_Azotus, one of the principal cities of the Philistines. It is astonishing that God permits these infidels to touch the ark, He who resented the conduct of Oza, and of the Bethsamites, with such severity. But the law regarded the Israelites, and the pagans were ignorant of it. (Calmet) --- The serva... [ Continue Reading ]
_Dagon is the same as Derceto, Atergatis, Venus, and the moon, (Calmet) and was represented like a woman, (Tirinus) as far as the waist, and a fish below. (Haydock) (Judges xvi. 23.) --- The ark was placed near the idol, out of respect; (Calmet) or as a trophy of the victory, which they attributed t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lord, as if to acknowledge his superiority. (Calmet) --- No sooner was the gospel preached, than the power of the idols began to decrease. (Ven. Bede) (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Threshold. The idol is treated worse the second time. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_The stump of, seems to be wanting in Hebrew. (Haydock) --- Only the lower part, which resembled a fish, ( Dag) was left on its pedestal. --- Day. The Philistines themselves established this custom, which was a tacit confession of the imbecility of the idol, which they nevertheless continued to ador... [ Continue Reading ]
Emerods. The particular disorder which attacked them, (Psalm lxxvii. 66,) is very uncertain. Some say it was the dysentery, or the fistula, or the venereal disease, &c. Eusebius believes that it was in punishment of their incontinency. It was very painful, and sometimes proved mortal, ver. 12. Arist... [ Continue Reading ]
_God. the ark was terrible to this idol, as the relics of St. Babylas were to Apollo. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lords, next in dignity to a king, like the Persian surena, Judges iii. 3., and xvi. 5. --- About. Hebrew, "and they answered, let the ark....be carried unto Geth," in which sense the Septuagint seem to have taken it. But the Vulgate is more natural. Theodoret (q. 10,) concludes, that the people ima... [ Continue Reading ]
_Came upon, to punish, as on other occasions, to protect, Ezechiel i. 3., and xiii. 9. (Menochius) --- Parts. Literally, "Their lower intestines coming out, rotted," as [in] ver. 6. (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "their malady was concealed." (Grotius) --- The emerods attacked them inwardly, with the most ex... [ Continue Reading ]
_Die, at the sight of the ark, as the Bethsamites did afterwards. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER V.... [ Continue Reading ]