WE put together all these historical Books of Scripture, because there is a close Connection between them; as is shewn by M. le Brun, in his Book de Concordia, &c. whereof we shall say something in the close of this Article.
Origen has a long Homily upon the beginning of the 1st Book of Samuel. Theodoret, St. Gregory the Great, have also written upon the Books of Samuel and Kings.
Besides the Comment extracted from St. Gregory’s Works, by Paterius his Disciple, whom we have taken notice of among those who have written on the whole Bible, we have one continued Comment upon the Books of Samuel and Kings, which goes under his Name in the Edition of his Works. The learned, however, have some Scruples in this matter; some asserting it to be all intirely St. Gregory’s, others denying it to be his. But the Opinion which seems to be the best defended, is, that Claude Abbot of Classe, and St. Gregory’s Disciple, wrote it in imitation of some Expositions which this Pope delivered by word of mouth in his Presence; and endeavoured to preserve, as far as possibly he could, not only the Thoughts and Meaning of St. Gregory, but the turn too of Expression which he used.
Notwithstanding this holy Doctor, some Years after, caused all the Copies of this Work, which were to be found in the Monastery of Classe, to be brought to him, in order to revise it at his leisure, and put it into such a condition, that he might acknowledge it for his own. But whether he executed this Design, is not known; nor was he able to prevent the Copies of this Book from being dispersed abroad. See the Preface to this Comment in the new Edition of St. Gregory. Farther, this Work is intirely moral.
Angelomus, of whom we have spoken upon Genesis, has composed four Books of Comments on the Books of Samuel and Kings; printed at Rome, 1565, in fol. the second Edition. F. le Long ascribes this Work to Angelome and St. Eucherius. It will be convenient to see what Dom. Bernard Pez will say hereupon, according to his Promise in the first Tome of his Anecdotes. So much is certain, viz. that these Comments are only so many Passages of the Fathers worked up together, and Expositions mystical and figurative, according to the Method of Rabanus Maurus, his Master. In these he often quotes the Jewish Traditions on the Books of Kings. This Author was a Man of Piety, and learned for the Age he lived in.
Hebrew Questions, or Traditions on the Books of Kings; these are cited generally under St. Jerom’s Name, but learned Men now agree that they do not belong to him.
We have already observed that Angelomus, a Writer of the ninth Age, does sometimes quote them; as does also Rabanus Maurus, who lived in the beginning of the same Age, about the Year 820: and says, that these Traditions are written by an Hebrew Author, who lived at that time, and was very learned in the Law. Hebræi cujusdam modernis temporibus in scientia legis florentis Capitula, Traditionem Hebræorum habentia, Raban. Præfat. in libb. Regum. Vide et in libb. Paralipp. After all, these Traditions are, in themselves, inconsiderable; but it is of consequence always to know the Opinions and Traditions of the Jews. F. Martianay observes, that the Writer of these Traditions believed in Jesus Christ. He was, in all probability, a converted Jew.
St. Ambrose has written two Apologies for David, and four Books intitled, De Interpellatione Job & David. He has also written upon Elijah, Naboth, and Ahab. This is only an edifying piece of Morality, and after his manner of interpreting Scripture. It is in the first Tome of the new Edition of his Works.
The Annotations of Hugh de St. Victor upon the Books of Kings, are short, and very literal: but we know that the Study of Languages, and Criticism, were not what at that time Divines were much employed in.
Richard de St. Victor has written a Description of Solomon’s Temple, and a way whereby he supposed the Years of the Kings of Israel and Judah might be made exactly to agree; but the Chronology of Scripture was not there sufficiently cleared, and it was scarce possible for him to succeed as he should do in such an Undertaking.
There was a Book printed at Paris, in 1691, under this Title, Concordia Librorum Regum & Paralipomenων*, cum Annotationibus & variis Indicibus*; which may be sufficient to reconcile the Variations and seeming Contradictions in the several Dates to be met with in the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. The Author is an Ecclesiastick of Chartres, or rather of Roan, according to F. le Long, and is called John Baptist le Brun des Marettes.
He has not omitted or suppressed any thing belonging to the Text of the several Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. That which contains the longest Recital, is in the largest Character; so that the Reader, at one view, may discern what belongs to the Books of Kings, and what to those of Chronicles; in what they agree, and in what they seem to disagree.
The Argument is at the beginning not only of every Chapter, but of every Page; in the Margin are the Years of the Creation before the Birth of Jesus Christ, and of every King’s Reign; taken almost all from Usher’s Annals. There are likewise very short Notes, for explaining the obscurest Places, and three Tables, the first whereof is a List of the most remarkable Sentences which are scattered thro’out this History; the second is an Explanation of the most difficult Words; and the last a Collection of the most important Things.
This learned Man is farther known by other Works which he has published; and that which we are speaking of, is one of the most useful and elaborate.
Serrarius, in his Comment upon Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, has not followed the same Method which he observed in his Comment upon Joshua and Judges; in that, on Samuel and Kings, he is very succinct, proposes few Questions, which he resolves in few Words. His Explanation is literal, but with some critical Remarks upon the Text. This is, as it were, the rough Draught only of a larger Work upon these Books, which in all appearance was projected by him: He wanted an Opportunity to publish it, Death preventing his Design. His Comment was printed at Lyons, in 1613. and at Mentz, in 1617, in fol.
Francisci de Mendoza Commentaria in Libros Regum, three Volumes in fol. Lugduni, ann. 1622, 25, 31. Mendoza was a Native of Lisbon in Portugal. He died at Lyons, in his Return from Rome, in 1626. at the age of 54. His Comment upon the Books of Samuel and Kings, is very diffuse. In it he makes long Extracts from the Fathers, and proposes several Questions. In his three Volumes in folio, he explains only the fifteen first Chapters of the first Book of Samuel. Had he finished this Work, he had left little wanting on this Subject; at least as to moral Interpretations, and Questions upon History.
Gaspar Sanctez, or Sanctius, a Spanish Jesuit, celebrated for his Piety and Learning, died in 1628. He has written upon several Books of Scripture; as Ruth, the two Books of Samuel, the two Books of Kings, the two Books of Chronicles, and Esdras; Esther, Job, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, the great and small Prophets, Tobias, Judith, the Maccabees, and Acts of the Apostles. He is an understanding, learned and judicious Author, keeps to the literal Meaning; and is one of the most excellent Commentators that I know. His Comment upon the Books of Samuel and Kings, is esteemed one of his best Performances. There are two different Editions of this Comment: one of 1623, in fol. at Lyons, with a Paraphrase; the other, of 1624, at Antwerp, and 1625, at Lyons, without a Paraphrase.
For the Reign of Solomon, and every thing relating to his Person, John de Pineda is to be read, who wrote de Rebus Salomonis, in folio. A Work very much approved, and equivalent to a good Comment. It was printed at Mentz, in 1613, fol. the third Edition. It is diffuse, but methodical. Pineda was of Seville; turned Jesuit in 1572. and died in 1637. Nicholas Moller wrote against him concerning the Wisdom of Solomon, at Kiel, 1703, in 4to.
Claudius Rangolius, Ordinis Minimorum, in Libros Regum, two Volumes fol. Paris, 1621. He has intermixed several Questions in his great Comment relating to Divinity and Ecclesiastical Discipline; wherein he proposes to attack particularly Peter Martyr, and to set forth the true Doctrines of the Catholick Church, in opposition to his Errors. His Style, tho simple, is not shocking: It is pretty clear, and not much perplexed. It is pity the Author had not all the Helps necessary for the perfecting his Work; the want whereof he complains of in his Preface. He was of Crepy in Valois; and died in 1625.
Nicholas Caussin wrote Disputations upon the Books of Samuel and Kings, concerning the Education of Princes; printed at Paris, in 1650, in fol. He came into the World at Troyes, in Champagne, in 1570. became a Jesuit in 1596. died in 1651, at 81 Years of Age. M. Du Pin has made a Catalogue of his Works in the 2d Tome of his Tables, p. 2136. This is all we shall say of him.