2 Machabees 1:36
And Nehemias called this place Nephthar, which is interpreted purification. But many call it Nephi.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Appellavit autem Nehemias hunc locum Nephthar, quod interpretatur Purificatio : vocatur autem apud plures Nephi.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- προσηγόρευσαν δὲ οἱ περὶ τὸν Νεεμίαν τοῦτο Νεφθάρ, ὃ διερμηνεύεται Καθαρισμός· καλεῖται δὲ παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς Νεφθάρ.
Haydock's commentary
Nephthar, or rather Necphar. (Grotius)
Nephi. Greek has the former word. Roman copy and Syriac, Naphtai; may be derived from Chaldean phetir, "pure, unmixed." (Calmet)
Nephthar may signify "deliverance," as sacred things are rescued from common use. (Worthington)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Ambrose On the Duties of the Clergy, Chapter XVII. With what virtuous feelings the fathers of old hid the sacred fires when on the point of going into captivity
101. When this sign became known, the king of Persia ordered a temple to be built on that spot where the fire had been hidden and the water afterwards found, to which many gifts were made. They who were with holy Nehemiah called it Naphthar, which means cleansing, by many it is called Nephi. It is to be found also in the history of the prophet Jeremiah, that he bade those who should come after him to take of the fire. That is the fire which fell on Moses’ sacrifice and consumed it, as it is written: “There came a fire out from the Lord and consumed upon the altar all the whole burnt-offering.” The sacrifice must be hallowed with this fire only. Therefore, also, fire went out from the Lord upon the sons of Aaron who wished to offer strange fire, and consumed them, so that their dead bodies were cast forth without the camp.