The angel — Christ the angel of the covenant, often called the angel of the Lord, to whom the conduct of Israel out of Egypt into Canaan, is frequently ascribed. He alone could speak the following words in his own name and person; whereas created angels and prophets universally usher in their messag... [ Continue Reading ]
Done this — That is, disobeyed these express commands.... [ Continue Reading ]
I said — With myself, I have now taken up this peremptory resolution.... [ Continue Reading ]
Wept — Some of them from a true sense of their sins; others from a just apprehension of their approaching misery.... [ Continue Reading ]
Bochim — That is, Weepers. They sacrificed — For the expiation of their sins, by which they had provoked God to this resolution.... [ Continue Reading ]
Let the people go — When he had distributed their inheritances, and dismissed them severally to take possession of them. This was done before this time, whilst Joshua lived; but is now repeated to discover the time, and occasion of the peoples defection from God, and of God's desertion of them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Knew not — Which had no experimental, nor serious and affectionate knowledge of God, or of his works.... [ Continue Reading ]
In the sight — Which notes the heinousness and impudence of their sins, above other peoples; because God's presence was with them, and his eye upon them in a peculiar manner, which also they were not ignorant of, and therefore were guilty of more contempt of God than other people. Baalim — False god... [ Continue Reading ]
Baal and Ashtaroth — That is, the sun and moon, whom many Heathens worshipped, tho' under divers names; and so they ran into that error which God had so expressly warned them against, Deuteronomy 4:19. Baalim signifies lords, and Ashtaroth, blessed ones, he — gods and she — gods. When they forsook J... [ Continue Reading ]
Sold them — That is, delivered them up, as the seller doth his commodities unto the buyer.... [ Continue Reading ]
Whithersoever they went — That is, Whatsoever expedition or business they undertook; which is usually signified by going out, and coming in.... [ Continue Reading ]
Raised up — By inward inspiration and excitation of their hearts, and by outward designation testified by some extra — ordinary action. judges — Supreme magistrates, whose office it was, under God, and by his particular direction, to govern the commonwealth of Israel by God's laws, and to protect an... [ Continue Reading ]
Their judges — Who admonished them of their sin and folly, and of the danger and misery which would certainly befall them.... [ Continue Reading ]
It repented the Lord — That is, the Lord changed his course and dealings with them, as penitent men use to do; removed his judgments, and returned to them in mercy.... [ Continue Reading ]
Returned — To their former, and usual course. Their fathers — In Egypt, or in the wilderness. Their own doings — That is, from their evil practices, which he calls their own, because they were agreeable to their own natures, which in all mankind are deeply and universally corrupted, and because they... [ Continue Reading ]
May prove — That I may try and see whether Israel will be true and faithful to me, or whether they will suffer themselves to be corrupted by the counsels and examples of their bad neighbours.... [ Continue Reading ]