In. Hebrew, "And (Calmet) or But in, " as [in] 2 Paralipomenon xxxvi. 22. (Haydock) --- Thus the historical works are connected. Spinosa infers, from this book being inserted after Daniel in the Hebrew Bible, that the same author wrote both. But the order of the books in the Septuagint and Vulgate i... [ Continue Reading ]
_Earth, which had belonged to the king of Babylon. (Haydock) --- This may be an hyperbole, or allusion to Isaias xlv. 1. (Menochius) --- The dominions of Cyrus were very extensive, (Xenophon, Cyrop. i. and viii.) reaching from Ethiopia to the Euxine sea, &c. He acknowledges that he received all from... [ Continue Reading ]
_He is the God, is placed within a parenthesis, by the Protestants. But the pagans might suppose that God was attached to this city, like their idols; and the temple was not yet begun. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Rest, who do not please to return. The Jews went at different times, and under the different leaders, Zorobabel, Esdras, and Nehemias. Many did not return at all. Cyrus allowed them full liberty. He permits money to be exported, particularly the half sicle, required [in] Exodus xxx. 13, and all vol... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gazabar means, "the treasurer." (Hebrew; Syriac; Calmet; Protestants; 3 Esdras ii. 19.) (Haydock) --- Son is not in Hebrew, &c., (Menochius) and must be omitted. (Tirinus) --- Sassabasar. This was another name for Zorobabel, (Challoner) given by the Chaldeans, as they changed the name of Daniel int... [ Continue Reading ]
_Knives. Septuagint, &c., "changes" of garments. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sort. Septuagint and Syriac, "double;" yet of less value. (Calmet) --- As no first sort had been mentioned, and some Latin manuscripts read 2410, agreeably to 3 Esdras ii. 12., and the truth, (Hallet) it may be inferred that "thousands were expressed anciently by single letters, with a dot....over... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hundred. Only 2499 are specified. 3 Esdras reads, 5469. Josephus ([Antiquities?] xi. 1.) differs from all, reading 5210; which shews that the copies have varied, and that the Hebrew is incorrect. (Calmet) --- The use of number letters might cause this confusion. (Haydock) (Capel. iii. 20, 13.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER I.... [ Continue Reading ]