Happy is the man that has his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
8. "Blessed is the man who hath filled his desire from them" (ver. 5). Well, my brethren, who filleth his desire from them? Who loveth not the world. He who is filled with the desire of the world, hath no room for that to enter which they have preached. Pour forth what thou carriest, and become fit for that which thou hast not. That is, thou desirest riches: thou canst not fill thy desire from them: thou desirest honours upon earth, thou desirest those things which God hath given even unto beasts of burden, that is, temporal pleasure, bodily health, and the like; thou wilt not fulfil thy desire from them. ..."He shall not be ashamed, when he speaketh with his enemies in the gate." Brethren, let us speak in the gate, that is, let all know what we speak. For he who chooseth not to speak in the gate, wisheth what he speaketh to be hidden, and perhaps wisheth it to be hidden for this reason, that it is evil. If he be confident, let him speak in the gate; as it is said of Wisdom, "She criet...
Desire. Who has as many children as he could wish. Hebrew, "his quiver. "They are like arrows for his defence. (Calmet)
The Septuagint may have put the thing signified instead of the figure; or ashpatho may not be confined to the formal sense.
He shall. Hebrew, "they "father and son: yet the Chaldean, retain he.
The children of Christ, and of his martyrs, who have been persecuted, are declared to be very powerful protectors; (Berthier) while such as imitate them, (Haydock) shall easily answer the objections which shall be put to them at the day of judgment, and be happy. (Worthington)
Gate. The enemies' envoys were not admitted into the city, 4 Kings xviii. 17. (Origen)
In law-suits, children will prove excellent assistants. (Calmet) (Ecclesiasticus xxx. 4.)
