Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 78:51
And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of [their] strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
51. the chief of their strength ] The beginning, or, firstlings of strength, a term applied to firstborn sons in Gen 49:3; Deu 21:17. So Psa 105:36.
in the tabernacles of Ham ] R.V. tents. Ham was the ancestor of Mizraim, i.e. Egypt, Gen 10:6. Cp. Psa 105:23; Psa 105:27; Psa 106:22.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And smote all the firstborn in Egypt – See Exo 11:4-5; Exo 12:29-30.
The chief of their strength – Those on whom they relied; their firstborn; their pride; their glory; their heirs. Compare Gen 49:3.
In the tabernacles of Ham – The tents; the dwelling-places of Ham; that is, of Egypt. Compare Gen 10:6; Psa 105:23, Psa 105:27; Psa 106:22,
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 78:51-52
And smote all the firstborn in Egypt;. . . but made His own people to go forth like sheep.
Gods dealings with Egypt and Israel
I. The punishment of egypt. Egypt, through its kings, had become the determined adversary of God. Who is Jehovah, that I should obey His voice? was the challenge flung down by Pharaoh in defiance; and the Lord, who is a man of war, was not slow to accept it. Let us learn from this that, when God comes to try conclusions between Himself and His enemies, He may allow a certain time to elapse before He overthrows them, He may for a while smite gently, and so give opportunities for repentance; but if they be not accepted, we may depend upon it that God is not playing with sinners. In the case of Pharaoh, it was his own chickens that came home to roost; his sins brought their own punishment. He had slain many of the children of Israel, and God had, in effect, said to him, Israel is my firstborn; let my people go; and as he would not let Gods first-born go Gods stroke of judgment came upon his firstborn. This is, perhaps, the most dreadful truth about future retribution that a man will see his own sin in his suffering just as he sees his face in a glass. There is no escape from Gods judgment and no recovery from His blows.
II. The salvation of Israel (Psa 78:52).
1. God has His people to this day. Their distinguishing mark is faith.
2. God brings these people out from among all others. He brought Israel up out of Egypt; and if you are one of His people, He will fetch you out of the world. God did not drive His people out of Egypt, but He led them; they came willingly and gladly, for Egypt had become a place of misery to them. So does the world become, with all its sinful pleasures; its fine glories turn to emptiness and vanity to the true child of God, and God fetches him out of it all.
3. The Lord not only brings His people away from others, but He brings them to Himself: He made His own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock, He Himself going before them through the desert way like a shepherd, O poor wandering souls, come to God through Jesus Christ His Son, follow where He leads, and walk ever in His way!
4. Further, in bringing sinners to Himself, God will also bring them to one another. He made His own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. He does not say that they should be like a solitary dog that comes at his masters whistle, but like a flock of sheep that move together in one direction. It is one of the marks of Gods people that they love each other; He leads them forth like a flock of sheep, He brings them into union with one another: gives them happy fellowship in His Church, and so guides them to heaven.
5. The Lord brings His people out from the world, and brings them to Himself, and to fellowship with one another, and then He guides them to a place of rest, even as He led Israel into Canaan. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
The chief of their strength; another expression noting the first-born, who are so called, Gen 49:3.
Of Ham; of the Egyptians, the posterity of Ham, Gen 10:6; which title he there gives them, to intimate that they were the cursed children of a cursed parent, Ham, Gen 9:25, and therefore were proper objects for Divine wrath and vengeance.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
51. chief of theirstrengthliterally, “first-fruits,” or, “first-born”(Gen 49:3; Deu 21:17).
Hamone of whose sonsgave name (Mizraim, Hebrew) to Egypt.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And smote all the firstborn in Egypt,…. From the prince to the peasant; and not only the firstborn of men, but of beasts also,
Ex 12:29,
the chief of their strength; or first of it, as the firstborn is called, Ge 49:3,
in the tabernacles of Ham; in the several cities, towns, villages, and houses of the Egyptians, the descendants of cursed Ham; for Mizraim, from whom the Egyptians have their name, and from whence they sprung, was a son of Ham’s, Ge 10:6. Perhaps No Ammon may be particularly meant, Na 3:8, the same with Memphis, and which signifies the mansion or palace of Ammon, that is, Ham; and so Chemmis, another city in Egypt, signifies the same n; of which see Ps 105:23 this was the tenth and last plague: according to Suidas o, the plagues of Egypt continued forty days.
n Dickinson Delph. Phoeniciz. cap. 4. o In voce .
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
51. Smote all the firstborn The last and effectual plague. The greatness of the judgment, and its singular feature in falling only upon the “firstborn,” marked it as a direct visitation of God. It struck down the chief of their strength, and another step might have extinguished the nation. The firstborn of beast included their sacred animals; the goat, ram, calf, sacred bull, crocodile, all were smitten, and their gods and worship brought into contempt.
Tabernacles of Ham A poetical designation of Egypt, called Ham, (or the dark skinned race,) after its ancestor, (Gen 10:6,) but otherwise in Hebrew always Mizraim, after the son of Ham, who settled the country. The ancients often designated nations according to their colour, the Hebrews after their ancestry. See on Psa 105:23
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 78:51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of [their] strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
Ver. 51. And smote all the firstborn in Egypt ] Certo pestis genere perniciocissimo et acutissimo. The Rabbis say that in each house was a dead corpse, viz. the chieftain of the family, whether there were a firstborn in it or not, Exo 12:30 .
In the tabernacle of Ham
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
strength = strengths (plural) Manly vigour. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6, for the firstborn. Compare Gen 49:3. Deu 21:17. Psa 105:36.
tabernacles = tents. Hebrew. ‘ohel. App-40.
Ham = Egypt. Compare Psa 105:23, Psa 105:27; Psa 106:22.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
smote: Psa 105:36, Psa 135:8, Psa 136:10, Exo 12:12, Exo 12:29, Exo 12:30, Exo 13:15, Heb 11:28
the chief: Gen 49:3
tabernacles: Psa 105:23, Psa 106:22, Gen 9:22-25, Gen 10:6
Reciprocal: Gen 14:5 – Zuzims Exo 4:23 – General Exo 11:5 – the firstborn Num 8:17 – on the day Jdg 2:1 – I made Jdg 10:11 – Egyptians 1Ch 4:40 – Ham Mic 6:4 – I brought Hab 3:5 – went Hab 3:14 – the head
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
78:51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the {e} chief of [their] strength in the tabernacles of {f} Ham:
(e) The firstborn are so called, as in Gen 49:3.
(f) That is, Egypt: for it was called Mizraim, or Egypt of Mizraim that was the son of Ham.