- but the LORD[YHWH]:
- These fragments of ancient history seem to be introduced to encourage the Israelites. If the Lord destroyed these gigantic people before the posterity of Lot and of Esau, what cause had the posterity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, his chosen servants and friends, to fear the Anakims, or the Canaanites? especially as Israel acted by commission from God, and had his promise as their security of success, and the pledge of it in his presence, and the wonders which he had already wrought for them; and as they were the only nation of worshippers of the Lord, in the ordinances of his institution, which could be found on earth. This is so often repeated to possess the minds of the Israelites with a sense of God's providence, which rules every where; displacing one people, and placing another in their stead; and fixing their bounds also, which they cannot pass without his leave. "As¹ he didª° to the childrenª of Esau,ª which dweltª° in Seir,ª when¹ he destroyedª°¹ the Horimsª from beforeª¹ them; and they succeededª° them, and dweltª° in their stead¹ even unto¹ this¹ day:ª" {Deu 2:22} + "Wilt not¹ thou possessª°¹ that which¹ Chemoshª thy godª giveth thee to possess?ª° So whomsoever¹¹ the LORDª our Godª shall drive outª° from beforeª¹ us, them will we possess.ª°" {Jdg 11:24} + "And all¹ nationsª shall serveª° him, and his son,ª and his son'sª son,ª until¹ the very timeª of his landª come:ª° and then¹ manyª nationsª and greatª kingsª shall serveª° themselves of him.¹ ... And it shall come to pass,¹ [that] the nationª and kingdomª which¹ will not¹ serveª° the same¹ Nebuchadnezzarª the kingª of Babylon,ª and that¹ will not¹ putª°¹ their neckª under the yokeª of the kingª of Babylon,ª that¹ nationª will I punish,ª° saithª° the LORD,ª with the sword,ª and with the famine,ª and with the pestilence,ª until¹ I have consumedª° them by his hand.ª" {Jer 27:7-8} + "And they¹ shall scoffª° at the kings,ª and the princesª° shall be a scornª unto them: they¹ shall derideª° every¹ strong hold;ª for they shall heapª° dust,ª and takeª° it. ... Then¹ shall [his] mindª change,ª° and he shall pass over,ª° and offend,ª° [imputing] thisª his powerª unto his god.ª" {Hab 1:10-11}
|
