| I Samuel 7:6
| And they gathered together to Masphath, and they drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and they fasted on that day, and they said there: We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Masphath.
| Lord, having purified themselves with it, Exodus 19:24. Others think that it was a kind of a protestation, that they were willing to perish if they proved faithless; (Sa) or a symbol that they rejected every vestige of idolatry, and every sin, with true repentance. (Sanctius) (Tirinus) --- Water was also the most ancient species of libation, before honey, and afterwards wine were adopted. (Porphyrius) --- Though the law did not prescribe it, there was no prohibition. On the last day of the feast of tabernacles, the people went to the pool of Silo to fetch water, and to pour it out in the temple, as a libation to the Lord; and it is thought that Jesus Christ alludes to this custom, John 7:24. (Lamy, Introd.) See 2 Kings 23:16. (Calmet) --- Fasted. They confess their sins and do penance, while Samuel sits as judge, (Salien) and had been endeavouring for twenty years to excite them to repentance, and to adhere to the one true religion. (Tirinus)
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