1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible
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| I Kings 12:28 | *And finding out a device, he made two golden calves, and said to them: Go ye up no more to Jerusalem: **Behold thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt. Tobias 1:5. --- ** Exodus 32:8. | Device. Wicked policy, to make religion subservient to the state. (Worthington) --- Jeroboam was right in judging, (Haydock) that it is one of the strongest foundations of government, (Calmet) and therefore he would have a peculiar religion for his subjects. (Haydock) --- Strange blindness, caused by ambition! As if God could not have maintained him on the throne. The sequel evinces how delusive were his wicked projects. (Calmet) --- Calves. It is likely, by making his gods in this form, he mimicked the Egyptians, among whom he had sojourned, who worshipped their Apis and their Osiris under the form of a bullock. (Challoner) (St. Jerome in Osee 4:15., and v., etc.) --- The Greeks commonly style these idols, heifers, as more contemptible than bulls: (Tirinus) and some Fathers style them, "calf-heads." (Lactantius 4:10.) Monceau pretends that they resembled the cherubim, and were intended to represent the true God; thus endeavouring to excuse the Israelites from idolatry, on this occasion, as well as when they came out of Egypt, Exodus 32:4. But his arguments are weak, and Jeroboam is constantly condemned as a most wicked and idolatrous prince, 3 Kings 14:9., 4 Kings 23:15., and Osee 8:5., and 10:5. (Calmet) --- Egypt. The same had been said by Aaron. (Menochius) |