10. Laws arising from the tenth commandment 25:5-19The tenth commandment is, "You shall not covet . . . anything that belongs to your neighbor" (Deuteronomy 5:21). The four laws in this section all deal with desire or intention as opposed to deed. read more
Desire for peace at any price 25:17-19When the Israelites had entered the Promised Land and had attained a measure of rest there, they were to remember that God had commanded them to exterminate the Amalekites. They were to do this because of the Amalekites’ treatment of Israel in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 25:17-19; cf. Exodus 17:8-16; Numbers 24:20; 1 Chronicles 4:42-43)."Particular importance is attached to the fate of the Amalekites in the Pentateuch, especially as a sign of God’s... read more
Ordinances regarding the Infliction of Stripes, the Baising of Seed to a Brother, Modesty, and Fair Dealing3. And not exceed] In order to keep within the limit it was usual to inflict thirty-nine stripes: see 2 Corinthians 11:24. The milder beating was with a rod. A severer form of this punishment was scourging, inflicted with a whip of thongs into which pieces of iron were inserted. In the time of our Lord beating was inflicted in the synagogue upon ecclesiastical offenders: see on Matthew... read more
Deuteronomy 25:17-19. AMALEK TO BE EXTERMINATED.At the end of all the precepts of humanity, the extermination of that people which is presented to us as the incarnation of inhumanity is decreed.(18) He . . . smote the hindmost . . .—These details are not given in Exodus 17:0. Amalek’s attack follows the appearance of the stream of water from Horeb. There was nothing more natural than that the faint and weary should stay behind at the water side. There the Amalekites appear to have found them... read more
21. Various Laws and Responsibilities CHAPTER 25 1. Corporal punishment (Deuteronomy 25:1-3 ) 2. Thou shalt not muzzle the ox (Deuteronomy 25:4 ) 3. The brother-in-law’s marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-10 ) 4. Concerning a sinful freedom (Deuteronomy 25:11-12 ) 5. Concerning divers weights and measures (Deuteronomy 25:13-16 ) 6. Concerning the conquest of Amalek (Deuteronomy 25:17-19 ) Corporal punishment is mentioned in the first paragraph of this chapter. But this also was tempered... read more
25:19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee [for] an inheritance to possess it, [that] thou shalt blot out the {f} remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget [it].(f) This was partly accomplished by Saul, about 450 years later. read more
JUSTICE TEMPERED WITH MERCY (vs.1-3) In the law courts the judges must mete out proper justice, yet not to exceed the limits of justice. If one was guilty of serious crime, it was right to have him beaten, lying down. But never was he to receive more than forty strokes. Paul writes in2 Corinthians 11:24; 2 Corinthians 11:24, "From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one." The Jews at least respected this particular law, for they lessened the number to 39 in case they had... read more
MORE REGULATIONS PUBLIC PRIVILEGES (Deuteronomy 23:1-9 ) The privileges referred to here are doubtless honors in the state and perhaps, in the case of foreigners, incorporation with Israel by marriage. Eunuchs and bastards were denied these privileges (Deuteronomy 23:1-2 ), and also members of what Gentile nations (Deuteronomy 23:3 )? What caused the latter prohibition (Deuteronomy 23:4-6 )? Such passages as Nehemiah 13:1 ; Ruth 4:10 ; and 2 Kings 10:2 show that there were some exceptions... read more
This short account of Amalek, and the punishment of that people, comes in very properly upon the close of the foregoing precepts; for it was both a just weight and just measure, that Israel should requite Amalek, for his conduct towards them on their first coming out of Egypt. Exodus 17:14-16 . It is worthy remark, how Saul offended the LORD, at least four hundred years after this appointment, in not fully following up the precept: see 1 Samuel 15:2-9 . But, I would have the Reader look a... read more
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Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Deuteronomy 25:19
Ver. 19. Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek— Respecting the transaction here referred to, see Exodus 17:0 from the 8th verse to the end. This deletion of Amalek was completed by the death of Haman the Amalekite; Esther 3:1; Esther 7:10. See the Reflections on the Destruction of the Canaanites after chap. 20: REFLECTIONS.—A dreadful memento is put upon Amalek. He had fallen upon them as soon as they had escaped from Egypt. He had taken advantage of their weakness, and attacked them... read more