Psalms 78:51

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] Who was the father of Mizraim, the founder of the Egyptians, Gen 10:6, who vainly boasted that they were αυτοχθονες, as ancient as their land. Herodotus, the author of that story, tells us also of a certain great town in Egypt called Chemmim, from Cham likely.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

51. (Psa 78:51) And smote all the first-born in Egypt, the first fruitsof strength in the tents of Ham. Compare the narrative in Exo 12:29-30. The poetical description of the first-born in the last clause is derived from Gen 49:3 (compare Deu 21:17), and that of Egypt from Gen 10:6.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The firstborn are so called, as Gen. 49:3.

That is, Egypt: for it was called Mizraim, or Egypt of Mizraim that was the son of Ham.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

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.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But made his own people to go forth like sheep,.... The people of Israel, whom the Lord chose to be his peculiar people above all others; these he caused to go forth out of Egypt, with a mighty hand and stretched out arm; like sheep, weak, timorous, unarmed, harmless, and inoffensive, not a dog daring to move his tongue at them: the power of God was wonderfully displayed in the delivery of his poor, helpless, and oppressed people, well may it be ascribed to him; for it was not their arm, but his, that brought them out:

and guided them in the wilderness like a flock; by the hands of Moses and Aaron, Psa 77:20, he also going before them as the Shepherd of the flock, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night; he kept them together as a flock from scattering, straying, and being lost; and directed their way in the untrodden wilderness, through all the windings and turnings of it, and protected them from all dangers and enemies.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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,

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

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.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 51. And smote all the firstborn in Egypt. No exceptions were made, the monarch bewailed his heir as did the menial at the mill. They smote the Lord's firstborn, even Israel, and he smites theirs.

The chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham. Swinging his scythe over the field, death topped off the highest flowers. The tents of Ham knew each one its own peculiar sorrow, and were made to sympathise with the sorrows which had been ruthlessly inflicted upon the habitations of Israel. Thus curses come home to roost. Oppressors are repaid in their own coin, without the discount of a penny.

Ver. 51. The chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham. The sun of the last day of the sojourn of Israel in Egypt had set. It was the fourth day after the interview with Moses. Pharaoh, his princes, and the priests of his idols would doubtless take courage from this unwonted delay. Jehovah and his ministers are beaten at length, for now the gods of Egypt prevail against them. The triumph would be celebrated in pomps and sacrifices, in feasts and dances. Nothing is more likely than that the banquet halls of Pharaoh at Rameses were blazing with lamps, and that he and his princes were pouring forth libations of wine to their gods, and concerting schemes amid their revelry, for the perpetuation of the thraldom of Israel... Pharaoh Sethos started from his couch that night yelling in fierce and bitter agony, and gnawing at the sharp arrow that was rankling in his vitals, like a wounded lion. His son, his firstborn, his only son, just arrived at man's estate, just crowned king of Egypt, and associated with his father in the care of sovereignty, writhed before him in mortal throes, and died. His transports of grief were reechoed, and with no feigned voice, by the princes, the councillors, and the priest that partook of his revelry. Each one rends his garments and clasps to his bosom the quivering corpse of his firstborn son. On that fearful night "there was a great cry throughout the land of Egypt, "but if we have rightly read its history, the loudest, wildest wail of remorseful anguish would arise from Pharaoh's banquet hall! William Osburn, in "Israel in Egypt." 1856.

None.

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

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

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And smote all the firstborn in Egypt. (see Exo_12:29) The chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham; or, "the beginning (literally, firstfruits) of their strength". (comp. Gen_49:3) "The tabernacles of Ham" is a periphrasis for "Egypt the Egyptians, according to the author of Genesis, (Gen_10:6) being descendants of Ham. (comp. Psa_105:23, Psa_105:27) There are no sufficient grounds for connecting the name of Ham either with the Egyptian Kem, Kemi the native name for the country or with Khem, one of the principal Egyptian goes. The literation is, no doubt, close in the latter case; but etymologists lay it down that close approximations are especially deceptive.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ham - Of the Egyptians, the posterity of Ham, the cursed children of a cursed parent.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.