Bible Commentaries

Genesis 20:14 — Gave, by way of satisfaction, for having detained his wife; as also to shew his respect for him who was a prophet. (1 Kings ix. 7.) (Haydock)

1 Chronicles 10:10 — Head, while his body was hung on the walls of Bethsan, 1 Kings xxxi. 10. (Calmet) --- The temple of Dagon was contiguous to the wall. (Du Hamel)

1 Chronicles 8:32 — Over-against, in the vicinity, while some remained at Gabaon. See Genesis xvi. 12. (Calmet) --- The family of Cis resided at Gabaa, 1 Kings x. 26. (Menochius)

2 Chronicles 31:10 — Sadoc, being his grandson, (1 Paralipomenon vi. 12.; C.) or the father of Sellum. Junius --- People, with abundance; so that more would belong to the priests. C.

Nehemiah 11:13 — Amassai. Or (1 Paralipomenon ix. 12.) Maasai, the son of Adiel, the son of Jezra, the son of Mosollam, the son of Mosollamoth, the son of Emmer.

Nehemiah 3:16 — Labour, by Ezechias, for a reservoir, 2 Paralipomenon xxxii. 4. --- Mighty men of David, (1 Paralipomenon xi. 10.) or the king’s guards, (Calmet) or the garrison. (Menochius)

Psalms 101:4 — Fire. Cremium denotes any combustible matter. (Columella xii. 19.) (St. Jerome) (Calmet) --- While in mortal sin, our best actions, alms, &c., avail nothing, 1 Corinthians xiii. (Worthington)

Psalms 111:8 — Until. Not that he will be disturbed afterwards, (Psalm cix. 1.; Calmet) when his enemies shall be punished. (Haydock) --- The captives saw the fall of Babylon. (Calmet)

Psalms 118:34 — Heart. Enable me to keep and to understand thy law, ver. 1, 2. (Worthington) --- We must observe what we know, that we may receive greater lights. (Haydock)

Psalms 118:36 — Covetousness. Either of money, or any unlawful object, 1 Timothy vi. 10. (Haydock) The word is very comprehensive. (Berthier) --- Batsah is rendered mammon by the Chaldean. (Calmet)

Psalms 93:17 — Almost. Or shortly, as the Hebrew means, (Berthier) "within very little." (Worthington) --- Hell. Hebrew, "silence," which is often put for the grave, 1 Kings ii. 9. (Calmet)

Proverbs 12:4 — Diligent. Hebrew, "strong or virtuous," (Haydock) including all the perfections of the sex, and in particular those of economy and chastity, chap. xiv. 1., and xxxi. 10.

Proverbs 17:12 — Fool. Hebrew, "fool in his folly." The danger is not greater in meeting (Calmet) a female bear, though it be the most terrible. (Aristotle, Anim. ix. 1.)

Proverbs 8:15 — Things. Power and knowledge are the gift of the Almighty, Romans xii. 1. A prince who resembles God the most, is his best present. (Pliny in Trajan)

Ecclesiastes 8:5 — Answer. Hebrew, "judgment." He knows when to reprove even kings with effect; like Nathan, Elias, or St. Ambrose, 2 Kings xii. 1., and 3 Kings xviii. 17.

Isaiah 17:7 — Israel. They obeyed the summons of Ezechias and of Josias, (2 Paralipomenon xxx. 1., and xxxiv. 6.) and every after followed the same worship as Juda. (Calmet)

Jeremiah 15:16 — Eat them. I received them most cordially, (Ezechiel iii. 1.; Haydock) as one who is hungry. --- Upon me. I was recognized as the prophet of the Lord.

Ezekiel 45:1 — By lot. Manuscript 2 reads bogurl; (printed benachala) so the Vulgate sortito. (Kennicott) --- Hebrew, "when you shall make the land fall," which usually implies by lot: yet the partition was not made thus, (chap. xlviii. 1.) nor at all, (Calmet) otherwise the prophet might mention how the lots would have fallen to Dan, in the north, &c. (Haydock) --- The Jews either could not comply, or did not take this to be a command. If they had returned all together, they might

Numbers 11:22 — Fishes. Moses does not distinguish them from flesh, no more than St. Paul does, 1 Corinthians xv. 39. Fish was not formerly allowed on fasting days. (Calmet)

1 Samuel 30:29 — Rachel; perhaps the same with Hachila, chap. xxiii. 19., and xxvi. 1. --- Jerameel. See chap. xxvii. 10. --- Ceni, a canton to the south of the Dead Sea.