John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. And Israel abode in Shittim , etc.] A place in the plains of Moab, so called from the shittim wood, which grew here in great abundance, so often mentioned in the building of the tabernacle; which was a sort of white thorn, or rather the acacia tree, since there was scarcely any thing else grew in the deserts of Arabia, (see Gill on “ Exodus 25:5”) its full name was Abelshittim, ( Numbers 33:49), here the Israelites abode even to the death of Moses, for this was their last station in the wilderness; they were now on the borders of the land of Canaan, and just ready to enter into it, which is an aggravation of the sins they here fell into, and are next observed: and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab ; and of Midian also, as appears from ( Numbers 25:6 31:9,16) by the advice of Balaam, the Moabites and Midianites found ways and means to become familiar with the Israelites, and to introduce their daughters into their company and conversation, and being ensnared and enamoured with them, they were drawn to commit lewdness with them, and hereby were led on to commit other abominations, which brought the divine displeasure upon them; so that what they dared not attempt by war, and could not effect by sorceries and divinations, they accomplished by those iniquitous arts, namely, bringing the wrath, the curse, and plague of God upon them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - The friendship of the wicked is more dangerous than their enmity; for none can prevail against God's people if they are not overcome by their inbred lusts; nor can any enchantment hurt them, but the enticements of worldly interests and pleasures. Here is the sin of Israel, to whic they are enticed by the daughters of Moab and Midian. Those are ou worst enemies who draw us to sin, for that is the greatest mischief an man can do us. Israel's sin did that which all Balaam's enchantment could not do; it set God against them. Diseases are the fruits of God' anger, and the just punishments of prevailing sins; one infectio follows the other. Ringleaders in sin ought to be made examples of justice.
Original Hebrew וישׁב3427 ישׂראל3478 בשׁטים7851 ויחל2490 העם5971 לזנות2181 אל413 בנות1323 מואב׃4124
