Notwithstanding the enimies rage and oppose against the building of walles, 4. the Iewes build with one hand, and hold their swordes in the other. Nehemias encorageth them, and the worke proceedeth.
1And it came to pass, that when Sanaballat heard that we were building the wall he was angry: and being moved exceedingly he scoffed at the Jews.Ma avendo udito Sanaballath, come si fabbricavan le mura, ne concepì grande sdegno: e infuriato com'era, scherniva i Giudei,AND it came to passe, when Sanaballat had heard that we builded the wal, he was very angrie: and being moued excedingly he scorned the Iewes.Factum est autem, cum audisset Sanaballat quod ædificaremus murum, iratus est valde: et motus nimis subsannavit Judæos, 2And said before his brethren, and the multitude of the Samaritans: What are the silly Jews doing? Will the Gentiles let them alone? will they sacrifice and make an end in a day? are they able to raise stones out of the heaps of the rubbish, which are burnt?E disse alla presenza de' suoi fratelli, e del consiglio de' Samaritani: Che fann'eglino que' fiaccati Giudei? Li lasceran fare queste nazioni? Potrann' eglino offerire sacrifizio, e finire in un di? Potrann' eglino tornare nel primo stato le pietre ridotte dal fuoco in mucchi di polvere?and sayd before his bretheren, and the multitude of the Samaritanes: What doe the sillie Iewes? Wil the gentiles let them alone? Shal they sacrifice and accomplish in one day? Why, are they able to build vp the stones out of the heapes of dust, that are burnt?et dixit coram fratribus suis, et frequentia Samaritanorum: Quid Judæi faciunt imbecilles ? num dimittent eos gentes ? num sacrificabunt, et complebunt in una die ? numquid ædificare poterunt lapides de acervis pulveris, qui combusti sunt ? 3Tobias also the Ammonite who was by him said: Let them build: if a fox go up, he will leap over their stone wall.Similmente Tobia Ammonita, che gli stava accanto, disse: Fabbrichino pure; se vi va una volpe, ella salterà la loro muraglia di pietra.Yea Tobias also the Ammanite his neighbour sayd: Let them build: if a fox come vp, he shal leape ouer their stone wal.Sed et Tobias Ammanites, proximus ejus, ait: Ædificent: si ascenderit vulpes, transiliet murum eorum lapideum. 4Hear thou our God, for we are despised: turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them to be despised in a land of captivity.Ascolta tu, Dio nostro, come noi siamo derisi: rivolgi sulle teste loro lo scherno, e fagli spregevoli là dove siano menati schiavi.Heare our God, because we are had in dispise: turne the reproch vpon their head, and giue them into dispite in a Land of captiuitie.Audi, Deus noster, quia facti sumus despectui: converte opprobrium super caput eorum, et da eos in despectionem in terra captivitatis. 5Cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thy face, because they have mocked thy builders.Non coprire la loro iniquità, e non sia cancellato dinanzi a te il loro peccato, perchè eglino hanno deriso chi fabbricava.Couer not their iniquitie, and let not their sinne be put out before thy face, because they haue mocked thy builders.Ne operias iniquitatem eorum, et peccatum eorum coram facie tua non deleatur, quia irriserunt ædificantes.
6So we built the wall, and joined it all together unto the half thereof: and the heart of the people was excited to work.Noi adunque rifabbricammo le mura, e le rassettammo interamente sino alla metà e il cuore del popolo ne prese lena per lavorare.Therfore we built the wal, and ioyned together the whole vnto the halfe part: and the hart of the people was prouoked to worke.Itaque ædificavimus murum, et conjunximus totum usque ad partem dimidiam: et provocatum est cor populi ad operandum. 7And it came to pass, when Sanaballat, and Tobias, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Azotians heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and the breaches began to be closed, that they were exceedingly angry.Ma avendo udito Sanaballath, e Tobia, e gli Arabi, e gli Ammoniti, e quelli di Azoto, come si erano saldate le piaghe delle mura di Gerusalemme, e come principiavano a chiudersi i siti aperti, ne presero grandissimo sdegno.And it came to passe, when Sanaballat had heard, and Tobias, and the Arabians, and the Ammanites, and the Azotians, that the breach of the wal of Ierusalem was closed vp, and the gates began to be stopped, they were wrath excedingly.Factum est autem, cum audisset Sanaballat, et Tobias, et Arabes, et Ammanitæ, et Azotii, quod obducta esset cicatrix muri Jerusalem, et quod cœpissent interrupta concludi, irati sunt nimis. 8And they all assembled themselves together, to come, and to fight against Jerusalem, and to prepare ambushes.E si raunarono tutti insieme per portar guerra a Gerusalemme, e tenderci insidie.And they were al assembled together, to come, and to fight against Ierusalem, and to prepare embushments.Et congregati sunt omnes pariter ut venirent, et pugnarent contra Jerusalem, et molirentur insidias. 9And we prayed to our God, and set watchmen upon the wall day and night against them.E noi ci raccomandammo al nostro Dio, e mettemmo sentinelle sopra le mura per cautelarci contro di essi di e notte.And we prayed our God, and set watchmen vpon the wal day and night against them.Et oravimus Deum nostrum, et posuimus custodes super murum die ac nocte contra eos. 10And Juda said: The strength of the bearer of burdens is decayed, and the rubbish is very much, and we shall not be able to build the wall.E quei di Guida dissero: I più robusti a portare sono senza lena, e rimane grandissima quantità di terra; onde noi non potremo fabbricare la muraglia.And Iudas sayd: The strength of him that carrieth is weakened, & the morter is very much, and we shal not be able to build the wal.Dixit autem Judas: Debilitata est fortitudo portantis, et humus nimia est, et nos non poterimus ædificare murum.
11And our enemies said: Let them not know, nor understand, till we come in the midst of them, and kill them, and cause the work to cease.Ma i nostri nemici dicevano: Coloro non hanno a saperne nulla, sino che sopraggiungiamo tra loro per uccidergli, e far cessare il lavoro.And our enimies sayd: Let them not know, and let them be ignorant, til we come into the midest of them, and kil them, and make their worke to cease.Et dixerunt hostes nostri: Nesciant, et ignorent donec veniamus in medium eorum, et interficiamus eos, et cessare faciamus opus. 12And it came to pass, that when the Jews that dwelt by them came and told us ten times, out of all the places from whence they came to us,Ed essendo venuti più, e più volte que' Giudei, che abitavano presso a coloro, e portandoci lo stesso avviso da tutte le parti, donde ei venivano a noi,And it came to passe, the Iewes that dwelt beside them, coming and telling vs ten times, out of al places from whence they came to vs,Factum est autem venientibus Judæis qui habitabant juxta eos, et dicentibus nobis per decem vices, ex omnibus locis quibus venerant ad nos, 13I set the people in the place behind the wall round about in order, with their swords, and spears, and bows.Io misi in ordinanza il popolo dietro alle mura all'intorno colle sue spade, e lance, e archi.I sette the people in a place behind the wal round about in order, with their swordes, and speares, and bowes.statui in loco post murum per circuitum populum in ordinem cum gladiis suis, et lanceis, et arcubus. 14And I looked and rose up: and I said to the chief men and the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: be not afraid of them. Remember the Lord who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, and your wives, and your houses.E fattane la rivista, andai: e dissi ai magnati, ai magistrati, e a tutto il resto del popolo: Non vi faccia paura la loro venuta. Ricordatevi del Signore grande, e terribile, e combattete pe' vostri fratelli, e pei vostri figliuoli, e figliuole, e per le vostre mogli, e per le case vostre.And I looked and rose vp: & I sayd to the princes and magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: Be not afrayd at their face: Remember our Lord great and terrible, and fight for your bretheren, your sonnes, and your daughters, and your wiues, and your houses.Et perspexi atque surrexi: et aio ad optimates et magistratus, et ad reliquam partem vulgi: Nolite timere a facie eorum: Domini magni et terribilis mementote, et pugnate pro fratribus vestris, filiis vestris, et filiabus vestris, et uxoribus vestris, et domibus vestris.
15And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that the thing had been told us, that God defeated their counsel. And we returned all of us to the walls, every man to his work.Ma avendo risaputo i nostri nemici, come noi eravamo stati avvertiti, il Signore mandò in fumo i loro disegni. E noi tornammo alle mura, ciascheduno al suo lavoro.And it came to passe, when our enimies had heard that it was told vs, God defeted their counsel. And we returned al to the walles, euery man to his worke.Factum est autem, cum audissent inimici nostri nuntiatum esse nobis, dissipavit Deus consilium eorum. Et reversi sumus omnes ad muros, unusquisque ad opus suum. 16And it came to pass from that day forward, that half of their young men did the work, and half were ready for to fight, with spears, and shields, and bows, and coats of mail, and the rulers were behind them in all the house of Juda.E da quel giorno in poi la metà della gioventù lavorava, e la metà stava pronta a combattere colle sue lance, e scudi, e archi, e corazze; e i capi loro stavano dietro a tutta la famiglia di Giuda.And it came to passe from that day, the halfe part of their yongmen did the worke, and halfe was ready to battel, and speares, & sheilds, and bowes, and cotes of mayle, and the princes behind them in al the house of IudaEt factum est a die illa, media pars juvenum eorum faciebat opus, et media parata erat ad bellum: et lanceæ, et scuta, et arcus, et loricæ, et principes post eos in omni domo Juda. 17Of them that built on the wall and that carried burdens, and that laded: with one of his hands he did the work, and with the other he held a sword.E quelli, che lavoravano sulle mura, e quelli, che portavano pesi, e quei, che li caricavano, lavoravan con una mano, e coll'altra tenevan la spada.of them that built in the wal, and that carried burdens, and that laded them: with one of his hands he did the worke, & with the other he held a sword:Ædificantium in muro, et portantium onera, et imponentium: una manu sua faciebat opus, et altera tenebat gladium: 18For every one of the builders was girded with a sword about his reins. And they built, and sounded with a trumpet by me.Imperocché tutti i lavoranti portavano cinta a' fianchi la spada. E fabbricavano, e sonavan la tromba presso di me.for euery one of the builders was girded with a sword about his reynes. And they builded, and sounded with the trumpet nere me.ædificentium enim unusquisque gladio erat accinctus renes. Et ædificabant, et clangebant buccina juxta me.
19And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: The work is great and wide, and we are separated on the wall one far from another:E io dissi ai magnati, e ai magistrati, e al rimanente del popolo: Il lavoro è grande, e di lunga estensione: e noi rimanghiamo attorno alle mura separati in distanza l'uno dall'altro:And I sayd to the princes, and to the magistrates, & to the rest of the common people: The worke is great and broad, and we are seperated in the wal one far from an other:Et dixi ad optimates, et ad magistratus, et ad reliquam partem vulgi: Opus grande est et latum, et nos separati sumus in muro procul alter ab altero: 20In what place soever you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, run all thither unto us: our God will fight for us.Dovunque sentirete sonar la tromba, là correte unitamente verso di noi: il nostro Dio combatterà in nostro aiuto.in what place soeuer you shal heare the sound of the trumpet, thither runne together vnto vs: our God wil fight for vs.in loco quocumque audieritis clangorem tubæ, illuc concurrite ad nos: Deus noster pugnabit pro nobis. 21And let us do the work: and let one half of us hold our spears from the rising of the morning, till the stars appear.E noi continueremo il nostro lavoro: e la metà di noi abbia impugnata la lancia dallo spuntar dell'aurora, sino a che escan fuora le stelle.And let vs our selues doe the worke: and let the halfe part of vs hold speares from the rysing of the morning, til the starres appeare.Et nos ipsi faciamus opus, et media pars nostrum teneat lanceas ab ascensu auroræ donec egrediantur astra. 22At that time also I said to the people: Let every one with his servant stay in the midst of Jerusalem, and let us take our turns in the night, and by day, to work.In quell'occasione io dissi parimente al popolo: Ognun di voi resti col suo servo dentro Gerusalemme, e noi ci daremo la muta per lavorare di, e notte.At that time also I sayd to the people: Let euery man with his seruant tarry in the middes of Ierusalem, and let there be courses among vs by day and night to worke.In tempore quoque illo dixi populo: Unusquisque cum puero suo maneat in medio Jerusalem, et sint nobis vices per noctem et diem ad operandum. 23Now I and my brethren, and my servants, and the watchmen that followed me, did not put off our clothes: only every man stripped himself when he was to be washed.Io poi, e i miei fratelli, e la mia gente, e le guardie, che mi venivano appresso, non ci spogliavamo: nissuno posava i tuoi abiti, se non per qualche purificazione.And I and my bretheren, and my seruants, and the watchmen, that were behinde me, did not put of our clothes: euery man was made bare only to washing.Ego autem et fratres mei, et pueri mei, et custodes, qui erant post me, non deponebamus vestimenta nostra: unusquisque tantum nudabatur ad baptismum.
4:1
Year of the World 3550.
4:2
Calmet
Multitude. Hebrew and Septuagint, "army." (Calmet)
Haydock
Silly. Literally, "feeble." (Haydock)
Haydock
Day, in so short a time, as their present vigorous proceedings seem to promise, notwithstanding their feeble condition, and the paucity of their numbers. (Haydock)
Haydock
But no: we shall have time enough to hinder them, (Menochius) if the nature of their materials do it not for us. (Haydock)
Delrio
Raise. Hebrew, "revive;" a word used for reparations of walls, etc. (Calmet) (Delrio, adag. 221.)
Worthington
Septuagint, "heal." God's providence did not permit the enemy to rage, till the work was greatly advanced; so infidels laugh at the attempts of poor priests to restore religion, which nevertheless flourishes. (Worthington)
4:3
Calmet
Leap over. Hebrew, Septuagint, etc., "break down." (Calmet)
Tirinus
Bitter sarcasm, which excites the indignation of Nehemias! (Tirinus)
4:4
Calmet
Captivity. Since they have not learnt to commiserate others. (Calmet)
4:5
Tirinus
Face. Punish the obstinate. (Tirinus)
Calmet
He does not wish that they may continue impenitent. (Calmet)
Estius
But, on that supposition, he approves of the divine justice, and foretells what will happen. (Estius)
Haydock
Revenge was equally criminal under the old law, as it is at present. But the servants of God express their approbation (Calmet) of his inscrutable counsels. The imperative in Hebrew is often used for the future tense. (Haydock)
Haydock
Mocked. Protestants, "provoked thee....before the builders." Septuagint omit most of this and the following verses; having only, "Do not hide thyself, with respect to wickedness." (Haydock)
4:6
Calmet
Thereof, all round; as masons were stationed in different parts, (ver. 19.) and not barely on one side of the city. (Calmet)
Haydock
Tobias alludes to the present lowness of the walls, ver. 3. (Haydock)
4:8
Haydock
Together, to the number of 180,000, according to the Jews; who say that they were terrified at the excommunication pronounced by 300 priests against them, while 300 young men sounded trumpets; and they fled, leaving Nehemias at liberty to continue the work. It is a pity that we have no foundation for this in Scripture. (Calmet) See 1 Esdras 4:3. (Haydock)
Haydock
The Samaritans durst not openly attack the Jews, who were under the protection of the Persian monarch. But they endeavoured clandestinely to injure them, (Tirinus) and to prepare ambushes. (Haydock)
4:10
Juda. Some of the Jews, (Menochius) who were dispirited at the greatness of the work and the threats of the enemy.
Calmet
Burdens. Septuagint, "of the enemies." Arabic, "the Jews were strengthened, there were many porters, but they could not finish the work." (Calmet)
Tirinus
Rubbish to be removed. (Tirinus)
4:12
Menochius
Ten times, frequently. (Menochius)
Places, among the Cuthites.
Haydock
Whence they. Protestants, "ye return unto us, they will be upon you." Hebrew, the second person is put for the third, which occurs in the Septuagint, etc., though they refer it to the enemy. "They come up from all places against us." (Haydock)
Calmet
De Dieu would translate, "return to us," cultivate the friendship of Sanaballat; or "return home," and leave off this work. The sense of the Vulgate is the most easy, and the best. (Calmet)
4:13
Place. Hebrew adds, "below."
Haydock
Round. Hebrew, "on the hills." (Haydock)
To remove the apparent contradiction, (Calmet) Protestants supply, "and on the higher places." Septuagint, "in lurking holes," skepeinois.
4:14
Haydock
Remember. These are the most powerful arguments to encourage an army. (Haydock)
4:16
Calmet
Their. Hebrew, "my servants," (Menochius) half of whom only wrought, while the rest stood guard. If we adhere to the Vulgate, we must suppose that Nehemias altered his first plan, and ordered almost all to be ready to fight or to labour, as occasion might require, ver. 17. (Calmet)
Menochius
In. "Over, (Haydock) or behind all the family of Juda," (Vatable) encouraging the people by word, and sometimes by example. (Tirinus) (Menochius)
4:17
Calmet
Sword. Hebrew, "dart." (Calmet)
Ep. Her
The expression seems to be proverbial. So Ovid makes Canacea speak, "My right hand holds the pen, my left the sword;" (Haydock) while I write, I am on the point of killing myself. (Calmet) Dextra tenet calamum, strictum tenet altera ferrum. (Ep. Her.)
4:18
Menochius
By me, when the enemy appeared. (Menochius)
4:20
Haydock
For us. Yet we must act with prudence and courage. (Haydock)
4:22
Calmet
Midst. Before they had gone home. (Calmet)
Haydock
Let us. Protestants, "that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day." (Haydock)
4:23
Clothes, even to sleep.
Haydock
Only. Septuagint Complutensian, "man and his arms to the water." (Haydock)
Junius
They went armed to fetch water; (Malvenda) or they had their armour and water always at hand. (Junius, etc.)
Calmet
Hebrew, "each kept his dart at the water." It may have various senses. (Calmet)
Tirinus
Protestants agree with the Vulgate, "saving that every one put them off for washing" (Haydock) them, or themselves. (Tirinus)
4:2
It was Gods prouidence that the enemies mocking at the reparation of Ierusalem did not so furiously resist, til the worke was performed: so sometimes heretikes scoffe at the ende•••••• of poore priestes laboring to restore Catholique religion: but whether they scoffe or rage, Gods holie worke procedeth and prospereth.
4:16
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 34
… x. 14 ) is untenable and would require “shakers off” to be substituted for “shaken off,” Jerome reverts to the Hebrew as before and declares that the true rendering is that of Symmachus and Theodotion, viz. “children of youth.” He points out that the LXX. (by whom the Latin translators had been misled) fall into the same mistake at
4:2
2. Num dimittent eos gentes? — q. d. Num nos Judæorum vicini, qui sumus gentes tot et tam validæ, sinemus ut Judæi suam Jerusalem ædificent, ex qua deinde nos invadant et vexent uti olim fecerunt? q. d. Minime gentium; nullo modo id nos permittere oportet, ut arcem hanc condant et nostris humeris imponant. NUM SACRIFICABUNT ET COMPLEBUNT UNA DIE? — q. d. Putantne se una die, id est brevissimo tempore, posse inchoare fabricam tantæ urbis (quod fiebat sacrificando et muros dedicando, indeque læte epulando) et simul complere? q. d. Neutiquam; nam tempestive occurremus, eosque interturbabimus, et per vim a fabrica cessare cogemus. NUMQUID ÆDIFICARE POTERUNT LAPIDES DE ACERVIS PULVERIS, QUI COMBUSTI SUNT? — Hebraice pro « ædificare » est vivificare, Septuaginta, sanare, q. d. Numquid lateres et lapides a Chaldæis combustos, et in cinerem redactos, Judæi poterunt reformare, et in pristinam lapidum laterumque soliditatem, robur et usum restituere, ut ex illis muros reædificent? q. d. Judæi tentant rem perdifficlem, imo fabricam impossibilem.
4:3
3. SI ASCENDERIT VULPES, TRANSILIET MURUM EORUM. — Hebræus, vulpes ascendet et dirumpet murum lapideum eorum. Est sarcasmus sive hostilis irrisio, q. d. Agant, laborent, sudent Judæi quantum volunt, tam fragilis et humilis erit murus quem erigunt, ut a vulpe transiliri, imo dirui possit. Ita Cajetanus.
4:5
5. Ne operias iniquitatem eorum — oblivione et impunitate, q. d. Recordare, Domine, harum injuriarum et sannarum quibus nos injuste agitant hostes nostri, eosque compesce et puni. Nam Deus cum parcit, dicitur tegere peccata; cum non parcit, sed punit, ea aperire, aspicere et ante oculos suos statuere. Unde S. Stephanus orans pro Judæis: « Domine, ait, ne statuas illis hoc peccatum, » Actorum cap. VII. Igitur Nehemias non supplicat ut Deus non ignoscat culpam pœnitentibus; hoc enim petere esset impium et diabolicum, sed ne pœnam impœnitentibus et in culpa persistentibus condonet.
4:10
10. DIXIT AUTEM JUDAS, — id est dixere Judæi, qui fessi labore et territi minis hostium cœperunt in opere languere, et obmurmurare Nehemiæ opus fabricamque urgenti. DEBILITATA EST FORTITUDO PORTANTIS, — id est operariorum et bajulorum lapides, ligna, aquam calcemque portantium humeri manusque tanto tamque assiduo, longoque labore debilitati sunt, ut amplius vix ea portare queant. ET HUMUS NIMIA EST, — q. d. Opus est nimia calce, humo, vel, ut Hebraice et Græce est, pulvere, intrita et commixta. Aut simplicius, q. d. « Humus, » id est in effodienda humo ac jaciendis murorum fundamentis, rudera terræ et lapidum nimis multa exhaurienda restant, quam ut a paucis operariis bajulisque eruderari et exportari queant. Vicit tamen hanc quoque suorum querelam Nehemiæ in patiendo lenitas, et in animando eos constantia.
4:12
12. DICENTIBUS NOBIS PER DECEM VICES, — id est pluries dicebant et indicabant nobis hostium insidias, et instantes occultos eorum insultus: EX OMNIBUS LOCIS, — q. d. Undique veniebant indices idem indicantes, scilicet hostes cogitare per insidias nos aggredi. Quocirca Nehemias suos armans et in acie collocans hostium insidias prævertit, discussit et avertit.
4:17
17. ÆDIFICANTIUM, etc. (subaudi unusquisque) UNA MANU SUA FACIEBAT OPUS ET ALTERA TENEBAT GLADIUM, — ut hostes repente ex insidiis incurrentes repelleret. Nota hic prudentiam æque ac constantiam et ardorem populi in fabricando. Sic olim Hispani assidue cum Saracenis Hispaniam occupantibus confligentes, cum orarent, aut quid aliud agerent, gladium ad manus habebant, ut eos incursantes propellerent; unde mos adhuc viget, ut nunc quoque rustici in Hispania gladiati incedant, imo non arent nisi gladio accincti. Sic etiamnum Hungari ab aratro prosiliunt ad arma, cum vicini Turcæ repente eos invadunt. Allegoriam et tropologiam vide apud Bedam qui ait: « Ædificantes namque gladio accinguntur renes, cum hi qui bonis insistunt operibus, et commissos sibi regulari curant ratione disponere (hoc enim est vivos lapides in ædificio Ecclesiæ ordine competenti locare), fluxo in se luxuriæ acumine verbi Dei restringere satagunt. » Igitur dum rationi, operi charitatis, prædicationi, aliisque piis virtutum actibus, quibus fabricam spiritualem meritorum in anima construimus, insistimus, altera manu teneamus gladium mortificationis, quo carnis tentationes et diaboli mundique suggestiones vanæ gloriæ, superbiæ, invidiæ, gulæ, libidinis, etc., fortiter repellamus, imo a nobis amputemus. Hæc sunt « arma justitiæ, » quibus quemlibet fidelem « a dextris et sinistris » communit Apostolus, II Cor. VI, 7, et fusius Ephes. VI, 13: « Induite, inquit, armaturam Dei, ut possitis resistere in die malo, et in omnibus perfecti stare. » Deinde panopliam, qua militem Christi a capite ad talos obarmat, assignat, nimirum cingulum veritatis, loricam justitiæ, calceum præparationis Evangelii, scutum fidei, galeam salutis et gladium spiritus, quod est verbum Dei. Vide ibi dicta.
4:21
21. Donec egrediantur astra, — scilicet usque ad noctem, quando astra videntur quasi prodire e suis antris vel thalamis, in quibus tota die fulgente sole latuerunt, ut nocturnas agant excubias. Loquitur Scriptura ad sensum vulgi, quod censet astra per diem in suis latibulis abscondi, e quibus per noctem prodeant, ut stationem suam quasi castrensem peragant usque ad auroram, cum suas latebras repetunt, et « Lucifer a statione novissimus exit. » Ita Vatablus.
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22. Unusquisque cum puero (puta cum famulo suo) MANEAT (noctu quoque) IN MEDIO JERUSALEM, — nec alio abeat, ut si noctu hostes nos invadant, omnes simul juncti eis occurramus et resistamus. ET SINT NOBIS VICES PER NOCTEM ET DIEM AD OPERANDUM. — Hebræus et Septuaginta, Et sit nobis nox custodia et dies opus. Clare Vatablus: Quisque cum puero suo pernoctet in medio Jerosolyma, ut noctu sint nobis excubiæ, interdiu autem in opus, ut scilicet noctu custodiant nos, et interdiu operentur in muro. Jubet ergo Nehemias ut omnes in urbe pernoctent cum famulis, atque ex eis aliqui designentur, qui noctu per vices excubent, cæteri vero dormiant, sed fere vestiti, ut si excubitores signum adventantis hostis dederint, illico armis correptis iis occurrant; per diem vero ita munia partiantur, ut pars una operetur, altera cum lanceis armata operantibus ad tutelam assistat.
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23. EGO AUTEM ET FRATRES MEI, ET PUERI MEI, ET CUSTODES QUI ERANT POST ME NON DEPONEBAMUS VESTIMENTA, — ut ego quasi dux cæteros cives et milites idem facere docerem, non tam verbo et jussu, quam facto et exemplo, ut scilicet vestes et arma noctu non deponerent, juxta illud ducis illius apud Livium, lib. VII: « Facta non dicta mea vos milites sequi volo: nec disciplinam modo, sed exemplum etiam a me petere. » Quod fecit Cato, de quo Lucanus, lib. IX: Ipse manu sua pila gerens præcedit anheli Militis ora, pedes: monstrat tolerare labores, Non docet. Simili modo cum in Belgio degerem, Marchio Spinola biennio obsidens Ostendam, per septem integros menses dormiens vestes nunquam exuit, atque hac sua vigilantia tandem urbem in maris faucibus sitam, ideoque quasi inexpugnabilem, cepit, magnaque nominis sui gloria de ea triumphavit. UNUSQUISQUE TANTUM NUDABATUR AD BAPTISMUM, — Hebræus, cujusque dimissio vel depositio ejus (ejus redundat, more Hebræo) intellige vestium de quibus sermo præcessit, ad aquas, scilicet baptismales, id est purificatorias, cum nimirum vellet corpus abluere, seque mundare. Judæi enim tum ob immunditiem legalem, quam contactu rei legaliter immundæ, v. g. ex conversatione cum Gentilibus, facile contrahebant; tum ob calorem indeque sudorem et fœtorem, tum ob sordes aliunde contractos (unde Ammianus, lib. II, et Martialis, lib. IV Epigram. IV, Judæos appellant fœtentes) crebro totum corpus abluebant, imo vestes quoque et lectos. Vide dicta Marci cap. VII, vers. 3.
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SAMARITANI (EBR. SŌMRŌNĪM; GR. ΟἹ ΣΑΜΑΡΕΙ͂ΤΑΙ)
Dopo il ritorno degli Ebrei dall'esilio, ai S. non fu concesso di collaborare alla restaurazione del Tempio (Estd. 4, 2); ripulsa che acui maggiormente la mutua avversione (Neh. 4, 1-23). Il governatore Sanaballat, horonita, cercò di conciliare le due parti sposando sua figlia a un discendente del sommo sacerdote Eliasib; ma Neemia esiliò il genero del governatore …
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… Baalis fece uccidere Godolia (v.; ibid. 25, 25 e Ier. 40, 14-41, 2); realizzarono il loro antico sogno occupando la zona di Gad (Ier. 49, 1). Al ritorno dei Giudei dall'esilio, si unirono ai Samaritani per ostacolare la restaurazione di Gerusalemme (Neh. 4, 2-8).
Fin dal 722 a. C., e specialmente dall'esilio babilonese (sec. vi a. C.), Israele era ridotto alla sola tribù di Giuda; gli Israeliti si chiamarono quindi « Giudei » (Ier. 40, 11-15; 44, 26; Zach. 8, 23; Esch. 2, 5; 3, 6; 9, 29, ecc.; Esd. 4, 12, ecc.; Neh. 4, 2; 5, 17; 6, 6, ecc.; specissimo in I-II Mach. e nel Nuovo Testamento).
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… Sono essi stessi assorbiti dagli Arabi (bē-nē-qedem «figli dell'oriente»; Ez. 25, 4), coi quali appaiono già mescolati nel sec. v a. C. (Neh. 2, 10; 4, 7). Dopo la conquista macedone, il loro territorio ha nome Ἀμμανίτης (Fl. Giuseppe, Ant. Ind., IV, 5, 3; cf. H. Vincent, in Rev. Bibl., 29 [1920], pp. 182-88). Nei secc. …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · Douay-Rheims originale (Douai 1609-10), trascrizione 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')). Pubblico dominio.