1 Machabæorum 24:26

Jerome's Latin Vulgate

Si ergo dixerint vobis: Ecce in deserto est, nolite exire; Ecce in penetralibus, nolite credere.

Parallel Translations

Nova Vulgata (1979)
Si ergo dixerint vobis: "Ecce in deserto est", nolite exire; "Ecce in penetralibus", nolite credere;

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Si ergo dixerint vobis : Ecce in deserto est, nolite exire ; Ecce in penetralibus, nolite credere.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Wherefore: Our Lord not only foretells the appearance of these impostors, but also the manner and circumstance of their conduct. Accordingly, Josephus says that many impostors persuaded the people to follow them to the desert, promising them signs and wonders done by the providence of God. - See also Acts 21:38. One persuaded the people to go up into the temple, which being set on fire by the Romans, 6,000 perished in the flames.

he is in the desert: Matthew 3:1, Isaiah 40:3, Luke 3:2, Luke 3:3, Acts 21:38

Reciprocal: John 18:20 - and in Acts 5:36 - obeyed 2 Peter 3:14 - in peace

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore if they shall say unto you,.... Any of the false prophets, or the deluded followers of false Christs:

behold, he is in the desert, go not forth: that is, should they affirm, that the Messiah is in such a wilderness, in the wilderness of Judea, or in any other desert place, do not go out of the places where you are to see, or hear, and know the truth of things; lest you should, in any respect, be stumbled, ensnared, and brought into danger. It was usual for these impostors to lead their followers into deserts, pretending to work wonders in such solitary places: so, during the siege, Simon, the son of Giora, collected together many thousands in the mountainous and desert parts of Judea t; and the above mentioned Jonathan, after the destruction of the city, led great multitudes into the desert:

behold, he is in the secret chambers, believe it not; or should others say behold, or for certain, the Messiah is in some one of the secret and fortified places of the temple; where, during some time of the siege, were John and Eleazar, the heads of the zealots u; do not believe them. Some reference may be had to the chamber of secrets, which was in the temple w;

"for in the sanctuary there were two chambers; one was called לשכת חשאים, "the chamber of secrets", and the other the chamber of vessels.''

Or else some respect may be had to the notions of the Jews, concerning the Messiah, which they imbibed about these times, and ever since retained, that he was born the day Jerusalem was destroyed, but is hid, for their sins, in some secret place, and will in time be revealed x. Some say, that he is hid in the sea; others, in the walks of the garden of Eden; and others, that he sits among the lepers at the gates of Rome y. The Syriac version here reads in the singular number, "in the bedchamber"; in some private apartment, where he remains till a proper time of showing himself offers, for fear of the Romans: but these are all idle notions, and none of them to be believed. The true Messiah is come, and has showed himself to Israel; and even the giving out these things discovers a consciousness, and a conviction that the Messiah is come.

t Joseph de Bello. Jud. l. 5. c. 7. u Ib. c. 6. l. 4. w Misn. Shekalim, c. 5. sect. 6. x Aben Ezra in Cant. vii. 5. Targum in Mic. iv. 8. y Vid. Buxtorf. Synag. Jud. c. 50.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Behold, he is in the desert - The Jews had formed the expectation that the Messiah would appear suddenly from some unexpected quarter; hence, many would be looking to desert places, expecting that he would come from them. Accordingly, most of the impostors and pretended prophets led their people into the deserts.

Go not forth - Do not follow them; they will only deceive you.

In secret chambers - Concealed in some house, or some retired part of the city. Many would, doubtless, pretend that the Messiah was concealed there, and, either for the purpose of encouraging or deceiving the people, would pretend that they had discovered him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 24:26. If they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert — Is it not worthy of remark that our Lord not only foretold the appearance of these impostors, but also the manner and circumstances of their conduct? Some he mentions as appearing in the desert. Josephus says, ANT. b. xx. c. 7, and WAR, book ii. c. 13: That many impostors and cheats persuaded the people to follow them to the desert, promising to show them signs and wonders done by the providence of God, is well attested. An Egyptian false prophet, mentioned by Josephus, ANT. b. xx. c. 7, and in the Acts, Acts 21:38, led out into the DESERT four thousand men, who were murderers, but these were all taken or destroyed by Felix. Another promised salvation to the people, if they would follow him to the DESERT, and he was destroyed by Festus, ANT. b. xx. c. 7. Also, one Jonathan, a weaver, persuaded a number to follow him to the DESERT, but he was taken and burnt alive by Vespasian. See WAR, b. vii. c. 11.

As some conducted their deluded followers to the DESERT, so did others to the secret chambers. Josephus mentions a false prophet, WAR, b. vi. c. 5, who declared to the people in the city, that God commanded them to go up into the temple, and there they should receive the signs of deliverance. A multitude of men, women, and children, went up accordingly; but, instead of deliverance, the place was set on fire by the Romans, and 6,000 perished miserably in the flames, or in attempting to escape them.