Amos 5:26

Verse 26. A tabernacle, and so forth All this alludes to the idolatry which they committed, when they were drawn away by the daughters of Moab to the worship of their gods. Numbers 25. Challoner.—They imitated the superstitions of Egypt, and bore the image of Osiris, adorned with a star and crescent, on a sort of base, under a canopy. Hebrew “You carried the tents of your king and the base of your statues, the star of your gods, which you have made for yourselves.” Septuagint by changing ( Calmet.) ciun in Rephan, or ραιφαν, ( Bible.) have caused great confusion among commentators. If any change were requisite, ( Calmet.) cima ( Bible.) would be preferable. verse 8. Job 9:9. Yet the Hebrew seems to be correct, and chiun denotes a pedestal rather than an idol. Some read Kevan, the Saturn of the Arabs, and so forth and think that Rephan has been mistaken for it. The only difficulty is the authority of S. Stephen, who follows the Septuagint Acts 7:43. Yet he probably spoke in Syriac, and might pronounce Chevan; though Saint Luke might adopt the Septuagint in a matter of so little consequence. Calmet. Diss.—This decision may not probably give satisfaction to those who reflect that both these authors were under the immediate influence of the Holy Ghost, and that if an error had crept into the copy of the Septuagint he would have corrected it. Truth is always of sufficient consequence. See Kennicott, Diss. ii. p. 344. Bible.—Chiun and Rephan are “expressive of the same” god or idol, representing the machine of the heavens. The people of Peru worshipped Choun. Parkhurst, p. 137.—Remvan may be Remmon, (4 Kennicott. 6:18) or Saturn. Grot.—In a Coptic alphabet of the planets it is thus explained: (De Dieu. Collier. Dict. Septuagint and Acts) “You have taken the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your Rempham, figures,” and so forth Prot. marg. “the Siccuth, your king, and Chiun, your images, the star,” and so forth Bible.