19 Sihon king of the Amorites; For his loving kindness endures forever;
Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, Let me pass through your land: we will not turn aside into field, or into vineyard; we will not drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's highway, until we have passed your border. Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz; and he fought against Israel. Israel struck him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, even to the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.
But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him; for Yahweh your God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into your hand, as at this day. Yahweh said to me, Behold, I have begun to deliver up Sihon and his land before you: begin to possess, that you may inherit his land. Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Jahaz. Yahweh our God delivered him up before us; and we struck him, and his sons, and all his people. We took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones; we left none remaining: only the cattle we took for a prey to ourselves, with the spoil of the cities which we had taken. From Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and [from] the city that is in the valley, even to Gilead, there was not a city too high for us; Yahweh our God delivered up all before us:
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 136
Commentary on Psalms 136 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 136
Ps 136:1-26. The theme is the same as that of Psalm 135. God should be praised for His works of creation and providence, His deliverance and care of His people, and judgments on their enemies, and His goodness to all. The chorus to every verse is in terms of that of Ps 106:1; 118:1-4, and was perhaps used as the Amen by the people, in worship (compare 1Ch 16:36; Ps 105:45).
1-3. The divine titles denote supremacy.
4. alone—excluding all help.
5, 6. by wisdom—or, "in wisdom" (Ps 104:24).
made—literally, "maker of."
above the waters—or, "higher than the waters" (Ps 24:2).
12. Compare similar expressions (Ex 3:20; De 4:34, &c.).
15. overthrew—literally, "shook off," as in Ex 14:27, as a contemptuous rejection of a reptile.
23. remembered us—or, "for us" (Ps 132:1).
our low estate—that is, captivity.
24. And hath redeemed us—or, literally, "snatched us"—alluding to the sudden deliverance effected by the overthrow of Babylon.
25. To the special favors to His people is added the record of God's goodness to all His creatures (compare Mt 6:30).
26. God of heaven—occurs but once (Jon 1:9) before the captivity. It is used by the later writers as specially distinguishing God from idols.