_Oblations. Hebrew "they shall eat the holocausts of the Lord and his inheritances." The priests shall have the parts of the sacrifices for peace allotted to them, &c., tithes shall be given to support the Levites. (Haydock) --- These parts are what God claims from the people, as their Sovereign, (C... [ Continue Reading ]
Due, ( judicium.) Moses only mentions a part, having explained the rest, Exodus xxix. 27., Leviticus vii. 32. --- Breast, ( ventriculum.) In the other places pectusculum occurs. Hebrew, "the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the maw, or caul," called in Latin omasum, being the last and fattest of the fo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Corn, besides those which were offered to the Lord at the feast of Pentecost. Each landholder was bound to give between the 40th and the 60th part of his produce. (St. Jerome) See Exodus xxii. 29._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Stand. This was the usual posture of the priests ministering in the temple, as well as of people praying. --- Minister. Samaritan and Septuagint add, "and to bless in," &c._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Levite. In the days of Moses, all the Levites probably assisted in the service of the tabernacle, when they thought proper. But, after they should be dispersed, he encourages them to come willingly. David afterwards divided the priests and the Levites into classes, which were obliged to serve in th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Portion. Whence this was taken, whether from the tithes in general, or from the treasury of the temple, or from the revenue of the high priest, &c., does not appear. (Calmet) --- Fathers. The Levites might possess houses, suburbs, and cattle. (Menochius) --- Hebrew, "besides that which ariseth from... [ Continue Reading ]
Fire. This impiety is not punished with death, (Leviticus xviii. 21,) as the burning of children was, Leviticus xx. 2. (Grotius) --- It was done in imitation of the latter, and became more common, as it was less cruel; the person who was thus expiated, being to pass between or to jump over fire. The... [ Continue Reading ]
_Charmer of serpents, Psalm lvii. 6. One who makes a compact with the devil. --- Spirits. Python was the name of the serpent which Apollo slew. It might be derived from the Hebrew patah, "to seduce," because a serpent seduced Eve, and dealers with the devil generally deceived those who consult them.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And without spot. This is by way of explication of the word perfect. Any mixture of superstition in the worship of God is hateful to him; and that man who acknowledges any other spirit capable of foretelling what will come to pass, freely (Haydock) denies the Lord. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_God, who has already informed thee how to proceed in difficult emergencies, (chap. xvii. 8,) by having recourse to the council of priests, and will also, after any death, send in due time a succession of true prophets. Hebrew, "God hath not suffered thee" to imitate those nations; (Haydock) or thos... [ Continue Reading ]
Prophet. This passage plainly proves, that the Scripture may have many literal senses: for the context insinuates that God would supply the wants of his people, so that they should not need to go far in order to consult diviners, since they should have leaders and prophets, after the death of Moses,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Die. This promise is not recorded, Exodus xx. 19. God will send you a mediator, who shall hide the splendour of his divinity (Calmet) under the form of a servant, Philippians ii. 7. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mouth. So Christ says, The words that I speak to you, I speak not of myself, John xiv. 10._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Revenger. St. Peter (Acts iii. 23,) reads, And it shall be that every soul which will not hear that prophet; (instead of Hebrew, "my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him,") or he shall be destroyed from among the people. (Tertullian, contra Mar. iv. 22.) (Haydock) --- God... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER XVIII. _ To say. These denote heretics, as the following point out apostates. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fear him. Septuagint, "you shall not spare him," but cut him off by death. (Haydock) --- Though the completion of what has been foretold be not a sure sign of a true prophecy, (chap. xiii. 2,) yet when the thing does not come to pass which the prophet had spoken unconditionally, he must undoubtedly... [ Continue Reading ]