And smote the hindmost of thee ; literally, and tailed thee ; i . e . cut off thy tail, or rear. The verb ( זִנֵּב ) occurs only here and in Joshua 10:19 . It is a denominative from זָנָב , a tail, and, like many denominatives, both in the Hebrew and in other languages, it has the sense of taking away or cutting off the thing expressed by the noun from which it is formed, like the English verb to skin, for example. HOMILETICS read more
Honesty in trade, as a duty to our neighbor, is emphatically enforced once more (compare Leviticus 19:35-36). It is noteworthy that John the Baptist puts the like duties in the forefront of his preaching (compare Luke 3:12 ff); and that “the prophets” (compare Ezekiel 45:10-12; Amos 8:5; Micah 6:10-11) and “the Psalms” Proverbs 16:11; Proverbs 20:10, Proverbs 20:23, not less than “the Law,” especially insist on them.Deuteronomy 25:13Divers weights - i. e. stones of unequal weights, the lighter... read more
Deuteronomy 25:17-18. Out of Egypt Which circumstance greatly aggravated 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. And he feared not God Though they feared Israel, whom they durst not look in the face, but cut them off behind, yet they feared not God, but acted a base and... read more
Family and business relationships (25:5-19)If a man died having no son, his brother was to have a temporary marital relation with the widow for the purpose of helping her produce a son. Legally, this son would be considered son of the dead man and so would receive his inheritance and carry on his name. If the brother refused to cooperate, he was to be publicly disgraced for allowing the dead man’s name to die out (5-10). (If, however, there were surviving daughters, they could receive the... read more
Remember. Compare Exodus 17:8-16 . An event ordered to be written down, Amalek. Name of a man, put for his posterity, by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 . read more
blot out. Fulfilled in the time of Esther in 462 B.C. See App-50 . remembrance. Hebrew. zekar , not zaka r, males; as Joab seems to have understood it in 1Ki 11:15 , 1 Kings 11:16 . Amalek. Compare 1 Samuel 15:2 , 1 Samuel 15:3 .Numbers 24:20 . read more
"Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way as ye came forth out of Egypt; how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. Therefore it shall be, when Jehovah thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not... read more
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
17-19. Remember what Amalek did—This cold-blooded and dastardly atrocity is not narrated in the previous history (Exodus 17:14). It was an unprovoked outrage on the laws of nature and humanity, as well as a daring defiance of that God who had so signally shown His favor towards Israel (see on Exodus 17:14- :; Exodus 17:14- :; Exodus 17:14- :). read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:17-19
The extermination of the merciless. The crime of the Amalekites was falling upon the hindmost, who were faint and weary. It was an act of judgment untempered by any mercy; and the decree of God is their extermination because they were merciless. Just as we see in another place that God won't forgive the unforgiving, so here we see that he will blot out the merciless from under his merciful heaven. "For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy" ( James 2:13 ). I.... read more