Laws for judges; the rest of the seventh year, and day: three principal feasts to be solemnized every year; the promise of an angel, to conduct and protect them: idols are to be destroyed.
Lawes are appointed to Iudges, (the enemies oxe, or asse to be saued) 8. namely not to take bribes. 10. The seuenth yeare, and day al must rest. 14. Three principal feastes must be solemnized euerie yeare 20. Conduction and protection of an Agel is promised. 24. the people is agane commanded to destroy Idols. 29. VVhy their enemies shal be destroyed by litle and litle.
1Thou shalt not receive the voice of a lie: neither shalt thou join thy hand to bear false witness for a wicked person.Non ascoltare racconti bugiardi: e non ti presterai a dire falso testimonio in favore dell'empio.THOV shalt not admitte a lying voice: neither shalt thou ioyne thy hand to say false testimonie for a wicked person.Non suscipies vocem mendacii, nec junges manum tuam ut pro impio dicas falsum testimonium. 2Thou shalt not follow the multitude to do evil: neither shalt thou yield in judgment, to the opinion of the most part, to stray from the truth.Non andar dietro alla turba per fare il male: e nei tuoi giudizii non acchetarti al parere del maggior numero, allontanandoti dalla verità.Thou shalt not folow the multitude to doe euil: neither shalt thou in iudgement, argree to the sentence of the most part to stray, from the truth.Non sequeris turbam ad faciendum malum: nec in judicio, plurimorum acquiesces sententiæ, ut a vero devies. 3Neither shalt thou favour a poor man in judgment.In giudizio non avrai riguardo nemmeno del povero.The poore man also thou shalt not pitie in iudgement.Pauperis quoque non misereberis in judicio. 4If thou meet thy enemy’s ox or ass going astray, bring it back to him.Se incontri il bue del tuo nemico, o l'asino che sia scappato, riconducigli a lui.If thou meete thy enemies oxe, or asse going astray, bring it backe to him.Si occurreris bovi inimici tui, aut asino erranti, reduc ad eum. 5If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lie underneath his burden, thou shalt not pass by, but shalt lift him up with him.Se vedrai l'asino di colui, che ti odia, cadere sotto il peso, non tirerai di lungo: ma darai mano a lui per rialzarlo.If thou see the asse of him that hareth thee lye vnderneth his burden, thou shalt not passe by, but shalt lift him vp with the same.Si videris asinum odientis te jacere sub onere, non pertransibis, sed sublevabis cum eo. 6Thou shalt not go aside in the poor man’s judgment.Non sarai disfavorevole al povero nella sua lite.Thou shalt not decline the poore mans iudgement.Non declinabis in judicium pauperis. 7Thou shalt fly lying. The innocent and just person thou shalt not put to death: because I abhor the wicked.Fuggi la menzogna. Non dar morte all'innocente, e al giusto; perocché io ho in odio l'empio.A lye thou shalt auoide. The innocent and iust person thou shal not put to death: because I abhorre the impious man.Mendacium fugies. Insontem et justum non occides: quia aversor impium.
8Neither shalt thou take bribes, which even blind the wise, and pervert the words of the just.E non accetterai donativi, i quali accecano anche i sapienti, e alterano il linguaggio de' giusti.Neither shalt thou take bribes, which doe blind also the wise, and peruert the wordes of the iust.Nec accipies munera, quæ etiam excæcant prudentes, et subvertunt verba justorum. 9Thou shalt not molest a stranger, for you know the hearts of strangers: for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt.Non darai fastidio al forestiero: imperocché sapete cosa sia l'essere forestiero; mentre voi pure foste forestieri nella terra d'Egitto.The stranger thou shalt not molest. for you know the hartes of strangers: because your selues also were strangers in the Land of Aegypt.Peregrino molestus non eris. Scitis enim advenarum animas: quia et ipsi peregrini fuistis in terra Ægypti. 10Six years thou shalt sow thy ground, and shalt gather the corn thereof.Per sei anni seminerai la tua terra, e ne raccorrai i frutti.Six yeares thou shalt sow thy ground, and shalt gather the corne therof.Sex annis seminabis terram tuam, et congregabis fruges ejus: 11But the seventh year thou shalt let it alone, and suffer it to rest, that the poor of thy people may eat, and whatsoever shall be left, let the beasts of the field eat it: so shalt thou do with thy vineyard and thy oliveyard.Ma il settimo anno la lascerai stare in riposo, affinché i poveri del popol tuo abbiano da mangiare; e le bestie selvatiche si pascano di quello che resterà: lo stesso farai della vigna, e del tuo uliveto.But the seuenth yeare thou shalt let it alone, and make it to rest, that the poore of thy people may eate, and whatsoeuer shal be leift, let the beastes of the field eate it: so shalt thou doe in thy vineyard and thy oliuete.anno autem septimo dimittes eam, et requiescere facies, ut comedant pauperes populi tui: et quidquid reliquum fuerit, edant bestiæ agri: ita facies in vinea et in oliveto tuo. 12Six days thou shalt work: the seventh day thou shalt cease, that thy ox and thy ass may rest: and the son of thy handmaid and the stranger may be refreshed.Per sei giorni lavorerai: il settimo giorno cesserai dal lavoro, affinché abbia riposo il tuo bue e il tuo asino, e si ristori il figliuolo della tua schiava, e lo straniero.Six dayes thou shalt worke: the seuenth day thou shalt cease, that thy oxe may rest and thine asse: and the sonne of thy handmaide may be refreshed, and the stranger.Sex diebus operaberis: septimo die cessabis, ut requiescat bos et asinus tuus, et refrigeretur filius ancillæ tuæ, et advena.
13Keep all things that I have said to you. And by the name of strange gods you shall not swear, neither shall it be heard out of your mouth.Osservate tutte le cose, che io vi ho dette. Non farete giuramento pel nome di dei stranieri, il qual (nome) non uscirà dalla vostra bocca.Kepe al thinges that I haue said to you. And by the name of foren goddes you shal not sweare, neither shal it be heard out of your mouth.Omnia quæ dixi vobis, custodite. Et per nomen externorum deorum non jurabitis, neque audietur ex ore vestro. 14Three times every year you shall celebrate feasts to me.Tre volte l'anno farete festa in onor mio.Three times euerie yeare you shal celebrate feastes to me.Tribus vicibus per singulos annos mihi festa celebrabitis. 15Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month of new corn, when thou didst come forth out of Egypt: thou shalt not appear empty before me.Osserverai la solennità degli azzimi. Per sette giorni mangerai pane azzimo, conforme ti comandai, nel mese delle biade nuove, quando tu uscisti dall'Egitto. Non comparirai dinanzi a me colle mani vote.Thou shalt keepe the solemnitie of Azymes. Seuen dayes shalt thou eate azymes, as I commanded thee, in the time of the moneth of new corne, when thou didst come forth out of Aegypt: thou shalt not appeare in my sight emprie.Solemnitatem azymorum custodies. Septem diebus comedes azyma, sicut præcepi tibi, tempore mensis novorum, quando egressus es de Ægypto: non apparebis in conspectu meo vacuus. 16And the feast of the harvest of the firstfruits of thy work, whatsoever thou hast sown in the field. The feast also in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in all thy corn out of the field.E (farai) la solennità della messe dei frutti primaticci di tue fatiche, di qualunque sorte ne avrai seminati ne' campi: e parimente la solennità alla fine dell'anno, allorché avrai raunate tutte le tue biade dalla campagna.And the solemnitie of the haruest of the first fruites of thy worke, whatsoeuer thou didst sow in the field. The solemnitie also in the end of the yeare, when thou hast gathered al thy corne out of the field.Et solemnitatem messis primitivorum operis tui, quæcumque seminaveris in agro: solemnitatem quoque in exitu anni, quando congregaveris omnes fruges tuas de agro. 17Thrice a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God.Tre volte l'anno tutti i tuoi maschi si presenteranno dinanzi al Signore Dio tuo.Thrise a yeare shal al thy male sexe appeare before the Lord thy GodTer in anno apparebit omne masculinum tuum coram Domino Deo tuo.
18Thou shalt not sacrifice the blood of my victim upon leaven, neither shall the fat of my solemnity remain until the morning.Non offerirai il sangue della mia vittima insieme col fermentato: e il grasso della vittima solenne non resterà sino al mattino.Thou shalt not sacrifice the bloud of my victime vpon leuen, neither shal the fatte of my solemnitie remaine vntil the morning.Non immolabis super fermento sanguinem victimæ meæ, nec remanebit adeps solemnitatis meæ usque mane. 19Thou shalt carry the first-fruits of the corn of thy ground to the house of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not boil a kid in the milk of his dam.Porterai alla casa del Signore Dio tuo le primizie delle biade della tua terra. Non cuocerai l'agnello nel latte di sua madre.The first fruites of the corne of thy ground thou shalt carrie into the house of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not boyle a kidde in the milke of his damme.Primitias frugum terræ tuæ deferes in domum Domini Dei tui. Non coques hædum in lacte matris suæ. 20Behold I will send my angel, who shall go before thee, and keep thee in thy journey, and bring thee into the place that I have prepared.Ecco che io manderò il mio Angelo, il quale vada innanzi a te, e ti custodisca per viaggio, e t'introduca nel paese che io ho preparato.Behold I wil send myne Angel, which shal goe before thee, and keepe thee in thy iourney, and bring thee into the place that I haue prepared.Ecce ego mittam angelum meum, qui præcedat te, et custodiat in via, et introducat in locum quem paravi. 21Take notice of him, and hear his voice, and do not think him one to be contemned: for he will not forgive when thou hast sinned, and my name is in him.Onoralo, e ascolta la sua parola, e guardati dal disprezzarlo: imperocché egli non ti perdonerà, se farai del male; ed è in lui il mio nome.Obserue him, and heare his voice, neither doe thou thinke him one to be contemned: for he wil not forgeue when thou hast sinned, and my name is in him.Observa eum, et audi vocem ejus, nec contemnendum putes: quia non dimittet cum peccaveris, et est nomen meum in illo. 22But if thou wilt hear his voice, and do all that I speak, I will be an enemy to thy enemies, and will afflict them that afflict thee.Che se tu ascolterai la sua voce, e farai tutto quello ch'io dico, io sarò nemico ai tuoi nemici, e perseguiterò quei che ti perseguiteranno.But i• thou wilt heare his voice, and doe al that I speake, I wil be enemie to thyne enemies, & wil afflict them that afflict thee.Quod si audieris vocem ejus, et feceris omnia quæ loquor, inimicus ero inimicis tuis, et affligam affligentes te.
23And my angel shall go before thee, and shall bring thee in unto the Amorrhite, and the Hethite, and the Pherezite, and the Chanaanite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite, whom I will destroy.E anderà innanzi a te il mio Angelo, e t'introdurrà nella terra degli Amorrhei, e degli Hethei, e de' Pherezei, e de' Chananei, e degli Hevei, e de' Gebusei, i quali io sterminerò.And myne Angel shal goe before thee, and shal bring thee in vnto the Amorrheite, and Hetheite, and Pherezeite, and Chananeite, and Heueite, and •ebuzeite, whom I wil destroy.Præcedetque te angelus meus, et introducet te ad Amorrhæum, et Hethæum, et Pherezæum, Chananæumque, et Hevæum, et Jebusæum, quos ego conteram. 24Thou shalt not adore their gods, nor serve them. Thou shalt not do their works, but shalt destroy them, and break their statues.Tu non adorare, e non render onore ai loro dei; e non fare quel che essi fanno: ma distruggigli, e stritola le loro statue.Thou shalt not adore their goddes, nor serue them. Thou shalt not doe their workes, but shalt destroy them, and breake their statues.Non adorabis deos eorum, nec coles eos: non facies opera eorum, sed destrues eos, et confringes statuas eorum. 25And you shall serve the Lord your God, that I may bless your bread and your waters, and may take away sickness from the midst of thee.E servirete al Signore Dio vostro, affinché io benedica il vostro pane e la vostra acqua, e allontani da voi le malattie.And you shal setue the Lord your God, that I may blesse your bread & waters, and may take away infirmitie from the middes of thee.Servietisque Domino Deo vestro, ut benedicam panibus tuis et aquis, et auferam infirmitatem de medio tui. 26There shall not be one fruitless nor barren in thy land: I will fill the number of thy days.Non sarà nel tuo paese donna che abortisca, o sia sterile: compierò il numero dei tuoi giorni.There shal not be a fruitlesse nor barren bodie in thy land: I wil fil the number of thy dayes.Non erit infœcunda, nec sterilis in terra tua: numerum dierum tuorum implebo. 27I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come: and will turn the backs of all thy enemies before thee:Il terrore mandato da me precorrerà la tua venuta, e io sterminerò tutti i popoli, nella terra de' quali tu entrerai: e porrò in fuga dinanzi a te tutti i tuoi nemici:I wil send my terrour to runne before thee, and wil kil al people, to whom thou shalt enter: and wil turne the backes of al thyne enemies before thee:Terrorem meum mittam in præcursum tuum, et occidam omnem populum, ad quem ingredieris: cunctorumque inimicorum tuorum coram te terga vertam:
28Sending out hornets before, that shall drive away the Hevite, and the Chanaanite, and the Hethite, before thou come in.Mandando avanti i calabroni, i quali faranno fuggire l'Heveo, e il Chananeo, e l'Hetheo prima del tuo arrivo.sending forth hornets before, that shal chase away the Herueite, and Chananeite, and Hetheite, before thou enter.emittens crabrones prius, qui fugabunt Hevæum, et Chananæum, et Hethæum, antequam introëas. 29I will not cast them out from thy face in one year; lest the land be brought into a wilderness, and the beasts multiply against thee.Io non li discaccerò davanti a te in un solo anno, affinché il paese non diventi un deserto, e non si moltiplichino le fiere contro di te.I wil not cast them out from thy face in one yeare: lest the land be brought into a wildernesse, and beastes encrease against thee.Non ejiciam eos a facie tua anno uno: ne terra in solitudinem redigatur, et crescant contra te bestiæ. 30By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, till thou be increased, and dost possess the land.Li caccerò a poco a poco dal tuo cospetto, fino a tanto che tu vada moltiplicando, e diventi padrone del paese.By litle and litle I wil expel them from thy sight, til thou be increased, and dost possesse the Land.Paulatim expellam eos de conspectu tuo, donec augearis, et possideas terram. 31And I will set thy bounds from the Red Sea to the sea of the Palestines, and from the desert to the river: I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hands, and will drive them out from before you.E io fisserò i tuoi confini dal mar Rosso fino al mare di Palestina, e dal deserto sino al fiume: darò nelle vostre mani gli abitanti del paese, e li caccerò dal cospetto vostro.And I wil sette thy boundes from the Redde sea vnto the sea of the Palestines, and from the desert vnto the riuer: I wil deliuer the inhabitantes of the Land in your handes, and wil cast them out from your sight.Ponam autem terminos tuos a mari Rubro usque ad mare Palæstinorum, et a deserto usque ad fluvium: tradam in manibus vestris habitatores terræ, et ejiciam eos de conspectu vestro. 32Thou shalt not enter into league with them, nor with their gods.Tu non farai alleanza con essi, né coi loro dei.Thou shalt not enter league with them, nor with their goddes.Non inibis cum eis fœdus, nec cum diis eorum. 33Let them not dwell in thy land, lest perhaps they make thee sin against me, if thou serve their gods; which, undoubtedly, will be a scandal to thee.Non abiteranno nella tua terra, perché non ti inducano a peccare contro di me col servire agli dei loro: la qual cosa sarebbe certamente per te occasione di rovina.Let them not dwel in thy land, lest perhapes they make thee to sinne against me, if thou serue their goddes: which vndoubtedly wil be a scandal to thee.Non habitent in terra tua, ne forte peccare te faciant in me, si servieris diis eorum: quod tibi certe erit in scandalum.
23:1
Haydock
Lie, by countenancing calumny. Judges must never do any thing which they know to be unjust, whatever the witnesses may assert. (Haydock)
23:3
23:8
Calmet
Bribes, which naturally induce the receiver to shew favour, and therefore cannot be too carefully avoided. The Athenians put to death those who bribed the judges, and required the latter to restore ten-fold. (Calmet)
23:9
Menochius
The hearts. You have experienced what sorrow and misery they feel. (Menochius)
23:11
Calmet
Year. Thus God was pleased to teach them to place entire confidence in him, and to compassionate the distress of the poor. Most people suppose, that the sabbatic year commenced in autumn; as otherwise the land would have remained without any harvest two years. This law began to be observed the 7th year after Josue crossed the Jordan. Jerusalem was thrice besieged during the sabbatic years. (Jeremias 34:8; 1 Machabees 6:51.) See Josephus, Antiquities 12:14.; Antiquities14:28. God blessed the 6th year, so that it produced as much as three, Leviticus 25:21. (Calmet)
Tirinus
On the feast of tabernacles, (in September) at the beginning of the 7th year, Deuteronomy was to be read aloud to all the people, the Hebrew slaves might obtain their liberty, and if a person could not restore what he had borrowed, it was to be remitted for ever, Deuteronomy xv. and 31:10. (Tirinus)
23:13
Calmet
Name. Hence it is supposed, the Jews have given abusive titles to the idols; as they call Beelzebub the god-fly, etc. No respect was to be shewn to them. (Calmet)
23:14
Three. Women are not here mentioned; but they are, Deuteronomy 31:12. Children under 13, were exempted from the obligation, according to the Caraites. Men from 20 to 60, not lawfully hindered, were bound to appear, Leviticus 27:3.
23:15
Empty. But shalt offer something in sacrifice, and for the support of the Levites, freely, Deuteronomy 16:10. At the Passover, the first-fruits of barley were to be offered, as those of wheat would be ready at Pentecost. The third feast, was that of tabernacles, at the conclusion of the civil year. Presents were to be made to God, in testimony of their submission to him; as they were to the kings of the east, by their subjects. (Tavernier, Perse. 4:16.) See (1 Kings 10:27.; 1 Paralipomenon 18:2.)
Calmet
A sixtieth part of the fruits, at least, was carried to the temple. They consisted of wheat, barley, grapes, figs, apricots, olives, and dates. The king himself carried his basket, and when the solemn procession arrived at the temple, the Levites began to sing the Psalm xxix., I will extol thee, O Lord, etc. After which, the people repeated the words of Deuteronomy 26:3; and having given their baskets to the priests, (ver. 4,) recited parts of the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th verses. (Calmet)
God. Here the Septuagint add, "For when I shall have cast the Gentiles from before thy face, and extended thy limits."
23:18
Calmet
Thou, etc. This has a reference to the feast of the Passover, ver. 15, (Onkelos) as well as the following verse. (Calmet)
23:19
Calmet
Dam. The paschal victim must not be so young as to be still suckled. The Samaritan subjoins, "Because that would be like immolating an animal found dead, and the God of Jacob hates it." (Calmet)
Rivet
Some imagine that this law alludes to a superstitious custom of the pagans, (Spencer, Rit. 2:8,) or it forbids eating animals while they are, as it were, all milk, not eight days old. (Rivet)
23:20
Philo
Angel; my only son. (Philo)
Calmet
St. Paul says, they tempted Jesus Christ, (1 Corinthians 10:9,) who is styled, the angel of the covenant, Malachias 3:1. Some apply this to Josue, others to St. Michael, who, from the cloud, conducted the army of Israel. (Calmet)
23:21
Haydock
Forgive. Dimittet, as well as the Hebrew and Septuagint, may signify, "he will not abandon." (Haydock)
My name. Moses, Josue, and still more our Saviour, acted in the name and by the authority of God the Father.
23:25
Waters, or all things necessary for your sustenance.
23:26
Fruitless. Hebrew may also be, "miscarrying."
Days. An untimely death was a judgment of God on the wicked, though sometimes he chooses to draw his elect quickly out of this dangerous world, Wisdom 4:11.
23:27
Destroy. Hebrew, "fill with consternation."
23:28
Calmet
Hornets, or wasps, Wisdom 12:8. Josue (xxiv. 12) assures us this was verified. Thus scorpions forced the Ethiopians to abandon their country; and flies and wasps drove away the Mysians and Phaselides. See Bochart, 4:13. The latter people were of Phoenician extraction, and probably fled before Josue. Most of the Chanaanites withdrew into Africa; some perhaps into America. (Calmet)
23:29
Beasts. Herod the great killed many in hunting. (Josephus, Jewish Wars 1:16.) Two bears rushed upon the children, 4 Kings 2:24. How much would they have increased in all the countries from the Euphrates to the Nile, had they been destitute of any other inhabitants but the Hebrews, (Calmet) many of whom perished in the desert!
23:33
Scandal. If you have any society with these nations, it will turn to your ruin, which was but too literally manifested afterwards.
23:3
Al vertues being •••ded in iustice, cease to be true vertues, when iustice is not first obserued. S. Hierom in Psal. 32. et in Prou. 31.
23:13
Three principal feastes besides the Sabbath, & some others.
23:15
Pasch in memorie of their deliuerie from Aegypt.
23:16
Pentecost, when they receiued the Law.
Tabernacles in memorie of Gods protection fourtie yeares in the desert.
23:32
Peace with infidels forbidden to Gods people.
23:1
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Apology to the Emperor. (Apologia Ad Constantium.) 20
… But the most holy David, whose example it becomes you to follow, as all pray that you may, favours not such men, but was wont to turn away from them and avoid them, as raging dogs. He says, ‘Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I destroy .’ For he kept the commandment which says, ‘Thou shalt not receive a false report
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 24
… And do not think me so simple and credulous as to accept depreciatory remarks from any one without due investigation. I bear in mind the admonition of the Spirit, “Thou shalt not receive a false report.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 3.11
… Dost thou not eat flesh? Feed not upon lasciviousness by means of the eyes. Let the ear fast also. The fasting of the ear consists in refusing to receive evil speakings and calumnies. “Thou shalt not receive a false report,”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 82
When, then, your holiness has heard this from me, I beg you to inform the ignorant and to persuade the unbridled tongues that revile me and all who are deceived by them, not to believe what they have heard of me from my calumniators. Beg them to believe rather the Lawgiver when he exclaims “Men shall not receive a false report.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 146
… I only charge those who have been influenced by the false accusations uttered against me to keep one ear for the accused, and not to give both to the accusers. In this manner they will fulfil the divine law which lays down “Thou shalt not raise a false report,”
23:2
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 54.15
… For neither must some putridities be so collected and brought together, that the parts which are sound and whole should be injured; nor is that pastor serviceable or wise who so mingles the diseased and affected sheep with his flock as to contaminate the whole flock with the infection of the clinging evil. (Do not pay attention to their number.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 37
… Why dost thou not make many? Why dost thou not become the maker of love? Why dost thou not create ( κατασκευάζεις ) friendship? Thou lackest the chief excellence of virtue. For as men’s being bad by agreement together more provokes God; so for men to be good by unanimity delights Him more. “Thou shalt not follow a multitude,” He says, “to do evil.” (
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 102
… I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” If however it is the influence of my calumniators which imposes silence upon you, you must listen to the other law which says “Thou shalt not honour the person of the mighty” and “Judge righteous judgment” and “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil”
23:3
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 49
Be we persuaded that this is said not merely to the men of that time, but to us also, that in nothing we pervert justice, but do all in its behalf; that whether a man be poor or rich, we give no heed to persons, but enquire into things. “Thou shalt not pity,” It saith, “the poor in judgment.” (
23:4
St Gregory Thaumaturgus † AD 270 Canonical Epistle 4
… And in the book of Exodus it is said, with reference not only to the case of finding what is a friend’s, but also of finding what is an enemy’s: “Thou shalt surely bring them back to the house of their master again.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 3.3
20. Why, the very law of the Lord teaches us that this rule must be observed, so that we may never deprive another of anything for the sake of our own advantage. For it says: “Remove not the bounds which thy fathers have set.” It bids a neighbour’s ox to be brought back if found wandering.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 44
… Do not then say these things, neither add that other remark, “I care not at all about it. ‘For each man shall bear his own burden.’” ( Gal. vi. 5 .) Nay, against thyself also it grows up into a grievous accusation, that seeing one in error thou dost not restore him. For if it was not right according to the law of the Jews (
23:5
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 15
Hear what precept Christ gave to the Jews, creeping as they did upon the earth: “If thou see,” saith He, “thine enemy’s beast of burden falling down, do not hasten by, but raise it.”
23:7
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.26.3
… Thou that art waxen old in wicked days, now thy sins which thou hast committed aforetime are come to light; for thou hast pronounced false judgments, and hast been accustomed to condemn the innocent, and to let the guilty go free, albeit the Lord saith, The innocent and the righteous shalt thou not slay.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 2.15
… “See ye how the righteous perisheth, and no man understandeth; and righteous men are taken away, and no man regardeth. For the righteous man is taken away from the face of unrighteousness, and his burial shall be in peace.” Concerning this very thing it was before foretold in Exodus: “Thou shalt not slay the innocent and the righteous.”
23:8
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 29
… vi. 24 ); and the Apostle, that “the love of money is a root of all evils” ( 1 Tim. vi. 10 ); and the Prophet, “If riches flow in, set not your heart upon them” ( Ps. lxii. 10 ); and many other like sayings. And from the histories thou hearest of Gehazi, Judas, the chief scribes, and that “gifts blind the eyes of the wise.” (
23:9
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 29
… 33 ). And he seems indeed to be praying for the just, but is doing the whole for them. For the souls of the Saints are very gentle and, loving unto man, both in regard to their own, and to strangers. And even to the unreasoning creatures they extend their gentleness. Wherefore also a certain wise man said, “The righteous pitieth the souls of his cattle.”
23:11
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 23.1
1. Faustus said: On one occasion, when addressing a large audience, I was asked by one of the crowd, Do you believe that Jesus was born of Mary? I replied, Which Jesus do you mean? for in the Hebrew it is the name of several people. One was the son of Nun, the follower of Moses;
23:13
Tertullian † AD 220 On Idolatry 10
… If a believer teach literature, while he is teaching doubtless he commends, while he delivers he affirms, while he recalls he bears testimony to, the praises of idols interspersed therein. He seals the gods themselves with this name; whereas the Law, as we have said, prohibits “the names of gods to be pronounced,”
Tertullian † AD 220 On Idolatry 20
… The law prohibits the gods of the nations from being named,
23:14
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 1
2. And, on this account, the blessed Paul, urging us to note this season, wrote, saying, ‘Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation .’ At set seasons also He called the children of Israel to the Levitical feasts by Moses, saying, ‘Three times in a year ye shall keep a feast to Me
23:15
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 To Those Who Had Not Attended the Assembly 4
… This is why I said that they who deprive themselves of this care receive a blow in the vital parts, sustaining greater damage than can be inflicted from any other quarter inasmuch as they who come here get greater gain than they could derive from any other source: even as Scripture has declared. The law said “Thou shalt not appear before the Lord empty;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 1
… they brought all their goods into the common stock. Now I do not require you to bestow all, but some part. “Let each lay by him in store on the first day of the week, as God has prospered him,” and lay it down as a tribute for the seven days. In this way give alms, whether more or less. “For thou shalt not appear before the Lord empty.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 55.5
… This very name is given to it, the month Abib, or beginning of months.
23:16
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 1.4
… Where, then, could be the first fruits of our activity, since the time when we came to Alexandria, but in the first fruits of the Scriptures? It must not be forgotten, however, that the first fruits are not the same as the first growth. For the first fruits are offered after all the fruits (are ripe), but the first growth
23:20
St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 75
… Thus it is written: ‘And the Lord spake to Moses, Say to this people, Behold, I send My angel before thy face, to keep thee in the way, to bring thee into the land which I have prepared for thee. Give heed to Him, and obey Him; do not disobey Him. For He will not draw back from you; for My name is in Him.’
Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 9
… attend to him, and be not disobedient to him; for he hath not escaped thy notice, since my name is upon him.”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 3.16
… When He therefore spake this commandment to the people, “Behold, I send my angel before thy face, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the land which I have prepared for thee; attend to him, and obey his voice and do not provoke him; for he has not shunned you, since my name is upon him,”
Tertullian † AD 220 Five Books in Reply to Marcion 3
As partner in His name: hence did he cleave
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 2.6
… “Lo, I send my Angel before thy face, to keep thee in the way, that He may lead thee into the land which I have prepared for thee. Observe Him, and obey Him, and be not disobedient to Him, and He will not be wanting to thee. For my Name is in Him.”
Novatian † AD 258 A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity 18
… But, because He is subjected to the Father, and the Announcer of the Father’s will, He is declared to be the Angel of Great Counsel.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 3
… Why then run ye to them? Wouldest thou know the hatred which the Angels had against us, how great it was; and how averse to us they always were? They were sent to take vengeance in the cases of the Israelites, of David, of the Sodomites, of the Valley of weeping. (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 16.19
… The words are: "Behold I send my angel before thy face, to preserve thee in the way, and to bring thee into the land which I have sworn to give thee. Take heed unto him, and obey, and beware of unbelief in him; for he will not take anything from thee wrongfully, for my name is in him."
23:22
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 4
… And He promised such things; as if to one who said, “Father, such and such an one has beaten me,” the father should then reply, “Such and such an one is a bad man, and let us hate him.” So also doth God say, “I will be their enemy that are thine enemies, and I will hate them that hate thee.” (
23:24
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 1.26
… “Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them; thou shalt not do after their works, but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.”
23:26
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Defence of His Flight. (Apologia de Fuga.) 14
… And so the time of the generation which lived in the days of Noah was cut short, and their years were contracted, because the time of all things was at hand. But to Hezekiah were added fifteen years. And as God promises to them that serve Him truly, ‘I will fulfil the number of thy days
St Jerome † AD 420 The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary 22
… I rather think that in accordance with the difference in time and circumstance one rule applied to the former, another to us upon whom the ends of the world have come. So long as that law remained, “Be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth”; and
23:1
1. YOU SHALL NOT RECEIVE THE VOICE OF A LIE. — In Hebrew, you shall not receive the hearing of falsehood, so that namely you hear the calumniator, striving to draw you into being a party and witness to calumny. Vatablus translates it, do not assume a vain or false rumor, that is to say, do not be a hearer of a false rumor against your neighbor, so that you fabricate in your heart something by which his reputation might be harmed; again, do not hear, nor admit such a rumor. The wise men of the Hebrews say that he who falsely listens to a slanderer sins no less than he who falsely slanders someone. Whence this is their opinion: "Everyone who maliciously traduces someone, and whoever receives a slanderer, and everyone who gives false testimony against his neighbor, is worthy to be cast to the dogs." NOR SHALL YOU JOIN YOUR HAND, — you shall not confederate, you shall not associate yourself with him, so that you may be a witness to iniquity and calumny, by giving false testimony. Thus the Hebrew. So Pericles, when a friend demanded of him false testimony from himself, which was to be confirmed by oath, replied that "he was a friend only up to the altar." Plutarch is witness in the Laconian [Lives]. And Phocion, when someone demanded something unjust: "You cannot," he said, "Antipater, have Phocion as a friend and as a flatterer." "A false witness," says Isidore, book III On the Highest Good, "is liable to three persons: first, to God whom he contemns by perjuring himself; consequently, to the judge, whom he deceives by lying; finally, to the innocent, whom he harms by false testimony." Such a false witness against David was Doeg, I Kings XXII, 9; and against Mephibosheth, Ziba, II Kings XVI, 3; against Naboth two suborned [witnesses], III Kings XXI, 13; against Jeremiah, Jeriah, Jeremiah XXXVII, 12; against Susanna two elders, Daniel XIII, 54; against Christ those two, Matthew XXVI, 61; against Stephen those, Acts VI, 11.
23:2
2. NEITHER SHALL YOU ACQUIESCE IN THE JUDGMENT OF THE MAJORITY, SO AS TO DEVIATE FROM THE TRUTH. — In Hebrew there is a beautiful paronomasia: And you shall not answer in a suit, so as to decline after the many to declining, or twisting, understand the true and right judgment. Socrates, says Laertius, book II, chapter v, said that those who put faith in an ignorant multitude do the same as if someone, despising one tetradrachm, would reject it, and approve and receive a heap gathered from similar coins. To him to whom a single coin is not trustworthy, neither is it any more to be trusted in a crowd of similar ones; for it does not matter how many there are, but how weighty they are. A counterfeit coin even in however large a heap is counterfeit.
23:3
3. NEITHER SHALL YOU SPARE THE POOR IN JUDGMENT. — In Hebrew, you shall not honor the poor in his suit, that is, you shall not protect the poor, out of perverse compassion toward him, in an unjust cause, or when he is truly guilty of the crime. For mercy is good, but it ought not to overturn judgment: for the Lord loves both. Whence the Psalmist says: "Mercy and judgment I will sing to you, O Lord;" and: "The king loves judgment." Whence also concerning Christ the king of justice it was foretold that he would come "to judge your people in justice, and your poor in judgment," Psalm LXXI, 2.
23:5
5. IF THOU SEEST THE ASS OF HIM THAT HATETH THEE LYING UNDER HIS BURDEN, THOU SHALT NOT PASS BY, BUT SHALT LIFT IT UP WITH HIM. The Hebrew here is obscure, and is translated variously by different interpreters; but the sense of all comes down to the same thing, and coincides with that which our translator has rendered. The Hebrew words, to be translated literally, seem to be rendered thus: If thou seest the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, wilt thou cease to leave it to him? (namely, the burden, by passing by, that is to say, By no means, but rather) by leaving it thou shalt leave it to him, that is to say, Thou shalt remain with him, and shalt assist him in lifting it up and setting it on its feet. One might also suspect that in the Hebrew there is a faulty reading of lo with vau, for lo with aleph, and then this sense would be clearer: wilt thou cease to leave (it groaning under its burden)? by leaving thou shalt not leave it with him, namely the burden, under which it groans. Thou seest here that the love of enemies was commanded not only to Christians, but also to the Jews.
23:6
6. THOU SHALT NOT DECLINE IN JUDGMENT (that is, condemnation: it is a metonymy) OF THE POOR. — In Hebrew it is, thou shalt not decline (pervert) the judgment of the poor in his cause; where judgment is taken properly. God therefore, who previously forbade the person of the poor to be accepted against equity in judgment, here likewise forbids his just cause to be perverted by unjust judgment.
23:7
7. THOU SHALT FLEE FALSEHOOD. — In Hebrew, thou shalt be far from the word of falsehood. THE INNOCENT AND THE JUST THOU SHALT NOT KILL. — Whence theologian doctors rightly conclude that a judge cannot kill him whom he knows to be innocent, who nevertheless is proved in judgment by false witnesses to be guilty. Others, however, teach the contrary, and thus expound it: "Thou shalt not kill the innocent and the just," who namely in thy forum is just, because he is juridically proved to be innocent, or at least is not proved to be guilty: to which the Chaldean agrees when he translates, and him who shall have been justified, and shall have gone forth just from judgment, thou shalt not kill. BECAUSE I WILL NOT JUSTIFY THE WICKED. — In Hebrew it is, because I will not justify the wicked, that is, because I will condemn and turn away the wicked, such as he who kills the innocent: it is a litotes, similar to which is Exodus XX, 7, that is to say, If thou shalt impiously kill the just and innocent, although to men thou mayest seem to be just, yet to me thou shalt be wicked, and I will turn away from thee as from the wicked. Thus St. Augustine, Questions LXXXVIII, and Jerome in Psalm XXXII.
23:8
8. NEITHER SHALT THOU TAKE GIFTS, WHICH ALSO BLIND THE PRUDENT (in Hebrew, the seeing, namely those who have open eyes of the mind, that is the wise), AND SUBVERT THE WORDS OF THE JUST. — This is a most true and experience-proved opinion, whence the riddle: Mutnegra when murua make most straight things crooked. Read backwards, and thou shalt see mutnegra to be silver, murua to be gold. The Gentiles held the same opinion. Hear the Poet: "Wisdom also is bound by gain." And Plutarch, in the book On Isis: At Thebes, he says, images of judges are seen without hands, and the eyes of the supreme judge are closed: because justice is neither captured by gifts, nor bent by the face of men. And Themistius: A true, he says, prince is he who is unconquerable by gold. Hence also Bion said that a prince departing from office ought to become not richer, but more illustrious. A memorable example was given by Manius Curius Dentatus, a Roman senator, to whom, as he sat by the fire, when the Samnites brought a great weight of gold, he rejected it and freely asserted: "Remember that I can neither be conquered in battle, nor corrupted by money: for it is not glorious to have gold, but to command those who have gold," as Cicero testifies in Cato, and Plutarch in Apophthegms, who also adds that Curius at that time, when the legates came, was cooking turnips, and showing them to them said that he would have no need of gold, since he had lived content with such food. Similar to him were the Fabii, who, sent as legates to King Ptolemy, brought the gifts which they had privately received from him to the treasury before they reported the legation to the senate. Among the faithful illustrious was Samuel, judge of the people, as appears in I Kings XII, 3. On the contrary, his sons "turned aside after avarice, and took gifts, and perverted judgment," I Kings VIII, 3; and therefore they were deprived of office, and judgment and kingdom were transferred to Saul. In this age shone forth Blessed Thomas More, a most equitable judge, a despiser of gifts and riches. On one occasion a widow, to whom he had adjudged a suit, offered him a golden cup; he accepted it indeed, but filling it with wine gave it to her and returned it; and, to omit other things which are narrated in chapters 14 and 8 of his Life, this is admirable, that, although from his earliest years he had held great offices in the republic, and had even been Chancellor of the whole kingdom, and although he had a large household, yet throughout his whole life he did not increase his annual income beyond seventy gold pieces per year. What will those say here, who in a few years increase it to ten, nay even twenty thousand?
23:9
9. YOU SHALL NOT MOLEST A STRANGER: FOR YOU KNOW THE FEELINGS OF STRANGERS, — namely, what sort of mind, what sort of disposition a stranger has, when he finds himself destitute of his own people among foreigners and unknowns, how narrow, fearful, dejected, timid, anxious, shamefaced, and sorrowful his mind is: so that you ought not to add affliction to the afflicted, for whom it is punishment enough that he is a stranger. BECAUSE YOU YOURSELVES ALSO WERE STRANGERS IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, — because namely you have experienced how lamentable is the condition of a stranger: for no one is so ready to help the wretched as he who has been wretched; hence Dido said: "Not ignorant of misery, I learn to help the wretched."
23:10
10 and 11. SIX YEARS YOU SHALL SOW YOUR LAND, AND SHALL GATHER THE FRUITS THEREOF: BUT IN THE SEVENTH YEAR YOU SHALL LET IT REST, AND NOT WORK IT — from reaping, but not from sowing, say some, that is to say, In the seventh year you shall sow the field, but shall not reap. Thus St. Augustine, Questions LXXXIX. But I say that both are forbidden in the seventh year, namely both the sowing and the reaping of the land: for this is clearly stated in Leviticus XXV, 4: "In the seventh," it says, "year you shall not sow your field." And so it is testified that this was observed among the Hebrews by Josephus and the Hebrews themselves. The same is indicated here also by the Hebrew. For this seventh year was a sabbath of the land, that is, complete rest of the land, just as the seventh day was a sabbath, that is, rest of men. God ordained this, namely that the seventh year should be a sabbath of the land, first, so that he might admonish the Hebrews to clemency even toward inanimate things, such as fields, and might draw them away from excessive care of this life and avarice; second, so that the land in this seventh year of rest, as if having resumed its vigor, might thereafter be more fertile: for that reason also our farmers allow fields to rest at fixed times, so that afterwards they might bring in crops with greater profit; third, so that that seventh year of rest might be a symbol and memorial of the creation of the earth and all things, just as the seventh day was, namely the sabbath, Genesis II, 3; and so that the very occupation of the land might be as it were the price of habitation, and as it were a redemption from him to whom it belongs, that is, from its creator God, says St. Augustine, Questions LXXXIII in Leviticus. For just as a feudatory pays homage and fixed rights to the lord of the fief for the fief, so the Hebrews as it were for the fief of their land paid this homage of the sabbath of the land to God; fourth, so that the poor might enjoy the fruits of the fields in that seventh year: for in that year the fruits of the fields were common, as is evident from this verse. You will say: If in the seventh year nothing was permitted to be sown, what could the poor reap? I answer: They reaped what had grown from the fallen grains of the sixth year's harvest, and whatever vegetables and herbs the earth produces of itself: hence Leviticus XXV, 5: "What grows of itself," it says, "you shall not reap," that is, you shall not cut it all down, and this so that both the servant and the stranger, and animals, as is said there, and the poor, as is said here, might gather part of it. Thus Abulensis. And in this respect this law of the sabbath of the land, otherwise ceremonial, was also judicial: for it was ordained for the benefit of the poor. The tropological meaning of the seventh year is the same as that of the sabbath, concerning which Deuteronomy V, 12.
23:13
13. AND BY THE NAME OF FOREIGN GODS YOU SHALL NOT SWEAR, NOR SHALL IT BE HEARD OUT OF YOUR MOUTH. — He commands, not that you shall not name them, but that you shall not call them gods, and as it were invoke them as gods as witnesses, by swearing by them, says Tertullian, book On Idolatry, chapter XIX. The Jews here are superstitious, nay blasphemous: for they are unwilling to read or pronounce the name of our Savior Jesus; and if by chance it should happen that they read or sound it, they fine themselves and strike their mouth with a blow; or if they sound, read, or write it, they say Iiseu, and they explain that by the initial letters thus: immach schemo uzichro, that is, "Let his name and his memory be blotted out." This is the hatred of these blind and wretched ones toward Jesus Christ, which they therefore deservedly expiate by perpetual exile and destruction.
23:15
15. SEVEN DAYS YOU SHALL EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD, AT THE TIME OF THE MONTH OF NEW FRUITS, — namely in the month of Nisan, in which you went out of Egypt, when in the holy land and Egypt the new barley crops ripen. See above chapter XIII, verse 4. YOU SHALL NOT APPEAR EMPTY BEFORE ME. — God here commands an offering for each one approaching the tabernacle or temple, as an act of religion pertaining both to the worship due to him and to the sustenance of the Levites. But because Judea was vast, and many dwelt far from Jerusalem and the temple, Lyra teaches that sometimes dispensation was made with those far away at Pentecost and at the Feast of Tabernacles. See Istellus in Exodus chapter XXXIV, where he says: This law bound only men, not women, as is evident from the word every male; therefore also sons and servants. Hence Christ at twelve years of age went up to the temple, so that he might observe this law, Luke chapter II, verse 42. Tropologically, those approaching God ought to bring full measures of mercy and bundles of other virtues; thus they will be heard. See St. Chrysostom, homily 1 in II Timothy 1.
23:16
16. AND (thou shalt keep, and celebrate) THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MONTH OF THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THY WORK, WHATSOEVER THOU SHALT SOW IN THE FIELD, — that is, as Vatablus: Thou shalt keep the feast day of the month of early fruits of thy work, which thou hast sown in the field, that is, thou shalt celebrate the feast of Pentecost, and on it thou shalt offer to me loaves made from the first wheat harvest, as thou didst offer in Passover the ears of barley ripening; in Pentecost therefore God demands the firstfruits of all crops, that is, of the whole wheat harvest, concerning which more in Leviticus XXIII, 17. The bread of firstfruits signified allegorically the Eucharist, says St. Irenaeus, book IV Against Heresies, chapter XXXII. Allegorically St. Basil, in chapter 1 of Isaiah: God demands, he says, faith in the Holy Trinity; for, as the Gloss says, in Passover the Son is immolated, in Pentecost the Holy Spirit is given, in the gathering of crops the power of God the Creator Father is signified. Seek the tropological sense from Rabanus. AND THE SOLEMNITY ALSO IN THE GOING OUT OF THE YEAR, WHEN THOU SHALT HAVE GATHERED IN ALL THY FRUITS OUT OF THE FIELD. — This solemnity is that which was afterwards called the Feast of Tabernacles, in which they set up tabernacles, and dwelt in them for seven days in memory and thanksgiving for the divine protection, by which God had led and protected the Hebrews wandering and dwelling in tabernacles in the desert for 40 years. This feast was celebrated on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, and lasted for seven days. From this passage it is clear that the sacred year was one thing, and the common year another, before the going out from Egypt, the beginning of which the Hebrews afterwards also used in civil matters, as I said in chapter XXII, verse 1. The common year therefore began from a month or new moon, which was nearest to the autumnal equinox (just as the sacred year began from Nisan, namely from the month of the vernal equinox); and if the seventh month, which was called Tishri, was nearer to this autumnal equinox, then that was the beginning of the year: but if the eighth month, which was called Marcheshvan, was nearer to that equinox, it was the first month of the year; but this could easily happen, for example if the vernal equinox fell on the full moon, or a little before it, then Nisan, or the first month, was that same lunation, and the 14th day of Nisan was at the equinox and likewise at the full moon: for because lunar months are shorter than solar months, hence in many months (namely 32) solar months an additional lunar month grows; when therefore the sun runs through six of its months from one equinox to another, hence in the case already supposed it happened that the seventh solar month, in which the equinox fell, coincided with the eighth lunar month. Whence he says, "in the going out of the year," that is, about the going out of the year: the Feast of Tabernacles could be celebrated before the end of the year and at the beginning of the new year, if namely the year began from the seventh month. But Moses preferred to say "in the going out," rather than at the beginning of the year (which certainly he could have said: for what is the end of the preceding year, that is also the beginning of the following year), but he might indicate the reason of the feast, which was thanksgiving for all kinds of crops, both from fields and from gardens and vineyards received in that year that had passed. There was added afterwards also another reason, namely the memory of divine protection in the desert, where they had dwelt in tabernacles; whence also afterwards the name of tabernacles was given to the feast, concerning which more in Leviticus XXIII, 42.
23:17
17. THREE TIMES IN THE YEAR SHALL ALL THY MALES APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD, — namely at the three solemn feasts of the year already mentioned, namely at Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles, Deuteronomy chapter XVI, verse 16. BEFORE THE LORD, — that is before the ark or before the tabernacle, if the ark were separated from it, as happened when in the time of the Philistines under Heli they captured the ark, and after the ark was brought back, much later the ark was separated from the tabernacle; and then the Hebrews sacrificed not before the ark, but before the tabernacle, and celebrated their feasts.
23:18
18. THOU SHALT NOT IMMOLATE UPON LEAVEN, — with leaven, but with unleavened bread only, so that the sacrifice may be pure and unleavened; concerning which more in Leviticus. NEITHER SHALL THE FAT OF MY SOLEMNITY REMAIN UNTIL THE MORNING. — "The fat of my solemnity," that is the fat of the sacrifice offered in honor of me, or in the solemnity dedicated to me: for that is my solemnity in which sacrifice is made to me; God therefore commands here that, when a victim is sacrificed and slain, immediately at the same time what is principal and most fatty in it, namely the fresh fat, should be burned and consumed for him.
23:19
19. THOU SHALT NOT BOIL A KID IN THE MILK OF ITS MOTHER. — The Chaldean translator renders it, thou shalt not eat flesh with milk: whence also some Hebrews, as Gregory of Venice testifies, Problem. 442, in their manner thus translate it, thou shalt not eat with the milk of the mother. Concerning this ceremony they have written a substantial book, in which they teach what is lawful and what is not lawful in the eating of flesh and milk. The allegorical and principal cause of this law was, that it might be signified that Christ, an infant and nursing, could not be killed, either by Herod or by the Jews, before mature age and the time appointed by the Father. Thus St. Augustine and Chrysostom above. Morally this law teaches us to have compassion on the tender and infirm, and to bear with their infirmity. Tropologically, heretics boil kids in the milk of the mother. For the milk of the foul goat, that is of heresy, is their impious doctrine: in this they boil those kids, that is their disciples, to be recooked afterwards in the eternal fires of hell. For this milk is turned for them into eternal torment. Thus some: although this tropology does not sufficiently accord with the allegory already given. Secondly, others according to Vatable thus interpret by hypallage, as if to say, thou shalt not boil, nor eat a kid with its nursing mother, as if to say, let it suffice thee to eat the kid, abstain from the mother: for this seems cruel; thus God commanded one who found young birds in the nest to let the mother go, Deut. XXII, 6. Thirdly, Abulensis, Lyra, Cajetan and St. Thomas, III, Question CII, art. 5 ad 4, take this precept simply as it sounds, namely that a kid is forbidden to be boiled, or, as it is in Hebrew, to be stewed in its mother's milk, lest what was a delicacy for the kid be turned into torment. Fourthly and best, Vatable and Oleaster thus expound it: Thou shalt not boil a kid in the milk of its mother, that is, thou shalt not kill and boil a nursing kid, while it sucks its mother's milk: this is what that Hebraism signifies. This exposition is proved: for it was never the custom properly to stew kids in their mother's milk, so that this would need to be forbidden to the Jews: therefore these words are to be taken in the sense which I have already given; secondly, because this sense best answers the allegory, as I shall presently say; thirdly, because thus understand it St. Chrysostom, homil. On the Innocents, St. Augustine, Quest. XC. To the letter therefore God forbade the killing for food of tender kids or lambs (for the Septuagint translates it lamb, and the reason seems to be the same for the kid and the lamb), that He might teach the Hebrews humanity and kindness toward men, when He also prescribed it concerning brute beasts, and commanded them to have compassion on their cattle, and to turn away from and abhor cruelty toward them, especially toward tender lambs and kids, which move all to pity when they are slaughtered. I say "for food," for in Levit. XXII, 27, it is said that on the eighth day a kid, lamb and calf could be offered to the Lord; and it seems to speak altogether of oblation by slaughter and immolation: for in the sacrifices of victims, even tender ones, immolated to God through the priests, there was no appearance of cruelty; for religion purged and excluded this. The Jews so superstitiously observe this law, that they are unwilling to cook flesh and milk in the same pot, nay they do not even think it lawful for them to cut flesh and cheese with the same knife, but they use different ones.
23:20
20. BEHOLD I SEND MY ANGEL, WHO SHALL GO BEFORE THEE. — By this angel, first, Cajetan understands Moses himself; secondly, others understand Josue, because he introduced the Hebrews into the promised land: thus Justin Against Trypho, folio 58, and Eusebius, lib. IV Demonstr. evang. cap. XXVIII, and Rabanus; thirdly, Rupert here, and St. Athanasius, lib. On the Common Essence of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, near the end, and Hesychius, lib. VII on Levit. cap. XXVI, folio 653, think that the Son of God is here called an angel, because it is added: "And my name (namely of God) is in him," as if to say, He is called God equally as I am. But Rupert said this rather in an allegorical sense than a literal one, as he is wont, equally as Hesychius and Athanasius; fourthly therefore and genuinely, this angel was a true and mere angel, namely the commander of the army of the Hebrews: for he went before them in the way in a pillar of cloud by day, and of fire by night; he also commanded Moses and the Hebrews in the name of God; he finally punished the rebellious. It is probable that this angel was Michael, who in Daniel X, last verse, is called the prince of the people of Israel. For he formerly presided over the Synagogue of the Jews, as he now presides over the Church of Christians. AND SHALL KEEP THEE IN THE WAY. — Note here the name of the guardian angel of the whole people, and his five offices: the first is, "he shall go before thee;" the second, "he shall keep thee in the way;" the third, "he shall bring thee into the place which I have prepared," namely into Chanaan; the fourth, "he shall not leave thee when thou hast sinned," as if to say, If thou sin, he shall punish thee; the fifth, "my name is in him." The same may be applied to the guardian angel of any man. Do you wish for rare examples of angelic protection and aid? Receive all of Holy Scripture in order: first, Cherubim guard paradise, after Adam the sinner is cast out, and they turn a flaming sword, Gen. III, 24: for angels, being most pure, either flee from or put to flight impure sinners. "Just as smoke puts bees to flight, and a foul smell puts doves to flight: so miserable and putrid sin repels the angel, the guardian of our life," says St. Basil, and from him Maximus, sermon On sin; second, an angel brought back the fugitive Hagar to her mistress Sarah, Gen. XVI, 7; third, three angels promised Abraham a son Isaac, Gen. XVIII, 10; fourth, two angels led Lot out of Sodom, and burned the Sodomites with heavenly fire, Gen. XIX; fifth, an angel comforted Hagar, and showed a well to Ishmael dying of thirst, and preserved his life, Gen. XXI, 17; sixth, an angel stayed Abraham's sword, as he wished to immolate Isaac, Gen. XXII, 11; seventh, Jacob saw angels ascending and descending by a ladder, for his aid, Gen. XXVIII, 12; eighth, an angel taught Jacob the manner of producing offspring owed to him by covenant through variegated rods, Gen. XXXI, 11; ninth, angels led Jacob out of Mesopotamia into Chanaan, Gen. XXXII, 1; tenth, an angel placed himself between the camp of the Hebrews and Pharaoh, illuminating the former and leading them through the Red Sea, darkening the latter and submerging them, Exod. XIV, 19; eleventh, an angel led the Hebrews through the desert into Chanaan, Exod. XXIII, 20; twelfth, an angel spoke through the mouth of an ass, and rebuked Balaam, Num. XXII, 22; thirteenth, an angel comforted the Hebrews afflicted by enemies, Judg. II, 1; fourteenth, an angel strengthened Gideon for war against Midian, Judg. VI, 11; fifteenth, an angel promised Manoah a son Samson a Nazarite, Judg. XIII, 3; sixteenth, an angel struck Jerusalem with plague, because of the people numbered by David, II Kings XXIV, 16; seventeenth, an angel comforted Elijah with bread, so that he walked for forty days to the mountain of God Horeb, III Kings XIX, 5; eighteenth, an angel sent Elijah to King Ochozias, to foretell his death on account of the worship of Beelzebub, IV Kings I, 3; nineteenth, an angel struck 185,000 Assyrians, IV Kings XIX, 35; twentieth, Raphael led Tobias and brought him back, and cured Sarah as his wife for him, as is evident from Tobias; twenty-first, an angel guarded Judith, and directed her to the slaughter of Holofernes, Judith XIII, 20; twenty-second, an angel defended three boys in the Babylonian furnace from fire, Dan. III, 49; twenty-third, an angel shut the mouths of lions, so that they would not devour Daniel, Dan. VI, 22; twenty-fourth, the angel Gabriel showed Daniel that seventy weeks must pass before Christ is to be slain, Dan. IX, 21: the same revealed to him various future things concerning the kings of Syria and Egypt, cap. XI; twenty-fifth, an angel protected and vindicated the chastity of Susanna, Dan. XIII, vers. 55 and 59; twenty-sixth, an angel snatched up Habakkuk, so that he might carry breakfast to Daniel in the lion's den, Dan. XIV, 33; twenty-seventh, an angel to Zacharias, cap. II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, revealed various mysteries; twenty-eighth, an angel brandishing a spear went before the camp of Judah, and gave them victory, II Maccab. XI, 8. Now in the New Testament angels sang to the newborn Christ: "Glory to God in the highest," they urged flight into Egypt, and return from there, they ministered to Christ after temptation, they comforted Christ in agony, they announced Christ's resurrection: an angel led Peter out of prison, snatched up Philip near the eunuch, commanded Cornelius to call Peter, freed Paul and his companions from shipwreck, finally appearing frequently to St. John revealed the Apocalypse to him.
23:21
21. NOR DESPISE HIM. — In Hebrew, nor provoke him to bitterness, or, be not bitter, disobedient and rebellious toward him. AND MY NAME IS IN HIM. — In Hebrew, in the midst of him, that is to say, This angel bears my name, person, authority and will; whence the Chaldean translator renders it, because the word of the Lord is in his name, that is to say, Whatever this angel commands, he commands in my name. Deservedly therefore that Abbot in the Lives of the Fathers, lib. VII, cap. XLIV, when asked what his daily exercise was, answered: "I await my angel standing beside me next to me, and I guard myself, remembering what is written: I set the Lord always in my sight, because he is at my right hand that I be not moved. I fear him therefore, as the guardian of my ways, and daily ascending to God, and revealing my acts and words."
23:24
24. THOU SHALT NOT DO THEIR WORKS. — In Hebrew, thou shalt not do according to their works, so that namely thou dost not set up for them groves, temples, altars, statues, in the manner of those which thou shalt find and see in Chanaan, but those found thou shalt destroy.
23:25
25. I WILL BLESS THY BREAD AND THY WATERS, — that is to say, I will provide you with abundant food and drink; for such were the promises of the Old Testament, says St. Augustine, Quæst. XCII.
23:26
26. THE NUMBER OF THY DAYS I WILL FILL, — that is to say, I will cause you to have sound and long old age, and you will die full and satisfied with days; on the contrary of the impious it is said Psal. LIV, vers. ult., that "they shall not divide their days in half."
23:28
28. SENDING HORNETS FIRST, WHICH SHALL PUT TO FLIGHT THE HEVÆAN. — By hornets St. Augustine, Locution 101, and Eusebius of Caesarea understand the stings of fear and terror by which the Chananæans were prostrated, as the Hebrews advanced, as easily as if wasps and hornets had cast them down. But because an open mention of fear preceded here, hence more distinctly and better by hornets, true hornets we shall understand, because thus also they are called Deut. VII, 20, and such were sent upon the Chananæans as Josue teaches in the last chapter, 12. The same appears Wis. XII, 8, where the Wise One thus speaks: "Thou didst send before thy army wasps, that they might destroy them by little and little: not because thou wast unable to overcome the savage beasts with the fierce." God therefore sent hornets before the Hebrews, which infested, weakened and wore down the Chananæans, so that they themselves afterwards might be more easily conquered and destroyed by the Hebrews.
23:29
29. I WILL NOT CAST THEM OUT FROM THY FACE IN ONE YEAR, LEST THE LAND BE REDUCED TO A WILDERNESS. — Hence it is evident that Chananæa was ample and fertile, inasmuch as it could not be so cultivated by six hundred thousand Hebrews that much of its wilderness would not still remain to be filled with beasts and wild men harmful to them, unless the Chananæans had remained in it in many places. There was also another cause why those nations were not immediately exterminated by God: namely that God wished to train Israel in them, as it is said Judg. III, 1, lest namely Israel should grow sluggish in idleness, but waging war continually should not dissolve into luxury, the worship of idols and fellowship with the Gentiles; and should learn to worship God in fear of enemies, to serve Him alone, and to hope in Him as the giver of victories. But God passes over this cause here, lest He cast down a people unwarlike and accustomed to peace by this fear of war. For the allegory of all these things concerning the Church as tamer of the Gentiles, see Rupert.
23:31
31. AND I WILL SET THY BORDERS FROM THE RED SEA TO THE SEA OF THE PALÆSTINES, AND FROM THE DESERT TO THE RIVER. — God here according to the four quarters of the world limits the land of promise to be given by Him to the Hebrews: for it has to the South the Red Sea, as it were a boundary, to the West it has the sea of the Palæstines, or whose inhabitants are the Philistines, which is the Mediterranean sea: whence also the West Scripture often signifies by sea. Towards the East it has the deserts of Arabia, which lie between it and Egypt. To the North finally it has the river Euphrates, which by antonomasia is called the river. God sets these boundaries for the Hebrews, that they may know the amplitude of the promised land, and may long for it: although by their fault and demerit they did not possess it all, except for a short time in the reign of Solomon, when nevertheless it was not cultivated and inhabited by them, but only subdued and made tributary those regions of theirs, which had already long before been occupied and inhabited by enemies.
23:33
33. IF THOU SHALT SERVE THEIR GODS. — Morally, the gods, or idols of anyone, are his desires. Therefore learn hence that sinners serve sin a wretched servitude. Hear Claudian: If thou fearest, if thou desirest evil things, if thou art led by anger, thou shalt suffer the yoke of servitude, thou shalt bear unjust laws within: then thou shalt hold all laws, if thou canst be king of thyself. And another: The sinner alone serves badly, who although he uses a wide kingdom, is sufficiently wretched as a slave: when the carnal mind, with a tyrant ruling excessively, serves so many sceptres, devoted to as many vices. And Seneca, epistle 47: "One, he says, serves lust, another avarice, another ambition, all fear: there is no servitude more shameful than voluntary." And St. Jerome, epistle to Simplicianus: "The fool, he says, even if he rules, serves his own passions, serves his own desires, whose dominion cannot be fled night or day, because he has masters within himself, he suffers intolerable servitude within himself." And St. Ambrose, book II On Jacob and the Blessed Life: "He serves, he says, whoever is broken by fear, or ensnared by pleasure, or led by desires, or exasperated by indignation, or cast down by sorrow. For every passion is servile." And St. Augustine, book IV On the City of God III: "The good man, he says, even if he serves, is free; but the bad man, if he reigns, is a slave; and not of one man, but, what is more serious, of as many masters as he has vices." WHICH SHALL SURELY BE A SCANDAL TO THEE, — namely that to sin, or the sin of idolatry of the Chananæans shall be to thee a scandal, in Hebrew a snare, that is, ruin and destruction: for it shall be the cause of thy ruin and downfall. The pronoun which can also be referred in the Hebrew manner to what preceded, namely "let them not dwell in thy land:" for this was properly a scandal of guilt to the Jews, not of punishment, because it was to them an occasion of idolatry.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
23:1
v. 14 « Non suscipies vocem mendacii ». N21 exponatur uti 20,7, ergo : Non proferas (ore) rumorem falsum, sive quem primus excogitaveris (Vat.), sive quem post alios repetas (Ps. Jon.). « Nec junges manum tuam, ut pro impio dicas falsum testimonium. ». Hebr. : Ne ponas manum tuam cum impo, ne ei te iungas (Sylv.), ei.confoedereris (Men.), ad esse falsum testem , quod exponi potest u£ sis vel ut sitis, minus commode u/ s?£ : nam verba ipsum eum , quem alloquuntur, a falso testimonio retrahere student, et quidem praestando pro impio et in eius favorem, vel consentiente implo contra alium aliquem (Mar.).
v. 1-9 nova est series mandatorum (7^st.), quae respiciunt mandatum de non ferendo falso testimonio. Bene Masor. San. textum distinguunt post v. 3.9, bene item Masor. post v. 5, minus bene iidem post v. 4, cum v. ^ sq. separandi non sint. Dum v. 1-3 et 6-8 constant concinnis sententiis negativis, v. ^ sq. sunt sententiae positivae conditionatae : *» quippe v. ^ sq. nequaquam novam e praecedentibus conclusionem orditur. v. 1-8 non sunt leges ad instar legum 21,1-22,17, sed sunt veluti proverbia quaedam a priseis sapientibus in re non ferendi falsi testimonii edita. Quandoque poesin sapiunt et parallelismo indulgent : v. 9.4 sq. 8. Cum v. 1-3 aliqua habeantur quae solos tesAO uM COMEA TUR CHIP rt MM CUNT. MIENET WEHCHAN TINTE /? d ERAN, CIE SORS Cos Pos lb Ee o aS EE ral ar 4 26 de Tide Nm bu A PL Es dh cel rn à MN jn RN up 5] owe Pus [| Gs . 1 n b. fln wv " wapthte MMIPCTE 3 y tes, nihil vero quod non etiam testes respiciat; cum v. 4 sq. censeamus imprimis intelligendum esse de litigantibus; cum v. 6-8 aliqua habeantur quae solos iudices, nihil vero quod non etiam 1udices spectet : arbitramur v. 1-3 tradi regulas pro testibus, v. & sq. pro litigantibus, v. 6-8 pro iudicibus, v. 9 advenas a vexationibus iudicialibus defendi. Dum v. 1-8 omnino videantur esse Moyse antiquiora, v. 9 verbotenus fere consonans cum 22,21, a Moyse crediderim esse ad- Arg.— Falsos rumores pro veris non proferant. Non dent falsum testimonium in favorem impii, qui dives est et potens. Non accedant sententiae plurium, cuius non perspectam habeant veritatem. Non dent falsum testimonium in favorem pauperis. Aliis verbis : non studeant divitibus neque pauperibus neque « maioritati », sed uni studeant iustitiae. Cap. XXIII
23:2
v. 29 « Non sequeris turbam ad faciendum malum ». Hebr. : Non eris post multos etc. Sententia vi verborum universalis, ob contextum cum v. 1 ad testes restringatur oportet. Malum intelligitur falsum testimonium, sive pro aliquo sive contra ipsum edatur. In ferendo testimonio non est pendenda aliorum testium auctoritas aut favor, sed sola rei veritas. Eundem sensum exprimit altera versus pars : « Nec Zn tudicio plurimorum acquiesces sententiae, ut a vero devies ». Hebr. : neque respondebis n lite, ut deflectas post multos, eorumque accedas testimonio, ad /lectendum . tus (cf. v. 6; Deut. 27,19; Thren. 3,35). Vox respondere etiam habetur 20,16, ubi certe non restringitur ad iudices; licet vox quandoque sensu latiore sumatur, tamen nativo sensu potius testibus aut partibus convenit quam iudici, cuius officium est non respondere sed interrogare.
23:3
v. 3 « Pauperis quoque non müisereberis in iudicio », Hebr. in lite eius. Ps. Ion. : « pauperis, qui reus est in iudicio suo, non accipies personam, ut miserearis eius ». « In iudicio habeatur ratio iustitiae dumtaxat : et propterea prohibet blandis sermonibus ornari causam pauperis, e£ multo magis aliorum » (Ca?.). 315 quippe significat adornare. Tanto opportunior erat haec lex, quod alias Deus misericordiam in pauperes tantopere inculcet (7Tos/.). Non repugnat huic legi Eecli. ^ 10 : « in iudicio esto pupillis misericors ut pater ». Qui locus praecipit « primo, ut iudex admittat pauperum causas non minus atque divitum; secundo, ne patiatur pauperes a divitibus et potentioribus in iudieio opprimi; tertio, ut, si ius sit ex parte pauperis, nulla re, nec favore divitis nec eius offensione moveatur, quominus iustam sententiam ferat; denique, ut pauperi et pupillo in omnibus subveniat , salva causae 1ustitia » (Bonfr.). Arg. — Qui coram iudice contendunt vel contenderunt, ordinaria caritatis officia invicem non denegent. —. Inimicus et osor tenore vocis utique omnis generis inimicos designat, imo secunda vox v. 22 de ipsis hostibus extraneis scribitur, qui v. ^ sq. certissime excluduntur. Ergo vocis ambitus h. l. e contextu est definiendus. Cum igitur v. 1-3 agatur de testibus 1n iudicio et v. 6-8 de iudice, non alios v. ^ sq. inimicos intelligemus nisi partes 1n iudicio litigantes. Interpretes ii, qui eum contextum ignorant, coguntur admittere v. 4 sq. a reliquo v. 1-8 contextu misere dissonare, in eum locum delapsa esse vel auctoris socordia vel scribae incuria. Verum auctorem nostrum reperimus in legibus colligendis fuisse perquam sollertem, scribae autem error non est facilius adstruendus. v. ^ « SZ occurreris bovi inimici tui aut asino erranti, reduc ad eum ». Deut. 92,1 idem officium reddendum praescribitur fratri cuilibet, sc. Hebraeo.
23:5
v. 5 « St videris asinum odientis te acere sub onere, non pertransibis , sed sublevabis cum eo ». « Quibus docet, eundem esse V. atque N. T. legislatorem eumque, qui hanc legem condiderit, etiam evangelicam donasse » (TAeodoret.). tissime liberabis cum eo, ei in erigendo animali adiutor eris. Si quid in hac versione durum est, estillud, seribi omiseris, cum tamen sensus sit volueris omitlere. — LXX vertit uti Vulg.; consentit los. Quorum, si eundem atque Hebr. textum legebant ,. versio utique erat liberior. Trahunt vero totum, quem supra describebamus, textum ad apodosin. Vertit Vat. : « tunc desines deserere eum : dimittendo dimittas cum illo ». Sed 35Y non significat deserere. Multo melius Bonfr., Calm. : Abstinebisne a liberando illi? Omnino liberabis cum eo. Arg. — Iudex pauperi etiam iustam sententiam dicat, Veritati adhaereat. Innocentem non plectat.
23:6
v. 6 « Non declinabis in iudicium pauperis ». Hebr. : non deflectes iudicium pauperis 2n lite sua. Non est recedendum a nativa vocis ozv2 significatione, qua actum iudicandi, sententiam iudicis exprimit: ergo agitur de 1udice. Deflectitur vero iudicium pauperis non solum, quando iniusta sententia pronuntiatur, sed etiam quando falsa testimonia admittuntur etc. Qui concedunt v. ^ sq. a contextu discordare, supponunt v. 6 primitus individue cohaesisse versui 3 : non dabis falsum testimonium neque pro paupere neque contra illum. At, num falsum contra pauperem testimonium non iam prohibebatur v. 1? nonne pii pauperis adversarius semper erit ?mp?us ile, quocum iungi manus vetantur? Praeterea perperam v. 6 de sola aetione contra pauperem directa exponitur : deflectitur pauperis iudicium, sive illi iusta denegentur, sive iniqua concedantur. Utroque h. l. iudex interdicitur.
23:7
v. 7 « Mendacitum fugies ». Hebr. : a verbo mendacii procul abesto , sive seienter admittendo falsa testimonia aut causam obscurando, sive falsam pronuntiando sententiam. « Insontem et iustum non occides » « iudicialiter » (Cat.), « quia aversor àmptum ». Hebr. : quia non tustificabo scelestum , non absolvam (Vat.) : pulehre iudicium iudicio opponitur, idque confirmat agi de iudice. LXX ultimum incisum leviter deformatum et prima sequentis versus voce auctum sie legebant : Nnva yv pon Nov.
23:8
v. 8 « Nec accipies munera », « quae dantur gratuito ad placandum iudicem vel captandum eius favorem » (Tost.), « quae etiam] excaecant prudentes » — Sam. LXX Syr., uti Deut. 16,19 oculos prudentum — « et subvertunt. verba iustorum ». Excaecant mentem iudicis ceteroqui prudentis et pervertunt sententiam iudicis ceteroqui iusti. Arg. — Monitum dirigit Moyses ad omnes : testes, iudices, Hebraeos universim, ut non sint proni ad implicandos advenas in actiones atque ea ratione exspoliandos.
23:9
v. 9 « Peregrino molestus non eris : scitis enim advenarum animas », «1. e. affectus, quam leviter contristentur » (I4g0); scitis, « quid sit advena » (Sa), « qu:a et tpst peregrini fuistis in terra Aegypti ». Rursum
23:10
v. 10 « Sez annis seminabis terram tuam », 1. e. agrum (Tost.), « et congregabis fruges eius »;
23:11
v. 11 commendantur pauperes, et v. 19 advenae. Arg. — Anno septimo conceditur requies terrae , fructibus eius pauperibus et bestiis permissis; die septimo conceditur requies civibus, iumentis, servis, advenis. Ad annum sabbaticum alludebatur 21,2 : ergo ante Moysen is fuerat institutus, erat tamen recentior ipso sabbato. Cur sabbato h. l. anteponatur, non liquet. Cum annus sabbatieus nusquam affirmetur in memoriam exodi aegyptiacae esse servandus, exodus illa h. 1. neque affertur ut ratio observandi sabbati : id non probat hanc legem ab alio esse conscriptam, atque v. g. auctore Deut. 5,15, sed diversum demonstrat contextum. An legem iis verbis, quae v. 10-12 leguntur, Moyses primus conseripserit, aut alius ante ipsum, nescimus. Quodsi Moyses eam tradit verbis a maioribus acceptis, haud mirum est eum loqui de agris, licet agros Israelitae montem Sinai circumsedentes vix habuerint. v. 44 « anno autem septimo dimittes eam et. requiescere facies, ut » — Hebr. et — « comedant pauperes populi tui; et quidquid reliquum fuerit, edant bestiae agri. Ita facies in vinea et tn. oliveto tuo ». Cf. Lev. 25,3 sqq., ubi etiam dicitur, quod pauperibus et bestiis concedantur ea, quae sponte nascantur.
23:12
v. 12 « Sez diebus operaberis , septimo die cessabis, ut requiescat bos et asinus tuus, et refrigeretur filius ancillae tuae et advena ». a. Novella de abhorrendis deorum nominibus Ex. 23,13. Arg. — Novella partem negativam addit mandato 20,7; potuit ea jam vigere, antequam Deus sibi nomen Iahve proprium assumeret.
23:13
v. 13 « Omnia, quae dixi vobis, custodite ». Pro 5331 Sam. LXX Vulg. Syr. habent 521. « Et per nomen externorum deorum », seu ezterni dei (20,3), « non t1urabitis », — sed Hebr. : non revocabitis in memoriam, quo longe plura prohibentur quam solum iuramentum — « neque audietur ez ore vestro ». Verus Deus sit unicus in mente, unicus in ore. Arg. — Inculeantur festa Paschae, Pentecostes, Tabernaculorum, quibus masculi omnes coram Deo se sistere obligantur. Legem haec forma non esse Moyse antiquiorem prodit v. 15 Aegypti mentio et v. 17 nomen lahve.
23:14
v. 15 « Tribus vicibus per singulos annos mih festa celebrabitis ».
23:15
v. 18 « Solemnitatem azymorwm custodies : septem. diebus comedes azima, sicut praecepi tibi » (Ex. 12), « tempore mensis novorum », seu potius mensis Abib, « quando » — seu verius quia eo mense — « egressus es de Aegypto ». Sola azyma recensentur, non agnus paschalis, quia non ritus describitur, sed tempora definiuntur : ad tempus autem definiendum sufficit appellare azyma. Ob eandem rationem non seribitur dies mensis. « Non apparebis in conspectu meo vacuus ». Quo Dei suprema auctoritas indicatur, nam reges sine muneribus non adibantur.
23:16
v. 16 « Et solemnitatem messis primitivorum operis tui, quaecumque seminaveris ?n agro ». Hoc est festum Pentecostes, quinquagesimo post Pascha die : cf. Lev. 23 et Deut. 16. « Solemnitatem quoque » messis fructuum seu extremae messis, « n exitu annt » civilis (Calm.), die decima quinta mensis septimi , a Septembri ad Octobrem, « quando congregaveris omnes fruges tuas de agro ». Est hoc festum Tabernaculorum seu Scenopegiae.
23:17
v. 17 « Ter in anno apparebit omne masculinum tuum coram Domino Deo tuo ». Hebr. Sam. Targ. twv vin, contra LXX Vulg. Syr. Idem est « apparere in conspectu Iahve » (cf. 35,23 sq.) atque « venire in domum Iahve » 23,19 et 34,26. Unicam autem apud Hebraeos Iahve habet domum, quae est sacrum eius tabernaculum (Hoonacker p. 4). Ergo etiam tres illae solemnitates ab universo populo circa tabernaculum adunato celebrabantur. gregaveris opus tuum de agro, non cerealia solum, quae fuerant sata, sed etiam arborum fructus. Tria haec festa maxima breviter h. 1l. et tamquam res nota recensentur. Solemnitas azymorum eap. 12 pluribus reapse explicabatur. Aliae duae solemnitates appellantur h. l. non iis, quibus secus designantur, nominibus sacris (DyAWV An, an n'2Dn), sed nominibus, uti videtur, antiquioribus (wxpn 2m F''ONin An). Cum tot aliae gentes antiquitus occasione messis festa peragerent et sacris ritibus fungerentur, veri simillimum est Hebraeos quoque ante Moysen eiusmodi festa observasse; quorum vestigia habes Gen. 30,14, et etiam 38,12 sqq. Licebit ergo adstruere, ideo h. l. illa duo festa obiter tantum, temporibus ritibusque suppressis attingi, quia iam apud Hebraeos observabantur, suosque habebant ritus et tempora. c. Novella de fermento sacrifieiis non adhibendo Ex. 23,182. Arg. — Haec et sequens lex duos in sacrificiis offerendis defectus proseribunt, quibus victimae reddebantur immundae Deoque indigenae. Suffixa produnt hos versus non esse exodo antiquiores.
23:18
v. 18 « Non immolabis super fermento sanguinem victimae meae ». LXX initio versus aliqua supplent e 23,24. 5y idem quandoque sonare atque cuz», disce e 12,8 sq., ete. Porro illud cum fermento explicat Ps. Ion. : « dum superest fermentum in domo » (cf. 13,7), et exponit de immolando agno paschali. Gratuita restrictio, cum Lev. 2,11; 7,12 sq. doceamur, panem fermentatum, licet hostias pacificas comitaretur, in nullo sacrificio cum victima esse combustum. d. Novella de sacrifieiis ipso die consumendis Ex. 23,18». « Nec remanebit adeps solemnitatis meae usque mane ». Adscripsere Targ. voces extra altare, sane quod recordarentur, nullam agni paschalis partem altari fuisse imponendam, et tamen legem hane de agno paschali latam esse putarent. Evidens est, 25n h. l. eandem rem significare atque n2» 34,25; imo potuit ex hae voce corruptione oriri, cum duae voces unica differant litera. Krgo adeps solemnitatis idem est atque victima solemnitatis ; eratque expressio apta, sive de victima holocausti ageretur, cuius pars nobilissima reputabatur adeps, sive de victima cuius partes tantummodo pinguiores altari imponebantur. Iubetur autem victima consumi ipso sacrificii die : erat quippe periculum, ne secus corrumperetur et fieret immunda. chalem. Appellat ipse contextum cum v. 15 : festo paschatis comedes azyma et, quoad fermentatum quid fuerit in domo, agnum paschalem non immolabis. Hic contextus non est in s. literis, sed studiose in illas importatur. Verius igitur affirmat Proc., v. 18 sq. agere de sacrificiis universim. Neque obest verba vix non eadem 34,95 sq. ad solum pascha referri : etenim, si verasint de omnibus sacrificiis trium solemnitatum, quid obstat, quominus 34,25 sq. eadem de solis paschatis sacrificiis praedicentur ? Arg. — E nomine /ave patet, legem hae forma non esse Moyse antiquiorem. Tamen ipsa primitiarum lex erat perantiqua (cf. ad 13,2), ideoque loquitur de illa Moyses expressionibus antiquitus receptis, loquitur de frugibus terrae, licet fruges tum in Sinaitide Hebraei non haberent. At, nonne brevissimo temporis intervallo, ni Deum offen- . dissent, in terram promissam erant introducendi!
23:19
v. 19 « Primitias frugum terrae tuae deferes in. domum Domini Dei tui », i. e. in locum, ubi tum iam erat altare, et postmodum in locum tabernaculi foederis : locus quippe, in quo Deus suam manifestat praesentiam , iure vocatur domus Dei (Gen. 98,17). Inculcatur rursum lex 22,29 promulgata; distinctius effertur non sola animalium primogenita, sed primitias etiam fructuum terrae esse offerenda; simullocus, quo essent producenda, demonstratur (Ca?.). Hebr. verti potest vel inztium primittarum terrae (LXX), vel initium, primitias lerrae (Masor.). Altera constructio commodior (cf. Ez. 44,30), cum reapse non pars primitiarum , sed omnes primitiae Dei fuerint. f. Novella de hoedo non coquendo in adipe matris Ex. 23,19b. Arg. — Coquere hoedum non in /acte, sed 1n ad?pe matris fuisse « ritum idololatrarum » (Ca?.), difficile admiserim, cum quia coquendi verbum non sacrificia respicit sed epula, tum quia nullum eiusmodi ritus vestigium apud diversas gentes ethnicas comperimus. Sed illa coquendi ratio h. l. cum aliis (v. 18), quae immunditiam habent, proscribitur, quo certius illa abstineant Hebraei. Quam explicationem confirmat Deut. 15,91, ubi illa de non coquendo 1n matris lacte hoedo prohibitio reperitur adscripta ad calcem elenchi, qui immunda ciborum genera recenset. « Non coques hoedum in lacte matris suae ». Cf. 34,26; Deut. 15,21. Vetiti rationem assignabat TAeodoret. , quod ea ratione videatur mater eoqui cum prole. « Spectat vero haec lex ad omnem crudelitatem, et quidquid speciem habet crudelitatis, avertendam ; siquidem quamdam crudelitatis speciem habet, in condimentum occisi vertere, quod in eius nutrimentum a matura datum erat » (Bonfr.). - appellavit Deum Iacob. Quae tamen omnia nos pro coniectura suggerimus, cum additamentum Sam. sit dubium. Arg. — Non traduntur iam novae leges, sed observationis legum tam datarum quam dandarum praemium ostenditur. Angelus sc. Domini introducet Hebraeos in terram promissam, ubi quaenam circa eos futura sit Dei providentia describitur. $1 unum Deum coluerint, praemium accipient abundantiam frugum, immunitatem a morbis contagiosis, numerosam prolem, terrorem in hostes immissum. Qui tamen gradatim solummodo exterminabuntur, Hebraei interim omnem cum illis commixtionem perhorrescant. Et adverte, has promissiones factas esse, quo tempore nondum Hebraeis Deus multorum annorum in deserto commorationem indixisset in poenam exiguae fidei. | Angelum Moysen reputabat Cai.; alii, quod Moyses non iíntroduxerit populum in Chanaanitiden, Iosue : Aug., Proc., Tost. aliique. Quia vero ab introducendo populo postmodum Moyses eohibitus est ob exiguam fidem, poterit haec explicatio eo emendari, ut dicatur angelus esse Moyses et Iosue. Quod pro Iosue afferunt Aug. aliique, in eo verificari illud v. 21 « et est nomen meum in illo », quod idem sit nomen Iosue atque Iesus, infirmum est. Potest vero pro Moyse et Iosue afferri illud, Mal. 3,1 nostrum textum transferri ad S. Ioannem Baptistam : si ergo in antitypo angelus ille intelligi queat homo, cur non item in typo ? Tamen sententia, angelum declarans esse non hominem, sed verum angelum (Philo : De agric. 8,13, p. 308; Bonfr., Sa, Sylv. etc.), omnino est praeferenda; quem Men. esse declarat S. Mic haelem, popul electi specialem eustodem designatum. Cf. Ps. Ion. ad 24,1. Est idem angelus, qui custodiebat patriarchas (Gen. 31,11; 48,16) et Israelem custodit (Ex. 14,19; 32,34; 33,2. 12). Residebat is imprimis in columna nubis (15,21 sq.; 14,19; 33,9) atque inde Moysen edocebat.
23:20
v. 90 « Ecce ego mittam angelum meum », — pronomen ignorant Hebr. Chald. Syr. — « Qui praecedat te, et custodiat in via, et introducat in locum, quem paravi », terram Chanaan toties promissam. v. 91 « Observa eum », — Hebr. : cave tibi a facie eius — « et audi vocem eius, nec contemnendwum Iputes] », — Hebr. : neque repugnes ei — « quia non dimittet, cum peccaveris », — Cai. : « in hebraeo habetur gravissimum genus peccandi : quia non dimattet apostastam vestram » — « et estnomen meum in tllo ». « Sustinet personam meam » (Sa). « Quae dicit, nomine meo dicit » (Vat.). Ceterum non dimittet non tam refertur ad peccatum , quam ad poenam, « sinendo impunem esse, nam eft hoec peccantibus magnum est beneficium » (lans.). Recensitis inobedientiae poenis, obedientiae praemia recensentur (Ca/.)
23:21
v. 92 : « Quodsi audieris vocem eius », — erronee meam (LXX) — « et feceris omnia, quae loquor », Deus quippe per angelum loquitur : « inimicus ero inimicis tuis, et affligam affligentes te », — illud affectum potius, hoc effectum exprimit (Ca?.). LXX vero plura inserit e loco simili 19,5 sq. —
23:23
v. 23 « praecedetque te angelus meus, et introducet te ad Amorrhaeum ,et Hethaeum , et Pherezaeum , Chananaeumque et Hevaeum, et lebusaeum, quos ego conteram ». In. gentium nominibus aliqua habetur diversitas apud Sam. LXX.
23:24
v. 9& « Non adorabis deos eorum , nec coles eos; non facies opera eorum », — non necessario intelliguntur sola opera superstitiosa (Bonfr.), sed opera luxuriae et alia — « sed destrues eos, et confringes statuas eorum ». Perpende emphasin, quam habent verba iungentia infinitivum absolutum formae finitae.
23:25
v. 95 « Servietisque Domino Deo vestro » « soli » (Sylv.), « ut benedicam panibus tuis et aquis » , omnis generis cibo et potui (Bonfr.), quare perperam LXX adscribunt vinum ; « et auferam infirmitatem », 1. e. morbum, « de medio tui ». « Pollicetur alimenta et sanitatem » (Proc.). Et Tost. advertit, agi de infirmitatibus universalibus, qualis est pestis. At parum delectant opes, imo sanitas, deficiente prole; parum ipsa proles, ubi brevis vita aut brevior vita prolis. Hine
23:26
v. 26 : « Non erit infoecunda » — Hebr. : orbata, « mater filiis superstes suis » (Calm.) — « nec sterilis in terra tua; numerum dierum tuorum implebo », « ad longam senectutem pervenies » (Theodoret.), dum Ps. 554,9. ait : « Viri sanguinum et dolosi non dimidiabunt dies suos ». Cf. 20,19; Gen. 95,8; 35,29. Adiiciuntur promissiones de terra promissa subigenda , quae erat difficilis accessu et incolis bellicosis referta.
23:27
v. 94 « Terrorem meum mittam in praecursum tuum », qui « novit potentius profligare hostes, quam immensae copiae militares » ( Proc.) ; « et occidam » , seu verius perturbabo, « omnem populum, ad quem ingredieris ; cunctorumque inimicorum tuorum coram te terga vertam ». Sine gladio vinces : ego pro te portentis dimicabo.
23:28
v. 28 « Emüittens crabrones prius , qui fugabunt Hevaeum et Chananaewn et Hethaeum , antequam introeas ». Hebr. : Et emittam crabrones ante faciem tuam , et fugabunt Hevaeum etc. de ante faciem tuam. « Dicitur igitur hic Deus praemissurus examina muscarum aculeatarum, quae graviter illos affligant, et vel loco cedere faciant vel etiam occidant » (Bonfr.). culorum ministerio et succurrit suis, et eorum adversarios perdit » (Theodoret.). * plagalIos. 11 (cf. 24,12) non explicite narretur, cum locis laudatis indubie exprimatur. Narrat Aelian. (Hist. anim. II. 28) Phaselitas, qui prope Solymaeos in Chanaanitide incolebant, a vespis sedibus pulsos esse. Similia facta vide apud Bochart Hieroz. III. 409. Ergo etiam illud crabronum factum non est incredibile. Putat quidem Aug., per crabrones « fortasse aculeos timoris » exprimi, et Ros. « varii generis mala ». Verum praestat sensui obvio adhaerere.
23:29
v. 99 « Non eüiciam eos a facie tua anno uno , ne terra in solitudinem redigatur, et crescant contra te bestiae ».
23:30
v. 30 « Paulatim ezpellam eos de conspectu tuo, donec augearis et possideas terram ». Extensio finium concedendorum describitur (cf. Gen. 15,18).
23:31
v. 31 « Ponam autem terminos tuos a Mari Rubro », a Mari Suph (cf. quae diximus p. 140 sq.), « usque ad Mare Palaestinorum », i. e. Mediterraneum, « e£ «a deserto usque ad. fluvium » Euphraten (LXX) : « Tradam in manibus vestris habitatores terrae , et eticiam eos de conspectu vestro ». Hebr. : et eücies eos de conspectu tuo. Nou contradicit hoc ( Wellh.) is, quae v. 29 sq. dicebantur de lenta futura eiectione.
23:32
v. 32 « Non inibis cum eis foedus, nec cum diis eorum ». Non patieris illos lecum terram promissam incolere, neque cultum eorum numinum tolerabis (5ylv.).
23:33
v. 33 « Non habitent in terra tua, ne forte peccare le faciant in me, si servieris diis eorum ; quod tibi [certe] erit tn scandalum ». Potest etiam cum LXX iungi : Quodsi enim servieris diis eorum, ist? erunt (Sam. Chald. Syr.) tibi scandalum. « De tempore intermedio est sermo : videlicet, ne tempore medio inter possessam partem terrae contentae intra terminos dictos, et possessionem reliquae partis paulatim possidendae, permittant illos 1idololatras habitare in terris possessis ab Israelitis » (Ca?.). Hinc etiam solas gentes Palaestinae sibi putavere Israelitae eiiciendas, non omnes, quae usque ad flumen habitabant. Arcte haec cum praecedentibus cohaerent. Iubetur sc. Moyses 924, 12; 34,1 tabulas a Iahve accipere decalogum inscriptum habentes theophania promulgatum. Sed cum hoc secundario fine alius omnino primarius connectitur. Hebraeorum in Aegypto oppressorum Deus defensionem suscepturus novum nomen lIahve sibi assumpserat. Cui hoc nomine invocando debebatur sacrificium 3,18. Annon aequum erat, ut hoe sacrificium Deo novo nomine appellando offerendum offerretur etiam in novo sanctuario per novi ordinis sacerdotes? Accedebant veteris ordinis sacerdotum animi Moysi constanter infensi. Qui etiam in solemni cap. 19 theophania populum ab intrandis vocante Iahve terminis cohibuisse videntur. Decreverat ergo Iahve occasione rebellionis, quam proxime futuram praevidebat (cap. 32), eos e medio tollere eorumque sacerdotium repudiare; iam nunc autem Moysi mandatum tradit novi sanctuarii et sacerdotii procurandi. Ex. 24 est divinae orationis praefatio. lubetur v. 1 Moyses cum Aarone ef filiis ac senioribus, v. 29 rursum solus ad Deum ascendere. Illud exsecutioni mandatur 2^4,1-11, hoc 24,12-18. Sequuntur cap. 25-31 divina de sanctuario et sacerdotio mandata. Arg. — Auditis Dei mandatis populus animum ad obediendum pa ratum profitetur, Moyses mandata in volumen foederis conseribit. Sequente mane iuvenes, quorum id erat officium, victimas immolant ; Moyses vero sacerdotio ipse fungens sanguinis partem reservat , reliquum altari affundit. Lecto volumine populus obedientiae professionem iterat, Moyses volumen et populum in signum sanciti foederis sanguine aspergit. Aaron, filii et seniores tamquam Deo foederati cum Moyse ascendunt et ad divinum conspectum admittuntur. E monte reduces saerifierum inchoatum sacro epulo concludunt. vero cap. 20-23 traduntur, revelata esse postquam Moyses, divino 24,1 mandato obsequens, ascendisset. At non est sufficiens ratio talis inversionis adstruendae. Post edita mandata cap. 20-23 Deus, Moysen secum habens in monte , iubet Moysen redire ad se cum pluribus aliis; Moysen id praestare non potuisse, nisi prius descenderet, per se patet ideoque non exprimitur. At, obiicit Dillm., constructio YAN nw ow, loco constructionis planioris nWw23 ON 1'2N", ostendit sermonem 23,33 non individue produci 24,1, sed adesse inversionem. Prius concedimus, posterius negamus. Mandatis et promissionibus 23,33 absolutis, Deus monitum addit respiciens Moysis ascensum proxime sequentem : ea sufficiens est ratio illius constructionis explicandae. Ergo ipsa constructione initium novae maioris pericopae indicatur. Cap. XXIV
23:1
… The earliest prophets attest the existence of the t. binding on all, on a moral basis (cf. Ex. 23, 1-9; Lev. 19, 1-37), which was to bring about in Israel the "knowledge of God." The priest was to apply it and inculcate it; to the negligence of the t. on the part of the priests are …
23:9
Distinction and separation, not hatred; the Mosaic legislation prescribes justice and benevolence toward ethnics (Ex. 22:21; 23:9; Lev. 19:33 ff.; Deut. 10:18 ff., etc.; cf. H. Lesêtre, Etranger, in DB, II, col. 204); they could embrace the Jewish religion (v. proselutti); and the prophets announce their aggregation …
23:10
… In Ex. 23:10 ff. it is prescribed that in such a period the land was to be left to an absolute rest. …
23:12
… « For six days you shall work and on the seventh day you shall not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest » (Ex. 23, 12). « The just man has care for the life of his beasts: but the bowels of the wicked are cruel » (Prov. 12, 10).
TAGLIONE (TALION). - Use and penal law first set forth in the "Code of the Covenant" (Ex. 20:24; 23:12), where it deals with the compensation owed to the injured party in cases of assault, according to whether or not they produced personal injury. …
23:15
'ABIB (Septuagint: μὴν τῶν νεῶν; Vulgate: mensis novorum frugum). - First month of the ancient Hebrew calendar (Ex. 13:4; 23:15; 34:18; Deut. 16:1), called 'abib, "ear of grain" (Ex. 9:31; Lev. 2:14; Ex. 3:15: "Tell Abib"): it coincided with the beginning of spring. …
Unleavened (Greek: ἀζημός, from privative α and ζῆν, «without leaven»; Hebrew: maṣṣāḥ, pl. maṣṣōth)
… 16, 3). In remembrance of this, the law of eating unleavened bread during the seven days of the solemnity was joined to the commemorative feast of the miraculous exodus (v. PASQUA) (Ex. 12, 15). Passover was called the "feast of unleavened bread" (Ex. 23, 15; 34, 18; Lk. 22, 1) or the "days of unleavened bread" (Mt. 26, 17; Lk. 22, 7; Acts 12, 3; 20, 6). Already at the first Passover celebrated in the land of Palestine (Jos. …
23:16
… Tradition traces these norms back to Hillel II (4th century A.D.); in reality, however, the perfect codification occurred around the 10th century A.D. The religious year, the "liturgical cycle," seems to have begun with spring (Nisān); but the common (agricultural) year began in autumn (Tišrī: Ex. 23:16); and this system has remained in use (rst haš-šānah = 1 Tišrī).
The f[east] of T[abernacles] had fundamentally the character of thanksgiving to God at the end of the grape harvest and in general of the fruits of the countryside, whence the name "feast of ingathering" (Ex. 23:16), and therefore a feast of the closing of the agricultural year (cf. "at the end of the year," ibid. 23:16). The interpretation that sees in it an originally New Year festival, corresponding …
weeks" (hagh ṣābhu'ōth: Ex. 34, 22; Deut. 16, 10; II Par. 8, 13) or "feast of firstfruits" (Ex. 23, 16) because loaves made from the flour of the newly harvested wheat were offered (Lev. 23, 17). The "free" offering of which Deuteronomy speaks (16, 10-11) does not exclude the prescribed …
23:17
FEAST OF THE TABERNACLES. - One of the three annual feasts of Israel, together with Passover and Pentecost, at which "every male" had to "appear before the Lord God" (Ex. 23:17) in Jerusalem (feast of pilgrimage).
23:18
The paschal lamb was a true sacrifice: it is called zébhah (Septuagint θωία; Ex. 12, 27; 23, 18; 34, 25) or qorbân (Num. 9, 7, 13) with the verb hiqrib, technical terms for expressing sacrifices. …
Unleavened (Greek: ἀζημός, from privative α and ζῆν, «without leaven»; Hebrew: maṣṣāḥ, pl. maṣṣōth)
… Since nothing leavened could be offered on the altar (Ex. 23, 18; 34, 25), only cakes without leaven were offered in the sacrifices, which sometimes constituted a special unbloody sacrifice (Lev. 2, 4, 11; 6, 16 ff.) (minhāh), except for the …
23:19
Hebrew specifies: bikkūrim (Vulg. primitiae), the first ripe fruits of the fields and trees; and rē'ēth bikkūrē ha-'ādhāmāh (= the Akkadian rēlētī), in Greek ἐπικρὴ τῶν πρωτογεννημάτων τῆς γῆς; Ex. 23:19; Ez. 44:30; etc., the best of such fruits.
… Palestinian Gēmārā'. m) Bikhārīm ("first-fruits": Ex. 23:19; 34:26; Deut. 18:4; 26:1 and following). …
23:20
… 16:10-13; 21:17-19; 22:11-17), identifies himself with God (Gen. 31:11-13; 48:15-16; Ex. 3:2-4, 10 [Act. 7:31-35]; Iud. 2:1-4; 6:11-24; 13:6-23; Zach. 3:1-6). At the end of the "covenant code", Yahweh promises "his angel" who will lead Israel (Ex. 23:20-23), the "angel of the covenant" (Mal. 3:1). Sometimes the angel of Yahweh is clearly distinct from Yahweh (Ex. 33:2-6; Num. 22:31; II Sam. 24:16). After St. Irenaeus (Adv. …
… In the Mosaic law very severe penalties are sanctioned against adulterers, particularly when the woman is guilty (cf. Gen. 39:7-20; Ex. 20:14, 17; Lev. 18:20; 20:10; Deut. 22:22; II Sam. 11:2 ff.; Jer. 5:8 ff.; Ex. 23:20; Hos. 4:2). It is the severity found in other Semitic legislations (cf. code of Hammurabi, § 129; Hittite and Middle Assyrian laws in G. Furlani, Leggi dell'Asia anteriore antica, …
… The Angels (v.), especially the Angel of the Lord, in the Old Testament are there the object of profound religious veneration, though generic (e.g., Ex. 23, 20-22; Num. 22, 31-35; Job 5, 13-16; cf. Col. 1, 8; 4, 14; Apoc. 19, 10) because they are glorious beings, servants and messengers of God, his heavenly court, always in his presence (cf. …
23:23
… It is always included by the Bible in the enumeration of the pre-Israelite peoples (Gen. 15:21; Ex. 3:8; 13:5; 23:23; 32:2; 34:11; Deut. 7:1; 20:17; Josh. 3:10; 5:1; 9:1; 11:3; 12:8; 24:11; etc.), sometimes as the chief nucleus of the ethnic group alongside the Hittites (Num. 13:30), so that …
23:24
Bamah (Heb. "height"; plural Bāmāth)
The prophets call such b. places of impiety (Os. 4:13 ff.; 10:8; Mi. 1:5). Human sacrifices are recalled, for example, in Ier. 7:31; 19:5; Ez. 6:4, 13; 16:20 ff. The idolatrous b. are indeed inexorably condemned to destruction by the Mosaic legislation (Deut. 12:4; 5; 7:5; Ex. 23:24; Num. 33:52); but the Israelites not rarely venerated them, indeed promoted them in the northern kingdom (Os. 10:8, 9; Am. 8:14; I Reg. 12:31; 13:32; II Reg. 17:29, 32; 23:7, …
23:25
… by other divine communications concerning the construction and furnishing of the tabernacle (v.) destined for the dwelling and worship of God (ibid. 24-30). There the covenant pact with God was sealed, by which the people undertook to observe His Law (ibid. 23:25-31). Several centuries later, the prophet Elijah, to escape the threats of Queen Jezebel, journeyed in 40 days "to Horeb, the mountain of God" (1 Kings 19:8).
23:28
HEVITES (Heb. hā-hīwāš always with the article and in the singular; Septuagint ὁ Εὐαῖος, sometimes οἱ Εὐαῖοι). - A people settled in the land of Canaan and always included in the list of the whole group of peoples dwelling in the land before the Israelite conquest (Ex. 2, 11; 3, 8; 13, 5; 23, 28; Deut. 7, 1; 20, 17; Josh. 3, 10; 9, 1; 12, 8; 24, 11; Judg. 3, 5; 2 Kings 9, 29; 2 Chron. 8, 7; v. CANAAN).
23:31
… According to the promise made to Abraham (Gen. 15, 18; cf. Ex. 23, 31; Deut. 1, 7; 11, 24; Josh. 1, 4 etc.) the northern limit of the Hebrew domain would be marked by that river. …
Red Sea (Gr. Ἡ Ἔρυθρά Θάλασσα; Heb. Jām Sūph)
… The Hebrew name jām sūph, "sea of seaweed" or "of reeds" (Ex. 10, 19; 13, 18; 15, 4), is of uncertain origin; but the identification is not in doubt, since its extremity is indicated (Ex. 23, 31; I Kings 9, 26; Jer. 49, 21) as the Elanitic Gulf, or Gulf of el-'Aqabah.
23:32
Already Ex. 34:15 forbade eating the flesh immolated to idols, so as not to incur the "impurity" (zānāh) of idolatry (cf. Apoc. 2:14, 20); a supposed relationship was established between the idol and the one who ate idolothytes (cf. Ex. 23:32). For IV Macc. 4:26 and 5:2, the use of idolothytes is practically an abjuring of religion. …
TESTAMENT IN SACRED SCRIPTURE. - The term testamentum in the Vulgate often translates the Hebrew berith, by which is indicated both a pact between private individuals and an alliance between nations or ethnic groups (Gen. 21:22 ff.; Ex. 23:32; 34:12, 15; Deut. 7:2; Josh. 9:9 ff.; Judg. 2:2 etc.). …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.