_Live a long and happy life; which was often promised to the carnal Jews, to encourage them to fill God's commands. Christians are willing to forego these temporal advantages, that they may obtain such as may last for ever. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Prove, which is done frequently by posterity also, ver. 3, 12, 14. After trying the fidelity of his people by various means, to make them sensible of their own weakness and inability to do good, God takes pity on them, ver. 16. (Calmet) --- Known. Hebrew, "to know (by experience) what was in thy he... [ Continue Reading ]
_Not in bread alone, &c. i.e. That God is able to make food of what he pleases for the support of man. (Challoner) --- Obedience to his law will insure a happy life, ver. 1. God can support a person's life without any sustenance, as he did Moses, Elias, &c., for a long time. When the usual food is w... [ Continue Reading ]
_Worn, for want of shoes, chap. xxix. 5. (Chaldean) This miracle of the Hebrews, being so well provided with raiment in a desert country, is mentioned, 2 Esdras ix. 21. Cosmas (B. v.) allows only that merchants constantly supplied them, and Abenezra thinks that they had brought plenty for change out... [ Continue Reading ]
_Up, by mildness and correction alternately. Hebrew, "chastiseth thee," Proverbs iii. 12._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Out. The Jordan was the only river of consequence; but there were many torrents, &c., which rendered the country very different from that where they had been travelling for 40 years. (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "of fountains, of abysses, which spring in vales and on mountains," having their origin in the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Honey, extracted from dates. (Du Hamel) --- Almost all the luxuries of the earth might be found in the promised land; so that it was justly said to flow with milk and honey. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Iron, equal in hardness, and used to cut things, in the same manner as we use iron or steel, Isaias lx. 17. --- Brass. There were mines of both in Mount Libanus; and David collected great quantities of such metals from C\'9closyria, 3 Kings xviii. 8., and 1 Paralipomenon xxii. 3, 14. Sidon was note... [ Continue Reading ]
_Bless, not forgetting to give thanks after meat, as well as to beg God's blessing before: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer, 1 Timothy iv. 45. (Menochius) --- In all things give thanks, 1 Thessalonians v. 18. Our Saviour did so at the last supper, Matthew xxvi. 26. At taking the cu... [ Continue Reading ]
Breath. Hebrew saraphh, or the basilisk, as it is rendered, Isaias xxx. 6. It destroys both the grass and animals, by the burning infection of its breath. (Galen; Pliny, [Natural History?] viii. 19. See Numbers xxi. 6. (Tirinus) --- Scorpion stings with its tail. --- Dipsas. A serpent whose bite cau... [ Continue Reading ]
_For me. Hebrew, "hath procured me this wealth," or strength, ver. 18._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thee. Hebrew, "I attest this day against you, (Septuagint add heaven and earth,) that you shall," &c. God had already forbidden the worship of strange gods, Exodus xx. 3. He now threatens to punish the transgressors most severely. All nations have deemed it criminal to abandon the religion of their... [ Continue Reading ]
_Destroyed. Hebrew, "destroys." Some were already subdued, others on the brink of ruin. --- Disobedient to. God punished this sin in the most exemplary manner. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER VIII.... [ Continue Reading ]