Verse 35. He will not regard any ransom ] This is an injury that admits of no compensation. No gifts can satisfy a man for the injury his honour has sustained; and to take a bribe or a ransom, would be setting up chastity at a price.
Ver. 35. He will not regard any ransom , etc.] So that his case is much worse than, a thief’s; if he is taken, he makes restitution according to law, and he is freed, and no more is said and done to him; and, at most, it is but parting with all the goods in his house; but in this case it will not do. In the Hebrew text it is, “he will not accept the face of any ransom” f168 ; that is, as the Targum paraphrases it, “he will not accept the face of anyone that gives a gift:” he will have no respect unto him for the sake of the gift; whatever gift is offered, be it what it will, for the ransom of his life from death, it will be disregarded; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts ; increase them, and keep continually giving; nothing but the life of the adulterer will satisfy him, which he will either take away himself, or obtain it in a way of legal prosecution. How foolish therefore is the man that will expose his name and credit, his health and substance, his life in this world, and his soul in another, to utter ruin, for the sake of gratifying a sordid lust! This may be interpreted of God, who is a jealousGod in matters of worship, and will not sufferidolatry to go unpunished, which is spiritualadultery.
Verses 20-35 - The word of God has something to say to us upon all occasions. Let no faithful reproofs ever make us uneasy. When we consider how much thi sin abounds, how heinous adultery is in its own nature, of what evi consequence it is, and how certainly it destroys the spirituallife in the soul, we shall not wonder that the cautions against it are so ofte repeated. Let us notice the subjects of this chapter. Let us remembe Him who willingly became our Surety, when we were strangers an enemies. And shall Christians, who have such prospects, motives, an examples, be slothful and careless? Shall we neglect what is pleasin to God, and what he will graciously reward? May we closely watch ever sense by which poison can enter our minds or affections __________________________________________________________________
