HAYDOCK CATHOLIC BIBLE COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT

ECCLESIASTICUS 28

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Ver. 1. Sins. To seek revenge out of rancour, or contrary to justice, is a grievous sin. W. --- Retaliation was tolerated, (Ex. xxi. 24.) but love was not to be laid aside. Deut. xxxiii. 35. Lev. xxi. 17. Ps. vii. 5. Mat. vii. 2.

Ver. 2. Forgive. This charity enforces, when the offender is penitent, if the remission of punishment be not contrary to justice and discipline. W. --- Mat. vi. 12,. and xviii. 32. Lu. vi. 37. We all stand in need of pardon. C.

Ver. 5. And doth. Gr. "who will expiate his sins?" Is God bound to receive his victims or prayers while he entertains such dispositions? C.

Ver. 7. In his commandments. Supply the sentence out of the Greek thus: Remember corruption, and death, and abide in the commandments, (Ch.) which condemn revenge. Ex. xxiii. 4. C. --- Comp. "and do not rage or menace thy neighbour with destruction and death; yea, stick to the commandments. Be mindful of the precepts, and be not angry with thy neighbour; and of the covenant," &c. v. 9. H.

Ver. 9. Ignorance. He uses a softer term. In effect, most quarrels proceed from a misunderstanding. "Every sinner is ignorant."

Ver. 12. Burneth. The more fuel, the greater will be the blaze.

Ver. 13. And a, &c. is not in Gr. Prov. xix. 12. and xxvi. 21.

Ver. 16. Third. Who carries stories between friends, to set them at variance. C.

Ver. 18. It, &c. is omitted in Greek. H. --- Indiscreet reports often cause dissensions. W.

Ver. 19. Labours. Causing their husbands to suspect them.

Ver. 22. Their own. Gr. "the." Detraction separates many friends. C.

Ver. 25. Hell. Or rather "the grave."

Ver. 26. Its. Gr. "it shall not take hold of the pious, and they shall not," &c. H. --- Their virtue shall quickly shine forth. C.

Ver. 28. Hear. Gr. "lo, hedge in thy possessions with thorns: bind up thy silver and gold." H. --- To pay attention to detraction is as bad as to utter it. W.

Ver. 29. Just. Gr. "a door and bolt," &c. as v. 28. If people guard their property with so much care, why do they make light of words? H. --- These ought to be weighed with more attention than money, and we ought to spare no pains or expense on this head. C.

Ver. 30. Tongue. Gr. "by them, lest thou fall before him who lays snares." C. xxix. H.