- avenge the LORD[YHWH]:
- It was God's quarrel, not their own, that they were now to take up. These people were idolaters, and had seduced the Israelites to practise the same abominations. Idolatry is an offence against God; and the civil power has no authority to meddle with what belongs to Him, without especial directions, certified, as in this case, in the most unequivocal manner. Private revenge, ambition, or avarice were to have no place in this business: Jehovah is to be avenged; and through Him, the children of Israel ("Avengeªª° the childrenª of Israelª of¹¹ the Midianites:ª afterwardª shalt thou be gatheredª° unto¹ thy people.ª" {Num 31:2}), because they were nearly ruined by their idolatries. If Jehovah, instead of punishing sinners by earthquakes, pestilence, or famine,is pleased expressly to command any person or people to avenge his cause, this commission justifies, nay sanctifies, war, massacre, or devastation. Though none at present shew such a commission, yet the Israelites could; and it is therefore absurd to censure Moses, Joshua, and Israel, for the dreadful slaughter made by them. God himself passed sentence of condemnation, and employed them merely as ministers of his vengeance; and unless it could be proved that the criminals did not deserve their doom, or that God had no right to punish his rebellious creatures, such objectors only shew their enmity to God by becoming the unsolicited advocates of his enemies. "Phinehas,ª the sonª of Eleazar,ª the sonª of Aaronª the priest,ª hath turned²° my wrath² awayª°¹¹ from¹¹ the childrenª of Israel,ª while he was zealousª° for my sakeª¹ amongª them, that I consumedª° not¹¹ the childrenª of Israelª in my jealousy.ª" {Num 25:11} + "And he shall have¹ it, and his seedª afterª him, [even] the covenantª of an everlastingª priesthood;ª becauseª¹ he was zealousª° for his God,ª and made an atonementª° for¹ the childrenª of Israel.ª" {Num 25:13} + "For he said,ª° Because¹ the LORDª hath swornªª¹ [that] the LORDª [will have] warª with Amalekª from generationª¹ to generation.ª" {Exd 17:16} + "And I will bringª° a swordª upon¹ you, that shall avengeª° the quarrelª of [my] covenant:ª and when ye are gathered togetherª° withinª your cities,ª I will sendª° the pestilenceª amongª you; and ye shall be deliveredª° into the handª of the enemy.ª°" {Lev 26:25} + "Praiseª° ye the LORDª for the avengingªª° of Israel,ª when the peopleª willingly offered²° themselves.¹" {Jdg 5:2} + "Curseª° ye Meroz,ª saidª° the angelª of the LORD,ª curse²° ye bitterlyª° the inhabitantsª° thereof; because¹ they cameª° not¹ to the helpª of the LORD,ª to the helpª of the LORDª against the mighty.ª" {Jdg 5:23} + "And thou shalt smiteª°¹ the houseª of Ahabª thy master,ª that I may avengeª° the bloodª of my servantsª the prophets,ª and the bloodª of all¹ the servantsª of the LORD,ª at the handª¹ of Jezebel.ª" {2Kg 9:7} + "And the LORDª saidª° unto¹ Jehu,ª Because¹¹ thou hast done wellª° in executingª° [that which is] rightª in mine eyes,ª [and] hast doneª° unto the houseª of Ahabª according to all¹ that¹ [was] in mine heart,ª thy childrenª of the fourthª [generation] shall sitª° on¹ the throneª of Israel.ª" {2Kg 10:30} + "For this¹ [is] the dayª of the Lordª GODª of hosts,ª a dayª of vengeance,ª that he may avengeª° him of his adversaries:ª¹ and the swordª shall devour,ª° and it shall be satiateª° and made drunkª° with their blood:ª¹ for¹ the Lordª GODª of hostsª hath a sacrificeª in the northª countryª by¹ the riverª Euphrates.ª" {Jer 46:10} + "The voiceª of them that fleeª° and escape¹ out² of the landª¹ of Babylon,ª to declareª° in Zionª¹ the vengeanceª of the LORDª our God,ª the vengeanceª of his temple.ª" {Jer 50:28}
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