These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Read Chapter 33
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
The mansions. These mansions, or journeys of the children of Israel from Egypt to the land of promise, were figures, according to the Fathers, of the steps and degrees by which Christians, leaving sin, are to advance from virtue to virtue, till they come to the heavenly mansions, after this life, to see and enjoy God. (Challoner)
Conduct. Literally, "hand. "Aaron died before they came to the last of these 42 stations, or encampments. (Haydock)
The observance of the law, and the true worship of God, can alone insure us eternal happiness, and enable us to sing Holy (St. Jerome, ep. ad Fab.) (Worthington)
Unrolling the book still further, [Fabiola] came to the passage in which is given the list of all the halting places by which the people after leaving Egypt made its way to the waters of Jordan. And when she asked me the meaning and reason of each of these, I spoke doubtfully about some, dealt with others in a tone of assurance and in several instances simply confessed my ignorance. Hereupon she began to press me harder still, expostulating with me as though it were a thing unallowable that I should be ignorant of what I did not know, yet at the same time affirming her own unworthiness to understand mysteries so deep.
The mansions: These mansions, or journeys of the children of Israel from Egypt to the land of promise, were figures, according to the fathers, of the steps and degrees by which Christians leaving sin are to advance from virtue to virtue, till they come to the heavenly mansions, after this life, to see and enjoy God.