_Destroyed. So the Vulgate often expresses the Hebrew term, which signifies, "to cast out." --- Seven. Ten are mentioned, Genesis xv. 9; but some of the less powerful nations were either mixed with the others, or were exterminated. The Hevites are omitted in the passage of Genesis, and sometimes no... [ Continue Reading ]
_League. Yet Josue, (ix. 3,) by mistake, entered into one with the Gabaonites, and observed it; (Haydock) whence we may conclude, that only such leagues are forbidden as would leave these nations in possession of their lands and idols, chap. xx. 10., and xxiii. 6. With foreign nations it was lawful... [ Continue Reading ]
_Marriages. Some believe that it was unlawful to marry the people of Chanaan, if they were even converted, and also those of other nations, as we find that Esdras (1 Esdras x. 2, 12,) ordered such strange wives to be sent away. But the context shews, as well as the practice of most pious Hebrews, th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gods. So great is the natural tendency to evil, that though a woman be generally inclined to follow the inclinations and religion of her husband, yet, when his method of living is more repugnant to flesh and blood, she is but to apt to influence him to glide smoothly with her down the hill of pleas... [ Continue Reading ]
_Things. This was to be done with regard to the idols of Chanaan, when it was first conquered, ver. 25. Afterwards David made no scruple in wearing a crown, which had been taken from the spoils of Melchon, the idol of the Ammonites, 1 Paralipomenon xx. 2. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Peculiar. Hebrew sogula, laid up like something most precious and desirable. (Menochius) --- God seemed to have abandoned other nations to the corruption of their own heart. "This was, by a particular mystery, a prophetical nation." (St. Augustine, ep. cii.) (Exodus xix. 5.) (Calmet) --- Therefore... [ Continue Reading ]
_Joined. Hebrew, "has set his love upon you." God is the most disinterested lover. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Strong. Hebrew el, means also God. He requires us to imitate his perfections as much as we are able. Being faithful, he will comply with his covenant exactly, and will punish those who neglect it. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Deserve. Hebrew, "he will repay to his face," or "he will punish immediately the person who hateth him to his face." God does not always defer the correction of the wicked till their death. (Calmet) --- But this seems to be spoken principally of those who have engaged in the covenant, 2 Machabees v... [ Continue Reading ]
_If. The promises of God to the Hebrews were conditional. (Worthington)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Womb. He will grant thee many children. (Menochius) --- This was esteemed a very great blessing, at a time when they might hope to give birth to the Messias. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cattle. This shews, that no precept to marry is here given, but only a blessing. Even men cannot be commanded not to be barren, as that is not in their own power. It was, however, deemed a mark of some secret transgression when married people had no children. (Vasques.) (Tirinus)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sickness, sent in punishment of sin, (Haydock) like the plagues of Egypt, Exodus ix. (Menochius) --- Egypt was afflicted with some peculiar disorders, such as the leprosy, called Elephantiasis. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxvi. 1.) The people were also much troubled with sore eyes, or blindness, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_Consume. Kill the inhabitants, plunder their effects, (Menochius) destroy their idols._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Plagues. Hebrew, "trials." God manifested by this means the latent dispositions of the Egyptians, while he punished their wickedness at the same time. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hornets. Abenezra understands the leprosy, which the Hebrew may also signify. But hornets and such like insects are very destructive in hot countries; and Pausanias informs us that the Minsiens were driven out of their country by them. (Calmet) --- God destroyed the army of Sapor II, the Persian ki... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fear. Septuagint, "be wounded." In the war with the Madianites, not one was killed, (Numbers xxxi. 49,) as Josephus ([Antiquities?] iii. 2) informs us, was also the case when king Amalec and his people attacked the Hebrews, Exodus xvii. 13. The people seem to have expected such a miraculous interfe... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thee. Three millions of people not being sufficient to cultivate the land, Exodus xxiii. 29. (Menochius) --- God could easily have destroyed those mighty nations at once; but he would not give the Israelites any occasion of boasting. (Du Hamel) --- If they never succeeded to expel them entirely out... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER VII. _ Graven things. Idols, so called by contempt. (Challoner) --- Made. Hebrew, "gold (plates) on them," to cover the wood, &c. See ver. 5._... [ Continue Reading ]
_An anathema. That is, a thing devoted to destruction; and which carries along with it a curse. (Challoner) --- Like it. The curse rested upon those who kept any of the spoils. This brought death upon Achan, (Josue vii. 1,) and upon some of the soldiers of Judas the Machabee, who had secreted some o... [ Continue Reading ]