_Burden. Preaching of the truth is disagreeable to infidels, and light to the faithful. (Worthington) --- Hadrach; Syria, (Challoner) or a city near Damascus, on which it rested. The victories of Alexander and of the Machabees are here described. The former defeated the Arabs near Damascus, (which w... [ Continue Reading ]
_Emath, or Emesa, not far from Damascus. (Calmet) --- It shall also fall a prey to Alexander. (Haydock) --- Tyre was become again very rich and strong, (Calmet) and gloried in its wisdom; yet was taken after a long and obstinate resistance (Haydock) of seven months, when the inhabitants were slain o... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ascalon was ruined. The other cities opened their gates, as Jerusalem did. (Josephus, Antiquities xi. ultra) --- Batis alone resolved to defend Gaza. He was dragged round the city when it was taken, after a siege of two months; the inhabitants were slaughtered or sold, and others brought in their s... [ Continue Reading ]
_Divider. Hebrew mamzer; "bastard," or rather "stranger." It is reported that Alexander was the illegitimate son of Nestabanes, whom Olympius took for Jupiter. (Plut.[Plutarch]; Just. xi.) --- But these might be popular reports. The sequel seems to shew that the Jews, &c., occupied the towns of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_His blood. It is spoken of the Philistines, and particularly of Azotus, (where the temple of Dagon was) and contains a prophecy of the conversion of that people from their bloody sacrifices and abominations to the worship of the true God. (Challoner) --- Many pagans devoured the victims raw, and dr... [ Continue Reading ]
_War; the Machabees. (Challoner) --- They stood up like a wall for the people and the temple. (Calmet) --- Hebrew, "my house, on account of those going," &c. I will protect it better than an army. (Haydock) --- After the Machabees, God preserved the temple from profanation till he abandoned it after... [ Continue Reading ]
King. Christ often came to Jerusalem; but his last entrance, to die for man's redemption, was most excellent. (Worthington) --- If the Jews had not wilfully blinded themselves, they could not mistake Him, as he is here so minutely described, possessing the most humble and the noblest qualities. Not... [ Continue Reading ]
_Chariot. Arms shall be useless, Micheas v. 10. --- Earth. This can be understood only of Christ's kingdom, (Calmet) though it alludes to the greatest limits of the promised land. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Water; from limbo, (St. Jerome; &c.; Worthington; St. Thomas Aquinas, [Summa Theologiae] iii. p. q. 52. a. 1; Calmet) and purgatory. See St. Augustine, de Genesis xii. 23., & ep. 99. (Menochius) --- Christ delivered the ancient patriarchs by virtue of his covenant, just sealed with his blood. Hebre... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hold. Return ye, who stay behind, to Jerusalem. God will make good all that you abandon; or come, Judas has procured liberty for the people, 1 Machabees iv. 36. (Calmet) --- Embrace the gospel, and enter the Church. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Juda: the Machabees. (St. Jerome) --- Filled, or stretched the bow of Ephraim. (Calmet) --- The people shall act with vigour and union. (Haydock) --- Sons; viz., the apostles, who, in the spiritual way, conquered the Greeks, and subdued them to Christ. (Challoner) --- The Machabees repressed the in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Seen. God miraculously interposed in favour of the Machabees, and his angels appeared at their head, 1 Machabees ii. 22., and v. 2., and x. 29., and xi. 8., and xv. 15. A handful of men thus routed vast armies, and asserted their independence, avenging religion and the state, which they restored to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sling. At first the Machabees had no other weapon, 1 Machabees iv. 6. The sling was much used, Judges xx. 16. --- Wine. They will shed blood of the enemy so abundantly, and be all besmeared with it. They would never drink it, like the pagans, Leviticus xvii. 10. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Holy stones; the apostles, who shall be as pillars and monuments in the Church. (Challoner) --- The Machabees are like a wall. They restore the altar of holocausts, built of fresh stones, 1 Machabees iv. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
The corn, &c. His most excellent gift is the blessed Eucharist, called here the corn, that is, the bread of the elect, and the wine springing forth virgins, that is, maketh virgins to bud, or spring forth as it were like flowers among thorns, because it has a wonderful efficacy to give and preserve... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER IX.... [ Continue Reading ]