| Judith 3:14
| And when he had passed through all Syria Sobal, and all Apamea, and all Mesopotamia, he came to the Idumeans, into the land of Gabaa,
| Apamea, on the river Orontes, between which and the river Eleutherus, lay the Mesopotamia here mentioned. --- Idumeans, or to "Rama," near Gabaa, which was on the north of Jerusalem; whereas Idumea lay far to the south. (Calmet) --- Yet (Haydock) Gabaa may designate a mountainous country, as 1 Kings 7:1., (Menochius) and there is no reason why Idumea might not have felt the power of Holofernes, as well as Madian, etc. (Haydock) --- The order of conquests is not observed, (Menochius) for while the commander-in-chief was in one place, his generals were dispersed into different parts. He had now advanced as far as Gabaa of Saul, (Haydock) when meditating a serious attack upon Egypt, he thought proper to concentrate his forces; little expecting to meet with such a check at Bethulia. (Calmet) --- Greek, "He came to Esdrelon, near Dotaia, (or Dothaim, north of Sichem) which is opposite the great saw of Judea," or the range of mountains of Ephraim. (Calmet) --- Old Vulgate, "of Juda," dividing it from Idumea. The kings of Israel had fortified the defiles, 3 Kings 15:17.
|