_Month; Tizri, the day after they had sent away those women, (Calmet) whose company now covered them with confusion. (Haydock) --- They were moved to compunction, by the hearing of the law, read by Esdras. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Stranger; idolatrous women. (Haydock) --- True repentance requires the works of mortification, and particularly the removal of all occasions of sin and disorderly pleasures. (Worthington) --- The reformation had been commenced under Esdras, but some had relapsed, 1 Esdras x. 3. (Calmet) --- The tru... [ Continue Reading ]
_Stand, to hear the law, out of reverence; (Menochius) or the Levites ascended the pulpit to read, four times in the day. (Tirinus) --- After each lecture psalms were sung, (Calmet) to praise God, and to declare the sins of the people, and their sincere repentance. (Haydock) --- On days of mourning,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Step, erected by Esdras, chap. viii. 4. --- Josue, &c. These Levites are mentioned again, (ver. 5.) with some variation. Bani is called Bonni; Sebania, is Hasebnia. (Calmet) --- Perhaps some of them might be different, as there seems to be no reason for thus changing their names so soon. There are... [ Continue Reading ]
_To eternity. Existing. (Sa) --- Bless him continually. (Menochius) --- Let one generation after another praise his holy name. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of heavens. The highest, (Calmet) and most glorious (Haydock) residence of the Eternal. --- Host. Stars (Calmet) and angels, (Menochius) which are like his guards. --- Life, or being. If the Levites had adopted the sentiments of the Persians, that the stars were animated, this does not prove the tr... [ Continue Reading ]
_The fire of the Chaldeans. The city of Ur, in Chaldea, the name of which signifies fire. Or out of the fire of tribulations and temptations, to which he was there exposed. The ancient Rabbins understood this literally, affirming that Abraham was cast into the fire by the idolaters, and brought out... [ Continue Reading ]
_A name, Glorious, (Menochius) and to be feared by all, Exodus xiv._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sabbath. Which it seems had not been observed by them before, (Exodus xvi. 23.; Calmet) at least not with such exactitude. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hand. Promising with an oath, (Genesis xiv. 22.; Menochius; and xxii. 16.; Calmet) or displaying thy power. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Their _head. Or appointed a leader instead of Moses, (Numbers xiv. 4.; Menochius) or an idol, Exodus xxxii. 1. Septuagint, "they gave a beginning, or a chief to return." Syriac, "their heart returned to their crimes." (Calmet) --- Protestants, "and tin their rebellion appointed a captain to," &c. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER IX. _ Blasphemies. By attributing the perfections of God to a senseless idol. Protestants follow the Septuagint, "provocations." Neatsoth (Haydock) properly implies words of an insulting nature. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Spirit. The conducting angel. (Menochius) --- God enlightened and moved the hearts of the people, by his grace; which he gave in abundance to Moses. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Worn. So as to be sore, (Haydock) or without shoes. (Menochius) See Deuteronomy viii. 4. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "their feet swelled not."_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lots. Hebrew, "them (the Chanaanites, or as it is more commonly understood, the Israelites,) into corners." (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "by lot they possessed," &c. (Haydock) --- Sehon was king of Hesebon, Numbers xxi. 26. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Land. From which most of their fathers were excluded by death._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Goodness. Prosperity was their ruin, (Haydock) as Moses had foretold, Deuteronomy xxxii. 15. (Calmet) --- "Empire is easily retained by the same arts by which it was procured: but when idleness takes the place of industry, when lust and pride banish continence and equity, fortune is changed with ma... [ Continue Reading ]
_Earnestly. Literally, called to witness" (Haydock) themselves, (Josue xxiv. 21.) or heaven and earth, Deuteronomy iv. 26., and xxx. 19. (Calmet) --- Blasphemies. See ver. 18. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saviours. Josue, (Calmet) and more particularly the judges, (Menochius) David, &c. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Rest from their enemies. (Haydock) --- The interval between their relapses was very short. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shoulder. Slipping from under the burden of the law. (Haydock) --- It seems this and the following verses chiefly regard the ten tribes, which proudly rebelled against Juda, (Calmet) and against the Lord. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Years, 254; during which time God had not ceased to recall his people to a sense of their duty, but all in vain._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Labour. Receive it in satisfaction. (Calmet) --- Hebrew, "let not all the trouble seem little before thee;" as if it were not enough to appease thy anger, when borne with proper dispositions and faith. (Haydock) --- Assur. Theglathphalassar, who led some of the tribes into captivity, as Salmanasar... [ Continue Reading ]
_Truth, fulfilled thy promises. We have broken the covenant._... [ Continue Reading ]
_In it. Tributary to Persia, chap. v. 4., and 1 Esdras vii. 24., and ix. 9. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Tribulation. As we cannot enjoy the fruits, being so heavily taxed, and obliged to work in person for the king of a foreign country. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Because. Or "considering all these things," as chastisements due to our transgressions, we are resolved now to reform our conduct, (Haydock) and to comply more exactly with the covenant, which we will now solemnly renew. A copy was probably deposited in the temple, signed by the princes, (Calmet) i... [ Continue Reading ]