Uncle of Abimelech, i.e., Half-brother to Gedeon, as being born of the same mother, but by a different father, and of a different tribe. (Challoner) --- The wife of Joas might have been married to a person of the tribe of Issachar, by whom she had Phua, who was half-brother of Gedeon. (Haydock) ---... [ Continue Reading ]
_Years. S. Severus says 22, making the reign of Jair of equal length. Cum æque viginti & duos annos principatum obtinuisset. But this is contrary to all the best chronologers. The fidelity of the Israelites seems to have been of no longer continuance at this period than usual, as we find that they r... [ Continue Reading ]
Havoth Jair. This name was now confirmed to these towns, which they had formerly received from another Jair, Numbers xxxii. 41. (Challoner) --- Sixty are there specified, and only 30 here, which might either be the same, or different from those villages to which the former Jair had left his name. Gr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Camon is placed in Galaad by Adrichomius, though St. Jerome mentions another, six miles from Legion, where he supposes that Jair was buried. It seems more natural to say that he was interred in his own country, on the east side of the Jordan. (Bonfrere) --- It is, probably the same city as Hamon (1... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gods. The sun and moon were principally adored among these nations, under different names._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ammon. While these infested the eastern parts, the Philistines made incursions into the territories of their neighbours. (Haydock) --- This servitude resembled that of Madian. Jephte attacked the Ammonites, and Abesan, with other judges, made head against the Philistines (Calmet) in the west. (Hayd... [ Continue Reading ]
_Years by the Ammonites, whose dominion was suppressed by the victory of Jephte. When the servitude commenced is uncertain, ver. 4. Hebrew, "and that year they vexed," &c. (Calmet) --- Roman Septuagint, "at that time." Grabe's copy has "in that year;" and though the former expression appear to be mo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Exceedingly. Not only those who lived in Galaad, but also three tribes on the west of the Jordan, were treated as the half tribe of Manasses had been, (Calmet) when Gedeon delivered them. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Said by the mouth of an angel, or of some prophet. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Chanaan. Hebrew, "Maon." Septuagint (Roman and Alexandrian), "Madian." The Maonites are styled Mineans by the Septuagint (1 Paralipomenon iv. 40,) and these inhabited Arabia, (Diodorus iii. 42,) and might join themselves to Madian and Amalec, in their attacks upon the Israelites. As for Chanaan, whi... [ Continue Reading ]
_No more, so readily as I have done formerly. I will make you feel the rod of your oppressors. (Haydock) --- Unless you change your conduct, I will never deliver you. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Go. This is not a command, but an ironical expression, as Deuteronomy xxxii. 38._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Time. They are willing to suffer from the hand of God, (2 Kings xxiv. 14,) if they prove inconstant any more. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Touched. Literally, "grieved." Hebrew, "his soul was straitened," as in joy it is said to be enlarged. He speaks of God in a human manner. (Calmet) (Genesis vi. 6.) (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Together, as people sure of victory. --- Galaad, the capital of the country of the same name. It belonged to Gad. --- Maspha, near the springs of the Jaboc, Josue xi. 3., and xiii. 26. (Calmet) --- It signifies "a watch-tower." (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Galaad. It seems non of them durst accept the offer, as the first onset was the most hazardous. Hence they invited Jephte to take upon him the command. The Israelites consulted the Lord on a former occasion, who should begin the attack upon the Chanaanites, chap. i. 1. In these wars much depended o... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER X.... [ Continue Reading ]