Verse 3. By whose. Septuagint “the powerful in Israel, that they might be sanctified to the Lord; and they put,” and so forth Hebrew “who instructed all Israel, the holy people of the Lord: Put,” and so forth Bible.—No more. Hebrew adds, “upon your shoulders;” ( Bible.) whence it is inferred, that it had been carried about the cities of Juda, under the impious kings, who would not suffer it in the temple. Calmet.—Some believe that it was kept in the house of Sellum, the uncle of Jeremias, and husband of Olda. Saint Jerome Trad. Tirinus.
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Verse 5. Families. Hebrew adds, “according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren, the people, ( Bible. or laics. Calmet.) and the division of the families of the Levites.” All were placed, with great order, in the temple.
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Verse 6. Which. Hebrew “of the Lord, by the hand of Moses,” which ordinances he has written down. Menochius.
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Verse 7. In. Hebrew “for the Passover-offerings, from the flock, lambs and kids, in number 30,000.” Et reliqui pecoris, is not expressed. Bible.—The small cattle might be intended for other sacrifices. Menochius.
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Verse 8. Offered. Hebrew “gave to the people.” Bible.—Rulers: the first alone was high priest. Calmet.—Small cattle: literally, cattle of different sorts;” commixtim. Prot. supply, “small cattle,” which is not in Hebrew Bible.—Syr. and Arab. have, “sheep;” but we had best follow ( Calmet.) the Septuagint “sheep, both lambs and kids.” Either would suffice. Exodus 12:5.
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Verse 9. Cattle. Prot. again supply these words. Septuagint have, “sheep.” Bible.
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Verse 11. Blood is expressed in the Septuagint and understood in Hebrew Bible.—With. Hebrew and Septuagint “from their hands;” ( Bible.) receiving it from the officers, who might slay their own victims, ( Calmet.) unless they were unclean, ( Calmet.) 30:17. Bible.—Holocausts. Hebrew and Septuagint speak of the paschal lambs. Bible.—Holocausts were regularly to be flayed by priests. Leviticus 1:6. The hurry of the solemnity, ( Calmet.) and necessity, here excused the Levites, ( Menochius.) if we understand proper holocausts. Bible.
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Verse 12. Separated. Septuagint “prepared the holocaust to give; having taken notice to whom the victims belonged, before they took off the skin, ( Menochius.) or rather, separating these from the other peace-offerings. Tournemine.
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Verse 13. Victims. Hebrew and Septuagint “but the holy offerings they boiled.” See Exodus 12:9. Bible.
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Verse 15. Prophets. Hebrew “seer.” But Septuagint and so forth read in the plural. These were “prophets of the king,” ( Bible.) or masters of music. Calmet.—Vulg. might insinuate that these three gave orders, as well as David. But they were in office under him, as people of the same name were, probably, under Josias. Bible.
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Verse 18. As Josias kept. He displayed greater liberality ( E. See 4 Kennicott. 23:20) and devotion; and the festival had also been neglected for some time. Worthington.
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Verse 20. Charcamis belonged to the Assyrian monarch, (Isaiah 10:9) who subdued the empire of Babylon. Calmet. 33:11.
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Verse 21. With me. Grotius thinks that Jeremias had given the order; and the author of Hebrew Traditions, supposes that he forbade Josias to oppose Pharao, who, it seems, was assured of victory. Calmet.—But this is uncertain; and Josias might justly suspect that the king of Egypt spoke without authority. Bible.—The augurs of the latter might declare the truth, ( Menochius.) though they could not dive into futurity. Bible.—Herodotus (i.) informs us, that Nechos fought against the Syrians, (or Israelites) in Magdelum, and took Cadythis, a city as large as Sardis, of Lydia; probably Jerusalem, ( D.) or Cades. Calmet.
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Verse 22. Prepared. Hebrew “disguised himself,” like Achab; ( Calmet.) or set his army in array. Septuagint “he was bent on fighting him.” Bible.—He supposed that Pharao intended to invade his dominions, and God would withdraw him from the world. Worthington.
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Verse 24. After the manner of kings, is not in Hebrew and so forth Bible.—Curtius (iv.) informs us, that the Persian monarch had always a horse behind his chariot, to be ready in case of any accident.
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Verse 25. Lamentations. Some think that we have them in the Bible. Josephus, and so forth—Others believe that they are lost. Salien, A. 3425.—Law, on the anniversary; ( Menochius.) or when any calamity occurs, the lamentations of Jeremias are used. Tirinus.—There were collections of such poems, as well as of canticles, for victory and marriages. Calmet.
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Verse 27. Israel is placed first in Hebrew and Septuagint Bible.—The kings of Juda assumed the title, as the kingdom had been subverted above a century; and the wretched remains of Israel had retreated into the territories, ( Calmet.) or acknowledged their dominion. Bible.