20. τοῖς ματαίοις] The Heb. word is believed to mean ‘moles’
(diggers), but was divided in most Mss., owing, probably, to its some-
what unusual form. The Greek may be a mere guess: if ABBREV E were
interpreted in the sense of ‘shame,’ it might be thus rendered, like ABBREV E
or it might (less probably) have been read as some unusual form from
 ABBREV E ; or μάταιος might have been taken as connected in meaning with
ματεύω, and won in the sense of ‘search.’ [22.] The Lxx. omits this verse altogether; and probably on this
ground in the first place, its genuineness has been suspected by some.
It is inserted (from Aquila) by Q mg, and by the Lucianic cursives, and
a few others: in 22 and 48 with asterisks, in 36 and 51, and with
slight variations in 93, 90 147, 62 228 233 303 305 307 309. Kay, in the Speaker's Commentary, has an important note on the
correspondence of the language of this and the three following chapters
to circumstances described in 2 Kings xiv. 22 and 2 Chron. xxvi.
‘Ships of Tarshish’ sailed from Elath, as comparison of 1 Kings ix. 26
and xxii. 48 shows; towers, vine dressing in the mountains, men of
valour, cunning atificers, are all mentioned; while ii. 11, iii. 8, v. 15
might suggest the sin of Uzziah and its punishment. III. 1. ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ ἀπὸ Ἰερ.] So, against the Heb. order,
ℵAQ and most cursives, and Old Latin (Cyp. T est. i. 22) ; B has
as Heb. ἰσχύοντα καὶ ἰσχύουσαν] Heb. has two words, masc. and fem. from

 
the same root, both meaning ‘support,’ the masc. again in slightly
different form in the rest of the verse,= ἰσχύν. For ἰσχὺν ἄρτου, cf.
Psalm civ. 15, ἄρτος καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου στηρίξει, and Ezek. iv. 16, θc.
(different Heb. word).