Bible Commentaries

Genesis 18:32 — Ten. Abraham’s chief solicitude was for Lot; though, out of modesty, he does not mention him; trusting, however, in the divine goodness the he would be preserved, unless he had forfeited his justice, he proceeds no farther. God thus challenges Jerusalem to produce one virtuous man, and the city shall be saved for his sake, Jeremias v. 1. (Haydock)

Exodus 20:16 — False. Calumniators were subjected to the law of retaliation, and were forced, by the Egyptians and others, to undergo the same punishment, which they would have inflicted upon others. This law is the guardian of good faith and honesty in all our dealings. It is explained more in detail [in] chap. xxiii. 1, and Leviticus xix. 11.

2 Kings 13:10 — Seven. To complete the number seventeen, (ver. 1.) it ought to be "nine" ending. (Houbigant, p. 109.) See chap. xiv. 23. --- Years. If Jeroboam reigned in the 15th year of Amasias, and his father in the 37th of Joas, and not in the 39th almost complete, this king would have held dominion eighteen years. (Ibid.[Houbigant, p. 109.?])

2 Kings 21:18 — Oza, a private man, to whom it had belonged; (Menochius) or the place where the Levite had been punished for touching the ark; (1 Kings vi. 8.) or, in fine, the garden to which king Ozias had retired after he became a leper. (Calmet) --- It is said, that Manasses chose this place for his tomb out of humility. (Grotius)

2 Kings 3:19 — Tree. This was an exception from the general law; (Deuteronomy xx. 19.; Calmet) or it might only regard the land of Chanaan, which the Hebrews should occupy. (Menochius) (Worthington) --- Stones, which had been gathered off into heaps, Isaias v. 1. Persius calls a field thus cleared, Exossatus ager; (Calmet) as if the bones were taken out. (Haydock)

1 Chronicles 1:32 — Concubine. She was his lawful wife, but of an inferior degree, and such were called concubines. (Challoner) --- She has the title of wife, Genesis xxv. 1. --- And the sons of Dadan, &c., seems to be copied from Genesis, as the addition is not found in many Latin manuscripts, no more than in the Hebrew or Septuagint. (Calmet)

1 Chronicles 4:1 — Charmi, the great-grandson of Juda, by Zara and Zamri, Josue vii. 1. --- Junius takes him to be the same with Calubi, (chap. ii.) father of Sobal. This seems to be transcribed from another ancient register of the family of Juda, and designed to shew where the principal men had resided. (Calmet) --- Only the chiefs are specified. (Du Hamel)

1 Chronicles 4:31 — David, who had Siceleg given to him, 1 Kings xxvii. 6. (Haydock) --- After the schism, Juda straitened the tribe of Simeon; so that it was forced to seek for other habitations in Gador, under Ezechias, ver. 39., &c. (Calmet) --- It could no longer reside among those of the tribe of Juda, (Du Hamel) and acknowledge another king. (Haydock)

Numbers 16:5 — The holy ones, whom he has chosen for the high priesthood. The psalmist, speaking of this sedition, says, they provoked....Aaron, the holy one of the Lord, Psalm cv. 16. (Calmet) See 1 Timothy ii. 19. --- Only those who are chosen by God, can lawfully perform this sacred office, as the Almighty declares by a miracle. (Haydock)

Numbers 3:4 — Presence; or as it is expressed, (1 Paralipomenon xxiv. 9,) under the hand of Aaron, by his direction, and in quality of his assistant, (Calmet) while he lived. Eleazar succeeded him in the high priesthood; (Josue xxiv. 33,) and his children possessed that dignity, till the posterity of Ithamar came in under Heli, chap. xxv. 3. (Haydock)

Deuteronomy 1:4 — Astaroth signifies "sheep," particularly ewes, with their dugs distended with milk. Hence the Sidonians formed the idea of their Astarte, 1 Kings xi. 5. (Haydock) --- The Rabbins say, that Astaroth denotes large mountains, generally covered with sheep. Astaroth-Carnaim was the city. (Eusebius) --- Here the famous Og resided, though he was defeated at Edrai, as the Hebrew intimates. (Calmet)

Deuteronomy 10:17 — Gods. Idols are nothing, 1 Corinthians viii. 4. Hence Theodoret supposes, that all who have authority upon earth are here designated. But admitting the false notions of the pagans respecting their gods, the superiority of the true God is here asserted; (Calmet) and all, both in heaven and on earth, gods and lords, must bow before him. (Haydock)

Joshua 1:15 — Beyond. The same expression is translated on this side, ver. 14. Hebrew beheber means also, "in the passage." If we have regard to Josue, when he spoke this, he was beyond, that is on the east side of the river, though perhaps (Haydock) he might be on the other side when he wrote the history, Deuteronomy i. 1. (Calmet)

Joshua 10:40 — Hills of Judea. --- South of the promised land. --- Plain. Hebrew, Sephela, a flat country near Eleutheropolis. (St. Jerome in Abd. i. 19; 1 Machabees xii. 38.) --- Asedoth, "of the springs." --- Remains. God ordered these people to be utterly destroyed, in punishment of their manifold abominations; and that they might not draw the Israelites into the like sins. (Challoner)

Joshua 13:2 — Galilee. As Josue had been making such conquests in that part lately, some would translate Geliloth, "the confines" of the Philistines, in which sense it seems to be taken, chap. xviii. 18., and xxii. 10. (Calmet) --- Bonfrere suspects that St. Jerome wrote Galila. --- Gessuri, either near Mount Hermon, (Menochius) or bordering upon Arabia, 1 Kings xv., and xxvii. 10.

Hebrews 5:6 — el sacrificio eucarístico; pero hasta que los hebreos entendieran el sacrificio sangriento en la cruz, no se podía suponer que entendieran el sacrificio incruento del altar. Los santos Padres observan que el sacrificio de Melquisedec, (Génesis xiv. 18.) ofrecido en pan y vino, prefiguraba el sacrificio incruento ofrecido por Jesucristo en su última cena. Ver Clemente de Alejandría, lib. 4. Strom. Cap. viii .; San Cipriano, lib. 2. ep. 3. ad Cæul .; Eusebio de Cesarea, lib. 5. Dem. Evang. Cap. iii

1 John 1:1 — verso debe tomarse entre paréntesis, y el sentido no está completo hasta estas palabras, te lo declaramos, etc. El conjunto puede expresarse en esta paráfrasis literal: Os declaramos y predicamos la palabra eterna y siempre viva , que existió desde el [1] principio, (porque esta palabra que estaba con el Padre desde la eternidad, ha aparecido, [2] y se manifestó a nosotros cuando tomó sobre sí nuestra naturaleza humana y se hizo carne). Esta palabra que digo, encarnado, lo hemos visto con nuestros ojos,

1 Samuel 1:12 — Prayers, out of fervour; not through vain superstition and ostentation, as the Pharisees and pagans did, Matthew xxiii. 14. Christ does not condemn many, or long prayers, since he prayed whole nights for our instruction, Luke xxi. 43., and vi. 12., and 1 Thessalonians v. 17. --- Mouth. He tried, but could not hear what she said. (Calmet)

1 Samuel 6:8 — Box. Hebrew argaz, (which the Septuagint retain; Haydock) means also "a purse or basket." (Calmet) --- Josephus ([Antiquities?] vi. 1,) says, "the box was placed upon the ark." (Haydock) --- We do not read what became of these presents afterwards: but it is supposed that they were kept in the sanctuary till the time of the captivity. (Calmet)

2 Samuel 18:11 — Silver, somewhat above a guinea: sicles are not expressed in Hebrew. (Haydock) --- Belt, the richest part of armour. Jonathan and Ajax made presents of their belts to David and Hector, 1 Kings xviii. 4. (Homer, Iliad H.) See Job xiii. 18. The Romans wore very splendid belts. Balteus et notis fulserunt cingula bullis. (Claud., Proserp. ii.)