Psalm 106:34-39

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 106:34-48

Here, I. The narrative concludes with an account of Israel's conduct in Canaan, which was of a piece with that in the wilderness, and God's dealings with them, wherein, as all along, both justice and mercy appeared. 1. They were very provoking to God. The miracles and mercies which settled them in Canaan made no more deep and durable impressions upon them than those which fetched them out of Egypt; for by the time they were just settled in Canaan they corrupted themselves, and forsook God.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 106:34

They did not destroy the nations ,.... Here begins an account of their sins and provocations, after they were settled in the land of Canaan. They did not destroy the inhabitants of the land, of the seven nations; whose land was given to them as an inheritance, and of which the Canaanites were dispossessed for their sins, and to be destroyed. Concerning whom the Lord commanded them ; that they should destroy them; the command is in Deuteronomy 7:1 . God's commands are to be obeyed; they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 106:35

But were mingled among the Heathen ,.... Not only dwelt among them, but made covenants and contracts, carried on trade and commerce, and intermarried with them, contrary to the express law of God, Deuteronomy 7:2 . Nor should saints have communion with wicked men, especially in things sinful and superstitious, 2 Corinthians 6:14 . And learned their works ; not their civil works and actions, their trades and business, but their idolatrous works; of which a detail is given in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 106:36

And they served their idols ,.... Of gold and silver, wood and stone; the works of men's hands, senseless creatures; which are nothing in the world, and bring grief and sorrow to the worshippers of them, from whence they have their name here given them; see Psalm 16:4 . They served "their" idols, the idols of the Canaanites, who were dispossessed of their land for their idolatries and other sins; and these Israelites were put in their place. They served those which they were ordered to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 106:37

Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils. Who have their name here given them from a word that signifies to waste and destroy, they being the destroyers of mankind. So the Targum renders it by מזיקיא , which signifies spirits noxious and hurtful; but R. Elias Levita, in his Tishbi, p. 233, says it is a mistake to derive it from the root which signifies to waste and destroy; for then he says the "daleth" should have a "dagesh"; but does not tell us from whence it is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 106:38

And shed innocent blood ,.... The blood of innocent persons; not that any of Adam's posterity, descending from him by ordinary generation, are strictly and properly innocent, or free from sin; self-righteous persons have thought themselves, touching the righteousness of the law, blameless; and some perfectionists have pretended to be free from sin, but are not such; they who are justified by the righteousness of Christ, and washed in his blood, are, so considered, all fair and without spot;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 106:39

Thus were they defiled with their own works ,.... Not the land only, but they themselves also; or "with their works" F1 במעשיהם "operibus earum", Muis; so Ainsworth. , with the works of the Heathen they learned, Psalm 106:35 , or rather with their own works, the works of the flesh, especially their shocking idolatries: sin is of a defiling nature; it has defiled all men, it defiles all of men, all the faculties of their souls, and all the members of their bodies; nor can anything... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 106:36

They served their idols - עצביהם atsabbeyhem , their labors or griefs - idols, so called because of the pains taken in forming them, the labor in worshipping them, and the grief occasioned by the Divine judgments against the people for their idolatry. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 106:37

They sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils - See 2 Kings 16:3 ; Isaiah 57:5 ; Ezekiel 16:20 ; ezekiel Ezekiel 20:26 . That causing their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Moloch did not always mean they burnt them to death in the flames, is very probable. But all the heathen had human sacrifices; of this their history is full. Unto devils, לשדים lashshedim , to demons. Devil is never in Scripture used in the plural; there is but One devil,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 106:39

And went a whoring - By fornication, whoredom, and idolatry, the Scripture often expresses idolatry and idolatrous acts. I have given the reason of this in other places. Besides being false to the true God, to whom they are represented as betrothed and married, (and their acts of idolatry were breaches of this solemn engagement), the worship of idols was frequently accompanied with various acts of impurity. The translation in the Anglo-Saxon is very remarkable: and they fornicated. In... read more

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