George Leo Haydock, on Neh 4:2

“And said before his brethren, and the multitude of the Samaritans: What are the silly Jews doing? Will the Gentiles let them alone? will they sacrifice and make an end in a day? are they able to raise stones out of the heaps of the rubbish, which are burnt?”

“Multitude. Hebrew and Septuagint, “army.” (Calmet) — Silly. Literally, “feeble.” (Haydock) — Sacrifice, at the dedication. (Tirinus) — Day, in so short a time, as their present vigorous proceedings seem to promise, notwithstanding their feeble condition, and the paucity of their numbers. (Haydock) — But no: we shall have time enough to hinder them, (Menochius) if the nature of their materials do it not for us. (Haydock) — Raise. Hebrew, “revive;” a word used for reparations of walls, &c. (Calmet) (Delrio, adag. 221.) — Septuagint, “heal.” God’s providence did not permit the enemy to rage, till the work was greatly advanced; so infidels laugh at the attempts of poor priests to restore religion, which nevertheless flourishes. (Worthington)”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.