Merciful. Hebrew, "he will justify us." Chaldean, "reward us." Justice often denotes the mercy which God shews to his people, and the punishment which he inflicts upon their enemies. (Calmet) (Matthew vi. 1.) --- Past, present, and future benefits concur to make the Hebrews observe the commandments. God had rescued them from slavery; (ver. 21,) he had already given them great possessions, and would grant them still more if they would be faithful; as on the other hand, all will be lost if they prove rebellious, ver. 15. (Haydock) CHAPTER VI. Destroyed. So the Vulgate often expresses the Hebrew term, which signifies, "to cast out." --- Seven. Ten are mentioned, Genesis xv. 9; but some of the less powerful nations were either mixed with the others, or were exterminated. The Hevites are omitted in the passage of Genesis, and sometimes no notice is taken of the Gergezite or the Pherezite. The latter had been already conquered by Moses, as well as the Raphaim and Amorrhites, over whom Og and Sehon ruled, chap. iii. 5. (Calmet) --- It seems, however, that some of the same nations, on the other side of the Jordan, remained to be subdued, and that any one of them was naturally too strong for the Hebrews, ver. 7. Hence the latter might be convinced, that their victories were to be attributed to God. League. Yet Josue, (ix. 3,) by mistake, entered into one with the Gabaonites, and observed it; (Haydock) whence we may conclude, that only such leagues are forbidden as would leave these nations in possession of their lands and idols, chap. xx. 10., and xxiii. 6. With foreign nations it was lawful to make leagues defensive and offensive, as David, Asa, and the Machabees did with Hiram, Benadad, and the Romans, 3 Kings xv. 18, &c. If the Hebrews were so hostile to the nations of Chanaan, it was in execution of God's decree, who had sentenced them to die; and Tacitus hence unjustly inferred, that they hated all but their own nation. See Grotius, Jur. ii. 15. --- Them. This was ill executed. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] xiii. 13.) (Judges i.) (Menochius) Marriages. Some believe that it was unlawful to marry the people of Chanaan, if they were even converted, and also those of other nations, as we find that Esdras (1 Esdras x. 2, 12,) ordered such strange wives to be sent away. But the context shews, as well as the practice of most pious Hebrews, that it was only forbidden to marry with those who adhered to their idolatry, ver. 4. Salmon took to wife Rahab, of Jericho; Mahalon and Booz successively married Ruth, the Moabitess, and Moses himself allows the Hebrews to espouse their captives, and to preserve the lives of women and children, chap. xx. 14., and xxi. 11. (Calmet) See Exodus xxxiv. 15. --- Hence all the Chanaanites were not necessarily to be slain. The few exceptions did not hinder the rule from being general. See ver. 16., and Numbers xiv. 23. Gods. So great is the natural tendency to evil, that though a woman be generally inclined to follow the inclinations and religion of her husband, yet, when his method of living is more repugnant to flesh and blood, she is but to apt to influence him to glide smoothly with her down the hill of pleasure, into the very abyss of dissolution. The prediction, she will turn, &c., is so often verified, that those who marry with unbelievers ought to tremble. (Haydock) Things. This was to be done with regard to the idols of Chanaan, when it was first conquered, ver. 25. Afterwards David made no scruple in wearing a crown, which had been taken from the spoils of Melchon, the idol of the Ammonites, 1 Paralipomenon xx. 2. (Calmet) Peculiar. Hebrew sogula, laid up like something most precious and desirable. (Menochius) --- God seemed to have abandoned other nations to the corruption of their own heart. "This was, by a particular mystery, a prophetical nation." (St. Augustine, ep. cii.) (Exodus xix. 5.) (Calmet) --- Therefore must they destroy every idol in their land, to set a pattern to all other less favoured nations how they ought also to treat them. Joined. Hebrew, "has set his love upon you." God is the most disinterested lover. (Haydock) Strong. Hebrew el, means also God. He requires us to imitate his perfections as much as we are able. Being faithful, he will comply with his covenant exactly, and will punish those who neglect it. (Calmet) Deserve. Hebrew, "he will repay to his face," or "he will punish immediately the person who hateth him to his face." God does not always defer the correction of the wicked till their death. (Calmet) --- But this seems to be spoken principally of those who have engaged in the covenant, 2 Machabees vi. 12. (Du Hamel) --- Thus he immediately chastised those who adored the calf, Core, Mary [Miriam], &c., (Menochius) and he does not dissemble the faults even of his chosen servants. (Tirinus) --- The Chaldean and some Rabbins give another interpretation. "The Lord rewards his enemies for the good works which they perform in this life, reserving their judgment till the life to come. He does not delay to reward was good they do, but he will punish them (for their crimes) in another world." (Calmet) If. The promises of God to the Hebrews were conditional. (Worthington) Womb. He will grant thee many children. (Menochius) --- This was esteemed a very great blessing, at a time when they might hope to give birth to the Messias. (Calmet) Cattle. This shews, that no precept to marry is here given, but only a blessing. Even men cannot be commanded not to be barren, as that is not in their own power. It was, however, deemed a mark of some secret transgression when married people had no children. (Vasques.) (Tirinus) Sickness, sent in punishment of sin, (Haydock) like the plagues of Egypt, Exodus ix. (Menochius) --- Egypt was afflicted with some peculiar disorders, such as the leprosy, called Elephantiasis. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxvi. 1.) The people were also much troubled with sore eyes, or blindness, and with ulcers upon their legs. (Juvenal, Sat. xiii. 91.) One-fourth of the inhabitants of Grand Cairo have sore eyes, or are blind. (Brun.) --- Joinville speaks of the diseases which attacked the army of St. Louis in Egypt, preying chiefly upon the legs and gums, and causing them to putrify. (Calmet) Consume. Kill the inhabitants, plunder their effects, (Menochius) destroy their idols. Plagues. Hebrew, "trials." God manifested by this means the latent dispositions of the Egyptians, while he punished their wickedness at the same time. (Haydock) Hornets. Abenezra understands the leprosy, which the Hebrew may also signify. But hornets and such like insects are very destructive in hot countries; and Pausanias informs us that the Minsiens were driven out of their country by them. (Calmet) --- God destroyed the army of Sapor II, the Persian king, by sending an army of gnats, at the prayer of St. James of Nisibis, A.D. 350. "Lord, said the saint, thou art able by the weakest means to humble the pride of thy enemies, defeat these multitudes by an army of gnats." (Butler, Lives of the Saints, July 11.) --- We may, therefore, explain this text in a literal sense. (Calmet) (Wisdom xii. 8., and xvi. 9., and Josue xxiv. 12.) Fear. Septuagint, "be wounded." In the war with the Madianites, not one was killed, (Numbers xxxi. 49,) as Josephus ([Antiquities?] iii. 2) informs us, was also the case when king Amalec and his people attacked the Hebrews, Exodus xvii. 13. The people seem to have expected such a miraculous interference of Providence in their favour; and hence, when 36 were slain at the siege of Hai, all were greatly dejected, Josue vii. 5. (Haydock) Thee. Three millions of people not being sufficient to cultivate the land, Exodus xxiii. 29. (Menochius) --- God could easily have destroyed those mighty nations at once; but he would not give the Israelites any occasion of boasting. (Du Hamel) --- If they never succeeded to expel them entirely out of the country, they might attribute it to their own negligence and other sins. (Haydock) CHAPTER VII. Graven things. Idols, so called by contempt. (Challoner) --- Made. Hebrew, "gold (plates) on them," to cover the wood, &c. See ver. 5. An anathema. That is, a thing devoted to destruction; and which carries along with it a curse. (Challoner) --- Like it. The curse rested upon those who kept any of the spoils. This brought death upon Achan, (Josue vii. 1,) and upon some of the soldiers of Judas the Machabee, who had secreted some of the donaries of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbiddeth to the Jews, 2 Machabees xii. 40. (Calmet) Live a long and happy life; which was often promised to the carnal Jews, to encourage them to fill God's commands. Christians are willing to forego these temporal advantages, that they may obtain such as may last for ever. (Calmet) Prove, which is done frequently by posterity also, ver. 3, 12, 14. After trying the fidelity of his people by various means, to make them sensible of their own weakness and inability to do good, God takes pity on them, ver. 16. (Calmet) --- Known. Hebrew, "to know (by experience) what was in thy heart, whether," &c. The original term signifies also to make known to others, Genesis xxii. 12. (Haydock) Not in bread alone, &c. i.e. That God is able to make food of what he pleases for the support of man. (Challoner) --- Obedience to his law will insure a happy life, ver. 1. God can support a person's life without any sustenance, as he did Moses, Elias, &c., for a long time. When the usual food is wanting, he can send some of a supernatural kind, as he did the manna. --- Word. Hebrew, "by whatever proceedeth," &c. The Septuagint and our Saviour (Matthew iv. 4,) cite it, however, agreeably to the Vulgate. The word of God and Jesus Christ nourish our souls. (St. Chrysostom) --- Philo says, "God feeds us with his most universal word...which is more ancient than the creation." (Calmet) --- God could make the most poisonous things afford more nutrition, if he commanded us to eat them, than even the most delicious viands. (Abulensis) (Tirinus) --- God can make food of whatever He pleases, or sustain men without meat. (Worthington) Worn, for want of shoes, chap. xxix. 5. (Chaldean) This miracle of the Hebrews, being so well provided with raiment in a desert country, is mentioned, 2 Esdras ix. 21. Cosmas (B. v.) allows only that merchants constantly supplied them, and Abenezra thinks that they had brought plenty for change out of Egypt. (Calmet) --- But the Scripture seems to acknowledge something more wonderful; namely, the good condition of the people's feet, and of their garments, after they had been worn for such a length of time. As their numbers had not increased, the children might be supplied with the clothes of the deceased; so that there is no need of making the miracle still greater, by asserting, as some have done, that the garments grew larger with the bodies of those who wore them. (Haydock) --- The miracle was in favour both of good and bad, like manna, &c. (Tirinus) Up, by mildness and correction alternately. Hebrew, "chastiseth thee," Proverbs iii. 12. Out. The Jordan was the only river of consequence; but there were many torrents, &c., which rendered the country very different from that where they had been travelling for 40 years. (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "of fountains, of abysses, which spring in vales and on mountains," having their origin in the sea. (Chaldean; Ecclesiastes i. 7.) "Judea is famous for its waters," says Solinus, (35,) "and the Jordan, a most enchanting river, runs through regions of equal beauty." (Calmet) Honey, extracted from dates. (Du Hamel) --- Almost all the luxuries of the earth might be found in the promised land; so that it was justly said to flow with milk and honey. (Haydock) Iron, equal in hardness, and used to cut things, in the same manner as we use iron or steel, Isaias lx. 17. --- Brass. There were mines of both in Mount Libanus; and David collected great quantities of such metals from C\'9closyria, 3 Kings xviii. 8., and 1 Paralipomenon xxii. 3, 14. Sidon was noted for its brass. (Homer, Odyssey xv. 425.) Sarepta probably took its name from the "foundry" established there. Dan and Aser had abundance of iron and brass, chap. xxxiii. 25., and Ezechiel xxvii. 19. Cadmus brought from this country the art of melting gold, &c., into Greece. (Pliny, [Natural History?] vii. 56. In latter ages, many Christians were condemned to work in the mines of Palestine. (Eusebius) Bless, not forgetting to give thanks after meat, as well as to beg God's blessing before: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer, 1 Timothy iv. 45. (Menochius) --- In all things give thanks, 1 Thessalonians v. 18. Our Saviour did so at the last supper, Matthew xxvi. 26. At taking the cup, the Jews say, "Blessed be thou, O Lord, who createdst the fruit of the vine." At the end of the repast, one of the most dignified at table, holding a cup full of wine, says, "Let us bless Him, who has fed us with his goods, and who preserves our life by his goodness;" and all answer, "Blessed be He from whom we have received food and life:" after which a long prayer is recited. (Fagius) --- In compliance with this custom, our Lord took the cup after supper, and recited (Haydock) or sung a hymn, Luke xxii. 20., and Matthew xxvi. 30. (Calmet) Breath. Hebrew saraphh, or the basilisk, as it is rendered, Isaias xxx. 6. It destroys both the grass and animals, by the burning infection of its breath. (Galen; Pliny, [Natural History?] viii. 19. See Numbers xxi. 6. (Tirinus) --- Scorpion stings with its tail. --- Dipsas. A serpent whose bite causeth a violent thirst: from whence it has its name; for in Greek, dipsa signifies thirst. (Challoner) --- It is impossible to quench this thirst, (Worthington) and those who are bitten by this serpent can discharge no water. (Calmet) --- They drink till they burst, unless they can procure some treacle, or remedy against the poison. (Dioscorides) (Tirinus) --- Some translate the Hebrew, "scorpions, and drought, where there was no water: he brought," &c., whether Tsommaon be the name of a particular place, (Isaias xxxv. 7.; Onkelos; Calmet) or it may be applied to the greatest part of that desert, where the want of water so often occasioned the murmurs of the people. (Haydock) For me. Hebrew, "hath procured me this wealth," or strength, ver. 18. Thee. Hebrew, "I attest this day against you, (Septuagint add heaven and earth,) that you shall," &c. God had already forbidden the worship of strange gods, Exodus xx. 3. He now threatens to punish the transgressors most severely. All nations have deemed it criminal to abandon the religion of their ancestors, unless when there is evident proofs of its absurdity, as was the case when so many embraced the doctrine of Jesus Christ, for which they were so cruelly persecuted. The Athenians would not suffer a word to be spoken against their gods; (Josephus, contra Apion ii.) and Cicero (Leg. ii.) lays down this as a law, "Let no one have gods to himself, nor any new ones: let him not adore, even in private, strange gods; unless they have been publicly acknowledged." (Calmet) 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)