“So they sent ambassadors unto him to treat of peace, saying,”
Kings. Greek, “they sent to him ambassadors, with proposals for peace, saying: Behold we, the servants of Nabuchodonosor, the great king, lay before thee; use us as thou thinkest best,” &c. These proposals were made by those on the sea-coast, from Sidon and Tyre to Ascalon, from whom Holofernes took “the choicest men,” being received with honour, ver. 10. (Haydock) — Syria, &c. These are not specified in the Greek. — Sobal, or Soba, (1 Kings xiv. 47.) near Damascus, where Ptolemy (v.) places Samoulis. — Lybia seems too remote, and had not been attacked: some therefore would read Lycia, or Lygia, (Herodotus vii. 72.) or rather Lydia, (Calmet) which Holofernes had “cut in pieces,” according to the Greek, chap. ii. 13. (Haydock)
“Behold, we the servants of Nabuchodonosor the great king lie before thee; use us as shall be good in thy sight.”
Great. This was his usual title, Daniel ii. 30., and 4 Kings xviii. 19. (Calmet) — Slavery. Yet they make an unconditional submission. (Haydock) — It is better for us to submit to servitude than to be slaughtered like our brethren. (Menochius)
“Behold, our houses, and all our places, and all our fields of wheat, and flocks, and herds, and all the lodges of our tents lie before thy face; use them as it pleaseth thee.”
Sight, at thy disposal, Genesis xiii. 9., and Proverbs xv. 11.
“And he pitched between Geba and Scythopolis, and there he tarried a whole month, that he might gather together all the carriages of his army.”
Lights. Torches were used to testify joy, 2 Machabees iv. 22.
Though. Greek, “He demolished all their borders, and cut down their groves.”
Called. Greek, “Worshipped by all nations, and that all their tongues and tribes might call him god.” (Haydock) — Behold to what lengths ambition may be carried. If he had only claimed a place among the other pagan deities, his title was as good as theirs. (Calmet) — He is a figure of Antichrist; for whom all heretics pave the way, 2 Thessalonians ii. (Worthington)
Apamea, on the river Orontes, between which and the river Eleutherus, lay the Mesopotamia here mentioned. — Idumeans, or to “Rama,” near Gabaa, which was on the north of Jerusalem; whereas Idumea lay far to the south. (Calmet) — Yet (Haydock) Gabaa may designate a mountainous country, as 1 Kings vii. 1., (Menochius) and there is no reason why Idumea might not have felt the power of Holofernes, as well as Madian, &c. (Haydock) — The order of conquests is not observed, (Menochius) for while the commander-in-chief was in one place, his generals were dispersed into different parts. He had now advanced as far as Gabaa of Saul, (Haydock) when meditating a serious attack upon Egypt, he thought proper to concentrate his forces; little expecting to meet with such a check at Bethulia. (Calmet) — Greek, “He came to Esdrelon, near Dotaia, (or Dothaim, north of Sichem) which is opposite the great saw of Judea,” or the range of mountains of Ephraim. (Calmet) — Old Vulgate, “of Juda,” dividing it from Idumea. The kings of Israel had fortified the defiles, 3 Kings xv. 17.
Took. Greek, “encamped between Gaba and Scythopolis, (Bethsan, Josue xvii. 11.) and he was there a month of days, to collect all the burden of his army.”