And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear [was] upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, [even] burnt offerings morning and evening.
Ver. 3. And they set the altar upon his bases] Upon the old foundation in the priests' court, being glad of any place where to worship God jointly and publicly; for temple, as yet, there was none. Our worship-scorners are rightly styled by one, The last brood of Beelzebub.
For fear was upon them] Though that was a lewd speech of the poet Statius, Primus in orbe Deos fecit Timor, It was timorousness that first made men religious; yet there's no question but fear of danger driveth men to God, as it did these here. Their malignant neighbours, bandying and bending their forces against them, make them hasten up an altar, that they might get God on their side, and run to him reconciled, whatever evil should befall them. Be not thou a terror to me, Lord, saith holy Jeremiah, Jeremiah 17:17, and then I fear no creature. Let us sing the forty-sixth Psalm (said Luther once in a great strait), and then let the devil do his worst. "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee," Psalms 56:3. Some read the text thus, Though fear was upon them, yet that hindered not their setting up God's altar; but they brake through all discouragements, and did their duty. It is well observed that the very light of nature taught heathens, that the services they performed to their gods with peril and hazard to themselves were best accepted. Caius Fabius ventured through the enemies' camp to offer a solemn anniversary sacrifice, and returned in safety satis sperans (saith the historian) propitios fore Deos, quorum culture ne mortis quidem metu prohibitus intermisis set, trusting that in such a case his gods would secure him. When Numa, the second king of the Romans, heard, as he was sacrificing, that the enemies were coming, he made this answer, At ego rem divinam facio, Eγω δε θυω (Plut.); "if God be for us, who shall be against us?"
And they offered burnt offerings thereon] That their sins might be expiated, and their persons protected. The ceremonial law was Christ in figure, it was their gospel.