| I Kings 21:27
| And when Achab had heard these words, he rent his garments, and put hair-cloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and slept in sackcloth, and walked with his head cast down.
| Down. Hebrew, "uncovered," (Malvenda; 2 Kings 15:30.) or "barefoot," (Chaldean; Syriac) or "softly," (Vatable; Protestants) or "he walked bent down." (Septuagint) This variety shows that the signification or at (Haydock) is not well known. The repentance of Achab is not more certain. Some believe that it was insincere, and only external: yet God was pleased to reward it iin this life, (Lyranus; Theodoret, etc.) as it might have some influence on the people. (Haydock) --- Others suppose that Achab really repented for what he had done, but presently relapsed at the instigation of Jezabel; so that his reward was equally of a temporal nature; though St. Chrysostom (ad Theod. laps.) seems to be convinced that he "obtained the remission of all his sins, and entirely changed his life." (ser. 68, et hom. 5. ad Antioc.) --- But here lies the difficulty. (Calmet) --- "His groans would have found favour, if the lurking envy had not increased his offence." (St. Ambrose, in Psalm XXXVII., de Naboth. ch. IV.) See ver. 25. --- A relapse renders the sincerity of the former conversions doubtful; and the more so, when no radical change, but only external sorrow, has appeared.
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