_Were in, or had been at home, (Haydock) after the dedication of the walls, (Calmet) till they assembled (Haydock) at the beginning of the civil year, on the feast of trumpets, which was a day of rejoicing, (ver. 9., and Numbers xxix. 1.) the festival of the new moon. (Riberia) (Menochius) --- Gate,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Women, who were in a separate place. --- Understand, being come to the use of reason. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_In plainly. Protestants, "therein, before the street." (Haydock) --- Esdras probably read select pieces from Leviticus, &c., but principally from Deuteronomy. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Step. Hebrew, "wooden tower." (Calmet) --- Protestants, "pulpit," (Haydock) made in the form of a cup," (Calmet) like the cior, or tribune of Solomon, 2 Paralipomenon vi. 13. --- Mosollam. We should imagine that this was not the person who had given his daughter in marriage to the son of Tobias, ch... [ Continue Reading ]
_Stood, out of respect, as we do while the gospel is read. See Numbers xxiii. 18. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Understood, by those who were near enough, and were skilled in Hebrew, (Haydock) though many began to forget that language; (chap. xiii. 24.) and for their benefit, an explanation was given in Chaldean, (ver. 9.; Calmet) or Syriac, the vulgar tongue after the captivity. Pure Hebrew was still retaine... [ Continue Reading ]
_Interpreted. St. Jerome renders the same term, made silence, (ver. 7.) as it was the office of the Levites to keep the people in awe, ver. 11. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "taught." They had also (Haydock) to instruct, 1 Esdras viii. 16. (Menochius) --- Weep. The Jews had only one feast for mourning,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wine. Hebrew and Septuagint, "things." Syriac and Arabic have simply, "drink." --- Portions. The Greeks styled them, Greek: merides; and the Latins, sportulæ. The custom prevailed not only among the Jews, (Esther ix. 19.) but also among Christians and pagans. Moses frequently exhorts the people to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Law, concerning some difficulties, particularly the manner of keeping the ensuing festival. (Tirinus) --- Thus Christ explained to his disciples what he had spoken to the people. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_And that. This is not expressed in the law, though it was probably practised. (Calmet) --- Some translate, "And they proclaimed," &c. (Vatable) --- Beautiful. Literally, "very or most beautiful." (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "of oily wood." Septuagint, "cypress." Syriac, "nut-tree." Others understand the... [ Continue Reading ]
_House, which was flat. (Haydock) --- The tents might be erected in any place; in the open air. (Tirinus)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Done so, with such alacrity, though they had displayed more magnificence. See the meaning of similar expressions, 4 Kings xxiii. 22. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Assembly. Literally, "the collect." (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "the day of retention;" the people being kept at the temple. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "the dismission;" as they were afterwards permitted to depart. (Haydock) --- See Leviticus xxiii. 26. --- It was probably on this occasion, that the sacred... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER VIII.... [ Continue Reading ]