Destroyed. Hebrew, "destroys." Some were already subdued, others on the brink of ruin. --- Disobedient to. God punished this sin in the most exemplary manner. (Haydock) CHAPTER VIII. This day, very soon, (Menochius) within the space of a month. (Calmet) --- Sky: an hyperbole to denote their surprising height. (Worthington) Stand. Hebrew, "who can stand before the sons of Enak?" as if this were a sort of proverb. (Calmet) --- The spies had formerly terrified the people with the report of the high walls and gigantic inhabitants of Chanaan, Numbers xiii. 18. Fire. See chap. iv. 24. The conducting angel would fight for the Hebrews. (Haydock) Strove. Hebrew, "irritated." (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "continually disbelieved the Lord." Moses hence takes occasion to lay before the people their frequent and most heinous offences, on account of which they might justly have feared being destroyed, as much as the infamous nations whom they were about to supplant. They might thus be convinced that they had been chosen gratuitously. (Haydock) --- For God hates nothing more than ingratitude and presumption. (Calmet) Would, if He had not been appeased by earnest supplication, as [in] ver. 20. Have quickly. Hebrew, "have become corrupt; they have quickly abandoned the way which I commanded them." (Haydock) --- Septuagint, "the people hath sinned....they have quickly transgressed," &c. (Calmet) --- Idol. Protestants have "image." The Hebrews had called the similitude of a calf their god, Exodus xxxii. (Haydock) Sinned, by idolatry, which comprises every sort of sin. Hence the Scripture only specifies that Jeroboam caused Israel to sin, when it means to assert that he engaged the people in the worship of idols. (Calmet) Sins. Many believe that Moses spent the whole time in obtaining pardon. Hiscuni agrees herein with the other Rabbins, only he thinks Moses was all the time in the tabernacle. Other 40 days, or a third rigid fast, were requisite to obtain the second tables of the law, as the text seems to insinuate, (ver. 25., and chap. x. 10,) unless Moses repeat what he has here asserted, as many able chronologers suppose. (Torneil; Usher; &c.) (Calmet) (Tirinus) --- The former opinion is maintained, however, by Salien, &c., Exodus xxxiv. (Haydock) CHAPTER IX. Sin. The Scripture designates by this name not only the evil action, but also the propensity to it, the object, matter, occasion, punishment , or victim of sin. --- The calf. He broke the idol in pieces, and then ground it small, Exodus xxxii. 20. (Calmet) Burning, &c. The places called in Hebrew, "Tabera, Masa, and Kibroth Hattaavah." (Haydock) --- At the first, the murmurers were burnt; (Numbers xi. 1) at the second or at Raphidim, (Calmet) the people demanded water, and were supplied from Horeb; (Exodus xvii. 2, 7.; Menochius) though some confound this with the former place. It seems rather to refer to the temptation, or murmur of the people, on account of quails, Numbers xi. 34., and Psalm lxxvii. 18. (Calmet) Slighted. Hebrew, "rebelled against," &c., as [in] ver. 24. Septuagint, "you were incredulous to." See Numbers xiii. 3. To know you. When Moses slew the Egyptian, and would have pacified two of his contending brethren, they refused to receive his mediation; so also, when he returned from Madian, to rescue them from slavery, they presently began to murmur against him, and continued to do so frequently for 40 years. (Haydock) --- Septuagint refers this to God, "from the day that he was known to you," and received you for his peculiar people, Exodus xi. 25. Nights. See ver. 18. (Calmet) --- After specifying various seditions of the people, Moses returns to what he had been saying respecting the tables of the law, and shews with what difficulty he obtained pardon for the people, and the second tables. (Haydock) --- Some people believe that Moses was thrice 40 days in the mountain. He mentions the prayer which he addressed to God before his first descent, Exodus xxxii. 11. (Menochius) Wood. Moses had received this injunction, before he ascended the mount the second time, Exodus xxv. 10. But he executed it only after he had received the second tables of the law, Exodus xxxvii. 1. (Menochius) --- Some pretend that the made an ark of setim-wood, to contain the tables, till Beseleel should have completed his, which was covered with gold, and inclosed the former. (Drusius) --- But this seems unnecessary. (Calmet) I made, or gave orders to have one ready against my return. (Calmet) To me. God had already promulgated the same laws in the hearing of all, Exodus xix. 17. (Haydock) Mosera, by Mount Hor, for there Aaron died, Numbers xx. This and the following verses seem to be inserted by way of parenthesis, (Challoner) as far as the 10th. The reason of their insertion here cannot easily be explained; but we must adore, in silence, the designs of the Holy Spirit. (Calmet) --- Moses had just mentioned the ark, designed to contain the tables of the law; and as the priests and Levites were to be the guardians of those sacred things, he takes occasion to specify something with respect to their institution, &c. Mosera was perhaps twice visited by the Hebrews. The first time, they came thither from Beroth -Benejaacan, or from "the well of the children of Jacan, " and thence measured back their steps; though, the second time, Mosera, or Moseroth, is not noticed, because it had been specified already, and they did not stop long there, but proceeded to Gadgad, Numbers xxxiii. 30. (Bonfrere) (Menochius) --- Others think that Mosera and Benejaacan are not the same places as Moseroth and Beroth Bensacan, though the names be similar. (Cornelius a Lapide) --- Perhaps it will be more satisfactory to acknowledge, that Mosera has been transposed by the copyists, as it ought to come before Beroth, particularly as Moses places it in that order, where he gives an account of the 42 stations; and the Samaritan copy agrees with him in this place. (Calmet) --- It also retains many words which have been omitted in Hebrew, and in all the versions taken from it; whence the omission seems to have taken place before the appearance of the version of the Septuagint. The Samaritan version, which is acknowledged to have preceded the Septuagint, agrees with its text, and reads, "And the children of Israel journeyed from Moseroth, and pitched in Benejaakan: from thence they journeyed, and pitched in Hagidgad: from thence they journeyed, and pitched in Jotbathah, a land of rivers of waters: from thence they journeyed, and pitched in Ebronah: from thence they journeyed, and pitched in Eziongaber: from thence they journeyed, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh: from thence they journeyed, and pitched in Mount Hor. And there Aaron died," &c. (Kennicott, 2. Dis.) --- Thus Mosera will be the 27th, and Mount Hor the 34th station; (Pococke) whence the Israelites departed, after the death of Aaron, to Salmona, directing their course to the countries east of the Jordan, which had been promised to them. The appointment of Eleazar to succeed Aaron, and the separation of the Levites unto the Lord, should be all placed together, after the different encampments. (Haydock) Time, during the pontificate of Aaron, Numbers iii. 6. (Menochius) --- God had made this appointment at Sinai, (Exodus xxviii. 1,) where he ordered the tabernacle and the priests to be consecrated. Upon the sedition of Core, which probably took place at Jetebata, he confirmed the rights of the Levitical tribe, Numbers xvi. 17, 18. (Calmet) --- Ark. The priests carried it, on more solemn occasions, (Josue iii. 3,) as they also blessed the people. (Menochius) --- Yet the Levites sung the praises of God, in which sense the word is often used, 1 Paralipomenon xxiii. 13. Hence Castalio translates, "to celebrate his name." Stood. Moses does not follow the order of events, but recalls to the minds of his audience what might serve to make the deepest impression upon them. He mentions some farther instructions which he had received from God on Mount Sinai, during the second term of 40 days. (Calmet) --- It might have been placed in a more natural order at the head of this chapter. (Menochius) --- Some believe that Moses speaks of the third fast of 40 days. (Salien) And now. He shews what advantages may be derived from a constant observance of the commandments, that it may be well with thee, ver. 13. God stands not in need of our services, (ver. 14,) but chooses whom he pleases to display the treasures of his love, (ver. 15,) which ought to move us strongly to make him a suitable return of gratitude, (Calmet) by withdrawing our affections from every thing that may be displeasing to him, ver. 16. If we refuse, we must expect to fall under the rod of his indignation, notwithstanding all the efforts of his clemency, which he holds forth for our imitation, ver. 17, 19. He will judge all alike, the rich and the poor. (Haydock) Of heaven. The Scripture mentions the third heaven, (2 Corinthians xii. 2,) where the majesty of God most gloriously appears. The second is the region of the stars, and the first the atmosphere, where the birds and the clouds move about. (Calmet) Joined, as it were, with glue, (Haydock) to shew the vehemence of love. (Menochius) Circumcise. The Hebrews esteem circumcision as a mark of their greatest glory. All who had it not were looked upon as profane. They call the ears, mind, and heart uncircumcised, when they would not hear, understand, or obey the law of God. St. Paul (Romans ii. 28) frequently inculcates this interior circumcision, to which Moses alludes in these his last exhortations, chap. xxx. 6. The people had not regularly practised circumcision in the desert. Moses takes care to raise their thoughts to something more spiritual; and declares, in clearer terms than he had hitherto done, the necessity of loving God. All must be banished from the heart which might resist this love. (Calmet) --- Vanity, blindness, luxury, must be retrenched. (Menochius) Gods. Idols are nothing, 1 Corinthians viii. 4. Hence Theodoret supposes, that all who have authority upon earth are here designated. But admitting the false notions of the pagans respecting their gods, the superiority of the true God is here asserted; (Calmet) and all, both in heaven and on earth, gods and lords, must bow before him. (Haydock) Widow. God resents the injuries done to such, Exodus xxii. 22. Only, a word not found in the Hebrew, but deemed necessary by the Septuagint to express the true meaning of this passage. See chap. vi. 13. (Calmet) --- Name, when an oath is necessary. Thou shalt never swear by false gods. (Worthington) Praise, the object whom thou must praise, and the source of all thy happiness and glory. Other nations will revere the Jews on this account. (Calmet) --- An ancient oracle could not refuse giving them this singular commendation, though to the prejudice of idolatry. "Chaldeans alone philosophy may claim --- but Hebrews worship God, the self-born King --- with pure religion." (Haydock) --- agnos, (Calmet) St. Cyril, contra Julian 5., and St. Justin Martyr, Hortatory Address to the Greeks xi., read auton, him. But the meaning is clear from the context. The palm of wisdom is given to the Chaldeans for natural learning, and to the Jews for divinity. (Watson, Proleg. xii.) Porphyrius owns the oracle. (Theodoret) (Haydock) Seventy. Some copies of the Septuagint add "five," with St. Stephen. [Acts vii. 14. See Genesis xlvi. 26. (Calmet)