Verse 1. Jesus, the son of Nave. So Josue is named in the Greek Bibles. For Josue and Jesus signify the same thing, that is a Saviour; ( Challoner.) and Nave is the Greek pronunciation of Nun; ( Bible.) or this is an old fault of transcribers. Calmet.—Among. Greek “in the prophecies.” Bible.—He was endued with the prophetic spirit, and was raised up by God as a noble figure of the great prophet. Deuteronomy 18:15. Calmet.—He succeeded Moses in the temporal power; the spiritual belonged to the sons of Aaron. Numbers 27. Worthington.
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Verse 2. Israel. He led the people into Chanaan, and divided it among them.
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Verse 3. Hands. To pray, (Vat.) or fight, (Boss.) or to give a signal. Joshua 8:26. A. Lap.—Stretched. Literally, threw ( Bible.) darts, romphœas.
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Verse 4. The. Greek “he conducted the wars of the Lord.” Calmet.—Other edit. agree with us.
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Verse 5. In. Greek “by his hand,” ( Bible.) and order, so that the day-light continued 24 hours.
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Verse 7. Adversaries. The hail destroyed more than the sword. Joshua 10:11.
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Verse 8. Power. Greek “complete armour for his warfare was before the Lord, since he,” and so forth They found it was impossible to resist such weapons. Bible.—One. “Follow God,” was a maxim of the ancient sages, which they even attributed to Apollo. Josue and Caleb did so in opposition to the rebels. Numbers 14:24. Calmet.—The rest all perished, ( Worthington.) if we except those who were not 20 years old, or who did not join in the murmurs of the seditious. Bible.
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Verse 9. Mercy, and piety, ( Calmet.) endeavouring to prevent the murmurs of the people, which would draw upon them destruction, as the event shewed. Bible.
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Verse 11. Land. Hebron, when he was 85 years old. Joshua 14:6. Bible.
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Verse 13. Lord. Abimelec must be excepted, ( Calmet.) as he was only an usurper. Bible.—The Judges were all saved, though some have been great sinners. Worthington.
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Verse 14. Place. At the resurrection, which the Jews firmly believed. Ezekiel 27:3.
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Verse 16. People. Though he disapproved of their resolution. 1 Kennicott. 8:6. Os. 13:11.
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Verse 17. And the. Sixt. V. and so forth read, “and he beheld the God.” 1 Kennicott. 3:7. Calmet.—Vulg. may signify also, “God beheld Jacob,” (Gr.) with a favourable eye, and enabled Samuel to restore their fallen state, and to recover the ark. Bible.
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Verse 18. Because. Greek has not faithful, or what follows. Calmet.—Yet Grabe’s copy retains πιστος ορασεως, “faithful in seeing” into futurity; so that his predictions were always verified, and he acquired the confidence of all. 1 Kennicott. 3:20. Prophets were former styled seers: yet they could not behold God, as he inhabits light inaccessible. 1 Timothy 6:16. Bible.—Light. Saint James (1:17) seems to allude to this passage. Menochius.
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Verse 19. Without. Greek “fed with milk.” 1 Kennicott. 7:6. The Philistines were discomfited, and continued peaceable during the rest of Samuel’s government.
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Verse 21. Tyrians, who were auxiliaries, or in league with the Philistines. Calmet.
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Verse 22. Shoe. So Abraham declared he would not receive the latchet of a shoe from the king of Sodom. Genesis 14:23.—Him. All confessed his integrity, before he delivered up the sovereign power to Saul. 1 Kennicott. 12.
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Verse 23. Nation. Foretelling that Israel should be defeated. Some doubt whether the soul of Samuel appeared; but it seems clear from this passage, (1 Kennicott. 28:18. Calmet. Diss.) as he could not otherwise be praised for it. Worthington.