_A.M. 2553. B.C. 1451._
Laws concerning the punishment of false prophets, Deuteronomy 13:1.
Enticers to idolatry to be stoned, Deuteronomy 13:6. Idolatrous cities
to be entirely destroyed, Deuteronomy 13:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
Moses, foreseeing how liable the Israelites, in after ages, would be
to be deluded by false prophets, who, under pretence of divine
revelations, or communications of divine power, while indeed they were
assisted by no other than wicked and infernal spirits, might foretel
some future events, or work... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the sign or wonder come to pass_ God permitting Satan or his
agents to do what is above the ordinary course of nature for thy
trial. _Saying, Let us go after other gods_ That is, who, upon the
sign's coming to pass which he gave thee to confirm his doctrine,
would persuade thee to go after othe... [ Continue Reading ]
_Because he hath spoken_ Taught, or persuaded you. _To turn you away
from the Lord_ To induce you to forsake God and his worship. This
shows that the most certain character of a true prophet is to be taken
from his doctrine, rather than from his miracles. _To thrust thee out
of the way_ This phrase... [ Continue Reading ]
_The son of thy mother_ This is added, to restrain the signification
of the word _brother_, which is often used generally for one near
akin, and to express the nearness of the relation, the mother's side
being usually the ground of the most fervent affection. _Thy daughter_
Thy piety must overcome b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Neither shall thine eye pity him_ The reason of the thing shows that
two circumstances are implied: one is, that the seducer should be
convicted by two sufficient witnesses before he should be put to
death; the other, that the offender obstinately persisted in the
defence of idolatry in spite of ad... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt surely kill him_ Not privately, a permission to do which,
under pretence of the party's being guilty of the crime in question,
would have opened the door to innumerable murders; but by procuring
his death through the sentence of the magistrate. _Thy hand shall be
first upon him_ As the w... [ Continue Reading ]
_Certain men, children of Belial_ So the most profligate and worthless
are called in Scripture. The expression properly signifies persons
_without yoke_, lawless, and rebellious, that will suffer no
restraint, that neither fear God nor reverence man. _Are gone out from
you_ Have separated themselves... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then thou shalt inquire_ This is meant of the magistrate, to whose
office this properly belonged, and of whom he continues to speak in
the same manner, _thou_, Deu 13:15 and Deuteronomy 13:16. The Jewish
writers say, the defection of a city was to be tried by the great
sanhedrim. If it appeared tha... [ Continue Reading ]
_The inhabitants_ Namely, all that were guilty, not the innocent part,
such as disowned this apostacy, who doubtless by choice, at least upon
warning, would come out of so wicked a place. _Utterly_ The very same
punishment which was inflicted upon the cities of the cursed
Canaanites, to whom, having... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the Lord_ For the satisfaction of God's justice, the maintenance
of his honour and authority, and the pacification of his offended
majesty. _It shall not be built_ It shall be an eternal monument of
God's justice and terror to after ages. _Multiply thee_ So thou shalt
have no loss of thy number... [ Continue Reading ]