Num 31:14-18, Judg 5:23, 1Sa 15:3, 9, 13-35, 1Ki 20:42, Jer 50:25 | TSK | STEP

Numbers 31:14-18

wroth.

12:3; Ex 32:19,22; Le 10:16; 1Sa 15:13,14; 1Ki 20:42; 2Ki 13:19

Eph 4:26

battle. Heb. host of war.

De 2:34; 20:13,16-18; Jos 6:21; 8:25; 10:40; 11:14; 1Sa 15:3

Ps 137:8,9; Jer 48:10; Eze 9:6

these caused.

24:14; 25:1-3; Pr 23:27; Ec 7:26; 2Pe 2:15; Re 2:14

in the matter.

25:18; De 4:3; Jos 22:17

and there.

25:9

kill every male.The sword of war should spare women and children, as incapable of resisting; but the sword of justice knows no distinction, except that of guilty or not guilty, or more or less guilty. This was the execution of a righteous sentence upon a guilty nation, in which the women were the greatest criminals; and it may safely be said, that their lives were forfeited by their personal transgressions. With respect to the execution of the male infants, who cannot be supposed to have been guilty, God, the author and supporter of life, who has a right to dispose of it when and how he thinks proper, commanded it; and "shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

Jud 21:11,12

him. Heb. a male.

keep alive for yourselves.It has been groundlessly asserted, that Moses here authorised the Israelites to make concubines of the whole number of female children; and an insidious objection against his writings has been grounded upon this monstrous supposition. But the whole tenor of the law, and especially a statute recorded in De 21:10-14, proves most decisively to the contrary. They were merely permitted to possess them as female slaves, educating them in their families, and employing them as domestics; for the laws concerning fornication, concubinage, and marriage, were in full force, and prohibited an Israelite even from marrying a captive, without delays and previous formalities; and if he afterwards divorced her, he was to set here at liberty, "because he had humbled her."

Le 25:44; De 20:14; 21:10-14; 2Ch 28:8-10; Isa 14:2

Judges 5:23

Curse ye.

1Sa 26:19; Jer 48:10; 1Co 16:22

Meroz.This city of Meroz seems to have been, at this time, a place of considerable importance, since something great was expected from it; but probably, after the angel of the Lord had pronounced this curse, it dwindled and like the fig-tree which Christ cursed, withered away; so that we never read of it after this in Scripture.

the angel.

2:1; 4:6; 6:11; 13:3; Mt 25:41

they came.

21:9,10; Ne 3:5

to the help.

1Sa 17:47; 18:17; 25:28; Ro 15:18; 1Co 3:9; 2Co 6:1

1 Samuel 15:3

Now go.The Amalekites, a people of Arabia Petræa, who inhabited a tract of country on the frontiers of Egypt and Canaan, had acted with great cruelty towards the Israelites on their coming out of Egypt, and God then purposed that Amalek, as a nation, should be blotted out from under heaven; but it had been spared till it had filled up the measure of its iniquities, and now this purpose is carried into effect by Saul, upwards of 400 years afterwards! Nothing could justify such an exterminating decree but the absolute authority of God; and this was given: all the reasons of it we do not know; but this we know well, the Judge of all the earth doeth right.

utterly destroy.

Le 27:28,29; Nu 24:20; De 13:15,16; 20:16-18; Jos 6:17-21

slay.

Ex 20:5; Nu 31:17; Isa 14:21,22

ox and sheep.

Ge 3:17,18; Ro 8:20-22

1 Samuel 15:9

the best.

3,15,19; Jos 7:21

the fatlings. or, the second sort.

2Sa 6:13

1 Samuel 15:13-35

Blessed.

13:10; Ge 14:19; Jud 17:2; Ru 3:10

I have performed.

9,11; Ge 3:12; Pr 27:2; 28:13; 30:13; 31:31; Lu 17:10; 18:11

What meaneth.

Ps 36:2; 50:16-21; Jer 2:18,19,22,23,34-37; Mal 3:13-15; Lu 19:22

Ro 3:19; 1Co 4:5

for.

9,21; Ge 3:12,13; Ex 32:22,23; Job 31:33; Pr 28:13

to.

Mt 2:8; Lu 10:29

Stay.

9:27; 12:7; 1Ki 22:16

When thou.

9:21; 10:22; Jud 6:15; Ho 13:1; Mt 18:4

the Lord.

1-3; 10:1

the sinners.

Ge 13:13; 15:16; Nu 16:38; Job 31:3; Pr 10:29; 13:21

they be consumed. Heb. they consume them.

fly upon.

Pr 15:27; Jer 7:11; Hab 2:9-12; 2Ti 4:10

didst evil.

2Ch 33:2,6; 36:12

Yea.

13; Job 33:9; 34:5; 35:2; 40:8; Mt 19:20; Lu 10:29; 18:11; Ro 10:3

have brought.

3,8

the people.

15; Ge 3:13; Ex 32:22,23

Hath the Lord.

Ps 50:8,9; 51:16,17; Pr 21:3; Isa 1:11-17; Jer 7:22,23; Ho 6:6

Am 5:21-24; Mic 6:6-8; Mt 9:13; 12:7; 23:23; Heb 10:4-10

obey.

Ex 19:5; Ec 5:1; Jer 7:23; 11:4,7; 26:13; Ho 6:6; Mt 5:24; Mr 12:33

rebellion.

12:14,15; Nu 14:9; De 9:7,24; Jos 22:16-19; Job 34:37; Ps 107:11

Jer 28:16; 29:32; Eze 2:5-8

witchcraft. Heb. divination.

Ex 22:18; Le 20:6,27; De 18:10,11; Isa 8:19; 19:3; Re 22:15

stubbornness.

2Co 6:16; Ga 5:20; Re 21:8

thou hast rejected.

2:30; 13:14; 16:1; 2Ki 17:15-20; 1Ch 28:9

I have sinned.

30; Ex 9:27; 10:16; Nu 22:34; 2Sa 12:13; Mt 27:4

I feared.

9,15; Ex 23:2; Job 31:34; Pr 29:25; Isa 51:12,13; Lu 23:20-25

Ga 1:10; Re 21:8

obeyed.

2:29; Ge 3:12,17; Jer 38:5

pardon.

Ex 10:17

I will not.

31; Ge 42:38; 43:11-14; Lu 24:28,29; 2Jo 1:11

for thou.

23; 2:30; 13:14; 16:1; Jer 6:19; Ho 4:6

The Lord.

28:17,18; 1Ki 11:30,31

hath given.

2:7,8; Jer 27:5,6; Da 4:17,32; Joh 19:11; Ro 13:1

a neighbour.

13:14; 16:12; Ac 13:22

Strength. or, Eternity, or, Victory.

De 33:27; Ps 29:11; 68:35; Isa 45:24; Joe 3:16; 2Co 12:9; Php 4:13

will not lie.

Nu 14:28,29; 23:19; Ps 95:11; Eze 24:14; 2Ti 2:13; Tit 1:2

Heb 6:18

honour me now.

Hab 2:4; Joh 5:44; 12:43

that I may worship.

Isa 29:13; Lu 18:9-14; 2Ti 3:5

Agag said.

Jer 48:44; 1Th 5:3; Re 18:7

As thy sword.

Ge 9:6; Ex 17:11; Nu 14:45; Jud 1:7; Mt 7:2; Jas 2:13; Re 16:6; 18:6

Samuel.It has been a matter of wonder to many, how Samuel could thus slay a captive prince, even in the presence of Saul, who from motives of clemency had spared him; but it should be remarked, that what Samuel did here, he did in his magisterial capacity; and that Agag had been a cruel tyrant, and therefore was cut off for his merciless cruelties. Farther, it is not likely that he did it by his own sword, but by that of the executioner. What kings, magistrates, and generals do, in an official way, by their subjects, servants, or soldiers, they are said to do themselves:--{qui facit per alterum, facit per se.}

hewed.

Nu 25:7,8; 1Ki 18:40; Isa 34:6; Jer 48:10

Gibeah.

11:4

Samuel.

19:24

Samuel mourned.

11; 16:1; Ps 119:136,158; Jer 9:1,2; Ro 9:2,3; Php 3:18

repented.

11; Ge 6:6