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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 78:9-39

In these verses, I. The psalmist observes the late rebukes of Providence that the people of Israel had been under, which they had brought upon themselves by their dealing treacherously with God, Ps. 78:9-11. The children of Ephraim, in which tribe Shiloh was, though they were well armed and shot with bows, yet turned back in the day of battle. This seems to refer to that shameful defeat which the Philistines gave them in Eli's time, when they took the ark prisoner, 1 Sam. 4:10, 11. Of this the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:27

He rained flesh also upon them as dust ,.... By "flesh" is meant fowl, as the following clause shows; for there is flesh of birds, as well as of other creatures, see 1 Corinthians 15:39 and the quails which are here meant may be very fitly called flesh, since they are, for their size, a very plump, fat, and fleshy bird: and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea ; or "fowl of wing" F8 עוף כנף "volucres alatas", Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:28

And he let it fall in the midst of their camp ,.... Or, "his camps" F12 מחנהו "castrorum ejus", Pagninus, Vatablus, Gejerus. ; the four camps of Israel; for so many there were, Numbers 2:1 or the camp of God, where he dwelt, and before which he went as the General, Leader, and Commander of them; in the midst of this, or by it, by the side of it, Numbers 11:31 , the flesh or feathered fowl fell, so that they had no trouble to fetch it in; and here it fell by the order and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:29

So they did eat, and were well filled ,..... Or "exceedingly filled" F13 וישבעו מאד "et saturati sunt valde", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.; , or too much, as some versions render it; they eat to excess, not merely to satisfy nature, but to gratify their sensual appetite: gluttony is a sin; it is an abuse of the creatures; it hurts the body by filling it with gross humours, and bringing diseases on it; it is injurious to the mind; the heart may be overcharged by it; it disposes it to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:30

They were not estranged from their lust ,.... By the goodness and liberality of God unto them, they were not brought to repentance for their sin of lusting; nor did they abstain from their fleshly lusts, or deny themselves of them, which the grace of God teaches to do; or else the sense is, what they lusted after, flesh, was not withheld from them, or they restrained from eating it; they were indulged with it for a whole month together; to which agrees what follows: but while their meat... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:31

The wrath of God came upon them ,.... Either by causing fire to come down from heaven, or by suffering them to be surfeited by excessive eating, or by sending a plague among them; see Numbers 11:33 , and slew the fattest of them ; such perhaps who had been most guilty of the sin of gluttony, and had fed the most inordinately upon the flesh that was sent them; or this designs the chief among their princes and nobles, though not only them, but them as well as the common people; so the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 78:32

For all this they sinned still ,.... Those that survived, not being brought to repentance by mercies, nor by judgments; not by mercies, such as before mentioned, though they were great and many, and some of them continued, and of which they were very unworthy; the goodness of God should, but it does not always, lead persons to repentance; mercies, unless they are sanctified, often prove snares and temptations to sin yet more and more; nothing short of the grace of God will bring persons to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 78:32

For all this they sinned still - How astonishing is this! They were neither drawn by mercies, nor awed by judgments! But we shall cease to wonder at this, if we have a thorough acquaintance with our own hearts. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 78:30

Verse 30 The Psalmist expresses this still more clearly, by adding immediately after, (verses 30, 31,) that this pampering proved fatal to them, as if with the meat they had swallowed the flame of the divine wrath. When he says that they were not estranged from their lust, this implies, that they were still burning with their lust. If it is objected that this does not agree with the preceding sentence, where it is said, that “they did eat, and were thoroughly filled,” I would answer, that if,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 78:32

Verse 32 32.For all this they still sinned. It is a common proverb, that fools become wise when the rod is applied to them. Hence it follows, that those who have often been chastised of God, and yet are not thereby brought to repentance and amendment, are utterly to be despaired of. Such was the obstinacy of the Israelites here described. They could not be reformed by any of the afflictions which were sent upon them. It was a dreadful manifestation of the vengeance of God to see so many bodies... read more

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