Commentary on Harmony of the Law Volume 1 Complete John Calvin (continued)
HARMONY OF THE LAW · VOLUME 1
14. Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you;
14. Tunc inquires, et investigabis diligenter: et siquidem veritas sit et rumor verus, quod facta sit abominatio ista in medio tui:
15. Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.
15. Percutiendo percuties habitatores urbis illius acie gladii, perdendo eam, et quicquid in ea fuerit, et jumenta ejus acie gladii.
16. And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again.
16. Atque omnia spolia ejus congregabis in medio plateae ejus, et combures igni urbem ipsam et omnia spolia ejus prorsus Jehovae Deo tuo, eritque tumulus perpetuus, non aedificabitur.
17. And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers;
17. Neque adhaerebit manui tuae quicquam de anathemate, ut avertatur Jehova ab ira furoris sui, et det tibi misericordias, misereaturque tui, ac te multiplicet quemadmodum juravit patribus tuis.
12. If thou shalt hear say. If impiety and rebellion should more widely prevail, Moses declares that whole cities, together with their inhabitants, should rather be destroyed, than that so great a crime should remain unpunished. Hence we may better infer how unholy is the tenderness of those who would have no punishment inflicted for the violation of the religion of God. If any sedition may have arisen in an army or nation, and the contagion may have spread through the whole multitude, the severity of a just and moderate ruler does not usually proceed further than to punish the ringleaders; when, therefore, God commands all without exception to be destroyed, the great atrocity of the crime is made apparent. Hence, too, we are admonished, that zeal for God's glory is but cold among us, unless