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Verse 2. Evils. Greek “injustice.” Evil communications corrupt good manners, ( Bible.) or the punishment of sin follows it commission. Calmet.
EXPLANATIONS
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Historical chapter commentary
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Verse 3. Not. Greek “not in.” Bible.—Seven-fold: more abundantly. Osee 10:11. Job 4:5. Galatians 6:7. Calmet.—The wicked shall receive the fruit of their wickedness. Worthington.
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Verse 4. Honour. Ambition is the source of ruin to men and empires. Jam. 3:1. Calmet.
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Verse 5. God. Greek “the Lord, and affect not wisdom (σοφιζου) before the king.” Bible.—Of ourselves we are despicable; and kings love not those whose superior talents seem to eclipse their own. David’s valour excited the hatred of Saul, and Alexander “was indignant that Antipater (his general, Bible.) had conquered, thinking his own glory was diminished by that which another acquired.” Curt. 6.
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Verse 6. Integrity. A judge is expose to many dangers. 2 Chronicles 19:6. Calmet.—“He must be prudent and firm.” Plato, 2 Rep.—What will become of those who push themselves forward? Saint John Chrysostom hom. xxxiv. in Hebrews 13.
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Verse 8. To sin. Correct not thy severity by too great indulgence, nor entangle thyself with the sins of othres, as with a chain. Isaiah 5:18.
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Verse 9. Mind. If thou hast committed a fault, despair not, but pray, (verse 10) avoiding presumption. verse 14.
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Verse 12. Soul. Whether the person have incurred a fault or not, we ought to shew pity, reflecting on our own frailty. 1 Corinthians 10:12.
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Verse 13. Devise. Lit. “plough.” But Hebrew Charasch, means also to machinate.—Brother. We cannot hence infer, with Grotius, that the Jews allowed themselves to deceive strangers. Calmet.
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Verse 14. Good, but very pernicious, (Matthew 5:37. Revelation 21:8. Saint Augustine Mend.) though some have thought that lies might be told to prevent evil. Orig. and so forth Calmet.
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Verse 15. Repeat not. Make not much babbling by repetition of words, but aim more at fervour of heart. Challoner.—A supplication ought to be drawn up in a concise manner. Bible.—Judges and orators should speak with due reserve. Prayer must be unceasing: yet many words must not be used to inform God of our wants. Our Saviour seems to allude to this text. Matthew 6:7.
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Verse 16. High. Genesis 2:15 and 3:18. The patriarchs and the most famous Roman generals followed this employment.
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Verse 19. On the flesh, is not in Greek. Christ appears to have had this passage in view, Mark 9:44. Many suppose that both allude to the fire which burnt dead bodies, and so forth in the vale of Hinnon. But all allow that the inextinguishable flames of hell are meant. Whether the fire and worms be corporeal or not has been questioned: the Greek Fathers, and the Church of Florence, generally maintain the negative, and the Latins assert it on better grounds. Saint Thomas adopts the opinion of many of the Fathers, who explain the worm to denote the remorse of conscience. Yet many take it to be a worm, though not like those with which we are acquainted. Horreo vermem mendacem et mortem vivacem. Saint Bernard cons. v. See Saint Jerome Is. lxvi. A. Lap. Saint Gregory Dial. iv. 29. Saint Augustine De Calmet. xx. 10. Saint Ambrose vii. in Lu. xiv. Calmet.—Fire and the worm of conscience are both eternal. Worthington.—The punishment at least is such, and more intense than we can conceive.
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Verse 21. Wife. The virtuous never approved of divorcing any but the incorrigible. Calmet. Dis.
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Verse 27. Man. The Jews in general embraced the married state in their youth. Saint Paul prefers virginity. 1 Corinthians 7:8.
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Verse 28. Hateful. To marry such a cone would be an occasion of divorce, which is always odious.
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Verse 29. Groanings, in child-bed, and ( Calmet.) during thy infancy. Menochius. Job 4:4.
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Verse 33. Priests. Greek “priest, and give him the portion which is enjoined thee, the first-fruit, and for negligence, and the gift of the shoulders, and the,” and so forth verse 35. Bible.—Arms. That is, with all thy power: or else by arms (brachiis) are here signified the right shoulders of the victims, which by the law fell to the share of the priests. See verse 35. ( Challoner.) Exodus 29:28. Leviticus 7:22.
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Verse 34. Few offerings, if thou be poor. Sa.—Be alone with the priest when thou dost confess, and imitate the small number.
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Verse 36. Poor. They and Levites are always to be invited. Deuteronomy 12:19 and 14:26.
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Verse 37. Dead: detained in purgatory. Worthington.—And restrain not grace from the dead. Withhold not from them the benefit of alms, prayers, and sacrifices. Such was the doctrine and practice of the Church of God, even in the time of the Old Testament. And the same has always been continued from the days of the apostles in the Church of the New Testament. Challoner.—Meat was also placed on the tombs of the deceased, for the benefit of the poor. Tobit 4:18. Saint Augustine Conf. vi. 2.
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Verse 38. Walk. Greek “mourn.” Bible.—It was customary to join those who mourned for the dead, and to offer them meat, and endeavour to comfort them. Calmet. Diss.
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Verse 39. Love, being approved both by God and man.
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Verse 40. End. Greek “things;” death, judgment, and either hell or heaven. Bible.—This consideration is a powerful preservative against sin. Worthington.—For who would dare to offend his judge, if he believed that the next moment he would be arraigned before his dreadful tribunal? Calmet.—“We die daily,” and so forth Saint Jerome ad Heliod.
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Greek Don’t plow
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Many authorities omit this line