The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 385

~acrificce of their gods," who were "dead," (Judg. i. 30); "neither did Asher drive out e.e opposed to the true living God. the inhe.bitimh of Aocho" (Judg. i. 81); Ver. 29.-Thus they provoked him to anger nor "N aphtali the inhabit1mts of Detb- with their inventions; or, with thefr doings. shemosh e.nd Deth--anath " 1(Judg. i. 33); nor And the plague; rather, a plague. Brake Dan the Amoritll!, who "would dwell in in upon them. The judicial slaughter in• lllount Heres in Aijalon, and in ShRalbim" flicted by oommand of Moses (Numb. xxv. (Jndg. i. 35). It was not compneeion that <t-8) is called here, as it is also in Numb. restrained them, but love of ease, idleness, xx,.. 8, 9. IS, "a plngue." one of the seven deadly sins; and the Yer. 30.-Then stood up Phinehas, and results were those described in the next executed judgment (see Numb. xi-v. 7, S). verse. Some critics, however, translate ~~El' by Ver. S5.-Bnt were mingled among the "mediated" (Kay, Cheyne). And so the heathen, a.nd learned their works. This plague was stayed (comp. Numb. xxv. S). was the effect of the continuous contact. Yer. 31.-And that was counted unto "Evil communications corrupted good man- him for righteousness (comp. Numb. xxv. ners." The command to exterminate, which ll-13, and see also Eccles. xiv. 23, 24; to modems seems so terribly severe, e.nd I Mace. ii. 26, 5!l). Unto all generations for almost cruel, w11s undoubtedly based upon evermore. The praise awarded to Phinc- God's foreknowledge of the foct, that other• ha5, here and in Numb. xxv., is an cver- wise there would be contact, and if contact, le.sting testimony to him, though the "ever- then contamination. (For the actual fact, lnsting priesthood." of Numb. xxv. 13 has see J udg. ii. 11-13, I!) ; iii. 6, 7 ; vi. 25; passed away. x. 6, etc.) Ver. 32.-They angered him aleo at the Ver. 36.-And they served their idols : waters of ,trife; or, •• at the we.ters of whioh were a snare unto them; or, which llforibah" (Revised Version, Kay, Cheyne); became a snare unto them. The idols cnmp. Numb. xx. 2, 10, 13. So tha.t it went worshipped were especia.lly Baal and Ash- ill with ltoses for their sa.kes. Moscs we.s t.oreth-the nature-god a.nd nature-goddess, not punished for the people's sin, but for sometimes identified with the sun and his own sin (Numb. xx. 10-12), to which moon. 'l'hese a.lone are mentioned in the theirs led. The expression, "for their time of the Judges. A.ftorwards, how- sakes," is need loosely (comp. Dent. i. 37; ever, Chemosh, Molech, Rempha.n, the gods iii 26). of Syria., and perhaps Ammon of Egypt, Yer. 33.-Becaue they provoked his were added to the oe.talogue (1 Kings xi. spirit, so tha.t he spa.ke une.dvisedly with 7; 2 Kings xxi. 19; 2 Chron. xxviii. 23; his lips. One man's sin often lends to Acts vii. 43). another's, but does not necessitate it. The Ver. 37.-Yea., they sa.oriflced their sons people "prornked Moses' spirit" by their a.nd their da.ughters unto devils. The murmurs and reproaches (Numb. x.x. 3-5). Moloch sacrifices of cbillren by their Moses, being provoked, made his rash pa.rents are evidently inttnded (comp. Lev. utterance (Numb. xx. 10). He wo.s vexed, xviii. 21 ; Dent. xviii. 10; 2 Kings iii. 27; impatient, ce.rried a.way by a gust of pas- Jer. vii. 31; Ezek. xxiii. 37, etc.). (For sion, and made the unfitting speech, "Hear the identification of the fe.lse gods of the now, ye rebels; must we fetch you wakr heathen with "devils,'' comp. Lev. xvii. 71 ; ont of the rock?" speaking as if the power Dent. xn:ii. 17; 2 Cbron. xi. 15; 1 Cor. were his own. x. 20, 21.) It is a.rgued by some that Ver. 34.-They did not destroy the nations, the use of the word "devils," or "demons," concerning whom the Lord commanded them. here does not imply the.t the objects of the 'fhis is reckoned 81:1 another sin. Isre.el, once worship were evil spirits. But it is difficult comfortably settled in Palestine, with suffi- to see whe.t else can be meant. cient room for its numbers, did not carry Ver. 38.-And shed innocent blood, even out the Divine command to "destroy,'' or the blood of their sons and of their daughters. "cast out," the Caue.anitish nations, but was Infants, who could liave committed no content to share the land with them. "The a.ctuol sin, were the ordinary victims in the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Moloch sacrifices (see Je.rcbi on J-ar, ~ii. Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem" (Judg. 31; Diod. Sic., xx. 14; Dollinger, •Juden- i. 21); "neither did Manasseh drive out the thum und Hcidenthum,' i. 4i7, Eugl. inhabitants of Beth-sbee.n e.nd her towus, trans.). Whom they sacrificed unto the idols nor 'l'aaunch and her towns; nor tho in- of Canaa.n. Bloody offerings of this horrible habitants of Dor and her towns" (Judg. i. kind were made, not only to Moloch, but 27); "neither did Ephraim drive out tho also to Bae.I (Jer. xix. 5), to Chemosh (2 Ce.ne.anites tlie.t dwelt in Gezer" (Judg. i. Kings iii. 27), and perh11ps to other deities. 29); nor "Zebulon the inhabitants of And the la.nd wa1 polluted with blood, Con- Kitron, nor the inhe.bite.nts of Nahalol" trary to the commandment givon in Dent. PB, OVI. 1-48.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 429