George Leo Haydock
Catholic
1774–1849
“Kings. Greek, “they sent to him ambassadors, with proposals for peace, saying: Behold we, the servants of Nabuchodonosor, the great king, lay before thee; use us as thou thinkest best,” &c. These proposals were made by those on the sea-coast, from Sidon and Tyre to Ascalon, from whom Holofernes took “the choicest men,” being received with honour, ver. 10. (Haydock) — Syria, &c. These are not specified in the Greek. — Sobal, or Soba, (1 Kings xiv. 47.) near Damascus, where Ptolemy (v.) places Samoulis. — Lybia seems too remote, and had not been attacked: some therefore would read Lycia, or Lygia, (Herodotus vii. 72.) or rather Lydia, (Calmet) which Holofernes had “cut in pieces,” according to the Greek, chap. ii. 13. (Haydock)”