Time. While the enemy was rendered incapable of attacking the Israelites by excessive fear (Calmet) and consternation, Josue was commanded to renew the sign of the covenant, by which they were to take possession of the land, and it is supposed that he complied the day after he arrived at Galgal; (Ha... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hill, at Galgal. Josue took care to have this ceremony performed. (Calmet) --- Perhaps he circumcised some himself, as Abraham did those of his own house, Genesis xvii. 23. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Second. Hebrew, "this is the thing, (the cause why) Josue gave circumcision."_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Desert. After the departure from Sinai, where the Passover was celebrated, and where, of course, the people must have been circumcised. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Forty. Some copies of the Septuagint add, "two," as if the 40 years' wandering in the desert, were to be dated from the time that the spies discouraged the people, in the second year of their departure from Egypt. But the Hebrew and the best chronologers allow only 40 years in the whole. (Calmet) --... [ Continue Reading ]
_Healed. The Passover lasted eight days: after which they proceeded to attack Jericho. Yet the people, unfit for war, remained at Galgal; where the camp continued a long time afterwards._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Egypt. The people of that country adopted circumcision only after this period, (Calmet) and it never became general among them. They were therefore held in abhorrence, like the rest of the uncircumcised nations, among the Jews, Genesis xxxiv. 14., and 1 Kings xiv. 6. Theodoret (q. 4,) looks upon ci... [ Continue Reading ]
_Phase. This was the third. The first was celebrated in Egypt, Exodus xii. The second at Sinai, Numbers ix. (Menochius) --- Afterwards it was disused till the Israelites took possession of Chanaan, as it was chiefly designed for that country, Exodus xii. 25._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Corn. Some pretend that the Hebrew means "old corn." But the ancient interpreters take no notice of this restriction. The offering of corn was probably omitted on this occasion, as the Israelites had not cultivated the land. --- Frumenty. Septuagint, "new corn." Hebrew, "parched, on that same day.... [ Continue Reading ]
Land. The Septuagint intimate on the 15th. The Hebrew seems to say the 16th, Nisan, "on the morrow after they had eaten of the (old) corn." (Calmet) --- Grabe's Septuagint agrees with the Vulgate and Hebrew, and specifies that the Israelites "eat of the corn of the country on the day after the Passo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Adversaries? Dost thou bear arms for or against us? (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Prince of the host of the Lord, &c. St. Michael, who is called prince of the people of Israel, Daniel x. 21. (Challoner) --- Some of the Fathers explain it of the son of God. (Origen, hom. 6.) But St. Augustine, City of God xi. 13., St. Jerome in Galatians iii., and interpreters in general agree, t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Worshipping. Not with divine honour, but with a religious veneration of an inferior kind, suitable to the dignity of his person. (Challoner) --- He styles the angel Adonai, which is a title frequently given to men; and hence he does not seem to have designed to give him supreme worship. (Calmet) --... [ Continue Reading ]
_Loose. The angel did not only accept of the honour done to him, but also required more, shewing that the field near Jericho was rendered holy, by his presence. (Worthington) --- Hence he ordered Josue to put off his shoes, as Moses had done at the bush, Exodus iii. 5. The Turks leave their shoes at... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER V. Ver 1. _Chanaan. These occupied the countries situated on the Mediterranean sea, as far as Egypt: the Amorrhites dwelt nearer to the lake of Sodom. The whole country is divided between these two nations, including that territory which the Philistines had seized, and which belonged also t... [ Continue Reading ]