_The priest, who seems to have presided, as he is always placed first. A select number of the tribe of Levi came to represent the priests, and those of an inferior order; and to obtain what God had promised them, Numbers xxxv. 2. There was one family of priests who sprang from Aaron, the son of Caat... [ Continue Reading ]
Gave, by lot, ver. 4, &c. (Menochius) --- Whether any changes were afterwards made, to grant more or less, in proportion to the numbers of the four families, (as seems to have been done with regard to the other tribes) or the cities were specified in four parcels, and the priests received the first... [ Continue Reading ]
Thirteen. These three tribes give more cities than any of the others, because their territories were the largest, Numbers xxxv. 8. Juda in particular, had a most extensive portion allotted to him at first; so that a part was afterwards taken away to accommodate Simeon and Dan, and now so many cities... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER XXI.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Possession. Only the houses which the priests occupied, were taken from him. (Calmet) --- Caleb enjoyed all the dependencies of Hebron, and took the city, as he would not have been secure while the Chanaanites dwelt there. (Magalian.) --- Serarius thinks that he abandoned the city to the priests, i... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ain and Jeta. Septuagint of Grabe agrees with the Vulgate. But the Vatican copy (Haydock) has, "Asa....and Tanu." In 1 Paralipomenon vi. 59, only Asan and Bethsemes are mentioned. Several other variations may also be observed, which may be attributed either to the changes which were afterwards made... [ Continue Reading ]
_One of, ( urbes confugii Sichem....and Gazer.) Literally, " cities of refuge, Sichem,....Gazer," &c., as if all the Levitical cities had enjoyed this privilege, which we have seen (Numbers xxxv. 6,) is the opinion of some. But the Hebrew, Septuagint, and Chaldean read in the singular, "Sichem, a ci... [ Continue Reading ]
_And of, &c. This verse is omitted in Paralipomenon, (Haydock) whence we find Helon and Gethremmon (probably the same as Aialon and Beth-remmon, ver. 24, assigned to Ephraim. --- Eltheco. See chap. xv. 59., and xix. 44. --- Gabathon continued a long time in the hands of the Philistines, 3 Kings xv.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cities. Instead of these, Aner and Balaam are mentioned in Paralipomenon. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Degree, who were not priests. Caath is placed before his eldest brother Gerson, on account of the honour of the priesthood and of Moses. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Refuge. Literally, "the cities of refuge, Gaulon...and Bosra. " See ver. 21. (Haydock) --- The latter gives place to Asteroth, in Paralipomenon._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cities. These are called Cedes and Daboreth, Ramoth and Amen, in Paralipomenon._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Suburbs. Paralipomenon only mentions two, Remmono and Thabor._... [ Continue Reading ]
Four cities. There are no more, though there be five names: for Misor is the same city as Bosor, which is to be observed in some other places, where the number of names exceeds the number of cities. (Challoner) --- With regard to the 36th and 37th verses, there seems to have been great confusion in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Families, the four great ones, which parcelled out the cities among the several branches. (Haydock) --- The Levites were only 23,000, (Numbers xxvi. 62,) yet they receive more cities than what are specified for any other tribe. It must be observed, however, that all the cities of the different trib... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pass. How then did the Chanaanites keep possession of so many places? St. Augustine (q. 21,) answers, that they were suffered to do it for the "utility and trial" of the Israelites. For the latter were not sufficiently numerous at first to cultivate all the land. God had therefore promised that the... [ Continue Reading ]