He got rid of the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the places around Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, to the moon, to the planets, and to all the army of the sky.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 5. Soothsayers. Prot. “the idolatrous priests.” Grotius thinks that camilli, or “ministers of the gods,” (Serv. and Varro. vi.) may be derived from the Hebrew hacemarim, “the black-vested,” or cryers. The Rabbins give this title in derision to the religious of the Christian Church. There were some melanophori, or people “in black,” who honoured Isis, or the moon, by this dress; as if to condole with her on the absence of the sun. Plutarch Apuleius describes a shining black veil, which was carried in the procession of her statue.—Baal. Hebrew “to Baal the son;” ( Calmet.) or rather, “to Baal, to the son.” Bible.—The Hebrew mazatoth, ( Calmet.) Septuagint Mazouroth ( Bible.) is not better understood. S. Jerom translates signs of the zodiac; others have, influences, planets, Lucifer, Venus, and so forth Job (38:32) designates some stars by the name of Mozruth, and Mozrim. Calmet.