Beyond. The eastern side of the Jordan is so called in Scripture, with reference to the promised land. (Menochius) --- Hebrew may mean also, "on this side, or at the passage" about Bethabara, "the house of passage," near which the Hebrews were encamped, and where Josue probably crossed over the Jord... [ Continue Reading ]
Cades-barne. All the distance between Horeb and the Jordan, by Mount Seir, on the road to Cades-barne, might have been traveled in eleven days' time, being about 300 miles; or the Hebrews were so long in going thither, Numbers xxxiii. 17. (Calmet) --- It was to punish the Israelites for their freque... [ Continue Reading ]
_Month, corresponding with our January, if the ecclesiastical calculation be followed; but if we date from Tisri, this eleventh month will be our July or August. Moses died on the 7th of the following month. (Du Hamel)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_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) ---... [ Continue Reading ]
_Expound. He begins, as usual, with commemorating the wonders of God, in favour of an ungrateful people. This book may be considered as a supplement to the other four books. (Calmet) --- We need not wonder, therefore, if we find some new observations. The reason why the sabbath is to be kept, is her... [ Continue Reading ]
_Turn you. The Hebrews, after the passage of the Red Sea, seemed to turn their backs upon the promised land, to go southward. Now, therefore, they are ordered to bend their course to the north, and to enter Chanaan, (Haydock) on the western side of the lake of Sodom, where the Amorrhites dwelt. (Cal... [ Continue Reading ]
_I said, following the advice of Jethro, Exodus xviii. 18._... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER I.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who, &c. Hebrew, "and shoterim ( officers like our serjeants, designed to publish and execute the sentence of the judges) over or among your tribes." The Persians still call such officers chaters. The Rabbins say, that the shoterim were generally selected from among the Cinites, the descendants of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pleased me. Even Moses was deceived by the appearance of prudence: and God permitted the people to follow the directions of their cowardice, ver. 26, 32. (Chap. ix. 29., and Numbers xiii. 1.) (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Being. Hebrew, "but rebelled against, irritated, or rendered useless," &c. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hateth us. Such an opinion, can bring nothing but destruction. (Du Hamel)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_For you. Septuagint, "he will defeat them along with you." For man must do something. (St. Augustine, q. 1.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Neither, &c. Hebrew simply, "The Lord was also angry with me on your account," &c. Moses had been so long witness to the rebellions of the Hebrews, that at last he gave way to a certain diffidence, when he was ordered by God to give them water out of the rock. He was afraid the Lord would not bear... [ Continue Reading ]
_Evil. These words were spoken to by God to the Hebrews, after they had refused to go from Cades-barne, to take immediate possession of the land of Chanaan, and not after Moses had offended at the waters of contradiction, which happened only a short time before his death. (Haydock) --- Those who wer... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sea. This they deferred complying with for a long time, (ver. 46,) and then they directed their course along Mount Seir, towards the west, and encamped at Hesmona. (Calmet) --- Many years after, they arrived at a different branch of the Red Sea from that which they had crossed, Numbers xxxiii. 30,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Armed. Septuagint, "in crowds." Arabic, "quickly." Syriac, "encouraging one another." Chaldean, "impiously." (Calmet) --- The conduct of these people might seem to authorize all these interpretations. The Hebrew term occurs no where else. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Bees do. This similitude shews the vivacity, courage, and numbers of those who pursued the Hebrews from Seir to Horma. See Numbers xxi. 3., Psalm cvii. 12., and Isaias vii. 18._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Time. Hebrew adds, "according to the days that you abode." All the time that the Hebrews spent in that neighbourhood they remained at Cades-barne. The Rabbins say 38 years; but Moses informs us, that they were so long in coming thence to the torrent of Zared, chap. ii. 14. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]