Him. The folly of exposing one’s life, without necessity, to such imminent danger at sea, is great; though much less than to confide in idols, (Calmet) which are commonly made of more corruptible wood than ships. (Worthington)
Waves. Of the Red sea, (Vatable) through which the Israelites passed, (Worthington) or rather hast taught navigation to Noe[Noah], (ver. 6.) and enabled him to build the finest vessel that ever appeared.
Saved. Before the invention of the compass, long voyages were deemed the effects of rashness, or of great confidence in Providence. (Calmet)
Cometh. By which Noe[Noah] was preserved, (Cornelius a Lapide) or criminals are executed. (Jansenius) — The author foretells the redemption of mankind on the cross. (Worthington) (Galatians iii. 13.) (St. Augustine, City of God chap. xv. 26; St. Ambrose, Psalm cxviii. ser. 8.)
Fornication. Invention of idols brought people to give way to spiritual fornication, and corruption of manners. (Worthington) — They freely practised what was sanctioned by the example of their gods. (St. Augustine, City of God ii. 7., and 3 Kings xiv. 24., and 4 Kings xxiii. 7, 3.) (Calmet)
Beginning. Truth is always prior to falsehood. (Haydock) — Josephus (Jewish Antiquities i. 4.) says, idolatry commenced in the 8th generation, and the Jews assert, under Enos. “Then began the name of God to be profaned,” as the Chaldean, &c., translate, Genesis iv. 26. (St. Jerome, q. Heb.) — The corruption of morals was the natural consequence, ver. 12. — Ever. Christ shall destroy them. (Calmet)
Servants. This was at first done privately, and made the way for public idolatry. Calvin attempts to refute this assertion, maintaining that Laban’s idols were more ancient, and not images. But this argument is nugatory, as theraphim may be rendered either images, (Protestants, 1552.) or idols. (Protestants, 1603.) The latter version is preferable, as Laban called them his gods, and the Greek and Latin have idols. It is also certain, that Ninus set up the image of his father, Jupiter Belus, to be honoured by the people, before Abraham’s time; and the fathers agree, that the making of images in memory of the dead, was the first occasion of idolatry. (St. Chrysostom, hom. 87. in Matthew; St. Jerome in Osee ii., &c.) (Worthington) — Nimrod ordered divine honours to be paid to his deceased son. (Gul. Paris. Leg.) — Yet this fact is not certain. Diophante, the Lacedemonian, assigns the same origin to idolatry as is here given. (Grotius)
Ignorant. The arts of sculpture and painting may be prejudicial, (Calmet) and were therefore banished by Moses from his republic, (Philo) as the Jews were so prone to idolatry, chap. xv. 4. The case is different with us. (Haydock)