_Now: literally, And. Thus the sacred history is connected, the last chapter of Deuteronomy being, in the opinion of many, a part of the work of Josue. (Haydock) --- Moses died on the 1st of the 12th month, Adar, and as soon as that month of mourning had expired, and the spies had returned on the 4t... [ Continue Reading ]
Jordan, a river well known, which rises in Antilibanus, not from Panion, but from the lake Phiala, as Herod the Tetrarch discovered by throwing some straw into the latter, which passed by a subterraneous passage into Panion. Thence it proceeds to the Semonite lake and to Daphne, where it begins to b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moses. Thus the preceding permission, which the Jews extend, as if God had authorized them to conquer the whole world, is limited. (Haydock) See Deuteronomy xi. 24. --- Their right to the land of Chanaan depends on this grant of God, who is the Lord of all things, and who thus took away all the pri... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hethites, the most formidable of the nations of Chanaan. (Masius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Resist you. They shall at last be overcome, and their resistance will prove detrimental to themselves. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lot. Hebrew, "thou shalt give for an inheritance." (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_From it. Hebrew him, Moses. But the Masorets order us to read it. (Haydock) --- Understand, or "succeed." (Chaldean) (Vatable)_... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER I. _ Princes. Shoterim may denote both judges and heralds, such as those mentioned in Homer, the messengers of gods and men, whose persons were deemed sacred. They bore a wand or sceptre, as a mark of their authority._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Victuals. The manna still supplied the army after they had passed the Jordan, chap. v. 12. But Josue might fear lest the people might not have liberty to gather it in the midst of the enemy's country, or he might perhaps suppose that this miraculous food would be withdrawn, as soon as they had ente... [ Continue Reading ]
_Armed before, in order of battle, at the head of the army, and not according to the disposition of the tribes, which were observed in the desert. Only 40,000 men were selected out of 110,580, the rest were very prudently left to guard the new conquered country. See Numbers xxxii. 17. --- For them.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Beyond. The same expression is translated on this side, ver. 14. Hebrew beheber means also, "in the passage." If we have regard to Josue, when he spoke this, he was beyond, that is on the east side of the river, though perhaps (Haydock) he might be on the other side when he wrote the history, Deute... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moses. Thus they express their ardent wish, that God would extend his protection to Josue. (Menochius) --- They do not mean to insinuate, that they will obey him only as long as he complies with God's law. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Die, as guilty of high treason. The person's goods were confiscated, and became the property of the king. Thus David disposed of the effects of Saul, (2 Kings xvi. 4.) and Achab seized the vineyard of Naboth, 3 Kings xxi. 15. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]