_Days, after the death of Josue and the ancients. Debbora speaks of the tribe of Dan, as addicted to navigation, chap. v. 17. (Calmet) --- It had now conquered most of the enemies who had formerly forced some to seek fresh settlements, (Haydock) as it is hinted at, Josue xix. The particulars are her... [ Continue Reading ]
_Family. Hebrew, "From their extremity." Which may denote such as came to hand, (Calmet) or princes, (De Dieu) or people of mean appearance, (Castalion) unless we explain it "from their coasts," with Montanus, Protestants, &c. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Voice. His pronunciation was different from that of the Ephraimites, chap. xii. 6._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lord ( Elohim.) A title sometimes given to false gods. The Levite answered in the name of Jehova; whence it is inferred that they all adored the true God, though their worship was not clear of superstition. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Looketh with approbation. (Haydock) --- It is uncertain whether this prediction proceeded from God, from the devil, or from the crafty Levite, (Calmet) who might answer as he thought the messengers wished him to do. (Menochius) --- Their undertaking proved successful. But the devil, who knew the va... [ Continue Reading ]
Lais, four miles from Paneas, towards Tyre. It is called Lesem Dan; (Josue xix 47.) both the ancient and the new name being joined together. --- Rich, Hebrew has almost as many different meanings as interpreters. De Dieu, "There was no one to put them to shame, no chief magistrate." (Calmet) --- Pro... [ Continue Reading ]
_There will, &c., is added to signify, that it will be necessary only to go to take possession. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Secure. "No one is sooner overcome than the man who has no fear; and security is generally the forerunner of ruin." Velleius 2., initium est calamitatis securitas._... [ Continue Reading ]
_War, besides their wives, &c., ver. 21._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behind, on the west. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER XVIII.... [ Continue Reading ]
_To do. Whether we must take them by force or by craft. (Haydock) --- It seems they had a premeditated design to seize them. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_They. Hebrew and Septuagint, "and the five men that went to spy out the land." (Haydock) --- Off. The Levite's attention was drawn off for a while by the 600 men, till the five, who had formerly become acquainted with him, had ransacked his little temple. (Calmet) --- Perceiving them as they came o... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mouth; to signify that silence must be observed, Job xxix. 9., and Ecclesiasticus v. 12.[14?] Angerona, among the Romans, and Harpocrates, in Egypt, were represented in this posture; digitoque silentia suadet. (Ovid, Met. ix.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Houses. Hebrew, "near the house of Michas." The poor fellow called his neighbours, and pursued the Danites, (Haydock) despising as it were all his other effects, in comparison with his god. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_House. The violence and injustice of the Danites cannot be excused, particularly as they were stealing what they deemed sacred. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_And, &c. Hebrew, "and they took what Michas had made, and the priest,....and came." (Haydock) --- Fire, as they could not make themselves masters of it otherwise. They were forced afterwards to rebuild it. Some Rabbins have supposed, that Sidon and its colonies were not given by God to Israel: but... [ Continue Reading ]
_Rohob, which stood at the foot of Libanus. The vale belonging to this city, extended for about twenty miles._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lais. Hebrew Ulam Layish, as the Septuagint express it. (Calmet) --- But the former term is explained by the Alexandrian and other copies in the sense of the Vulgate, before. (Haydock) --- Dan is often placed for the northern boundary of Palestine. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Idol. Hebrew pasel. (Worthington) --- Grabe's Septuagint, "the graven thing of Michas, and Jonathan the son of Gersam, of the son of Manasses." The Roman copy omits "of Michas," but retains Manasses, as the present Hebrew reads, instead of Moses. (Haydock) --- It is suspected that the Jews have inse... [ Continue Reading ]
_In Silo. The ark was taken by the Philistines, (1 Kings iv.) after remaining at Silo 349 years, and 217 from the idolatry of Michas and of Dan. (Salien) (Haydock) --- In those. The Hebrew here commences the following chapter, which contains an account of another instance of licentiousness, which pr... [ Continue Reading ]