built a most magnificent tribune, 2 Paralipomenon vi. 13. See chap. xi. 6. The musach of Juda, was the pulpit; from which the law was read, Isaias xxii. 8. The king’s tribune was near the eastern gate, which was only opened on the sabbath, Ezechiel xlvi. 1. Some believe that the musach was a large

2 Kings 23:11 — Nathan-melech. Septuagint, "to the treasury (room.; Pagnin) of Nathan, the king’s eunuch," or chamberlain. (Haydock) --- Pharurim, "the suburbs." (Vatable) (Menochius) (Chaldean) --- It perhaps denotes the guard-house. See 1 Paralipomenon xxvi. 18. --- Chariots. The aforesaid horses were designed to draw them in honour of the sun. Some nations used to ride in this manner with all expedition, at its rising; and the Rabbins pretend that the king, or some other by his order,

Nehemiah 7:5 — inhabitants for the city, as was afterwards done by lot, chap. xi. (Tirinus) --- Written. Hence it seems evident that Nehemias here only transcribes this ancient record, of those who came under Zorobabel, and consequently this chapter sought to agree with 1 Esdras ii., as well as with 3 Esdras v. 9., (Haydock) which is now strangely corrupted; so that it can throw no light upon the matter. (Calmet) --- Some think that various catalogues were taken, at Babylon, at the first coming to Jerusalem, (Menochius)

Psalms 14:4 — Nothing. He despises all wickedness, though done by kings, whose power he considers as the means of destruction, 1 Kings xv. 26., and Luke xxiii. 9. The wicked dares not appear before an upright judge, like David, Psalm c. 2. Hebrew may be "the wicked is despised." (St. Jerome) (Haydock) --- Those who follow the Jews, have "he thinks meanly of himself,"

Psalms 50:14 — Perfect. Literally, "principal." Septuagint, "conducting;" such a spirit as may suit one who is to command. (Haydock) --- This may denote sound reason, (4 Machabees; Philo Nobil) which keeps the passions under, (St. Chrysostom; Job xxx. 15.) or God himself, to whose Spirit all others shall be subservient. Rance often inculcated to his Monks, the importance of having this principal spirit, which includes every virtue, particularly of liberality, as the Hebrew nediba, implies. (Berthier)

Psalms 50:6 — Only, or principally, who art the only God, (1 Timothy i. 17.; Worthington) the judge and witness of my crime. (Haydock) --- David was a king, and acknowledged no judge among men. (St. Ambrose, c. x.) --- Soli Deo reus est. (Cassiodorus) --- Urias, whom he had injured, was no more. (St. Augustine)

Psalms 7:1 — difficult to understand. The person who has inserted this historical title, and many others, without much judgment, had probably in view the wars of Absalom, and the curses of Semei. But the psalm seems rather to refer to the persecutions of Saul, (Calmet; 1 Kings xxii. 8.; Menochius) who was of the tribe of Benjamin. (Haydock) --- Sts. Augustine, Basil, and Chrysostom explain it of Chusi, (Worthington) the Arachite, from a town of Benjamin, (Calmet) who defeated the counsel of Achitophel, (Worthington)

Leviticus 23:44 — also we observe the Christian festivals, in honour of our Lord and his saints, instead of those which God appointed for the Jews, either by himself or by his ministers: for we find that some were instituted after the time of Moses, (Esther ix., and 1 Machabees iv.) and these were sanctioned by the observance of Christ himself, It was the feast of the dedication, and Jesus walked in the temple, &c., John x. 22-23. (Worthington)

Deuteronomy 16:1 — March and April. The Chaldeans called this month Nisan, "of the standards;" because the armies then left thir winter quarters. The first-fruits of the barley harvest were offered on the second day of the paschal solemnity, Leviticus xxiii. 10., and Exodus xiii. 4. (Calmet) --- Night. We read (Exodus xii. 22., and Numbers xxxiii. 3,) that the Hebrews were ordered not to leave their houses till morning, and that they departed from Ramesses on the day after the passage of the destroying angel.

Deuteronomy 21:5 — purified. (Calmet) --- Abulensis insinuates, that if the murderer was present in the crowd, he might be detected by blood gushing from to corpse of the deceased, &c., as God often brings murder to light in a wonderful manner. (Cic.[Cicero,?] Div. 1.) (Tirinus)

Joshua 17:17 — dwell in the land of Emek, (of of the valley) in Bethsan, and its villages, and in the vale of Jezrael, have chosen cavalry and iron." (Haydock) --- They are invincible. (Calmet) --- The slothful man saith there is a lion without, Proverbs xxii. 13. Josue over-rules the cowardly objection, and argues, from their own boasting, that they were numerous enough to overcome all their opponents. He was himself of the tribe of Ephraim. (Haydock) --- Valley, extending about 10,000 paces from Bethsan to

Joshua 23:7 — connections with) these nations....Neither mention their gods, nor swear (or cause to swear by them.") The psalmist (Psalm xv. 4,) says, speaking either of idols, (Haydock) or of sinners, Nor will I be mindful of their names by my lips. Osee (ii. 16,) says, She shall call me no more Baali, ("my lord," a term applied by wives to their husbands) on account of its reminding one of the idol Baal. Hence David calls Jerobaal, or Gedeon, Jeroboschot, 2 Kings xi. 21. St. Paul would not have

Titus 1:15 — el cuerpo lo que contamina al hombre. Pero comer con las manos sucias; comer carne de cerdo o carne ofrecida a los ídolos: estas cosas en sí mismas son acciones indiferentes, aunque las circunstancias particulares pueden convertirlas en criminales. (1 Corintios viii. 4, 5, 6, etc.) (Calmet) &mdash- Pero a los contaminados, etc. Al contrario, el hombre cuya alma está contaminada por el pecado, o que vive en la infidelidad, nunca puede poseer pureza de corazón; Cualesquiera que sean los lavados o purificaciones

Hebrews 11:1 — Todo este capítulo es un elogio y una recomendación de la fe, que es la sustancia [1] de lo que se espera, dando como sustancia en nuestra mente las cosas que tenemos en la esperanza y en la espera del más allá, y haciéndolas presentes. a nosotros antes de que sucedan. &mdash- También es una convicción segura [2] de las cosas que no

Judges 19:2 — different manner from what we do at present, and their explanation seems more rational than the Hebrew. For, is it probable that a Levite should go to be reconciled to an adulteress, contrary to the intention of the law (Deuteronomy xxiv. 2., Jeremias iii. 1., and Proverbs xviii. 22.) and the custom of the Jews, as well as of pagan nations, who looked upon those with contempt, who kept a woman of this character? The word concubine, we have often remarked, signifies a wife without a dowry, &c., (Calmet)

1 Samuel 13:19 — arms." The immense army which had so lately discomfited the Ammonites, was surely not without weapons. But most of them had retired, (Haydock) and those who accompanied the king might rely chiefly on their expertness in using the sling, Judges xx. 16. (Menochius) --- The brave men who came to join David, are praised on this account, as well as for shooting with bow and arrow, 1 Paralipomenon xii. 2. Furious battles have been also fought with sharpened stakes, burnt at the end, (Virgil, Æneid

1 Samuel 31:5 — into those which are inconceivably geat and eternal. (Haydock) --- The Jews in vain attempt to excuse Saul, as they deem suicide in such cases lawful, though in others they deprive those of burial, who have been guilty of it. (Josephus, Antiquities vi. 14.) --- This author applauds the behaviour of Saul; and indeed, his courage called forth the praises of David. But even the pagans have deemed those no better than cowards, who have killed themselves to avoid misery.    Rebus in adversis

2 Samuel 10:4 — nations adopted the same customs as the Hebrews: they cut their hair, and rent their garments, to express their deep affliction, Isaias xv. 2. The Arabs would deem it a great insult, and a piece of irreligion, to shave their beard. (Darvieux vii. p. 175.) Plutarch (Agesil) observes, that the Lacedemonians obliged those who acted in a cowardly manner in war, to wear only one wisker: and Herodotus (ii. 121,) takes notice of a person who, in contempt, cut off the beard on the right cheeks of some soldiers,