Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 46

Jesus, the son of Nave. So Josue is named in the Greek Bibles. For Josue and Jesus signify the same thing, viz., a Saviour; (Challoner) and Nave is the Greek pronunciation of Nun; (Haydock) or this is an old fault of transcribers. (Calmet)

Among. Greek, “in the prophecies.” (Haydock)

He was endued with the prophetic spirit, and was raised up by God as a noble figure of the great prophet, Deuteronomy xviii. 15. (Calmet)

He succeeded Moses in the temporal power; the spiritual belonged to the sons of Aaron, Numbers xxvii. (Worthington)

Israel. He led the people into Chanaan, and divided it among them.

Hands. To pray, (Vatable) or fight, (Bossuet) or to give a signal, Josue viii. 26. (Cornelius a Lapide)

Stretched. Literally, threw (Haydock) darts, romphœas.

The. Greek, “he conducted the wars of the Lord.” (Calmet)

Other editions agree with us.

In. Greek, “by his hand,” (Haydock) and order, so that the day-light continued 24 hours.

Adversaries. The hail destroyed more than the sword, Josue x. 11.

Power. Greek, “complete armour for his warfare was before the Lord, since he,” &c. They found it was impossible to resist such weapons. (Haydock)

One. “Follow God,” was a maxim of the ancient sages, which they even attributed to Apollo. Josue and Caleb did so in opposition to the rebels, Numbers xiv. 24. (Calmet)

The rest all perished, (Worthington) if we except those who were not 20 years old, or who did not join in the murmurs of the seditious. (Haydock)

Mercy, and piety, (Calmet) endeavouring to prevent the murmurs of the people, which would draw upon them destruction, as the event shewed. (Haydock)

Land. Hebron, when he was 85 years old, Josue xiv. 6. (Haydock)

Lord. Abimelec must be excepted, (Calmet) as he was only an usurper. (Haydock)

The Judges were all saved, though some have been great sinners. (Worthington)

Place. At the resurrection, which the Jews firmly believed, Ezechiel xxxvii. 3.

People. Though he disapproved of their resolution, 1 Kings viii. 6., and Osee xiii. 11.

And the. Sixtus V, &c., read, “and he beheld the God,” 1 Kings iii. 7. (Calmet)

Vulgate may signify also, “God beheld Jacob,” (Greek) with a favourable eye, and enabled Samuel to restore their fallen state, and to recover the ark. (Haydock)

Because. Greek has not faithful, or what follows. (Calmet)

Yet Grabe’s copy retains pistos oraseos, “faithful in seeing” into futurity; so that his predictions were always verified, and he acquired the confidence of all, 1 Kings iii. 20. Prophets were formerly styled seers: yet they could not behold God, as he inhabits light inaccessible, 1 Timothy vi. 16. (Haydock)

Light. St. James (i. 17.) seems to allude to this passage. (Menochius)

Without. Greek, “fed with milk,” 1 Kings vii. 6. The Philistines were discomfited, and continued peaceable during the rest of Samuel’s government.

Tyrians, who were auxiliaries, or in league with the Philistines. (Calmet)

Shoe. So Abraham declared he would not receive the latchet of a shoe from the king of Sodom, Genesis xiv. 23.

Him. All confessed his integrity, before he delivered up the sovereign power to Saul, 1 Kings xii.

Nation. Foretelling that Israel should be defeated. Some doubt whether the soul of Samuel appeared; but it seems clear from this passage, (1 Kings xxviii. 18.; Calmet, Diss.) as he could not otherwise be praised for it. (Worthington)