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Deuteronomy Chapter
Twenty-five
Deuteronomy 25
Chapter Contents
Extent of punishment. (1-3) The ox that treadeth the corn.
(4) Marriage of a brother's wife. (5-12) Of unjust weights. (13-16) War against
Amalek. (17-19)
Commentary on Deuteronomy 25:1-3
(Read Deuteronomy 25:1-3)
Every punishment should be with solemnity
that those who
see it may be filled with dread
and be warned not to offend in like manner.
And though the criminals must be shamed as well as put to pain
for their
warning and disgrace
yet care should be taken that they do not appear totally
vile. Happy those who are chastened of the Lord to humble them
that they
should not be condemned with the world to destruction.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 25:4
(Read Deuteronomy 25:4)
This is a charge to husbandmen. It teaches us to make
much of the animals that serve us. But we must learn
not only to be just
but
kind to all who are employed for the good of our better part
our souls
1 Corinthians 9:9.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 25:5-12
(Read Deuteronomy 25:5-12)
The custom here regulated seems to have been in the Jewish
law in order to keep inheritances distinct; now it is unlawful.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 25:13-16
(Read Deuteronomy 25:13-16)
Dishonest gain always brings a curse on men's property
families
and souls. Happy those who judge themselves
repent of and forsake
their sins
and put away evil things
that they may not be condemned of the
Lord.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 25:17-19
(Read Deuteronomy 25:17-19)
Let every persecutor and injurer of God's people take
warning from the case of the Amalekites. The longer it is before judgement
comes
the more dreadful will it be at last. Amalek may remind us of the foes
of our souls. May we be enabled to slay all our lusts
all the corruptions both
within and without
all the powers of darkness and of the world
which oppose
our way to the blessed Saviour.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy》
Deuteronomy 25
Verse 1
[1] If
there be a controversy between men
and they come unto judgment
that the
judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous
and condemn the
wicked.
Justify —
Acquit him from guilt and false accusations
and free him from punishment.
Verse 2
[2] And it shall be
if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten
that the judge
shall cause him to lie down
and to be beaten before his face
according to his
fault
by a certain number.
Beaten —
Which the Jews say was the case of all those crimes which the law commands to
be punished
without expressing the kind or degree of punishment.
Before his face —
That the punishment may be duly inflicted
without excess or defect. And from
this no person's rank or quality exempted him
if he was a delinquent.
Verse 3
[3]
Forty stripes he may give him
and not exceed: lest
if he should exceed
and
beat him above these with many stripes
then thy brother should seem vile unto
thee.
Forty stripes — It
seems not superstition
but prudent caution
when the Jews would not exceed
thirty-nine stripes
lest through mistake or forgetfulness they should go
beyond their bounds
which they were commanded to keep.
Should seem vile —
Should be made contemptible to his brethren
either by this cruel usage of him
as if he were a brute beast: or by the deformity or infirmity of body which
excessive beating might produce.
Verse 4
[4] Thou
shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.
He treadeth out the corn — Which they did in those parts
either immediately by their hoofs on by
drawing carts or other instruments over the corn. Hereby God taught them
humanity
even to their beasts that served them
and much more to their
servants or other men who laboured for them
especially to their ministers
1 Corinthians 9:9.
Verse 5
[5] If brethren dwell together
and one of them die
and have no child
the
wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother
shall go in unto her
and take her to him to wife
and perform the duty of an
husband's brother unto her.
Together — In
the same town
or at least country. For if the next brother had removed his
habitation into remote parts
on were carried thither into captivity
then the
wife of the dead had her liberty to marry the next kinsman that lived in the
same place with her.
One —
Any of them
for the words are general
and the reason of the law was to keep up
the distinction of tribes and families
that so the Messiah might be discovered
by the family from which he was appointed to proceed; and also of inheritances
which were divided among all the brethren
the first-born having only a double
portion.
A stranger — To
one of another family.
Verse 6
[6] And
it shall be
that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of
his brother which is dead
that his name be not put out of Israel.
That his name be not put out — That a family be not lost. So this was a provision that the number of
their families might not be diminished.
Verse 9
[9] Then
shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders
and loose
his shoe from off his foot
and spit in his face
and shall answer and say
So
shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house.
Loose his shoe — As
a sign of his resignation of all his right to the woman
and to her husband's
inheritance: for as the shoe was a sign of one's power and right
Psalms 60:8; 108:9
so the parting with the shoe was a token
of the alienation of such right; and as a note of infamy
to signify that by
this disingenuous action he was unworthy to be amongst free-men
and fit to be
reduced to the condition of the meanest servants
who used to go barefoot
Isaiah 20:2
4.
Verse 10
[10] And
his name shall be called in Israel
The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.
His name —
That is
his person
and his posterity also. So it was a lasting blot.
Verse 13
[13] Thou
shalt not have in thy bag divers weights
a great and a small.
A great and a small —
The great to buy with
the small for selling.
Verse 17
[17]
Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way
when ye were come forth out of
Egypt;
Out of Egypt —
Which circumstance greatly aggravates their sin
that they should do thus to a people
who had been long exercised with sore afflictions
to whom pity was due by the
laws of nature and humanity
and for whose rescue God had in so glorious a
manner appeared
which they could not be ignorant of. So this was barbarousness
to Israel
and setting the great Jehovah at defiance.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Deuteronomy》
25 Chapter 25
INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 25
Several
laws are contained in this chapter
as concerning beating such whose crimes
required it
Deuteronomy 25:1;
of not muzzling the ox in treading out the corn
Deuteronomy 25:4;
of marrying a deceased brother's wife
when there was no issue
and of the
disgrace of such that refused it
Deuteronomy 25:5;
of the punishment of an immodest woman
Deuteronomy 25:11;
and against bad weights and measures
Deuteronomy 25:13;
and for the utter destruction of Amalek
Deuteronomy 25:17.
Verse 1
If there be a controversy between men
.... Between
two or more:
and they come unto judgment; into a court of
judicature
bring their cause thither:
that the judges may judge them; who were
never less than three; the great sanhedrim at Jerusalem consisted of seventy
one
the lesser court was of twenty three
and the least of all three only:
then they shall justify the righteous
and condemn the wicked: acquit the
one
whose cause is good
and condemn the other to punishment
who is guilty of
a crime
and as that deserves; which is to do righteous judgment; the contrary
to this is an abomination to the Lord
Proverbs 17:15.
Verse 2
And it shall be
if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten
.... There
were four kinds of death criminals were put to by the Jews
stoning
strangling
burning
and slaying with the sword; and such crimes not as severe
as these were punished with beating or scourging; and who they were that were
worthy to be beaten is at large set forth in the Misnic treatise called MaccothF24Ib.
c. 3. sect. 1. 2
3
&c.
or "stripes"
which are too many to be
transcribed. Maimonides saysF25Hilchot Sanhedrin
c. 19. sect. 1.
that all negative precepts in the law
for the breach of which men are guilty
of cutting off
but not of death by the sanhedrim
are to be beaten. They are
in all twenty one
and so all deserving of death by the hand of heaven; and
they are eighteen
and all negative precepts of the law broken
for which there
is neither cutting off nor death by a court of judicature
for these men are to
be beaten
and they are one hundred and sixty eight; and all that are to be
beaten are found to be two hundred and seven:
that the judge shall cause him to lie down; which seems
to be on the floor of the court
since it was to be done immediately
and in
the presence of the judge; and the Jews gatherF26Misn. Maccot
c. 3.
sect. 13. from hence
that he was to be beaten neither standing
nor sitting
but bowed; that is
ye shall command or order him to lie down
or to fall upon
the ground with his face towards it:
and to be beaten before his face; in the presence of the
judge
that the sentence might be properly executed
neither exceeded not
diminished; and indeed all the judges were to be present
especially the bench
of three; while he was beating
the chief of the judges read the passage in Deuteronomy 28:58;
and he that was next to him counted the strokes
and the third at every blow
said SmiteF1Maimon & Bartenora in ib. sect. 14. : of the manner
of beating or scourging; see Gill on Matthew 10:17
according to his fault
by a certain number; as his crime
and wickedness was more or less heinous
more or fewer stripes were to be laid
on him; as ten or twenty
fewer or more
according to the nature of his
offence
as Aben Ezra observes
only he might not add above forty; though he
says there are some who say that according to his fault the stripes are larger
or lesser
but all of them in number forty.
Verse 3
Forty stripes he may give him
and not exceed
.... And that
this number might not be exceeded
it is ordered by the Jewish canons that only
thirty nine should be given; for it is askedF2Misn. Maccot
c. 3. sect.
10. Vid. Buxtorf. Synagog. Jud. c. 25. p. 522
523.
"with how many
stripes do they beat him? with forty
save one
as it is said
in number
"forty" that is
in the number which is next to forty;'this they make
out by joining the last word of Deuteronomy 25:2
with the first of this; and that this was an ancient sense of the law
and
custom upon it
appears by the execution of it on the Apostle Paul; who was not
indulged
but suffered the extremity of it as it was then understood; see Gill
on 2 Corinthians 11:24;
moreover
that they might not exceed this number
they used to make a scourge
of three lashes
so that every strike they fetched with it was reckoned for
three stripes
and thirteen of them made thirty nine; wherefore if they added
another stroke
it would have exceeded the number of stripes by two:
lest if he should exceed
and beat him above these with
many stripes; they might diminish them
if a man was weak
and not able to
bear them; but they might not exceed them
if a man was as strong as Samson
as
MaimonidesF3Hilchot Sanhedrin
c. 17. sect. 1. says:
then thy brother should seem vile unto thee; as if he was
a beast
and not a man
and much less a brother. The Targum of Jonathan
is
"lest he be in danger
and thy brother be vile;'lest he be in danger of
his life
and become vile
as a dead carcass; so the apostle calls dead bodies
"vile bodies"
Philemon 3:21; or
in danger of being maimed
and becoming lame or deformed
and so be
contemptible: and this punishment of beating with the Jews was not reckoned
according to their writers
reproachful
and as fixing a brand of infamy upon a
person; but they were still reckoned brethren
and restored to their former
dignities
whatsoever they possessed; so MaimonidesF4Ibid. sect. 7
8
9. says
"whoever commits a crime
and is beaten
he returns to his
dignity
as it is said
"lest thy brother be vile in thine eyes";
when he is beaten
lo
he is thy brother; an high priest
that commits a crime
is beaten by three (i.e. a bench of three judges
by their order)
as the rest
of all the people
and he returns to his grandeur; but the head of the session
(or court of judicature)
that commits a crime
they beat him
but he does not
return to his principality
nor even return to be as one of the rest of the
sanhedrim; for they ascend in holiness
but do not descend.'And yet Josephus
represents it as a most infamous and scandalous punishment
as one would think
indeed it should be; his words areF5Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 21.
speaking of the laws concerning travellers being allowed to gather grapes
and
pluck ears of corn as they passed;"he that does contrary to these laws
receives forty stripes
save one
with a public scourge; a free man undergoes
this most filthy (or disgraceful) punishment
because for the sake of gain he
reproaches his dignity.'
Verse 4
Thou shall not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. As oxen are
used in ploughing
so likewise in treading or beating out the corn; of the
manner of which; see Gill on 1 Corinthians 9:9;
now while it was thus employed
it might not be restrained by any means from
eating the corn as it had an opportunity
either by a muzzle put over its
mouth
or other ways. The Gentiles had several ways of restraining their cattle
from eating
while they thus made use of them
to which this law is opposed.
MaimonidesF6Hilchot Shecirut
c. 13. sect. 2
3. has collected several
or them together
as prohibited by it; as putting a thorn into its mouth
causing a lion to lie down by it
or causing its calf to lie down without
or
spreading a skin on the top of the corn
that so it may not eat. AelianusF7Hist.
Animal. l. 4. c. 25. relates a very particular way of hindering oxen from
eating at such times
used some countries
which was this; that oxen might not
eat of the ears of corn
in a floor where they were trod out
they used to
besmear their nostrils with cows' dung
which was so disagreeable to the
creature
that it would not taste anything though pressed with famine. This law
is not to be limited to the ox only
or to this peculiar work assigned it; but
as Jarchi says
respects any sort of cattle
and whatsoever work that has food
in it
none of them being to be restrained from eating while at work: and this
law was not made for the creatures only
but for men also; and especially for
the sake of ministers of the word; who for their strength
labour
and
industry
are compared to oxen
and ought to be comfortably supported and
maintained on account of their work; for the illustration and confirmation of
which this passage is twice produced; see Gill on 1 Corinthians 9:9;
See Gill on 1 Corinthians 9:10;
See Gill on 1 Timothy 5:17; See
Gill on 1 Timothy 5:18.
Verse 5
If brethren dwell together
.... Not only in the same
country
province
town
or city
but in the same house; such who had been from
their youth brought up together in their father's house
and now one of them
being married
as the case put supposes
they that were unmarried might live
with him
and especially if the father was dead; and so may except such as were
abroad
and in foreign countries
or at such a distance that this law coals not
well be observed by them; though the Targum of Jonathan
and so Jarchi
interpret it of their being united in an inheritance
all by virtue of relation
having a claim to their father's inheritance; so that it mattered not where
they dwelt
it is the relation that is regarded
and their right of
inheritance; and the above Targum describes them as brethren on the father's
side
and so Jarchi says excepts his brother on the mother's side; for brethren
by the mother's side
in case of inheritance
and the marrying of a brother's
wife
were not reckoned brethren
as MaimonidesF8Hilchot Yebum
Vechalitzah
c
1
sect
7. observes; who adds
that there is no brotherhood
but on the father's side. Some think that when there were no brethren in a
strict and proper sense
the near kinsmen
sometimes called brethren
were to
do the office here enjoined
and which they conclude from the case of Boaz and
Ruth; but Aben Ezra contradicts this
and says that instance is no proof of it
it respecting another affair
not marriage
but redemption; and says that
brethren
absolutely and strictly speaking are here meant; which is agreeably
to their traditionF9Misn. Yebamot
c. 4. sect. 5. :
and one of them die
and have no child: son
or
daughter
son's son
or daughter's son
or daughter's daughter
as Jarchi
notes; if there were either of these
children or grandchildren
of either sex
there was no obligation to marry a brother's wife; so
in the case put to
Christ
there was no issue
the person was childless
Matthew 22:24
the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger; by whom is
meant not a Gentile
or a proselyte of the gate
or of righteousness
but any
Israelite whatever
that was not of her husband's family; she might not marry
out of the family; that is
she was refused by all
the design of the law being
to secure inheritances
and continue them in families to which they belonged:
her husband's brother shall go in unto her
and take her to him to
wife; that is
supposing him to be unmarried
and this is indeed
supposed in the first clause of the text
by dwelling with his brother; for had
he been married
he would have dwelt with his wife and family apart; besides
if this law obliged a married man to marry his brother's wife
polygamy would
be required and established by a law of God
which was never otherwise than
permitted. This is to be understood of the eldest brother
as Jarchi
who is in
an unmarried state; so it is said in the MisnahF11Yebamot
c. 4.
sect. 5.
"the command is upon the eldest to marry his brother's wife; if
he will not
they go to all the brethren; if they will not
they return to the
eldest; and say to him
upon thee is the commandment
either allow the shoe to
be plucked off
or marry;'and such a course we find was taken among the Jews in
our Lord's time
Matthew 22:25
and perform the duty of an husband's brother to her; cohabit
together as man and wife
in order to raise up seed to his brother
and perform
all the offices and duties of an husband to a wife; but the marriage solemnity
was not to take place when it was agreed to
until three months or ninety days
had passed from the death of the brother
that it might be known whether she
was with child or no by her husband
and in such a case this law had no force;
so runs the Jewish canonF12Ib. sect. 10. "a brother's wife may
not pluck off the shoe
nor be married
until three months;'that is
after her
husband's death.
Verse 6
And it shall be that the firstborn that she beareth
.... To her
husband's brother
now married to her:
shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead; the meaning
is
as the Targum of Jonathan
"he shall rise up in the inheritance in the
name of his brother;'or
as Jarchi expresses it
"he shall take the
inheritance of the deceased in the goods of his father;'that is
he shall have
his part and share in the inheritance that the deceased brother would have had
if he had lived
which would come to him by his father:
that his name be not put out of Israel; that the
family be not lost in Israel
and the inheritance belonging to it pass to
another. This law was designed to keep families distinct
and inheritances in
them
until the Messiah came
and that it might appear from what family he
came; as he did from one in whom
as it is generally thought
this law took
place: and it might have still a more special respect to him
as Ainsworth
suggests; for Christ in the mystical sense may be signified by the deceased
brother; he stands in the relation of a brother to his people
and has all the
love
friendship
compassion
and condescension of one; he and they are of one
and the same father
of the same family
and of the same nature
and have the
same inheritance they being co-heirs with him; nor is he ashamed to own the
relation. This brother of theirs is deceased; his death was according to the
will of God
what he himself agreed to
and was foretold by the prophets; for
which purpose he came into the world
and did die as to the flesh
and that for
the sins of his people. Now the Jewish church was his wife
by whom he had no
children through the law; that church was espoused to him
he stood in the
relation of an husband to her
and she in the relation of a wife to him. Very
few children were brought forth by her to him
see
Isaiah 54:1; and
none by the law
by which there is no regeneration
but by the Gospel; it is
through that
and not the law
the Spirit and his graces come; or souls are
born again to Christ
renewed and sanctified. The apostles that survived
Christ
and the ministers of the Gospel
are his brethren
John 20:17; and who
are instruments in begetting souls to Christ; and these are a seed raised up
unto him
and are called not after the name of the apostles and ministers of
the word
through whose ministry they are begotten
1 Corinthians 1:12;
but after Christ; and have the name of Christians
or anointed ones
from him
and by which means his name is
and will be continued as long as the sun
endures
Acts 11:26.
Verse 7
And the man like not to take his brother's wife
.... The
provision here made by this law
when this was the case
is such as did not
take place before it became a law; for then Onan would have taken the advantage
of it
and refused marrying his brother's wife
which it is plain was not
agreeable to him
Genesis 38:9; as
many do now on one account or another. Leo of ModenaF12Ut supra
sect. 3. (Leo Modena's History of Rites
&c. l. 1 sect. 3.) says
"it
was anciently accounted the more laudable thing to take her
than to release
her; but now the corruption of the times
and the hardness of men's hearts
are
such
as that they only look after worldly ends
either of riches
or of the
beauty of the woman; so that there are very few that in this case will marry a
brother's widow
especially among the Dutch and Italian Jews
but they always
release her:"
then let his brother's wife go up to the gate; to the gate
of the city
where the judges sit for public affairs; to the gate of the
sanhedrim
or court of judicature
as the Targum of Jonathan; and this affair
was cognizable by the bench of three judges
and might be dispatched by them;
for so it is saidF13Misn. Sanhedrin
c. 1. sect. 3.
"the
plucking off the shoe
and the refusal of marriage
are by three:'i.e. three
judges
which was the lowest court of judicature with the Jews:
unto the elders
and say; which according to the
above Targum were to be five wise men
of which three were to be judges
and
two witnesses; and she was to say in the Hebrew language
in which
according
to the MisnahF14Sotah
c. 7. sect. 2.
she was to pronounce what
follows:
my husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name
in Israel
he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother; that is
in a
few words
he will not marry her.
Verse 8
Then the elders of his city shall call him
.... Require
him to come
before them
and declare his resolution
and the reasons for it;
recite this law to him
and explain the nature of it
and exhort him to comply
with it
or show reason why he does not
at least to have his final resolution
upon it:
and speak unto him; talk with him upon this subject
and give
him their best advice; and what that was MaimonidesF15Yebum
Vechalitzab
c. 4. sect. 1. more particularly informs us; if it is good and
advisable to marry
they advise him to marry; but if it is better advice to
pluck off the shoe
they give it; as when she is young and he is old
or she is
old and he young
they advise him to allow the shoe to be plucked off:
and if he stand to it: and say
I like not to take
her; if
after all the conversation
debate
and counsel between
them
he is resolute
and abides by his first determination
that he will not
marry her
then the following method was to be taken.
Verse 9
Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the
elders
.... The time and place being appointed the evening before by
three Rabbins
and two witnesses
as Leo of Modena saysF16Ut supra
sect. 4. (Leo Modena's Hostory of Rites
&c. l. 1. sect. 4.) ; of which she
was apprized
and ordered to come tasting:
and loose his shoe from off his foot; his right
foot
which was thus done;"they bring him a leather shoe
which has a
heel
but not sewed with linen (linen thread)
and he puts it on the right
foot
and binds the latchet on his foot
and stands
he and she
in the court;
he fixes his foot on the ground
and she sits and stretches out her hand in the
court
and looses the latchet of his shoe from off his foot
and pulls off his
shoe
and casts it to the groundF17Maimon. ut supra
(Yebum
Vechalitzab
c. 4.) sect. 6. :'this he suffered to be done to show that he gave
up his right to her; and he was so used by way of reproach
to signify that he
deserved not to be reckoned among freemen
but among servants and slaves
that
went barefooted
having no shoes on: and in the mystical sense of it
as
Ainsworth observes
it spiritually signified
that such as would not beget
children unto Christ (or preach his Gospel for that purpose)
it should be
declared of them that their feet are not shod with the preparation of the
Gospel of Christ
Ephesians 6:15
and spit in his face; in a way of contempt
as
a token of shame and disgrace; but the Jewish writers generally interpret this
in a softer manner
as if it was not in his face
but in his presence
upon the
floor
and seen by the judgesF18Ibid. sect. 7. Targum & Jarchi
in loc. :
and shall answer and say
so shall it be done unto the man that
will not build up his brother's house; that is
in this
contemptuous and shameful manner shall he be used.
Verse 10
And his name shall be called in Israel
.... Not his
particular and personal name
but his family; for it seems that not only a mark
of infamy was set upon him for refusing to marry his brother's widow
but upon
his family also:
the house of him that hath his shoe loosed; which
as Leo
of Modena saysF19History
ut supra
sect. 5. (Leo Modena's History
of Rites
&c. l. 1. sect. 5.)
was repeated by her three times; and at
every time the people with a loud voice answer and call him
one that had his
shoe loosed; and then the Rabbin tells the man that he is at liberty now to
marry whom he pleases; and if he desires a certificate from them of this
setting free his kinswoman
they presently give him one; and she also had a
writing given to her by the judges
certifying the same
that she was free also
to marry another; of which the following is a short form or copyF20T.
Hieros. Sanhedrin
fol. 19. 1. ."In such or such a session (or court)
such an one
the daughter of such an one
plucked off the shoe of such an one
the son of such an one
before us; she brought him before us
and she loosed
the shoe of his right foot
and spit before him spittle
which was seen by us
upon the ground; and said
so shall it be done to the man that would not build
up his brother's house.'A larger form may be seen in MaimonidesF21Hilchot
Yebum Vechalitzah
c. 4. sect. 29.
as well as a type and copy of the
matrimonial contract. From this law an high priest was free
Leviticus 21:14;
and so a king
according to the Jewish canonF23Misn. Sanhedrin
c.
2. sect. 2. .
Verse 11
When men strive together
one with another
.... Quarrel
with one another
and come to blows
and strive for mastery
which shall beat
and be the best man:
and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband
out of the hand of him that smiteth him; perceiving that his antagonist
has more skill or strength
or both
for fighting
and is an more than a match
for her husband
who is like to be much bruised and hurt; wherefore
to save
him out of the hands of the smiter
she goes up to them to part them
or take
her husband's side:
and putteth forth her hand
and taketh him by the secrets; or privy
parts; in Hebrew his "shameful" partsF24במבשיו "verenda ejus"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Tigurine version; "pudenda ejus"
Piscator.
which through shame are
hidden
and modesty forbids to express in proper terms; and such is the purity
of the Hebrew language
that no obscene words are used in it; for which reason
among others
it is called the holy tongue. This immodest action was done
partly out of affection to her husband
to oblige his antagonist to let go his
hold of him; and partly out of malice and revenge to him
to spoil him
and
make him unfit for generation
and therefore was to be severely punished
as
follows.
Verse 12
Then thou shall cut off her hand
.... Which was to be done
not by the man that strove with her husband
or by any bystander
but by the
civil magistrate or his order. This severity was used to deter women from such
an immodest as well as injurious action
who on such an occasion are very
passionate and inconsiderate. Our Lord is thought to refer to this law
Matthew 5:30;
though the Jewish writers interpret this not of actual cutting off the hand
but of paying a valuable consideration
a price put upon it; so Jarchi; and
Aben Ezra compares it with the law of retaliation
"eye for eye"
Exodus 21:24; which
they commonly understand of paying a price for the both
&c. lost; and who
adds
if she does not redeem her hand (i.e. by a price) it must be cut off:
thine eye shall not pity her; on account of the
tenderness of her sex
or because of the plausible excuse that might be made
for her action
being done hastily and in a passion
and out of affection to
her husband; but these considerations were to have no place with the
magistrate
who was to order the punishment inflicted
either in the strict
literal sense
or by paying a sum of money.
Verse 13
Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights
.... Or
"a stone and a stone"F25אבן ואבן "lapis et lapis"
Montanus
Vatablus
Piscator. ; it being usual
in those times and countries
to have their weights
of stone
as it was formerly with us here; we still say
that such a commodity
is worth so much per stone
a stone being of such a weight; now these were not
to be different:
a great and a small; great weights
to buy
with them
and small weights
to sell with them
as the Targum of Jonathan
paraphrases it.
Verse 14
Thou shall not have in thine house divers
measures
.... Or
"an ephah and an ephah"; which was one sort of measure in use with
the Jews
and held above a bushel; and is put for all others
which should be
alike
and not
a great and a small; one to buy with
and
another to sell by
as before observed; which would be to cheat both seller and
buyer in their turns; see Amos 8:5.
Verse 15
But thou shall have a perfect
and just weight
a perfect and just measure shall thou have
.... That is
full weights
and full measures; and such as are alike
and everywhere used
according to the standard of the country; See Gill on Leviticus 19:36
that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee; long life was always reckoned a blessing
and is frequently
promised to
obedience
and particularly long life in the land of Canaan; which
was a most delightful and fruitful land
and which a man might wish to live
long in; deceitful men
are threatened with not living half their days
and
such may they be said to be that use false weights and measures
Psalm 55:23.
Verse 16
For all that do such things
.... Keep
different
weights and measures
and make use of them to defraud their neighbours in
buying and selling:
and all that do unrighteously; what is not
just and right between man and man
in any other instance whatever:
are an abomination unto the
Lord thy God; both they and their actions; he is a righteous God
and loves
righteousness
and hates injustice of every kind.
Verse 17
Remember what Amalek did unto thee
.... The Amalekites
how
they came out against them
and fought with them at Rephidim
Exodus 17:8
by the way
when ye were come forth out of Egypt; which was an
aggravation of their cruel and inhuman action
that they not only came out
against them unprovoked
were the aggressors
and fell upon them as they were
travelling on the road
but when they were just come out of Egypt
where they
had been in hard bondage
and their spirits broken
and they not used to war;
and so took them at all these disadvantages
a people that had not in the least
injured them.
Verse 18
How he met thee by the way
.... Not with necessary
provisions
food and drink
which would have been but a piece of kindness and
humanity to travellers; but met them sword in hand
in order to stop their
journey
and make them captives
at least to harass and distress them:
and smote the hindmost of thee; came upon them in a sly
cowardly manner
and attacked their rear:
even all that
were feeble behind thee: women and children
and such men as were
weak
sickly
labouring under some disorder
and so lagged behind
and could
not keep up with the rest; on these Amalek first fell
and began his attack
here:
when thou wast faint and weary; with
travelling
and the more so for want of water
which was their case at
Rephidim
when Amalek came out against them; which is another aggravation of
their unkind usage of them they were not to forget:
and he feared not God; who was then in the
pillar of cloud and fire with Israel
which phenomenon Amalek might see
and
yet did not fear; and who had done such wonders for Israel in Egypt
and had
brought them from thence
and had drowned Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea
of which doubtless Amalek had heard
and yet feared not the Lord
who had done
such great things.
Verse 19
Therefore it shall be
when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest
from all thine enemies round about
.... Not only when they
had subdued the Canaanites
and got possession of their land
but when they
were clear and free from all their neighbouring nations
Moabites
Midianites
Edomites
Ammonites
and Philistines; wherefore it may be observed
that this
did not take place
as not immediately after the conquest of Canaan
so neither
in the times of the judges
when they were harassed frequently by their
neighbours
and not until the times of Saul
the first king of Israel:
in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an
inheritance to possess it; the sense is
when they were in the full
possession of the land given them by the Lord
as an inheritance to be enjoyed
by them and theirs; and were at an entire rest from all enemies
and so had
their hands at liberty to employ against Amalek:
that thou shalt
blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven: that is
utterly destroy them
so that there should be none left of them any where
to
put in mind that there ever were such a people on earth; men
women
children
cattle of all sorts
were to be destroyed
and nothing left that belonged unto
them; that it might not be said this beast was Amalek's
as Jarchi
and to the
same purpose Aben Ezra; see the order for this renewed
and the accomplishment
of it
at least in part
1 Samuel 15:2
&c.
thou shall not forget it; neither the unkindness
of Amalek
nor this order to destroy him. The Targum of Jonathan adds
"and
even in the days of the King Messiah it shall not be forgotten.'
──《John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible –
Deuteronomy》