Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 78:63
The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.
63. Fire devoured their young men;
And their maidens had no marriage song. (R.V.)
The fire of war (Num 21:28) consumed the young men, so that the maidens remained unmarried.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The fire consumed their young men – Fire here may be regarded as an image of destructive war, as in Num 21:28 : For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, etc. The idea here is, that the young people had been cut off in war.
And their maidens were not given to marriage – As the young people who would have entered into this relation were cut off in war. The margin here is praised; The maidens were not praised. This is in accordance with the Hebrew. The idea is, Their virgins were not praised in nuptial songs; that is, there were no marriage celebrations; no songs such as were usually composed on such occasions in praise of those who were brides. The Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate render this much less accurately, and much less beautifully, were not lamented.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 63. Their maidens were not given to marriage.] hullalu, were not celebrated with marriage songs. It is considered a calamity in the east if a maiden arrives at the age of twelve years without being sought or given in marriage.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Because the young men who should have married them were slain. Heb. were not praised, to wit, with marriage songs, which was usual at marriage solemnities among the Jews, as appears from Jer 7:34; 16:9; 25:10.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
63. fireeither figure of theslaughter (1Sa 4:10), or aliteral burning by the heathen.
given to marriageliterally,”praised”that is, as brides.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The fire consumed their young men,…. Not Nadab and Abihu, as some of the Jewish Rabbins interpret it, of which Jarchi makes mention; but the young men, the choice, the flower, of the Israelitish army, which engaged with the Philistines in the times of Eli; and the fire that consumed them is not to be understood of material fire, or of extraordinary fire from heaven, but either of the wrath of God, as Jarchi, or of the flaming glittering sword of the enemy, which consumed them like fire; see Nu 21:28
and their maidens were not given to marriage; the young men to whom they should have been married, and to whom they might have been espoused, being slain in battle: or, “were not honoured” a; that with marriage, which is honourable to all, Heb 13:4, or “were not praised” b; were not attended with epithalamies and nuptial songs, such as used to be sung at the time of marriage; hence, as Kimchi observes, the nuptial chamber is called , “the house of praise”; and so frequently, when a great calamity is threatened or described, it is said, the voice of the bride and bridegroom is not heard; see
Jer 16:9.
a “honoratae”, Munster; so some in Vatablus. b “Celebratae epithalamio”, Montanus; “laudatae”, Tigurine version, Amama, so Ainsworth; “laudarentur”, Junius Tremellius, Michaelis “laudabantur”, Piscator; “commendabantur”, Gejerus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(63) Were not given.See margin. The desolation and misery were marked by the absence of the glad nuptial song.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
63. The fire consumed their young men Literally, The fire ate their young men. Such was the severity of the battle. So the same word, Psa 27:2. No enemies of Israel were more cruel than the Philistines.
Their maidens were not given to marriage Literally, Their maidens were not praised, or eulogized, as was the custom at their marriage. Bishop Mant versifies it:
“No nuptial song their maidens praised.”
In oriental custom it is a great reproach for a maiden to remain unmarried after twelve or thirteen years of age. The slaughter of thirty thousand youth plunged the tribes in deep mourning.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 78:63. Their maidens were not given to marriage Were not celebrated or praised. Mudge. i.e. They lost all their charms and agreeableness; or, perhaps, were no longer serenaded and praised in poetry and music. The next verse refers to Hophni and Phinehas, and the widow of the latter, who, at her delivery, took no notice of the death of her husband.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 78:63 The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.
Ver. 63. The fire consumed ] The fire of warlike force, which quickly licketh up all, and layeth waste.
And their maidens were not given in marriage
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
were not given to marriage = were not praised: i.e. had no marriage song.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
fire: Psa 78:21, Deu 29:20, Deu 32:22
maidens: Isa 4:1, Jer 7:34, Jer 16:9, Jer 25:10
given to marriage: Heb. praised
Reciprocal: Exo 22:24 – your wives Psa 78:31 – chosen men Psa 89:46 – thy wrath Lam 2:21 – my virgins 1Co 7:25 – concerning
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
78:63 The fire {n} consumed their young men; and their maidens were not {o} given to marriage.
(n) They were suddenly destroyed, 1Sa 4:10.
(o) They had no marriage songs: that is, they were not married.