1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

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Judges 9:6 *And all the men of Sichem were gathered together, and all the families of the city of Mello: and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak that stood in Sichem.

Year of the World 2769, Year before Christ 1235. Mello. We know of no such city in the vicinity of Sichem. Hebrew, "all the house of Millo:" which some take to be the town-house of Sichem, full of the chief citizens, as Mello signifies "filled up;" (Vatable) or it might designate some part of the city which had been levelled, like the deep valley at Jerusalem, (3 Kings 9:15.; Haydock) and where some powerful family, probably the father of Abimelech's mother, might dwell. (Calmet) --- This family would interest itself the most in the advancement of the tyrant, ver. 3. (Haydock) --- Oak. Hebrew, "the plain, or oak of the statue," (alluding to the monument which was left here by Josue, ver. 37., Josue 24:26) or Septuagint, "of the station," as those of Sichem might assemble here to deliberate on public affairs, (Calmet) in memory of the solemn covenant between God and the people. (Haydock)