1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

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Ezekiel 8:16 And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the Lord: and behold at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, having their backs towards the temple of the Lord, and their faces to the east: and they adored towards the rising of the sun.

Men. Twelve priests and as many Levites officiated daily. The high priest made the twenty-fifth, 1 Paralipomenon xxiv. --- Sun. They prayed to God, turning their faces to the west: but here they despised him, and adored the sun, Job 31:26. (Calmet) --- This posture was common. Illi ad surgentem conversi lumina solum. (Virgil, Aeneid xii.) (Serv.) --- Christians did the like, though the reason is not ascertained. (Calmet) --- It might be because Christ is the orient, and not to resemble the Jews. There was no danger of their being taken for idolaters. (Haydock)