Exodus 34:15

_LEST THOU MAKE A COVENANT WITH THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND, AND THEY GO A WHORING AFTER THEIR GODS, AND DO SACRIFICE UNTO THEIR GODS, AND ONE CALL THEE, AND THOU EAT OF HIS SACRIFICE;_ They go a whoring after their gods. This is the first instance of the use of a phrase which occurs very frequently in the later books, and it is applied to pagan women worshipping their idols. It describes a literal fact, as their worship was always accompanied with licentious rites and bacchanalian orgies; and hence, the Israelites were prohibited from forming matrimonial alliances with the people, lest such connections should lead them, as frequently happened, into the same wild revelry, (Leviticus 17:7; Leviticus 20:5;...

10-17 The Israelites are commanded to destroy every monument of idolatry, however curious or costly; to refuse all alliance, friendship, or marriage with idolaters, and all idolatrous feasts; and they were reminded not with idolaters, and all idolatrous feats; and they were reminded not to repeat the crime of making molten images. Jealously is called the rage of a man, Proverbs 6:34; but in God it is holy and just displeasure. Those cannot worship God aright, who do not worship him only....

The precepts contained in these verses are, for the most part, identical in substance with some of those which follow the Ten Commandments and are recorded in “the Book of the covenant” (Exo. 20–23; see Exodus 24:7). Exodus 34:13 CUT DOWN THEIR GROVES - This is the first reference to what is commonly known as grove-worship. The original word for “grove” in this connection אשׁרה _'ăshêrāh_ is different from that so rendered in Genesis 21:33. Our translators supposed that what the law commands is the destruction of groves dedicated to the worship of false deities...

EXPOSITION THE RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT. Dazed, as it would seem, by the splendour of the vision which he had beheld, Moses forgot that God had already pledged himself to renew the covenant, and lead the people in person to Canaan. In his forgetfulness, he once more set himself to intercede with God on their behalf, and besought him— 1. That he would go up with them; 2. That he would pardon them; and 3. That he would once more take them as his inheritance (Exodus 34:9). Without replying separately to these requests, God formally renews the covenant; promises not only to go up with the people, but to work miracles for them (Exodus 34:10), and to d

LEST THOU MAKE A COVENANT WITH THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND,.... A marriage covenant, taking their daughters in marriage to their sons, and "vice versa", as the following words show; here the caution is to be understood and the words supplied from Exodus 34:12 and inserted and connected thus, "take heed to thyself, lest thou make", c. AND THEY GO A WHORING AFTER THEIR GODS that is, the inhabitants of the land, and particularly those with whom the Israelites made a covenant, and entered into a marriage relation with, and perhaps on this condition, that they would abstain from idolatry; and yet, contrary to the obligation they laid themselves under, lust after their idols, and commit spiritual fornication or adultery with them, which is explained by the next clause: AND DO SACRIFICE UNTO THEIR GODS; such as the first institutors of their idolatry enjoined,

CHAPTER 34 THE RESULT: THE SECOND COVENANT AND THE GLORY _ 1. The command to hew two tables of stone (Exodus 34:1)_ 2. The proclamation of Jehovah (Exodus 34:5) 3. Moses' worship and prayer (Exodus 34:8) 4. The covenant restated (Exodus 34:10) 5. The second tables written (Exodus 34:27) 6. The glory upon the face of Moses (Exodus 34:29) The command is given to Moses to hew two tables of stone like the first, which Jeho

EXODUS 34:1 J. THE COVENANT WORDS. After removing Exodus 34:5, the sublime account of the revelation of Yahweh's nature as mercy and truth in their unity, which follows on Exodus 33:23, the remainder is the sequel of J's account of the descent upon Sinai in Exodus 19, and the clauses (Exodus 34:1; Exodus 34:3) referring to the first (tables) are glosses of the editor who displaced this section (_cf._ p. 183). And it may be that originally, as in Deuteronomy 10:1

SACRIFICE. Hebrew. _zabah._ App-43....

The (re-)establishment of the covenant, with the laws upon which it is based. The passage belongs in the main to E; but it has probably been enlarged in parts with hortatory additions by the compiler. We have met with some such additions before, in Exodus 20:22 to Exodus 23:33; and they are found elsewhere also in connexion with laws, as in Leviticus 18:1-5; Leviticus 18:24-29; Leviticus 20:22-24 (H), and Deuteronomy 12-26 _passim_....

THOU EAT OF HIS SACRIFICE— Eating of sacrifices offered to false gods, was an express declaration of communicating in the worship of those gods: this will shew the force of St. Paul's reasoning, 1 Corinthians 10:20. REFLECTIONS.—God graciously answers Moses in the renewal of his covenant with them; and an astonishing instance of mercy it was. 1. He promises to go with them, to work his miracles in the midst of them for their comfort and the terror of their enemies; and to bring them into the promised land. _Note;_ It is a marvellous thing how any soul gets safe to heaven, and we shall be a wonder to ourselves when we come thither. 2. He solemnly enjoins them to beware of idolatry, lest his jealousy again should be awakened, and burn like fire against them. They must take care of every occasion that might lead them aside. They must not only worsh