Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy
Ver. 16. Honoureth not. Hebrew, "curseth." Septuagint, "despiseth." See Leviticus xx. 9. --- "Exodus xxi. 17., Moses proclaimed, He that curseth his father or (Hebrew and) mother, shall die the death." But here he goes still farther, and denounces a curse on those who make light of (Hebrew makle, vilipendit) their parents; or, as Denis the Carthusian expresses it not amiss, on him "who does not honour, by shewing them obedience in due time, or by not relieving their wants as far as possible; and chiefly, if instead of honouring, he curses and uses opprobrious language towards them." "I have made this remark, says Amama, (p. 376,) in order to admonish the Germans and the Dutch that this passage has been translated by Luther with too great carelessness, curseth, as if the same Hebrew word, kalal, were here used as in the text of Exodus. But those who are not too brazen, will confess that the Hebrew text, and the more accurate versions, require greater reverence to be shewn to parents. Etiam illi judicabunt qui nondum ære lavantur." This author, in his animadversions upon the Vulgate, often takes occasion to mention the blunders "of B. Luther," as well as of the Septuagint and other interpreters; for he seems to be satisfied with no version which has hitherto been published. (Haydock)
Ver. 17. Landmarks, contrary to the prohibition, chap. xix. 14. The Rabbins say that Cain first adopted such distinctions. The ancient Greeks placed little pillars at the end of their fields, with the name of the owner engraven upon them. (Pollux, iii. 9.) --- All Thrace was divided in this manner. (Xenophon, Anab.)
Ver. 18. Blind; or, according to the Rabbins and Grotius, those who are on a journey, and do not know the road. "Cursed, said Diphilis, is the man who does not tell the right road." Those who lead the simple astray, are no less blameable, Leviticus xix. 14. (Calmet)
Ver. 23. Mother. Some copies of the Septuagint have "daughter-in-law;" and some Latin manuscripts add, "Cursed is he who sleepeth with his neighbour's wife; and all the people shall say, Amen." (Calmet)
Ver. 24. Secretly, as is commonly the case; though such as committed murder in public, were equally if not more guilty. (Haydock) --- Assassins, traitors, and those guilty of calumny, &c., are to be abhorred.
Ver. 26. In the. The Samaritan, Septuagint, and St. Paul (Galatians iii. 10,) read, in all the words, &c., which must probably be understood of the principal points of the law, specified in the preceding verses. (Calmet) See ver. 4. --- The Jews could derive no advantage from the omission of the word all, as the general proposition would be equivalent. (Capellus.) --- Some are of opinion, that the blessings which Moses ordered to be proclaimed, were the reverse of these curses, ver. 12. But, is that man truly blessed who observes one point of the law, while he perhaps is transgressing the rest? At this rate, the same man might be blessed and cursed at the same time. (Kennicott) --- They are more probably, therefore, expressed in the following chapter, where the observance of all the commandments is previously required. The curses are denounced indefinitely, to imply that those who transgress the law, must stand before an unerring Judge, to receive an adequate punishment in eternity for their crying sins against the law, which was given on Mount Horeb, chap. xxix. 1. Against such criminals the preceding curses are levelled. But those recorded in the ensuing chapter, are of a temporary nature, and to be publicly inflicted without delay upon those who refuse to adhere to the service of the Lord. "God had made such a covenant with the Israelites, says Houbigant, that he would so long uphold their republic as they should worship the true God." (Haydock) --- The foregoing curses may thus refer to the ten commandments; ver. 15, denounces vengeance against all who transgress the first table of the law, which relates to God; ver. 16, sanctions the honour due to parents; ver. 18, 24, and 25, condemn those who injure or kill; as ver. 20, 21, 22, and 23, do those who are guilty of impurity; ver. 17, curseth those who steal; and ver. 19, those who bear false witness; ver. 26, is intended as a general sanction of the law, as the two last commandments secure the observance of it most effectually, by forbidding even the thought or desire of doing evil. See Kennicott, Dis. ii. p. 86. (Haydock)
Bible Text & Cross-references:
The commandments must be written on stones: and an altar erected, and sacrifices offered. The observers of the commandments are to be blessed, and the transgressors cursed.
1 And Moses, *with the ancients of Israel, commanded the people, saying: Keep every commandment that I command you this day.
2 And when you are passed over the Jordan into the land which the Lord thy God will give thee, thou shalt set up great stones, and shalt plaster them over with plaster,
3 That thou mayst write on them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over the Jordan: that thou mayst enter into the land which the Lord thy God will give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, as he swore to thy fathers.
4 Therefore when you are passed over the Jordan, set up the stones which I command you this day in Mount Hebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster:
5 And thou shalt build there an altar to the Lord thy God, *of stones which iron hath not touched,
6 And of stones not fashioned nor polished: and thou shalt offer upon it holocausts to the Lord thy God.
7 And shalt immolate peace-victims, and eat there, and feast before the Lord thy God.
8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law plainly and clearly.
9 And Moses, and the priests of the race of Levi, said to all Israel: Attend, and hear, O Israel: This day thou art made the people of the Lord thy God:
10 Thou shalt hear his voice, and do the commandments and justices which I command thee.
11 And Moses commanded the people in that day, saying:
12 These shall stand upon Mount Garizim to bless the people, when you are passed the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Juda, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.
13 And over-against them shall stand on Mount Hebal to curse: Ruben, Gad, and Aser, and Zabulon, Dan, and Nephtali[Nephthali?].
14 *And the Levites shall pronounce, and say to all the men of Israel, with a loud voice:
15 Cursed be the man that maketh a graven and molten thing, the abomination of the Lord, the work of the hands of artificers, and shall put it in a secret place: and all the people shall answer, and say: Amen.
16 Cursed be he that honoureth not his father and mother: and all the people shall say: Amen.
17 Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmarks: and all the people shall say: Amen.
18 Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of his way: and all the people shall say: Amen.
19 Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, of the fatherless, and the widow: and all the people shall say: Amen.
20 Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife, and uncovereth his bed: and all the people shall say: Amen.
21 Cursed be he that lieth with any beast: and all the people shall say: Amen.
22 Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or of his mother: and all the people shall say: Amen.
23 Cursed be he that lieth with his mother-in-law: and all the people shall say: Amen.
24 Cursed be he that secretly killeth his neighbour: and all the people shall say: Amen.
25 Cursed be he that taketh gifts, to slay an innocent person: and all the people shall say: Amen.
26 Cursed be he that abideth not in the words of this law, and fulfilleth them not in work: and all the people shall say: Amen.
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*
5: Exodus xx. 25.; Josue viii. 31.
14: Daniel ix. 11.