Salmos 78:56-65

CONTINUED WICKEDNESS OF ISRAEL IN CANAAN

"Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, And kept not his testimonies; But turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers: They were turned aside like a deceitful bow. For they provoked him to anger with their high places; And moved him to jealousy with their graven images. When God heard this, he was wroth, And greatly abhorred Israel; So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, The tent which he placed among men; And delivered his strength into captivity, And his glory into the adversary's hand. He gave his people over also unto the sword, And was wroth with his inheritance. Fire devoured their young men; And their virgins had no marriage song. Their priests fell by the sword; And their widows made no lamentation."

"Like a deceitful bow" (Psalms 78:57). This is a defective bow that could not properly shoot an arrow. It is a metaphor of Israel here.

"Provoked him to anger ... high places ... graven images" (Psalms 78:58). The old Canaanite fertility gods were `worshipped' with licentious ceremonial in numerous `high places' throughout ancient Canaan. These centers featured religious prostitutes who were the chief attractions of those old pagan shrines. Israel had been specifically commanded to destroy them; but this they refused to do, instead, patronizing them and `adopting them' as their own all over Israel.

"When God heard this" (Psalms 78:59). This is an anthropomorphic metaphor. God did not have to wait till he heard about Israel's reversion to paganism; he already knew all about it. God acted promptly to remove and destroy the Shiloh tabernacle, allowing at the same time the capture of the ark of the covenant and serious military defeat for Israel.

"God forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh" (Psalms 78:60). 1 Samuel 4 carries the narrative of this disaster for Israel. Why did God allow this? Psalms 78:58, above, is the only explanation needed. Israel at this point was following exactly the pattern of behavior that resulted in God's replacing the seven nations of ancient Canaan with Israel.

Briefly stated, there was a skirmish in which four thousand Israelites were slain by the Philistines. Israel, thinking to use the ark of the covenant as a "charm" carried it into battle shortly thereafter; Israel was defeated with a loss of thirty-thousand men, including Hophni and Phinehas the sons of Eli, the High Priest; and the ark of God was taken by the Philistines. Phinehas' wife, hearing of the disaster, gave birth to a son whom, as she died, she named Ichabod, "The Glory has Departed." Indeed the glory had departed from Israel.

Psalms 78:61-64 here describe the tragic situation in Israel. The death of so many young men made perpetual virgins out of many young women (Psalms 78:63); and only the summary action of God himself could have preserved Israel through the crisis that descended upon them at that time.

The wickedness of Ephraimite leadership of Israel would have ultimately mined the entire "chosen people"; but God would first establish the Davidic dynasty to role Israel, and then restore the ark of the covenant, bringing it not to Shiloh, but to Jerusalem. The Book of Judges explains fully the disastrous conduct of Israel that led to this crisis.