Dog. Greek and Hebrew specify this circumstance, (chap. v. 22.) but not here. Those who attack the authority of this book, infer that such a trifle would not be noticed by the Holy Spirit, chap. xi. 9. Yet Homer mentions the fawning of the dog upon Ulysses, after he had been 20 years from home; and the gravest historians record instances of the fidelity of dogs. (Calmet) — Night, or stage, mansione, (Haydock) at a caravansera, or house where travellers might stop all night, and sometimes, though seldom, might be supplied with necessaries. Herodotus (v. 52.) mentions several in the kingdom of Persia. (Calmet)
Feet. Greek, “to bathe.” — Fish. The learned are of opinion that this was the fish which Pliny calls callyonymus, ([Natural History?] l. xxii. ch. 7.) the gall of which is of sovereign virtue to remove white specks that grow over the eyes. (Challoner) — Other fishes have the like virtue; and as the aforesaid has no scales, and is not above a foot long, it could not be lawfully eaten by the Israelites, nor could it suffice for ten days’ provision, ver. 6. (Leviticus xi. 10.) Others, therefore, prefer (Calmet) the sea-calf, (Brado) the hippopotamus, (Grotius) the crocodile, (Denis the Carthusian) whale, (Theophylactus) sturgeon, or silurus. (Bochart, Anim. iv. 15.) — But there are great difficulties with respect to all these; and Fran. George adopts the sentiment of the Rabbins in favour of the pike, which seems the least objectionable, as it has scales, gills, and cannot live long out of water, ver. 4. It grows to a great size in the Tigris, and its gall is good for the eyes. (Calmet)
And. This verse is not in Greek. Tobias and the fish were both in the water. (Calmet)
Take him. “It,” would be as proper. — Gill. Greek, “Seize the fish, and the boy got the better of the fish, and threw it upon the land.” (Haydock) — Hebrew also omits the gill and the panting, (Calmet) circumstances which would invalidate the opinions of many respecting the nature of this fish, v. ii.[ver. 2.?] (Haydock)
For thee. Greek, “carefully.” (Haydock) — The rest is omitted also in the Hebrew of Fagius. (Calmet)
Flesh. St. Paul uses the like expression, (1 Corinthians xv.) as well as Pliny, [Natural History?] ix. 15. (Worthington) — Took. Greek and Fagius, (Calmet) “eat, and both went on till they came near to Ecbatana.” (Haydock) — From Ninive to Rages would be 10 or 12 days’ journey. (Calmet)
Tell. Greek, “What is the heart, the liver, and the gall of the fish for?” (Haydock)
Its heart, &c. The liver, (ver. 19.) God was pleased to give to these things a virtue against those proud spirits, to make them, who affected to be like the Most High, subject to such mean corporeal creatures, as instruments of his power. (Challoner) — God sometimes makes use of things as remedies which have, naturally, a different effect; as when Christ put clay on the eyes of the blind man, John ix. The things which the angel ordered were salutary, by God’s appointment. (Worthington) — They could not act directly upon a spirit: but they might upon the person troubled by one, as Saul was relieved by music. (Calmet, Diss.) — The smoke was a sign of the devil’s expulsion, and of the efficacy of prayer; or rather, God subjected the proud spirits to such weak elements. (Serarius, q. 3.) (Menochius) — Greek, “and he said to him, respecting the heart and liver, if any demon or wicked spirit be troublesome, make these smoke before a man or a woman, and the person shall be troubled no longer.