_Rejoiced. Septuagint and Chaldean, "been strengthened." Anna composed this canticle at the nativity of her son; or rather at his presentation in the tabernacle. She foretells the reign and glory of the Messias, and of his church. (St. Augustine, de C.[City of God?] xvii. 4. --- Horn. The horn in th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Holy. This is frequently a title of God, the holy one of Israel, Isaias i. 4., and v. 19. He is essentially holy. --- Strong. Hebrew, "no rock like," &c. The rocks of Palestine were the common fortresses of the nation, having caverns to which the people fled for refuge. Hence God is often called a... [ Continue Reading ]
Old. Hebrew hathak means also, "hard things." (Du Hamel) --- "Let arrogance come out of your mouth," to return no more. Yet most people supply the negation from the former member; "Let not arrogance or hard things." Chaldean, "blasphemy," &c. (Calmet) --- Cease to praise idols, as you have done. (Wo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Overcome. Hebrew, "broken." Septuagint, "he has weakened the bow," having deprived it of its elasticity._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Many. Hebrew, "seven," which is often used in the same sense. Anna had never more than six children; (Calmet) whereas Phenenna had perhaps ten, chap. i. 8., and iii. 21. (Haydock) --- The Rabbins pretend that she lost one every time that Anna brought forth. But the text says nothing of the kind. It... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hell, ( infernos,) "the lower regions." God calls us out of this world, or restores the dead to life, as he thinks proper. (Haydock) --- He easily makes the greatest prosperity succeed extreme distress, which is often denoted by death, hell, &c. So Seneca says, Mortis habet vices---Lentis cum trahi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Exalteth. The same instances of God's power and providence are related, Psalm cxii. 7., and Luke i. 52. (Menochius) --- Hesiod (op.) says, "Jupiter easily gives or takes away power," &c._... [ Continue Reading ]
_World. The Hebrews represented the earth as resting on a firm basis, or on pillars, or turning on poles, Psalm ciii. 5., and Proverbs viii. 25., &c. The magistrates of the earth may be also thus designated, as the world is entrusted to their care. God compares Jeremias to an iron pillar, Jeremias i... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saints. Hebrew, "kind, merciful, pious ones;" (Calmet) those to whom he shews mercy, and who comply with his will in assisting others. Septuagint, "Granting their petition to those who ask him, and he has blessed the years of the just, because man is not strong by his own strength." (Haydock) --- S... [ Continue Reading ]
Him. Septuagint, "The Lord will render his adversary weak. The holy Lord. Let not the prudent boast of his prudence," &c. (Haydock; which seems to be added from Jeremias ix. 23., Calmet) "The Lord has mounted the heavens, and thundered. He judges the ends of the earth, and gives power to those who r... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ramatha. Hebrew Rama. Septuagint (Alexandrian), "and they left him there before the Lord, and went away to Armathaim." (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord, whom they denied by their works, Titus i. 16._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nor the office. The Vulgate repeats the negation from the preceding sentence. Others translate, "The priests' custom with the people was, " &c., or, "the pretended right of the priests," &c. They neither performed their duty towards God, (Calmet) nor were they content with what the law authorized t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pan. Hebrew has also four terms, but their precise meaning cannot be determined. The vessels were of different forms, or intended for various uses._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Raw. Here are two other abuses. The fat ought first to have been burnt, in honour of the Lord; and the meat should have been boiled, in order that the priest might not be taken off from his sacred functions; as custom, it seems, had determined, though the law be silent on this head._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Desireth. The Laic gives an example of moderation and zeal, to which the priest might well have paid some deference. The former is willing to abandon his goods, provided the honour of God be not neglected. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lord. People, seeing that the law was not observed, refrained from presenting victims. (Menochius) --- They are but too apt to follow the bad example of their teachers. (Haydock) --- Hence God punishes the smallest faults of his ministers, with great severity, since they withdraw people from his se... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ephod. It was not, therefore, peculiar to priests, 2 Kings vi. 14._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Coat. Hebrew mehil, the outer garment. Hence it appears that the parents of the people consecrated to the Lord, furnished them with clothes, till they were able to serve the tabernacle, otherwise they would have been a burden to it. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lent. This was in reply to what Anna had said, chap. i. 28. (Haydock) --- God always gives back with interest. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lord. He behaved well in the tabernacle, (Calmet) notwithstanding the ill example of Heli's own sons. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Waited, like an army of guards, Exodus xxxvii. 8. The Rabbins pretend that these priests only sent away these women who came to be purified, and allowed them to return to their husbands before the appointed time, and thus caused the latter to offend. These authors are generally very fertile in disco... [ Continue Reading ]
_People. They could not refrain from complaining of the iniquity of his children, how much soever they might revere him. Though he was not a witness himself of their abominations, such an uproar must have convinced him that they were guilty. (Haydock) --- The Fathers in general blame the lenity of t... [ Continue Reading ]
Who shall pray for him. By these words Heli would have his sons understand, that by their wicked abuse of sacred things, and of the very sacrifices which were appointed to appease the Lord, they deprived themselves of the ordinary means of reconciliation with God; which was by sacrifices. The more,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And men. Thus he is, in some degree, compared with our Saviour, Luke ii. 52. When one minister prevaricates, God presently raises up another, so that he never abandons his Church. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_A man. His name is unknown. Some say it was Elcana, Samuel or an angel, &c. The Rabbins suppose that Phinees performed this office. But he was long ago dead, (Calmet) or he would still have enjoyed the high priesthood instead of Heli. --- Father's. Aaron was the chief both of the house of Eleazar a... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER II. _ Ephod, and all the pontifical attire. (Haydock) --- The high priest wore a different sort of ephod from that of other people. (Calmet) --- All the, &c. Even of the holocausts, the priests received the skin. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Away, by scandalizing the people, and causing them to neglect offering the appointed victims. (Haydock) --- To eat. Heli seems to have refrained from divesting his sons of their high office, that the riches of his family might not be impaired. (Calmet) --- Avarice is the root of many evils, and tho... [ Continue Reading ]
Ever. God had promised the priesthood to Aaron's seed (Calmet) as long as the Jewish religion should subsist. (Haydock) --- He had also selected the branch of Eleazar, to recompense the zeal of Phinees; (Numbers xxv. 13,) and yet we find that the house of Ithamar had possession for a time of the hig... [ Continue Reading ]
_Arm, strength or children. I will slay some; others I will reduce to extreme want. Some explain it of the ark, which was the protection of Israel. (Calmet) --- Old man, to govern. (Du Hamel) --- It is often a title of dignity. But the four succeeding pontiffs did not live long. In the course of lit... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thy rival. A priest of another race. This was partly filled when Abiathar, of the race of Heli, was removed from the priesthood, and Sadoc, who was of another line, was substituted in his place. But it was more fully accomplished in the New Testament, when the priesthood of Aaron gave place to that... [ Continue Reading ]
_Spent. Hence we may learn to adore the depth of God's judgments, who knows how to punish both in life and death. --- Part. Septuagint, "the most exalted of thy house shall fall by the sword of men."_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Faithful often denotes what shall continue a long time, Isaias xxxiii. 16., and lv. 3. (Calmet) --- But in the conduct of Sadoc, we find nothing reprehensible. (Menochius) --- This faithful priest pointed out the Christian priesthood, as the sequel shews. (Calmet) --- All days. He shall perform his... [ Continue Reading ]
Bread; like the poorest sort of people. (Menochius) --- Being degraded, they shall ask the other priests to offer sacrifice for them. Hebrew, "shall bend before him for a piece of silver, and for a morsel of bread." He shall humbly intreat to be employed as a priest, in order to get a livelihood. --... [ Continue Reading ]