Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 33:52
Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images and quite pluck down all their high places:
52. ye shall drive out ] ye shall dispossess. The word in this sense is very frequent in Deut.
their figured stones] The literal meaning of the word seems to be ‘something to be looked at.’ It denotes the carved figures and symbols used in Canaanite idolatrous worship. Cf. Lev 26:1, Eze 8:12.
their high places ] The Hebrews learnt from the Canaanites the practice of erecting altars and sanctuaries on hills and natural mounds, to which the technical term bmth was applied. But the word seems to have acquired a more general force, and to have been used for any sanctuaries, even in valleys and by the gates of cities (cf. Jer 7:31, 2Ki 23:8). In the present passage the word cannot refer to hills, for the Israelites are bidden to ‘demolish them.’ Some think that the bmth of later times may have been small artificial mounds, to represent the hills of the ancient worship; but there is no certain evidence of this.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 52. Ye shall – destroy all their pictures] maskiyotham, from sachah, to be like, or resemble, either pictures, carved work, or embroidery, as far as these things were employed to exhibit the abominations of idolatry. Molten images tsalmey massechotham, metallic talismanical figures, made under certain constellations, and supposed in consequence to be possessed of some extraordinary influences and virtues.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Ye shall drive out; not by banishing, but by destroying them, as it is explained, Deu 7:1,2, and elsewhere. Their pictures seem to have been stones curiously engraven, and set up for worship. See Deu 16:22.
Molten images. See Exo 23:24,32; Deu 7:5.
High places, i.e. by a metonymy, the chapels, altars, groves, or other means of worship there set up, for the hills themselves could not be destroyed by them. See Poole “Deu 12:2“.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you,…. Not at once, but gradually; and the sense is, that they should use their utmost endeavours wholly to extirpate them:
and destroy all their pictures; their idolatrous ones; the pictures of their gods, or the statues and figured stones of them: the Targum of Jonathan interprets it,
“all the temples of their worship;”
and the Jerusalem Targum,
“all their idols;”
so called, as Jarchi notes, because they covered the floor with a pavement of marble stones, to worship upon them by the stretching out of their hands and feet, according to Le 26:1,
and destroy all their molten images; of gold, silver, c.
and quite pluck down all their high places their temples, groves, and altars built upon them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(52) And destroy all their pictures.The word which is here rendered pictures denotes imagery, or engraved figures. In Lev. 26:1 the material named is stonea stone of imagery, i.e., a stone which has been formed into an idol. (Comp. Exo. 34:13, where, however, a different word is used for images.)
All their high places.Hebrew, bamoth. The reference here is probably to the altars which were frequently erected on the high places. (Comp. Num. 22:41, where Balaam is brought by Balak up into the high places of Baal.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Num 33:52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:
Ver. 52. Destroy all the pictures. ] Those Balaam’s blocks, those excellent instruments of idolatry; such as was the cross of Hailes, and Cockram cross, which, if it would not serve to make a god, yet with a pair of horns clapped on his head, might make an excellent devil, as the mayor of Doncaster persuaded the men of Cockram, who came to him to complain of the joiner that made it, and refused to pay him his money for the making of it. a
a Act. and Mon., 1340.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
drive out. This was one of the great purposes for which the sword of Israel was raised up. Compare Deu 7:1, Deu 7:2. Exo 23:33. App-23and App-25.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Exo 23:24, Exo 23:31-33, Exo 34:12-17, Deu 7:2-5, Deu 7:25, Deu 7:26, Deu 12:2, Deu 12:3, Deu 12:30, Deu 12:31, Deu 20:16-18, Jos 11:11, Jos 11:12, Jos 23:7, Jdg 2:2
Reciprocal: Deu 6:19 – General Deu 31:5 – according Jos 9:7 – how shall Jos 9:24 – the Lord Jos 16:10 – the Canaanites dwell Jos 17:12 – General Jos 23:5 – as the Lord 1Ki 11:7 – build an high 2Ki 23:14 – he brake Psa 78:58 – their high Psa 106:34 – concerning Isa 2:16 – pleasant pictures
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
33:52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their {e} pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:
(e) Which were set up in their high places to worship.