_A.M. 2553. B.C. 1451._ Laws concerning the punishment of false prophets, Deuteronomy 13:1. Enticers to idolatry to be stoned, Deuteronomy 13:6. Idolatrous cities to be entirely destroyed, Deuteronomy 13:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
Moses, foreseeing how liable the Israelites, in after ages, would be to be deluded by false prophets, who, under pretence of divine revelations, or communications of divine power, while indeed they were assisted by no other than wicked and infernal spirits, might foretel some future events, or work... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the sign or wonder come to pass_ God permitting Satan or his agents to do what is above the ordinary course of nature for thy trial. _Saying, Let us go after other gods_ That is, who, upon the sign's coming to pass which he gave thee to confirm his doctrine, would persuade thee to go after othe... [ Continue Reading ]
_Because he hath spoken_ Taught, or persuaded you. _To turn you away from the Lord_ To induce you to forsake God and his worship. This shows that the most certain character of a true prophet is to be taken from his doctrine, rather than from his miracles. _To thrust thee out of the way_ This phrase... [ Continue Reading ]
_The son of thy mother_ This is added, to restrain the signification of the word _brother_, which is often used generally for one near akin, and to express the nearness of the relation, the mother's side being usually the ground of the most fervent affection. _Thy daughter_ Thy piety must overcome b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Neither shall thine eye pity him_ The reason of the thing shows that two circumstances are implied: one is, that the seducer should be convicted by two sufficient witnesses before he should be put to death; the other, that the offender obstinately persisted in the defence of idolatry in spite of ad... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt surely kill him_ Not privately, a permission to do which, under pretence of the party's being guilty of the crime in question, would have opened the door to innumerable murders; but by procuring his death through the sentence of the magistrate. _Thy hand shall be first upon him_ As the w... [ Continue Reading ]
_Certain men, children of Belial_ So the most profligate and worthless are called in Scripture. The expression properly signifies persons _without yoke_, lawless, and rebellious, that will suffer no restraint, that neither fear God nor reverence man. _Are gone out from you_ Have separated themselves... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then thou shalt inquire_ This is meant of the magistrate, to whose office this properly belonged, and of whom he continues to speak in the same manner, _thou_, Deu 13:15 and Deuteronomy 13:16. The Jewish writers say, the defection of a city was to be tried by the great sanhedrim. If it appeared tha... [ Continue Reading ]
_The inhabitants_ Namely, all that were guilty, not the innocent part, such as disowned this apostacy, who doubtless by choice, at least upon warning, would come out of so wicked a place. _Utterly_ The very same punishment which was inflicted upon the cities of the cursed Canaanites, to whom, having... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the Lord_ For the satisfaction of God's justice, the maintenance of his honour and authority, and the pacification of his offended majesty. _It shall not be built_ It shall be an eternal monument of God's justice and terror to after ages. _Multiply thee_ So thou shalt have no loss of thy number... [ Continue Reading ]