Therefore he swore to them that he would overthrow them in the wilderness,
KJV
Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:
Commentary
Commentary
Therefore he lifted up his hand against them,.... A gesture used in swearing,
Gen 14:22
. So the Targum understands it here,
"and he lifted up his hand with an oath, because of them:''
and so it is interpreted by Aben Ezra, Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech; and agrees with
Num 14:28
. The same gesture was used by the Heathens in swearing, as by Latinus (s). Or he lifted up his hand, in a way of judgment, to strike the blow; and which, when it lights on man with the indignation of his anger, falls heavy; see
Isa 26:11
. To overthrow them in the wilderness; as he did all the murmuring generation that came out of Egypt, all but Caleb and Joshua; all from twenty years and upwards, their carcasses fell in the wilderness; there they were wasted, consumed, and died,
Num 14:32
.
(s) "----Tenditque ad sidera dextram--Terram, mare, sidera juro", Virg. Aeneid. 12.
Commentary
Commentary