It came to pass, when Achior had finished speaking these words, all the people standing around the tent complained. The great men of Holofernes, and all who lived by the sea side and in Moab, said that he should be cut to pieces.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 22. Battles. He seems to speak of the captivity of Manasses, ( Worthington.) of the ten tribes, and of the loss sustained by Achaz. 2 Chronicles 28:5. Menochius.—By many. Greek “exceedingly; and they were led captive into a land which was not their own, and the temple of their God became as a pavement, and their cities were taken by the enemies. But now, returning to their God, they are come up from the places to which they had been scattered, and have possession of Jerusalem, where is their sanctuary; and they have inhabited the mountainous country, for it was a desert.” Bible.—Our adversaries would infer from this, and similar passages, that the siege of Bethulia could not have taken place till after the captivity of Babylon; and this many Catholics allow. But the proof is not conclusive, as all this might be verified under Manasses: ( Calmet.) “the temple was trampled on,” (Syr. εγεννηθη εις εδαφος) and profaned. See Calmet. 4:2 and 1 Maccabees 3:51 and Luke 21:24. It had been pillaged by Sesac and the Assyrians, and had stood in need of great repairs under Ezechias, Josias, and so forth Several of the Israelites had escaped from the hands of their oppressors, (2 Chronicles 34:9) and the Jews had regained their strength after the captivity of Manasses, ( Calmet.) having retired before into their strong holds in the deserts. Bible.