Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
a man's uncle--The nearest relatives had the duty of burying the dead (Genesis 25:9; Genesis 35:29; Judges 16:31). No nearer relative was left of this man than an uncle.
and he that burneth him--the uncle, who is also at the same time the one that burneth him (one of the "ten," Amos 6:9). Burial was the usual Hebrew mode of disposing of their dead. But in cases of necessity, as when the men of Jabesh-gilead took the bodies of Saul and his three sons from the walls of Beth-shan and burned them to save them from being insulted by the Philistines, burning was practised. So in this case, to prevent contagion.
the bones--that is, the dead body (Genesis 50:25). Perhaps here there is an allusion in the phrase to the emaciated condition of the body, which was little else but skin and bones.
say unto him that is by the sides of the house--that is, to the only one left of the ten in the interior of the house [MAURER] (compare Note, see on Isaiah 14:13).
Hold thy tongue . . . we may not . . . mention . . . the Lord--After receiving the reply, that none is left besides the one addressed, when the man outside fancies the man still surviving inside to be on the point, as was customary, of expressing devout gratitude to God who spared him, the man outside interrupts him, "Hold thy tongue! for there is not now cause for mentioning with praise (Joshua 23:7) the name of Jehovah"; for thou also must die; as all the ten are to die to the last man (Amos 6:9; compare Amos 8:3). Formerly ye boasted in the name of Jehovah, as if ye were His peculiar people; now ye shall be silent and shudder at His name, as hostile to you, and as one from whom ye wish to be hidden (Revelation 6:16), [CALVIN].
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
2 Chronicles 16:14
Amos 6:1
Amos 8:3
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