_Lie, by countenancing calumny. Judges must never do any thing which they know to be unjust, whatever the witnesses may assert. The person who speaks against his neighbour, would injure him, if he had an opportunity. (Quintel.) --- Hebrew, "Thou shalt not raise a false report." (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Favour. Mercy would then be contrary to justice. (Psalm lxxi. 2; St. Augustine q. 88.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Bribes, which naturally induce the receiver to shew favour, and therefore cannot be too carefully avoided. The Athenians put to death those who bribed the judges, and required the latter to restore ten-fold. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_The hearts. You have experienced what sorrow and misery they feel. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Year. Thus God was pleased to teach them to place entire confidence in him, and to compassionate the distress of the poor. Most people suppose, that the sabbatic year commenced in autumn; as otherwise the land would have remained without any harvest two years. This law began to be observed the 7th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Name. Hence it is supposed, the Jews had given abusive titles to the idols; as they call Beelzebub the god-fly, &c. No respect was to be shewn to them. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Three. Women are not here mentioned; but they are, Deuteronomy xxxi. 12. Children under 13 were exempted from the obligation, according to the Caraites. Men from 20 to 60, not lawfully hindered, were bound to appear, Leviticus xxvii. 3._... [ Continue Reading ]
Empty. But shalt offer something in sacrifice, and for the support of the Levites, freely, Deuteronomy xvi. 10. At the Passover, the first-fruits of barley were to be offered, as those of wheat would be ready at Pentecost. The third feast was that of tabernacles, at the conclusion of the civil year.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou, &c. This has a reference to the feast of the Passover, ver. 15, (Onkelos) as well as the following verse. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Dam. The paschal victim must not be so young as to be still suckled. The Samaritan subjoins, "Because that would be like immolating an animal found dead, and the God of Jacob hates it." (Calmet) --- Some imagine that this law alludes to a superstitious custom of the pagans, (Spencer, Rit. ii. 8,) o... [ Continue Reading ]
_Angel; my only son. (Philo) --- St. Paul says, they tempted Jesus Christ, (1 Corinthians x. 9,) who is styled, the angel of the covenant, Malachias iii. 1. Some apply this to Josue, others to St. Michael, who, from the cloud, conducted the army of Israel. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Forgive. Dimittet, as well as the Hebrew and Septuagint, may signify, "he will not abandon." (Haydock) --- My name. Moses, Josue, and still more our Saviour, acted in the name and by the authority of God the Father._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Waters, or all things necessary for your sustenance._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fruitless. Hebrew may also be, "miscarrying." --- Days. An untimely death was a judgment of God on the wicked, though sometimes he chooses to draw his elect quickly out of this dangerous world, Wisdom iv. 11._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Destroy. Hebrew, "fill with consternation."_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hornets, or wasps, Wisdom xii. 8. Josue (xxiv. 12) assures us this was verified. Thus scorpions forced the Ethiopians to abandon their country, and flies and wasps drove away the Mysians and Phaselides. See Bochart, iv. 13. The latter people were of Ph\'9cnician extraction, and probably fled before... [ Continue Reading ]
_Beasts. Herod the great killed many in hunting. (Josephus, Jewish Wars i. 16.) Two bears rushed upon the children, 4 Kings ii. 24. How much would they have increased in all the countries from the Euphrates to the Nile, had they been destitute of any other inhabitants but the Hebrews, (Calmet) many... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER XXIII.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Scandal. If you have any society with these nations, it will turn to your ruin, which was but too literally manifested afterwards._... [ Continue Reading ]