word used is the plural adonim, mnste:rs. Vere. 21-23.-A vow to thn Lord, onre Tho use of this for o liumon master or lo:rrl made, wns to be religiously kept; the Lorri is peoulinr to tho Pentoteuch (cf. Gen. xxiv. woulrl require it, and to refuse or ne.,lect to 0, 51 ; xxxix. 2; xl. 1; Exod. xxi. 4, 6, 32, pay it would be held o. sin. No on~, how- oto.). In this uee of the term there is no ever, woe under any obligation to vow- reference to severity of rule, ae if this were that was to be a purely voluntary act. o plum! intensive. That whioh is gone out of thy lips thou Vers.17, 18.-Amongst idolatrous nations ehalt keep and perform ; . . . according as prostitution wne in certain cases regarded thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God of o.s o.n not of religious service (of. Herod., i. free-will (,i:n;, spontaneously). (For the 190), o.ncl both maJ03 nnd fomoles prostituted law concerning vows in general, see Lev. thomsolvos especially in tho worship of xxvii. nnd Numb. xxx.) Astarto. All such o.bominotions were to be Vers. 24, 25.-ln the vineyard or corn- unlmown in Israel (cf. Micah i. 7). Whore; field of a neighbour they might eat t., 1'edeshah (n~JR ), n femnle who prostituted appea~e h1;1nger, but no store of grapes or herself in the worship of an idol. The of gram might be carriPs! away. At thine price of a dog j' not money obtained from the own pleasure; literally, a~cordi11g lo thy soul, sale of a dog, but the gains of the Tcadesh, i.e. desire or appetite (of. eh. xiv. 26). or male prostitute, here called a dog, as the Pluck the ears with thine hand ( cf Matt. type of nil uncleanness (of. Rev. xxii. 15). xii. 1 ; Luke vi. 1). Among the Arabs of Vera. 10-25.-Certain civil rights and the present day the right of a hungry per- duties are here prescribe i. son to pluck ears of corn in a field and eat Vera. 19, 20.-An Isrntlite might lend on the grains is still recognized (Robinson, interest money, or victuals, or other property, 'Bib. Res.,' ii. 192 ; Thomson, • Land and to a foreigner, but of one of his own people the Book,' ii 510). he was not to lake interest for a loan (cf. Exod. xxii. 24; Lev. xxv. 36, 37).
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-8.-Stei·n safeguards sometimes needed. It was no small part of the educa- tion of the Hebrew people at once to stamp as disreputable the practices of bodily mutilation which were common enough among heathen nations. The honour of the congregation of the Lord was bound up in its freedom from complicity therewith. Eunuchs and illegitimate offspring were excluded from the congregation of the Lord, lest the moral virus connected with the associations of their life should be as poison in the camp. Hence this shield against its poisonous influence is to be preserved down "to the tenth generation," both as a brand on former sin and as a guard against future evil. Sentence of exclusion is also passed on the .Ammonites and Moabites (see Gen. xix. 36-38). The stain on ethe origin of these races is grievous. And the new generations had, by their hostility to the people of God, and because of their super- stitious arts, shown that nought but peril could attend their admission, for a long time to come. To seek "their peace and prosperity" would have been an increase of peril, as well as a connivance at wrong. Hence it was forbidden (ver. 6). That this, and not the cultivation of needless hostility or revenge, was intended by these prohibitions is clear from vers. 7, B. Two extremes are to be avoided. No rancour or grudge is to be cherished over past ills inflicted, and yet kindliness of feeling is not to be allowed to degenerate into even apparent friendship with ungodliness and sin. In these facts and precepts the following teachings are included or suggested. I. The perfection of social life can only be secured when the several members of any society aro holy unto the Lord. II. The outside world presents very much that is the reverse of this, even all kinds of spiritual nnd sensual wickedness. III. While it behoves us to cherish a spirit of true benevolence towards all, yet we may never wink o.t sin. IV. It may be necessary for us to adopt stern measures towards others, even that of banishment (1 Cor. v. 6, 13), in order t.:> avoid contamination. V. We may well cherish, and teach others to cherish, a special hatred of sins of the flesh, since it mny not bo for many, many genen-itions that blood-poisoning thereby llEPTERON014 V, 2a 370 THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. [OIi, lllII. 1-26,
ceasN' t-0 corrupt or taint the life. Surely men would more frequently check themselves in Fin if t.hcy would remember for how long they may enfeeble the constHutione and erubitt.or the lives of those who may hereafter owe their existence to them.