Job 2

The first part of this chapter is a continuation of the narration, which was begun in the foregoing, of the calamities which befel this good man; whom God suffered the devil to afflict in his body, as he had already done in his goods and children. And then follows a farther testimony of his constancy, notwithstanding his wife’s angry and profafce accusation of the Divine Providence: though, it is true, he was so much dejected to see himself reduced to this extremity of misery, that neither he, nor his friends that came to visit him, were able for several days to speak a word. Vcr. 1. JXGAIN there was a day when the $071$ of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.] After these things the angels going again to attend the pleasure of the Divine Majesty, and to give an account of their several charges, Satan also openly appeared among them, and presented himself as ready and desirous to be examined about his management. Idws iu tho next verse, the latter part of which caa hardly be excused from tautology. In this chapter there arc several commendable qualities to be observed in Tobit. 1. That when all the tribes revoltcd to idolatry and ate forbidden meat, he was careful to go up to Jerusalem to worship the true God, in tho place set apart by God himself. 2. That he did this when he was young, and the example of the generality of his countrymen urged him to the contrary. 3. That he, out of a religious regard to God’s appointment, observed the stated anniversary feasts nnd holy times of the Jewish church, as the Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. 4. He was exact in paying the several tithes and oblations to the priests, and. others who were authorized to receive them. 5. His dutiful regard to his parents’ instructions is very observable in all matters of moment. 6. His great charity to those of his own kindred and nation, in feeding and clothing, and even burying them himself, at the hazard of his own life and safety, finishes and perfects his character. Vcr. 1. Jjl GOOD dinner was prepared me, in the ivhich I sat down to eat J] kvi-nt<ja tqv <jayuv* Syr. Cumque accubuissem ad edendum; and Junius, Accumbens ad edendurn. From this, and part of vct. 4. which the Vulgate renders, Statimqve exsiliens de accubitu suo, wc may conjecture, that in Tobit’s time the posture of lying at meals prevailed: that custom we know was common in the east; and after that the Jews had acquaintance and dealings with the Babylonians, Persians, and Syrians, little or no mention is made of sitting at meals. (See note on Judith xii. 15.) Vcr. 2. And when I saw abundance of meat, I said to my son, Go, and bring what poor man soever thou shalt find out of our brethren, who is mindful of the Lord, and, lo, I tarry for thee…] Thus 1 Esd. ix. 51. Go then, and eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send part to them that have nothing, for this day is holy unto the Lord. And Eccl. ix. 16. the wise man’s advice is to the same purpose, Let just men eat and drink with thee. Agreeably to what our Saviour says, Wlien thou makest a feast call the poor. (Luke xiv. 13.) Plutarch gives this extraordinary character of Cymon the Athenian, avzkafjifiave rove Trcvrjrac, SttTrvov kciQ* rt/i(pav rw &onivii> 7rapEXMv, in Vit. Pericl. which is confirmed by JLactantius, ff Egentibus stipcm dedit, et paupcres invitavit" (Lib. vi. 9.) And every good-man, says he in another place, should do so, " Justi et sapientis viri domus non illustribus debet paterc, sed humilibus et abjectis." (Lib. Yi. 12.) Charity sets all persons, both rich and poor, upon an equal footing, acknowledging the same God as the common parent and father of all. This influenced Tobit’s conduct on the occasion; and on the same generous principle and noble motive were the agapce, or love-feasts, among the primitive Christians founded, in which the rich fed and relieved the poor. One sees from this example of Tobit, that the Jews observed certain festival-days, especially those of most note and distinction, which were recommended to, them either by some temporal or spiritual mercy, and accounted them holy; Festi dies Domini, the Vulgate calls them. Secondly, That on these they had set feasts and entertainments, and fared better than at other times, and this in compliance with the appointment of the law, which on certain occasions ordered these religious repasts. (Exod. xii.) Thirdly, That on these solemn anniversary days, it was the constant custom to invite the poor and orphans, widows and strangers, or, if hindered, to send portions to them. Vcr. 3. One of our nation is strangled, and is cast out in the market-place.] It seems from this instance, as if the Israelites were evil-treated, and escaped little better in the time of Esar-haddon than in the former reign. Joscphus mentions the like barbarity, as practised by the zealots on their countrymen; and all that the friends of the deceased could dare to do, was now and then in the dark to cast a little dust with their hands upon the bodies that were ex* posed. (Dc Bell. Jud. lib. iv.) No wonder that such an instance of cruelty affected young Tobias, who possessed his father’s tenderness of spirit. It is a sight indeed shocking to human nature, and not only affronts man but God himself, in whose image man is made. Homer informs us how angry Jupiter and Apollo were with Achilles, for abusing and neglecting to bury the body of Hector; that Achilles, by such an act of inhumanity, had lost all mercy and modesty. “EAtwv filv a7T(JA6<r£v ovSI <n aiSwc. The very heathens counted this the greatest calamity, and such as hindered the deceased from entering into a state of happiness: hence probably it was that Patroclus, in the same poet, docs so earnestly solicit the same stern hero to bury him. The like earnest suit does Palinurus in Virgil put up to jEncas for the same favour. Horace brings in a dead corpse, promising a reward from Jupiter to him that should cast some earth upon it; but if he should refuse to do this good work of humanity, that no sacrifice should be able to expiate the crime. And because want of burial was counted one of the greatest disgraces and punishments that could be inflicted on the dead, hence self-murderers were debarred the privilege of interment. (Sec St. Austin de Cura pro mortuis gerenda, and Spelman dc Scpultura, 2 Esd. ii. 23.) THE BOOK OF TOBIT\ an act, and from the consideration of his own safety, which would have been endangered hereby, that he did not in person do this, but ordered the dead body to be removed out of sight by others; or if he did do this, says Calmet, we mnst suppose that he ate his meat at his return separate, and by himself; and perhaps by eating his bread in heaviness, the text may seem to intimate his being thus lonely and apart. And for the like reasons they have concluded that it was carried to another’s, and not his own house* Our version indeed leaves it at large, but the Roman and some other Greek copies expressly read ugn tmcij/xa, in domum quandam, as Junius renders, Ver. 1; J1.ND in the eighteenth year…] The placing the expedition of Holofernes in. this year seems to be in consequence of the former mistake, (i. 13.) and a continuation, saysPridcaux^ of the same blunder. (Connex. vol.i. p. 29.) Jerome’s version has the thirteenth year here, the expedition of Holofernes being the year after the battle of Ragau, which, according to that version, was in the twelfth of Nabuchodonosor. And with this agrees Usher, in his Annals, A. M. 3348. It is said here to be in the two-and-twentieth day of the first month, i. e. in that part of the month Nisan, or in the beginning of spring, called in the Hebrew the Teturn of the year; which the Scripture takes notice of, as the usual time when kings go forth to battle. (2 Sam.xi.2.) " chapter, ver. 7 — 10. yrj and oiKovfiivr) arc both taken frequently in Scripture in a restrained sense to signify a particular country; Judea, especially, is often so denominated. THE BOOK OF JUDITH. ever kings of Assyria? Did they conquer Cappadocia, Cilicia, Syria, Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Phoenicia? Or, rather, did not all these provinces make part of the empire, which they received from their ancestors?”

Job 2:1

jrm.ND it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a xvhirlwind. By a mighty sound of wind which the angels raised, who came to fetch him: of which translation he himself had some notice, by the spirit of prophecy.., r i., t>. A * That Elijah went with Elislia from Gilgal.] Unto this place he retired before his assumption to heaven, it having been (as Abarbinel discourses) a place.of great holiness; where the Israelites made their first encampment, after they entered the land of Canaan; and where Joshua had set up twelve stones, taken out of Jordan, in memory of their miraculous passage over that river. Here also Joshua circumcised the Israelites, and kept the first passover, and set up the tabernacle, and the ark *of the covenant, which remained here a long time..;

Job 2:2

And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Beth-el. Another place in ancient time Tery holy, God appearing here to Jacob more than once, (Gen. xxviii. 19. xxxv. 6. i).) This Elijah said to try Elisha; for he did not intend to conceal his assumption into heaven, and to have no witnesses of it. His humility indeed was great, but it was not fit to obscure the glory of God, which herein miraculously appearod. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy tsoul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they two went down to Beth-el.’] They were not wont anciently to swear by the name of God (out of the reverence they bare to him), but by some lesser thing which depended on it; as Joseph did by the life of Pharaoh; that is, as true as that Pharaoh lives. And Elisha puts, both here together, as sure as God liveth, and thou livest, I will not leave thee. (See Grotius, de Jure Belli et Pacis, lib. ii. cap. 13. n. 2.) And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence contest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.] But not daring to speak before he was called, he waited till the Divine Majesty asked where he had been, and what he had done. To which he answered, as he had done before, that he had not lost his time, but had fetched a circuit round about the earth, to find opportunity for the exercise of his power, And concluded the afflicting of the whole earth out of Ms own month.] Kal avvEKaXtae rfjv tzaictav rfjc yvQ £* rov (TTofiaTog avrov. This verb seems to have crept in from the beginning* of this verse, and to have no place here. Other copies have (tuvctAco*, which our version follows; but * it will be difficult to fetch the sense given in it from the present Greek.’ As it now stands, it differs very little from what goes before, and what follows. Badwell’s sense of the place is new and agreeable: " He declared to, and laid before his nobles whom he had convened, all the rudeness offered to him from the nations he had sent to, and the contemptuous treatment his ambassadors’ met with." The authors of the Geneva version manifestly understood it in this sense when they rendered, He communicated with themhis secret counsel, and set before them with his own mouth all the malice of the earth. Arid Junius’s rendering is to the same effect, Colligens mnne malum regionum istarum ore suo. And so Calmet, Nabuchodonosor represents lui mfone la malice de toute la terre. When it is here said that ho meditated revenge pn the whole earth, this is not to be understood absolutely/but includes such people and nations only, as refused to attend his summons, those mentioned in the former

Job 2:3

And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha. In these very corrupt times, and in that place where the golden calves wero worshipped, God did not wholly forsake the Israelites; but continued the schools of the prophets among them. For by the sons of the propliets are meant the scholars of the prophets, whom they educated, and trained up in religion and piety; and God, by degrees, bestowed on some of them the spirit of prophecy..This was a great testimony of God’s love to an apostate people; among whom he left prophets to recover them from their idolatry. For even in the chief place of impiety (which was Beth-el) they were not wanting. And it is still more remarkable", that prophets of -greater excellency for their miracles were continued in Israel than were in Judah; because they needed them more, to turn their hard hearts from the worship of idols; and to support the pious persons that remained among them, and proserve them from deserting their religion. For it seems to me very probable, that these sons of Ute propliets were such ministers j to the prophets, as the evangelists were’to the apostles: whom the prophets sent to publish their prophecies and instructions to the people, where they could not go themselves. And perhaps they taught them the law of God, and explained it to them; of which there was great need in those idolatrous times. And said unto him, Knoivest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to-day?] It was revealed to some of them by God, and they, told it to the rest of the company of the prophets. Who allude to their manner of sitting in their school, when they say God would take away Elijah from his head: that is, deprive him of his in-, structions. \ For, it is well known, that the scholars sat below at their master’s feet, and the master above over their head, when they taught them. And he said, Yea, I know it; hold you your peace.] Say no more of it: I would not be disturbed with the thoughts of it. Or, let not my master know that I understand it.’< - And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although tJiou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.) Well then, said the Lord, art not thou convinced how true a character 1 gave of my servant Job, and how much thou hast calumniated him? for he still resolutely continues as perfectly virtuous as ho was in his prosperity, though I have consented to these miserable calamities which he suffers undeservedly. JL HAT a man should eat the flesh of his own son, and the flesh of his own daughter.’] This is to be understood of the first siege of Jerusalem, by the Babylonians, the misery of which Jeremiah thus pathetically describes, They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: the hands, of the pitiful tvomen have sodden their own children; they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter ofmypeople,Ijam.vr.9,10. see also ii. 20. The like unnatural cruelty happened at the siege of Jerusalem by Titus, when tho distress by famine was so great, " That wives tore away the meat out of the mouths of their husbands, children from their parents, and mothers forced the food from the mouths of their infants, and took away even the drops ofmilk, the last support of their just-expiring babes; but what was most surprising and unnatural, the very instinct of parents towards their children was extinguished by the famine; for they ate their own sons and daughters without horror." (Jos. de Bell. Jud. lib. v. cap. 10. lib. vi. cap. 3.) The like happened at the siege of Samaria. (2 Kings vi. 28, 29.) In all which lamentable instances was fulfilled that passage, Deut. xxviii. 56. The tender and delicate xvoman which would not venture to set the sole of her foot npon the ground for delicateness, her eye shall be evil towards the husband of her bosom, and towards her son, and towards her daughter.

Job 2:4

And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee. He doth not lay his commands upon him, (as he. did unto a former servant," 1 Kings xix. 3.) but only entreats him, and in a more tender manner than he did before/to accompany him no further. For the Lord hath sent me to Jericho.] Another remarkable place, as Abarbinel observes, to which he went: that, as Moses, when he turned hisface towards this place, (Deut. xxxiv. 1.) departed this life; so this should be the last place wherein Elijah would remain, before he left the world. A place also famous for many miracles done there. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.] He hoped for some great blessing from him, when he was carried up to heaven 4 and therefore continued firm in his resolution, to attend that wonderful change. And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin; and all that a man hath ivill he give for his life.’] To which Satan answered again and said, that his constancy, was not so wonderful, since a man hath reason to think himself rich who is in health. Who is there that will not give another’s skin to save his own; nay, part with his children, as well as his goods, to save his life? Then before I had tasted any meat, I start up, and took him into a room until the going down of the sun. Called Holofernes…] Some annotators are of opinion, that the word Holofernes is of Persian extract, in the same manner as Tisaphcrnes, Intaphernes, &c. but others imagine, that this general was a native either of Pontus or Cappadocia. Polybius makes mention of one of that name, who having conquered Cappadocia, soon lost it again by endeavouring to change the ancient customs of the country, and to introduce drunkenness, together with feasts and rites to Bacchus. Whereupon Casaubon conjectures, that this was the same Holofernes that commanded Nebuchadnezzar’s forces; as it must be owned, that his riot and debauchery, as well as the rapidity of his conquests, make him not unlike him. (Polyb. lib. x. cap. 11. and Casaub. in Athen.) The chief captain of his army which was next unto him.] By Zonaras he is called Archisatrapas, by Tertullian and St. Austin, Rex; on account probably of the supreme power and command which he had. He seems to have been in the same favour, dignity, and power, with Nabuchodonosor, as Joseph was with Pharaoh in Egypt, and Hainan with Ahasuerus in Persia, (Esth. iii.) and Achiacharus with Esar-haddon in Assyria. (Tob. i.)

Job 2:5

Arid the sons of the prophets that tvere at Jericho, came to Elisha, and said unto him/Kriowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to-day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold youyour peace.] Here was another school, where the same holy Spirit revealed the mind of God to them; as it had done at Beth-el. And it is a probable opinion of Kimchi, who affirms there. were the like schools in other cities of Israel. Ver/6. And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, here, I pray thee; for the J^ord hath sent me unto Jordan.] Another place, where God had wrought great wonders..’ Not far from which, as Kimchi notes, the.great prophet Moses died; and therefore God intended to. translate Elijah near to this place. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth; I will not leave thee. And they two went on.] From Jericho to the river Jordan. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he ivill curse thee to thy face.] But enlarge now my commission a little farther, and let me afflict his body, so that it touch him to the very quick, and he will openly renounce thee, and deny thy providence. Ver. G. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.) To which the Divine Majesty (knowing the fidelity of Job, which hereby would become moire illustrious) was pleased to yield; and said, Behold, I give thee the same power over his person which thou hadst over his family and goods: inflict what diseases thou wilt upon him, so they do not kill him. Then I returned and washed myself and ate my meat in heaviness.] " He rose immediately upon his son’s relation (says St Ambrose) from the entertainment to which he had invited many Israelites, the children of his people; his piety would not permit him to feed and refresh his own body as long as the corpse of a deceased countryman and brother lay publicly exposed and unburied. Non putabat pium, ut ipse cibum stimeret, cum in publico corpus jaceret exanime." (Lib. de Tobia.) It has been matter of inquiry, especially among the commentators, whether Tobit himself removed the dead body, and whether he carried it to his own house or to one in the neighbourhood. His readiness indeed to do such an act of kindness appears from i. 18. But if Tobit was really the person that took up the dead corpse, though he might use the ceremony of washing himself before he returned to meat, as is here affirmed of him, yet how could he escape notwithstanding being legally polluted by the touch, or forget what is mentioned Numb. xix. 11. that he that toucheth a dead body, shall be unclean seven days? It has therefore been thought more reasdnablo to suppose, both on account of the pollution attending such And the number of horses, with their riders, twelve thousand.].Here our translators have, with great judgment, followed the Alexandrian copy, which has x<X<aSac, instead of the other copies iivpiaScjv.’ No doubt ixvptadwv S&ca Svw is a mistake here, and seems to have been the gloss to the number in the line above, x’AtaSac ^arbv titcovi, over against which some hand had put the usual way of expressing that number, viz. twelve myriads; and this by mistake afterward crept into the text in the line below.

Job 2:6

Remembering that propheq/ of Amos, as he said, Your feasts sltall be turned into mourning, and all your mirth into lamentation. Therefore I wept. Amos prophesied under the reign of Oziah king of Judah, and Jeroboam king of Israel, about fourscore years before the event here mentioned. It appears from hence, that Tobit read the Scriptures with great attention, and that he occasionally applied what he read. Amos in the place referred to either foretells the misery of the captivity, in which Tobit and his epuntrymen were involved under the Assyrians, which Tobit then saw and bewailed the accomplishment of; or he accommodates the words of the prophet to their present unhappy state and circumstances, when, instead of celebrating their feasts with joy and gladness, as usual in their own country, they groaned under the yoke and tyranny of their oppressors, being denied even the innocent liberty and commendable right of burying their murdered countrymen, without manifestly incurring the danger of their lives. A spirit full of tenderness and sympathy like Tobit’s, could not be insensible at such a melancholy juncture; thereflection on his own danger, and the continual injuries his brethren were exposed to, called forth his tears; but more especially was he grieved, when he considered the sins and idolatry which had provoked God to deliver his chosen into captivity, and to inflict such heavy judgments upon them.

Job 2:7

And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off. They were confident the time of his assumption drew near, and were very desirous, if it were possible, to see the manner of it: but were not ad- Microsoft ® A COMMENTARY UPON [chap. ii. mittcd to accompany him to the place, where he was taken up to heaven, as Elisha did; for they took this view at Jericho, (ver. 15.) Arid they two stoodby Jordan.] The rest being forbidden, I suppose, to go thither with him. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore biles, from the sole of his foot unto his croion.] No sooner had Satan obtained this new.grant, but, withdrawing himself from the presence of the Divine Majesty, he went to pursue his mischievous desires; and smote Job from top to toe with a fiery ulcer, whose sharp humour was extreme grievous and painful, and pricked him (according to his wish) to the very bone. Vcr. 8. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.] The filthiness of the disease also increased that sorrow and heaviness which before had seized on him, and made him sit down in the ashes; where he laid hold on what came next to hand, a piece of a broken pot, to wipe away the foul matter which issued out of his biles. After the going down of the sun, I went and made a grave, and buried him. Thou shalt declare unto them, that they prepare for me earth and water.] This, according to the margin, is after the, manner of the kings of Persia, to v)hom earth and water were wont to be given, in acknowledgment of their being lords of land and sea. Thus Darius, to make trial which of the Grecians would submit to him, and which would not, sent heralds to all their cities to demand earth and water. On the arrival of these heralds, several of the Grecian cities, dreading the power of the Persians, did as was required of them; but when those who were sent to Athens and Laccdemon came thither with this commission, they flung them, the one into a well, and the other into a deep pit, and bid them.fetch earth and water thence. But this being done in the heat of their rage, they repented of it when come to a cooler temper, and would gladly have made any satisfaction for the wrong that would have been accepted of; and the Lacedemonians sent a proper person on purpose to Susa to make an offer hereof. (Herod, lib.vii.) From the tribute here demanded, some have inferred, that it was aPersian monarch that gave these imperious ordcrs,and they confirm this opinion from these farther reasons: 1. Thd Apostolical Constitutions mention what is here recorded to have happened tiri Aapdov. (Lib. viii. 2.) 2. The name of Holofernes, the general of this army, and next in power to the king, like those of Tissaphernes, Artaphernes, Intaphernes, Barzaphernes, is known by its termination to be of Persian extraction. 3. It appears from Josephus, (Ant. lib. xi. 5.) that Joacim, mentioned in this history, iv. 6. was not high-priest till the end of D&rius’s reign. 4. The hymn of thanksgiving upon the wonderful deliverance God had vouchsafed his people, mentions particularly that the Persians quaked at her boldness, and theMedes were daunt* ed at her hardiness, which seems to imply their having a principal share in this war. This history cannot be assigned to the times of Nebuchadnezzar, who carried the two tribes captives, inasmuch as it is declared therein, v. 18, 19. that it happened after the return of those tribes out of captivity, long after the death of that king. A learned writer, and a great stickler for this opinion, surmises, that the Jews changed the name of Darius into Nabuchodonosor, when they set up their spurious Messias, Bar Chocab, and that the true era of this history is in the thirty-sixth year of Darius. (Whiston’s Hist, of the Old Test. vol. i. p. 369.) Others, without having any recourse to the corruption of the text, suppose, that some Persian king, who resembled Nebuchadnezzar in his designs and actions, is here called by his name, inlike manner as any noted conspirator may be called a Catiline. Sulpicius Severus, from the likeness of the two characters, will have Ochus, the successor of Artaxerxes, to be the person, who was very cm el and fond of going to war. (Sacr. Hist. lib. ii. cap. 22.) Some have fixed upon Cambyses, particularly Eusebius, (in Chron.) St. Aaistiri(lib.xViii. cap. 16. deCiv.Dci),andtheVenerable Bede, and have assigned it as the reason why Cambyses opposed the building of the temple, (Ezra iv.) because the Jews killed Holofernes. But this history of Judith cannot fall in with the twelfth of Cambyses, (see ver. 1.) as that prince lived but seven years and five months; (Herod, lib. iii.) but whoever is fixed upon, there seems to lie this objection against the conjecture in general, that Nabuchodonosor here mentioned, is all along particularly characterized as king of the Assyrians, (i. 7. 11. ii.1.4, &c.) and his general, as chief captain of the army of Assur, (ii. 4. 14. v. 1. vi. 1, &c.) As this particularity therefore seems necessarily to confine it to a Babylonian or an Assyrian monarch, and as the times of Nebuchadnezzar suit not with those of this history, might we not rather imagine, if a change of names through any Jewish corruption of the copies is to be suspected or admitted, that they changed the name of the king of Assyria or Babylon, Saosduchinus, or some other, into NabuchodonoSor? Farther, if the demand of earth and water was not peculiar to the Persians, but in use among other nations, and is only a common form of acknowledging “subjection; and if the Persians are td be considered here only as auxiliaries, as seems most probable from i. 7. and were, among others, summoned themselves to assemble at Nabuchodonosor’s command, — then what is here recorded should seem to belong to the times’ before Darius, or even the very establishment of the Persian empire; for it cannot be supposed, that when that was in its glory, the Persians under Cambyses, Darius, or Xerxes, or indeed any of their kings, then lords of tho east, should be so obsequious to the commands of the proud Assyrian, as to assemble at his summons; or so void of policy, as to join their forces to subdue the earth to him, to enlarge his power and dominion, and in effect to lessen and diminish their own; besides, " Did any of these Persian monarchs (says Calmet) reign at Nineveh? Did they declare war against a king of the Mcdcs? Were they

Job 2:8

And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together. This mantle of his is mentioned five times in these books; thrice in this chapter, and twice in 1 Kings xix.13. 19. In all which places it is called adareth: which is a word signifying a royal robe, as ^yell as a prophetical, (Jonah iii. 6.) The LXX. in all the five places now mentioned, translate it^Xomi), which properly signifies the prophetical mantle to be made of lamb-skin: being an upper garment thrown over the shoulders, and some think coming down to the heels. t, And smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so tltat they two went over on dry ground.] God made a dry path in the middle of the river, whose waters stood oh each side of it.. But my neighbours mocked me, and said, This man is not yet afraid to be put to death for this matter; who fled away, and, yet, lo, he burieth the dead again.] To let a corpse lie exposed, putrefying in the face of the sun, seemed so inhuman, that Tobit chose rather to hazard his own life, than to endure such an offensive spectacle; and for this the angel commends him, (xii. 12.) and no wonder that he thought himself concerned to render the last kind office to an unfortunate strangled brother, when even the high-priest among the Jews, though he Was not to be present in person at the funeral, yet if by chance he found a dead corpse, was obliged to bury it himself. The primitive Christians were remarkable for the like pious zeal; no danger or threatenings could affright them from doing this charitable office to their deceased brethren, especially such who died martyrs for the faith. The Roman clergy, in an epistle to them of Carthage, (Epist. 2. int. Epist. Cypr.) reckon it as one of the greatest instances of charity, above that of relieving the poor, or ministering to the sick; and that fidelity in this matter would be highly acceptable to God, and rewarded by him: Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, speaking of the plague that reigned there, commends the Christians for carrying out their dead brethren, which they cheerfully did, notwithstanding the great danger that attended; it. St Ambrose’s sentiments on this occasion are very fine and moving; " Si viventes operire nudos prseeipimur, quanto magis debemus operire defunctorum corpora? Si viantes ad longiora deducere solemus, quanto magis inillamseternam domumprofeetos, unde jam non revertentur? nihil hoc officio prsestantius, ei conferre, qui tibi jam non potuit Teddere, vindicare a volatilibus, vindicare a bestiis consortem naturae. Feraehanc humanitatem defunctis corporibus dedisse produntur; homines negabunt?” (Cap. 1, 2.)

Job 2:9

And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken from thee. And Elisha said, Let, I pray thee, a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.] They are much mistaken, who imagine he begged as much more of the Spirit as Elijah had; for that had been very arrogant; He only desired to have such a portion of it, as the firstborn in a family had of his father’s estate. That is, as much more of his spirit, as any of the rest of the sons of the prophets: for the portion of the first-born was double to that of the rest of the children. In short, he did not desire to excel his master, but his school-fellows. (See P. Fagius upon Deut. xxi. 17.) Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought 7] Yes, said Satan; he serves himself rather than thee: it is not thy pleasure which he regards, but his own profit Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.] And it was a farther addition to his grief, to hear his dear consort (whom the Divine Goodness he thought had still left to help him to bear his affliction) utter this profane speech, What a folly is it still to persist in the service of God, when all thou gettest by it is to give him thanks and perish. The same night also I returned from the burial, and slept by the wall of my court-yard, being polluted^] Str Ambrose says, that he slept “in cubiculo suo,” in his chamber; but it seems most probable, from the accident which is related afterward, that he reposed himself in the court-yard by the wall of the house, not through fatigue, as if sleep had overtaken him just at the entrance of his house, nor on account of the excessive heat, as the ancient Italic version has it, but, as our version intimates, on account of his pollution from the dead body which he had just buried. Munster’s Hebrew copy says, that Tobit had prepared a bath to purify himself withal, not being able to employ the means prescribed in the law, which he intended to make use of the next day, and so would pass the night till that time out of his house, as every thing or person that touched one thus defiled was made impure thereby.

Job 2:10

And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing. Such gifts were rarely bestowed. Nevertheless, if thou see m$ when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.] Mark, this is a sign whether thou shalt have what thou desirest or pot Hast thou not made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.] Hast thou not paid him well for his pains? and so environed him and his family, and all belonging to him in every place, that no harm can come to them? Whereby all his business prospers, and his flocks and his herds are so increased, that the country can scarce hold them. But he saidunto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What! shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.] These words struck him to the very heart: but instead of being angry with God, he only severely reproved her, telling her that she talked like one of the wicked women; and then piously represented to her,’ that we ought to take nothing ill which comes from the hand of God (as all evil things do as well as good), and the more good we have received from him, the less reason we have to complain when we suffer any evil. No discourse but such as this was heard to come from his mouth. And I knew not that there were sparrows in the wall, and mine eyes being open, the sparrows muted warm dung into mine eyes, and a whiteness came in mine eyes, and I went to the physicians, but they helped me not.] I think we need not ask here with the commentators whether Tobit slept with his eyes open or shut, since the text says expressly his eyes were open, and his face uncovered. The author of the Synopsis, attributed to Athanasius, mentions that usually u>g dwBzv, Tobit slept with his eyes open, as some people are known to do, particularly such as walk in their sleep. If Tobit’s eyes were open, either naturally or by accident at this time, it is easy then to comprehend, says Calmet, how the dung of swallows might occasion the accident here mentioned; for the excrement of these; birds, according to some naturalists, (Pliny, lib. xi. cap. 37. Gesner, Hist. Anim. lib.iii.) is extremely hot and acrimonious, and may cause blindness by falling in the eye, and occasioning an inflammation there; and though the seeiet seems not to have been known to the Assyrian physicians, as they are here called, yet later times have found out a successful method to remove this obstacle of vision, by the dexterity of couching. As to the remedy which Raphael employed to restore Tobit’s sight, which this place prepares us for, we will consider whether it could naturally produce such an effect when we come to that chapter. Moreover Achiacharus did nourish me, until I went into Elymais.] The commentators are divided, whether this is to be understood. of father or son; if it respects either, most probably Tobit himself is meant, as he continues to speak in the first person. The sense is, That Achiaehar took care of Tobit under this infirmity, till he (Achiaehar) went into Elymais, whitheT he seems to have gone when he was in disgrace, and deprived of his place and dignity, (eh. xiv.) It appears from some parts of this history, (eh. xi. xiv.) that Tobit continued at Nineveh till his death: the true reading, therefore, I presume to be hropziOri, which Drusius and Gro- 4K2

Job 2:11

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked. Of the happy state, it is likely, to which Elijah was going. That, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asufider; and Elijah ivent up by a whirlwind into heaven.] Angels appeared before them, in the form of a bright chariot and horses, running towards them upon the ground; which coming between them, separated them one from the other. For Elijah mounted the chariot, and in a great gust of wind governed by angels, was transported into heaven. That is, saith Abarbinel, into the air: for he being a stranger to Christianity, could not conceive how an earthly body could live among the celestial inhabitants; and therefore, according to the gross imaginations of the Jews, imagines he is still upon the earth, in the garden of Eden. But these are ignorant conceits. The plain sense is, that his body being transformed in his passage towards heaven, he was carried up to live among the angels. The heathens themselves did not disbelieve such things: as appears by the story of iEganympha, who was made immortal by Jupiter; and of Driope by the Hamadryades: * and Bacchus assured Cadmus, that by the help of Mars he should live for ever in the isles of the blessed, whither they said Alcumcne was snatched up by Mercury, at the command of Jupiter, &c. (See Dan. Huctius in his Alnetanee Quacstiones, lib. ii. cap. 12. n. 30.) But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.] But I am confident, if thon wilt but employ that power to plague him, which hath so long preserved him, ho will not only in his heart, but openly, deny thy providonce. Now, when Job’s three friends heard’ of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every man from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with’ him, and to comfort him.] Now there dwelt in the neighbouring provinces three great men, with whom Job had long maintained a particular friendship, who, hearing the sad tidings of his sufferings, came every one from his country to visit him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; who all three met at his house on the same day, according to an appointment they had made, to come and condole with him, and comfort him. But concerning them that rebel, let not thine eyes spare them.’] u e. Either through a motive of compassion, or a principle of avarice, as Saul did, when, instead of obeying the commandment of God, to smite Amalek, and utterly to destroy all that they had, out of a false compassion he. spared Agag, and the best of the sheep and the oxen, and all that was good. (1 Sam. xv. 3. 9.) And hast gotten thyself a name as appeareth this day.] It may be pertinently asked, with what propriety it can be here said, that the destruction of Jerusalem, and tho captivity of the people of Israel, exalted the name of God, and manifested the greatness of his majesty? would not infidel nations from hence take occasion to blaspheme the truo God, and to reflect upon his power, as if the gods of the nations had been too powerful for him, by subduing a people, of whom he had proclaimed himself the saviour and protector? To this it may be replied, that what these idolaters looked upon as an instance of God’s weakness/was a signal act of his power, justice, and veracity, as it was the remarkable fulfilling of what he had so many hundred years before threatened by his servant Moses, Deut. xxviii. 47 — 49. If the Chaldeans led his own people into captivity, it was because God was become their enemy; if a kingdom once so flourishing, was destroyed in a manner so deplorable, it was to punish the ingratitude of a people quite insensible of his mercies. So that the greatness of God appeared as visibly in the instances of his severity, as in those of his lovingkindness; and he was as truly the God of Israel, when he delivered

Job 2:12

And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father!. So they called their masters and instructors. The chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof] And he alludes to what he beheld; and very fitly compared Elijah to chariot and horsemen, which the Israelites wanted in their armies; but he was instead of them by his counsels and prayers; whereby they might have obtained great victories, if they would have been obedient to his word. And he saw him no more: and lie took hold of 7iis own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.] To express his sorrow for so great a loss. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.] Then the Lord (who was willing to prove the virtue of his servant in an afflicted estate, as he had done in a prosperous) withdrew the protection he had given him, and granted Satan a commission to dispose of all belonging to Job according as he pleased; excepting only his person, which he commanded him not to touch. This was joyful news to that malicious Spirit, who went immediately to do what he had long desired. Ver. 13- And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brothers house.] And within a short time found an opportunity to try the constancy of Job, by doing him all the mischief possible, in one and the same day: which was the birth-day of his eldest son, when all his children (far from fearing any evil) were met, according to their custom, at his house, to feast and rejoice together. And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads towards heaven.] But as soon as ever they entered into the place where he lay, they were surprised with so miserable a spectacle of deformity, that they shrieked aloud, as men affrighted, and burst out into tears, and rent their garments, and threw dust into the air, which, falling on their heads, expressed the confusion they were in, to find him so covered over with ulcers that they could not know him. For as I live, and by the power of my kingdom, whatsoever I have spoken, that, will I do by mine hand.] When we consult that Divine light which teaches us, that men can do nothing but as God shall please to enable them, or shall allow to be done,, one cannot help being surprised, and scarce forbear laughing, at the vanity of the Assyrian prince, who, flushed with the conceit of his victory over Arpbaxad, and the advantages hitherto gained, resolves upon the vast attempt qf subduing the whole earth, as if his power was invincible, and his project, founded either on pride* ambition, or resentment, could not fail of success. From the secrecy and well-concerted measures of his expedition, and the number of forces ready to engage in it, he assures himself of conquest, not considering, that success depends upon God’s good pleasure, who often delights to defeat the unjust designs and unwarrantable enterprises of such princes, who aim at establishing their own glory and, greatness upon the ruin of innocent and less powerful states. Especially such it is his will to bring low, who pride themselves in their own sufficiency and strength, (ver. 5.) and, without asking his leave, or seeking for his assistance or blessing, are confident of victory, that their counsels cannot be disappointed, nor their combined forces overthrown and defeated. From the authoritative manner and lofty language of this verse, one would have thought that it was God himself that was speaking, be who has the sovereign dominion over all creatures, and whose decrees and orders are always infallible and irresistible; who never commissions a Moses or a Joshua to go and fight their enemies with a promise of success, but the event is always answerable, and the attempt successful. But what a prodigious difference is there between the precarious resolutions of vain man, and the unerring decrees of an all-wise God; between a prince who has nothing of his own, but his pride, and an all-powerful Being, to whom kings, even in the summit of their fancied greatness, are subject and accountable! The event of this history in particular shews the vanity of such presumptuous boasting, in defiance of the Most High; that even weak and inconsiderable means shall have the power, by God’s appointment, to stop the career, and confound the pride, of the mighty; and a Judith unarmed, if sent by the Lord of hosts, and inspired with resolution by him, shall perform wonders for the deliverance of his people, against the whole force of an insulting enemy, who took not God for.their strength, but trusted in the multitude of their hosts.

Job 2:13

And he took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him. This dropped from him as he went up to heaven: in token of the spirit that should be given to Elisha, according to his promise. And went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan.] Whose waters were come together again, after he and Elijah got over. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights; and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.] And when they approached nearer him, they only sat down upon the earth, in the same mournful posture wherein they found him, but were not able (so much were they astonished) for seven days and nights to say one word of the business about which they were come to him. And indeed his grief was so exceedingly great, that they did not well know what to say, till time, which alters all things, had assuaged a little both his grief and theirs.

And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah?. That is; let him shew his presence with me, and his power, as he did with Elijah. But we do not translate these last words exactly, two words being left out; viz. aph-hu, which the LXX,. put into one, a^dj, of which I know not the sense. And the Chaldee translates it, receive my petition; without any reason; those words carrying in them nothing of that signification. The best account of them is that winch I meet with in a short dissertation by Joh. Frischmuthus, de Orig. et Prosapia Eliae. where he observes, that Elisha having asked this question, Where is the Lord God of Eli* jah? answers himself in these words, " Aph-hu, etiam ille adhuc -supercst;" yea, he is yet in being.. Thus Abarbinel expresses the sense:. Though Elijah be not here, yet his God is. The servant is wanting, but not the Lord. The blessed God is still present, and will supply his place. Andwhen he also had smote the waters, they parted hitJier and thither; and Elisha went over.] Just as Elijah had done a little before, (ver. 8.) And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, Tlie oxen were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them.] Then it was that Satan put in execution what he had designed; and first of all stirred up a thievish sort of people in Arabia, to fall upon that part of his land which was next to them. Of which tidings were presently brought to Job by a messenger, saying,

And when the sons of the prophets, which were to vieiv at Jericho, saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves down to the ground before him.] In token of their reverence to him, as the father of the prophets. Ver. 1G. And they said unto him, Behold now, there are with us fifty strong men.] Fit to undertake such an expedition as they propose. Let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master; lest peradventure the Spirit of the Lord hath taken him tip, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley.]. They had but an imperfect notice of what God intended, when they asked Elisha if he knew the Lord would take his master from him. For they imagined he might not be quite taken away; but only for a time: or, that if his spirit were taken into heaven, his body might possibly be thrown upon some of the neighbouring mountains or valleys. And he said, Ye shall not send.] For he knew it would be to no purpose". And the Sabeansfell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.] As the oxen were at plough, and the asses in a pasture hard by them, the Sabeans made an inroad into thy country, and carried them all away; having slain, by an unexpected assault, all those who should have preserved them, except myself alone, who made an escape to acquaint thee with it.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, find said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burnt up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.] He had not quite delivered his message before another of his servants arrived (as evils seldom come single), to tell him that there had been a very great lightning jn those parts, where his sheep were feeding, which Jiajl consumed both them and the shepherds, and left none surviving, Jjut Jiimself alone, to give him notice of this disaster.

And when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, Send. He was afraid they should think he wanted CHAP. II.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. love to his master; or, was so ambitious to enjoy his place and authority, that he was loath he should be found alive. And they sought him three days, but foundJiim not J] In that time they searched every place, where they thought it likely he might be cast. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.] He had not finished his narration before another messenger was at the door, saying,Our neighbours the Chaldeans, seeking for booty, divided themselves into three parties, who set upon us all at once; and they have carried away the camels, and killed all the servants that looked after them, except myself, who made a shift to save myself by flight to bring the news of this invasion.

And when they came again to him (for he tarried at Jericho’), he said unto tltem, Did not I say unto you, Go not?. By this he settled his authority, in that he foretold them their labour would be lost. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house.] Before he had concluded, came in another, the most doleful messenger of all, saying, Thy children, as thon know T est, were feasting with their elder brother:

And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Beliold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lordseeth; but the water U naught, and the ground barren. Things did not thrive in that soil; but the people and the cattle miscarried, and the fruit fell off from the trees, as the margin translates it. Which curse, Abafbinel thinks, had been upon this place ever since the time of Joshua. And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only ant escaped alone to tell thee.] And, behold, on a sudden theret arose a violent wind, which coming from the desert, and whirling about the house, took away the four corners of it r and buried them all in its ruins; and there is not one of the guests escaped, that I know of, but only myself, to be the messenger of this great calamity.

And he said, Bring me’ a new cruse, and put salt therein: and they brought it to him. He would have a new cruse, that had never been nsed; and brought by them, together with the salt, that there might be no suspicion of fraud (as Abarbinel observes), nor the. virtue ascribed to any thing that was in the cruse before, but merely to the power of God. The Jews’ also in Michilta say, that his putting salt into it, made this a miracle in a miracle: for it makes water less potable, and ground more barren. i ».’ Y* s Then Job arose,and rent his mantle, and shaved his hqad, and fell down upon the ground and wor shipped. 1 Then Job (who had heard all the rest without disturbance) was overcome with grief at this last word, and laying aside all other thoughts, gave up himself to the most lamentable sorrow: for he rent his upper garment, cut off the hair of his head, and threw himself upon the ground. Where he deceived the devil’s expectation; for he most reverently adored, as became his piety, the Divine Majesty, and submitted himself to his will, saying,

And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I Iiave healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.] He wrought the. miracle at Jordan, as the forenamed author observes, for his own sake; that he might make an experiment, whether the Divine influence which was upon Elijah was derived unto him. But this at Jericho he wrought for the, sake of the sons of the prophets who dwelt there; that they might know the hand of the Lord was with him. And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.] I am but what I was at first, and what I must have been again at last; and he that hath stripped me of all before I die, hath taken away nothing but what he gave. Let him therefore be praised, who is the Donor of all good things, andthe Disposer of all events. Near the mountain, which is at the left hand of the upper Cilicia,] It is probable that Taurus and Autitaurus are here meant, as these are large mountains bordering on Cilicia.

So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha, which he spake. By this the people of the city (who besought this favour from him, ver. 19.) saw that he was a man of God, to whom they owed obedience. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.] This was the worst word that he spake, when all these evils came upon him so unexpectedly, and so thick together: all the rest was like this; knd nothing dropped from his mouth which in the least accused or questioned the providence of God.

And he went up from thence to Beth-eL. That he might visit the sons of the prophets who were in that city, and comfort them for the loss of Elijah; by letting them see the Spirit of God was upon him. It is very properly said he ivent up thither, because it stood upon a hill, and there was an ascent from Jericho thither; (Josh, viii. 3. 17.) though Elijah and he, going another way, arc said to go down to Beth-el, (ver, 2.) And as he was going up by the tvay, there came forth little children out of the city J] The word naarim signifies grown youth, as well as little children. For Isaac, when he was twenty-eight years old, is called naar, (Gen. xxii. 5. 12.) and Joseph, when he was thirty, (xli. 12.) and Rehoboam when he was forty, (2 Chron, xiii. 7.) And this is to be understood here of adult persons, who had a hatred to the prophet. And mocked him.] By the instigation of their parents, or of Baal’s priests (as they will have it, who take them for mere children), who stirred them up, and taught them to jeer at his bald pate, and so laughed at the ascension of Elijah. And said unto him, Go up thou bald head, go up thou bald head.] Their repetition of these words expresses their earnestness and vehemence in their contempt]of him. For, as hair was always accounted a singular ornament, so baldness was disgraceful. Insomuch that Caesar, as Bochartus hath observed, could not bear with those.who jeered him upon this account; and thought it the highest honour the senate did him, in decreeing he should always appear with a wreath of laurel upon his head. t t/’*•. When they call upon Elisha to go up, they flouted, as Abarbinel thinks; at the ascension of Elijah to heaven;, the news of which had’ been brought thither, and reported by the prophets 9f that place. Which the idolaters laughed at, and bade Elisha go up to heaven also, that they might not be troubled with him. ThusT find also the author of the questions and answers, ad Orthodoxos, understands these words: which were sppken, irpoe Staavpjtbv rrjg tov’HXfov avaX(]ipe(og, to reproach the assumption of Elijah: us if.they had said, Aa/xj3av£rw ical <rz nvtvfjca, Let the Spirit take thee also, and cast thee upon some inaccessible mountain; that we maybe rid of thee, as we are of him. (Respons.80.) And destroyed Phud and Lud.] i.e. Egypt and Lydia; for Lud cannot mean here, Ethiopia, because the Ethiopians (i. 10.) had no concern in this affair, the Assyrian monarch had received no affront or contemptuous answer from them. If what Grotius observes of the geography of this writer be true, that it is Traxvfisptjc, crassoque filo, one shall the less wonder, that Phud and Lud, i.-e. Egypt and Lydia; Basses and Ishmael, i. e. Tarsus’ and Arabia; Mesopotamia and Cilicia, are connected together, without a proper regard to the order or situation of places.

And he turned back, and looked upon them, and cursed tliemin the. name of the Lord. “Th\s contempt of him, not as a man merely, but as a prophet, provoked the anger, of God; who moved Elisha to lay. a curse upon them, and punish them, as Moses did Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and St. Peter did Ananias and Sapphira. M And there came two she-bears out ofthewood*] Who it is likely had been robbed of their whelps: which made them the more fierce and outrageous.’ - -*’.’ >•••’ r> And tare forty and two children of them.] This was done by an extraordinary direction of God;- who moved the bears at that moment to come out of the wood, when Elisha pronounced the curse; and to make such a great havoc among them, when two or three would have satisfied their hunger. •,**•''

And he went from thence • to Mount Carniel. Where it is probable he had many disciples: among whom he intended to be awhile retired. And from thence he returned to Samaria.] To testify against their idolatry. And it is highly probable there was a college of prophets even in Samaria, as there was in Beth-el and Jericho, whom he went to encourage.

Then he went down into the plain of Damascus. If we do not suppose Holofernes to have been assisted in extending his conquests, and to have executed part of what is mentioned in this and the foregoing verses, by several large detachments from the general army, under the conduct of other generals and lieutenants, the rapidity of his conquests is almost incredible. He seems to conquer more places in less than two months, than another could even visit with so numerous, an army as his in so short a time; for in about six or seven weeks’ time he conquered Cappadocia, Lydia, Cilicia, Mesopotamia, from the river Chabor, which empties itself into the Euphrates, to the Persian Gulf; as likewise Arabia, and the country of the Madianitcs, towards. the Dead Sea; and, last of all, Damascus: which, makes it the more surprising, that, after having run through so many provinces, and subdued so many nations, by the mere terror of his name, a little insignificant town in comparison should stop his progress, and oblige him to stay before it a month or two without making any assault upon, or executing any thing considerable against it, except seizing on the aqueducts, and, by rendering them useless and unserviceable, depriving the inhabitants of Bethulia of the convenience of water.* Our translators here scarce reach the force of the verb z%z\iKfir)<rz: it is an elegant expression, and means, thathe tvinnowed their countries, i. e. he, took their substance, and left the chaff.