Psalm 78:60-64

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 78:40-72

The matter and scope of this paragraph are the same with the former, showing what great mercies God had bestowed upon Israel, how provoking they had been, what judgments he had brought upon them for their sins, and yet how, in judgment, he remembered mercy at last. Let not those that receive mercy from God be thereby emboldened to sin, for the mercies they receive will aggravate their sin and hasten the punishment of it; yet let not those that are under divine rebukes for sin be discouraged... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:60

So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh .... The tabernacle which Moses built in the wilderness by the command of the Lord, and according to the pattern showed him; and which, when the Israelites were settled in the land of Canaan, was set up in Shiloh; see Joshua 18:1 , and here it was in the times of Eli and Samuel, which are here referred to: the tent which he placed among men ; it was as a tent moveable from place to place, and was to continue at longest but for a while, as the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:61

And delivered his strength into captivity ,.... That is, the ark, called his strength, and the ark of his strength, Psalm 105:4 , because it was a token of his strength, and by means of which he displayed it, as when the Israelites passed through Jordan into Canaan's land, and encompassed the city of Jericho; and besides, it was typical of Christ, the man of God's right hand, made strong for himself, and in whom is strength as well as righteousness for his people; now this was delivered up... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:62

He gave his people over also to the sword ,.... To those that kill with the sword, as the Targum; that is, to the Philistines, when there fell of them thirty thousand men at once, 1 Samuel 4:10 . and was wroth with his inheritance ; and the above showed that he was, though they were his inheritance, his portion and possession, and he had chosen them for it, Psalm 33:12 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:63

The fire consumed their young men ,.... Not Nadab and Abihu, as some of the Jewish Rabbins interpret it, of which Jarchi makes mention; but the young men, the choice, the flower, of the Israelitish army, which engaged with the Philistines in the times of Eli; and the fire that consumed them is not to be understood of material fire, or of extraordinary fire from heaven, but either of the wrath of God, as Jarchi, or of the flaming glittering sword of the enemy, which consumed them like fire;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:64

Their priests fell by the sword ,.... Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, and other priests; which shows the cruelty of the enemy, not to spare men unarmed, as the priests were; and the justice of God, which pursued these men, who were very wicked, and whose character and office could not secure them from divine wrath: and their widows made no lamentation ; for their husbands the priests, who fell by the sword; particularly the widow of Phinehas, who upon the news fell into labour, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 78:60

He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh - The Lord, offended with the people, and principally with the priests, who had profaned his holy worship, gave up his ark into the hands of the Philistines. And so true it is that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, that he never returned to it again. See 1 Samuel 6:1 ; 2 Samuel 6; 1 Kings 8:1 ; where the several removals of the ark are spoken of, and which explain the remaining part of this Psalm. Because God suffered the Philistines to take the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 78:63

Their maidens were not given to marriage - הוללו hullalu , were not celebrated with marriage songs. It is considered a calamity in the east if a maiden arrives at the age of twelve years without being sought or given in marriage. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 78:64

Their priests fell by the sword - Hophni and Phinehas, who were slain in that unfortunate battle against the Philistines in which the ark of the Lord was taken, 1 Samuel 4:11 . A Chaldee Targum on this passage says, "In the time in which the ark of the Lord was taken by the Philistines, Hophni and Phinehas, the two priests, fell by the sword at Shiloh; and when the news was brought, their wives made no lamentation, for they both died the same day." read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 78:60

Verse 60 After it is said that Israel, whom God had loved so much, was become an abomination in his sight, it is added, (verse 60,) that they were bereft of the presence of God, which is the only source of true felicity and comfort under calamities of every kind. God, then, is said to have abhorred Israel, when he permitted the ark of the covenant to be carried into another country, as if he intended by this to indicate that he had departed from Judea, and bidden the people farewell. It is... read more

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