ANNOTATIONS ON THE BOOK OF JUDGES

THE ARGUMENT

This Scripture is entitled The Book of Judges, because it contains an history of many memorable things done under the government of the judges, and shows the state of the people of Israel both in church and commonwealth during their times, for three hundred years saving one, from Joshua to Eli. Which sum is made up of these parcels: Othniel governed forty years, chap. 3:11. Ehud, eighty, chap. 3:30. Deborah, forty, chap. 5:31. Gideon, forty, chap. 8:28. Abimelech, three, chap. 9:22. Tola, twenty-three, chap. 10:2. Jair, twenty-two, chap. 10:3. Jephthah, six, chap. 12:7. Ibzan, seven, chap. 12:9. Elon, ten, chap. 12:11. Abdon, eight, chap. 12:14. Samson, twenty, chap. 16:31. In all, two hundred ninety and nine years. Within which space we are to comprehend the years attributed to the several oppressions mentioned in this book. See on chap. 3:11. Yet some, that they may make the apostle’s account Acts 13:19, 20 agree with the chronology of this story, will have the years of the oppressors distinct from the years of the judges: Now Cushan-rishathaim is said to have oppressed Israel eight years, chap. 3:8. Eglon, eighteen, chap. 3:14. Jabin, twenty, chap. 4:3. The Midianites, seven, chap. 6:1. The Ammonites, eighteen, chap. 10:8. The Philistims, forty, chap. 13:1. All which amount to an hundred and eleven. Which years, if several indeed from those of the judges, would make this book a story of four hundred and ten years, which having the forty years of Eli’s judicature, 1 Sam. 4:18, added to them, would just make up the sum Paul speaks of, four hundred and fifty years. But, as has been said, the times of the six oppressions must be made to run in amongst the times of the twelve judges, and some other supputation would be found out for the apostle’s account; otherwise, by unhandsome avoiding the inconvenience of that place we should meet with as great, if not greater, 1 Kings 6:1. There are, that make quick work, and think to salve up the matter, and solve the doubt, by blaming the scribe that copied out the Book of the Acts, and say he mistook, and wrote τετρακοσίοις for τριακοσίοις, four hundred, for three hundred: But this seems more haste than good speed, and rather a cutting than an untying the knot. Others understand that account, not of the times of the judges, but of the times before, from the birth of Isaac to the conquest of Canaan. Some reckon from the beginning of Moses’ government to the end of Samuel’s. See on Acts 13:20. But let us to our purpose. Concerning the judges mentioned in this book, we are to take notice, that they were not ordinary magistrates, but extraordinarily called by God in times of great extremity, when all things seemed deplorable and desperate, and endowed with heroic gifts of the Spirit fitting them for those services in which he was pleased to employ them; which was usually to fight his battles, and by vanquishing their enemies, to give his people deliverance from their grievous oppressions; as also to restore and rectify the government, when through the people’s insolencies and unruliness all things were brought to disorder and confusion. Neither had these judges supreme and regal power committed unto them (for all the while God was their King, and kept the jura regalia or royal rights in his own hand, unto whom as supreme they were to appeal in cases of greatest difficulty, Exod. 18:15, 19, till in Samuel’s time they rejected him and his government, 1 Sam. 8:7, and would have a king of their own to reign over them, like other nations) but they were only God’s lieutenants, to go out and in before the people at his command, to execute his designs, and at his appointment (when their work was done) to lay down their authority and rule, as we see in Gideon’s example, chap. 8:23. Now these were called judges, because they were God’s ministers appointed by him to execute his righteous judgments, both in subduing, punishing and destroying the wicked enemies of his church, and when his people were delivered from tyranny and oppressions, to administer justice unto them according to his laws, and preserve unto them God’s true religion in purity and sincerity, without any tainture of idolatry and superstition. The main scope of this history is to set forth, and leave to the use of all posterity, the state and condition of the church and commonwealth of Israel from their first settling in Canaan to the time of Eli; that all succeeding ages might learn by their example to imitate such things in them as are worthy imitation, and shun the contrary: For it discovers their prosperous success in all their enterprises, while they professed and maintained God’s true religion, and valiantly executed his commands in fighting his battles and driving out their enemies; but when out of sloth and love of ease, or cowardly fear, they neglected God’s charge, and suffered them to live amongst them, the Lord, as he had threatened, Exod. 23:33, Josh. 23:13, Num. 33:55, caused them to become snares and traps unto them, scourges to their sides, and thorns in their eyes, to vex and grieve them, as plainly appears by this history: For by conversing with these cursed nations, they learned their works, Psal. 106:35. They took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and worshipped their gods, Baalim and Ashtaroth, chap. 3:6 and 2:13, and served their Idols, which were a snare unto them; yea, they sacrificed their sons and daughters unto devils, Psalm 106:36, 37. By which fearful apostasy they showed their horrible ingratitude unto God, who by such mighty wonders had delivered them out of the Egyptian bondage, subdued their many and mighty enemies, and performed all his gracious promises in bringing them into, and giving them possession of that good land of Canaan, which flowed with milk and honey; and also their shameful perfidiousness in breaking their solemn covenant with God, into which Joshua a little before his death had caused them to enter. By all which provocations they fearfully kindled God’s just wrath against them, as the story shows; so that he made them unsuccessful in all their enterprises, delivering them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could no longer stand before them, chap. 2:14, 15, but being subdued, were grievously oppressed by them. Yet in all this just severity the Lord was still mindful of his covenant, and did not utterly reject them, as their sins deserved, but in his great mercy and goodness did thus sharply correct them to bring them to repentance. Which was no sooner performed, but presently he raised up judges to deliver them out of the hands of their oppressing enemies. And though they often relapsed into their idolatrous and sinful courses, and were as often severely punished, yet returning unto God, who smote them, by serious repentance, they still found him alike gracious and merciful in pardoning their sins, and sending them deliverance. Lastly, by that horrible corruption of religion and manners which was at this time in the commonwealth of Israel, specially instanced in that bloody massacre of Gideon’s sons, and the sodomitical filthiness of the men of Gibeah countenanced and maintained by the whole tribe of Benjamin, it declared unto all posterity the miserable condition of such a state and people as live in an anarchy, or (which is almost as bad) under the government of wicked magistrates, who either out of fear dare not execute justice upon offenders, being overawed with the insolencies of a stiff-necked and rebellious people, or out of favor will not, because they like their courses, as being suitable to their own dispositions; or through negligence, or love of their own ease, will not trouble themselves to examine and take notice of any wickedness, that it may be punished, but, as if there were no king in Israel, suffer every one to do that which seems good in his own eyes.

CHAPTER 1

Verse 1. {Now after the death of Joshua} i.e. Not many years after. For the first judge after his departure was Othniel, who married Caleb’s daughter, and lived in Joshua’s time.

{the children of Israel} Being deprived of an head and commander in chief, who might direct and lead them in all things concerning the war which they now intended.

{asked the Lord} This they did, I. Because the business in hand was of great weight and importance, seeing if they miscarried in their first attempts, it would be a great discouragement to themselves, and heartening to their enemies, who would be ready to think that all their good success in their former wars, had proceeded from the wisdom and valor of Joshua their general, and that he being dead, all their hopes died with him. II. Because they would hereby acknowledge God to be their sovereign Lord and King, who retained in his own hand all the regal rights and royalties, and therefore had the whole power and privilege to manage the war, and to appoint whom he pleased to be his lieutenants and deputies. III. Because they knew, he being infinite in wisdom was best able to direct them, and that there was little hope of prospering in their undertakings, unless he did guide and assist them. IV. They did it to prevent divisions and emulations amongst the tribes, which might have happened about precedence and preferment of one before another, if the Lord himself had not appointed and determined it. Therefore they would conclude nothing in this matter, but asked the Lord, namely by the mediation of the high priest, consulting with his oracle by Urim and Thummim, according to the law, Num. 27:21, Exod. 28:30. So chap. 20:18, 1 Sam. 23:9.

{Who shall go up for us} The people being now satiate with rest, and having enjoyed their fill of ease and pleasure, and beginning to find themselves somewhat straitened in their inheritances, because the Canaanites did still hold a great part of them in their possession, begin to think and resolve of renewing the war, and therefore do not here inquire whether or no they should go out to fight against their enemies, (for this God often had expressly commanded, and Joshua a little before his death had persuaded them to) but which of the tribes should first begin and be a precedent to the rest.

{against the Canaanites} i.e. Not those only who were properly and particularly so called, but all the cursed nations. For Judah and Simeon do by virtue of their commission attempt first the subduing of the Jebusites and Perizzites, and not the Canaanites that lived on the seacoast.

V. 2. {And the Lord said, Judah shall go up} i.e. Not as a captain over the other tribes, (for this was not the people’s inquiry) but shall begin this war against these nations, and so be a precedent unto all the rest. By going up, is either meant the preparing themselves to set upon the work, or because they were to march into an high and mountainous country. Now Judah was appointed to be first in this expedition. I. Because it was the most numerous, valiant, able and active of all the tribes; and God usually chooses the fittest means to serve his providence: yet sometimes he does otherwise, that by the weakness of the instruments he uses he may have the more glory, and keep men from boasting. II. Because he would honor this tribe above the rest, out of which the Messiah was to come, who should be King, and by his scepter rule all nations, Jews and Gentiles, according to Jacob’s prophecy, Gen. 49:8. And therefore here, as also in the war against the Benjaminites, chap. 20:18, and also when they pitched their camp in the wilderness, when they offered, when they marched, Judah still had the first and chief place, Num. 2:3 and 7:12 and 10:14.

V. 3. {And Judah said unto Simeon his brother} They were brethren not only in a general relation, as all the other tribes, but in a more special manner, because descended both of the same father and mother, and also because Simeon’s inheritance was taken out of Judah’s, Josh. 19:1, and so being intermixed one with another they were tied by this near bond of neighborhood to join together in their defensive and offensive wars.

{Come up with me into my lot} Before the land was divided, the tribes were bound to fight all together against the common enemy: But when every tribe had their own inheritance allotted unto them, they were to be at that care and charge that was requisite for expelling those enemies which lived amongst them, and held part of that which belonged unto them in their possession. And for the better enabling of them to perform it, they might call another tribe unto their assistance. Yea, but they had an express promise from God, that if they would attempt it they should have good success, and none of their enemies should be able to stand against them; what need then was there for Judah to call in Simeon to his aid? I answer, they might lawfully do it; because God’s promises of the issue and success do not hinder from using all lawful means for fulfilling of them; yea rather we are bound to use them as serving his providence to effect and bring them to pass.

V. 4. {and they slew of them in Bezek} i.e. In the city so called, and the territories belonging to it. This was part of Judah’s inheritance, and near unto Jerusalem. Here Saul mustered his army when he went to relieve Jabesh-Gilead against the Ammonites, 1 Sam. 11:8.

V. 5. {And they found Adoni-Bezek} Who was lord and king of Bezek, as his name signifies. See on Josh. 10:1.

V. 6. {But Adoni-Bezek} i.e. When he saw his army discomfited and ten thousand of them slain on the place, and the remainder flying to save their lives, he likewise fled with them.

{and cut off his thumbs and his great toes} In their ordinary way of execution they should have slain him outright, and not have reserved him alive thus mangled; yet, though they had, as it seems, no intention to let him live, (for they carried him away thus wounded to Jerusalem, and neglecting his cure he there died) they thus tortured him, contrary to their usual manner of dealing with their vanquished enemies, which was not like barbarians delighting in cruelty, to torture them to death, but to make a quick dispatch, by hanging, or slaying them with the sword: But it seems that either they had heard of the like cruelty, he exercised upon others, or were eyewitnesses of it, when sacking Bezek they might find some of those miserable kings thus used, and their hearts yearning at the sight of so horrid a spectacle, they might think themselves justly bound by the law of retaliation to requite like for like, Exod. 21:24. Or if none of these, then this came to pass by a special providence of God, secretly inclining their hearts to inflict upon him these unusual, but yet deserved, punishments. See on 2 Samuel 12:31.

V. 7. {Threescore and ten Kings} It is not at all improbable that this one king, being a great soldier, more mighty and powerful than all his neighbors, tyrannical, active and violent in his attempts should vanquish so great a number of kings. For in those times and countries (as now in the West Indies) almost every city had its king to govern it. So it is said that Joshua vanquished one and thirty kings in that little country of Canaan, besides all those who were not subdued by him. Yet it is not likely that Adoni-Bezek had seventy kings at once in this subjection and base slavery, but throughout the whole course of his conquests, some successively after others.

{having their thumbs and their great toes cut off} This cruelty he exercised upon them, not, as some think, that being made unserviceable for the wars they might not again rise and rebel against him: For this there might be some color, if he had set them at liberty to live in their own countries; but none at all, seeing they were kept still under his power to kill them at his own pleasure. He thus used them rather either out of an innate and more than barbarous cruelty, sporting himself in the calamities and miseries of others; or out of pride and vainglory, using them as trophies of his victories; or by such examples to terrify all other kings from making any resistance when he invaded their dominions. The like examples we find recorded in our latter stories: as of Sapores king of Persia, who having taken Valerian the emperor prisoner, used him as his footstool or stirrup to mount up on horseback; and of Tamberlaine the Scythian king, who having taken Bajazeth in battle, carried him about in an iron cage as a trophy of his victory, and used other kings to draw his chariot.

{And they brought him to Jerusalem} That he might be a public spectacle of God’s heavy and just vengeance upon barbarous and bloody tyrants to deter others from following his example.

V. 8. {Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it} Here he gives a reason why they brought Adoni-Bezek to Jerusalem, because it was now in Judah’s possession. For Joshua and his army had fought against it, and taken it, as some gather from Josh. 10:42 and 15:63, that is, the southern part of the city, called Jebus but not the northern, called Salem, Josh. 15:8, 63 and 18:11, 28, and here ver. 21. For Jerusalem was a double city, besides the fort or castle, (and therefore its name is of the dual number) of which one part, namely the southern, was in Judah’s lot, and the other, to wit, the northern, with the castle, was in Benjamin’s. See on chap. 19:1, 10.

{and set the City on fire} Heb. Cast the City into the fire. Hypallage, for, they cast fire into the City. So Psal. 74:7. They have sent thy Sanctuary into the fire, for they have cast fire into thy Sanctuary. By this phrase of casting fire into the city is implied, that they burned not all, but only some part, and left the rest for their habitation. Now upon this occasion of speaking what was done in Joshua’s time for the winning of this city, he makes a digression from the former story in hand, and repeats divers other passages respecting the tribe of Judah, which are translated out of Josh. 15:13–19, with explanation of some particulars. The which digression is continued unto v. 16.

V. 9. {went} [{went down to fight against the Canaanites that dwelt in the mountain}] i.e. They descended from Jerusalem, situate on a mountain, into the valleys and champaign country, and then ascended to fight with the Canaanites which dwelt upon other mountains. For in that mountainous country, they must needs descend from one mount, before they could ascend up to another.

V. 10. {And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron} To wit, under the conduct of Joshua and Caleb, Josh. 10:36 and 15:13, 14. For the things here related to v. 16 were done in Joshua’s time, but here in some passages expressed more fully and particularly.

V. 11. {And from thence he went} See on Josh. 15:15–19.

V. 16. {the Kenite Moses’ father in law} Moses’ father-in-law in the Scripture is called by divers names, Jethro, Hobab, Reuel, and here Kenite, which seems to be a patronymic, or his surname; or rather the name of his nation, Numb. 24:21.

{out of the City of Palm trees} i.e. Jericho, Deut. 34:3, so called from the plenty of palm trees that grew in that fruitful territory belonging to it. Here the posterity of Jethro first seated themselves. For howsoever Jethro himself would not be persuaded to accompany Moses unto Canaan in respect of his great age, and the difficulty of the action of conquering the land, but went back into his own country, and there died, Ex. 18:27, yet before his death it is probable that he gave in charge to his kindred and posterity, that they should follow the Israelites thither, and there plant themselves, that they might enjoy the benefit of the promise made unto him by Moses; Numb. 10:32. If thou go with us, it shall be, that what goodness the Lord shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee. Or it may be when God had commanded Moses to destroy the Midianites, that he sent first for Jethro his posterity and kindred to come away to him from them, that they might not be involved in the common destruction; as Saul did in like case, 1 Sam. 15:6. By city are meant the territories, hamlets and villages belonging to the city: for Jericho itself was burnt, and not reedified, and therefore no fit place for their habitation.

{with the children of Judah} Unto which tribe the Kenites chiefly adhered, and being at liberty to choose the place of their habitation, Num. 10:32, and dwelling always in tents, which were easy to remove from place to place, they removed with them into the wilderness of Judah, or that mountainous country adjoining unto it. From these Kenites the Rechabites descended, Jer. 35:2.

{which lieth in the South of Arad} A certain place near to the land of Canaan and to the country of the Amalekites, whose king and people joining with the Amalekites, made war against Israel, Exod. 17:8, Num. 21:1, 2. Here the Kenites dwelt in the time of Saul, till he being appointed by God to destroy Amalek, gave them warning to prevent their destruction by departing from among them, 1 Sam. 15:6.

{among the people} i.e. With them of the tribe of Judah.

V. 17. {And Judah went with Simeon his brother} i.e. To assist him for the recovering of his inheritance by driving out the Canaanites, as Simeon in the like kind had formerly assisted him, v. 3.

{slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath} This city was in the dominion of king Arad, and was now anathematized and devoted to utter destruction, and therefore called Hormah; either because the Israelites had bound themselves by some present vow to destroy it utterly, if the Lord would deliver it into their hands; or rather, because they had vowed to do so, if the Lord would be pleased to deliver the king of Arad and his army into their hands; which accordingly they then did, Num. 21:1, 3, and now it being reedified, they do it again the second time.

V. 18. {And Judah took Gaza, &c.} These cities fell to the lot of Judah, Josh. 15:45, 47, and were in the land of the Philistims bordering on the Mediterranean Sea, and were afterwards recovered from Israel for their sins, ch. 3:3 and 14:19 and 16:1, 2 and 1 Sam. 6:17. For the Israelites and the Philistims having continual wars one with another, accordingly as either party prevailed, these cities were in the possession of the stronger side. Gaza had its name, not from the Persian word Gaza, as some would have it, signifying treasure, because Cambyses there laid his treasures when he intended a war on Greece; but from the Hebrew Azza, the first letter Ajin, as the Greeks are wont, being turned into Gamma. This city was so strong in Alexander’s time, that it cost him two months’ siege to take it.

V. 19. {And the Lord was with Judah} i.e. To prosper and assist them in all their undertakings in a special manner. So Gen. 39:21, 1 Sam. 18:14. Whereby as it is implied, that they had all their good success from God, so they are secretly taxed for their fear and cowardice, seeing they dared not attempt the driving out of the Canaanites from the valleys, because of their iron chariots, they having had so great experience of God’s gracious assistance.

{because they had chariots of iron} See Joshua 17:16. This was no just cause to deter them from following their conquest; for they had God’s promise of victory, notwithstanding those iron chariots, Josh. 17:18. It was only their want of valor, their sinful fear, and want of faith in God’s promises that hindered them, as also the neglect of God’s commands, who enjoined them to drive them out, Josh. 23:6.

V. 20. {And they gave Hebron unto Caleb} See the story of it, Josh. 14:6, &c. and the annot. on that place.

V. 21. {And the Children of Benjamin} See on Josh. 15:63.

{dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem} i.e. In their part of the city, and the castle or fort. For these remained unconquered till David’s time, 2 Sam. 5:6, 7.

V. 22. {the house of Joseph} i.e. The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.

{went up against Bethel} i.e. To fight against and take it, because it belonged to their lot, see on Josh. 16:2.

V. 23. {was Luz} i.e. A filbert nut; so called (as some think) because it resembled a nut in its figure. See Gen. 28:19.

V. 24. {the entrance into the City} Not the gate (which might easily be found without a guide, but it may be was now shut, bolted and blocked up, the enemy approaching near it) but the weakest part of the city, where it might most easily be assaulted, scaled and taken.

{and we will shew thee mercy} Namely, in saving your life, with theirs that belonged unto you, and also rewarding you for this service. For though the law commanded generally to put all the Canaanites to death yet the rigor of it might upon occasion be moderated by common equity and the law of nature, which requires we should do well to them that have dealt well with us, as we see in the example of Rahab. See on Josh. 6:25.

V. 25. {But they let go the man, &c.} i.e. Set them at liberty to dispose of themselves as they thought good.

V. 26. {and the man went into the land of the Hittites} i.e. Not those that dwelt in the land of Canaan, who were to be destroyed soon after, but others of that name further off and free from that danger. Others think that here are meant the Hittites of Canaan, who inhabited on the north side of mount Ephraim, where the Israelites permitted him to build and live for doing them this service.

{and built a City} Being potent and rich, either of himself, or by the reward given him for his service, and accompanied with his family, friends and allies, who were spared for his sake, he built a city for his and their habitation.

{and called the name of it Luz} Out of his love to his native country where he was born and bred, he called the city he built by the same name, that the memory of it might not perish, but by this means be preserved unto posterity; in which he had his desire, as appears by the words following.

V. 27. {Neither did Manasseh} Namely, that part of the tribe that dwelt in Canaan.

{drive out} Having disabled themselves by their sins, which had deprived them of God’s assistance. See Josh. 17:11, 12.

{Beth-shean} Called Beth-shan, 1 Sam. 31:13.

{Taanach} A royal city near mount Gilboa, Josh. 17:11, whose king Joshua slew, Josh. 12:21.

{Dor} A royal city with large territories, whose king was slain, Josh. 11:2 and 12:23.

{Ibleam} Both these places lay near the midland sea, and in the tribe of Manasseh, Josh. 17:11.

{Megiddo} A great and royal city, Josh. 12:21, in the lot of Manasseh, Josh. 17:11, in whose territories the good king Josiah was slain, 2 Kings 23:29.

{would dwell in that land} Either by force or composition.

V. 28. {they put the Canaanites to tribute} Either out of cowardice, because they dared not, or out of sloth and covetousness, because they would not drive them out, they made peace with them upon this only condition, that they should pay them tribute; and that when they were become strong, and so able to have driven them out if they had had an heart to do it: Which did much aggravate their sin of neglecting God’s express command, Exodus 23:32, Deut. 7:2.

V. 29. {Gezer} A city within the lot of Ephraim, Josh. 16:10, given to the Levites, Josh. 21:21, on the river Gaas near unto the midland sea, four miles from Nicopolis, i.e. Emmaus.

{dwelt in Gezer among them} i.e. Not intermingled one with another in the same city, but in the same province or territories. For the Canaanites alone possessed the city till Pharaoh killed them and burned it, 1 Kings 9:16.

V. 33. {Beth-shemesh} See on Josh. 15:10.

{he dwelt among the Canaanites} Not in the same cities or towns, but in the same province, wherein their cities were intermingled one with another.

{the inhabitants of the land} i.e. The ancient inhabitants of the land, and who now also held a great part thereof in present possession.

V. 34. {forced the children of Dan into the mountain} i.e. Though the children of Dan had at the first prevailed against the Amorites, and possessed themselves of their country, yet afterwards the Amorites recruiting their army, and getting more strength, recovered the best part of the country, namely the valleys, and forced the Danites into the mountains; where being much straitened, they took occasion to enlarge their possessions by making that expedition unto Laish, related ch. 18.

V. 35. {But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres} i.e. They were not content to possess themselves of the fruitful valleys, but also took into their possession mount Heres in Aijalon, as being better (it seems) than the mountains which they left to the Danites, and so the more straitened them in their habitations.

{yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed} i.e. Assisting the Danites with their forces they thus far prevailed, that they became tributaries to the Danites, though they could not recover their possessions from them nor drive them out of their country.

V. 36. {Akrabbim} A mountainous place called, The ascent of scorpions, lying southerly on the salt sea, and easterly on mount Seir, and the uttermost borders of Canaan towards the south. But it seems to me that he speaks not here of that Akrabbim in the lot of Judah, Josh. 15:3, but of another in which the Amorites dwelt, near unto the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.

CHAPTER 2

Verse 1. {And an angel of the Lord} Some understand a messenger sent from God, who was either prophet, or priest, or both. And indeed prophets in the Scriptures sometimes are called angels, Hag. 1:13, and so are likewise God’s priests and ministers, Mal. 2:7, 1 Cor. 11:10. And they think this angel was such an one, and not an angel sent from heaven, seeing it is said he came from Gilgal to Bochim, whereas if he had been sent from heaven, it would have been so expressed. Some particularly pitch upon Phinehas, and say he is here understood. Others think it was a created angel, who taking upon him a human shape had motions from place to place attributed unto him. But for my own part, I do not approve of either of these opinions, but rather think he was the angel of the covenant, even the Lord Jesus Christ, I. Because he spoke not, as an angel, or a prophet, in the name of the Lord, but in the person of the Lord himself, appropriating the works of the Lord, as done by him, namely the people’s deliverance from Egypt, and bringing them into Canaan, and so keeping his covenant with them. II. Because it is most probable, this was the same angel that appeared to Joshua at Gilgal, Josh. 5:14, (and therefore it is here said to have come up from Gilgal) and to Gideon, ch. 6:11, and to Manoah’s wife, ch. 13:3. But that was Christ the angel of the covenant, as shall appear hereafter in due place. III. Because he thus appearing, it is said, v. 5, they sacrificed there, that is, in Bochim, unto the Lord; as also Gideon and Manoah did in the like case. Now it was not lawful to offer any sacrifices saving in the tabernacle, and upon that one altar there, or at the apparition of this angel of the covenant, or only peace offerings and gratulatory oblations, but not burnt offerings, unless upon great and extraordinary occasions they had a special dispensation from God.

{came up from Gilgal to Bochim} This though here related, yet was done, as likewise all the rest of this story, to v. 11, in the time of Joshua and the elders that survived him, but is here inserted to make way for the following history concerning the people’s sins, apostasy and idolatry, God’s severe punishments in delivering them into the hands of their malicious and tyrannous enemies and his gracious deliverance of them upon their repentance. And this appears, because the sins for which the angel reproved them, were such as they had committed in Joshua’s time, namely leagues and familiar friendship with the cursed nations, and not demolishing their altars as God had commanded, though their good general Joshua had earnestly persuaded them unto it, and used all the endeavors, backed with the authority of his place, to see it duly executed. But not such as they fell into immediately after the death of him and the elders, namely apostasy and idolatry, which the angel surely would have reproved them for, had they now been guilty, as they were presently afterwards in the time of the judges. Secondly, because Gilgal is here mentioned, where he first appeared to Joshua, Josh. 5:13, and which was formerly the place of their standing camp, from which it seems they were not yet all come away, although the land was now divided by lot, seeing after this meeting they went every man to his inheritance, v. 6. And lastly because it is expressly said that Joshua dismissed the people from this assembly, that the people served the Lord all his days, and all the days of the elders also that survived him, and then presently after the death of Joshua and the elders they forsook the Lord, and committed idolatry with Baalim and Ashtaroth, verse 11, 12, 13.

{I will never break my covenant with you} To wit, if you will not break yours with me.

V. 2. {And you shall make no league} Exod. 23:33 and 34:15, Deut. 7:2 and 12:3.

{why have ye done this?} q.d. I will not condemn you till I hear what you can say in your own defense: Therefore stand forth and produce what reason you can to justify these your doings. But I am sure you have not so much as a color of any cause for it, being convinced and condemned in your own consciences of shameful breach of covenant with your God.

V. 3. {as thorns in your sides} Or, as scourges. See on Josh. 23:13 and Num. 33:55.

{their gods shall be a snare unto you} To entangle you in their idolatry to your perdition. See Exod. 23:33 and 34:12, Josh. 23:13.

V. 4. {the people lift up their voice, and wept} This speech of the angel convincing them of their sin, and threatening them with deserved punishment, did work so effectually upon them that it brought them to repentance; which they expressed in their prayers to God, and sorrow for their sins, partly arising out of true contrition and compunction of heart, because they had offended their good God, and partly out of fear of having those judgments here threatened inflicted upon them.

V. 5. {And they called the name of the place Bochim} i.e. Weepers; so called by anticipation, v. 1, and here from the event, because the Israelites did weep abundantly in this place.

{and they sacrificed there unto the Lord} In the place where the angel appeared, as Gideon and Manoah did: or, as some others would have it, in Shiloh, near unto this place, where the tabernacle at that time was.

V. 6. {And when Joshua had let the people go} i.e. As they were assembled by his authority, being the supreme magistrate, so they did not depart to their own places before he had dismissed them.

V. 7. {And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua} From hence to v. 10 is repeated out of Josh. 24:28, &c. and here inserted to clear the way to the ensuing story. The sum whereof is the defection of the people from God to idolatry, whereby they provoked him in his just displeasure to afflict them grievously by giving them over into the hands of their malicious enemies; and then God’s grace and favor towards them upon their repentance, in sending judges to deliver them out of their grievous servitude. These things are summarily and in a general manner set down from this place to ch. 3:7, and afterwards amplified in many particulars to the end of the book. See on Josh. 24:28, 31.

V. 9. {in Timnath-Heres} Called Timnath-serah, Josh. 24:30.

V. 10. {And also all that generation} i.e. All the Israelites of Joshua’s age, which were under twenty years old when they came out of Egypt, and had seen God’s great works in delivering them out of bondage, in carrying them through the Red Sea, and the wilderness, and over Jordan, in granting them victories over their enemies, and giving the land of Canaan into their possession.

{were gathered unto their fathers} i.e. Were dead as all their ancestors were.

{which knew not the Lord} To wit, by his miraculous works, of which they had not been eyewitnesses, as their fathers were, nor had any holy impression of them in their hearts by their relation, nor had any effectual and experimental knowledge of God in himself, his goodness, greatness and power, by all that they had heard or seen, so as it worked their hearts to faith, love and obedience.

V. 11. {And the children of Israel did evil} i.e. In forsaking the true God, and adhering unto idols.

{and served Baalim} Baal signifies a lord, husband, patron, protector. In the plural number (as in this place) it was generally used by idolaters for all their gods; which being many, they were wont to distinguish them one from another by some addition or surnames; as Baal-berith, ch. 8:33. Baal-peor, Num. 25:3. Baal-zebub, 2 Kings 1:6. The original of which name and idol, Baal, or Bel, was taken from an image of Belus or Bel, king of Babylon, which Ninus his son and successor after his death caused to be worshiped. See on Isa. 46:1 and Jer. 2:23. Under this title the heathens worshiped the planets, to every of which astrologers attribute a certain proper lordship or rule in his own house in heaven.

V. 12. {And they forsook the Lord} Either because he reputes himself forsaken when joined with idols, seeing he will be worshiped alone or not at all; or because they were so besotted in their idolatry that they did indeed quite forsake him to follow their idols; herein worse than those Samaritans, who feared the Lord and served also their idols, 2 Kings 17:33. But the former is more probable, seeing the Israelites excused their idolatry under this pretense, that they worshiped the true God in idols, Exod. 32:4, Hos. 2:16.

{which brought them out of the land of Egypt} Under that main benefit all the rest are comprehended: and their apostasy and idolatry were exceedingly aggravated by their grand ingratitude for so many and great benefits.

{and followed other gods} Or, strange gods; i.e. Not the God of their forefathers, but the gods of the Canaanites, in whose land they dwelt, yea the gods also of other nations that dwelt in the countries round about them, as the Syrians, Chaldeans, and others which were altogether unknown unto their ancestors.

{and provoked the Lord to anger} This is spoken in respect not of the affection itself (for God is free from all passion) but of the effect. They provoked the Lord to punish; which is the effect of a man that is angry.

V. 13. {Ashtaroth} The heathens called this idol Astarte. And it was the common name of all their female deities, as Baal of the males, and is therefore also here expressed in the plural number. But more specially this was the idol of the Sidonians, 1 Kings 11:5, 33, 2 Kings 23:13, and of the Philistims, 1 Sam. 31:10, which they worshiped in the form of a sheep. And under this some think they worshiped Venus; others Diana, or the moon. Augustine says the Carthaginians, who came out of Phoenicia into Africa, and whose language held much affinity with the Hebrew, called Juno their tutelar goddess by this name.

V. 14. {he sold them into the hands of their enemies} i.e. He gave them over, as the seller the thing sold into the hands of the buyer. So ch. 4:2, 9, Psal. 44:12, 13, Isa. 50:1. Or, as they usually sell captives taken in war. And this he did, either by casting them out of protection, Psal. 91:1, or by giving their enemies occasion to rise against and afflict them, ch. 14:4, or taking away their courage and strength, Lev. 26:17. This their misery was much aggravated, in that they were thus sold and given up, not to strangers that came in as conquerors for glory or spoil, who out of common humanity might have showed some mercy, but unto those enemies, who being incensed against them by the former wars, breathed nothing but malice and revenge.

V. 15. {the hand of the Lord was against them for evil} i.e. They had no possible means to escape, seeing God himself opposed them in all their undertakings, and did cross them in all their enterprises at home and abroad, and did bring upon them all mischiefs threatened, Lev. 26 and Deut. 28.

V. 16. {Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges} Pitying his people for his own sake, he brought them by afflictions to repentance, and then raised up judges to deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, and that not in an ordinary way, but by the singular motion of his Spirit; nor for a settled course of government, but for special uses upon extraordinary occasions, God first fitting them for this service, and then calling them thereunto. And this he did by giving them gifts and graces necessary for that calling, as wisdom, magnanimity, courage, fortitude of mind, and strength of body; and then either endowing them with an heroic spirit, he called them immediately to set upon the work, as he did Gideon, Shamgar, and Samson; or else made them so eminent by his gifts and endowments above others, that the people taking notice of them, called them to be their captains and leaders, as we see in the example of Jephthah. See ch. 3:9, 10 and 8:23 and 11:5. And these judges were not continued by succession, so as that as soon as one was dead another was raised up to succeed him in his office, but were raised up upon extraordinary occasions, as the state of the people did require in respect of their miseries and oppressions. See on ch. 9:1.

V. 17. {And yet they would not hearken to their judges} Though they had by them deliverance out of all their miseries, yet they would no longer retain the purity of God’s true religion than they were under their government, and restrained from idolatry by their authority; but as soon as they were by their death let loose to their own liberty, they relapsed into their old courses, and became much worse than they were before.

{but they went a whoring after other gods} Though they were in covenant with God, and united unto him as it were by a conjugal bond, yet they broke this bond of wedlock, and like adulteresses defiled themselves with idolatry, which is spiritual adultery.

{which their fathers walked in} i.e. Who lived in the days of Joshua, Josh. 24:31.

V. 18. {it repented the Lord} i.e. Upon their altering their course, and returning unto God by repentance, he also altered his course, from executing judgment to showing mercy. See Gen. 6:6. And this was the continual course which they held with God, and God with them, as appears throughout this whole book.

V. 19. {When the judge was dead, they returned and corrupted themselves more than their fathers} i.e. Though their fathers, who lived after the death of Joshua and the elders had gone out of the way of their predecessors, and corrupted themselves by their apostasy and idolatry; yet these who were delivered by the judges, and had made some show of repentance and reformation, when the judges were dead, revolted, and became more abominable idolaters than they were before, or their fathers before them.

{stubborn way} In which they stubbornly persisted.

V. 21. {I also will not henceforth drive out any} i.e. Although they attempt to drive out the nations which Joshua left unconquered, it shall be all in vain, seeing I will not give them courage and strength to do it, but they shall remain still to vex them, as their abominable sins have justly deserved; which (as all other God’s threatenings) is to be understood upon condition of their continuing in their sins without repentance, Jer. 18:7, 8. Or though they did repent, yet God was so much displeased with their idolatry, that he would not cast out this people, and so ease the Israelites of this temporal judgment, so soon as otherwise he would have done, if they had continued constant in his true religion.

V. 22. {That through them I may prove Israel} i.e. Not that myself may better know them, who with one simple act of knowledge know all things past, present, and to come; but that I may make them better known to themselves and to all men, and thereby justify my righteous judgments, when I punish them according to their deserts and my former threatenings, Josh. 23:13. So Gen. 22:1, 2 Chron. 32:31. Or else these words may be referred to the end of the former verse, Which Joshua left when he died, i.e. The nations were left unsubdued by Joshua, that the Israelites might hereby be tried, whether they would continue in God’s pure worship, or fall into idolatry, according to the example of those cursed nations that lived among them.

{as their fathers did keep it} i.e. Those who lived in the days of Joshua and the elders that survived him.

V. 23. {Therefore the Lord left those nations} To wit, those mentioned ch. 3:1, &c.

{without driving them out hastily} i.e. Not subduing them to the Israelites presently, though he did it afterwards, in the time of David and Solomon, 1 Chron. 18 and 2 Chron. 8:7.

{neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua} Not because, though he attempted it, he was unable to subdue them; for he prevailed in whatsoever he undertook, and was victorious over all those against whom he fought; but because the Lord did purposely restrain him from going on in his conquests, that by the remainder of those nations he might prove the Israelites, as v. 22.

CHAPTER 3

V. 1. {Now these are the nations} Ch. 2:21 it is said, that the Lord would not cast out before Israel some of the nations that remained. And the ends of his so doing were, to punish Israel for their backsliding and idolatry, and when thereupon they returned unto the Lord, to make further trial of them, whether they would continue in faith and obedience, and still cleave close unto God in the profession and practice of his pure religion. And here is set down who those remaining nations were, and withal another cause or end added to the former, why God suffered them still to continue in the land, namely, to exercise his people in martial discipline.

{as had not known all the wars of Canaan} To wit in the time of Joshua; and that to this end, that God might keep the people in the exercise of faith and obedience, seeing they still needed his assistance against these enemies.

V. 2. {might know to teach them war} That by this continual exercise of war, they might be able to teach their posterity the use of arms and art of war, that so they might not grow effeminate by pleasure, sloth and ease, nor weakhearted with peace and rest and thereby be disabled to resist their enemies in time to come.

V. 3. {Namely, the five lords of the Philistines} Three of the countries over which these lords ruled, to wit, Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron, were formerly subdued in that expedition of Judah and Simeon, ch. 1:18, but were recovered again by the Philistims, for the sins of God’s people, with whom they had continual war, sometime the one party, and sometimes the other prevailing: Neither were these enemies wholly vanquished till the days of David and Solomon, ch. 15:11, 1 Sam. 4:3 and 6:17.

{and all the Canaanites} This is not simply to be understood of all, taken largely, but strictly of those Canaanites properly so called, or rather of those alone whose countries and habitations are here expressed.

{and the Sidonians} i.e. Those countries which belonged to the Sidonians: For the great city Sidon itself was never in the possession of the Israelites. But that a good part of the country adjoining thereunto was conquered by the Israelites under the conduct of Joshua, and that many Phoenicians the inhabitants thereof were, according to God’s promise, Josh. 13:6, driven out of their possessions, and forced to plant themselves on the seacoasts of Africa, appears by the two pillars which Procopius says were to be seen in that part of Mauritania that is called Tingitana, whereon there was an inscription in the ancient Phoenician language to this sense, We are those that fled from that robber Joshua the son of Nave. Procop. in Vandalicis, lib. 2.

{Lebanon} A great mountain on the north of Canaan, abounding with frankincense, from which it has its name both in Greek and Hebrew.

{from mount Baal-hermon} So called from the idol Baal there worshiped. It lay on the east of Lebanon, and northward from Bashan, 1 Chron. 5:23, and mount Hermon on the west end of Lebanon, Deut. 3:8 and 9:48. Some think Baal-hermon to be that mountain which by the Greeks is called Antilibanus.

{unto the entering in of Hamath} A city on the north of Canaan, Numb. 34:8, afterwards called Antiochia. See on Isa. 10:9.

V. 4. {to prove Israel} See ch. 2:22.

{to know} i.e. To make known. So Deut. 8:2.

V. 5. {And the children of Israel dwelt} Here, and v. 6, 7, are expressed the sins for which the Israelites were given into the hands of their enemies; and first, their familiar conversation and acquaintance with these cursed nations.

V. 6. {And they took their daughters} This was the second sin, making interchangeable marriages with them, contrary to God’s express command, Exod. 34:16, Deut. 7:3. And this was attended with many other sins.

V. 7. {and forgat the Lord their God, and served Baalim} Contrary to that duty which they owed to their supreme Lord, to the many obligements whereby they were bound to God’s service above all other nations, and to that covenant they had made with him in mount Sinai, and lately renewed and ratified in the days of Joshua.

{and the groves} i.e. The idols which they had set up and worshiped in thick and dark groves, under the goodliest shady trees, which they had consecrated to the honor of their false gods, contrary to Ex. 34:13, Deut. 7:5.

V. 8. {Therefore the anger of the Lord} i.e. Like a man that is angry being much abused and wronged, he resolved to punish them for their sins. See on ch. 2:12.

{and he sold them} See on ch. 2:14.

{Chushan-Rishathaim} This is a compounded name, and the latter, as some think, a surname to the other. See Hab. 3:7. This was the Israelites’ first servitude after their coming out of the land of Egypt.

{Mesopotamia} Heb. Aram-Naharaim; or, the country of Syria situate between two rivers, i.e. Tigris and Euphrates, whence it has its name, Naharaim, of the dual number, i.e. Of the two rivers. In this country Abraham lived with Terah, Nahor and Lot, before he went into the land of Canaan: And afterwards Jacob sojourned there with Bethuel and Laban, and from thence had his wives.

V. 9. {the children of Israel cried unto the Lord} i.e. Being brought into great miseries by reason of their servitude, and finding no help from their idols whom they had served, they returned unto the Lord by repentance, and cried unto him for mercy and forgiveness.

{the Lord raised up a deliverer} Or, a savior and redeemer; whom, when they were sold into the hands of their enemies, God sent to redeem them and give them deliverance. Herein Othniel, as also the rest of the judges, was a type of our Savior Christ, who was sent of God to deliver us out of the hands of all our spiritual enemies.

V. 10. {And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him} i.e. The Lord by an extraordinary instinct and motion of his Spirit stirred him up, and called him to undertake this great work, and fitted him for it, by endowing him with wisdom, fortitude and courage, to make war against this tyrannous oppressor, and having vanquished him, to govern his people in peace, according to his law, in the profession and practice of his true religion. So ch. 6:34 and 11:29. See on ch. 2:16.

{and his hand prevailed against Chushan-Rishathaim} To wit, for the subduing of him, and keeping him and his people in subjection.

V. 11. {And the land had rest} War and servitude being ended, true religion being restored, and the land flourishing in peace and plenty.

{forty years} Or, to the fortieth year, reckoning from the death of Joshua to the death of Othniel, as may be gathered from 1 Kings 6:1, where are expressed four hundred and eighty years from the coming of Israel out of Egypt to the building of Solomon’s temple. But if (as some do) we should take the years of the Israelites’ rest and peace, and the years of their oppressions under their enemies, and the years of their judges by whom they were delivered, severally and distinctly one from the other, the space between their coming out of Egypt and the building of the temple, would amount to about six hundred years. But we must necessarily maintain that computation of four hundred and eighty years to be true, and therefore not take the times here mentioned, of the people’s oppression under enemies, and of their rest under their judges, severally, but join themselves together in one, and reckon still from the death of the former judge to the death of him that next succeeded, letting the times of the oppressions for the most part run into the account of the judge that put an end to them; as Chushan-rishathaim’s eight years, into Othniel’s forty, and the Moabites’ eighteen, into Ehud’s eighty, v. 14, 30. For those eighty years are not so to be taken as if Ehud ruled so long; but that the death of Ehud happened in the eightieth year after the death of Othniel: The space between being spent by the Israelites after divers fashions. At the beginning, it may be, for a while after Othniel’s death they lived quietly and orderly of themselves; then they fell to idolatry, and continued some space therein, God in the meanwhile forbearing to inflict on them deserved punishments; then they lived in servitude under the Moabites for eighteen years; at last Ehud reduced them to liberty and order, and so kept them till his death. In like manner Othniel’s forty years here, and Deborah’s, ch. 5:31, and Gideon’s, ch. 8:28, are to be computed. Now if it be demanded how in this and other places it can be said that the land had rest for so many years, seeing the people spent some part of them under the oppression of cruel enemies, to this it is answered, That it is usual in the Scripture to denominate the whole from the best or the greatest part, and under it to include the residue. See Gen. 35:26, and compare Acts 7:14 with Gen. 46:27.

V. 12. {And the children of Israel did evil again} Notwithstanding the experience they had of the manifold miseries which they by the like sins had brought upon themselves, and of God’s great mercy in delivering them out of them.

{and the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab} By giving him courage and fortitude, and also willingness and resolution to fight against them; and contrariwise by weakening the Israelites, and making them cowardly and fainthearted through the guilt of their sin.

{because they had done evil} Because they had provoked the Lord to anger by their shameful apostasy and idolatry, therefore he raised up against them such malicious enemies as should bring them into most grievous servitude. For they were their ancient enemies, who sought their ruin before they had provoked them by making war against them: They were enemies to God and his true religion, and were excluded, even to the tenth generation, from coming into the congregation: And now they were incensed against Israel, because for hiring Balaam to curse them, and following his cursed counsel of prostituting their daughters, and drawing them thereby to idolatry, the Israelites by God’s command had made war against them, and therein prevailing, had slaughtered and destroyed a great part of them. In all which respects the Israelites could look for no mercy at their hands, now they had got them under their subjection.

V. 13. {And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek} It may be understood, either that the Lord (of whom he last spoke, v. 12) gathered them to punish his people; or, that Eglon, as his instrument, did gather them, they being neighbor nations in confederacy with him, and in like enmity against God’s people, ch. 11:4, Exod. 17:8–16, 1 Sam. 15:2.

{and possessed the City of Palm trees} i.e. Jericho. See on ch. 1:16. For howsoever the city Jericho was burned and utterly ruined, yet in the territories belonging to it there might remain divers hamlets and villages fit for habitation. Or it may be, it being a place very fruitful and pleasant, he had seated himself there, and built some forts and strongholds near unto Jericho, to keep in them his garrisons to overawe the Israelites and hold them in subjection, and also to secure the fords and passages over against Jericho into his own country, not only for continual commerce, but also that he might have supplies from thence upon all occasions, or a safe retreat, if at any time he should be overpowered. Which was the reason that Ehud, when he was confident of victory, caused in the first place these fords to be taken, that so the Moabites might not escape by flight, v. 28.

V. 14. {served Eglon the King of Moab eighteen years} They served the king of Mesopotamia eight years; and now Eglon eighteen; and afterwards Jabin, twenty, ch. 4:3. So their sins increasing, their servitude also was increased; and when lesser corrections would not prevail to restrain them from sin and keep them in obedience, the Lord laid heavier upon them; and when they abused his mercy and readiness to deliver them out of their miseries when they cried unto him, the Lord would not hear them when again they called upon him, but prolonged their afflictions to keep them from presuming on his mercy for the time to come.

V. 15. {a Benjamite} Or, the son of Jemini; whose family belonged to the tribe of Benjamin.

{a man left-handed} Heb. Shut of his right hand: i.e. Not having the like use of it as others have that are right-handed, even as they have not the like use of their left. And this comes to pass either from some weakness and infirmity of nature; or (and that most ordinarily) from an ill custom in childhood, which in time becomes a second nature: and sometimes it is affected, and attained unto by practice, by those who are martially disposed, that they may with more advantage handle their weapons; as those Benjaminites, ch. 20:16. In many, to be left-handed, is a sign of force and courage.

{and by him the children of Israel sent a present} Not their ordinary tribute, but a gift of free bounty and homage to gain his favor, that he might not rule with rigor. With this present by God’s providence Ehud was sent, that he might gain the more free access, and execute his design without suspicion.

V. 16. {But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges} That it might the more easily and speedily pierce, and make the deeper wound.

{of a cubit length} Which was long enough to do the deed, and short enough to be covered under his garment.

{upon his right thigh} Both because he was most likely that it would not be observed there where a weapon is not usually worn, and that being left-handed he might draw it out with more nimbleness.

V. 17. {And he brought the present unto Eglon} Though he had many associates for the gracing of the embassy, yet he was the man that presented the gift, to ingratiate him the more with the tyrant, and to gain access when he came again.

{Eglon was a very fat man} Therefore the more unable to make resistance, or avoid the stroke when he was assaulted.

V. 18. {he sent away the people that bare the present} After he had accompanied them as far as Gilgal, he sent them homewards, and he himself alone returned, that so he might do the fact with more conveniency, being more likely to have access without suspicion when he came alone, than if he had brought many in his company; and that he might himself run the hazard, and secure all the rest of his company from the danger which might attend such an execution; and that having none to take care for but himself, he might make the better shift to escape when the deed was done, and slip away with more secrecy.

V. 19. {from the quarries that were by Gilgal} Or, the graven images: i.e. Either a place where Eglon had set up his idols, the more to vex the children of Israel, or to allure them to embrace his idolatry; or the quarry out of which they dug their materials and stones whereof they made their graven images. Some conceive they might be those twelve stones erected, Josh. 4:20.

{I have a secret errand unto thee} Which Eglon understood should be delivered by word of mouth; but Ehud meant it of an handy act to be executed on him by commission from God.

{who said, Keep silence} i.e. If it be a secret from God, then hold your peace till the company be departed that are about me, and then privately acquaint me with it. Others think that he spoke this to his attendants, commanding them to withdraw till Ehud had delivered his secret message.

V. 20. {and he was sitting in a summer parlour} Heb. A parlor of cooling; wherein usually in those hot countries they did refresh themselves, as we in our banqueting houses. See on Jer. 36:22.

{which he had for himself alone} Into which he went when he desired to be private, and therefore now more fit for the hearing of a secret errand.

{I have a message from God unto thee} Therefore to be hearkened unto with more reverence and attention. This he speaks to amuse and amaze him, that he might be less heedful in attending to that action which he intended.

{And he arose out of his seat} He was (though an heathenish king) so much affected with the name of God, that though he were corpulent and unwieldy, he rose out of his seat and reverently stood upon his feet to hear his message, and thereby gave unto Ehud the fitter opportunity of giving him that mortal wound.

V. 21. {and thrust it into his belly} For this he had a special commission from God, who raised him up to deliver his people, v. 15. Therefore it is no precedent warranting any to murder princes, although they be heretics, idolaters and tyrants.

V. 22. {And the haft also went in} The wound was so deep and large that the haft followed the blade.

{and the dirt came out} Or, it came out of the fundament: i.e. Not out of the wound, which was closed up, but out of the common passage, as it usually does in, or a little after, the pangs of death, when nature has lost its retentive faculty.

V. 23. {Then Ehud went forth through the porch} i.e. He passed by the king’s servants, that attended there, with a composed countenance, and not overhasty gait, as one not guilty of such a fact, nor in the least measure to be suspected of it, being in this extremity of danger supported with an undaunted courage and good conscience, which bore him witness that he had done nothing but what God commanded, and that therefore he was safe under his protection.

{and shut the doors} Which having, it is probable, a spring lock, locked in the shutting: for otherwise it is not likely that he could have locked the doors and carried away the key without some suspicion, if any saw him. Others think he stole out secretly, none espying him, which made them think he was still with their lord: but this is not so probable.

V. 24. {Surely he covereth his feet} i.e. He does his easement: which the Hebrews modestly express by this phrase, 1 Sam. 24:3, because, sitting down, the feet were covered with the upper garment, which used to be long in those countries. Some others think that his servants supposed he lay down to sleep in his summer room, and on that occasion covered his feet, as Boaz did, Ruth 3:7, and that therefore they hastened not to come in for fear of awakening him; which opinion has the more probability, not only because it was the custom so to do in those hot countries, as we see in the example of Ishbosheth, 2 Sam. 4:5, and David, 2 Sam. 11:2, but because this better suited with a summer parlor and place of delight than the other did.

V. 25. {And they tarried till they were ashamed} i.e. Now beginning to fear, because he was so long before he opened the door, that some evil had befallen him, and that this might be imputed unto them as a fault, and neglect of their lord, they were ashamed of their long staying and not looking after him.

{therefore they took a key} It being usual in kings’ houses to have divers keys for the same door.

V. 26. {and escaped unto Seirath} Near unto mount Ephraim, not far from the place where Eglon was slain.

V. 27. {and the children of Israel} Not all, but as many as could be gathered together about mount Ephraim, and the places adjoining.

V. 28. {took the fords of Jordan toward Moab} To wit, that neither the Moabites in Canaan might escape into their own country, nor they in the land of Moab pass over Jordan to aid them in Canaan.

{and suffered not a man to pass over} Because the Israelites were a great and well-ordered body to make good the place, and the Moabites a scattered and routed army in flight.

V. 30. {and the land had rest fourscore years} i.e. Unto the eightieth year, reckoning from the death of Othniel, and so taking into the account the time of the people’s defection after his death, when they had no judge over them, wherein they prospered in their apostasy, and the eighteen years in which they were oppressed by the Moabites. See on v. 11. Some count from the death of Othniel to the death of Shamgar; others, from the division of the land, casting in the forty years, v. 11, into this sum. Others, instead of eighty years, read eight years.

V. 31. {And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath} Concerning this Shamgar the Scripture speaks very little. For it does not express of what family or tribe he was, only that he was the son of Anath, who it may be was so famous in those days that they which knew him knew also his tribe and family. Neither does it clearly show whether he were one of the judges or no; or, if he were, how long he held this place of government; but only that he succeeded Ehud, and delivered Israel from the Philistims when they invaded the land. Nor does it relate any more acts of his or victories obtained by him, although it is very probable there were divers more, though this only is mentioned, as being the most famous, if not miraculous. See on ch. 4:1. Josephus says he ruled about one year. If so, it is added either to Ehud’s or Deborah’s account. See ch. 5:6.

{which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad} Or, as the vulgar Latin has it, with the coulter, or share, of a plow. But the best reading is, as we have it, with a goad. Which some, thinking too too weak means to achieve such a conquest, suppose that many of the country people joined with him, though he was their captain and commander, and so armed as is here said, for want of better weapons. See ch. 5:8, 1 Sam. 13:19, 22. But it is not likely, that bordering upon such enemies, and at this time not in their power, they were so slenderly provided of better weapons; and it is not safe to go from the words of the text upon weak and ungrounded conjectures. And therefore seeing when God is with us, one is sufficient to chase a thousand, and the weakest weapon strong enough when he puts strength into it, I see no reason why we may not take the very letter of the text, and think that Shamgar himself alone might as well slay six hundred Philistims with an ox goad, as Samson a thousand with the jawbone of an ass, ch. 15:15. And to this I the rather incline, because this here is recorded as a strange and miraculous victory, whereas there should be no such wonder if he being assisted with many others had achieved it.

CHAPTER 4

Verse 1. {And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord} i.e. Notwithstanding the manifold miseries they had found their sins had brought upon them, and the great mercy of God in delivering them upon their repentance, yet no sooner was Ehud dead, but they returned to their vomit, and sinned more heinously than before. No mention is here made of Shamgar, who was between Ehud and Barak, because of his short time, and the few things done in his days, which tended only to a preventing of such miseries and servitude as the Philistims were ready to bring the Israelites into, and not to any perfect deliverance out of them. See on ch. 3:31.

V. 2. {And the Lord sold them} See on ch. 3:14.

{into the hand of Jabin} We read of another Jabin king of Hazor, which was the head city in the north of Canaan, and their king the chief in that confederacy against Israel, Josh. 11:1, whom Joshua vanquished, slew, and burned his city to the ground. But this Jabin who perhaps was grandchild or nephew to the other, succeeding him, gathered strength and rebuilt Hazor, and making war against Israel, subdued them, and for their sins brought them into grievous servitude.

{king of Canaan} i.e. Either of that part of the land properly so called or of all the north part of the country, because his city was chief and head of all the rest, Josh. 11:10.

{which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles} This was a vast woody strong place, whither the relics of the conquered nations resorted to inhabit as being most safe and defensible against the Israelites. And it being (as the Hebrews report) of a large and ample circuit, they built in it divers cities and strong castles.

V. 3. {And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord} No doubt they cried long before the Lord gave them deliverance, in the sense of their grievous miseries and oppressions, but not with their hearts, like those, Hos. 7:14, and all that while the Lord did not hear and deliver them; but now joining with their cries, faith and unfeigned repentance, he hears and sends deliverance. So ch. 10:10.

{chariots of iron} See on Josh. 17:16.

{and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel} Not only as a conqueror, but also as a malicious enemy, out of bitter and sharp revenge, because they had formerly cast his people out of their inheritance, slain his royal ancestor, and utterly ruined and burned his royal city. Moreover these his cruel oppressions were much embittered to the Israelites, because they suffered them under the Canaanites, that cursed nation, whom God had promised to cast out before them: for this was unto them a likely sign that God for their heinous sins had utterly rejected them.

V. 4. {And Deborah a Prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth} Some read, a woman of Lapidoth, taking it for the name of a place. Others, a woman of lamps, because, say they, she provided lamps for the service of the tabernacle, or because her face shone, as Moses’ did, Exod. 34:30, while she was prophesying.

{she judged Israel at that time} Not governing chiefly and properly as a judge, whose office was to hear and determine causes, and in these times principally, to make war against the enemies of God’s people for their deliverance; but, as a prophetess, counseling and directing the people that came unto her in hard and difficult causes, revealing unto them the will of God by the spirit of prophecy. And of her, who was of the weaker sex, God makes choice to effect this great work of the people’s deliverance, to manifest his power in the weakness of the means, that he alone might have the whole glory of it.

V. 5. {palm tree of Deborah} So called because she dwelt there.

{between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim} i.e. Upon the edge or utmost border of mount Ephraim. For this Bethel was in the tribe of Benjamin, Josh. 18:13. Neither was this that Ramah or Ramathaim in which Elkanah and Samuel lived, 1 Sam. 1 and 2:11. For this was in Benjamin, Josh. 18:25, that in Ephraim, as some think.

{came up to her for judgment} i.e. To learn of her the will of God concerning things which themselves knew not, and at these times when public judicature failed by reason of oppression, sometimes also her judgment in some difficult cases, she being a prophetess.

V. 6. {And she sent and called Barak} In the authority of a prophetess, summoning him in the name of God, from whom she had special direction so to do, as appears by the words following.

{out of Kedesh-Naphtali} There were three cities of this name, one in Issachar, 1 Chron. 6:72, a second in Judah, Josh. 15:23, and this in Naphtali. It was seated between the waters of Merom and the lake of Gennesareth, and was a city of refuge and belonged to the priests, Josh. 19:37 and 20:7 and 21:32.

{Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded} By this interrogation she enforces an affirmation; as is usual with the Hebrews: q.d. The Lord has assuredly commanded. So v. 14 and ch. 6:14, Gen. 13:9.

{mount Tabor} See on Josh. 19:12.

{and take with thee ten thousand men} This command does not strictly tie him to this number, nor to these tribes alone: for there came in to their assistance voluntarily of divers other tribes, as of Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh and Issachar, and the rest which withdrew are reproved, ch. 5:14, 15, and Meroz is cursed for neutrality, ch. 5:23: but these tribes more especially are called in to this service, first, because being near at hand, they were in greatest readiness to be suddenly raised; and secondly, because they were more interested in this war, seeing they were under greater oppression than the other tribes, especially Naphtali, unto which Hazor and Harosheth belonged: And unto this might be added, that Barak being of this tribe and in good esteem, they would be more willing to give him assistance.

V. 7. {And I will draw unto thee} Not by any force or outward compulsion, but by inclining his heart to make war against you. So Cant. 1:3, John 6:44.

{with his chariots and his multitude} Josephus relates he had three thousand chariots, ten thousand horse, and three hundred thousand foot.

V. 8. {If thou wilt go with me, then I will go} Hereby he does not show that he had no faith to believe her message from God, for the apostle commends him, with other worthies, for his faith, Heb. 11:32, but only that his faith was assaulted with doubting, and needed this help for its confirmation. And secondly, he would have Deborah to accompany him in this service, that being a prophetess she might on all occasions counsel and direct him, and also pray unto God for a blessing upon his endeavors.

V. 9. {shall not be for thine honour} i.e. Because you do hereby discover your diffidence, you shall not have that honor, that is due to a general for obtaining so great a victory, but a poor weak woman shall share with you in the glory of it, because out of your fear and weakness of faith you would not go out to battle, according to God’s command, unless supported by a woman. Yea, but God had promised, v. 7, that he would deliver Sisera into Barak’s hand, if he would go out to fight against him; and how was this promise verified, when as Jael killed him? I answer, There was a twofold kind of delivering; one, when he and his army were delivered by victory; another, when his person and life were delivered to death; and Barak should have had the honor of both, had it not been for his diffidence; but for want of faith and affiance he was deprived of the latter, howsoever he had the honor of the former.

V. 10. {to Kedesh} Here Barak was born; and here he mustered his army, as being near unto mount Tabor, whither he was commanded to go. See on v. 6.

{with ten thousand men at his feet} i.e. Who marched after him as their general in due order, and as it were treading in his steps. The like Hebraism we have, Exod. 11:8, 1 Kings 20:12.

V. 11. {Now Heber the Kenite} This digression is made to show how Jael the wife of Heber came to dwell in the land of Naphtali, and there did this exploit, seeing the Kenites dwelt in the lot of Judah, ch. 1:16, namely, because Heber, for some causes not expressed in Scripture, had severed himself from the rest of the Kenites, and here pitched his tent in the tribe of Naphtali.

V. 13. {Kishon} It arises out of the hills Tabor, and Gilboa, and afterwards divides itself into two parts, one whereof runs into the midland sea, the other into the lake of Gennesareth. See ch. 5:21, Psal. 83:9.

V. 14. {Up} i.e. Presently set upon the work, and fear not to enter into the battle in respect of the great strength and multitude of your enemies.

{the Lord hath delivered Sisera} i.e. He will as certainly deliver him into your hand as if it were already done. See on v. 9.

{Is not the Lord gone out before thee} i.e. Most certainly the Lord is gone out before you, as general of the army, to fight for you and give you the victory. See v. 6, ch. 5:20, 2 Sam. 5:24.

V. 15. {And the Lord discomfited Sisera} i.e. Howsoever he used Barak and the army of the Israelites as means and instruments to serve his providence in the obtaining of this victory, yet the Lord himself was the chief agent that effected it, Prov. 21:31, partly by taking away the courage and strength of the enemy, and possessing them with fear and astonishment, and contrariwise by putting courage and fortitude into the hearts of his people; and partly (as Josephus relates Antiq. l. 5) by fighting against the Canaanites from heaven, sending into their faces an impetuous storm of hail, as Josh. 10:11 and 1 Sam. 7:10, unto which Deborah alludes, ch. 5:20.

V. 16. {there was not a man left} i.e. In the field to make any resistance; but all were routed, scattered and slaughtered, Psal. 14:3 and 13:3, Rom. 3:12.

V. 17. {For there was peace between Jabin—and the house of Heber} i.e. No open hostility, Heber standing in a neutrality, in respect of martial undertakings, between Jabin and the Israelites, although he joined with God’s people in the profession and practice of the true religion; so he enjoyed peace with both, but not with the Canaanites by oath and covenant, for then Jael’s act had been faulty.

V. 18. {Turn in, my Lord, turn in to me; fear not} i.e. I will pass my promise to hide and secure you from them that pursue you. By which fair words she deludes him, intending nothing but his utter ruin, as the sequel shows. Therefore howsoever her cause was good for the matter of it, in that she sought to destroy an enemy to God and his church, who was already proscribed and destinated to death, and not out of any self end and respect; for he and she were in peace together, yet she in the manner failed, carrying on her design with lying and treachery. In which regard the same may be said of her that we say of the Egyptian midwives and Rahab, that God accepted her work, and blessed her for it, and of his free grace pardoned her sin and failings in the carriage of it.

{she covered him with a mantle} Pretending herein a double care, both to hide him from those that pursued him, if any happened to come into the tent, and also, he being now in a great heat, to keep him from catching cold; but indeed intending hereby to bring him the sooner to fall asleep, that with more conveniency she might execute her design.

V. 19. {for I am thirsty} To wit, through grief and vexation of heart, and through heat, faintness and weariness, by reason of his hasty flight on his feet.

{and she opened a bottle of milk} i.e. Either because it was next at hand, or to show unto him the greater respect, or as fitter for him to drink than cold water, being in a great heat; but in her own intention to bring him the sooner asleep, that she might set upon her intended work. At this Deborah seems to aim in her song, ch. 5:25, as a special act of her wisdom and policy.

V. 20. {thou shalt say, No} This he requires; but she prudently gives no promise unto it.

V. 21. {Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent} i.e. A long pin pointed with iron, used to fasten the cords of the tent, when they spread it abroad, unto the ground, to keep it firm against wind and weather, and therefore long and strong enough for her intended use.

{and smote the nail into his temples} This act proceeded from a singular zeal to God’s glory, and to the welfare of his church and people, which had been cruelly oppressed by this tyrant, who was now by God designed to destruction. Jael was inspired in an extraordinary manner and measure by God’s Spirit, seeing she is so highly commended, and pronounced blessed above women, ch. 5:24.

V. 22. {Jael came out to meet him} Namely to congratulate his victory, and to bring unto him the good news of Sisera’s death, who if he had lived and escaped might have renewed his strength, and raised a new war against God’s people.

V. 23. {So God subdued on that day Jabin} i.e. By the slaughter of his army, the destroying of his chariots and horse, and the death of his general, that he was now so far from having any power to oppress God’s people that he was not able to defend himself against them.

V. 24. {And the hand of the children of Israel prospered} Heb. Going went and was hard, i.e. Prevailed so long, until they had brought him and his people to an utter and final destruction.

CHAPTER 5

Verse 1. {Then sang} After this great victory they sang praises unto God, the chief author of it; as Moses and Miriam did, when they saw the Egyptians drowned in the Red Sea, Exod. 15.

{Deborah and Barak} Deborah, as a prophetess, and a chief instrument also used by God for the obtaining of this victory, breaks out into God’s praises by singing this song composed by her, to the glory of God, who had subdued their foes before them; and Barak joins with her in this holy music, as chief commander when this battle was fought and the victory obtained.

V. 2. {Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel} i.e. For executing his just judgments, in the destruction of Sisera and his army, and subduing the Canaanites and their king Jabin, who had been for twenty years grievous oppressors of his people.

{when the people willingly offered themselves} Hereby are chiefly understood the two tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, v. 18 and ch. 4:10, but with them also the other tribes that came in to assist them in the day of battle, as Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, v. 14, 15. But Zebulun and Naphtali first appeared, coming in as volunteers at the sound of the trumpet, Barak having no authority to press them to the service.

V. 3. {Hear, O ye Kings; give ear, O ye Princes} In a rapture of joy poetically expressed she calls in kings to be her auditors, and spectators of those works of wonder which God had done for his people in avenging them on their mighty enemies, that they might learn not to glory in their own strength, seeing it is God alone that gives victory; nor presuming on their own power, use cruelty and pride in their oppressions, seeing there is one mightier than they, who can give deliverance unto the oppressed even when they are helpless and hopeless, Eccles. 5:8.

V. 4. {Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir} i.e. When the Edomites denying your people passage through their country, you did cause them to fetch a compass about it, and going before them in a cloudy pillar, did lead them in a long circuit into the land of promise, after they had subdued king Arad, Numb. 20:21 and 21:4.

{the earth trembled} i.e. Either the earth itself, in a poetical expression, or the nations inhabiting that part of the earth, i.e. The Edomites, Amorites, Canaanites, trembled for fear of the Israelites’ near approach. See Deut. 2:25, Josh. 5:1.

{the heavens dropped} With extraordinary showers and storms, Psal. 68:8.

V. 5. {The mountains melted} By these poetical and hyperbolical expressions is showed how the nations were affrighted and amazed when God showed visible signs of his power in protecting his people as they traveled towards the land of promise. So Psal. 68:15, 16, &c.

{even that Sinai} i.e. Even as mount Sinai had formerly done, when God gave and proclaimed his law. Others conceive these words are to be understood of those thunders, lightnings, earthquakes and tempests whereby God manifested his glory and majesty at the giving of the law upon mount Sinai, because then also he is said to have come from Seir, Deut. 33:2, and the shaking of Sinai is here expressed, and also Psal. 68:7, 8. But leaving every man to his choice, and submitting myself to better judgments, I still rather incline to the former interpretation, I. Because the former wonders were far more remote than these last, which were but of late, and being still fresh in the people’s memories, were fit to make the deeper impression. II. Because this dread, fear and trembling which fell upon the nations was not prophesied of, and promised at the giving of the law, which was long before, but when the Israelites took their journey towards Canaan, and had passed over the river Arnon, Deut. 2:24, 25. III. Because we read of much fire, smoke and darkness at the giving of the law, but of no storms, dropping of the clouds, and raining. But IV. This especially moves me to be of his mind, because this going out of Seir cannot be meant of Sinai in this place, seeing God is never said to have come out of Sinai, and the next words following do expound the former, and plainly show, out of what place God went, namely, When thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, then the earth trembled; &c.

V. 6. {In the days of Shamgar} i.e. Though Shamgar had begun a great deliverance by a wonderful victory, ch. 3:31, and though Jael, who lived at the same time, was accepted of God for her great zeal in seeking the good of the people, and freeing them all she might from cruel oppressions; the which now she has more clearly manifested, in putting herself upon that great and dangerous work of killing Sisera their chief enemy; yet in the time of both of them, notwithstanding their good endeavors, God’s people lay under the great oppressions of their enemies, so as the highways remained unoccupied, because there was no commerce nor intercourse of trading, men not daring to travel to and fro about their business for fear of enemies and robbers. See Lev. 26:22, 2 Chron. 15:5, Isa. 33:1, Lam. 1:4 and 4:18.

{and the travellers walked through byways} i.e. If their occasions were of that importance that they were necessitated to go out about them, they were fain to forsake the beaten roads, and find out secret and unhaunted bypaths, that the enemies might not discover them, and that they might escape robbers.

V. 7. {the inhabitants of the villages ceased} i.e. Unwalled towns lay waste and forsaken, because the country people not daring to dwell in them, as being undefensible against enemies, were constrained for the safeguard of their lives and goods to retire themselves into walled cities and places of strength.

{until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel} i.e. Till I, as a governess and a prophetess, teaching them God’s will, and with no less care seeking their good than a loving mother her dear children’s, have encouraged them to this war, which has freed them out of all their calamities.

V. 8. {They chose new gods} i.e. Because by their shameful apostasy they fell away from God and his pure worship, and worshiped heathen idols, therefore he raised against them on every side cruel enemies, and plagued them with all the miseries of war, chap. 2:10 and 4:1.

{then was war in the gates} i.e. War with the miseries thereof extended not only to their villages and unwalled towns, but even to their cities and places of chiefest strength; yea, their very gates, the place of their going out and coming in for commerce, and of their judicature, were not free from the enemies’ inroads: so as there was no exercise of trading, or execution of justice.

{was there a shield or spear seen} Either because their enemies had quite disarmed them of all their weapons and ammunition, 1 Sam. 13:19, 22, or else had brought them into such a slavish fear that not one among forty thousand of Israel dared be known to have them. And this is more probable, being implied in the text: For it is not said that they had not shield or spear, but that they were not seen among them: Levit. 26:36.

V. 9. {My heart is towards the Governors of Israel} i.e. From my heart I honor and love the governors and heads of the tribes, who offered themselves to be captains and leaders in this war, by their example encouraging the common people.

V. 10. {Speak, ye that ride on white asses} i.e. Such as were fat and fair, bright, slick and shining, upon which princes and governors used in those days to ride, as an ensign of their honor, state and power: let such bless the Lord, and speak of his great acts. See ch. 10:4 and 12:14.

{ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way} i.e. You that are chief magistrates and judges among the people, and you also of the common sort who usually walk on foot about your business, and travel in the highways, do you all join together in praising the Lord for this great deliverance, by which you have recovered all your privileges; so that you, princes, who were abased by Jabin’s tyranny, may now again ride in honor; you, judges and magistrates, who had all your power and authority in executing justice and judgment taken from you, are now restored to your places, and have power to execute your office and jurisdiction; and you, common people, who dared not travel in the highways about your business for fear of cutthroat soldiers and robbers, may now securely travel from place to place according to your several occasions.

V. 11. {They that are delivered from the noise of Archers in the places of drawing water} i.e. They who were affrighted and endangered when they went out of their cities to their pits and wells to draw and fetch in water, (a commodity scarce, yet more necessary in those hot and dry countries) by reason that their enemies scouting and hiding themselves about those places, assaulted them when they came out to draw water with hideous outcries and fearful alarms, took them prisoners and brought them into slavery; or, if they fled before they could come so near, shot their arrows at them, wounded and killed them; so as they could not come to draw without eminent danger. From which they are now wholly secured by this victory. See on Neh. 4:23.

{there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord} i.e. In avenging his people on their enemies, and delivering them from their oppressions.

{of his villages in Israel} The villages were in most danger, because least defensible, v. 7, but now by this victory safe for habitation.

{then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates} i.e. They shall now enjoy free liberty to go out and in by the gates of their cities; all sorts of people, both citizens and countrymen, may have free commerce one with another, and come without danger to their markets and courts of justice, whereas before this victory there was war in the very gates, v. 8.

V. 12. {Awake, awake, Deborah} In a rhetorical elegancy of speech she stirs all to praise and thanksgiving, and begins with herself rousing up her own spirit, that she might be a precedent and example for their imitation; like a cock who awakes himself by clapping his wings, before by his crowing he awakes others.

{lead thy captivity captive} i.e. Now after your victory lead them captive that kept you and your people in captivity, Psal. 68:18. Neither does that hinder, that the people of Israel were bound by God’s law to kill all of these cursed nations which they subdued, seeing after their triumphing over them they might put them to death, as appears in the example of the five kings of Canaan thus used by Joshua, Josh. 10:24, 26.

V. 13. {Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles} i.e. The Lord has now made the remainder of the children of Israel, rescued by this victory out of the tyranny of the Canaanites, to have dominion over their nobles.

{the Lord made me have dominion} i.e. Me Deborah, though of the weaker sex, he has made to have dominion over the mighty, and by my counsel and encouragement to subdue great princes and commanders.

V. 14. {Out of Ephraim} Here Deborah begins to relate how the several tribes acquitted themselves in this expedition, praising or blaming them according to their merit or demerit.

{was there a root of them against Amalek?} Some take this root to be Deborah, a Ephraimite, and dwelling upon mount Ephraim, ch. 4:5, the root and first mover in this expedition against the Amalekites the ancient enemies of Israel, who joined with the Canaanites in this war. Others, but with less probability, take it to be Joshua an Ephraimite, who subdued Amalek, Exod. 17:13. For the author’s scope here is not to commend Joshua for that which was done so long ago, but those who had engaged themselves in this present war, and amongst the rest, the Ephraimites, who were termed a root, because Deborah dwelling among them, they by her counsel and instigation, had an hand in the first beginnings of this war. Some will have the tribe of Judah to be here meant, whose root, or southern part, extended to Amalek, ch. 1:16, 1 Sam. 15:6. See on ch. 12:15.

{after thee, Benjamin} Some understand this as an apostrophe to the Lord; q.d. Benjamin, O Lord, came next after Ephraim, to assist your armies in this war. Others more probably take it as spoken to those of Ephraim, who came first out in this expedition, and were followed by Benjamin.

{out of Machir} i.e. The Manassites descending from Machir the only son of Manasseh, Josh. 17:1. This must be understood of that half of the tribe which dwelt within Canaan, and not of that beyond Jordan; for they are afterwards reproved for deserting God’s people in this war, v. 17.

{came down governors} i.e. Prime men, who were either magistrates in their own country, and therefore very praiseworthy, for hazarding themselves in such a dangerous expedition; or else such as were fit for the place of captains and commanders, and therefore men most necessary at such a time and for such a service.

{and they out of Zebulun that handle the pen of the writer} i.e. Not only such as by their profession were fit to be captains and soldiers, but even scribes and scholars, men addicted to studies, with unanimous consent joined with the rest in taking up arms to fight God’s battles, and help their brethren.

V. 15. {And the Princes of Issachar were with Deborah} i.e. Agreed with her to give her their assistance when they were required.

{even Issachar, and also Barak} i.e. Not only the princes, but also a great part of the tribe, together with Barak, who was their general and chief commander.

{he was sent on foot into the valley} i.e. Being so commanded by God, he left mount Tabor, a place of strength and advantage, and went down on foot into the valley; i.e. He with his army, being all footmen, were very willing to take any pains in this service, and content to fight with the Canaanites in a place of great disadvantage; for their iron chariots and horsemen were in the valleys of greatest use.

{For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart} Or, in the divisions of Reuben. If we take the words according to the former reading, the meaning is, There were great reasonings among the other tribes that favored the cause, and much muttering and murmuring against Reuben, in that being a rich and powerful tribe, they should desert their brethren, and with them the cause of God, either for love of ease or cowardly fear. But if we take the latter reading, then the meaning is, The Reubenites had reasonings and disputes one with another; one party holding that they ought not to desert their brethren, and with them the cause of God and his true religion; and the other, which were the stronger and more prevalent, that they ought chiefly and in the first place to provide for their own peace and safety, which they could not do, if they engaged themselves in this war: Those, being weary of servitude under the cruel tyrant, thought they should take this opportunity of freeing themselves out of it; but these maintained they should run a desperate danger in rising against a mighty and potent king, unto whom also they had submitted themselves as tributaries and vassals; seeing if they miscarried in the action they should be utterly lost and ruined; therefore they held it better to forbear till they did see the issue, and in the meantime to enjoy their ease, with their wealth and pleasures in peace and safety, and not unnecessarily run themselves into such desperate hazards. Others think they deserted the cause out of the pride of their hearts; because they would not follow the conduct of a woman.

V. 16. {Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds} i.e. Why did you, O Reuben, desert your brethren, and stay at home under so poor and base a pretense as tending your flocks, because you are rich in them and abound in cattle, Num. 32:1, 2, 4, which must be carefully looked unto to preserve them from miscarriage.

{to hear the bleatings of the flocks} She upbraids them for being more affected with the bleatings of their sheep than with the outcries, groans and complaints of their brethren under Jabin’s tyranny, and therefore choosing rather by staying at home to let them continue still under grievous oppression, than by assisting in this war to hazard the loss of all, in case the tyrant prevailed: Which argued their covetousness and baseness of spirit, in that under so sordid a pretense they would desert the cause of God’s people, which was of such weight and concernment. See the like, Luke 14:18.

V. 17. {Gilead abode beyond Jordan} i.e. The tribe of Gad and the other half-tribe of Manasseh, unto whom, together with Reuben, Gilead was given, Num. 32:22, 40, Deut. 3:12, 14, Josh. 13:24, 25, 31, stayed at home under the same pretenses, and because living beyond Jordan they were not yet oppressed by Jabin, nor like to be, unless they provoked him by joining with their brethren in this war against him, which they might forbear to do under a fair pretense, that they were separated from them by the river, and in such a distance that they could not come time enough to their assistance.

{why did Dan remain in ships} Dan’s inheritance lay on the seacoast of Canaan, Josh. 19:40, having Japho or Joppa in their lot, an haven upon the Mediterranean, from whence they traded with other countries; which they pretended so wholly took them up that they had no leisure to assist their brethren. But one of the rabbins affirms this to be the true cause which made them hold back, because out of cowardice and fear they dared not assist them against so powerful a tyrant, but rather thought of fleeing away by sea, having such store of shipping, if he should prevail against their brethren; though hereby they did willfully banish themselves out of the promised land, and the place of God’s presence, where they enjoyed his holy ordinances.

{Asher continued on the Sea shore} Their inheritance also lying for the most part on the seacoast, Josh. 19:24, 29, they pretended the like excuses to desert the service.

{and abode in his breaches} Or, creeks. Either from thence to follow his merchandise, or under pretense of his necessary staying at home to mend those breaches which the sea floods had made, and which if neglected would be quickly enlarged, and put their country in danger of drowning.

V. 18. {in the high places of the field} i.e. Descending from mount Tabor, whither God had sent Barak to begin the war, into the valleys near the river Kishon, to fight the battle, they greatly hazarded themselves in the cause of God and for the good of his people, the plain champaign being far more fit for Sisera his horse and chariots than for their foot army: ch. 4:10, 14.

V. 19. {The kings came and fought} i.e. Jabin and his confederate kings of Canaan, or their generals and captains under their command.

{in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo} These two were rivers, in the tribe of Manasseh, which had two cities adjoining to them called by these names, Josh. 17:11. For Jabin’s army was so hugely vast and numerous that it filled all the champaign country: and therefore though it is said this battle was fought near Tabor and the river Kishon, ch. 4:6, 7, Psal. 83:9, and here, in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, both may well stand, seeing these places were near one another, though in divers tribes, and the battle might begin in one place, and through the retreat or flight of the enemy end in the other.

{They took no gain of money} i.e. They voluntarily came to assist Jabin in this service, not expecting from him any pay, but merely out of malice towards God’s people, from whose overthrow they looked for much spoil; but they utterly failed in their hopes, for they got nothing by the bargain, but lost all they had and themselves also.

V. 20. {They fought from heaven} i.e. The meteors from heaven, as wind, thunder, hail, as it were conspired to work their ruin. See on ch. 4:15. Or it may be they were terrified from heaven with the noise of an approaching army, as the Philistines, 2 Sam. 5:24, and the Syrians, 2 Kings 7:6.

{the stars in their courses fought against Sisera} i.e. They in their stations, like soldiers ranged in a battle, as the host of God, with their influences raising storms and horrible tempests, conspired all together with earthly creatures, to work the ruin of Sisera and his army: By which kind of rhetorical expressions she would show, that not only the Israelites, but even the Lord himself, both from heaven and on earth, by all manner of means and creatures, did fight against them. See annot. 2 on Gen. 2:1.

V. 21. {The river of Kishon swept them away} i.e. This river famous (though not for greatness, yet) for antiquity did also help to destroy them, and swept them away, even as a broom, dust and filth out of an house. And this it did when by reason of the mighty storm of rain and hail being suddenly risen to a great height, it drowned those who in their flight sought to pass over it: or swelling over its banks, it did carry and sweep away many dead bodies that were slain in the battle.

{O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength} By this apostrophe to her soul Deborah excites herself to glory in the Lord, who had heard her prayer, and given her victory and triumph over her proud enemies, who gloried in their own strength.

V. 22. {Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings} i.e. Though they had many goodly horses, so fed and pampered that for mere wantonness and greatness of spirit they could not stand still upon the ground, yet they became unserviceable, and could not hurt the Israelites, by reason that through their pride and stomach they broke their hoofs, and foundered their feet in that hot, hard and stony ground with their pawings and prancings. Others take it that they broke their hoofs in their headlong and furious posting away to save their lives: And so the vulgar Latin expresses it.

V. 23. {Curse ye Meroz (said the angel of the Lord)} What this Meroz was, no man can determine, seeing there is no mention to be found of it elsewhere, neither in former nor succeeding ages. Which seems to me to be one effect of this curse, that the very name and memorial of Meroz is wholly extinct and blotted out. So Prov. 10:7, Psal. 109:13. But it is apparent that it was some city near the place where this battle was fought, which being of considerable strength, and able to assist in this war, were called in to give their assistance, but refused to do it, and rather chose to stand in a cold neutrality, out of base and cowardly fear in respect of the power of their enemy. And this was an heinous sin: For the weaker God’s people were, the more need they had of aid. And their infidelity and distrust was the greater, in that they refused to help the Lord, that is, God’s people: for he himself being omnipotent needed not their help, and was able also to protect his servants, and them also, if they would have adventured themselves in his quarrel. And hence it is that whereas other tribes are only reproved for holding back, Meroz is cursed with a bitter curse: And that it might not seem to have proceeded from passion and spleen, it is added that it was backed by divine authority, and pronounced by the command of an angel, even the angel of the covenant, Jesus Christ, who is most zealous in the cause of his church. See ch. 6:11 and 2:1. Some think Meroz was a name transformed, to signify obscurely some city; as Mic. 1:10, 11, 12: or, that the three consonants, M, R, Z, were the initial letters of the names of three cities that being near to the place of this battle, yet afforded no assistance to their brethren.

V. 24. {Blessed above women shall Jael—be} i.e. She shall be magnified for this heroic act among all that shall hear of it, and God shall multiply his blessings upon her above others, as a gracious reward of this service.

{in the tent} By this is meant either that God would multiply his blessings upon her in her tent, i.e. In all domestical affairs; or, that she dwelling in a tent, as all the Kenites did, should be blessed above all the rest.

V. 25. {she brought forth butter} i.e. Either cream, in which the butter is; or else, after she had given him milk to drink, she gave him also butter to eat. All which kindness she used to make him rest the more secure under her protection.

{in a lordly dish} i.e. In a rich and fair bowl befitting a man of his honor and dignity; or else, so large as that he might drink his fill out of it.

V. 26. {and with the hammer she smote Sisera} Heb. She hammered him, i.e. With the hammer she struck the nail through his temples.

V. 27. {At her feet he bowed, he fell} Here are rhetorically expressed the postures and motions of a man that has received a mortal wound: Not that every particular could be said of Sisera in the very letter; for being fastened unto the earth with a pin driven through his temples, he could not rise, and bow, and fall; but that in the pangs of death he did something in respect of the substance suitable to all these, that is, he lay prostrate at Jael’s feet having the convulsions of death upon him.

V. 28. {The mother of Sisera} Here we have another figurative amplification befitting a poetical hymn, whereby is supposed how it was likely that Sisera’s mother and her ladies behaved themselves in their words and actions upon this occasion of his not present coming; i.e. She looked out of a window, expecting his approach; she cried out, when she could not discover him, as one impatient of his delay and reasoned with herself and her ladies what the cause might be why he stayed so long: And then is showed what was likely to be spoken, by her ladies or herself, to quiet their minds and remove these fears, namely the hopes they had of his prosperous success, and that the causes of his stay were the fruits of his victory and the dividing of the spoil. Where we have a lively and ironical representation of pride and carnal confidence, presuming of success in enterprises upon sensual grounds without any respect to God’s power and providence.

V. 30. {Have they not sped} i.e. They have surely sped and obtained the victory, and therefore cannot come so soon, because they must have some time allowed them to divide the spoil.

{needlework on both sides} i.e. Both sides alike, and of equal beauty.

V. 31. {be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might} i.e. As the sun when it rises in glory and brightness, and from the morning to high noon therein increases more and more; so let them that love the Lord increase daily in glory and happiness: Prov. 4:18, Psal. 37:6, 2 Sam. 23:4, Dan. 12:3.

{And the land had rest forty years} i.e. Unto the fortieth year, reckoning from Ehud’s death, or those eighty years mentioned ch. 3:30. See ch. 3:11.

CHAPTER 6

Verse 1. {And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord} i.e. They provoked God to just displeasure by their other sins, but chiefly by their idolatry, which was that eminent evil for which they are reproved v. 10, and for which God inflicted upon them this present judgment.

{and the Lord delivered them} From this expression and some others that follow, some gather that neither they were now fallen into so deep a degree of apostasy and idolatry as themselves formerly and their fathers before them, nor that they were now so severely punished as in times past. For it is not said, as ch. 3:8 and 4:2, that God sold them, as slaves and bondmen to the Midianites, but only that he delivered them, i.e. So withdrew his protection and assistance as that they prevailed against them, and pillaged their country. Neither did he suffer them to lie under these oppressions for eighteen or twenty years, as ch. 3:14 and 4:3, but only for seven. And for their sin, it is not said that they added unto their former wickedness, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, as ch. 2:19, but simply, that they did evil only.

{into the hand of Midian} The great ancestor of this people was Midian the son of Abraham by Keturah, Gen. 25:2, who gave name to a city and country situate beyond Arabia towards the south, near the Red Sea. And likewise his posterity after him were called Midianites. Here Zipporah Moses’ wife was born, and the Kenites that descended from Jethro. And this (as some think) is the country from whence those whom we call Gypsies do come. In those days they dwelt in tents, and lived upon the spoil of other nations, removing themselves, their wives, children, families and cattle from country to country, as it best liked them. Against these the Israelites made war, and destroyed many of them, when as they labored to supplant them with their wiles: And now it seems, having gotten strength, they make that their quarrel of seeking revenge. See on Hab. 3:7.

V. 2. {and because of the Midianites} i.e. For fear of being surprised and plundered by them.

{the children of Israel made them the dens, &c.} Partly for secrecy to hide themselves and their goods from the Midianites, and partly for defense, if they happened to be discovered by them. These dens and caves remained unto Saul’s and David’s time, 1 Sam. 13:6, and, it is very likely, long after.

V. 3. {the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east} i.e. Not the Midianites alone, but also the Amalekites, who were of Esau’s posterity, Gen. 36:12, and always malicious enemies to the Israelites and with them also the children of the east, that is, the Arabians, who lived easterly in reference to Canaan, ch. 8:10, 11, Job 1:3, Isa. 13:20. All these in a joint confederacy conspired together to make yearly inroads into the land of Canaan, bringing with them their wives, families and cattle, before their corn was ripened, partly that they might live upon the spoil as long as it lasted, or they listed; and partly out of malice towards the Israelites, spoiling all which they could not spend, and carrying away their sheep, oxen and asses, that they might have no sustenance to live upon when they were gone.

V. 4. {till thou come unto Gaza} Lying in the utmost border of Canaan near the Mediterranean: whereby it appears they wasted the whole country, even from the east, on which they bordered, to the very borders on the west side.

V. 5. {and they came as grasshoppers} By which hyperbolical expression is noted their multitude, their army consisting of an hundred thirty-five thousand able fighting men, besides women and children and the common rascality that followed the camp, ch. 8:10, and withal, the horrible spoil which they made in the country, seeing like grasshoppers, they fell upon every place, and where they came devoured all, and left nothing behind them.

{without number} An Hebraism: i.e. So many that they were hardly to be numbered. So ch. 7:12. Whereas a small company is expressed by the contrary phrase, that they are men of number. See Gen. 34:30.

V. 6. {and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord} i.e. When all the means in which they had trusted did fail them, and their dens and caves could not protect them, then seeing their folly they sought unto the Lord their only rock and refuge, and returning unto him by true repentance they cried unto him for help and deliverance.

V. 8. {the Lord sent a prophet} Heb. A man, a prophet. Before he would give them deliverance, he fits them for it, by using the ministry of a prophet to bring them to repentance. He is said to have been a man, a prophet, that it might not be thought he was an angel. For angels in Scripture are not called prophets, though prophets are called angels, Mal. 3:1. And it may probably be thought that this prophet was sent unto them before they cried to the Lord, seeing the words may be read in the more-than-perfect tense, as well as in the perfect, thus, The Lord had sent a prophet, namely, to exhort them to repentance, and to cry unto the Lord for pardon and help.

{I brought you up from Egypt} This he first minds them of, as being the prime and principal benefit upon which depended all the rest following.

V. 9. {And out of the hand of all that oppressed you} i.e. Not only the Egyptians, but also all those nations which raised war against you in the wilderness, as the Amalekites, Arad, and the Canaanites, with the Midianites.

{and drave them out from before you} i.e. The Amorites and Canaanites.

V. 10. {Fear not the gods of the Amorites} i.e. Do not worship and serve them, out of an opinion that they are able to do you hurt, seeing they are but stocks and stones, and are able to do nothing against those who serving me only are under my protection.

V. 11. {And there came an angel of the Lord} i.e. The angel of the covenant, the Lord Christ, the eternal Son of God. For he is called Jehovah, v. 14, and the Lord, v. 16, and to him Gideon built an altar, which is peculiar to God, v. 24. So chap. 2:1, Gen. 18:17 and 48:16. Thus Christ of old used to take upon him the shape of a man to typify his incarnation. And here appearing unto Gideon as a man, he also resembles a man in his postures and actions: For as a weary traveler he comes with his staff in his hand, and reposes himself under a tree to rest him.

{in Ophrah} There were two Ophrahs, one in Benjamin, Josh. 18:23, and this in Manasseh.

{Joash the Abi-ezrite} i.e. Of the family of Abiezer, and of the tribe of Manasseh, Josh. 17:2. See v. 24, 34.

{threshed wheat by the winepress} Which was under or near unto the oak where the angel sat. Here appears the simplicity and humility of those times, in that men of special note, such as Gideon was, being the son of a chief magistrate, and having many servants at his command, v. 27, thought it no disparagement to work with their own hands, and employ themselves in honest labors.

{to hide it from the Midianites} Heb. To cause it to flee, to wit, out of the Midianites’ sight, that they might not find it. To which end he made choice of this secret place, and there did not beat out the corn from the ears in the ordinary manner, by using oxen to tread it out, which would have been more subject to sight, but he beat it out with a staff, as being the more secret way whereby he might conceal it.

V. 12. {The Lord is with thee} An ancient form of salutation, whereby is signified and wished God’s presence to assist us in all our labors and endeavors, and to protect us from all evil and danger. So Boaz saluted his reapers, Ruth 2:4, and the angel the blessed virgin, Luke 1:28. The angel here used it to encourage Gideon to undertake with confidence this great and difficult work which he was now to persuade him unto.

{thou mighty man of valour} This is spoken not so much in respect of that fortitude that was naturally in him, as of that courage and valor wherewith the Lord would now endow him, that he might fit him for so great a work.

V. 13. {if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us?} i.e. Why has he exposed us to all these miseries, and forsaken us in them? Which is the usual complaint of God’s dearest children in their extreme afflictions, and the cause of all their expostulations, Psal. 13:1 and 22:1 and 73:2–14 and 77:2–9, Jer. 12:1, 2.

{and where be all his miracles?} q.d. We have heard much speech of the wonders he formerly did in the deliverances of our forefathers; but ourselves in this our miserable condition can have no experience of them, or reason to hope that he remains the same to us that he was to them.

V. 14. {And the Lord looked upon him} i.e. Not in an ordinary manner, but virtually and efficaciously, as he did upon Peter, Luke 22:61, by his Spirit speaking powerfully to his heart the same things which he uttered to his ear.

{Go in this thy might} Which I now give you, and with it my promise to assist you in this great work which you are to undertake at my command, namely the deliverance of my people out of the hands of the Midianites.

{have not I sent thee?} i.e. I have assuredly called you to this work, therefore pretend no difficulties or discouragements, seeing I am all-sufficient to give you such wisdom and power as may enable you to effect it. See on ch. 4:6.

V. 15. {O my lord, wherewith shall I save Israel?} These words proceeded not from a total want of faith, but from weakness of it; for Gideon is one of those great worthies whose faith is commended, Heb. 11:32. Nor spoke he thus merely out of distrust in God, as though he would not perform what he had promised, but as a man apprehensive of his own weakness, he desired direction how to carry on the work, and what means he should use for the achieving of it, and the further strengthening of his faith in the assurance of good success. So Luke 1:34, Judg. 13:12.

{behold, my family is poor} Heb. My thousand is the meanest. i.e. As I am weak in myself, so also in my friends and allies. See Exod. 18:25, Mic. 5:2, 1 Sam. 9:21.

V. 16. {thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man} i.e. As easily as if you had to do but with one man, and not with a great army.

V. 17. {then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me} To wit, that you are sent of God thus to speak unto me, whereby I may be the better enabled to undertake this dangerous expedition with good conscience, as being called unto it by God, and with resolution and courage, being assured of good success by his assistance.

V. 18. {and bring forth my present} Or, meat offering. And the word may signify both, and so is diversely taken in divers places; but it cannot here be understood in the latter sense, as appears by the things here presented, namely, a boiled kid, and the broth in which it was boiled, fit food for a weary traveler, but not to be used in meat offerings; besides, here is no mention made of the fat, flour or oil required unto them, Lev. 6:12, 14. For Gideon thinking this person to be only a man, he desires to give him such entertainment as was fit for a traveler, namely, by setting meat before him, as Abraham, Lot, and Manoah in like case did, chap. 13:15, Gen. 18:5–8 and 19:3. See on 1 Sam. 9:7.

V. 19. {presented it} As a dinner prepared for his repast, and not as a sacrifice, seeing here is no mention of divers things necessarily required to a sacrifice.

V. 20. {pour out the broth} To wit, upon the flesh and cakes. This he required, that the miracle which he intended might appear to be the greater: For the more the flesh and cakes were moistened with the broth, the less apt they were to be consumed with the fire. So Elijah, 1 Kings 18:33, 34.

V. 21. {there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh} So that which Gideon intended for a treat was by the angel miraculously turned into a kind of burnt offering, that thereby Gideon’s faith might be confirmed in this assurance, that the service unto which God called him should be accepted and have good success. See 1 Kings 18:38, 2 Chron. 7:1.

V. 22. {And when Gideon perceived that he was an Angel} i.e. By his fetching fire out of the rock to consume the things laid upon it, and his sudden vanishing out of sight.

{Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God} The causes of such like affrightments when God gave visible signs of his presence, were partly the guilt of sin and man’s corruption, Isa. 6:5, partly God’s purity and glorious majesty, which makes the angels themselves to cover their faces, Job 15:15, 16, Isa. 6:2, and partly God’s speech to Moses, Exod. 33:20. There shall no man see me, and live. For these reasons Gideon here, and Manoah, ch. 13:22, were so affrighted because they had seen the Lord, that they cried out through weakness of faith, as though they should have presently died, and thought it a wonder that having seen the face of God, their lives were preserved. But howsoever in this state of mortality man cannot live and see God in his glory, majesty and infinite perfections, yet he may see him in the face of a mediator, the angel of the covenant, Jesus Christ, by whom we have access unto God, and are accepted of him, Rom. 5:2, Eph. 1:6 and 2:18 and 3:12. And thus the saints of old saw God, and yet lived. See Gen. 16:13 and 32:30, Exod. 24:11, Deut. 5:24.

V. 23. {And the Lord said unto him} Namely, the same night after he was thus affrighted, v. 25. Some conceive he thus spoke as he was in departing from him.

{Peace be unto thee} i.e. Life, health, and all happiness; all which the Hebrews usually express by this phrase.

V. 24. {then Gideon built an altar there} Namely, upon the top of the rock, by God’s special command, v. 26. Of the lawfulness of building extraordinary altars upon extraordinary occasions, see on ch. 13:16 and 21:4.

{and called it Jehovah-Shalom} i.e. The Lord send peace. This altar Gideon built, and dedicated it to Christ himself, the angel of the covenant that had appeared unto him, which he called Jehovah-shalom, I. Because he is our peace, and Prince of peace, Isa. 9:6, and the author and giver of all our peace, Isa. 53:5, Luke 2:14, Heb. 7:2, John 14:27 and 16:33, Acts 10:36. II. Because he had peaceably saluted him in his affrightment and fear of death, and comforted him by promising that he should live, ver. 23. III. Because he had assured him of his deliverance and peace to him and his people by their victory over the Midianites. Now what is here said is said by anticipation. For Gideon built not this altar before he received a command from God for it, the night following the apparition, v. 26, when God gave him divers other directions for the whole carriage of the ensuing business. And this is usual in the Scripture, first to set down a thing in the gross, and then afterwards the manner how it was to be done. Such like titles as this here, see, Exod. 17:15, Jer. 33:16, Ezek. 48:35, then afterwards the manner how it was to be done.

V. 25. {Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock} Or, and the second bullock. And if so, then two were commanded to be sacrificed. But v. 28 mention is made but of one; therefore the first reading is thought to be better. Now it is not apparent why he was called the second; only men diversely guess at it; as, because either he stood usually in the second place in the stall, or at the plow or cart; or, because he was second in age, or in price or worth; or second of those which were prepared and fatted to be sacrificed to Baal. And that this bullock was destinated, not for Joash his private service, but for the public use in the people’s idolatrous worship, seems the more probable, in that they complain of it as a sacrilegious act committed by Gideon, because having pulled down Baal’s altar, he had sacrificed this bullock on the altar which himself had built, v. 28, 30.

{of seven years old} Bred the same year in which the Midianites began their tyranny; and therefore, it may be, he was chosen the rather by the Lord for a sacrifice, to signify that now this tyranny should have an end.

{and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath} i.e. Standing in his ground, as in an eminent place, he being a chief magistrate.

{and cut down the grove that is by it} Dedicated to idolatry. Begin your calling with the rooting out of idolatry, and restoring of God’s true worship; that so you may go on against the Midianites with confidence, courage, and hope of victory, when you have begun a reformation in religion, and suppressed idolatry and superstition amongst your own people, which were the causes that moved God to give them up to their tyranny.

V. 26. {And build an altar unto the Lord thy God} First, idolatry must be abolished before God’s true worship could be set up, because they cannot stand together, seeing there is no concord between Christ and Belial, between the temple of God and idols, 2 Cor. 6:15, 16. If we will serve God, the service of Baal must be first rejected, 1 Kings 18:21.

{upon the top of this rock} On which God had showed that great miracle in causing fire to ascend out of it, v. 20, 21, thereby consecrating it to himself in a special manner for this service, i.e. To honor and praise him for delivering Gideon from that fright in which he was v. 22, and for promising his people deliverance from the Midianites, v. 16, and also to pray unto him to make good his promise, and to speed and perfect this great work.

{in the ordered place} Or, in an orderly manner. i.e. Either, in the place of the rock which was before appointed for the flesh, cakes, and broth to be laid upon, as fittest for this service; or, he was to build it as was commanded by the law, Exod. 20:24, 25, of earth or unhewn stones fitted for the sacrifice in an orderly manner, by laying the wood upon it, and the sacrifice upon the wood, that it might be burned thereon.

{and offer a burnt sacrifice} This office was proper to the priests; yet in a case extraordinary, Gideon, who was no priest, did lawfully execute it, having God’s special command for the same.

{with the wood of the grove} To wit, which grew near Baal’s altar. The patriarchs of old, and the heathens in imitation of them, had high places and shady groves, both for privacy, that they might not be interrupted by any worldly distractions, and also to make them more intent in their devotions, being affected with a kind of awful fear by that shady solitariness.

V. 27. {Then Gideon took ten men of his servants} i.e. He executed God’s command in a prudential manner, taking so many of his servants for the quicker dispatch, because it was to be done in that one night before the morning, making choice of such as were (like himself) affected with a detestation of the idolatry of those times. And though it seems he was a man of more than ordinary rank, seeing he had so many servants to attend his command, yet because both the city and also his father’s household were much corrupted with idolatry, in a provident fear and care to avoid danger and tumults, he does secretly in the night what God had commanded him, that he might not be hindered while he was doing it. For he did not act this work in the night that it might not be known who had done it, seeing that he could not possibly be long concealed which had so many hands in the acting of it.

V. 30. {Then the men of the City said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die} With a joint vote they complained to Joash, as being their magistrate, of his son, and would by no other means be satisfied than by his death, because the injury he had done concerned the public state, the idol of Baal, the altar, the grove, and the bullock belonging in common to the whole people and city, howsoever they were in the custody of Joash, as being chief amongst them. Nothing can seem unreasonable to men transported with an idolatrous rage, as we see in the example of the Ephesians all in a confused uproar about their goddess Diana, Acts 19:28, &c. and in these men here, who in their blind zeal to Baal, would have the life of Gideon before they would hear what he could say for himself, and required that the father should give up his own son to their rage and violence; having herein no more respect to Joash, though a magistrate or chief man amongst them than if he had been of ordinary and common rank.

V. 31. {And Joash said—Will ye plead for Baal} Some think he only prudently endeavored to stop them in this uproar and commotion (as the town clerk the Ephesians, Acts 19) by telling them that if there were a fault committed, it did not belong unto them to punish the offenders, being private men, but to the magistrates who were to judge of it.

{he that will plead for him} Namely, in this tumultuous way which disturbs the common peace.

{let him be put to death} Joash himself had been a worshiper of Baal, but now it seems his mind was changed by hearing from his son (as may be probably thought) that God had appeared unto him in that wonderful manner before related, and had commanded him to do all that which he had done: Or else his natural affection exceeding his idolatrous zeal makes him thus to plead for his son to preserve his life.

{whilst it is yet morning} i.e. Presently and without any further delay.

{if he be a God, let him plead for himself} i.e. If he has such a divine power as you imagine, he is able to maintain his own cause, and to right and revenge the wrongs that are offered him; but if not, then he is not worthy to be defended by you, who is unable to defend either you or himself.

V. 32. {Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal} i.e. Joash called his son Gideon by the name of Jerubbaal. For Jerubbaal signifies, Let Baal plead for himself. He is called Jerubbesheth, 2 Sam. 11:21.

V. 33. {and went over} To wit, Jordan. For they came out of the east to invade Canaan. See ch. 7:24.

{and pitched in the valley of Jezreel} There was two of this name; one in Judah, Josh. 15:56, and this upon the borders of Issachar and Manasseh, Josh. 17:16 and 19:18, on the other side of mount Gilboa, and ending at the city of Jezreel westward, where the kings of Israel had a royal palace, 1 Kings 21:1.

V. 34. {But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon} And as it were clothed him with wisdom, zeal, and fortitude, and so fitted him for this work. So 1 Chron. 12:18, 2 Chron. 24:20, Luke 24:49.

{Abiezer} i.e. The Abiezrites, which were the posterity of Abiezer; of which family Gideon himself was: In which respect they were the more ready to follow him, being of his kindred and allies, and now convinced that God had called him to this great work, though formerly they were so zealous for Baal, that Gideon feared to let them know his intention to destroy his altar, lest they should hinder him, v. 27.

V. 35. {And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh} The one half dwelling beyond Jordan, and the other in Canaan.

{unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali} Which three tribes lay together, and were nearest to him.

{and they came up to meet him} To wit, Gideon with the Abiezrites and Manassites.

V. 36. {And Gideon said unto God} i.e. By fervent prayer desired him to give him another sign. Unto which God gave him no verbal answer, but hearkened to his suit in a real and effectual manner.

{If thou wilt save Israel by my hand} He desires not more signs out of infidelity to tempt God, but being sensible of his own weakness, in all humility he desires these helps for the further confirmation of his faith concerning his calling from God to this present work, and the good issue and success of it. For though the apostle commends him for his faith, Heb. 11:32, yet he did not attain to the height and strength of it all at once, but by degrees, as he was more and more confirmed by God, and in the meantime he needed all these helps to support him in all his weakness and wants, and to strengthen him against all his diffidence and doubtings. Some think he required these last signs, not so much for himself, as for those who followed him in this expedition: And if we say, that it was both for them and himself also, I think we come nearest to the truth.

V. 37. {and it be dry upon all the earth beside} i.e. On all the floor round about the fleece, no dew falling upon it, but on the fleece only. By the dew, which at first fell upon the fleece only, and after upon all the ground, leaving the fleece alone dry, Ambrose, Augustine, and divers others hold, that the grace and favor and word of God was shadowed out and signified, which at first was vouchsafed to the Jews alone, but afterward was extended to all other nations, and the Jews only for their ingratitude and impenitence rejected and excluded.

V. 38. {for he rose up early on the morrow} i.e. As one longing to see a return of his prayers, and also because he might have a more sure trial of his experiment, by coming to the place where the fleece was spread before the sun was risen, which otherwise might have drawn up this morning dew, Hos. 6:4.

{and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water} Which quantity made the sign more wonderful, seeing in a natural course so much dew could not fall in the small compass of a fleece of wool.

V. 39. {Let not thine anger, &c.} See Gen. 18:32.

CHAPTER 7

Verse 1. {And pitched beside the well of Harod} i.e. The well of terror; so called from the fear which seized either on the two and twenty thousand Israelites, v. 3, or on the Midianites, v. 21, or upon king Saul, 1 Sam. 28:5 and 29:1. This well lay upon the borders of Manasseh.

{by the hill of Moreh} i.e. One of the hills of Gilboa, so called from the seasonable rains which used to fall there, 2 Sam. 1:21, or, as some think, from the archers that wounded Saul, 1 Sam. 31:3.

{in the valley} To wit, of Jezreel, ch. 6:33.

V. 2. {The people that are with thee are too many} The whole army of the Israelites consisted but of two and thirty thousand, and the Midianites were at least an hundred thirty and five thousand; yet though they were above four to one, the Lord says the Israelites were too many for him to give the victory unto them; and the same is said when the number was abated to ten thousand, ver. 4, and the reason here is given, Because otherwise the Israelites would have boasted that they had gotten the victory by their own hand, i.e. Their own valor and strength, and so have robbed God of the glory which was due to him alone. So prone men are upon any good success to glory in themselves, rather than in the Lord from whom they have it.

V. 3. {Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return} According to the law, Deut. 20:8, lest by the example of the cowardly and fearful those who were in their own disposition valiant might grow fainthearted; as is usual in wars and battles.

{and depart early} i.e. Betimes and with all speed, as the word signifies; that so they might not be discovered by the Midianites, and endangered by their pursuit, nor the weakness of the army appear which still remained with Gideon.

{from mount Gilead} Or, as the word may signify, towards mount Gilead, beyond Jordan, whence the half-tribe of Manasseh came, chap. 6:35, and which did lie over against Gideon’s camp. Others think there were two mounts of this name, one beyond Jordan, frequently mentioned in Scripture, the other in the tribe of Manasseh within Jordan, near the valley of Jezreel, where the Midianites now lay, this (if there were any such Gilead) is likely to be here meant, seeing Israelites of all sorts and tribes might depart from this place, where they were now encamped all together; but it is not so probable that all these two and twenty thousand departed to Gilead beyond Jordan, seeing the most of this number were of those tribes that dwelled in Canaan. Of Gilead see on Obad. 19.

{and there returned of the people twenty and two thousand} Who though before they were willing to fight for their liberty and deliverance from their grievous oppressions, yet now seeing the mighty army of the Midianites, and the paucity and weakness of their own party, were grown fearful and fainthearted.

V. 4. {And the Lord said unto Gideon} i.e. Either by vision, or apparition of an angel in human shape.

{bring them down unto the water} i.e. Either some water running at the bottom of the hill, or to the well Harod mentioned (as some think) for this cause v. 1.

{and I will try them} Or, purge or purify them, as metals are tried by the fire and separated from their dross. i.e. I will give you a sign whereby you may try them, that those fearful and fainthearted may be severed from those valiants whom I have fitted for this service.

V. 5. {Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as dog lappeth} i.e. Who bending his body a little, takes up water in the hollow of his hand, and so putting his mouth to it, catches or sucks it up in some small quantity, as a dog laps, he shall be set apart to go with you, v. 6.

{likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink} i.e. Who first falls down upon his knees, and then prostrating himself flat, puts his mouth into the water, and so drinks as an ox or sheep, even to his fill, he shall be of those that must depart, as unfit for this service. Now if this were not only a mere sign which God ordered at his pleasure to sever these men, but had some reality and reason in itself in respect of men’s different dispositions, then we may guess it to be this, That the falling flat to drink, and putting the mouth to the water argued either faintness and weariness, or sloth and greediness of appetite, which could not leave till it had drunk its fill; the other, more temperance, being contented with a little, and more strength, courage and eagerness in prosecuting their intentions and designs, upon which they presently fall again as soon as they have a little relieved their present necessity. See Psal. 110:7. Some gather hence allegorical observations, That those only are fit to follow the Lord and to fight under his colors, who out of zeal to his service, like Gideon’s three hundred soldiers, curb their sensual appetite, and (as the dogs about Nile) settle not themselves to drink a full draught of the pleasures and profits of this life, but only lap and taste a little thereof as they pass along, rather out of mere necessity than any great delight, still using this world as if they used it not, 1 Cor. 7:31. Again, That Christ’s flock is but a little one, Luke 12:32. That many are called, but few chosen, Matth. 20:16 and 22:14. That few shall be saved, Isa. 26:13, Jer. 3:14, Matth. 7:14, Luke 13:24 and 18:8.

V. 8. {So the people} i.e. The three hundred chosen men.

{took victuals} i.e. So much as was needful for such a number and such an expedition.

{and their trumpets} i.e. So many as that every man might have one, i.e. Three hundred in all; some of which they had of their own, and the rest from them that were dismissed.

{he sent} i.e. Gideon.

{in the valley} Of Jezreel, on the other side of the hill.

V. 9. {I have delivered it into thy hand} i.e. You must be as certain of victory as if already you had obtained it.

V. 10. {But if thou fear to go down} i.e. If you fear to go down to fight against the Midianites, in regard your number is so small and they so many and mighty, then first go down privily unto the host, where you shall hear something which shall confirm your faith, and strengthen your hands and heart for the undertaking of the enterprise. Where the Lord knowing our human frailty and faintheartedness, of his own free largess, without Gideon’s suit, offers unto him another help for the strengthening of his faith.

{go thou with Phurah thy servant} i.e. If you are afraid to go alone for fear of the scouts and watch, take your servant with you, who though not able to protect you, yet may be some comfort by bearing you company.

V. 11. {thine hands shall be strengthened} i.e. You shall further be encouraged to fight against them.

{unto the outside of the armed men} Or, ranks by five. i.e. To the first sentinels of the host.

V. 12. {like grasshoppers} See on ch. 6:5.

{and their Camels} These nations abounded with camels, especially the Midianites, Isa. 60:6. And they brought these camels now with them, that they might feed and fat them in Canaan and make use of them both while they were there for carrying of burdens, especially their tents, from place to place, and also for carrying away the spoils of the Israelites, when they should leave Canaan and return back into their own country.

{as the sand by the Sea side for multitude} An hyperbolical expression, usual with the Hebrews. See on Isa. 48:19.

V. 13. {and lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host} The analogy and similitude observable in this dream stands thus; That as it were a great miracle if so poor a thing as a barley loaf rolled down upon a well-pitched tent, should overturn and ruin it, so it was no less wonderful that so contemptible a man as Gideon, held lately under such vassalage that he dared not show his head, with a small handful of despised fugitives gathered together, should rout and ruin such a huge army as that of the Midianites; yet as he saw the one done in his dream, so the other represented by it should as surely come to pass.

V. 14. {This is nothing else} Divine dreams are always either clear and evident of themselves; or else opportunity interprised [sic.] for the benefit of God’s people.

V. 15. {when Gideon heard—he worshipped} i.e. He praised God for confirming him thus in his calling, and prayed unto him for prosperous success according to his omen and good sign.

V. 16. {he divided the three hundred men into three companies} That they might surround the camp in several places, as if they were environed with a great army.

{And he put a trumpet in every man’s hand} As though every one had a whole troop or regiment accompanying or following him.

{with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers} Namely, to keep them from being blown out by the wind and weather, and from being seen of the enemy till they had occasion to discover them.

V. 17. {Look on me, and do likewise} i.e. Expect not any verbal directions, which cannot be given on a sudden all at once, and in such distance as we shall be one from another: but let my example serve for your directions.

V. 18. {and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon} i.e. Of the Lord, as principal agent; and of Gideon, as his instrument: Where he ascribes the whole glory of the victory unto the Lord, but withal would have his own name used, because he perceived by the interpretation of the dream that his very name was grown terrible to the enemy. See on Exod. 7:17.

V. 19. {in the beginning of the middle watch} i.e. At midnight, when the watches used to be changed, And of this time he made choice, because then the army were soundest asleep, and therefore most subject to fear and amazement, when as they thus were suddenly awaked. See on Luke 12:38.

V. 20. {And the three companies blew the trumpets} Thereby making show that a great army was come to surprise them.

{and brake the pitchers} That they might terrify their enemies by that sudden noise of breaking and clashing.

{and held the lamps in their left hands} That they might affright them with those many lights suddenly appearing, seeing they might well think there was a great army come upon them, that needed the guidance of so many lights, hearing withal that loud cry sounding in their ears, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

V. 21. {And they stood every man in his place} To show that the Lord only fought the battle and got the victory, as Exod. 14:13, 2 Chron. 27:17. And withal, to make the Midianites think they stood there to give light to that army which came with them to enter upon and surprise their camp.

V. 22. {and the Lord set every man’s sword against his fellow} i.e. The Lord struck them with such sudden terror and amazement, being frighted out of their dead sleep, that they knew not what they did, nor could discern friends from enemies, but mistaking the one for the other slew their friends instead of their foes. The like to this is related, 1 Sam. 14:15, 20, 2 Chron. 20:23.

{and the host fled to Beth-shittah} i.e. Out of the plain where they lay encamped towards Jordan, near unto which, on Canaan side, this city and the rest here named were situate. Of which see on 1 Kings 4:12 and 19:16.

V. 23. {And the men of Israel gathered themselves together} i.e. Hearing of this defeat and routing of the Midianitish army, they came presently in to assist Gideon in the pursuit; as they easily might, being so lately disbanded, and as yet haply but in their return to their own country, or at least but newly come home, and therefore still armed and in readiness to fight.

V. 24. {And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim} Not only to have their assistance for the completing of the victory, but also out of his humility and modesty, that they might share with him in the honor of the day, not being willing to engross the glory of the victory to himself alone.

{take before them the waters unto Beth-barah} Which lying near unto Jordan, as some conceive, but short of it, the Midianites must needs pass before they came unto it. And here it may be Oreb and Zeeb were taken in their flight, and many others with them. Others think that here are meant the fords and passages of Jordan even to Beth-barah: Unto which I rather incline, because we do not read of any such great rivers near Jordan as could hinder their passage. Some think this Beth-barah to be that Bethabara mentioned, John 1:28. But that seems to be on this side Jordan, and this is said to be beyond it. See on Josh. 3:16.

V. 25. {And they took two Princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb} Psal. 83:11, Isa. 10:26. These names show the nature and disposition of these tyrants, the one signifying a waster or destroyer; the other a wolf.

{slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb} Places so called in aftertimes upon this occasion, and lying at the east end of mount Ephraim near Jordan.

{and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon} It must not be understood that they brought them unto him presently as soon as they had slain them, but afterwards, when Gideon was passed over Jordan to pursue the remainder of the Midianites that were fled over with Zebah and Zalmunna, ch. 8:4. But it seems to me, that here and in the beginning of the next chapter to verse 4 there is some transposition in the order of the story as it is here expressed; which was done it may be to this end, that the acts of the Ephraimites might be continued without any interruption.

Some do wittily and profitably allegorize on this victory, as typifying Christ’s conquest over sin and Satan, with all other our spiritual enemies: For which they have good warrant, seeing the prophet himself, prophesying of Christ’s victory over them, does elegantly and largely allude unto it, Isa. 9:1–6. In both these victories there are divers resemblances one with another. The Midianites, in respect of their multitude and malice, resemble the many and malicious enemies of our salvation; Christ, like Gideon, overcoming and triumphing over them; the broken pitchers resemble the breaking of his body with the sorrows of death, and his crucifying on the cross, Isa. 53:5, Heb. 2:14. The shining of the lamps when the pitchers were broken, the glory of his Godhead gloriously shining forth, after he was broken by death, in his resurrection, Rom. 1:4. Now the benefit of this victory by Christ’s death and resurrection is conveyed unto us by the light of the Gospel, which is hid in pitchers or earthen vessels, 2 Cor. 4:7. And the ministers of the Word, lifting up their voices like trumpets, proclaim this war against our spiritual enemies, and put into our hands the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, whereby we put all our enemies to flight and obtain the victory, Eph. 6:17, 2 Cor. 10:4. Their crying out, The sword of the Lord, resembles our fervent prayers unto God, by whose strength alone we do prevail, and their standing still in their places, our waiting and expecting salvation from God, acknowledging that we have no strength in ourselves to resist and overcome so many and mighty enemies, but that all our might and hope of prevailing is from the Lord, that he alone may have all the glory of his own work, according to that, 2 Cor. 4:7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

CHAPTER 8

Verse 1. {And the men of Ephraim said unto him} i.e. When they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb unto Gideon on the other side Jordan; and some think, before he had vanquished and slain Zebah and Zalmunna with their army, because he does not mention that victory v. 2, 3, which would have made him equal with the Ephraimites in the number of kings slain, who was already much superior to them by his routing the whole host, and so exposed him to greater envy. But if they had come unto him beyond Jordan, and their anger were appeased by his humble speech, it is more than probable they should have accompanied him in his second expedition (which they did not), seeing this quarrel was, because they were not called to assist him in the former.

{Why hast thou served us thus?} Heb. What thing is this that thou hast done unto us? They were not contented with Gideon’s victory, in which they had equal benefit with the rest of their brethren, being delivered thereby from the tyranny of the Midianites, because they were not sharers with him in the glory of it. This their pride and ambition did arise partly from the greatness and power of their tribe, and partly from that priority and precedency that they had above Manasseh by Jacob’s blessing, and also in their encamping, Num. 2:18, 20, where Manasseh is marshaled under the standard of Ephraim. Moreover, it is probable they assumed no small honor to themselves, for having had Joshua the famous general of the Israelites, descended from their tribe, and for having the tabernacle and ark seated at Shiloh, in their inheritance; and no doubt they were now extraordinarily puffed up with the good success they had in stopping and slaying the Midianites with their two kings when they sought a passage over Jordan. And this made them emulate the tribe of Manasseh, of which Gideon was, as unworthy to be preferred before them, by having the chief honor of that expedition. And thus afterwards they proudly quarreled with Jephthah upon the same ground, ch. 12. See the like, 1 Sam. 19:41.

V. 2. {What have I now done in comparison of you?} He appeases their wrath with an humble and meek answer. Prov. 15:1, 18, 23 and 25:15.

{Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim} i.e. Is not your rich gleaning to be better esteemed than our poor vintage? In which allegory he compares the fight and the success of it to a vintage; the victory himself had gained by the assistance of the Abiezrites, his allies and friends, to the first gathering of the grapes, at least in the Ephraimites’ esteem; and the Ephraimites’ slaughtering of the Midianites in their flight, to the gleanings after the vintage: and he prefers this before the other, both because it was acted by their own valor, whereas he and his friends were only lookers on while the enemies massacred and killed one another; and because also the Ephraimites had taken their two kings and slain them which had escaped out of his hands. And withal, by the very naming of the actors in this expedition, Ephraim and Abiezer, he seems to magnify and extol them, as a great and famous tribe, and to abase and vilify his own party, as springing out of the poor family of Abiezer, ch. 6:15.

V. 4. {yet pursuing them} i.e. Zebah and Zalmunna, with fifteen thousand of their army, that were fled, and had gotten over Jordan towards their own country.

V. 5. {And he said unto the men of Succoth} Not that Succoth in the land of Egypt, Exod. 12:37, Num. 33:5, but a city in the tribe of Gad, Josh. 13:27. Situate at the river Jabbok near Jordan, so called because Jacob coming homewards from Laban built his booths there, Gen. 33:17.

{for they be faint} He enforces his request by two strong arguments; I. Because he and his followers were faint and weary, and therefore it would be a work of mercy to relieve them, though they had been strangers and not brethren, in such distress: II. Because they were in pursuit of the common enemy; and therefore it would be a work of justice to strengthen their hands in such a design. See on Gen. 14:18.

V. 6. {And the princes of Succoth said} i.e. They refused to relieve them partly because they saw such weakness and weariness in Gideon’s few men, and such number and strength in the army of their enemies; and, partly because they feared the Midianites would, after they had recruited their army, return again, and revenge themselves upon them for relieving their enemies.

{Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hands} q.d. Are they already in your power as your prisoners, that we should respect you as victor, and not rather fear their revenge? Thus they incense Gideon by rejecting his request with contemptuous scorn. See the like, 1 Sam. 25:10.

V. 7. {I will tear} Heb. Thresh. i.e. I will revenge this foul scorn and proud contempt which you have upon me with extreme, yet just, severity, seeing you refuse to relieve my faint and wearied followers fighting in a common cause against God’s enemies, and herein grievously sin against God, the commonwealth, myself, and all my followers your brethren; and do all this in a proud, scornful and contemptuous manner against us, and in favor of our tyrannous enemies.

{your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness} i.e. Lying between Succoth and Penuel, at the brook Jabbok, Gen. 32:2, 22, 30, is called also the wilderness of Mahanaim, as lying near unto it, 2 Sam. 17:27, 29. This wilderness abounded with thorns and briers. This threatening Gideon denounced against them, being as confident through God’s assistance of prevailing against his enemies as if already he had obtained the victory.

V. 8. {And he went up thence to Penuel} A city also in the tribe of Gad, near the brook Jabbok, so called by Jacob, because there he saw God and wrestled with him, Gen. 32:30, 1 Kings 12:25.

{and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth} i.e. Denied his request with like scorn and contempt: And this they the rather did, presuming on the strength of their tower, which caused Gideon to threaten the pulling of it down, when he returned with victory.

V. 9. {when I come again in peace} i.e. Safe and victorious.

V. 10. {in Karkor} A city beyond Jordan towards the east.

{an hundred and twenty thousand men} To wit, those which were slain before.

{that drew sword} i.e. Able men for service in war. So chap. 20:15, 17, 25, 46, 2 Sam. 24:9, 2 Kings 3:26.

V. 11. {of them that dwelt in tents} i.e. The Arabians, who were called by the Grecians Scenitae, that is, tent dwellers. See Jer. 49:29.

{Nobah, and Jogbehah} See Numb. 32:25, 42.

{for the host was secure} Not seeing themselves pursued by the Israelites, not fearing it, seeing they were now come so far on the way towards their own country.

V. 12. {and discomfited} Heb. Terrified, i.e. Coming upon them on the sudden, they were frighted, routed, put to flight, and so slaughtered and utterly ruined.

V. 13. {Before the Sun was up} Whereby is implied that he came upon them in the night, as he had done before, ch. 7:19, and so being awakened out of their dead sleep, they were frighted and amazed, so as they could not stand in their own defense: Which could not have so succeeded, if he had attempted them in the day: for the light would have discovered the weakness of Gideon’s army and their own strength.

V. 14. {and he described unto him the princes of Succoth} Heb. Writ. i.e. He gave to Gideon their names in writing who were chiefly guilty. For in so weighty a matter he would not trust his memory, lest he might haply punish the innocent with the guilty.

V. 15. {Behold Zebah and Zalmunna} q.d. I have purposely reserved them alive, and here brought them unto you, to convince you of your confidence in the arm of flesh, and your diffidence in God, as though he had not been able to have delivered them into my hand in respect of their strength and my weakness.

V. 16. {And he took the Elders of the city, and thorns} Hereby is meant that he tortured them to death with these thorns and briers, by causing them to be cast naked, and so trampled upon, or dragged them amongst them, or else to be scourged with them till they died. For being equal in guilt with the men of Penuel, their punishment was alike capital with theirs.

{with them he taught the men of Succoth} Or, he threshed; or, he made to know. i.e. By this severe punishment he made these princes and elders an example to all the rest, and so taught them more wit or experimental knowledge for the time to come, than to commit again the like sins which were so heinous and offensive against God and their brethren.

{beat down the tower} See on 1 Kings 12:25.

V. 17. {and slew the men of the city} i.e. The princes and elders, who were chiefly or only guilty; as v. 16.

V. 18. {What manner of men were they whom ye slew} When they slew these men is not plainly expressed, whether in this or in some former invasion: but it is more likely it was in this, seeing though Gideon thought his brethren were slain, yet he understood not the manner and circumstance of their death; or else hearing that the Midianites had slain divers of the Israelites in those holds and caves of mount Tabor where they had hid themselves, ch. 6:2, and missing his brethren, and not knowing whether they might not be in the number of those who were there slain, he puts these kings to describe what manner of men they were, and upon their description finds that they were his brethren.

{at Tabor} See on Josh. 19:12.

{As thou art, so were they} q.d. They were like you, and both you and they like the children of a king, goodly and majestical persons. And this they said (as it is like) to humor him and get favor.

V. 19. {if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you} i.e. Had they been merciful unto his brethren, where they fell into their hands it would have been lawful for Gideon to have pardoned them, not being Canaanites, though they were enemies; but now he could not, seeing by the law of God he was bound, being next of blood and also a magistrate, to punish them with death that had murdered his brethren, Numb. 35:19.

V. 20. {And he said unto Jether his firstborn, up, and slay them} This he did to hearten him to proceed against God’s enemies with all severity, and also to make him share with himself in the honor of the victory. See Josh. 10:24.

{But the youth drew not his sword} Not out of neglect of his father’s command, but merely out of fear, being but a youth.

V. 21. {Rise thou, and fall upon us} This they desire, I. That they might die nobly, by the hand of one like themselves, and not by a boy, in an ignominious manner. II. For a more quick dispatch, which could not be made by the weaker hand of a boy, who would have haggled them with many blows, and so put them to more torment, whereas a man of strength striking them would quickly rid them out of their pain.

{and took away the ornaments that were on their Camels’ necks} Or, ornaments like the moon. Their camels (on which in those countries men ride, as we here do on horses) being according to their dignity adorned with chains and jewels, he seized upon them as a lawful prize taken in war, and as an ensign or memorial of his victory.

V. 22. {Rule thou over us} Namely, as a king that has sovereign power, and leaves it successively to his posterity.

V. 23. {And Gideon said, I will not rule over you} i.e. I will not take upon me the place and power of a king over God’s people, nor entail it to my children after me; but the regal rights shall still, for me remain in God’s hand, till he shall be pleased to change the government, and according to his promise choose a king for you, Deut. 17:14, 15. Hereby it appears that the judges in this book were not absolute lords and kings over the people, but extraordinarily raised for their defense and deliverance when oppressed by enemies, and to govern them as God’s vicegerents (they still retaining their liberties entire) according to the prescript rule of God’s law. And this made Gideon here to reject their offer, because it trenched upon God’s royal prerogative, and there accepting him for their king would have been to reject God that he should not reign over them; as it is plain, 1 Sam. 8:6, 7, and 12:12. See on ch. 2:16 and 9:1.

V. 24. {give me every man the earrings of his prey} i.e. The golden ornaments, whether worn in the ear or on the forehead: for the Hebrew word is used for both. See Gen. 24:22, 47, and 35:4. Neither does he desire all, but that every man should give him one of those which he had gotten for his prey, as the Hebrew text has it.

{because they were Ishmaelites} The Midianites and Ishmaelites were so intermingled both in their habitation and also in their conversation and intercourse of dealing and trading, that their names are promiscuously used, as if they had been both but one nation. See Gen. 37:25, 28, 36. These frequently used to wear golden earrings; which is here rendered as the reason how there were so many of them taken as a prey.

V. 26. {a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold} See Gen. 24:22 and Numb. 7:14.

V. 27. {And Gideon made an Ephod thereof} An ephod was a vestment that covered the shoulders and compassed the breast, like a short strait coat without sleeves, put utmost upon the garments to keep them close. And there were two sorts of them; one, a rich garment, peculiar to the high priest, made of blue, purple, scarlet, and twined linen, cunningly wrought and embroidered with gold, in which was a breastpiece beset with precious stones, wherein was put the Urim and Thummim whereby the high priest inquired of God, Exod. 28:4. The other was made in the like figure of fine linen, used not only by the priests, but by the Levites, and others also in solemn divine service; as we see in the example of Samuel, who was only a Levite, and of David, who was of another tribe, 1 Sam. 2:18 and 17:16, and 2 Sam. 6:14. Of the former sort was this rich ephod which Gideon caused to be made and set up.

{and put in his City, even in Ophrah} In which himself was born, and dwelt; namely, that it might there remain as a monument of this great victory and deliverance. Now if herein he aimed at God’s glory, the act was the more excusable; but not so, if he intended thereby to perpetuate his own fame. Howsoever it is mentioned as an aspersion cast upon the story of his former acts, whether we consider the thing done, or the event and issue of it. For I. An ephod was no fit monument to represent a victory, but rather a stone or pillar erected to this end, 1 Sam. 7:12. II. There could be no right or lawful use of such an ephod in such a place; seeing it was proper for the tabernacle and the use of the high priest. And it may be that he set it up in his own city, that there upon all occasions he might by some priest using this ephod inquire of God without going to the tabernacle, as ch. 18:5, 6, not considering that this was a privilege belonging unto the high priest alone, and peculiar to Aaron’s ephod and breastplate, in which was put the Urim and Thummim. III. Because it was a scandal given by Gideon to the people, to draw them to superstition, unto which they were naturally so much addicted. The event also showed it was a great fault and failing, in that it proved a means to draw the people to gross idolatry; and besides, in that it moved God in his just displeasure to make it a snare to Gideon and his whole family, both in respect of sin and of punishment, seeing it was the cause of their superstition and of their ruin.

{and all Israel went thither} i.e. After the death of Gideon they did grossly abuse it to will-worship (superstition and idolatry, either resorting unto it to inquire of it in all their doubts and difficulties concerning God’s will, or using it as the place where they offered sacrifices, at least peace and meat offerings; or being taken with the glory and beauty of it, they used to fall down before it and worship it; and in process of time growing worse and worse, they abused it to the grossest idolatry in the worship of Baal, v. 33. See Lev. 17:7 and 20:5. So was Moses his brazen serpent abused, 2 Kings 18:4.

{a whoring after it} See on ch. 2:17.

V. 28. {so that they lifted up their heads no more} i.e. They no more recovered such strength as to be able to invade and vex the Israelites in their land.

{And the country was in quietness} i.e. The inhabitants of the country enjoyed peace and prosperity, and were not disturbed and disquieted with the noise and clamors of soldiers, the sounding of trumpets and alarms of war, the clashing of arms and weapons, the shouts of the victors, and the hideous outcries of the vanquished.

{forty years} i.e. Unto the fortieth year, reckoning from the death of Barak, or from those former years mentioned ch. 5:31, to the death of Gideon. See on ch. 3:11.

V. 29. {went and dwelt in his own house} i.e. He reigned not, as king, v. 23, nor yet led altogether a private life, but (though somewhat retired) as a judge he maintained God’s true worship, defended the laws and liberties of the people, and did all good service to the commonwealth. V. 28 and 23. See on v. 22 and ch. 2:16.

V. 30. {of his body begotten} Heb. going out of his thigh: which is added to show that they were his own natural children, and not sons by adoption: see Gen. 46:26.

V. 31. {And his Concubine} i.e. His wife, though in an inferior degree, married unto him when he had another wife before, who was mistress of the family, and it seems advanced to this honor out of a mean condition, having been his maidservant; as Zilpah and Bilhah, Jacob’s concubines, had been to Laban.

{that was in Shechem} i.e. That was born in that city, and (as it seems) still lived in it among her kindred, even after she was Gideon’s concubine. Shechem was situate upon a hill in Ephraim near Samaria. See Gen. 12:6 and 33:12, Josh. 20:7.

{whose name he called Abimelech} That is, a king’s father; the usual title of the Philistine kings. This some conceive Gideon’s concubine out of pride and ambition persuaded him to give, and in the event it proved to be a sad omen and a fatal name to all his family. Here it is mentioned as an introduction to the following story of Abimelech’s usurpation and tyranny to the utter ruin of Gideon’s house.

V. 32. {died in a good old age} i.e. Lived out his time allotted unto him in the course of nature, being not cut off by an immature and unnatural death; as also his life was prosperous, accompanied with health, strength, riches, honors, and the rest of God’s blessings, which make the life truly vital and to be desired: see Gen. 15:15.

V. 33. {And made Baal-berith their god} The idol of the Shechemites (signifying the lord of the covenant, so called it may be, when making choice of him to be their idol-god they did enter into covenant with him to do him service: and so by adhering to him they broke their covenant with God, and prostituted themselves to commit spiritual whoredoms, which the Lord had so often and earnestly forbidden, and so severely punished.

V. 34. {remembered not the Lord their God} Neither his goodness, in multiplying his blessings upon them, nor his just judgments in punishing their former sins, especially their apostasy and idolatry, nor his mercies in giving them deliverance out of their oppressions, when they turned unto him by true repentance: but either polluted his pure worship by worshiping God in idols, or by joining them together with him, of which he is impatient, as not enduring any corrivals; or finally they were so besotted with idolatry, that they worshiped idols only, and forgot the only true God altogether, and wholly neglected his service.

V. 35. {neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal} i.e. They did not requite his love with love, nor showed themselves grateful unto him according to his deserts, in seeking the good and welfare of his posterity.

CHAPTER 9

Verse 1. {And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem} In the former chapters we have seen one while the heavy hand of God upon his people, punishing them for their apostasy and idolatry, by raising up against them both foreign nations, and also the Canaanites which lived among them, by whose exactions and oppressions they were grievously afflicted; another while, his mercy and goodness towards them in sending deliverance upon their repentance. Now, after the death of Gideon, they returning to their former wickedness, God punishes them with a civil war, wherein they murder and massacre one another, imbruing their hands in the blood of their brethren, and sheathing their swords in their bowels. To this end he gives up Abimelech to be ruled with an evil spirit of ambition, whereby he thirsted after sovereignty, and regal power, which having been offered to his noble father for his well deserving of the commonwealth, had been by him modestly refused. For the attainment hereof Abimelech presently after his father’s death and funerals goes to Shechem, the city in which he was born; having no hope to compass and effect his project and design by staying in his father’s family among his many brethren, the meanest and youngest of them having a better title unto regal power than himself had: though indeed neither he nor they had any right to it, seeing the Lord had established the present government, in which he ruled himself, and kept all the royal rights in his own hand. Unto him the people were to resort in all their cases and causes of moment in which there was difficulty, and were therein to be ordered by the judgment of Urim and Thummim; and in ordinary matters, more plain and of less weight, by those judges whom when he pleased he extraordinarily raised up and furnished with wisdom and fortitude, to administer justice and judgment, to protect them from their enemies, and to give deliverance when for their sins they groaned under their oppressions. This government was to continue till the Lord himself was pleased to change it. And when he thought fit to place a king over them, he retained power in his own hand to choose one according to his own mind, and would not leave it to the people’s choice, much less permit any out of their own ambition to affect and aspire unto sovereignty.

{unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them} He made choice of his mother’s kindred, allies and friends, in whom (as being strangers unto them) his own brethren, the sons of his father, had no interest, to promote his plot, and he advised with them what might be the likeliest means to further him in his design of attaining unto the kingdom.

V. 2. {Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem} i.e. Seeing this business is not to be carried on by a few, but by the common vote of the whole people, communicate your reasons, by which they may be persuaded to further my suit, unto all, one as well as another.

{Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you?} Here he in the first place secretly and cunningly implies that they were weary of the present government, and would have a king, as appeared by their offering it to Gideon his father, ch. 8:22, which though he refused to accept, yet in all reasons they ought to have their desire. Secondly, he falsely and slanderously insinuates, that the threescore and ten sons of Gideon would not let this motion fall, but would aspire unto royal sovereignty, and divide the kingdom amongst them; whereas the contrary is plainly implied in Jotham’s parable, that should it be offered unto them they would all refuse it. And thirdly, upon these false suppositions, he puts them to judge, whether it were not better to be governed by one in a free monarchy, than in such an aristocracy to be forced to serve and please so many lords, yea under such a multiplied tyranny, groan under their oppressions, and hazard the kingdom to be rent and ruined by civil wars, out of their mutual jealousies one of another, whilst they sought to preserve their own states from the intrusions of an ambitious neighbor, or were themselves ready to encroach upon them.

{Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh} This is spoken sometimes of a whole nation who have descended from the same grand and common parent, as Israel from Jacob, 1 Chron. 11:1, sometimes of the same city, in which oftentimes brethren and kindred co-inhabited, as I think here it is to be understood; sometimes of kindred who were of the same blood, as Laban and Jacob, Gen. 29:14, David and Amasa, 2 Sam. 19:13: and thus many of the Shechemites were of Abimelech’s flesh and bone. And this argument he uses to persuade them to make him their king, seeing they might have much honor and many privileges above others, who had a king to rule over them who was knit unto them in so near relation. Whereas whilst he seeks to wind himself into their affection for his own ends, he discovers his corruption, partiality, and unfitness to be a king, who ought to govern and execute justice and judgment equally to all men without respect of persons or relations.

V. 3. {And their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech} i.e. To choose him before any other to be their king, because he was their kinsman.

V. 4. {pieces of silver} See on Gen. 20:16.

{out of the house of Baal-berith} i.e. The idolatrous temple of this idol, which stood upon a high hill near Shechem. Now the treasure here mentioned was reserved there, either because it was raised out of oblations to the idol, or because that place was the city’s treasury. For in some places they did in those and after ages make their idol-temples their treasure-house, as the Romans did the temple of Saturn. Here it is observable, that the same money which was consecrated to idolatrous uses, through God’s providence became the instrument to bring upon the idolaters the punishment of their sins, by embroiling them in a civil war, which caused their utter ruin.

{wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons} i.e. A desperate, beggarly and rascally crew, sons of Belial, who had no fear of God. And none but such were fit to execute such a barbarous and bloody design and such an horrid massacre as Abimelech intended. So 2 Chron. 13:7. See on Gen. 49:4.

V. 5. {slew his brethren—being threescore and ten persons} The whole number designed to the slaughter is named, though one of them, namely Jotham, escaped. And this is usual in the Scripture. So Gen. 42:13, Numb. 14:32, 33, 1 Cor. 15:5.

{upon the stone} They were not killed in several places as they found them, but being attached, they brought them out publicly to be executed all in one place. Which formality shows that Abimelech caused it to be done under some pretense of justice, as if they had conspired together to commit some notorious wicked fact tending to the ruin of the whole state. See the like cruelty and ambition, 2 Kings 11:1 [...].

V. 6. {And all the men of Shechem gathered together} i.e. They and all their friends whom they could persuade to join with them out of other tribes: neither is it likely that they dared presume of themselves to make a king without the consent of many others, especially seeing it was an act expressly contrary to God’s word, he having appropriated this choice unto himself, Deut. 17:14, 15.

{and all the house of Millo} Hereby some understand some small city adjoining to Shechem; others, the stronghold spoken of v. 20 and 46, 49, used for the town-house, where the elders and full council met together to debate of and order affairs of state, being guarded with a garrison for their better security in those troublesome times. See 2 Sam. 5:9.

{and made Abimelech King} Whereby I conceive, that howsoever the Shechemites’ intention was that he should reign over all Israel, yet being but one city, though backed with many friends, they dared not attempt it at the first, but chose him only for their own king, to rule over that city and the parts lying about it. For the reason moving them to hearken to his suit reached no further, I am your bone and your flesh, and Jotham says that they had made him King over the men of Shechem, because he was their brother, v. 18. But afterwards observed that all Israel were weary of the present government, and desiring a king, were willing to accept of him, especially having thus far proceeded, and gathered daily more strength to crush and quell all that should oppose him, he usurped the title of being king over the whole nation and took upon him to reign over all the tribes; whence it is that he is said to have reigned three years over Israel, v. 22.

{by the Plain of the Pillar} Or, by the oak of the pillar, i.e. in that field near Shechem where Joshua erected the great stone under an oak; it being the custom of those times to anoint their kings in some famous noted place by reason of some tree or fountain, or stone erected for a monument, for the more solemnity of the action. See Josh. 24:26, 27.

V. 7. {in the top of mount Gerizim} See on Josh. 8:30, 33. Of the top of this mountain Jotham made choice, because it seems the Shechemites were assembled at the bottom of it to inaugurate their new-chosen king, and because speaking aloud he might from thence best be heard and make an escape if he were pursued.

{lift up his voice, and cried, and said unto them} By divine inspiration and the spirit of prophecy, as the event showed.

{Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem} Namely, who am sent of God to convince you of your heinous sin in committing these horrible murders and massacres, that so you may repent, and avert God’s heavy judgments which hang over your heads.

{that God may hearken unto you} To wit, when you call and cry unto him in the time of your distress: which he will not do if you go on in your sins, shutting your ears and hardening your hearts when by his messenger he gives you warning to turn unto him by unfeigned repentance.

V. 8. {The trees went forth on a time to anoint a King} He uses a parable, that he might more effectually convince them of their folly and sin, seeing they might impartially judge of it when as it was not directly charged upon them, but shadowed under this veil. So Nathan dealt with David, 2 Sam. 12:1, and our Savior Christ often with the Jews, the priests, scribes and Pharisees. In this parable Jotham I. taxes the Israelites generally, and more especially the Shechemites, for their being weary of God’s government, and desirous to be under the rule of a king. II. He sets forth the modesty and piety of his father, who did not accept of it when offered unto him; and of himself and his brethren, who rested contented with their condition, and did never ambitiously affect or aspire unto kingly sovereignty. III. He shows the pride and ambition of Abimelech, who, though wicked and worthless, so thirsted after it, that he made way unto it through a field of blood. IV. He foretells the manifold miseries and mischiefs which both he and the Shechemites would bring upon themselves in the close and epilogue of this woeful tragedy. See the like parable, 2 Kings 14:9.

{and they said unto the olive-tree} By the olive and the rest of the fruitful and useful trees here named are meant both, the judges who ruled in former times, and also Gideon and his seventy sons, who never affected, but utterly refused, this kingly governance.

V. 9. {wherewith by me they honour God and man} i.e. By the oil which comes from me, God is honored, seeing oil is used in his service, which tends to his honor, both in oblations and sacrifices, and also for the nourishing of the lamps and lights in the sanctuary. And men also are honored by it, seeing it is used in the anointing of kings, priests and prophets, and is profitable unto all sorts and conditions, both for meat and medicine, food, face, and feature, Psa. 104:15.

{go to be promoted over the trees?} Or, go up and down for other trees. The kingly office is no easy calling but obliges to great pains and cares: for kings, like the sun, must oft visit the regions under them, and go from place to place to keep all in good order.

V. 11. {should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit} When men leave their private places and callings wherein they are fruitful and serviceable to God and men, and ambitiously affect high preferments and sovereignty, they usually grow fruitless and barren in grace and goodness.

V. 13. {which cheereth God and man} Not that God uses wine, as man does, to cheer him by drinking of it, but because also it was used in sacrifices and oblations, in which God delighted, as being duties of his service. But man is cheered by it when temperately used, as being a singular means to renew and refresh his spirits, especially when they sink with sorrow, or droop under the pressure of any great calamity, Psa. 104:15, Prov. 31:6.

V. 14. {Then said all the trees unto the bramble} i.e. A base, worthless and fruitless shrub, good for nothing but to stop gaps, and with its pricks to keep men and beasts from entering into the pleasant fields, and afterwards to be burned, and with its blaze to kindle a fire. By the bramble Jotham means all proud and ambitious men, and particularly Abimelech, who was base in his birth, vicious and wicked in his life, barren in all grace and goodness, and tyrannical and cruel in his disposition and nature; and by the trees, the Shechemites and other Israelites who offered to make him their king.

V. 15. {come and put your trust under my shadow} i.e. Rest and rely wholly upon me for shelter, safety and protection. Such specious shows tyrants make when they sue and seek after sovereignty, yet do nothing less when they have attained unto it; like a bramble, which promises shelter to the silly sheep that comes under it in a storm, but scratches off his wool and tears his skin, when desiring to be at his liberty he would go from under it; or like a rider, who desiring to back a wild skittish horse, clips and strokes him at his getting up, but spurs and galls him when he finds himself sure in the saddle. And such an one was this cruel tyrant Abimelech, and also Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4:12.

{Let fire come out of the bramble} Some write that this shrub being violently shaken by the winds, by reason of its dry substance apt to kindle of itself and burn, and that thereby sometimes whole woods are set on fire. See Ezek. 19:14, Jam. 3:5, Psa. 58:9.

{and devour the Cedars of Lebanon} i.e. The most illustrious nobles, and chief elders and magistrates, when they stand in his way, and refuse to be instruments of his tyranny and cruelty. These are compared to the cedars of Lebanon, because they were the goodliest and tallest in all those countries.

V. 16. {Now therefore} In these words he unfolds and applies the parable.

{if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal} i.e. If you have gratefully requited him for all the benefits received from him.

{his house} i.e. His sons and posterity.

V. 17. {adventured his life far} Heb. cast his life, i.e. neglected and despised his life for the common good. So chap. 12:3 and 5:18.

V. 18. {because he is your brother} i.e. Not because he was the son of Jerubbaal, or for any goodness in himself which might make him worthy of such an honor, but merely out of self-love, because he is of your kindred and alliance.

V. 19. {then rejoice ye in Abimelech} i.e. Live happily and joyfully with him, as with a king justly elected, and let him have all joy and content in you, as in his lawful and loyal subjects. This Jotham wishes, not as thinking such happiness would befall them (for he knew they had done wickedly in all their proceedings) but by way of irony and reproach.

V. 20. {let fire come out from Abimelech} That cursed bramble fit for nothing but to be burnt and to burn others, and let fire come out from the men, &c. i.e. Let a wicked spirit of dissension, hatred and revenge possess them, and carry them on to ruin and destroy one another.

V. 21. {And Jotham ran away and fled, and went} This variety of words expressing the same thing implies his great haste in flying.

{to Beer} This some conceive was a town in the tribe of Ephraim; others, and that more probably, think it was Baalath-beer in the tribe of Simeon, as being in a greater distance from Shechem, and so further out of the reach, and it may be out of the power and government of Abimelech. See Josh. 19:8.

V. 22. {When Abimelech had reigned three years} To wit, as a usurping tyrant, and not as a judge delivering the people from their enemies, or exercising judgment and justice among them, or doing any other good to the commonwealth; then, when he least thought of it, and supposing that he was securely settled in his government, God began to execute upon him the curse threatened by Jotham, and to make him an example of that common maxim, that there is no tyranny of long continuance.

{over Israel} Not that he had the same dominion over the whole nation that he had over the Shechemites; but some authority and sway he might have over all, being looked upon as the heir and successor of Gideon. See on v. 6.

V. 23. {Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem} i.e. Either Satan himself, the chief author of all disorders and divisions in a commonwealth, as 1 Sam. 10:9 and 19:9, or the evil affections of malice, envy and discord. And this he did, not by infusing into them these sinful corruptions, but as a just judge punishing their former wickedness, especially that horrid massacre of Gideon’s sons, he gave them up to their own vile affections and the devil’s temptations, to be hurried on in wicked courses to their own mutual ruin and utter destruction. Deut. 2:30, 1 Sam. 2:25, 1 Kings 12:15 and 22:22, 23, 2 Chron. 18:19, and 20:22. See on Hos. 10:2.

{and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech} i.e. They broke their covenant with him, and rebelling against him shook off the yoke of his government.

V. 24. {That the cruelty done} i.e. The just revenge of that cruelty.

{and their blood be laid upon Abimelech} i.e. The guilt and punishment of their blood unjustly shed. So 2 Sam. 1:16, 1 Kings 2:31, 32, etc. Unto which, though they had not the least respect in their mutual murders, yet it so came to pass by a just and overruling hand of God’s providence punishing them for their sin.

V. 25. {And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him} i.e. Resolving to rebel and cast him off from being any longer their king, they laid a plot by way of ambush to surprise his person, if he happened to come that way weakly attended.

{and they robbed all that came along} Chiefly those whom they knew to be of Abimelech’s party, thereby to weaken them, or revenge themselves upon them for their master’s sake; or, if others with them, then to supply their present wants whilst they lay there in wait.

{and it was told Abimelech} i.e. That the Shechemites had rebelled and laid ambush to surprise him. Whereupon he prepared for war, and sent some of his army into those parts, which restrained the Shechemites from going out of their city to gather their vintage, till Gaal came in to their assistance.

V. 26. {And Gaal the son of Ebed} Who this Gaal was appears not, but it seems he was some famous commander, seeing the Shechemites put such confidence in him that they made choice of him to be general of their forces. See on v. 28.

{with his brethren} i.e. He, his kindred and allies, came in to their assistance, with an intention it may be, after he had overcome and cast out Abimelech, to take the government upon himself.

V. 27. {they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards} To show how much, out of their confidence in Gaal, they now slighted Abimelech, whom before they so much feared that they dared not go out of the city.

{and made merry} Or, sung songs; as they used to do in the time of vintage, Isai. 16:10, Jer. 25:30, Psa. 4:7.

{and went into the house of their god} Namely, to praise Baal-berith for delivering them from the yoke of Abimelech, and to offer sacrifice, and feast in his temple, as it was the custom of those times.

{and cursed Abimelech} In their merry mood they reviled Abimelech, wishing him all mischiefs and mischances.

V. 28. {Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem} i.e. How base is he and unworthy of sovereignty? and how unfit is it that so ancient and famous a city as Shechem should be enslaved under his tyranny? Others think this is not spoken of the city Shechem, but of Shechem the son of Hamor, who in Jacob’s time was governor of it, Gen. 34, and make this to be the meaning: What have we to do either with the one or the other, seeing neither can lay any just title or claim unto it? Not Shechem, or any of his posterity, seeing they are cast out, and their inheritance given to God’s people; nor Abimelech, who has got the sovereignty over it by his own tyranny and usurpation, which in itself is a free city, and to be governed by no other than its own magistrates.

{Is not he the son of Jerubbaal?} His son by a concubine and so has less title unto it than any of the rest of his sons that came of his wives. And though Jerubbaal was worthily esteemed for his worthy acts, yet what is this to Abimelech, seeing he refused to be king when it was offered unto him? And yet his very name Jerubbaal may make his memory of less esteem, who being but a mean private man got his name by that act of his, in destroying the altar of your god, whom you now worship and serve with unanimous consent.

{and Zebul his officer?} Whom he in his absence has constituted his deputy. This he speaks to upbraid them of their base servitude, seeing they had not only enslaved themselves to Abimelech the son of a concubine, but also to Zebul his servant, and so to any other whom he in his proud humor should be pleased to set over them. And of this he purposely minds them to work Zebul out of favor, that they might cast him out of his government, and make choice of him to rule in his room.

{Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem} This he speaks by way of irony and scorn, q.d. If you will needs make yourselves, who are a free people, to become bondmen and slaves; you had better seek out some of the progeny of the noble and ancient lords of this city than vassalage yourselves to such a base and new upstart as Abimelech. And thus persuading them to make choice of some one of Hamor’s progeny, some think he pointed to himself, whom he pretended to be descended of him. Others, more probably, thus: If you will needs serve, then choose such as will not tyrannically rule over you, like Abimelech, but in a fatherly manner, as Hamor did of old.

V. 29. {And would to God this people were under my hand} i.e. Under my sole government. Whereby it appears that howsoever many adhered to Gaal, as having great confidence in him, yet there were others that cleaved still to Abimelech, and were content to submit unto Zebul as his officer.

{then would I remove Abimelech} i.e. I would quickly dispatch him out of the way, and not suffer him any longer to be king over you.

{And he said to Abimelech, Increase thy army} In a bold, bragging and thrasonical manner he speaks unto him being absent: Make yourself as strong as you can with all your allies and friends, and then come out and fight with me, for hereby my victory over you shall be so much the more glorious.

V. 30. {And when Zebul} When he had heard Gaal reproach his lord, and also disgrace him who was his officer and lieutenant, howsoever he had made before some semblance and show that he would not cross the Shechemites in their courses against Abimelech, yet now he was so much incensed with Gaal’s insolence, that he could no longer endure him, but falls, though secretly, to practice against him.

V. 31. {Privily} Lest being discovered to be wholly for Abimelech, the Shechemites should rise up against him, and either kill him or wholly cast him out of his place of government; and also that they not knowing of it, Abimelech might come upon them suddenly and find them unprovided. Hebr. craftily: or, to Tormah. And some conceive Tormah to be the name of the city which v. 41 is called Arumah, where Abimelech dwelt.

V. 32. {Now therefore up by night} That your coming may not be discovered; and lay secretly an ambush against the Shechemites, that they may fall into it in the morning, when some of your company appearing they shall set upon them, and they making their retreat, as though they were not able to maintain the fight, shall draw them into the ambush.

{and the people that is with thee} i.e. Stay not to gather more forces, but come with those you have already, seeing they will be sufficient to execute this design.

V. 33. {as thou shalt find occasion} Heb. as thine hand shall find; i.e. as you shall get opportunity in fighting against Gaal and those that shall come out of the city with him. See the like phrases, having the like signification, Lev. 25:28, 1 Sam. 10:7 and 25:8, Eccl. 9:10.

V. 34. {and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies} Namely, that but one of the four appearing to their view, the Shechemites might be drawn out of the city, and being come out to fight with this one, might fall into the ambushments that were laid by the other three.

V. 35. {and the people that were with him} i.e. One of the four companies.

V. 36. {And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul} Who came in his company, counterfeiting himself to be of his party, that he might encourage him to go out and fight, and so fall into the hands of the liers in wait.

{Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if there were men} He jeers and derides him, as though his sight so failed him that he could put no difference between mountains and men, or rather that he was so fainthearted that he was afraid of very shadows.

V. 37. {by the middle of the land} Heb. Navel: a metaphorical speech borrowed from the resemblance: for as the navel stands out above the belly, so the mountains above the ground about them.

V. 38. {Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth} i.e. Your former great brags and boastings when you saw no enemy? q.d. Is your courage so soon quailed, that your heart faints and fails before you come to fight? And with these scorns and reproaches he puts him on to adventure the fight for very shame, and not dastardly to return into the city, and there stand on his defense.

V. 39. {And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem} Being partly put forward by Zebul’s scorns, and partly conceiving some hopes of prevailing upon sight of Abimelech’s small army, supposing it to be no more but those two companies which he had discovered, whereas indeed two others lay still in ambush.

V. 40. {he fled before him, and many were overthrown} i.e. More were slain in the flight than in the fight, seeing they pursued them to the very gates of the city, and slaughtered them all the way.

V. 41. {And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah} A city near Shechem southerly. Hither Abimelech retired himself with his army, either to refresh themselves after their fight, or to get some better opportunity of surprising Shechem.

{Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren} Taking the advantage of his defeat, which had wrought him out of the hearts of the people, because they thought it had happened either through his cowardice or his ill managing of their martial affairs.

V. 42. {And it came to pass on the morrow} i.e. After they had thrust out Gaal and his brethren, as thinking his insufficiency to act the part of general to have been the cause of their great defeat, they having made choice of a new commander, in whom they had more confidence, and recruited their army, go out again against Abimelech to revenge upon him their former loss, and, if it were possible, to drive him out of the country, that they might not still be endangered by having so malicious an enemy so near a neighbor.

V. 43. {and divided them into three companies} Appointing two of them to fight with such as sallied out of the city, and keeping the third with himself, he lay in ambush near the gates of the city, that when their chief strength were issued out, he might assault and surprise it, being but weakly guarded, or at least might keep them within from going out to second those who were engaged in the fight, and them that were without in the field from making any retreat, if put to the worse.

V. 44. {and stood in the entering of the gate of the city} That he might slay them that being escaped out of the battle thought to secure their lives by getting into the city.

V. 45. {beat down the city, and sowed it with salt} i.e. Did not only wholly demolish the walls without and the buildings within, but also sowed it with salt. This ceremony was used by conquerors being highly provoked by the reproaches and insolencies of their enemies, not only to raze their cities, but also to sow them with salt, in sign of an utter vastation and perpetual desolation. For salt is taken to be both a cause and sign of barrenness, Deut. 29:23, Psa. 107:33, 34, Zeph. 2:9. Yet I have heard there are some kind of soils, even in our own land, of that nature, that they use to manure them with salt, as with dung or marl, and by experience find it makes them fruitful. But salt had the quite contrary operation in those hot and dry countries, making the earth more hot and dry; and therefore Abimelech used it as a sign of barrenness and utter desolation. But herein he failed of his end; for Shechem afterwards was rebuilt by Jeroboam, 1 Kings 12:25, and inhabited, 2 Chron. 10:1, Jer. 41:5. After the captivity it was named Sychar. See on John 4:5.

V. 46. {they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith} Called Baal-berith, v. 4. Hither they went from the tower of Shechem for better security against the power and rage of Abimelech, trusting both in the strength and also the religion of the place, using it as their sanctuary in this extremity of danger. This hold is probably thought to be the same with the house of Millo, v. 6, unto which Jotham’s prophetical curse extended, as joining with Abimelech in that horrid conspiracy against Gideon’s sons, v. 20. It was the strongest and most impregnable fort, both by nature and art, near unto Shechem, like the Roman Capitol, in which was the temple of Jupiter, and which was of such strength that it was able to hold out against the enemy when all the city was taken; even as also the temple was the strongest hold, unto which the Jews retreated when Jerusalem was besieged by Titus Vespasian.

V. 48. {mount Salmon} This lay westward from Shechem, towards Jordan. On it were store of trees, and snow that seldom melted, Psa. 68:14.

{What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done} This he did, knowing that princes’ examples are more prevalent with the people than their commands.

V. 49. {died also} i.e. Were all burnt and destroyed, as well they in the sacred fort as they in the tower.

V. 50. {Thebez} Situate in the territory of Shechem northerly, between the mountains of Samaria and Gilboa. Some think it was the place where Elijah was born. See on 1 Kings 17:1.

V. 51. {and shut it to them} i.e. Made fast the gates with locks, bolts and bars.

V. 52. {fought against it} i.e. Besieged and assaulted it.

V. 53. {And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone} Which, with the like materials, they had purposely carried up to the top of the tower to beat off the assailants. So Pyrrhus was slain by a woman casting a tile upon his head at the taking of Argos.

V. 54. {that men say not of me, A woman slew him} Thus his wicked life was attended with as bad a death. For with a soldier-like bravery he took care for his credit, but none for his soul; yet all in vain: for by this means whereby he thought to smother it was the more divulged: 2 Sam. 11:21. See the like passage, 1 Sam. 31:4.

V. 55. {the men of Israel} i.e. Which followed Abimelech in this expedition.

V. 56. {the wickedness of Abimelech which he did unto his father} In murdering his sons, his own brethren.

V. 57. {And all the evil of the men of Shechem} i.e. Their assisting Abimelech in all his bloody practices against the house of Gideon: wherein they showed themselves as impious against God, so barbarously ungrateful towards Gideon for all his well deserving. These abominable wrongs and outrages God sharply revenged both upon him and them according to the prophetical curse denounced by Jotham v. 20.

CHAPTER 10

Verse 1. {To defend Israel} Heb. save, or, deliver, i.e. to preserve them in peace, liberty, and purity of religion against all that did oppose them.

{Tola} Some think he was not, as the other judges, called extraordinarily by God, but after the death of Abimelech chosen by the people to be their governor, because there is no mention made of any enemies that oppressed them, out of whose hands he should deliver them. From whence they also gather, that throughout all his time they lived in peace. But seeing it is said, v. 2, he judged Israel, and seeing all the former judges were called extraordinarily by God to deliver the people when they were under oppressions, and being delivered to govern them in peace, to abolish idolatry, and to restore God’s pure worship, I conceive that he had the like calling, though not immediately, as Gideon, by personal appearance yet by inward instinct and the collation of heroical gifts, as courage and fortitude, wisdom, zeal, and the rest. Neither does it follow that they had no enemies, from which Tola delivered them, because none are mentioned, seeing there might be enemies and oppressions, though not so notorious and vexatious as in former times. See on v. 11. And though there had been none at all, yet the people in those times needed a judge, to reduce them to the former government, which was suppressed by Abimelech’s tyranny, to abolish idolatries which much reigned and increased in his licentious, profane and anarchical monarchy, to restore religion and God’s worship to its native purity and perfection, and vindicate the seat of judgment from arbitrary injustice and oppression.

{And he dwelt in Shamir} A town of Issachar bordering on Ephraim. There was another Shamir in the tribe of Judah, Josh. 15:48. Or suppose this Shamir was in mount Ephraim, as it is in the letter of the text, yet Tola, though of another tribe, might inhabit there, being judge, for more convenience, as being near the heart of the land, and not far from the tabernacle. Though I incline rather to the former exposition, seeing it is expressly said he was also buried in Shamir, v. 2, which strongly implies that it was in his own tribe, and bordering only on mount Ephraim, seeing it was the custom of those times to be buried in their own inheritance. See on Josh. 24:32.

V. 3. {And after him arose Jair a Gileadite} i.e. Dwelling in Gilead in the tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan, Josh. 17:1, 5, Numb. 32:39, Gen. 31:48. This was not that Jair mentioned, Numb. 32:41 and Deut. 3:14, though he carried the same name, and also got and possessed towns or villages called Havoth-jair. For that Jair lived above three hundred years before this, and had twenty-three cities, 1 Chron. 2:22, whereas this man’s sons had thirty, the old number being thus increased either by themselves, their father, or grandfather. And this Jair being descended from the other, both he and his inheritance kept the old names.

V. 4. {And he had thirty sons, that rode on thirty ass colts} This is added to show that he was a man of great wealth and worth, and that his sons were also of an honorable condition, seeing riding on ass-colts was a token of dignity and authority. See on chap. 5:10 and on Exod. 13:13.

{Havoth-jair} Or, the villages of Jair, so called by Jair the son of Manasseh, Numb. 32:41, and continued by this judge in the same name.

V. 5. {in Camon} A city belonging to Manasseh, in the land of Bashan lying north from mount Gilead.

V. 6. {served Baalim and Ashtaroth} These are especially named above the rest, because the chief and most common idols. See on chap. 2:13.

{and the gods of Syria} This is added to tax the Israelites of their abominable idolatries, who were not satisfied by committing spiritual whoredom with one or two idols of this or that people, but gave themselves up to commit unsatiable uncleanness with all the idols of every nation that lived about them. So Ezek. 16:25, etc.

{and the gods of Sidon} i.e. Astarte. See ch. 2:13.

{and the gods of Moab} i.e. Chemosh, 1 Kings 11:33.

{and the gods of the children of Ammon} i.e. Milchom, or Molech, 1 Kings 11:5, 33, and Chemosh, ch. 11:24.

{and the gods of the Philistines} i.e. Dagon, 1 Sam. 5:2, and Ashtaroth. See ch. 2:13.

{and forsook the Lord, and served not him} i.e. They were so addicted to idolatry that they joined not idols with God in his service, or served him in idols, like their forefathers, but utterly renounced God’s service, and gave themselves wholly up to the worship of idols.

V. 7. {the anger of the Lord was hot} See on ch. 3:8.

{and he sold them} See on ch. 2:14.

V. 8. {And that year they vexed and oppressed [or crushed] the children of Israel eighteen years, all the, &c.} That is, as some think, in that year wherein they fell from the true worship of God to this idolatry, they vexed them; and so from that time to the end of eighteen years. Others reckon these eighteen years from the death of Jair. But this cannot stand with that chronology, 1 Kings 6:1. Others read, they vexed them that year, that is the eighteenth, or the last year of the eighteenth. But this is as far short of the time of that chronology as the other above it. The right sense of the place, as I take it, is this: that the Philistines and Ammonites vexed those two tribes and a half that lay without Jordan for the space of eighteen years, with inroads and incursions into their country, wasting and spoiling all that came in their way: the greatest part of which time they living under Jair’s government, their enemies still by his prudence and prowess were beaten out again. But now in that year wherein Jair died, growing more bold and presumptuous upon the death of the judge, they extend their vastations and oppressions, and make them more general and universal: contenting themselves with the spoils of the Israelites that dwelt beyond Jordan, they crossed also upon the land of Canaan, and distressed Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim, v. 9.

{which is in Gilead} See on Obad. 19.

V. 10. {And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord} No doubt they often cried unto the Lord before, being so long time under such grievous oppressions, but he regarded them not, because their prayers were not joined with true repentance, seeing they still continued in their gross idolatry; but now they repent, not only of their sins in general, but also of their special and bosom sins, their neglect of God’s worship and serving of idols, and humbly confess them with detestation. So chap. 4:3.

V. 11. {And the Lord said} i.e. Either the Lord Christ appearing in human shape, as ch. 2:1 and 5:23, and 6:12, or by some created angel, or some prophet, sent with this message; or finally by his oracle related unto them by the high priest.

{from the children of Ammon} Divers of these deliverances here expressed we do not find related before in this holy history: whereby it appears this people received at God’s hands many more favors and blessings than are here recorded.

V. 12. {and the Maonites} Some read, the inhabitants of the land, to wit, Canaan. Others understand hereby the inhabitants of a city called Maon, upon the south of Judah, Josh. 15:55, to which the wilderness of Maon adjoined, 1 Sam. 23:25. From whence the Canaanites which did inhabit it, and in the tract of Cushan-rishathaim it may be did afflict and oppress the Israelites, are here called Maonites.

V. 13. {Wherefore I will deliver you no more} This threatening was not absolute, as the sequel shows, but conditional, namely, if they did not forsake their idolatry, and embrace God’s pure worship; unto which he provokes and quickens them by this threatening. So Jer. 18:7, 8.

V. 14. {Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen} This is no real command (for the holy and righteous God does never require any man to commit sin) but an ironical upbraiding of them for their folly in committing idolatry, which now they found so fruitless in their greatest need; their idols being no ways able to send them deliverance, though they did cry unto them never so loud. So Deut. 32:37, 38. Thus Elijah derided the Baalish priests, 1 Kings 18:27. See on Jer. 2:28.

V. 15. {do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee} i.e. Punish us hereafter as you please, if we do not persist in your true and pure worship, and utterly renounce our idolatry and all our false gods. Only make trial of us this once, by giving us deliverance out of the hands of our enemies.

V. 16. {his soul was grieved} Heb. shortened, straitened, or straightened. For as the heart is dilated and enlarged with joy, so it is contracted and straitened with grief. Not that God can properly be said to joy or grieve, who in his simple and perfect nature is free from all human passions; but that we may the better conceive of his dealing with us, by a figurative speech grief is ascribed to him, as if he acted after the manner of men, who usually grieve for those that are in misery before they give them help and deliverance. See on Isa. 63:9.

V. 17. {encamped in Gilead} Which they now challenged as their ancient inheritance, ch. 11:13, and also because it was nearest to their country.

{in Mizpeh} The Hebrew word signifies a high place convenient to set watches or watchtowers upon, both to see and to be seen afar off, like our beacons seated on the top of high hills. There were many places of this name; as in Judah, Josh. 15:38, in Benjamin, Josh. 18:26, of which see on ch. 20:1, and Mizpeh of the Moabites, 1 Sam. 22:3. But this did lie upon mount Gilead, ch. 11:29, Gen. 31:49. See on Hos. 5:1.

{what man is he that will begin to fight} i.e. Who will undertake to be our leader in this expedition against Ammon? and for his better encouragement, he shall ever after be our general, judge and governor, ch. 11:8, 9. And when none would accept of it, as thinking the service dangerous and desperate, they resolved to send unto Jephthah, being of known valor and a skillful commander. This is here spoken as an introduction to the following story.

CHAPTER 11

Verse 1. {Now Jephthah the Gileadite} See on ch. 10:3. He is said to be a Gileadite, not because his father’s name was Gilead but because he was born in Gilead. But of what tribe he was, it appears not, though it be very probable he was of Manasseh, seeing the greatest part of that country was in their possession, and the old Gilead was the son of Machir, Josh. 17:3, 1 Chron. 7:14.

{was a mighty man of valour} Both in respect of fortitude of mind and strength of body, whereby he was enabled to achieve noble acts, and to endure those hard labors that are incident to a warlike profession.

{and he was the son of an harlot} Heb. A woman, an harlot. Bastards by the law of God were forbidden to come into the congregation unto the tenth generation, Deut. 23:2. Which is not so to be taken as though they were not to be present in the assemblies met together for God’s public worship, but that they would not be admitted to any public office, either sacred or civil, though they were the bastards of priests or princes. But this case of present necessity dispensed with the strictness and rigor of this law, the end and equity whereof was only to show how much God abhorred whoredom and uncleanness, that the people might avoid it; and not to inflict a punishment upon the person thus begotten, if he abhorred and forsook his parents’ sin, and served God in holiness and righteousness.

{and Gilead begat Jephthah} i.e. One of the posterity of Gilead mentioned Josh. 17:3, and of his name.

V. 2. {they thrust out Jephthah} From having any part not only in their father’s inheritance, in which by the law he had no right, but also in his goods for his present maintenance, in which he might have lawfully shared. And this he counts as a wrong done unto him, and this not acted in a violent course by his brethren alone, but also in a legal way, being countenanced and assisted by their elders and magistrates, as he charges them v. 7.

V. 3. {in the land of Tob} A part of a country lying along mount Gilead, not far from the Ammonites, at the entrance of Arabia the desert, 2 Sam. 10:6, 8. Some think Tob to be a proper name of the man, who was owner of that country. See 1 Macc. 5:13, and 2 Macc. 12:27.

{vain men} i.e. Idle fellows, that had no calling nor means of maintenance, or such as were in debt and danger, and in a desperate condition, 1 Sam. 22:2. Unto such Romulus opened sanctuaries; and Julius Caesar said such stood in need of a civil war. See on ch. 9:4.

{and went out with him} Namely, as their captain in military expeditions, to fetch in prey and booty, on which they might live; wanting other means; and it is likely from the Ammonites; and that with such good success, that the Gileadites were moved to think him the fittest man to be their general, having already approved himself in those wars against them. See the like 1 Sam. 27:8.

V. 4. {The Elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah} i.e. Either by God’s special command, or some extraordinary instinct, or in regard of present necessity; for otherwise a bastard might not bear any public office. See on v. 1.

V. 7. {expel me out of my father’s house} i.e. Gave sentence against me at the suit of my brethren, that I should be expelled.

{and why are ye come unto me now} q.d. You never made me any amends for the wrong you then did me, nor would do it yet out of any respect of justice or love towards me; but all you do is out of mere necessity, because you are in distress, and nobody else will run the danger to help you out of it. See the like Gen. 26:27.

V. 8. {Therefore we turn again to thee now} q.d. We cannot deny but that you do justly accuse us of unjust proceeding against you: but let that be forgotten, seeing we are now come to make you amends. For by turning again they do not mean that they had been with him before about this business, but that they repented of their former actions of unkindness, and now returned unto him with their hearts and affections.

{and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead} At first he was chosen to be their general only; but afterwards, having so well acquitted and approved himself in this warlike expedition, he was chosen to be judge over all Israel, ch. 12:7.

V. 9. {shall I be your head?} i.e. Not only your general in this service, but also judge and chief magistrate over all your country forever after, or as long as I live. This he does not speak as a man that ambitiously thirsted after rule, but out of mere equity and honesty, that having adventured his life in such a desperate and dangerous service, he might be sure of that just reward which of their own free accord they had offered unto him, and being become a public person might no more be exposed to the injuries of his brethren.

V. 10. {The Lord be witness between us} Heb. be the hearer between us. i.e. We call God as a witness, who is present everywhere, and hears all our discourse, and is a just judge to punish us if we do not keep our covenant with you, that we will be unto you as good as our words, and make you our head in time to come as well as now.

V. 11. {and Jephthah uttered all his words} Which had passed between him and the elders of Gilead in the land of Tob.

{before the Lord in Mizpeh} i.e. In a solemn and religious manner, as in God’s presence; before the whole assembly of the people encamped in Mizpeh, ch. 10:17, he repeated the covenants agreed upon between them, that hereby they might be the more strictly bound to observe and keep them.

V. 12. {And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king &c.} i.e. Proceeded according to the law of God, of arms, and of nations, which require first to seek peace upon lawful conditions before the proclaiming of a just war, and if this cannot be obtained, then to proclaim it before they made an entrance into it. This was the custom of the ancient Romans, and, before them, the practice of Jephthah in this place: Deut. 20:10, 11.

{What hast thou to do with me?} i.e. What just cause of war have you against me, and of invading my country? He speaks this in the name of all the people, as their general. See the like expression, 2 Sam. 16:10.

{come against me to fight in my land} i.e. The land which is now under my protection, being entrusted unto me by the general consent of the people, who have chosen me to be their captain and governor.

V. 13. {Because Israel took away} This was a false claim, seeing he had no right to the land he challenged: for it belonged first for the most part to the Moabites; and that part which the Ammonites had was won from them by the Amorites, in whose possession it was by right of conquest until it was gotten out of their hands by the Israelites, who had now held it in their possession for a long time; not only by right of conquest but also by God’s free donation, who being Lord of the whole earth has power to dispose of it according to his good pleasure. See Numb. 21:24, 25, 26, 29, etc., Deut. 2:19, 37 and 3:11, and on Josh. 12:25.

{my land} Speaking in the name both of the children of Ammon and Moab, over which it seems he at this time reigned as chief king. See on v. 24.

{from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan} i.e. That tract that lies upon these rivers, from mount Gilead eastward unto Jordan westward.

V. 14. {And Jephthah sent messengers again} i.e. Further to clear his cause, for the quieting of his own conscience, when he was assured that he fought in a just quarrel, the encouraging of his army, and the convincing of his enemies, that their war was unjust and naught.

V. 15. {Israel took not away the land} Jephthah lays open the untruth of the king of Ammon’s plea; and shows that the Israelites at their coming out of Egypt did neither meddle with the Moabites nor the Ammonites’ land, God having expressly forbidden it, Deut. 2:9, 19.

V. 16. {Kadesh} Called also Zin, to difference it from Kadesh-barnea, Num. 13:26 and 20:11, 14 and 13:26.

V. 17. {Then Israel sent messengers unto the King of Edom} Numb. 20:14. Jephthah relates their ancient passages, to show how fairly the Israelites had carried themselves to all the nations round about them, when they traveled towards the land of Canaan, nor had offered no wrong to any of them.

{and Israel abode in Kadesh} i.e. They quietly bore this unkindness and injury, and did not seek to revenge themselves by taking up arms.

V. 18. {Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed} i.e. They put themselves to a tedious and troublesome journey by compassing about their country, that so they might enter into the promised land, rather than they would give them the least cause of offense.

{and pitched on the other side of Arnon} But were so far from invading the Moabites’ country that they would not make entrance so much as within the border of it, Numb. 21:13, 24 and 22:36.

V. 19. {And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon} When they could not prevail either with Edom or Moab for obtaining a passage into Canaan, they in a fair course assayed Sihon.

{King of the Amorites} So called, not because he was king of all the Amorites (for there were many Amorites on both sides of Jordan that were not under his dominion) but because all those over whom he ruled were Amorites.

{unto my place} i.e. The land of Canaan, which God has given me for an inheritance. For unto this only they pretended, and by this right; and therefore laid no claim to Sihon’s country, which lay without Canaan, but in a peaceable manner desired only a passage through his land.

V. 20. {but Sihon gathered all his people together} i.e. Not only denied them passage, but also in a hostile manner came out against them, the Israelites not having provoked by any injury which they had offered to him or his people.

V. 21. {So Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites} i.e. Having vanquished them in a lawful war, they had just title unto it by law of arms, as being gotten by conquest.

V. 22. {And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites} i.e. All that region which now the Ammonites unjustly challenge, or all the country within these coasts: Arnon on the south, Jabbok on the north, the wilderness of Arabia on the east, and Jordan on the west, Deut. 2:36.

V. 23. {So now the Lord God of Israel} This he alleges as another argument, that they had right to this land, because God the owner and Lord of the whole earth had given it unto them, and that not only in an absolute way of interest and right, but by giving them victory over the Amorites in a lawful war, Deut. 2:30, 31, 33.

V. 24. {Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy God} So he calls him, not because he was a god in truth, but only in their opinion. He was the god or idol of the Moabites, Numb. 21:29, 1 Kings 11:7, Jer. 48:13, over whom he seems that the king of Ammon now reigned, and in that respect Chemosh is here said to be his god. For otherwise Molech or Milchom was the chief idol of the Ammonites, 1 Kings 11:7, 33 and 2 Kings 23:13.

{giveth thee to possess} The Lord has given unto the children of Moab the Emims’ land for a possession, as the land of the Zamzummims to the children of Ammon, Deut. 2:9, 10, 19, 20. But they ascribed their victories to their idols, and possessed their land as their gift.

{So whomsoever the Lord our God shall drive out} i.e. As you think you may justly possess all that which your idol Chemosh (as you falsely conceive) has given you, so much more may we lawfully possess all, that Jehovah the only true God has given unto us.

V. 25. {art thou any thing better than Balak} i.e. Have you better right to this land, or more power and policy to maintain it, than Balak who never yet made any such claim unto it? And this he uses as another reason to evince their right to the land, seeing they possessed it not only by right of conquest in a lawful war, but also by long prescription of divers preceding generations.

{Did he ever strive against Israel?} i.e. Though he hired Balaam to curse Israel, and, if that had succeeded, would have raised war against them, thinking (though falsely) that they intended to invade his land; yet when the Israelites had conquered the country of the Amorites, and were settled in it as their just possession, he never went about to recover it out of their hands, nor so much as made any claim unto it, notwithstanding it did in former times belong to the Moabites: Numb. 21:24, 26 and 22:2, Deut. 23:4.

V. 26. {While Israel dwelt in Heshbon} He reckons up some chief places of the country which the Israelites after they had conquered it did peaceably possess, and by them understands all the rest. Heshbon was the metropolis and chief city of Moab, in which Sihon dwelt; and Aroer, another city towards the east of this land. Of these see on Josh. 13:9, 16, 17.

{three hundred years} The time in a just computation, taking it from judge to judge, came not to so much by above thirty years. But it is usual in the Scriptures to make the sum round, and not to respect odd numbers, more or less: and of this custom Jephthah here made use, it being for his advantage to speak of the longest time when he pleaded prescription. But some conceive Jephthah reckons from the departure out of Egypt, seeing there began his narration, v. 16, and then his account rather falls short of, than exceeds, the just number.

{why did ye not recover them within that time?} i.e. If he had any such right to these towns and country as you now pretend, why did you not all this time challenge and plead it, but suffer the Israelites quietly to enjoy them?

V. 27. {Wherefore I have not sinned against thee} To wit, by detaining your cities and land from you, seeing I have a just title unto them, by lawful conquest, by God’s donation, and by legal prescription allowed of among all nations.

{but thou dost me wrong to war against me} To wit, by picking against me an unjust quarrel, that you might by war cast me out of my lawful possession.

{the Lord the Judge be Judge} i.e. Show himself a righteous judge in determining this quarrel between us, by prospering the innocent and giving them the victory, and punishing them that offer the wrong by bringing them to utter destruction.

V. 29. {Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah} i.e. The spirit of prudence and fortitude. See on ch. 3:10.

{he passed} To wit, with all his army.

{and Manasseh} i.e. Bashan; in which half the tribe of Manasseh inhabited.

V. 30. {And Jephthah vowed a vow} i.e. Before he undertook the execution of his design, he made a solemn vow to God, thereby to move him to prosper his expedition. This was usual among heathen emperors and great commanders, when they undertook warlike enterprises; and was also the practice of God’s people, Numb. 21:2. Of vows see on John 1:16.

V. 31. {whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me} This is a perplexed and confused vow, altogether unlimited to any subject, saving that it seems he intended some reasonable creature; for none else could propound to itself this end of coming forth, to meet him.

{shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it for a burnt offering} Or thus; or I will offer it for a burnt-offering. This vow seems to consist of two branches; the first general, that he would consecrate and devote it to the Lord howsoever, the second more special, intimating the nature of the subject and the manner of devoting it, namely, that if it were fit for sacrifice, as clean beasts, and the turtledove, and young pigeon, then he would offer it up for a burnt offering. Or if his intention was to limit his vow to a human creature, as is supposed, then his meaning was that it should be devoted and consecrated to the Lord, but not in the way of a burnt offering, which was abominable to God, but set apart and sequestered from the world, in a special manner to perform unto him more special and religious service. For if he meant by these words, shall surely be the Lords, that it should be sacrificed for a burnt offering, then are the branches of this vow both one and the same, and no difference between them. But take this vow in what sense we will, we must needs confess, as it is here propounded, that it is very confused and perplexed, rash and unconsiderate. For howsoever it was most likely that a human creature should come out first to meet him, yet it was possible that a dog or some other unclean creature might have done so; and to have offered such in sacrifice, or otherwise devoted it unto God’s service, would have been abominable. Concerning the performance of this vow has risen a grand question amongst the learned, whether Jephthah offered his daughter for a burnt offering, or only consecrated her to the service of God in a state of virginity. And surely the parties are very strong on both sides, both in their parts and proofs. Of the former opinion we have Josephus, most of the ancient rabbis, the best of the Latin fathers, as Ambrose, Augustine, etc., with divers learned and godly men amongst our late writers: of the latter we have divers of the later rabbis, and many judicious divines above exception. It were therefore well worthy our pains, if thereby we could add some light to the deciding of this intricate and difficult question. To which purpose I will a little more largely insist upon it than will well stand with our intended brevity. And I will first premise some propositions, as postulata and necessary requisites, grounded on equity and charity, which being granted will much tend to the clearing of the point in controversy. The first is, that we do not involve Jephthah in a deeper degree of sin than the Scripture does evidently charge upon him, nor aggravate his faults by ungrounded surmises. And this I suppose will amount to no more than to render him blameworthy first for making an inconsiderate vow out of blind ignorance and superstitious devotion, and afterward for performing it. The second is, that we willingly entertain all advantages the text will afford us to clear him from having committed such an abominable wickedness as is laid to his charge, seeing the Holy Ghost has been pleased so much to honor him as to enroll him amongst his greatest worthies, and to eternize his name for his exemplary faith, Heb. 11:32. These being granted, as I cannot excuse him for his making and keeping a rash vow (though the best men have their failings, and there is not one who lives and sins not) so I cannot but acquit him of that horrid act of offering his daughter for a burnt offering; and that upon these reasons. I. This had been such a wickedness as is not only condemned with all detestation in the word of God as the most heinous and transcendent kind of idolatry, but also is against even the light of nature, and therefore abhorred by the very heathens, saving some few who were so blinded with a devilish zeal that they put off all humanity and natural affection. II. Though Jephthah should have made such a wicked vow, yet he was no way bound to keep it, when he saw the result quite contrary to his intention. For vows bind only to that which is good: and if the thing vowed seemed good, but afterwards proves evil, they do not bind; but as it was a sin to make them, so it is a greater to keep them, the one proceeding from rashness, the other from mature deliberation. Again, God in his law had plainly expressed upon what conditions he would dispense with such vows, and how the thing vowed might be redeemed, and at what rates, Lev. 27:3, 4. But whereas it is answered, that Jephthah by profession a soldier, and much living and conversing among heathens, was ignorant of this law, I reply though he were, yet he had time enough between the making and executing of his vow to have informed himself, if not by his own reading, yet at least by asking counsel of the priests, which it is not any way probable he would neglect, when it concerned him so near as the preservation of his only child. And whereas it is further objected, that by that law of redemption a thing devoted of men could not be redeemed, but must be put to death, Lev. 27:28, 29, and that this was it which might bring Jephthah into his error; to this it is answered, that the things there spoken of were only such as were anathematized and accursed for execrable wickedness, and therefore devoted to utter destruction, as Jericho and the spoils of it, Josh. 6:17, 18, and the Amalekites, 1 Sam. 15:3, and so that place concerned not Jephthah’s daughter, who was, as it appears, an innocent and pious virgin. III. There is nothing clearly expressed in the text which may make us conclude, that he either vowed to sacrifice his daughter as a burnt offering, or performed his vow in that sense, seeing the word might be taken not only conjunctively, and I will offer, but also disjunctively, or I will offer. So it is used Gen. 26:11, Exod. 20:10 and 21:15, and in divers other places. And if anywhere the word may be so taken, then surely charity itself binds us to take it so here. And then the sense of the vow will be no more but this: if it be such a thing as may lawfully be offered, then I will offer it for a burnt offering; or if not, it shall howsoever be consecrated unto God. But by the law not only human sacrifices were forbidden, as abominable, but all things that were unclean, Lev. 27:11, 12, 13, Deut. 12:31, Isai. 65:3. IV. It was not in Jephthah’s power to have offered up his daughter as a burnt offering, unless he could have involved others also in the same wickedness: he could not have offered her up himself, seeing it belonged only to the priests to offer sacrifices: and what probability is there, he could persuade the priests to join with him in such an horrid action? Again, what legal power had he to kill an innocent, and take away the life of his dear daughter without any offense by her committed against God or man? Or though it should (which indeed ought not) be supposed he might do it, having a right to dispose of his daughter at his pleasure, yet how could he have offered another, if another had come out to meet him, over whom he had no such color of right, as his wife, or the wife of one in his family? Or doing it, how could he be excused of willful murder? But it is objected, that if we should understand this vow to be a devoting of his daughter to God’s service in a state of perpetual virginity, it would much countenance monastical vows of single life, for which we find no warrant in Scripture before or after the days of Jephthah, yea, the clean contrary in Samuel, who though devoted to God’s service yet had wife and children. And this I conceive the chief reason that has induced godly learned men to think Jephthah’s vow should rather be understood of a burnt offering than of devoting his daughter to perpetual virginity. But why may they not as well fear, that if we take it in their sense, it might be abused to countenance human sacrifices, which were far more frequent than the other? For in truth there is no better ground from hence to countenance this rather than that. For seeing there is in Scripture neither precept nor precedent for this monastical vow of virginity, this example of Jephthah can be but a poor sandy foundation to build it upon, who lived in times of superstition and ignorance, and was himself infected therewith. In which respect his example may well be thought much fitter to serve as a sea-mark to make us keep off from falling upon these rocks and sands, than to be a precedent for our imitation. Other reasons and objections might be added, but seeing we shall have occasion to consider them in the latter part of this chapter, I will refer them to be spoken of in due place.

V. 33. {And he smote them from Aroer} See on Joshua 13:9, 36. Here Jephthah began to invade the land of Ammon.

{to Minnith} A town beyond Arnon eastward, in the borders of Ammon, near Rabbah. See Ezek. 27:17.

{the plain of the vineyards} Or Abel; a city in the country of the Ammonites famous for excellent vines.

V. 34. {his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances} Being accompanied with many other virgins. For it was the custom of those times for women and maids after great victories to sing songs of triumph, Exod. 15:20, Judg. 5:1, 1 Sam. 18:6. See on Psa. 68:11, 25. But though many came out with her, yet his vow reached not to any but one of his own family.

{beside her he had neither son nor daughter} Or, he had not of his own either son nor daughter. Heb. of himself. Which is added as a reason why he made such great lamentation.

V. 35. {he rent his clothes} i.e. In sign of his bitter grief. See on Gen. 37:29, Numb. 14:6, 2 Sam. 1:2 and 13:19, Job 1:20.

{thou hast brought me very low} i.e. I am not so much exalted by my great victory as humbled and depressed with this sad and unexpected accident, whereby I am become utterly hopeless of any posterity. From this passionate grief of Jephthah some conclude she was offered for a burnt offering, and not only devoted to serve God in a state of virginity. But if we consider how great a blessing it was counted in these times to be fruitful, and how great a curse the barren womb was esteemed, and that all hope was cut off from Jephthah, the chief magistrate in the commonwealth, from living in his posterity, we cannot but confess he had great cause of bitter grief. See Gen. 30:23, 1 Sam. 1:6, Luk. 1:25.

{I have opened my mouth unto the Lord} i.e. I have vowed.

{and I cannot go back} i.e. I dare not break my vow; not knowing in those days of ignorance and superstition that the law of God gave him liberty in this case to have redeemed his daughter with thirty shekels of silver, Lev. 27:4.

V. 36. {And she said unto him} Namely, in all probability, when he had first acquainted her with the nature and substance of his vow.

{do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth} i.e. Seeing you have consecrated me as holy to the Lord, to live a virgin and a Nazarite all my days, I willingly agree unto it, and ratify my vow, devoting myself wholly unto God. So Anna, Luke 2:36. See 1 Cor. 7:34, 36, 37. Neither can we probably think, that Jephthah, commended for his faith, Heb. 11:32, should offer his daughter for a burnt offering, seeing that would have been much more odious to God than to have offered unto him swine’s blood, or a dog’s head, Isa. 65:4, and was expressly forbidden as most abominable, Deut. 12:31, and seeing God required that the firstborn children, which were his, Exod. 13:12 and 22:29, should not be offered, but redeemed, Numb. 18:15, Exod. 13:13.

V. 37. {Let me alone two months} Why, say some, does she desire two months, if at the end of them she was not to be offered up in the state of virginity, seeing still living she had time enough to do it afterwards? Because this lamentation was then most seasonable when she was first designed and adjudged unto this condition, and now ready to enter into it.

{that I may go up and down upon the mountains} As being solitary places, and therefore the fitter for mourning and the expressions of her grief in her bitter and passionate lamentations for this great affliction laid upon her, which cut off all hope of having any posterity. Capellus, De voto Jephthae, compares Jephthah with Agamemnon, whose daughter Iphigenia should have been sacrificed, had not Diana turned her into a hind. He fetches her name from Jephthah, qu. Jephthigenia; and says the fable of her transmutation arose from the story here, of Jephthah’s daughter wandering on the mountains. He shows also that Jephthah and Agamemnon lived much about a time.

{and bewail my virginity} Here note, that she speaks not of bewailing her approaching death, or being sacrificed, but her virginity and barrenness.

V. 39. {who did unto her according to his vow} i.e. Did not redeem her, according to the law, but consecrate her unto the Lord, as a virgin to serve him in single life, 1 Cor. 7:32.

{and she knew no man} He does not say, and she was offered for a burnt offering; but, and she knew no man, i.e. lived a virgin, as her father had vowed and she assented. See on Gen. 4:1.

{And it was a custom} Or, an ordinance.

V. 40. {went yearly} Heb. from year to year.

{to lament the daughter of Jephthah} Or, to talk with her: that is they did go to visit her four days in a year, that they might commune and discourse with her, comfort and cheer her in this her solitary condition. See ch. 5:11, where the same word is used to signify speaking or relating.

CHAPTER 12

Verse 1. {And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together} Heb. were called. i.e. Being moved with vainglory, and envying Jephthah’s and the Gileadites’ victory and good success, as they had done Gideon’s, ch. 8:1, and on the same ground, because they were Manassites, whom they emulated, and disdained that they should in anything be preferred before them, in a tumultuous way they assemble themselves together to quarrel and make war against them; whereas if they had not been wholly transported with those vicious and hellish furies of pride and envy, they would with all thankfulness have congratulated their victory, whereby they as well as others were delivered from the grievous oppressions of a common enemy.

{and went northward} i.e. After they had passed over Jordan, they marched with their army into Gilead (which was on the north of Ephraim), where Jephthah lived. See on 2 Sam. 18:6.

{wherefore passedst thou over to fight} i.e. Were not content to drive out the Ammonites out of your country, but also did invade their land, without making us acquainted with it? This was but a silly quarrel, had it been true; seeing herein they had been the more beholding unto them, for doing the work themselves, and saving them the labor, and freeing them from the dangers of it. But they backed their insolence and ingratitude with a lie: for v. 2, Jephthah tells them he had at the first called them unto their assistance, and had they come, they might have accompanied them in the whole expedition; but they refused.

V. 2. {I and my people were at great strife} i.e. The quarrel was chiefly between the Ammonites and us, and not between you and them; and out of my respect to you, as being our brethren, and out of the opinion I had of your valor, which was in such a case so needful for us, I called you in to our aid: but you helped us not, either out of your neglect of us, or else your fear to run the same hazard with us.

V. 3. {I put my life in my hands} Heb. in my palm. i.e. I exposed my life to great danger. A metaphor borrowed from one that carries a precious jewel in his open hand, which is easily snatched away; or a glass that is apt to fall out of it, and be broken. So 1 Sam. 19:5 and 28:21, Job 13:14, Psa. 119:109.

So Jotham expounds this metaphor, ch. 9:17, My father fought for you, and adventured his life far, etc., neither did Jephthah in this sense put his life into his hands, to lay it down, or deliver it up to the Ammonites, but only by fighting with them upon great disadvantages, in respect of his small army and their great multitude, he put it upon an hazard of a dangerous war.

{and the Lord delivered them into my hand} i.e. Confirmed my calling by crowning my attempts with victory: and why then do you, having no reason for it, quarrel against my proceedings, which God himself has approved by giving me such good success?

V. 4. {Then Jephthah gathered together} i.e. When no persuasions would move them to lay down their unjust quarrel, he prepares to stand in his own defense. But why did not Jephthah’s speech prevail with the Ephraimites as well as Gideon’s? Surely it was not because it was less prevalent in itself, or not backed with a strong reason; but partly because Gideon’s was more meek and humble, and so better pleased their proud humor, and partly because they had some glory of that victory by taking of the two kings, Zeeb and Oreb, and in that respect had the chief honor of the day by Gideon ascribed unto them, chap. 8:2, 3.

{Ye Gileadites are fugitives &c.} i.e. The refuse and scum of Ephraim and Manasseh, and so a mongrel generation out of the mixture of both, and therefore cast out of Canaan, as unworthy the privilege of dwelling there, and so fain to have your habitation upon the passages of Jordan, just between these two tribes, but with no esteem with either. And in this regard you ought not to have undertaken a matter of such importance as this war was, without our knowledge, you being so base, and we so noble and superior unto you.

V. 5. {And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan} i.e. After the Ephraimites, being entered their country, were beaten in battle, and wholly routed and put to flight, they took these passages to hinder them from escaping into their own country, as the Ephraimites before had done on the other side Jordan to Zeb and Oreb, chap. 7:24.

{Let me go over} i.e. Pretending they were passengers of some other tribe going that way on their business.

{If he said Nay} To escape the danger, and save his life.

V. 6. {Then said they unto him} i.e. That they might put him upon the trial, and discover whether he were an Ephraimite or no, by his proper dialect and manner of pronunciation.

{Say now, Shibboleth} Which signifies a stream, ford, or watercourse, and so was a word fit for the present occasion, they desiring to pass over the fords of Jordan.

{And he said, Sibboleth} Speaking upon the sudden according to the dialect of his own country, unto which they were so accustomed and habituated that they could not well pronounce it otherwise; especially not knowing what they intended in putting him upon this trial. And thus it is with other nations, as the French and Irish, at this day, who in most words cannot pronounce the aspirate letter. But this was but a hard trial, especially upon life and death, seeing an innocent that had the infirmity of lisping or stuttering might so have perished.

V. 7. {in one of the cities} Hebr. in the cities. The like ellipsis we have 2 Chron. 35:24, 1 Sam. 18:21, Psa. 1:3, Zech. 9:9, John 1:5, Matth. 27:44, John 6:45, Rev. 18:17, 16.

V. 8. {And after him Ibzan of Beth-lehem} There were two cities of this name; one, in Judah, called Beth-lehem-judah; another, on the north borders of Zebulun, Josh. 19:15, which it seems is meant here; but if (as some think) this Ibzan were Boaz, then the other Bethlehem is here meant.

V. 9. {thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad} Out of his own family, bestowing them upon husbands in other families.

{and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons} To be their wives, and live with them in their father’s family. For the husband being the wife’s head, she is to follow him, and not the husband the wife.

{And he judged Israel seven years} Ibzan, it seems, as also the two judges following, living in peaceable times, and doing nothing of special note in the time of their government against foreign enemies, nothing is recorded of them; only they are thought worthy to be mentioned as judges, because they administered justice and judgment to the people, and maintained the purity of God’s true religion.

V. 12. {in Aijalon} Where the moon stood still, Josh. 10:12.

{in the country of Zebulun} This is added to distinguish it from other cities of the same name, as that in the tribe of Dan, ch. 1:35, and some others, 1 Chron. 6:69 and 8:13, and 2 Chron. 11:10 and 18:18.

V. 13. {a Pirathonite} Pirathon was a city upon a hill westward from Samaria and Shechem, where Benaiah David’s worthy was born, 2 Sam. 23:30.

V. 15. {in the mount of the Amalekites} The Amalekites’ own land lay without the borders of Canaan southeast, over against Egypt, at the Red Sea, by the desert of Havilah, as we may see by comparing 1 Sam. 15:7 with Exod. 17:8, but it seems some of that nation had their dwelling in Ephraim, if not, as some will have it, till the days of Saul, yet at least before the conquest of Canaan. And hence this mount bore their name. Some gather from chap. 5:14 that the inheritance of Ephraim extended to the country of the Amalekites.

CHAPTER 13

Verse 1. {Did evil again} Heb. added to commit. i.e. Apostatized from God’s pure worship, and fell to idolatry. See on ch. 2:11 and 3:7 and 4:1 and 6:1 and 10:6.

{into the hand of the Philistines} To be subdued, vexed and oppressed by them.

{forty years} These forty years must not be so computed as to make an interregnum of that space between Abdon and Samson; for that would not stand with the chronology, 1 Kings 6:1. See the preface to this book, and on ch. 3:11. Neither can they be all meant of Samson’s time, who judged Israel only twenty years, ch. 15:20. But one twenty of them being allowed to Samson, the other twenty must be taken out of the times of other judges. And some will have them taken from the years of the precedent judges: and so the account reaches upward to the fifth year of Ibzan. Others, more probably, make them run down into the times of Eli and Samuel: for which they have these reasons: I. The over-numbers in this book are still reckoned to the following judges, who delivered the people from their troubles and oppressions. II. It must needs be that the Israelites’ sin, for which they were delivered into the hands of the Philistines forty years, was after the days of Abdon, seeing it is so plainly said, after the death of Abdon, the children of Israel did evil again. III. Under these three last judges it seems the people fell not into idolatry or troubles but lived in peace, and were not delivered into the hands of their enemies; whence it is that there is no mention made of any war in their times, nor of their victories, or deliverances of the people. IV. It is manifest that the Israelites were under the oppressions of the Philistines a great part of the time wherein Eli judged Israel, even till after his death Samuel succeeded him, 1 Sam. 7:9, 10, 11, 12. There is yet another way of computing these forty years of the Philistines’ tyranny, and that perhaps no less probable than any of the others; namely, by making them to begin at the fourteenth year of Jair, and end at Samson’s wedding, ch. 14. After which account Samson’s twenty years are no part of these forty, but immediately succeed them, and all that is related in this chapter happened in the days of the former judges.

V. 2. {A certain man of Zorah} A city on the west side of that hill which parts Judah and Dan, Josh. 15:33 and 19:41, in whose fields or territory it seems Manoah dwelt, and not in the city itself, v. 25 and ch. 16:31.

{of the family} i.e. Of the tribe. So Amos 3:1, Jer. 1:15 and 8:3 and 10:25, Mic. 2:3.

{of the Danites} Who bordering upon the land of the Philistines were most subject to their incursions and oppressions, and therefore the Lord raises up a judge out of this tribe to defend their country, and to quell their enemies; which he did with such courage and success that some think Jacob had respect to his victories, Gen. 49:16.

V. 3. {And the angel of the Lord appeared} Some think he was a created angel, because he would not have Manoah sacrifice unto him, but to the Lord, v. 16. Which reason is not good; for he says this, not because he was not God, but because Manoah conceived he was but a man. So our Savior taxes the man for calling him good, because there is none good but God, Matt. 19:17, speaking according to his opinion of him, who thought him to be a mere man. But it is very probable this was the Angel of the covenant, the eternal Word of his Father, who usually in those times appeared in human shape: for he is afterwards called Elohim by Manoah, and his wife calls him Jehovah, v. 23, and himself says his name was secret or wonderful, which is one of the names or titles given to our Lord Christ, Isai. 9:6. See on ch. 6:11.

{Behold now thou art barren, &c.} i.e. Unfruitful and unfit to bear or conceive a child in course of nature; but you shall have a son by virtue of God’s promise and covenant.

V. 4. {and eat not any unclean thing} Unclean meats were forbidden to all, Lev. 11, but wine and strong drink, and all that comes of the grape, moist or dry, from the kernels even to the husk, were forbidden to the Nazarites, Numb. 6:2, etc., by which was signified their renouncing of all sensual pleasures and worldly delights, that they might wholly devote themselves to the service of God. And these meats and drinks were forbidden to Samson’s mother, both while she was with child of him and while she gave him suck, because all that time he had his nourishment from her, and God had called him even from his conception to be a Nazarite unto him, unto whom such meats and drinks were unlawful. By which is implied that he himself much more should abstain from them when he came to his own diet, seeing they were inhibited to his mother only for his sake.

V. 5. {no razor shall come on his head} This law was given the Nazarites, Numb. 6:5, 1 Sam. 1:11, that the hair, which was always in their sight, might still put them in mind that they were consecrated to God, and therefore must not do anything unbeseeming their calling; and also to signify that they were mortified to the world, and contemned all earthly delicacy, and neglected the trimming and tricking of their bodies, that they might wholly intend God’s spiritual service.

{For the child shall be a Nazarite} The word signifies one separate, i.e. such an one as is separated from worldly and earthly things, that he may in a special manner attend God’s service. The name Pharisee is of the same signification, but not given of God, but arrogated out of pride and hypocrisy. Now the Nazarite was thus devoted either perpetually from the beginning of his life to his death, or only for a time. The former sort were set apart either by God himself, as Samson in this place, and John the Baptist, Luk. 1:15, or by their parents, as Samuel. The other were consecrated by their own special vow only for a time, as some months or years, at their own choice: and of these those laws concerning Nazarites, Numb. 6, are chiefly to be understood. In both we may observe the legal ceremonies required to their consecration, their outward carriage in their calling, and a moral equity consisting in this, that in special manner they did dedicate themselves to God’s service; and this did perpetually bind them to all due observance, even to the end of their life. Now Samson was a Nazarite by God’s special resignation and command, that he might begin to save his people. And herein he was above all Nazarites a singular type of Christ, and that in many respects. I. He was called, sealed and sanctified even from and in the womb, Luk. 1:35, Heb. 7:16. II. The end why he was thus set apart and designed was, that he might save and deliver his people out of the hands of all their enemies, Matth. 1:21. III. He performed (like Samson) this work of salvation in his own personal strength alone, without the help and assistance of any other, Isai. 63:1, 2, 3. IV. As Samson prevailed against his enemies in a manner without arms or weapons, so did Christ as was foretold, Hos. 1:7. V. Christ resembled Samson both in his birth and also in his death. For as Samson’s birth was above the course of nature, by virtue of God’s power and promise: so Christ also was born of promise, conceived in a supernatural and miraculous manner by the Holy Ghost; and as Samson slew more of his enemies at his death than he had done in all his lifetime: so likewise did Christ. See on Matth. 2:23.

{and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines} Samson did only begin this deliverance, seeing the Philistines did lord it over the Israelites all his life, and it was continued by Samuel and Saul, and not perfected before David’s time. See 1 Sam. 7:13, 2 Sam. 21:22, 2 Kings 18:8. So Christ at his first coming began to redeem us from our enemies; at his second he shall complete his victory, 1 Cor. 15:25, 26, and our redemption, Rom. 8:23.

V. 6. {A man of God} i.e. An holy prophet sent of God. For the Scriptures usually honor God’s prophets and messengers with this title, Josh. 14:6, 1 Sam. 2:27, 1 Kings 13:1, etc., 1 Tim. 6:11.

{very terrible} i.e. Glorious, majestical, and fearful to frail mankind.

V. 8. {and teach us what we shall do unto the child} q.d. He has already showed what my wife shall do whilst she is with child; but our humble desire is, that he may again appear unto us to instruct us more fully and perfectly how we shall order the child when he is born.

V. 10. {And the woman made haste and ran} i.e. Knowing how earnestly her husband had desired and prayed, that the angel, or prophet, should come again to give them further instruction how to carry themselves towards the child according to the will of God, now when he appeared unto her again, she made all possible speed to acquaint her husband with it, that he himself might come and speak with him about it.

V. 12. {Now let thy words come to pass} This is a prayer of faith laying hold on the former promises.

V. 14. {All that I command her let her observe} i.e. Let her abstain from all those things which I forbade her whilst she is with child and gives suck, and afterwards take care that her son refrain from the use of them, seeing God has called and consecrated him as a Nazarite, unto whom in his law all those things are forbidden: therefore what has been inhibited unto her, he must also abstain from, seeing they are interdicted to her but for his sake. See v. 4, 5.

V. 15. {until we have made ready a kid for thee} Heb. before thee. Manoah thinking him to be a prophet, desiring to show him due respect by giving him entertainment and feasting him. The which he utterly refuses; not because angels appearing in human shape did not sometimes eat; for we see the contrary in those that appeared to Abraham, Gen. 18:8, and to Lot, Gen. 19:3. But he moves Manoah, that if he would needs be at that cost, he should bestow it in such a way as would be more acceptable to God, and profitable for himself, namely, by offering his kid for a sacrifice to God, to show his thankfulness for so great a benefit as he had promised unto him. And this he does also, both that he might take occasion hereby to show himself, that he was not a mere man, but the Angel of the covenant that had appeared unto him, by ascending up to heaven in the flame of the sacrifice, and withal that he might further confirm Manoah’s faith in the assurance of God’s promise.

V. 16. {of thy bread} i.e. Of any of your meat which you shall provide for me. For bread in Scripture usually signifies all manner of food fit for man’s nourishment. So 2 Kings 6:22, 23, Matth. 6:11.

{thou must offer it unto the Lord} Q. How could Manoah do this, seeing he was no priest, unto whom only it appertained to offer sacrifices? R. Because the Lord commanded him to do it, who might dispense with his own law. How was it lawful for Manoah to build an altar for sacrifice, seeing the law appointed there should be but one only altar for this use? R. One only was commanded in ordinary, but in extraordinary cases there might others be erected, as when God gave a special command for it, either by vision, as ch. 6:26, or by visible apparition, as here; or by a prophetical instinct of his spirit, as 1 Kings 18:30. Some think that command of offering upon one altar took not full effect, whilst the ark of God was in the tabernacle in a flitting condition from place to place, till it was settled in Solomon’s temple at Jerusalem; and they ground their opinion on Deut. 12:13, Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest, but in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings. See on ch. 21:4.

V. 17. {that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour} i.e. That we, and others unto whom we shall relate it, may do you honor, by acknowledging you a true prophet sent of God, and by presenting you with some gift to testify our thankfulness (so 1 Sam. 9:8, 1 Kings 14:3), which we cannot do unless we know what you are, where you dwell, and what your name is.

V. 18. {Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret} Or, Wonderful. The Hebrew word signifies both, and may here be taken in either sense. My name is secret, therefore not curiously to be inquired after, Deut. 26:29, and wonderful, i.e. so far above the reach of human understanding, that it is rather to be adored than searched into. This is not so true of any created angel as of the Angel of the covenant who is entitled Wonderful, Isa. 9:6, and whose name and nature, as he is God, is secret, wonderful and incomprehensible. And therefore he tells Manoah, that his name and nature were not curiously to be pried into, seeing he is not thus to be known, but only, and that according to our shallow capacity, by his word and works. And so he revealed himself unto Manoah and his wife in his wonderful actions presently afterwards, v. 19, 20. See Gen. 32:29.

V. 19. {So Manoah took a kid} See on v. 16.

{unto the Lord} As the Lord had directed him, v. 16.

V. 20. {when the flame went up toward heaven} Some think this flame was supernatural and miraculous, like that which at Elijah’s prayer came down from heaven, 1 Kings 18:38, or like that which arose out of the rock and consumed Gideon’s sacrifice, ch. 6:21, because nothing is said of fire or wood prepared by Manoah for this service. Others think (and I suppose more probably) that it was ordinary fire and wood from which this flame ascended, I. Because if it had been miraculous, it would have been noted to be so, as those others are, seeing miracles are not slighted over and smothered in silence. II. Because Manoah and his wife being in such a fright would have fallen upon their faces, as they afterwards did. III. Hereby they would have discovered the man to be an angel of God, whom they thought to be a prophet, till they saw him ascending in the flame.

{the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame} i.e. The great Angel of the covenant, who ascending up into heaven carries with him our prayers, our services and sacrifices, and putting them into the golden vials or censers full of the odors of his own merits and obedience, presents them unto God, unto whom they are acceptable being thus perfumed, Rev. 5:8 and 8:3. And this also evinces, that this was not a created angel, but our Lord Christ.

{and fell on their faces to the ground} Being affrighted with the sight of this miracle, and affected with the sense of their own frailty and mortality.

V. 21. {Manoah knew that he was an angel of the Lord} i.e. The eternal Word, the Angel of the covenant: which he calls Elohim, or God; and his wife, Jehovah, v. 22, 23.

V. 22. {We shall surely die, because we have seen God} See on ch. 6:22, Deut. 5:26, Exod. 33:20, Psa. 45:6, Gen. 32:30.

V. 23. {If the Lord were pleased to kill us} She uses three arguments to comfort her husband, and to strengthen his faith in this assurance, that they should not die, as he feared: I. God had accepted their sacrifice, as appears both by his commanding them to offer it (and he requires nothing but what is pleasing unto him) and also by his ascending in the flame of it, to carry it up as it were to heaven with him, that he might present it unto God. II. If he had purposed to kill them, he would not have respected them so much as to show them such a miraculous sign of his gracious favor, as was his ascending up in their sight in the flame of their sacrifice. III. He would not have promised them they should have a son who should begin to save Israel; nor have given directions how she should order herself and the child when he was born. All which must needs have been false and frivolous, if he had not intended they should live to execute what he had given them in charge.

V. 24. {the Lord blessed him} i.e. Endued him with an heroic spirit, invincible valor, miraculous strength, with all other gifts and graces befitting his calling.

V. 25. {And the spirit of the Lord began to move him} i.e. To inspire into him magnanimous thoughts, and to endue him with miraculous strength of body, thereby inciting him to attempt, and enabling him to execute wonderful and more than human acts, only fit for him that was so called to be such a deliverer of God’s people.

{in the camp of Dan} This place was near unto Hebron and had its name either from that expedition of the Danites, ch. 18:11, 12 (and then the things recorded in that story were done before the days of Samson, though related afterwards; see on ch. 17:1), or else because there the Danites at this present had their standing camp, to preserve their country from the inroads and vastations of the Philistines. And here Samson in his youth had occasion to show his strength and valor.

{Zorah} See v. 2.

{Eshtaol} A city in the tribe of Dan; westward towards the great sea. See Joshua 15:33 and 19:41, 1 Chron. 2:53.

CHAPTER 14

Verse 1. {And Samson went down to Timnath} See Gen. 38:12, Josh. 15:10, 2 Chron. 28:18. This city lay westward from Zorah, toward the Mediterranean, and was at first allotted to Judah, Josh. 15:57, but afterward by lot given to Dan, Josh. 19:43. But the Danites not being able, it seems, to drive out the inhabitants, the Philistines, they lived there still (as is very probable) until and long after Samson’s time. Unto this city Samson went. For though the Israelites and the Philistines had oftentimes war one with another, yet now the Philistines having gotten the better, and brought them into subjection upon condition of paying tribute, or otherwise, they now lived in peace, and married and traded together: so that Samson might with safety go down to Timnath, though inhabited by the Philistines.

V. 2. {now therefore get her for me to wife} i.e. Because I dare not marry a wife without your consent, who are my parents, though I much like and love her, therefore I pray you let it stand with your liking, and use your best endeavors to procure her for me. Hereby it appears, that even in those days, which were times of ignorance and much profaneness, even by the dim light of nature and of the law their consciences were convinced of this truth, that children ought not to marry without consent of their parents, Gen. 21:21 and 24:3 and 26:34, 35.

V. 3. {Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren} This is not to be taken literally and precisely (for it had been unlawful for him to have married his brother’s daughter) but, as it is commonly used by the Hebrews, for one of the same kindred: q.d. You have choice enough, and are no ways necessitated to marry a Philistine: for you might marry one of your kindred and allies, or if there were none of them, yet one of the same tribe, or if also there were never a Danite to be found, you should rather choose any that pleases you among all the people of Israel, than seek a wife among strangers.

{the uncircumcised Philistines} The ground of their refusal was because God had straitly forbidden his people to make marriages with these cursed nations, of which the Philistines were a part, Deut. 7:3, Exod. 34:16. And if it were unlawful generally for the Israelites thus to marry, then how much more unbeseeming him who was a Nazarite, and devoted to God’s service in a special manner; from which a heathen and infidel wife would withdraw him, 1 Cor. 7:32, 2 Cor. 6:14. Now they call them uncircumcised by way of scorn and reproach, because such were slighted and vilified by the people of Israel, 1 Sam. 14:6 and 17:26, 36, Gen. 34:14. And that they might the more strongly dissuade him from this match, seeing if he had any respect either to the law of God or his own honor and reputation amongst his people, he had no reason to think of it.

{for she pleaseth me well} Heb. she is right in my eyes: i.e. I so like her person that I have set my heart and affection upon her. Wherein as nature had its work, so there concurred a secret operation of God’s spirit, carrying him on towards the effecting of what he intended should come to pass.

V. 4. {knew not that it was of the Lord} See 1 Kings 12:15, 2 Chron. 10:15 and 22:7 and 25:20.

{that he sought an occasion against the Philistines} Some conceive these words to be spoken of the Lord, that he sought an occasion to revenge the wrongs the Philistines had offered his people, and therefore in his wise providence inclined Samson’s heart to take this occasion to fall at enmity with them, that out of their private quarrel he might proceed to public and hostile actions suitable to his calling. As of old God had made use of the malice and envy of the patriarchs for the accomplishment of Joseph’s dreams and his own decrees, Gen. 50:20, so here he uses the youthful affection that Samson bore to this Timnathite as a means or occasion of bringing to pass his own purposes of being avenged on the Philistines. But then the speech seems improper, that the Lord should seek an occasion by this means of revenge, seeing he might justly punish them at his own pleasure, either himself, or how and by whom he would. Therefore others, and that very probably, understand it to be spoken of Samson, that he sought this occasion against the Philistines, to revenge the cause of God’s people upon them. For though in respect of the public there was cause enough to do it, seeing the Philistines not only possessed a great part of that inheritance which God had given his people, and out of which they were straitly charged to dispossess them, but also had made war against them and held them under subjection, yet this was no plea for Samson in his private and personal way of taking revenge; they having, in respect of the public, concluded a peace between them, unless he had some just cause and quarrel to revenge himself, and the people of God together, upon occasion of some great wrong offered unto him in respect of his own particular interest. But against this exposition there is also a scruple to be removed, namely, if it were his end and aim to seek an occasion of revenging the cause of God’s people in a private way, how is it said that he desired to marry her out of his great love and liking of her person, v. 3, and that she pleased him well, v. 7, especially considering that he not only said so, but also evidenced the truth of his love by his carriage towards her, till she had justly incensed him by betraying his secret to her countrymen, to his great prejudice, and also afterwards by returning unto her, intending to present her with a kid, when that wrong was digested, and his wrath appeased, chap. 15:1.

{for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel} This is added as a reason why Samson sought a private occasion to be avenged of the Philistines, namely, because he would take the whole blame upon himself, and not exasperate them against his whole nation, seeing they had dominion over them, and therefore would revenge themselves upon them, if they saw they had any hand in Samson’s actions against them. See ch. 15:9–12.

V. 5. {and his father and mother to Timnath} They had now changed their minds, and yielded to their son’s desires, either being persuaded by some reasons he had given them, that what he did was of the Lord, and that he was moved thereunto by some secret revelation or special instinct of his spirit, or else being moved by their natural affection to please and give him content, though the thing he desired were contrary to their own judgment and liking.

{and behold, a young Lion roared against him} Being gone aside from his father and mother (as is implied v. 8), upon some occasion not expressed, this lion meeting him, as the original has it, roared, as they used to do after their prey.

V. 6. {And the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him} i.e. Inspired him in an extraordinary and supernatural manner with courage and strength, that by this essay he might confirm him in his calling (as it befell David in the like case, 1 Sam. 17:34) and to encourage him to take up enmity against the Philistines, trusting upon God’s power assisting him, and that he might have matter supplied for his riddle, which proved the occasion and cause of their quarrel.

{and he rent him as he would have rent a Kid} i.e. He tore in pieces this fierce strong lion with as little difficulty as if he had been a tender weak kid not able to make any resistance.

{and he had nothing in his hand} i.e. Neither weapon nor staff, but did it only with his bare hands. Herein Samson was a notable type of Christ vanquishing and triumphing over Satan that roaring lion, 1 Pet. 5:8, Heb. 2:14, by the sole virtue of his own power.

{but he told not his father or his mother what he had done} Because he would not have them speak of his heroic act, manifesting his strength and courage, among the Philistines at Timnath, which might tend to his prejudice, by filling them with jealousies and fears.

V. 7. {And he went down} Namely, being accompanied with his father and mother.

{and talked with the woman} Concluding on the marriage between them, and the time when it should be solemnized.

V. 8. {And after a time he returned to take her} He came accompanied with his parents, v. 9, to solemnize the marriage which they had agreed upon, v. 7. This some say was a type of the calling of the Gentiles; Hos. 2:19.

{and he turned aside to see the carcase} Namely, out of the common way into the place where he had slain the lion.

{and behold, there was a swarm of bees, and honey in the carcase} Which came to pass by the special providence of God, acting this in a supernatural way. For it was never known among naturalists that bees should breed in the carcass of a lion, but only of an ox or bullock; or though they should, yet it cannot be imagined that in an ordinary and natural way the carcass should be consumed, the bees bred, and the honey made in so short a time as we can reasonably think was between the concluding of the marriage and the solemnizing of it.

V. 9. {but he told not them} Neither where he had the honey, nor of the killing of the lion, partly because he would not have it reported among the Philistines, and partly that keeping it secret it might be the subject of his riddle: v. 16.

V. 10. {So his father went down} To wit, as the chief of his company; but with him his mother went also and the chief of his friends.

{and Samson made there a feast} i.e. A wedding feast, lasting seven days, as young men or their parents for them used to do in those times when they married wives, Gen. 29:22.

V. 11. {And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him} i.e. When in a special manner they observed him, his person, stature, strength, countenance, posture, and carriage, all very remarkable, they brought thirty companions, in outward show and semblance to honor him, but indeed to have an eye over him, and to provide for their own safety whatsoever should happen. This I think to be the most probable exposition and so it is approved by the most: for it is expressly said, that when they saw him, they chose thirty companions; and though they had seen him before and were not afraid, that is to be understood of his wife’s father, family, and some special friends, who saw him when he came as a suitor; and not of all these guests which were now come to the marriage. And though they had all seen him before and were not afraid of him, yet it does not follow but that now they might, looking then upon him in a slight and ordinary manner, but now observing him more seriously and advisedly. And though the text makes no mention of anything extraordinary and remarkable in Samson’s person which might cause fear in the beholders, yet it follows not that therefore no such thing was observable in him, seeing the Scriptures do not mention every particular. And though he acted his famous exploits when the Spirit of God came upon him and enabled him thereunto, yet I make little doubt but he had both natural stature and strength very observable above the most men: neither does the principal cause take away the inferior causes and means, but usually works by them. And whereas it may be said that Samson purposely kept secret his killing of the lion lest the Philistines should be afraid of him, seeing his strength and courage; this strongly argues that they had him in jealousy, and were apt to fear him, seeing he was so careful to conceal that from them. And though they knew not his strength by his killing the lion, yet they might suspect it when they observed his person and carriage, and also it is very probable they had heard some famous exploits done by him when the spirit moved him at times in the camp of Dan, ch. 13:25. Besides, it is not likely that though he should have bridemen to grace his wedding they should attend him in so great a number. And if indeed it had been for Samson’s honor to have had such a train, then they should have been chosen by himself out of his own people and familiar friends, and not put upon him by strangers and reconciled enemies.

V. 12. {And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you} A riddle is a dark speech, in which something lies hidden under the literal sense, that is to be found out by the wit of the hearers. And this was a pleasant and innocent exercise of the wit, fit for feasts, to keep the guests from worse employments, Ezek. 17:2, 1 Kings 10:1. And being, as it seems, usual in those times, it was thought therefore fit by Samson to be propounded to his companions, that under the colorable show of custom, he might seek an occasion of having a just quarrel against them: and therefore surely he took them not for friends that came to honor his wedding, but for an ill-affected guard that were set to watch him. Samson’s propounding a riddle to the Philistines, some will have to be a type of the gospel, which is a dark and mysterious doctrine to flesh and blood, and was preached to the world at the time of the calling of the Gentiles: 1 Cor. 2:7.

{within the seven days of the feast} The usual time for the keeping of marriage feasts, Gen. 29:27.

{Then I will give you} As a reward of your wit and industry.

{thirty sheets} Or, shirts. That is, fine linen clothes, which in those east countries they used for sundry purposes, both by day and night. Of this we read, Matt. 27:59, Mark 14:51. So here the same is used in the Greek.

{and thirty changes of garments} i.e. Upper vestments, which they often changed, putting them on and off according to their occasions, as we do our cloaks or gowns. See on Gen. 45:22.

V. 13. {ye shall give me} By way of penalty for your dullness and ignorance. So the condition was on both sides equal.

{And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle} q.d. Accept of my wager, therefore propound your riddle.

V. 14. {Out of the eater} i.e. Which lives by prey, and devours all, and is food for none, came forth meat, fit to preserve the life of others.

{and out of the strong}, i.e. the strongest of beasts that live by prey, came forth sweetness, i.e. that which is most sweet. Which several branches signify the same things, to wit, the lion and honey, but it may be were in the riddle purposely repeated, that they might distract and disturb their mind and judgment in finding out the meaning, whilst they imagined they were several things. An express figure we here have of the sweet and wholesome food of the soul delivered from the death of Christ, by the which the devil and death are both destroyed by him; Joh. 6:51, Heb. 2:14.

{And they could not in three days expound the riddle} i.e. They tired their wits in vain for the three first days of the feast to find out the meaning: and from thence to the seventh day they began to work with Samson’s wife by incitements; but not prevailing with her, or rather she not prevailing with her husband, on the seventh day they provoke the uttermost of her endeavors by terrors and threats, which though (being so terrible) they meant not to execute, seeing she gave them not the least cause of offense, but did her best to satisfy their desire, yet they used this spur to put her on the utmost of her power and skill, that she might prevail with her husband. Thus Satan employed Adam’s, Job’s, Salomon’s wives to tempt their husbands.

V. 15. {And it came to pass on the seventh day} i.e. When the last hour approached in which they must make known the meaning of the riddle or else lose their wager.

{that he may declare unto us the riddle} i.e. That making it known to you, you might declare the meaning of it unto us. Thus the mysteries of the gospel can never be comprehended by man’s natural understanding; but must be revealed by the Spirit of Christ, 1 Cor. 2:10, and the ministry of the church.

{have ye called us to take that we have?} Heb. to possess us, or to impoverish us. i.e. Have you, your father and friends, under color of love invited us to your feast, that you may make a prey of us to our undoing? Though the share of every particular man in this loss came but to a shirt and an upper garment, yet they account themselves utterly undone, and in the meantime (so partial they were and full of self-love) they regard not Samson’s case, who was to lose thirty for their one, if he miscarried in his wager.

V. 16. {Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother} i.e. Whom I ought most to reverence, and of whose piety and faithfulness I have had long experience; and shall I tell it thee, although being my wife you are in a nearer relation, seeing I have been but a little while acquainted with you, and have small knowledge of your fidelity and secrecy?

V. 17. {And she wept before him the seven days} Or, unto the seventh day; or, the rest of the seven days, that is, from the day when his thirty companions began to employ her, which was the fourth day of the feast: for three days they exercised their own wits to find the riddle out, and when they saw they could not do it, they came unto her, craving her help, v. 14.

{And it came to pass on the seventh day that he told her, because she lay sore upon him} i.e. He was so vexed and overburdened with her importunity and tears that he could no longer endure and bear it. And thus he who was able by his valor and strength to rend a fierce lion with ease, and to subdue and slay thousands of his enemies, was vanquished with the tears and importunity of a woman! Which shows that the most martial men may be and often are, venereous and uxorious.

{and she told the riddle} i.e. The meaning of the riddle, to some of Samson’s thirty companions.

V. 18. {And the men of the City} i.e. Samson’s companions which were chosen out of the city to accompany him at the marriage feast.

{What is sweeter than honey?} They do not say that by the eater and the strong is understood a lion, and by meat and sweetness honey, but only in two words express the meaning.

{If ye had not plowed with my heifer} i.e. If my wife had not unfaithfully discovered my secret, being persuaded hereunto by your subtlety, or terrified with your threats, you had never by your own wit found out the meaning. He uses an allegory taken from husbandmen, who in plowing, by the labor of their beasts, find things hidden under the earth, when the plow turns it up; and hereby he taxes both his wife’s perfidiousness, and, as some think, her lightness and overmuch familiarity with them (in which respect he resembled her to a young, wanton and untamed heifer) and withal, their fraud and want of wit.

V. 19. {And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him} See on v. 6.

{and he went down to Askelon} A city belonging to Judah and Simeon, ch. 1:18, but now possessed by the Philistines, and one of their chief and metropolitan cities, 1 Sam. 6:17, Amos 1:8. But it was in such a great distance from Timnath that we can give no reason why Samson went so far to do this exploit, but only this, that the Spirit of God which inspired him to do it, did also by its secret motion carry him thither.

{and slew thirty men of them} This was lawful for him to do, not only because they were of those cursed nations which God long before had sentenced to death and destruction, but also because he was called now of God to be a judge, to deliver his people, and to avenge them on their enemies, and the Spirit of God came upon him and excited him to do it.

{and took their spoil} i.e. Stripped them of their apparel when they were dead. How could Samson do this, seeing he was a Nazarite, unto whom it was unlawful to touch a dead body? Numb. 6:6. R. He might lawfully do it, being inspired and acted by the Spirit of God, who when he pleases may dispense with his own law. And further, that law that inhibits the touching of a dead body may seem to have been peculiar to such as were Nazarites by vow only for a time, and not to have concerned such as were called by God to continue so for term of life, of which kind Samson was; because the other might easily observe it for a time, but not these for their whole life; and if the other were defiled, there were means appointed for their cleansing, Num. 6:9, 10, but not so for perpetual Nazarites. Hence it is, that in Samson’s consecration we find mention of meats, wines and strong drinks, and also that no razor should come upon his head, but nothing spoken of touching the dead.

{and his anger was kindled} i.e. Both against his thirty companions, and also against his wife, because she had showed far greater love to them than to him, seeing she had rather that he alone should bear the whole loss, than that every one should bear a little. And this anger he expressed by a temporary separation from her, but he intended not, as appears by the sequel, a full and final divorce.

V. 20. {But Samson’s wife was given} That is, in marriage, to his companion, i.e. one of the thirty Philistines, whom in the marriage feast he had chosen for his friend, namely, the first and chief brideman, who was nearest unto him, according to the custom of those times and countries; unto which, as some think, John Baptist alludes, Joh. 3:29.

CHAPTER 15

Verse 1. {In the time of wheat harvest} Which in that hot country was in April and May. Hereof mention is made, because this time gave opportunity to Samson of burning their corn, which being ripe and dry, was partly standing, and partly cut down in the sheaf and shock.

{Samson visited his wife with a kid} i.e. Went to visit her with a desire and purpose to be reconciled unto her, having now digested his former wrong. And to this end he carried a kid with him, as a testimony of his love, that they might with their friends in her father’s family feast together.

{and he said, I will go in to my wife} i.e. He said so within himself, or being come to the house, professed so much to her father, that he would go into his wife’s chamber. For in those days the women had their chambers peculiar to themselves, Gen. 24:67 and 31:33.

V. 2. {I verily thought} Heb. Saying I said; i.e. I said in my heart and certainly concluded. So Gen. 20:11, Exod. 2:14, Psa. 94:18.

{that thou hadst utterly hated her} To wit, because you went away from her in wrath and displeasure, Chap. 14:19.

{is not her younger sister fairer?} Heb. better.

{take her} Heb. let her be thine. So to please Samson, he offers him an incestuous match; which he accepted not, Lev. 18:18.

V. 3. {Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines [Or, now shall I be blameless from the Philistines] though I do them a displeasure} To wit, because by this wrong they have given me just cause to take revenge. So verse 11. See Chap. 14:4.

V. 4. {And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes} This will not seem a matter of so great difficulty as some may imagine, if we consider that the land of Canaan abounded with foxes, Cant. 2:15, Neh. 4:3, Psa. 63:10, Lam. 5:18, the which Samson might take in nets and snares, both by his own industry and the help of others, especially seeing the work he had in hand was inspired into him by God’s Spirit, who by his providence could easily supply what was wanting in outward means, being the supreme Lord and of all the creatures, and having them at his command, Gen. 6:20, Psa. 50:11, Exod. 8:5, 16 and 10:12, Numb. 11:31, could easily cause them to fall into his snares. Some refer these foxes to the disciples, Luk. 10:1, some, to the incendiaries intimated Luk. 12:49, some, to heretics, who though opposite to one another yet combine together to waste the church. Whatever mystery may lie hid in this action, certainly this revenge of Samson’s was very suitable to the Philistines’ offense: they by wiles and violence had extorted his secret, and taken his wife from him, and he by force combined wily creatures together to do them a spite.

{and took firebrands} Or, torches.

{and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst} i.e. He fastened them one to another by tails with cords, having a firebrand in the middle, lest being frightened with the fire they should have run into their holes; which they would have done, had they not been thus hampered, rather than into the fields; whereas now shunning the fire at their tails, they tugged each other into the fields, and so set on fire both the standing corn, and that also which being cut down was in the sheaf and shock. In all which we are not so much to look upon these things with the eye of reason in a natural way, and so to describe the manner how it was acted, as to God’s providence, who at his pleasure ordered and disposed of all as was most fit for the effecting of his will: otherwise it were hard to conceive, though they burnt up the dry corn, how they could also burn the vineyards and olives.

V. 6. {Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this?} i.e. The Philistines of other cities, whose corn was burnt up, and not of Timnath, as appears by the answer to their question.

{And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire} As having by their unjust dealing been the causes and occasions of all their losses, he by his giving Samson’s wife to another, and she by giving her consent thereunto, and by her treachery to her husband. Where it is very observable, that she brought upon herself and her father’s house that misery and mischief which she thought to prevent by her wicked discovery of her husband’s secret, chap. 14:15, according to Prov. 10:24 and 11:8, Hos. 8:7.

V. 7. {Though ye have done this, yet I will be avenged of you, &c.} i.e. Though you may seem to have done me a pleasure in revenging my just quarrel, yet seeing you have done it with a wicked mind and in an unjust and tumultuous manner, having respect herein only to your own losses, this shall not serve your turn; but for all this I will not desist till I be thoroughly avenged of you; and then I will for a time, till you have given me some other just occasion of further revenge. In which speech we must not look upon Samson as a private man revenging his own quarrel, but as judge of Israel, called and appointed of God to deliver his people from their oppressions, and to avenge them on their enemies: otherwise these his resolutions could not have been lawful, seeing the nations of the Philistines had not given unto him in particular any just cause.

V. 8. {And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter} A proverbial expression signifying the mortal wounding of their bodies in all places where his blows light, or the total ruin of all their strength and abilities. Such phrases soldiers now have, as pell-mell, and cap-à-pie. See Deut. 28:35, The Lord shall smite thee in the knees and in the legs with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot to the top of thy head. So Isa. 9:14, The Lord shall cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush. Some conceive by hip and thigh to be meant, that he made this great slaughter without weapons, only kicking them with his foot, like cowards, out of scorn and disdain, or knocking and pushing them with his knee: others think this phrase signifies the same that manibus pedibusque does in Latin, and implies the violence and vehemence of Samson’s conflict. The Chaldee paraphrast interprets it, that he slew both horse and foot.

{and he went down} To wit, from Timnath.

{and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam} Etam was a city situate on the south of Judah upon a strong and high rock near the brook Etam, and belonged to Simeon, whose inheritance was mingled with Judah’s, Josh. 19:1. Hither for safety Samson retired himself, that he might not suddenly be surprised by the Philistines, who in all likelihood would seek to revenge themselves upon him, after he had thus slaughtered many of their nation. See 1 Chron. 4:32 and 2 Chron. 11:6.

V. 9. {Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah} Because Samson, whom they went to surprise, was come to Etam, in Judah’s lot, and because of the land of Israel, which they came to invade, Judah was nearest unto them, a great part of the Philistines’ country being in their lot, Josh. 15:45.

{and spread themselves} This implies they were a great army that came in this expedition, as thinking all the Israelites were partakers with Samson in that offense which he had given them, either setting him on and counseling him to it, or abetting and countenancing him in it, or at least conniving at it, and not apprehending and punishing him for it: and so imagining they would rise in his defense, they raised a great army against them, making his private act a cause of public quarrel between both the nations.

{in Lehi} Signifying a jawbone. It was a place in the Philistines’ country bordering upon Judah, and is here called Lehi by anticipation; for Samson afterwards gave it this name upon occasion of that slaughter which he had made with the jawbone of an ass, verse 17.

V. 10. {Why are ye come up against us?} q.d. We have given you no cause to make war against us, seeing we live in subjection to you, pay our tribute, and observe all covenants of peace made between us.

{And they answered, to bind Samson are we come up} i.e. We will have nothing to do with you, but only with Samson, who has greatly wronged us, unless by protecting him you make his offense yours, and so draw upon yourselves our just revenge.

{to do to him as he hath done to us} i.e. Proceeding in a common course of justice and equity, to put him to death, who has slaughtered so many of us. Therefore deliver him into our hands, that hereby it may appear you are not guilty of his faults, and we will depart and no further trouble you.

V. 11. {what is this that thou hast done unto us?} i.e. In what a labyrinth of troubles and dangers have you involved us, by incensing the Philistines against us who are under their subjection?

V. 12. {We are come down to bind thee} i.e. Though we have no quarrel against you for anything done by you in respect of ourselves, more than this, that you have incensed the Philistines against us, who are able to do us mischief, yet we must bind and deliver you into their hands, to give them satisfaction, appease their wrath, and turn away their army from us.

{Swear unto me that ye will not fall upon me yourselves} He does not expostulate with them, as he justly might, nor upbraid them with their cowardice and faintheartedness, not daring to join with him whom God had called to be their judge and deliverer; nor with their base treachery in betraying him into the hands of their common enemies, but only desires to be secured that they themselves would do him no mischief, lest if they refused to do this, he might thereby have just cause to turn his strength against them in a way of just revenge, and stand it out in his own defense: where he shows his great love towards them, and care of their safety as well as his own, seeing he was solicitous to prevent any hurt which might befall them either from himself or Philistines, choosing rather to be bound to give them satisfaction than they should be exposed to their revenge if they refused it. Now as Samson abode to be bound by his own countrymen, that his freeing of himself and his victory over his enemies might be the more glorious; so Christ, though he could have called in twelve legions of angels to his rescue, yea with a word laid his enemies on the ground, yet was willing to be bound, that his triumph might be the greater.

V. 13. {but surely we will not kill} This asseveration it is very likely they ratified with an oath, as he required, to give the better satisfaction, and make him the more willingly submit to be bound by them.

{And they bound him with two new cords} And so the stronger and more hardly broken. Herein Samson was a type of Christ, who was bound by the Jews, and delivered up to death by the hands of the Gentiles, Matth. 27:2.

{and brought him up from the rock} i.e. To Lehi, where the Philistines were encamped; that so by laying all the blame upon Samson, and exposing him to extreme danger free themselves from them whom they feared.

V. 14. {the Philistines shouted against him} To wit, for joy, because their chief enemy was fallen unto their hands.

{and the spirit of the Lord} i.e. The spirit of strength, courage, and earnest desire to fight.

{and the cords—became as flax [or, as threads made of flax] that was burnt [or, scorched] with fire} i.e. Were as easily broken by his irresistible strength as threads of burnt or singed flax.

V. 15. {And he found a new jawbone of an ass} i.e. Which had not been long dead, and was therefore the stronger and tougher. Thus the rude unlearned tongues of the apostles prevailed over many thousand.

V. 16. {With the jawbone of an ass heaps upon heaps} Heb. an heap, two heaps. i.e. By this weak means and contemptible instrument, through God’s almighty power and assistance, I have slain a thousand his and of his people’s enemies, and laid their dead bodies on heaps one upon another.

V. 17. {called that place Ramath-Lehi} That is, The lifting up of the jawbone, or, The casting away of the jawbone.

V. 18. {And he was sore athirst} His great labor and pains in the fight by heating his body made him dry and thirsty: besides which natural cause there might also be a special hand of God in it, that hereby he might humble him, and keep him from being proud of so great a victory achieved by himself alone. And thus God usually deals with his servants whom he has used as instruments in great and glorious employments, knowing how prone we are to fall into this odious sin of pride, if his grace by such means as these do not restrain and humble us. This thirst of Samson’s after his victory some make a type of that of our Savior’s about the end of his passion, Joh. 19:28.

{and called on the Lord} i.e. Being destitute of all other help in a place where there was no hope of finding any water, he seeks unto God as all-sufficient, craving relief from him in his great extremity.

{Thou hast given this great deliverance} He ascribes the whole victory unto God, and gives him all the glory of it; and withal, makes it a ground of strength in his faith in this assurance, that God would hear his prayer: for he that had done the greater, in giving him such a glorious victory, would not deny him the less, but either take away his thirst, or give him some means to quench it.

{into the hand of thy servant} i.e. Who in all this fight have been but your instrument to perform that service which you would have done, the which I have faithfully performed, though to the extreme peril of my life; and therefore contracting such a calamity upon me in such an employment, and by my faithful walking in my calling, I cannot but hope that you will relieve and refresh me.

{and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised} q.d. Certainly I shall not, or surely I can by no means believe it, seeing this would blast and black all the glory of the former action, and spoil God of the honor due unto him, seeing the enemies would be ready to say it was not his power that gave the victory, for then he would now have been as able to keep Samson from perishing by thirst, or from falling through faintness into the power of his enemies. See Heb. 11:32, 2 Sam. 17:26, 36, 2 Sam. 1:20.

V. 19. {But God clave a hollow place} Hebr. a mortar. i.e. An hollow place in figure like a mortar. See Prov. 27:22.

{that was in the jaw} Or, Lehi. Not in the jawbone itself, but in the place called Lehi or Jawbone on this occasion, did this spring arise.

{and when he had drunk, his spirit} i.e. His vital spirits, now well-nigh wasted and spent with labor, heat and thirst.

{came again} Which was ready to depart, and so he to die, by reason of this thirst.

{and he revived} Being thus refreshed, he became lively, strong and vigorous.

{wherefore he called the name thereof} i.e. Not of the jawbone, but of the spring in Lehi.

{En-hakkore} That is, The well of him that called, or, cried. This name he gave it in memorial of God’s great mercy, and to testify his thankfulness both for his giving him so great a victory over his enemies, and also for his miraculous raising up of his spring to refresh his fainting spirits, when he was ready to die of thirst, and for a perpetual monument of the efficacy of prayer.

{which is in Lehi unto this day} i.e. The time when this story was written, which was many years after these things were acted. And therefore the spring of water was not in the jawbone, which every passenger that saw it might carry away, and would surely have done it, especially in those far countries, in which they had so much need of a fountain of water, but the place called Lehi upon this occasion.

V. 20. {And he judged Israel} i.e. He revenged their wrongs upon the Philistines, and so in some degree gave them deliverance, though he did not fully free them from their tyranny. See on ch. 13:5.

{in the days of the Philistines} i.e. When they held the Israelites in subjection, and tyrannized over them.

{twenty years} Ch. 16:31.

CHAPTER 16

Verse 1. {Then went Samson to Gaza} Gaza lay in that part of the country towards the Mediterranean which was allotted to Simeon and Judah, but was one of the greatest and most famous cities of the Philistines, therefore Samson could not go thither without great danger, having lately slaughtered such a multitude of them. But it seems he had some weighty occasion drawing him, which is not here expressed; he resolved to go thither secretly, relying either on his secrecy, or on his courage and strength, if he happened to be discovered; or else he did it out of contempt of his enemies, who he had found by experience were not able to stand in his hands. Of this city see on chap. 1:18, Amos 1:6, Zeph. 2:4.

{and saw there an harlot} He went not to Gaza purposely to see this harlot, as some have conceited, but being come thither, and accidentally setting his eye on her, he was inveigled with her beauty; and loving, or rather lusting after her, he committed uncleanness and folly with her, Gen. 16:2 and 38:16, 18. A weakness no less to be wondered at than his great strength, that he who so gloriously overcame whole multitudes of men should so basely suffer women to overcome him, that he who would not drink wine should be drowned in lust.

V. 2. {they compassed him in} i.e. As some think, they environed the house where he lodged, in some distance, that they might not be discovered; or, as others, hearing that he was secretly come to the city, and not knowing where he harbored, they set a strong watch at the city gate through which he was to return, that they might suddenly kill him before he was aware at his going out, which lay quiet and silent all night, lest he hearing any noise or tumult might grow suspicious that he was discovered and betrayed.

V. 3. {And Samson lay till midnight, and arose} i.e. Having satisfied his lust, he thinks of providing for his safety, and suspecting that the next day’s light might discover him, he rises at midnight, and prepares to be gone.

{and took the doors of the gate of the City} i.e. Finding the gate locked, barred and bolted to prevent his escape, he pulled up the two posts upon which it hanged, and carried all away, posts and gate and bar, upon his shoulders, the watchmen (as is most probable) being all run away affrighted with his sudden approach in that dead season of the night. Wherein Samson was a type of Christ, who rising again after he had vanquished sin and Satan, death and hell, maugre all opposition and means used to prevent it, did strike the soldiers appointed for a watch with fear and astonishment, and did go away in triumph, carrying with him the trophies of his victory, Isai. 63:1, 2, 3, Act. 2:24.

{and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron} i.e. Not to the hill adjoining to Hebron; for that was above twenty miles from Gaza, and it is not probable he would carry such a burden so far, no reason appearing that should induce him to it; but to a hill that lies eastwards from Gaza, from whence one might see Hebron seated upon another hill right over against it.

V. 4. {And it came to pass afterward that he loved a woman} i.e. Having once defiled and drenched his soul in the deep pit of sin and uncleanness, Prov. 22:14 and 23:27, contrary to the profession of a true Israelite, much more of a pure and holy Nazarite, instead of rising out of it by unfeigned repentance, he sinks deeper and deeper into this whirlpool, and relapses again into the same sin.

{in the valley of Sorek} Which is called the grape-valley, from the abundance of the best grapes growing there. Some read by the brook Sorek, which runs along by the valley of Eshcol, where those grapes grew, Deut. 1:24. And some think that these are both one, Num. 13:23, 24.

{whose name was Delilah} This also, like that at Gaza, was a Philistine harlot, as plainly appears by her acquaintance and compliance with the lords of the Philistines, and her hiding of the Philistines in her house that by those lords were appointed to apprehend Samson.

V. 5. {and said unto her, Entice him} i.e. Use all the art and skill which they commonly have that are of your profession, and allure him to discover unto you this great secret, in what part of his body or other qualification his strength chiefly lies.

{that we may bind him to afflict him} Or, humble him. They do not say, to kill him, lest it may seem harsh and cruel to a woman that had entertained him for her paramour, and professed so much love unto him; but, to afflict and correct him for all the wrongs he had done unto their nation, and so to tame and humble the haughtiness of his spirit. And in truth their intention was not to have him killed, because his bare and sole death could not satisfy their rage and malice, unless they did first triumph over him in his miseries, and torment him worse than death with their insolencies and indignities.

{and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver} Which if every one of the five lords of the Philistines agreed to give, it amounted to five thousand and five hundred pieces, which came to six hundred eighty-seven pounds and ten shillings, if we take these pieces for shekels, and value each at two shillings sixpence. Which great sum offered to a woman of that base condition showed how much they thought the matter did concern them, and how earnestly they desired to have it achieved.

V. 6. {Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth} It is not to be doubted but she used all her art and skill to make and prepare a way for her suit, and that she did not bluntly propound it, but allured him with all signs of her love, that she might free him from all suspicion of treachery, magnified his heroic acts, and wondered at his more than human strength whereby he achieved them, and then desired for her own satisfaction to know wherein his great strength did lie, and added many promises, confirmed it may be with oaths (which are most common with those of her profession) that she would keep it to herself as a great secret.

V. 7. {If they bind me with seven green withs} Heb. moist: or, with new cords. This he says, hoping this would satisfy her without making any trial of it, or at least for the present to free himself from being vexed and pressed with her importunity to discover that secret which he was purposed to conceal.

V. 8. {which had not been dried} Dryness would have made them brittle; but these were green, strong and tough, and so hard to be broken.

V. 9. {Now there were men lying in wait} i.e. Ready to apprehend him, if the experiment proved true: otherwise they dared not appear for fear of Samson.

{The Philistines be upon thee} Are at hand ready to surprise you, if you do not prevent it by standing in your own defense. All this was done unto him in a way of sport and wanton dalliance, or when she had caused him to sleep on her lap, as v. 19, the former is much more probable, seeing it is not likely she could bind him fast with hard withes, and not awake him.

{So his strength was not known} i.e. Neither to her, nor to the Philistines, either whence it came, or how it was retained and preserved.

V. 10. {And Delilah said unto Samson} To wit, at some other time afterwards, when she found him in a good mood, being bewitched with her flatteries and allurements. For it would not stand with her policy to attempt it presently after her former failing and defeat, lest she should work in his head some suspicion of treachery or intention of evil.

V. 11. {And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes} Herein Samson discovers great weakness, in that having had experience that Delilah would put what he said upon trial whether it were true or no, he would again feign a false cause, because he had not the patience to endure the vexation of her importunity, though she gave him just cause to suspect her evil intention towards him.

{that never were occupied} Heb. wherewith work had not been done. Namely, to wear and weaken them.

V. 13. {If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web} That is, if you do part the hair of my head into seven locks; or, if you do take them as they are already so divided, verse 19, and weaving them with the web, do wind them both about the beam of the loom. Here Samson begins to faint indeed, now he suffers the false strumpet to finger his consecrated locks. See on verse 19.

V. 14. {And she fastened it with the pin} i.e. Having done all according to Samson’s appointment, she for more surety fastened the beam with a pin, that when Samson rose it might not turn or move.

{went away with the pin, web, and beam} Upon which his hair was woven and wound, and carried all away with him.

V. 15. {when thine heart is not with me} i.e. When you bear no true affection towards me, but only make an outward show of love to serve your own turn.

V. 16. {so that his soul was vexed unto death} i.e. Grievously distracted, on the one side being extremely loath to discover a secret which did so nearly concern him, on the other being no less loath to deny her anything upon whom he so impotently doted, especially being so pressed with her daily importunity, and his life so embittered, that having no rest nor comfort he chose rather to die than to live.

V. 17. {that he told her all his heart} Behold here man’s frailty and weakness when left to himself and his own corrupt heart, especially to the base lusts of uncleanness and carnal concupiscence. Samson, one of God’s great worthies, commended for his faith, and ennobled by his glorious victories, who with his hands rent a roaring and ravening lion as if he had been a kid, and slaughtered and routed a great army of his enemies, is now become so impotent, being vanquished by his prevailing lusts, that he is vexed even to the death by the importunity of a filthy harlot, and not able to keep from her a secret, the concealing whereof concerned him no less than his life. Yea, though he had had thrice experience that she intended to betray him unto death, yet his doting affection so blinded him that he could not beware, but discovered unto her all that was in his heart concerning this great secret, though it tended to his utter ruin. And thus did God justly give him up to fall into the following miseries, that thereby he might severely, yet deservedly, correct him for his former uncleanness, and his relapsing now again into the same sin.

{If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me} Not because his strength lay in his hair; for it was God’s free gift of grace, conferred upon him particularly, and not upon another Nazarite, that he should be of such an invincible strength that none of God’s enemies could stand before him; but because being a Nazarite, he was by God’s express command enjoined not to cut his hair, ch. 13:5, Numb. 6:5, which he transgressing, and breaking his vow, God withdrew from him his Spirit of strength and courage, and left him to his own human frailty. And this is noted to be the true, real and moral cause of his weakness, that the Lord was departed from him, verse 20, of which the preserving of his hair was but a shadow and ceremony. Some conceive that from this story of Samson the fable of Nisus had its original, whose power and life both are feigned to have depended on his purple hair, Ovid. Metamorph. lib. 8.

V. 18. {And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart} Namely, by his countenance, gesture, speech, and serious carriage of himself in all his relation.

{Come up this once} i.e. Though divers times before you have lost your labor and come in vain, because being myself deluded by Samson I have deluded you, yet if you please to come but this once again, you shall not fail of your desire.

{and brought money in their hand} i.e. Which they had promised to give her as the reward of her treachery, verse 5, this they now brought, lest she suspecting their payment should be more cold and slack in executing their design.

V. 19. {and she caused him to shave off} She might have suddenly dispatched him by cutting his throat: but this she had not in her commission; or if she had, yet perhaps she would have been loath to do it, in respect of that love and dalliance which had been between them, he having not given her any cause of distaste. And besides, the Philistine lords desired not his present death, but by putting out his eyes, to make him sure enough for doing them any further hurt, and to keep him in prison to do their drudgery, and, when they pleased, to make them sport; they in the meantime deriding, insulting and triumphing over him. But chiefly this preserving of his life came of God, who inclined their hearts unto it, that he living till his hair were grown again, and in the meantime by repentance renewing his covenant, and so recovering his strength, might at his death destroy more of them than he had done in his whole life.

{the seven locks of his head} Into which all his hair was divided and plaited, that he might the more easily cast it behind him upon his shoulders, and keep it from fluttering over his face, and so hindering his sight. The gifts of the Holy Ghost (amongst which Samson’s extraordinary strength and courage was one, ch. 13:25 and 14:6, 19 and 15:14, Isa. 11:2) are often in Scripture represented by the number of seven, to note their perfection; so Exod. 23:37, Zech. 3:9 and 4:2, Rev. 1:4 and 5:6.

{and she began to afflict him} i.e. To vex and trouble him, by her sudden rousing him out of his sleep, jogging, thrusting, and calling upon him, as before. Yea, and it is like, before she did this, she bound him, as she had formerly done: which bonds, when he awaked, he was not able to break: for otherwise she could not have known that his strength was gone from him, nor dared have called in the Philistines that waited to apprehend him.

V. 20. {and said} i.e. Thought within himself.

{I will go out and shake myself} i.e. Rouse up myself and spirits, and put off drowsiness, that I may go about my employments.

{And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him} Because upon his sudden awaking he observed not either his binding or shaving, or that the Lord had deprived him of that supernatural strength whereof his hair was a ceremonial sign and figure, which he had continued unto him, so long as he continued in obedience and kept his vow. Some make Samson even in this also a type of Christ, whose divinity withdrew as it were for a while, that his humanity might suffer.

V. 21. {But the Philistines took him} When God leaves us our enemies take us, and have power over us to use us at their pleasure; we not being able to make any resistance in our own strength.

{and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza} Herein the Philistines had their ends, and God his, unto which he made theirs subservient. The Philistines in a revengeful way put out Samson’s eyes, to make him miserable, and his life uncomfortable, and to secure themselves from all fear of danger by him in future times; and they carried him along through the country, that the people all the way might flock about him, gaze upon him, and insult over him; and they brought to Gaza rather than any other place, not only because being one of their chief cities, there was in it the greatest concourse of people to mock and abuse him, but also because they might there triumph over him in his misery where he had formerly dishonored them by carrying away the gates and posts of their city. But God’s end in all this was, to bring blind Samson to a sight of his sin, that he might unfeignedly repent of it; leading him as it were by the hand to take notice of it, by the resemblance that was between it and the punishment. For his eyes were first put out, which were the instruments and organs of inflaming his lust, by glancing and gazing on a filthy harlot; and Gaza must be the place where he must suffer punishment, imprisonment, and even death itself, where he first acted his sin of uncleanness.

{and he did grind in the prison house} Being a great worthy he is made a drudge, and not suffered to eat his bread before he earned it by his slavish service. See in Isa. 47:2.

V. 22. {Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow} And with it his strength, whereof it was a sign; Samson in the meantime reconciling himself unto God by unfeigned repentance; renewing his vow which he had broken, and so recovering his former state of a Nazarite, from which he had fallen, and above that, the love and favor of God, whom by his sins he had displeased.

{after he was shaven} Or, as when he was shaven. i.e. It began to grow towards that length it was of when he was shaven. Which shows that there continued some good time before they called him out to make them sport at Dagon’s feast. And why they deferred so long, after they had surprised Samson, to praise their idol for delivering him into their hands, we cannot guess, unless perhaps this feast was anniversary in remembrance of so great a benefit; and this the second year wherein it was celebrated.

V. 23. {Dagon their god} The Philistines lived on the seacoast, and therefore had a sea-idol which they worshiped. For Dagon is derived from the Hebrew word Dag, signifying a fish, because it was portrayed like a fish from the middle downward, having the upper part like a man, 1 Sam. 5:4. Such idols other heathens worshiped, as gods of the sea, to wit, Neptune, Leucothea, Triton, etc. See on 1 Chron. 10:10.

V. 24. {slew many of us} Heb. multiplied our slain.

V. 25. {when their hearts were merry} Heb. when their heart was good. i.e. Frolic and of good cheer. So chap. 18:20 and 19:6, Ruth 3:7, 2 Sam. 13:28.

{that he may make us sport} To wit, passively, that he may be the subject of our mirth. Herein also Samson was a type of our Savior, whom his enemies made the subject of their scorn and malice, Matth. 26:67, 68 and 27:29.

{made them sport} Heb. made sport before them. i.e. He became the subject of their sport, and gave them occasion of laughter, either by unwillingly committing some errors and mistakes being blind, or willingly to blind them by these shows, that they might not discover his main intention.

{they set him between the pillars} As in a place where he might be best seen by the princes and people met together.

V. 26. {whereupon the house standeth} i.e. The temple of Dagon, wherein these idolaters kept their feast, as the manner was. See chap. 9:27.

{that I may lean upon them} Pretending weariness, either by his grinding in the mill, or his long standing there to make them sport, or his sudden and speedy coming to that place.

V. 27. {there were upon the roof about three thousand men} As being flat after the manner of those countries.

V. 28. {remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me} Whereby it is evident that he relied not upon his hair now newly grown, nor on his own strength, but only on that strength which he expected to receive from God for the aiding and executing of his intended work.

{that I may be at once avenged} He does not seek, as a private person, to take vengeance out of God’s hand, to whom alone it belongs, Rom. 12:19, but being a public person and a judge, he desires that he might, as God’s substitute and vicegerent, be the instrument under God of executing vengeance upon God’s and the church’s enemies.

{for my two eyes} Not so much for doing me a private wrong, in respect of my person, as because they have thereby disabled me to fight in God’s quarrel for the deliverance of his people. This his prayer was made by the extraordinary instinct of God’s Spirit, according to his will, as appears, in that God heard this prayer of faith, Hebr. 11:32, and accordingly gave him supernatural strength to act this great and miraculous work according to his desire; which otherwise he would not have done, if he had asked amiss, to satisfy his lust in a way of private revenge, Jam. 4:3.

V. 30. {Let me die with the Philistines} Here is no warrant or ground to encourage or countenance self-murderers; seeing what Samson did, was done by an extraordinary instinct of God’s Spirit. Neither was this the principal end at which he aimed, to kill himself, but the destruction of God’s and his church’s enemies, unto which he was called and consecrated as a public person and a judge, though his own death did follow as a necessary consequent; the which he contemned in regard he should pull so many thousand Philistines into the pit with him, and out of the fervency of his zeal devoted himself to glorify God and give deliverance to his people by doing of this service. Nor was this a despairing speech of one impatient in respect of his miseries to live any longer, but of a faithful man hazarding himself even to the death, that he might do God service, and that not in an ordinary way, but by an extraordinary motion of the Holy Ghost inspiring him and suggesting unto him this prayer. Wherein Samson was a type of our Lord Christ, who humbled himself to the death, that he might save his people out of the hands of all their spiritual enemies, Phil. 2:8.

{So the dead which he slew at his death were more} Herein also he was a figure of Christ, who by his death overcame death, and him that had the power of death, the devil, with all the power of hell, Heb. 2:14.

V. 31. {Then his brethren—came down and took him} The Philistines condescending thereunto, either being overruled by God, who has the hearts of all men in his hand, Prov. 16:1, or being affected for the present by this common calamity, or because they were so weakened by the death and loss of their princes, principal commanders, the flower of their chivalry, and chiefest of their people, that they thought it not fit to provoke the Israelites by denying their request, grounded on humanity and common honesty and civility, and turning them off with an harsh answer. And here again we have some typical resemblance of Christ’s body begged of Pilate, and buried by Joseph, Matth. 27:57.

{between Zorah and Eshtaol} See ch. 13:2.

{And he judged Israel twenty years} See ch. 13:20.

CHAPTER 17

Verse 1. {And there was a man} It is not certainly known when the things in this and that following chapters were done. But most of the learned expositors upon evident grounds do agree, that they happened not in Joshua’s time, nor in the days of the elders that survived him: for all that time Israel served the Lord, Josh. 24:31, and did not commit such gross idolatry as is related in this chapter. Neither did these things happen after the death of Samson, but it is probable some hundreds of years before, soon after the death of Joshua and the elders. For I. It appears, ch. 2:8–13, that they being all dead, the generation that succeeded fell from God and his true worship, corrupted his pure religion, and set up gross idolatry. II. Some hold that Jonathan the Levite, the Danites’ idol-priest, was the son of Gershom, who was born unto Moses before he went into Egypt out of Midian, Exod. 2:22, three hundred and fifty years before Samson died. See on chap. 18:30. III. The story of the Levite’s concubine, chap. 19, and of the war with Benjamin, ch. 20 (which happened after this of Micah’s idolatry, as some gather from ch. 20:1), was acted when Phinehas the grandson of Aaron was high priest, and therefore not after the days of Samson, unless we will say that Phinehas lived (which is not likely) above three hundred years. See on ch. 20:18. IV. If the desolation of Benjamin, chap. 20:35, 48, happened after Samson’s time, the increase of that tribe, 1 Chron. 12:29, is very wonderful. These reasons (whereunto others might be added. See on ch. 18:1, 12 and 19:10) make it more than probable that the things spoken of in these five last chapters were acted rather before Othniel was judge than after Samson’s death. Yet that the history of the judges, which is the main matter of this book, might be finished in the first place without interruption, these stories of things happening in the time of anarchy, v. 6, ch. 18:1 and 19:1 and 21:25, are here set by themselves in the end of all: the scope whereof is to show how corrupt the people were both in religion and manners when there was no king in Israel, and how just it was for God to deliver such heinous sinners into the hands of cruel oppressors.

V. 2. {The eleven hundred shekels of silver} See 23:15.

{that were taken from thee} i.e. Stolen.

{about which thou cursedst} Imprecating mischief and misfortune, death and destruction against them who had stolen them away, if they repented not of what they had done, and so restored them again unto her.

{and spakest of also in my ears} i.e. In my hearing; wherewith being affrighted, as thinking it a dreadful thing to lie under a mother’s curse, I now come to acknowledge my fault, that receiving from you pardon and your blessings, I may be freed from the curse and the fear of it.

{Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son} In her passion she overshoots herself in two extremes, cursing before at random she knew not whom, and now, knowing it was her son, pronouncing a blessing, not so much as touching upon his sin against God, nor in the least manner reproving him for it: q.d. I do not only free you from the curse, but turn it now into a blessing.

V. 3. {I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord} i.e. Unto Jehovah the only true God. So they cloaked their gross idolatry under show of God’s service, though he had so often forbidden and condemned it in his law. Whereby it appears there were two kinds of idolatry; one among the heathens, whereby they worshiped strange and false gods; the other among the Israelites, whereby they worshiped the true God in an idolatrous and false manner, contrary to the prescript rule of his word, under the name of heathenish idols and images, or some other way according to their own invention and wills, as the golden calf, Exod. 32:5, and Baal, Hos. 2:16, and such was the idolatry of Jeroboam, and of Micah’s mother in this place. And generally it is observed, that when an image or idol is mentioned, and not appropriated by name to some heathen god, there is to be understood that the true God was represented by it.

{from my hand} i.e. To be bestowed by me upon my son and his son for religious uses, v. 5.

{to make a graven image and a molten image} Many expositors think she did not intend to make two images, one molten, and another graven, but only one, which was first cast in a mold, and then graven with tools and beautified by the art of the workman; and that because of the small quantity of silver designed for this use, which was not enough to make two several images: but it is apparent they were two; for it is said ch. 18:18 that the Danites fetched out of Micah’s house the carved image, the Ephod, and the Teraphim, and the molten image.

{now therefore I will restore it unto thee} Namely, the right and interest in it; for it was still in his possession: q.d. Seeing it was devoted for your use, there is no need you should bring it unto me, but keep it still yourself.

V. 4. {Yet he restored the money unto his mother} Though she pressed him to keep it, yet he would needs restore it, to quiet his conscience, as thinking thereby to be more free from the curse.

{and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver} It is not likely that having devoted eleven hundred shekels unto the Lord in her superstitious way, she would alienate nine hundred shekels to common uses, but rather that she laid out the whole sum, in building and fitting an house for idol-gods, filling it with them when it was prepared, and making a rich ephod and teraphim and all other furniture necessary for this idolatrous service.

V. 5. {made an Ephod} Not a linen ephod, such as the Levites used, but such a rich ephod as Gideon had made in resemblance in that which the high priest used in the tabernacle, ch. 8:27, and with it all other garments fitting the priest in his religious service.

{and Teraphim} Images, made like unto men; as appears, in that Michol made use of one of them, by putting it in the bed in David’s room, that by resembling him it might deceive those whom Saul sent to fetch him, 1 Sam. 19:13. And such were those idols which Rachel stole from her father, Gen. 31:19, and those which Josiah with other abominations put away, 2 Kings 23:24. By these idols they divined, and made use of them as oracles to resolve their doubts, Ezek. 21:21, Hos. 3:4, Zech. 10:2.

{consecrated one of his sons} Heb. filled the hand. A form of speech taken from the consecration of Aaron and his sons by Moses, to the priest’s office, with putting into their hands the fat and shoulder of the ram, a loaf of bread and an oiled cake, for an offering before the Lord, Exod. 29:22, 23, 24. So Jeroboam, 1 Kings 13:33.

{who became his Priest} Though neither of Aaron’s line nor tribe. All this he did, as a gross idolater, expressly contrary to the law of God.

V. 6. {In those days there was no King in Israel} So ch. 18:1 and 19:1 and 21:25, i.e. no supreme magistrate. And so king is taken, Gen. 36:31, Deut. 33:5. Neither can the word be here taken in its proper sense, seeing the Israelites had no king until the time of Saul. But the meaning only is, that they had in these times of all confusion no judge to keep the people in awe and order, and to restrain them from doing what they listed. Which anarchy was a most desperate state and condition, when no man had any other guide to lead him but his own blind and corrupt nature, which is prone to all sin and wickedness. And this implies that Micah’s course in all he did was naught and wicked; seeing if there had been a good judge or magistrate, he would have restrained him from this superstitious idolatry; in which he now went on without control.

{that which was right in his own eyes} Not that which was right in God’s eyes, but what himself fancied to be right.

V. 7. {Beth-lehem-judah} So called, to distinguish it from another Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulun, Josh. 19:15.

{of the family of Judah} There could no Levite be properly said to be of the family of Judah, seeing the tribes were distinct one from another. But this is spoken, as some think, because his mother was of Judah, though his father were a Levite; and so he might be said to be of that family in respect of her, especially if she were an inheritor, like Zelophehad’s daughters, his father for her sake sojourning there. But because the Scripture uses not to style men after their mother’s family, therefore others think he is said to be of the family of Judah, because he was born, bred and sojourned in Beth-lehem-judah. For though it were none of the Levites’ cities, yet he had his habitation there where he might find best entertainment, the Levites in those times being for want of means and maintenance put to shift for themselves, as this Levite did in this place, and afterwards in Laish, chapter 18, v. 27, 30. For this is he who is there called Jonathan.

V. 8. {And the man departed out of the City from Beth-lehem-judah} Being necessitated, it seems, by want of maintenance. For idolatry being set up in the church, and anarchy accompanied with all confusion and disorder in the commonwealth, religion was corrupted, the service of God, sacrifices and oblations neglected, the priests and Levites despised, and all means and maintenance being withheld from them, they were enforced to leave the tabernacle and their own cities where formerly they had lived, and to wander into other parts of the land where they might find a livelihood. And this was the case of the priests and Levites in Nehemiah’s time, Neh. 13:10, 11. And no better condition are we likely to be in, in these days, if for want of government God’s pure worship be neglected, and sects, errors and heresies be tolerated, and his ministers despised, and their means and maintenance withheld which are allotted and allowed unto them by the law of God and the land, and they left without protection to the will and pleasure of the common people, who for the most part aim only at their private profit, without any respect to God’s service or the eternal salvation of their own souls.

{to the house of Micah, as he journeyed} Heb. in making his way. Not with a purpose at first to reside there, but to take up his lodging for a night.

V. 10. {Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a Priest} Or, a father, in being a priest. For though he were younger than Micah, yet for honor’s sake he says he should be a father unto him, in respect of his calling and office. See on Gen. 45:8.

{and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel [or, a double suit. Heb. an order of garments] and thy victuals} He offers to entertain him at a poor rate and for base allowance, not out of the scantness of his estate, but the penuriousness of his mind, and the vile esteem he had of his calling and condition. For he that had eleven hundred shekels to bestow upon his idols and idol-service, could hardly afford ten shekels to the Levite for his maintenance. Only he makes up this defect by good-cheap titles and compliments, calling him father, and acknowledging him for his priest: herein just like many people in these days, who abounding in superfluous expenses, are only strait-handed and hearted towards their faithful ministers, esteeming that only lost which is drawn from them towards their maintenance: only they feed and fatten them with titles, caps and compliments, but allow them no means of comfortable subsistence for their encouragement in the duties of their calling; herein using them as they do their parrots, which they keep hungry that they may make them talk.

{So the Levite went in} i.e. Though the conditions upon which he offered to entertain him were base, yet being necessitated and pinched with want he accepted of them, and goes into Micah’s house to dwell with him.

V. 11. {and the young man was unto him as one of his sons} i.e. He tendered, cherished, and made much of him, as if he had been his own child; and so in some sort supplied what was wanting in wages by his kind usage and loving entertainment: and so now he that was a father in respect of office, v. 10, is used as a son in respect of his youth.

V. 12. {And Micah consecrated the Levite} As he had done his son, v. 5, either causing his son to lay down his calling, and give his place of priest unto this newcomer, seeing it would more countenance his idolatrous service, when it was officiated by a Levite, than by his son who was an Ephraimite, or else associating and joining them both together in the priesthood. And this latter act was not much less unlawful than the other, seeing it was not permitted by God’s law to a Levite to execute the priest’s office, which only belonged to the sons of Aaron, Numb. 3:3, 10 and 19:40.

V. 13. {Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good} Thus he blesses himself in his blind devotion and superstition, which wholly tended to gross idolatry, though indeed it exposed him to God’s wrath and vengeance, as afterwards appears.

CHAPTER 18

Verse 1. {In those days} i.e. Soon after the days of Joshua before God raised up judges extraordinarily to deliver and govern his people.

{there was no King in Israel} See ch. 17:6 and 19:1 and 21:25. This is prefixed as a reason why the Danites were put to provide an inheritance for themselves, whereas whilst the whole people were under any government, the tribes assisted one another in driving out the Canaanites, and getting possession of that inheritance which by lot was fallen unto them, Numb. 32:21, Josh. 22:2, Judg. 1:3.

{For unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them} i.e. Though they had their full inheritance fallen unto them by lot, and so had a right unto it from God’s donation, yet because of their apostasy, idolatry, and diffidence in God, who had promised his assistance in driving out these nations before them, they had not yet obtained the possession of a great part of it. This was the case of many tribes, but of the Danites above the rest; they had not yet gotten an inheritance large enough for their numerous tribe, Josh. 19:47, and the Amorites also had driven them out of part of that which they had gotten, ch. 1:34. By this it appears, that the things here related were not done after the death of Samson, seeing it is not probable that so potent a tribe as the Danites were, were to seek for their inheritance allotted unto them, and for a place of habitation to dwell in, above three hundred years after they had been in the land of Canaan; yet now they were not utterly destitute, having some place in the mountains, Zorah, and Eshtaol, to dwell in, but yet far too scant and strait for their great multitude; which makes them now use means to enlarge themselves.

V. 2. {sent of their family} i.e. Of their tribe.

{men of valour} Heb. sons of valor.

{from Zorah and from Eshtaol} See ch. 13:2, 25.

{Go search the Land} i.e. Of their enemies that belonged to their lot, and was not yet subdued, to find out a place most convenient for their habitation, and which might with least pains and danger be won and conquered.

{they lodged there} i.e. In that place where Micah had an house, and not far from it.

V. 3. {they knew the voice of the young man the Levite} i.e. Either they knew it particularly and personally, by reason of former acquaintance which some of the spies might have with him whilst he sojourned in Beth-lehem-judah, their tribes lying near one another: or by his pronunciation they perceived he was an Ephraimite, but of Judah; as it is usual for men of the same country dwelling in several parts of it, remote one from another, to have different dialects and manner of speaking, whereby they may be distinguished one from another, as the Ephraimites were from the Gileadites, ch. 12:6, and the Galileans from those that dwelt at Jerusalem, Mark 14:70.

{who brought thee hither?} To wit, from Beth-lehem-judah, you being a Levite, and not an Ephraimite.

{what makest thou in this place?} Seeing you have no Levitical administrations or employments here, being so far remote from the tabernacle.

{and what hast thou here?} i.e. What means of subsistence or maintenance is here by Micah allowed unto you?

V. 4. {Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me} i.e. Upon these and these conditions has he entertained me, and thus and thus kindly he has used me.

{and I am his Priest} i.e. Having set up an house for the exercise of his religion, and filled it with gods and images of divers kinds, he has hired me to officiate in it as a priest.

V. 5. {And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God} Hearing that he was a priest, and that he had in his chapel divers images representing God, with an ephod, and all priestly requisites, and above all the rest, a teraphim by which they divined, and which as an oracle did foretell things to come, they desired him to inquire concerning the success of their enterprise and expedition.

V. 6. {And the Priest said unto them} To wit, after he had inquired of his idol, by whom it is like the devil gave this answer; or at least he made them believe that he inquired, and then himself feigned it to humor them in their course, and so to draw from them the better reward; or God might give answer to this idolatrous priest, as he did to Balaam the soothsayer. A prophet or a dreamer may work a wonder, or utter an oracle, and yet himself say, Let us go after other Gods, and serve them, Deut. 13:1, 2.

{Go in peace} i.e. You shall dispatch your business with safety, and prosper in it without running into much difficulty and danger.

{before the Lord is your way wherein ye go} i.e. The eyes of the Lord watch over you for good, and to favor, direct and prosper you in your journey. And thus he abuses God’s holy name to countenance his idolatrous courses, Psa. 33:18 and 34:15, Deut. 11:12.

V. 7. {Then the five men departed, and came to Laish} i.e. Being filled with confidence and courage by his prediction, they set forward on their journey, and came to Laish, which was also called Leshem, Josh. 19:47, and afterwards Dan, verse 29, and belonged to Dan’s lot, Josh. 19:48.

{and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless} i.e. That they were quiet and secure, in their opinion, from all danger of surprise, v. 27.

{after the manner of the Zidonians} i.e. Using their customs and laws, having it may be some dependence upon them, either by way of subjection, or else in respect of some league contracted between them: and so being confident of their aid and assistance, and fearing no danger, they imitated them in their security. For as the Zidonians lived in all pleasure, plenty and prosperity, not fearing any enemy that might disturb their peace, in respect of the situation of their country and the strength of their city both by sea and land, so was it with these men of Laish.

{and there was no Magistrate} Heb. possessor, or heir of restraint. i.e. Either none at all, or none hereditary and perpetual, to restrain them from any wickedness, or to punish them for committing it, but such as were chosen by themselves from year to year, who did let them live as they list, for fear of displeasing them who had power in their hands by most voices to turn them out of their places at their pleasure. And so all things became lawful, and nothing that pleased them was accounted dishonest.

{put them to shame} By inflicting upon offenders deserved punishments, yea, they were so far from punishing them according to their demerits, that they would not so much as disgrace and countenance their vices and faults.

{and they were far from the Zidonians} The Zidonians lay far west from them, and therefore could not on a sudden send them any aids to keep them from being surprised, if any enemy attempted it, though they were the only people upon whom they depended.

{and had no business with any man} i.e. They were so rich, and had such plenty of all manner of provisions within themselves, that they had no commerce with any others; and so secure in their own strength and their Zidonian confederates, that they cared not to be in league with any of their neighbors, that they might have their aid upon any occasion, but lived of themselves pleasantly and securely.

V. 8. {And they came to their brethren} i.e. Having as spies seen and observed the country and the manners of the people, they returned to give an account of all that they had done to the Danites that sent them.

{What say ye?} i.e. Now you are returned, give us an account of your journey, that is, whether you have found any convenient place for us to inhabit in, and what hope there is of obtaining it.

V. 9. {And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them} q.d. We have found out such a place, and such people which do inhabit it, that there needs not much discourse about it, but rather that we fall upon action: for the land is very good, pleasant and fruitful, and to be conquered, and gotten with little danger.

{and are ye still?} Do not spend time in multiplying words, and in replying to our relation, but take the present opportunity, and out of hand set upon the conquest.

{Be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land} i.e. By your sloth and negligence do not let slip this fair opportunity, for there is no more to do but to go and possess the land, seeing you are likely to find but small and weak opposition, and little danger or pains in subduing of it. But yet for your better encouragement, and to remove all cause of fear, know this that follows:

V. 10. {When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure} Who therefore may easily be taken by a sudden surprise, when apprehending no danger they are altogether unprovided of all means to make resistance, and keep no watch.

{to a large land} Therefore fit to be a place of habitation for your numerous tribe.

{for God hath given it into your hands} As appears not only by his oracle which we received of him in our journey from one of his priests, but also as we see it in part already verified in the event, God directing us to a people that are secure and careless, having no means to make resistance.

{a place where there is no want} i.e. Which abounds with all pleasures and profits, and with such plenty and prosperity that nothing is wanting that can be desired.

V. 11. {six hundred men} Chosen out of the whole tribe, as fittest and ablest, in respect of their valor and fortitude, for such an expedition.

V. 12. {And they went up, and pitched in Kirjath-jearim} i.e. Not in the city itself, which probably would not have admitted such an army of strangers, but without the walls, near unto it. So Josh. 10:10. This city, otherwise called Kirjath-baal, Josh. 15:60, was situate upon a hill on the borders of Judah and Dan, northward, and called the city of woods, and was one of those four cities of the Hivites with which Joshua and the princes contracted for their lives, Josh. 9:17, and afterwards fell to the lot of Judah, Josh. 15:9. See on Josh. 18:14.

{wherefore they called that place Mahaneh-Dan, unto this day} i.e. The camp or leaguer of Dan. Here afterwards Manoah the father of Samson dwelt, ch. 13:2, 25, whereby it appears that the things related in this chapter were long before the birth of Samson.

{behold, it is behind Kirjath-jearim} As the east with the Hebrews is called the forepart, so the west the hinder part. So Josh. 1:4 and 13:5. Therefore they pitched not in the city itself, but on the west side of it. See on Job 23:8.

V. 13. {came unto the house of Micah} i.e. To that village where Micah dwelt.

V. 14. {Then answered the five men} i.e. They began to speak and propound that which follows to the rest of their company. For so this phrase is usually taken: 1 Sam. 14:28, Ezr. 10:2, Matth. 11:25, Act. 5:8.

{Do ye know} i.e. We would have you to know, that in these houses, i.e. one of these houses, there is an Ephod and Teraphim, of which in our journey we made special use, by inquiring what success we should have, and had an answer which we found true: which makes us think that it may be very useful for us for the time to come, if we take along with us all these things, and with them the priest also.

{Now therefore consider what you have to do} i.e. Whether you will carry them with you, or only inquire of them, as we did, verse 5, and then leave them behind you.

V. 15. {And they turned thitherward} i.e. Having resolved to make a purchase of these things, they declined out of the direct way of their journey towards the house of the Levite, which was some part of Micah’s house near unto the chapel, allotted unto the Levite for his more convenient lodging.

{and saluted him} Heb. asked him of peace. i.e. Of his welfare and prosperity, and how it fared with him in that his place and employment.

V. 16. {stood by the entering of the gate} Waiting for the coming forth of the five men that were gone into the house, to know what success they had in their enterprise, and to second them, if finding opposition they needed their assistance.

V. 17. {and came in thither} i.e. Entered into the idol-chapel where the ephod and images were, and took them all away.

{and the Priest stood in the entering of the gate} i.e. Being, it is likely, drawn thither by the five spies, to salute their brethren that stood without, whilst they in the meantime went in to do their exploit.

V. 18. {And these went into Micah’s house} i.e. The five spies went into that part of Micah’s house which was set apart for idolatrous service, whilst the Levite was without the gate saluting and talking with the Danites.

{and fetched the carved image} Wherein they greatly sinned, in that being private men they stole and took away that which was another man’s, and that with an evil intention, not doing it out of hatred of his idolatry, but rather out of love to it, purposing to set up these idols and idolatrous service in their own tribe.

{Then said the Priest unto them, What do ye?} i.e. What do you mean to take away these things that are Micah’s, and belong not unto you?

V. 19. {lay thy hand upon thy mouth} i.e. Refrain from speaking anything against our proceedings. The like expression we have Job 21:5 and 29:9 and 40:4, Mic. 7:16.

{and be to us a father and a Priest} i.e. We will highly honor you, as if you were our natural father that begat us. In such great esteem were men of that function in former times, how basely soever they are slighted in our days.

{Is it better for thee, &c.?} q.d. We persuade you to nothing but what is most for your own good and advancement, both in respect of honor and gain.

V. 20. {And the Priest’s heart was glad} As respecting only his own preferment, and in the meantime ungratefully forgetting all Micah’s former kindness.

{and went in the midst of the people} Namely, for his greater safety, if either any enemies should meet them and set upon them in their march; or if Micah pursuing them to recover his losses should assault them in the rear.

V. 21. {and put the little ones, and the cattle, and the carriage before them} Out of their confidence of an easy conquest, they do not march forward as men preparing for a dangerous war, but as removing to settle themselves in some new plantation, taking their wives and children, their cattle and carriages along with them: and these they placed in the fore-rank, as more suspecting Micah’s pursuit than any incursion of enemies before them.

V. 22. {in the houses} i.e. In the village where Micah dwelt.

V. 23. {What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?} Heb. that thou art gathered together. Armed might insults over feeble right, and thieves complain of true men for demanding their own goods. These Danites having spoiled Micah, complain of him and his company, as troublesome people, who with their clamors and outcries disquieted and hindered them in their march.

V. 24. {and what have I more?} i.e. What have you left me worth the having, in comparison of my images and priest, which you have unjustly taken away?

V. 25. {Let not thy voice be heard among us} Your clamors and reproachful language.

{lest angry fellows run upon thee} Heb. bitter of soul. i.e. Embittered and incensed with fury by the clamors and provoking speeches.

{and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household} Which are more precious than your idols and priest, though you value them more than the rest of your goods.

V. 27. {a people that were at quiet and secure} See verse 10.

{and burnt the City with fire} They went to seek out a city and place fit for habitation, of which they stood in great need; and yet coming to such an one, they burnt it with fire. This was done either out of the heat and fury of war, which, for the time it lasted, made them forget or neglect their own convenience; or else because they could do no otherwise take it, without (at least) the great slaughter of their own men, seeing the people being put to the worst in the streets, would run into the houses, and there fight it out in their own defense.

V. 28. {And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon} Laish was seated hard by mount Lebanon, and so far off from Zidon as they could have no help from thence in this sudden surprise, though there it seems was their chiefest hope. See on verse 7.

{and it was in the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob} A region or part of Syria-Trachonitis, called Syria-Beth-rehob, and Syria-Rehob, 2 Sam. 10:6, 8. In which was a city of that name, bordering upon the utmost north part of Canaan, near unto Hamath, Numb. 13:21, which fell to Asher’s lot, Josh. 19:28, and was designed to be one of the Levites’ cities, Josh. 21:31, but never conquered by the Asherites, chap. 1:31, for the Syrians did possess it in David’s time, 2 Sam. 10:6, 8.

V. 29. {And they called the name of the City Dan} i.e. In honorable remembrance of the patriarch Dan, their great-grandfather, or the father of their tribe, Gen. 30:6, and also that it might be a memorial to posterity, that though they lived in the utmost borders of the country, and in a place so far remote from the rest of the Israelites, yet they were a part of one of their tribes. This city was afterwards called Caesarea Panadis, from Paneas, the name of the country thereabouts, and of one of the fountains of Jordan, Plin. l. 5, cap. 15 and 18. It was called also Caesarea Philippi, because built, or much enlarged and beautified, by Philip the son of Herod the Great, in honor of Tiberius Caesar, Joseph. Antiq. l. 18, c. 3. See on Amos 8:14 and Matth. 16:13. Agrippa the younger called it afterwards Neronias, in honor of Nero, Joseph. Antiq. l. 20, c. 8.

V. 30. {And the children of Dan set up the graven image} Having an high esteem of it, with the rest of the idols, and also of the priest, because of the prediction of their good and prosperous success in their expedition against Laish, which came to pass according to their own desire.

{and Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh} The Jewish expositors and some others are of opinion, that this Jonathan, who lately was Micah’s but now the Danites’ priest, was grandchild to no meaner a person than Moses; and that by inserting the letter nun Moses is here transformed into Manasseh, to save the credit of that great prophet. But this is but an uncertain conjecture: for how often does the Scripture mention the wicked children of godly parents! See on ch. 17:1 and 7, and on Numb. 27:18.

{until the day of the captivity} What captivity is here meant is very doubtful and much controverted, whether that, when the Israelites had that great defeat by the Philistines, when the ark was carried away as it were captive out of the land, and with it no doubt a great many of the Israelites taken prisoners in that battle, or that great captivity, when the ten tribes were carried away by Shalmaneser king of Assyria. For either of these opinions there are divers strong reasons, and no less strong objections against them. Therefore some expositors will have neither of those captivities to be here understood, but a third, namely the particular captivity of the tribe of Dan, that happened between the two other, though not mentioned in the Scripture, as many other things are not which yet were done. But I see no necessity that may drive us to this shift, seeing this captivity may very probably be meant of the taking away of the ark, and many of the Israelites with it, 1 Sam. 4. For whereas it is objected against it, that there is no mention in the Scriptures of any more captivities than that of the ten tribes by Shalmaneser, and the other of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar, it may be answered, that no more is this captivity of the tribe of Dan mentioned there, but only imagined by them that make this objection. And again it may be said, that though those were the two great captivities, that hinders not but there might be a third lesser than they: and that this taking of the ark was a captivity, appears, Psa. 78:60, etc., where it is so called: So he forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among them, and delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemies hand. He gave his people also unto the sword, &c. He smote his enemies in their hinder parts, to wit, with emerods, after they had carried away the ark, and kept it in their country. In all which the psalmist alludes to that great defeat which the Philistines gave the Israelites, 1 Sam. 4:10, 11. Again, verse 31, the continuance of this image and idolatrous worship set up by the Danites is limited to that time only in which the house of God was in Shiloh; and that was not till the captivity by Shalmaneser, but only till the captivity of the ark by the Philistines. For soon after this it was brought to Kirjath-jearim, and never after returned to Shiloh. Furthermore, there is no probability, that these idols and idolatrous service and priesthood should continue after that time of reformation by Samuel, when as the people returned unto God, and put away all their idols, 1 Sam. 7:3, 4. Or though it should be imagined that Samuel’s power extended not to this remote place, which was in the utmost borders of the land, yet what show of reason is there, that they should not be taken away by David, a man according to God’s own heart, who was so zealous of God’s pure worship, and abhorred all manner of idolatry, especially reigning so long a time, and neither wanting will nor power to effect such a pious work? For whereas it is answered, that though a public reformation were brought in in the days of Samuel and David, yet this idol-service might be still retained and secretly acted by many of the Danites even to the days of Jeroboam, and so continued to the captivity by Shalmaneser, this is little to the purpose: for the question is not what might be done by some of that tribe secretly (for close idolatry might lurk amongst them even to the second captivity, as well as the first, if at least any of the Danites remained so long in the land) but how long this chapel of idols and idolatrous priesthood and service was publicly upheld and maintained by that tribe. Now this was only whilst the house of God remained in Shiloh, verse 31, and that was no longer but till the ark was carried away captive by the Philistines. Moreover, it is most probable that this book of Judges was written by Samuel, or at least by some other that lived in his or David’s days, and not by Ezra, as some have dreamed, having no other ground for their opinion but the dotage of the apocryphal Esdras: and therefore this captivity cannot be that of Shalmaneser, which happened so long time after the days of him that wrote this story, unless we will say he wrote it by a prophetical spirit, which is never to be observed in any penman of historical Scripture without some intimation or notice given of it. And besides, if he had written this by way of prophecy, he would have done it in a prophetical not an historical manner, and would not have said that Jonathan his sons were, but that they should be, the priests to the time of the captivity by Shalmaneser.

V. 31. {all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh} This is to be limited to the time after the image was set up, and not to be understood of the whole time of the being of the tabernacle in Shiloh, seeing it was placed there in Joshua’s time, long before this graven image was erected, Josh. 18:1.

CHAPTER 19

Verse 1. {And it came to pass in those days} i.e. Soon after the death of Joshua, and before Othniel was judge, as appears v. 11, compared with ch. 1:7.

{when there was no King in Israel} i.e. No supreme magistrate to restrain the people from any vice, or to punish sin. Which is here prefixed before the following history, as a reason why the Levite’s wife committed whoredom, and the men of Gibeah such abominable wickedness, because there was no judge to restrain or punish them. See ch. 17:6 and 18:1 and 21:25.

{who took to him a concubine} Heb. A woman a concubine; or, a wife a concubine. For there were two sorts of concubines: one, who were not wives, nor contracted in marriage, whose sons had by law no right to inherit with the brethren of the lawful wives, as we see ch. 11:2. The other were contracted to their husbands, but not in so solemn manner as the first and chief wives, who were mothers and mistresses of the family. Such were Jacob’s two maids, who were taken to his wives, and whose children shared in their father’s inheritance. Now these in Scripture are called sometimes wives, sometimes concubines. And so this woman here is called a wife a concubine, to distinguish her both from a harlot, and also from a lawful wife, who was mother of the family and the only true wife, both by God’s first institution, Gen. 2:18, 24, Mal. 2:15, Matth. 12:4, 5, and also by his law, Lev. 18:18, 1 Cor. 7:2. See on Gen. 25:1.

{out of Beth-lehem-judah} See on ch. 17:7. It was lawful for him to take a wife from thence, though he were a Levite, because only maids that were heirs were restrained from marrying out of their own tribe, that their inheritance might not go from it, but all other were left to the liberty of their own choice, Numb. 36:8.

V. 2. {And his concubine played the whore against him} Which she could not have done, if she had been only a harlot-concubine, and not his wife. But being so, she sinned against him; that is, against her faith and promise plighted and made unto him, she committed whoredom with others. For though such concubines as she were no wives equal to the lawful wives, yet were they bound to keep their faith with their husbands, unto whom they were contracted. See Gen. 12:24, 1 Kings 11:1.

{and went away from him} Either out of dislike, or fear of receiving punishment when her husband should discover her whoredom, or at least because there were continual jars and contentions between them about it.

{unto her father’s house} Who as a fond father received her, and so countenanced her in her sin.

{and was there four whole months} Or, a year and four months. Heb. days four months.

V. 3. {And her husband arose, and went after her} i.e. When she neglected to use means whereby she might be reconciled, his anger being appeased, and his affection inclining towards her, he goes to reconcile himself unto her, though she were the peccant party.

{to speak friendly unto her} Heb. to her heart. i.e. Words of love, peace and comfort, to allure and draw on her affection towards him. So Hos. 2:14. Thus Shechem spoke to Dinah, Gen. 34:3, and Joseph to his brethren, Gen. 50:11.

{a couple of asses} One to carry provisions for the journey, and the other to ease himself and his wife, if she would return with him.

{he rejoiced to meet him} Hoping he was come to be reconciled to his wife.

V. 4. {and he abode with him three days} i.e. Of his own voluntary accord, to rejoice together in their reconcilement. And two days more he abode unwillingly, being overborne with the importunity of his father-in-law.

{So they did eat and drink} i.e. They feasted together, to testify that they were reconciled, and that all differences were accorded between them, Exod. 32:6.

V. 5. {when they arose early} i.e. They of the family.

{that he rose up} i.e. The Levite also.

{Comfort thy heart with a morsel of bread} i.e. Refresh and strengthen yourself for your journey with a little food; or, as we say, break your fast before you set out. So Gen. 18:5, 1 Kings 13:7, 8. And with this kind entertainment the father detains him, that by their longer stay their renewed love might be the more increased and confirmed, like things glued together, which are strengthened by time and continuance.

V. 8. {until afternoon} Heb. till the day declined.

V. 9. {the day draweth} Heb. is weak.

{the day groweth to an end} Heb. it is the pitching time of the day. i.e. Toward evening, and therefore it is a time more fit to take up one’s lodging than to begin a journey.

{home} Heb. to thy tent.

V. 10. {came over against Jebus, (which is Jerusalem)} So called afterwards, but now Jebus, being a city of the Jebusites, Josh. 15:63 and 18:28. So that this story is of things done before the taking of Jerusalem, mentioned ch. 1:8, and the expelling of the Jebusites: if at least the people of Judah were not for their sins beaten out by the Jebusites after they first took it; which is not probable, there being not the least touch of any such thing in the Scriptures. Some conceive, though that part of Jerusalem which belonged to Judah were taken and possessed by them, ch. 1:8, yet the other part, which belonged to Benjamin, was still possessed by the Jebusites, seeing it is said ch. 1:21, the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites, but they dwelt together. But neither is this likely, that it was so at this time, seeing the Levite might have then gone to that part of Jerusalem which was in the possession of Judah, or to that part which belonged to the Benjamites, if it were nearer to him, and have lodged with some of them, they dwelling there together with the Jebusites, as well as have gone further, when it was so late, to lodge at Gibeah. Neither would he have called it Jebus, or the City of a stranger, if the better part of it were possessed by the children of Judah, and the rest in a great part by the children of Benjamin.

V. 11. {the Jebusites} Who were of the posterity of Canaan, Gen. 10:16.

V. 12. {the City of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel} i.e. A cursed nation, and estranged from God and his people. This he would not have said, if the greatest part of it at this time had been in the possession of Judah and Benjamin.

V. 13. {in Gibeah, or in Ramah} These two cities were next Jebus northward, situate on hills in the way to mount Ephraim, whither the Levite traveled; Ramah was four miles from Jebus; Gibeah, somewhat nearer. Some think there were two cities called Gibeah in the tribe of Benjamin, one situate on a mountain, the other in a plain. See ch. 20:31. There was also another Gibeah in Judah, Josh. 15:57.

V. 14. {Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin} This is added to distinguish it from that of Judah. It is also called Gibeah of Saul, because Saul was born there, and was therefore often resident in that city.

V. 15. {And they turned aside thither, to go in and lodge in Gibeah} The Levite’s counsel and intention is to be commended for pious and honest, as desiring to lodge rather with God’s people than with strangers and heathens; and his servant, to be condemned, or at least suspected faulty, as savoring of sloth and desire of ease; and yet in the event the Levite’s counsel and course proved pernicious to himself, his wife, and many thousands of his people; God so disposing of it by an overruling providence. Which may teach us not to trust in our own wisdom, but in all our enterprises to crave God’s direction, Prov. 16:9 and 19:21 and 20:24, Jer. 10:23.

{For there was no man that took them into his house} i.e. Either because they would not, being wicked and inhumane; or because they dared not, seeing they knew the inhabitants were so abominably wicked that they would assault their houses to find out strangers whom they might abuse in exercising upon them their filthy lusts.

V. 16. {there came an old man from his work out of the field} Here are given two reasons why this old man entertained them rather than any other of the city; one, because he was an honest man, who lived by his painful labor, though he were old, whereas the rest of the city were idle and luxurious: the other, because he was also of mount Ephraim, and only sojourned in Gibeah; and therefore being a stranger too, and their countryman, he had more compassion of them in their distressed condition than the Benjamites, who were of another tribe.

V. 18. {I am now going to the house of the Lord} Which at this time was at Shiloh, ch. 18:31. Thither he intended to go first, that he might do service unto God, as being a Levite, and then afterwards to pass on to his own house.

{and there is no man that receiveth me} i.e. Who will be entreated to give me lodging upon any conditions.

V. 19. {Yet there is both straw and provender—there is no want of any thing} q.d. They have no reason to refuse us, seeing we all have things with us of our own needful for our journey, and would put them to no other charge or trouble but only to lodge us.

V. 20. {Let all thy wants lie upon me} i.e. Take no further care either for your lodging or provision, seeing I will take all the care upon myself to provide all necessaries both for you and all that belong unto you.

{only lodge not in the street} q.d. This only I desire, that you will not so much wrong yourself and your wife as to lie in the open street. And thus the good old man, out of his humanity and love to hospitality, makes it his suit to the Levite that he might entertain him, who before sued unto others to be entertained, and was rejected.

V. 21. {they washed their feet} Which was one of the rites of hospitality in those hot countries. See Gen. 18:4 and 19:2, 2 Sam. 11:8.

V. 22. {certain sons of Belial} i.e. Most flagitious men, and notoriously and desperately wicked, stigmatized villains, and even incarnate devils, men without yoke, as the word signifies, who will not submit to be governed by religion or reason, by the principles of nature, or by the laws of God or man; like unto the devil himself, who is also called by this name, 2 Cor. 6:15, in which respect they may be fitly called his children, yea, his eldest sons, Deut. 13:13. See 1 Sam. 1:16.

{beset the house round about} Like those, Gen. 19:4, who it may be were their precedents, even as these children of iniquity were exemplary to after ages, Hos. 9:9 and 10:9.

{Bring forth the man—that we may know him} A modest expression of their filthy lust, according to the Scripture phrase, Gen. 19:5 and 4:1.

V. 23. {Nay, my brethren} He seeks to take them off first by this meek and loving compellation, and then by telling them that their intended action was both wicked and foolish. So 2 Sam. 13:12, 13, Gen. 34:7, Prov. 7:7, 1 Sam. 20:12.

{seeing that this man is come into my house} To wit, that he may be safe under my protection according to the laws of hospitality. So Gen. 19:8.

V. 24. {Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine} This good old man is upon the sudden so transported with his care to observe the laws of hospitality, that he sinfully offers to prostitute his own innocent daughter and the Levite’s wife to their wicked lust, to be abused by them. For though it be lawful in evils of punishment to choose the less that we may avoid the greater (for so respectively the lesser evil is good) yet in the evils of sin we must choose neither, no not the least to avoid the greatest, seeing the lightest and most venial sin is greater (if we be actors in it, and make it our own by choice) than the most abominable wickedness in which we are but mere patients and the bare subjects of other men’s villainies.

{and humble ye them} i.e. Abuse them at your pleasure, but abuse not my guest by making him the subject of so base a villainy and unnatural filthiness. It was very commendable in him, that he thus highly prized the laws of hospitality; but the means he used are to be condemned as sinful, seeing we may not do evil that good may come thereof, Rom. 3:8, nor act the least evil ourselves that we may prevent the greatest in others. Neither had this man power over his daughter and the concubine, to prostitute them to be abused by these wicked, graceless and shameless villains.

V. 25. {So the man} That is, the Levite, not daring himself to come out unto them for fear of being abused by them, required the old man to do it, so reverencing the laws of hospitality, that he thought it unreasonable his host’s daughter should be abused for his sake.

{and they knew her} The old man offered his daughter to be abused, as well as this concubine; but this object of their filthy and brutish lust being presented unto them, they suddenly catch at it, and so forget the other. This came to pass by a just and overruling providence of God, causing them to forget the innocent virgin, that she might be preserved, and suffering the concubine to be abused, for a deserved punishment of her former unchastity and unfaithfulness.

V. 26. {and fell down} i.e. Either dead or ready to die.

{till it was light} i.e. She came and fell down at the door in the dawning of the day; and there lay dead till it was clear light or fair day.

V. 27. {And her lord rose up} i.e. Her husband: so Sarah called Abraham for honor’s sake, 1 Pet. 3:6. But perhaps this woman had been his servant, bought with his money, if so, he was her lord in a double respect. See Exod. 21:8.

{and opened the doors of the house} To see, it is likely, what was become of his wife, that they might go on their journey, and hasten away from that wicked city.

{and behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down} Namely, stark dead at the door, the Lord having called her to account for her former wickedness, and by a just law of requital punished her in the selfsame kind as she had sinned, though the matter were taken up between her and her husband, and they reconciled one to the other, Heb. 13:4.

{and her hands were upon the threshold} In her fall catching hold at it, in the pangs of death.

V. 28. {And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going} i.e. Supposing she was come too late in the night to be let in, and there fallen asleep, he seeks to awaken her.

{Then the man took her up} i.e. The Levite discerning by her speechlessness that she was stark dead, as also by making other experiments upon her, being assured that it was so, he took her up to carry her away with him upon another design that came into his mind.

V. 29. {and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel} Because there was no other way to bring these wicked varlets to deserved punishment for their abominable wickedness, he appeals and addresses himself to the whole nation, and sends his wife about piecemeal, flesh and bones, unto every of the twelve tribes apart; the Levites, his own tribe, being dispersed among the rest, that by such an horrid spectacle he might incense their wrath, and raise up their spirits to take the sharpest revenge upon the actors of so foul a fact, the heart being usually more affected by visible spectacles presented to the eye, than by bare reports related unto the ear. This action of the Levite thus mangling the dead body of his wife was in itself barbarous, bloody and inhumane, seeing the bodies of the dead ought to have their due honor and respect, Deut. 21:22, yet it is excusable in him, seeing he acted it for an higher design; which did not so much dishonor the dead as benefit the living, by bringing those children of Belial to condign punishment, and not suffering those pests to poison the air with their breath, and by their indemnity to pull down God’s fearful judgments upon the whole land. And thus it is lawful for physicians and surgeons to anatomize a dead body, that by searching into the secrets of nature they may get more skill to prevent or cure the diseases of the living.

V. 30. {And it was so, that all that saw it} i.e. The elders and magistrates of every tribe, and with them other of the people, seeing these pieces of the dead body, and hearing the whole matter related by the messengers that brought them, and all the several passages of this lamentable tragedy, generally concluded there was never such an horrid villainy done or seen, either in their own times, or in the days of their ancestors, since their coming out of Egypt.

{consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds} i.e. What course is to be taken, and what means are fittest to be used to bring these desperate offenders to deserved punishment, lest we be guilty of their sin by not executing justice, and make the whole land liable to God’s wrath.

CHAPTER 20

Verse 1. {Then all the children of Israel} i.e. A great part of the whole body of the people, out of every tribe which had heard of this abominable fact by the relation of the Levite’s messengers, the tribe of Benjamin excepted, went out of their houses and places of habitation, being summoned by their elders and officers. So Gen. 41:57, Mar. 1:5. Nor can this be understood of the whole nation, which far exceeded in number four hundred thousand men, as appears by their first numbering in the wilderness, Numb. 1:46, 47, and that in David’s time, 2 Sam. 24:9. Neither is it probable that going out they left their country and cities naked and destitute of inhabitants to defend them against bordering enemies, and to manage all their domestical affairs, seeing these that went out were not to return till this war was ended, v. 8. And much less probable it is, that this should be understood only of the elders and officers, seeing they could not possibly amount to so great a number as four hundred thousand men. Therefore it is meant of all their chief men of war, together with their elders, officers, captains and commanders, fit to be called out for such a service.

{gathered together as one man} i.e. With unanimous consent they went out upon this expedition, with such speed and readiness as if one man alone had undertaken the business. So v. 8, 11, 1 Sam. 11:7, 2 Sam. 19:14, Ezra 3:1.

{from Dan even to Beer-sheba with the land of Gilead} i.e. From all the utmost borders of the land. For it was bounded with Dan on the north, 1 Kings 4:25, Beer-sheba in the tribe of Judah towards the Philistines, Gen. 21:33, 34, on the south, Gilead beyond Jordan on the east, and the Mediterranean sea on the west.

{unto the Lord in Mizpeh} Not because the tabernacle was there, but because they came thither to act this weighty business as in God’s presence, and withal to worship, pray and ask of the Lord at Shiloh, which was near Mizpeh on the east. This Mizpeh was a place in the borders of Benjamin, Josh. 18:26, and therefore fit for this present occasion. And it was often used for general assemblies, as lying in the heart of the land, and so commodious for such meetings, 1 Sam. 7:5 and 10:17, 2 Kings 25:23. Some think here was some synagogue or place of public worship, 1 Macc. 3:46, though sacrifices and the ceremonial worship were limited to the tabernacle, which was now at Shiloh, ch. 18:31. See on ch. 10:17 and 11:19.

V. 2. {And the chief of all the people} Or, the corners of all the people. i.e. The chief princes gathered out of all the corners of the land, or the corners themselves, as the Hebrew has it, which called the chief princes corners, as some think, because, as cornerstones or pillars, they are the chief strength that bears up the fabric of the commonwealth. So 1 Sam. 14:38, Isai. 19:13, Zeph. 3:6.

{four hundred thousand footmen} For in the armies of the Israelites none fought on horseback, or in chariots, but on foot only.

{that drew sword} See ch. 8:10.

V. 3. {Then said the children of Israel} To wit, unto the Levite.

{How was this wickedness?} i.e. Tell us the manner how this horrible wickedness was acted, and all the circumstances of it.

V. 4. {And the Levite} Heb. the man the Levite.

{the husband of the woman} This shows the woman was not his harlot, but contracted unto him as his wife. See on ch. 19:1, 2.

V. 5. {thought to have slain me} i.e. Either by abusing me, as they did my wife (which for modesty’s sake, he does not express in plain terms), or they indeed resolved to kill me, if I would not yield to prostitute my body to their abominable lusts, which to do I should have thought much worse than death itself. And this his accusation and complaint it is likely he confirmed by producing his old host and servant as his witnesses, Deut. 17:6.

V. 6. {they have committed lewdness and folly} i.e. Such an horrible and worse than brutish wickedness as ought not to go unpunished. See ch. 19:23 and on Josh. 7:15.

V. 7. {Behold, ye are all children of Israel} i.e. Whom this horrible fact concerns, as well as me, seeing you are the people of God, who are straitly bound by his command to punish such outrageous wickedness, and so to put away evil from Israel; which if you do not, the guilt thereof will lie upon the land, v. 12.

V. 8. {We will not any of us go to his tent} So resolute they were in the fervency of their zeal to see this matchless villainy severely punished, that they resolve not to make any delay in seeing it done, if at least the Benjamites themselves would not see justice executed upon the offenders; and if they refused so to do, they would also make war against them as abettors of the villainy. And here it is probable that they vowed, and ratified their vow with an oath, that if any of the Benjamites should escape the sword and remain alive, they would not (after they had destroyed all their women and maids, together with their children) give any of their daughters in marriage unto them; and withal, that they would put to the sword the men of any town or city which had not assisted them in this war: both which are mentioned ch. 21:1, 5.

V. 9. {We will go up by lot against it} i.e. To prevent all controversies, differences and emulations, which might otherwise happen, the lot shall decide the matter, who shall make provision for the camp, and who shall go out to fight.

V. 10. {And we will take ten men of an hundred} That is, in the whole, forty thousand out of four hundred thousand.

{to fetch victual for the people} i.e. To victual the camp.

V. 11. {knit together as one man} Heb. fellows. i.e. Joining both heart and hand to assist one another in this war.

V. 12. {And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin} i.e. So careful they were not to raise a civil war, and to shed blood, that they used all lawful means to prevent it. Therefore before they would further engage themselves, they send these messengers, as ambassadors of peace, if they would punish the offenders; or as heralds to proclaim war, if they refused. For that war is not just that is begun before it be proclaimed, and propositions of peace tendered to prevent it, if they be accepted. So Deut. 20:10, 11.

{What wickedness is this that is done among you?} They do not inquire what the sin was, for that they knew already, but expostulate with them concerning the heinousness of it, the which they aggravate by this interrogation, q.d. How horrible and abominable is this wickedness which has been committed among you?

V. 13. {Now therefore deliver us the men} i.e. Keep them not under your protection, but give them up to justice; that as they have been examples unto others to encourage them in such a matchless villainy, so others may be deterred from committing the like sin by their exemplary punishment.

{the children of Belial} See ch. 19:22.

{and put away evil from Israel} i.e. Both the evil of sin, cutting off the offenders by the sword of justice, and preserving others from being infected by their wicked example; and also the evil of punishment, seeing the guilt of their sin will lie upon the land, and draw down upon it God’s heavy judgments, if justice be not executed.

{But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren} i.e. Though as brethren they persuaded them out of love to do that which tended as well to their own good as the public welfare of the whole state, yet they would give no ear to their advice either out of pride, because they scorned that the other tribes should meddle in their government, or out of self-confidence presuming on their own strength and skillful prowess in martial affairs; or God gave them up to the hardness of their own hearts, because he was purposed to destroy them, 1 Sam. 2:25. See on Gen. 49:27.

V. 14. {But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together} i.e. Being resolved to stand it out, they make a general muster of their whole tribe at Gibeah, that they might be ready to protect them, if any attempt should be made against them by the other tribes; showing herein their heat and eagerness to fight in their defense, though they knew them to be notoriously wicked. And so they made themselves accessories, abettors, and guilty of their horrible sin.

V. 15. {that drew sword} i.e. Fit and able men to do service in the war. See ch. 8:10.

V. 16. {left-handed} See ch. 3:15. Some wittily observe here, that as these many left-handed persons descended from Benjamin, whose name signifies son of the right hand, so it is too often seen that virtuous and religious parents have an ungracious offspring.

{every one could sling stones at an hair’s breadth, and not miss} An hyperbolical expression, whereby is signified that they were so exceedingly skillful in slinging stones that they would commonly hit a small mark.

V. 18. {went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God} Before they would undertake such a weighty business they consulted with God, and do not rashly rush upon it, but first desire to be directed by him. See chap. 1:1.

{Which of us shall go up first to the battle?} They do not inquire whether they should fight or no; but being full of confidence in respect of the justness of their cause, and also their great number and strength, they strive for precedency and the honor of the day, presuming already of victory before the fight, and so seek to God only for the determining of this difference between them, that there might be no contentions and emulations about it.

V. 21. {And destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men} Though they fought in a just cause and quarrel against wicked and graceless men, who stood up in defense of those who had deserved utter ruin and destruction for their abominable wickedness, yet God executed this heavy judgment upon them, I. To punish and correct the pride and self-confidence of his people, which appeared in that they sought unto God only to know who should have the precedency in the war, v. 18, but did not by humble and hearty prayer crave his assistance and blessing upon their endeavors. II. Because they were generally guilty of many great and heinous sins, especially of idolatry and backsliding from God, of which they had not repented, nor made their peace with God by serious humiliation and turning from their wicked ways. III. Because if they had at first prevailed and obtained victory, they would have gloried and triumphed in their own policy and strength, and not ascribed the glory to God. IV. To teach them and all others not to judge of the justice of the cause by the event, seeing outward things happen to all alike, Eccl. 9:1, 2, the wicked oftentimes thriving and prospering in their sin, and the godly and righteous being oppressed by them, though their cause be much the better; as we see in the example of God’s people and the Assyrian and Babylonish kings, and at this day of the Turks and Christians. In all which God is just: for though his children suffer as innocents in respect of their enemies, yet not in respect of himself, who always inflicts upon them deserved punishments for their sins, or at least fatherly chastisements to bring them to repentance, or to prevent sin when they are ready to fall into it: and on the other side he suffers the wicked to prosper and flourish in their sin for a time, that he may bring them to the greater destruction in the end, as the Benjamites in this place.

V. 22. {the men of Israel encouraged themselves} i.e. Attributing their defeat to some outward accidents, which now by experience they had learned to prevent, they take new heart unto them, hoping for good success in respect of their great strength and number that still remained.

{in the place where they put themselves in array the first day} This is noted (as it seems) to imply, that it was a place of disadvantage, in respect of the multitude of the Israelitish army, and the small number of the Benjamites.

V. 23. {and the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord} Here is to be observed, that their great defeat wrought in them some reformation of their former errors and omissions, but not such an one as was sufficient to fit them for a victory. For they wept before the Lord, but not so much (as it seems) for their sin as for their smart and loss, nor humbled themselves by fasting and prayer. And again, they asked counsel of the Lord whether they should the second time go to battle against the children of Benjamin their brother, but inquired not what should be the success of their enterprise, nor acknowledged that they did rely upon him alone for victory, having no conceit of their own strength, nor craved by hearty prayer his assistance, without which there was no hope of prevailing against their enemies.

{against Benjamin my brother} Doubting it is likely of their success, because they raised war against their brother, that is, a tribe of their own people, and not looking to their sin, the chief cause of their defeat.

{And the Lord said, Go up against him} i.e. He answered them according to their inquiry, but gave them no encouragement by promising victory.

V. 25. {All these drew the sword} i.e. Were valiant men and skillful, and able to manage their weapons. So v. 15.

V. 26. {and came unto the house of God, and wept} Not as they did before, but in a solemn and serious manner, not so much bewailing their loss, as their sins, which were the cause of it.

{and sat there before the Lord} i.e. According to the posture of mourners, Lam. 1:1, Psa. 137:1. Or, as others take it, they abode there humbling themselves before God with true contrition and compunction of heart, from morning to night, in the true sight and sense of their sins, 2 Sam. 7:18.

{and fasted} i.e. Did not perform the duty of humiliation and repentance slightly, overly and formally, as before, but in a thorough and serious manner.

{and offered burnt offerings} To wit, for the expiation of their sins. In these the whole sacrifice was consumed and offered unto God.

{and peace offerings before the Lord} In peace offerings part was offered to the Lord, part belonged to the priests, and part to him that offered the sacrifice. And this they did to make their peace and atonement, and to testify their faith and assurance of victory, having sought God in a right manner.

V. 27. {enquired of the Lord} To wit, by the high priest, after the judgment of Urim and Thummim, Numb. 27:21.

{for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days} i.e. It was in the tabernacle at Shiloh, which was near unto Gibeah.

V. 28. {And Phinehas the son of Eleazar—stood before it in those days} i.e. Ministered before the Lord in the priest’s office, the high priest. So Deut. 10:8 and 18:5. Hence it is evident that these things here related were not done after the death of Samson, but soon after Joshua’s time. For if Phinehas had continued till after Samson’s death, supposing that he were thirty years old when he killed Zimri and Cozbi, he should have been now about three hundred and fifty years of age. See on ch. 17:1.

{Go up, for to morrow I will deliver them into thy hand} Before God bade them go up, but gave them no promise of good success, but now they have his word for it, and are thereby assured of victory.

V. 29. {And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah} So Josh. 8:4. They set a secret ambush near the city, to take it when the people were drawn out to battle and having surprised it, and set some part of it on fire, then to issue out and fall upon the rear of the Benjamites’ army, so that it appears by this relation (though it be intricate and much perplexed) that the Israelites divided their army into three parts: one was this here laid in ambush: the second was a party drawn out of the army to present themselves unto the Benjamites, and for a while to entertain a fight with them, and by and by to counterfeit a flight, till they saw the city taken by the ascending of the flame and smoke, and then to face about and make a stand: the third was to be at Baal-tamar, as a strong reserve, consisting of the main battle or body of the army who were appointed to second them who were to feign a flight, when they made a stand, and had drawn the enemy far enough out of the city, and brought them within the reach of this reserve. In the two former battles, when they relied upon their own strength and number, and had from God no promise of victory, they were so bold and confident that they neglected stratagems of war, as thinking there was no need of them. But now that they had a promise of victory which could not fail, they think no providence or policy too much. Which plainly shows what a wide difference there is between vain presumption grounded on our own strength and natural abilities, and true faith relying upon God’s word and promises. Presumption is bold and confident upon weak and false grounds, and thinks surely to attain its ends, though all means be neglected that may advance and further them; but true faith, when it has God’s word to build upon, is no less careful to use all lawful means than if there were no promise, because it knows that ordinarily God appoints that the means and end should go together, and therefore it is a tempting of God, when we have a promise, to neglect the means subservient to his providence. See Acts 27:31 and on Isa. 38:21.

V. 30. {And the children of Israel went up} To wit, that part of the army which were appointed to fight with the Benjamites, and to counterfeit a flight.

V. 31. {went out against the people} i.e. Against that party which was drawn out to fight against them.

{in the highways} Or, in the crossways, leading to divers places.

{the house of God} Or, Bethel, i.e. either Shiloh, where the tabernacle was placed; or the city Bethel, of which see on Hos. 10:15.

{and the other to Gibeah in the field} So called, as it seems, to distinguish it from the other Gibeah on the hill, against which the Israelites now fought, v. 23, 30. See ch. 19:13, Josh. 18:24, 28. Both these cities lay near together in the tribe of Benjamin.

V. 32. {unto the highways} i.e. Where their great reserve, consisting of the main body of the army, encamped.

V. 33. {And all the men of Israel} i.e. The main body of their army, which lay encamped near the highways, rose up and put themselves in array, to second those who had feigned a flight, and now made a stand.

{at Baal-Tamar} Lying on the west of Gibeah, where they had placed themselves to receive the Benjamites when they pursued the Israelites in their flight.

{and the liers in wait} i.e. Those who lay in ambush in the meadows near the city to surprise it, when the Benjamites were drawn out to battle.

V. 34. {And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men} i.e. The liers in wait that lay in ambush to surprise the city. Which when they had done, they put themselves between the city and the Benjamites’ army, to hinder their retreat.

{and the battle was sore} Namely, to the Benjamites, who were hemmed in on all sides, before and behind, though for the present they apprehended not their danger till they saw the flame ascend out of the city.

V. 35. {destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men} The particulars are afterwards set down thus: eighteen thousand slain in the battle, v. 44; five thousand gleaned in the highways after the army was slaughtered, routed, and put to flight, and two thousand pursued to Gidom, and slain there, v. 45. And over and above these there were some odd numbers slain in the field and in the pursuit which make up the odd hundred in this verse. But besides these five and twenty thousand and one hundred mentioned here, and the six hundred that fled to the rock Rimmon, v. 47, there lacks one thousand to complete the whole number of the Benjamites’ army, v. 15. Now what became of these is not expressed, but it is probably conceived they fell in the two former battles.

V. 36. {for the men of Israel} Having in general related the Benjamites’ defeat and the Israelites’ victory, he does now describe the manner and circumstances of it.

{gave place} i.e. Feignedly fled.

V. 37. {drew themselves along} Or, made a long sound with the trumpets. To wit, out of the places where they had lain in ambush.

V. 38. {there was an appointed sign} Namely, between the liers in wait and that part of the army which were in the fight, that they should make a stand and turn upon the enemy when they saw the flame ascending out of the city.

V. 40. {the Benjamites looked behind them} Being amazed to see the fleeing Israelites upon a sudden make a stand and renew their fight, they stood at a gaze, and so looking back they perceived that their city was taken and set on fire, and so that evil was come upon them, being on all sides environed by their enemies, and no place left for a safe retreat, and therefore that they were all utterly lost without any hope of escaping.

V. 42. {The way of the wilderness} i.e. That leads to the wilderness.

{the battle overtook them} i.e. The main battle, or the chief strength of the army which for this purpose had placed themselves at Baal-tamar, v. 33.

{and them which came out of the Cities} This place is diversely interpreted. Some will have the meaning to be, that the party which had fired Gibeah came now out and charged the rear of the Benjamites; others, that beside the army of the Israelites, the people of the cities all about came forth and slaughtered the Benjamites, as they fled; others, that besides the slaughter of the Benjamites’ army, the Israelites destroyed even those also which had not taken up arms, but abode quiet in their cities.

{they destroyed in the midst of them} i.e. Having enclosed them round about on every side, they slew them.

V. 43. {with ease} Or, from Menuchah.

V. 44. {And there fell} To wit, in the battle.

V. 45. {unto the rock Rimmon} i.e. A city lying upon a rock between Bethel and Gibeah, on the southwest of Benjamin.

{and they gleaned} i.e. They slew here and there, as they could meet with them, cutting them clean off, as ears of corn are gleaned after the harvest, or grapes after the vintage.

{and pursued hard after them} As it were close at the heels, not giving them any scope, rest or respite.

V. 46. {So that all that fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men} He expresses only the grand and round number, leaving out the odd hundred mentioned, v. 35. See on ch. 11:26, 2 Sam. 5:5.

V. 48. {and the men of Israel turned again} i.e. Not satisfied with the slaughter of the men of Gibeah and the other Benjamites that came to fight in their defense, they fell upon all other cities of that tribe, because they likewise had sent aids to this war, and slew men, woman and child, and the very beasts. The which they did, as some think, because for their protecting those that had committed this abominable crime, they had anathematized and devoted them to utter destruction; which was the case of Jericho, and Hazor, and of such as should set up idolatry in the land, Deut. 13:15, 16. But this cannot probably be thought to be the cause, seeing if all had been devoted to a total ruin, they neither would nor could upon second thoughts have spared the six hundred at Rimmon, nor afterwards have repented of the desolation they had made. And therefore it is rather to be thought, that what they did was out of the heat and fury of war, unto which they were incensed and enraged not only by the Benjamites’ horrible wickedness in patronizing and protecting such a matchless villainy, but because they had suffered in so just a cause a great slaughter of forty thousand of their men.

CHAPTER 21

Verse 1. {Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh} When they entered into a solemn covenant there, that they would make war against the Benjamites, if they would not let justice proceed against the men of Gibeah, ch. 20:1, 8.

{There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife} Which oath first implies a supposal, that some of the Benjamites might outlive the war, escaping by flight or otherwise; and withal, that it might so come to pass, that there would not so many of the female sex escape the sword as might be a number sufficient to be wives unto the men that should remain. For if they had women enough of their own tribe surviving, they should not need to have wives from other tribes. Secondly, it expresses a full determination, that if those Benjamites that survived were brought to extremity, as to want wives, and no women left of their own tribe to marry withal, that none of the other tribes should give their daughters unto them, nor hold communion with them, but account them as Gentiles and heathens. It is very likely that when out of sudden passion and displeasure they made this oath, they thought not of the mischiefs and inconveniences that would necessarily ensue upon their observing of it; as, that if the Benjamites had neither wives of their own, nor might fetch any from the other tribes, then either they must live single, and not marry at all, and so, contrary to God’s revealed will and Jacob’s prophetical blessing, one of the twelve tribes be quite extinct at their death; or else, contrary to God’s express command, they must of necessity match themselves with heathens and strangers, and so pollute the holy seed and beget a mongrel generation. But as the oath itself was rash and inconsiderate, so the performance and execution hereof was most barbarous and bloody, seeing in their heat and fury they sought to destroy the whole tribe, not only the men that came out in battle against them, but those also that afterwards they found in their cities, among which it may well be presumed there were many that were not accessory to the foul fact of the men of Gibeah; and not them alone, but even the women, virgins, and little children, who were altogether innocent. Neither did any escape their bloody rage, except the six hundred men which fled unto the rock Rimmon, and by God’s special providence were there preserved against their wills. All this outrage was disguised under the color of a religious oath, which they had taken out of blind zeal and superstitious ignorance.

V. 2. {and the people came to the house of God} Being now in cold blood and having learned in what straits they were, and into what a labyrinth they had brought themselves, being necessitated either to violate their solemn oath or dismember their body politic by cutting off one of their tribes, they assemble themselves at Shiloh, where the tabernacle now was, and in it the ark the visible sign of God’s presence, there to advise one with another, but principally to ask counsel of God, how they might wind themselves out of those difficulties in which they were involved by their own rashness and rage, whereof they now seriously repented, and how they might find out some way thereby to preserve the Benjamites from utter extirpation, and themselves from perjury. Now all this difficulty arose from their gross ignorance in those times. For they had no other cause to perplex themselves about their oath, but to stop the outcry of a superstitious conscience, seeing their oath being wicked, they were not bound at all to keep it, but having unlawfully made it, they might, when they knew it, lawfully break it, or else they should make themselves guilty of a double sin, and the latter greater than the former; the one, rashly to take such an oath; the other, advisedly to keep it, when it appeared to be sinful. But when men swerve from the rule of God’s word, they run out of one sin into another, and using shifts and shuffles to extricate themselves, they sink into the whirlpool of wickedness deeper and deeper. Yet in these dark and superstitious times they had so much light remaining, as to see that it was unlawful for children to marry without the consent of their parents; seeing otherwise this scruple of theirs might easily have been removed: for though the fathers could not give their consent by reason of their oath, yet their daughters, if they so pleased, might have married without it; and it is probable that many of them would have done it, because hereby they might have made themselves mistresses of very large estates, the whole inheritance of Benjamin being to be divided amongst that small remnant of six hundred persons.

V. 3. {why is this come to pass in Israel} This is not propounded as a question to be resolved, but as an expostulation or complaint of their present condition, which was to be pitied, like that Isa. 63:17, O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? q.d. How comes it to pass, O Lord, that you have thus given us up to be so transported by rage and passion, as to do things which tend so much to your dishonor and our own discomfort, namely the cutting off of one of our tribes, and the causeless shedding of so much innocent blood?

V. 4. {and built there an altar} Some conceive this altar was erected for a memorial to testify their thankfulness for their victory, because it was unlawful to have any more altars than one only for sacrifices. But to erect an altar for a monument of their victory was not suitable to the present occasion, they now coming as mourners to lament the evil fruits that came of it, namely the destruction of one of their tribes. And besides, this conceit is plainly confuted in the very next words, which express the use for which this altar was erected, namely, to offer upon it burnt offerings and peace offerings. And therefore the better to clear this point, we are to know, that God appointed but one altar to be ordinarily used for sacrifices, as there was also to be but one tabernacle, and one temple, as types of our only Savior Jesus Christ, Heb. 13:10, 11. Therefore the ten tribes were highly offended at the two tribes and half when they thought they had built another altar for ordinary use, Josh. 22:11. But upon extraordinary and necessary occasions God allowed his people to build more than one altar in number, though they were all one in kind, both in respect of matter and form, especially when it was done by holy men, and of prophetical spirits, and without danger of idolatry; yet with this difference, that the one was to be fixed and permanent, the other to stand only so long as the necessary occasion continued. And thus we read of divers altars erected; as by Joshua, upon mount Ebal, Josh. 8:30, according to God’s special command, Deut. 27. By Gideon, ch. 6:24, 26, by Samuel, 1 Sam. 7:9, 17 and 11:14 and 16:2, 5, by David, 2 Sam. 24:25, and that by God’s appointment, v. 18, by Solomon, 1 Kings 8:64, by Elijah, 1 Kings 18:32. Now the occasion of setting up this altar, when they were so near the other in the tabernacle, was the same with that of Solomon’s, 1 Kings 8:64, namely, because there were so many sacrifices to be offered by that great assembly that one altar was not sufficient for them. See on ch. 13:16.

V. 5. {For they had made a great oath} Both in respect of the great multitude by whom it was taken, and the great solemnity observed in the taking of it. It may be also because there was some such great and bitter execration added to ratify and confirm it, as was added to the other oath of not giving their daughters to the Benjamites, v. 18.

{concerning him that came not up} This cannot be understood of every particular person; for if all had come the whole land should have been left empty and open to all incursions of bordering enemies; but of every city and town which did not send some to assist in this expedition.

{to the Lord to Mizpeh} See ch. 20:1.

{He shall surely be put to death} This oath was in itself lawful, and the punishment just which was threatened. For it was a lawful war proclaimed for inflicting deserved punishment upon grievous offenders. And seeing at this time there was no supreme magistrate to punish sin, the government was in the body of the people; and they might justly, having the power in their hands, make ordinances, and punish transgressors; and particularly all those, who in this common cause concerning the public good had not given their assistance when it was required, and so, as much as in them lay, did betray the commonwealth, and by their neutrality showed that they favored the cause of the offenders, seeing they would not help to bring them to condign punishment. Besides, they by their example taught others to contemn public edicts, and so did weaken the authority of the commonwealth, and introduce a pernicious anarchy.

V. 6. {For Benjamin their brother} All the Israelites were brethren, being all in covenant with God their heavenly Father, all descended from Israel their natural father, and all called after his name.

{There is one tribe cut off} i.e. In danger to be cut off, if some present course be not taken to preserve it. Others read, Should we this day cut off a tribe of Israel?

V. 7. {wives for them that remain} That is, the six hundred, ch. 20:47, that so by them the tribe may be preserved from perishing.

V. 8. {from Jabesh-gilead} A city beyond Jordan, in the tribe of Manasseh, near unto the lake Gennesareth. It was afterwards besieged by the Ammonites, and rescued by Saul, 1 Sam. 11:1, 2.

V. 10. {with the women and children} They had a just cause, but spoiled it in the handling, doing execution in a most cruel and unjust manner upon the women and innocent children. For they were not summoned to this service, nor was it so much as expected from them that they should come to the assembly, having no abilities to assist in the cause; and yet these innocents must fare no better than the offenders. Neither was this outrage committed in the heat of war, but when they found no resistance, and after they had lately offended in the same kind against the Benjamites, yea, and that in the very time when they saw their sin, and mourned for it. Neither will this excuse their bloody fact, that the Midianitish women were slain by Moses’ command as well as the men, seeing they were no less guilty than these of that sin, which was the cause of the war, Num. 31:16. Neither were they, as execrable, devoted to destruction, like Jericho and the inhabitants of it; for then they could not lawfully have reserved the four hundred virgins to be wives for the Benjamites.

V. 11. {Ye shall utterly destroy every male} Lest, as some conceive, when they came to age, they should revenge the death of their parents; for which methinks there was but little cause of fear, seeing it was not likely that the children of one city should take revenge of the whole nation, whose common cause this was. Therefore, for aught I know, this may go in among the other acts of their injustice and cruelty: Ezek. 18:20. Neither will it excuse their fact, that Moses commanded the like execution to be done upon the male children of the Midianites, seeing they were professed enemies to God’s people, and therefore he thought it just and fit to abate and weaken their strength by cutting off their posterity, Numb. 31:17.

{and every woman that hath lien by man} Heb. knoweth the lying by man. Reserving only virgins for the Benjamites.

V. 12. {four hundred young virgins} Heb. young women virgins. Which were marriageable.

{brought them unto the camp} i.e. Having killed all the other women that had lain by man, and (it is likely) with them many other virgins, which were in that city besides these four hundred.

{to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan} For Jabesh-gilead, lying beyond Jordan, properly was not in the land of Canaan, which did lie within it.

V. 14. {And they gave them wives—of the women of Jabesh-gilead} Supposing that therein they violated not their oath, because they gave them not their own daughters.

{and yet so they sufficed them not} Heb. found they nothing for them. i.e. They were not enough to fit the number of the Benjamites, and so to satisfy their desire. The like phrase is used Numb. 11:23, Josh. 17:16.

V. 15. {And the people repented them for Benjamin} Both because they had in the heat of war slain their brethren with so great a slaughter; and also more especially, because they had killed the women, and knew not how to furnish the Benjamites that remained with wives, in regard of the oath wherewith they had bound themselves, v. 1, 18.

{because that the Lord had made a breach} i.e. Because he had so ordered it by his providence, that for the just punishment of their sin such a fearful destruction should be brought upon them by the hands of the other tribes, as the executioners of his righteous judgments, so that the body of their state had received a dangerous maim by having one of its members very near cut off from it.

V. 16. {for wives for them that remain} i.e. The two hundred Benjamites which yet have not wives provided for them.

V. 17. {There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin} i.e. Benjamin must be preserved to have the twelfth portion in the inheritance of Jacob, in the time of Joshua allotted unto them, seeing it is unlawful to alienate any part thereof to another tribe. And therefore it being so large, and they so few in number, there is the more need that all of them have wives to multiply their tribe, that they may people their inheritance the sooner.

V. 18. {Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn} It was a rash and unlawful oath, and could not bind to that which was evil; only it was a bond to a blind and superstitious conscience. For they must either give them wives, or they must marry strangers, which was expressly contrary to God’s law, unless they became proselytes, or else the tribe must necessarily be extirpated for want of posterity.

{saying, Cursed be he} i.e. They backed their oath with a bitter imprecation or execration, wishing some great mischief to befall him that did break it.

{that giveth a wife to Benjamin} i.e. At this time, or to these men. For they intended not their oath should be perpetual and oblige posterity, but themselves only.

V. 19. {Behold, there is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh} What this feast was expositors diversely conjecture. Some think it was a civil or town feast kept yearly at Shiloh, and the rather, because they used, as a part of the solemnity of it, dancing, piping, or whistling, as the word may indifferently signify, 1 Kings 1:40, Psa. 87:7. Others very probably think that it was a religious feast, because it is called a feast of the Lord, and was also kept at Shiloh, where the tabernacle now  was placed; and that it was most likely to be the feast of tabernacles. And they conceive, it could not be the feast of Passover, because that was in the beginning of the spring, before their vines bore leaves, or yielded any convenience for these liers in wait to hide themselves behind them in the vineyards. But why might not vines be leaved at that time, as well as corn be ripe? See on Josh. 5:11, Lev. 23:10, 15, Deut. 16:9, Ruth 2:22, 1 Sam. 6:13. Whatsoever feast of the Lord it was, they suppose that it was much abused and profaned, seeing they spent the time of solemnizing it in dancing and reveling, which should rather have been employed in hearing the word, prayer, offering of sacrifices, and such like religious exercises. But seeing charity binds us to take things which are doubtful in the best sense, and seeing dancing and music were in the times under the law used as a part of their festival solemnities, to express their joy in praising of God for his special favors, as we see in the examples of Miriam, Deborah, Barak, and David, I see no reason why we should not judge this dancing and music here mentioned to have been of this nature, a religious act, and religiously performed in due time and place, and so not hindering God’s public service in the sanctuary. And to this I rather incline, because it is noted that this dancing was sober and modest, acted only by the virgins among themselves, and not, like the mixed dancing of our days, between men and women, which in all ages of the church has been censured and condemned as wanton and lascivious. See ch. 11:34, Exod. 15:20, 1 Sam. 18:26 and 2 Sam. 6:14.

V. 21. {and catch you every man his wife} They were not allowed to take any more than every man his wife. Which shows that though polygamy was practiced by some, yet it was not publicly approved in those times: and yet there was then more than ordinary cause for the allowing of it to these Benjamites, to increase and multiply their tribe now reduced to such a small number, to build up their cities now ruined, and to replenish their inheritances now almost lying waste and destitute of inhabitants. Now whereas the elders in a common council do not allow this rape at the Benjamites’ suit, but plot and contrive it for them, this shows, if at least they had not some special dispensation from God, in respect of the present necessity, to give this counsel and direction, the great ignorance and superstition of those times, in that they dispensed rather with the violent rape of wives without consent either of parents or parties, than they would give them their daughters, and thereby violate a rash and unlawful oath: though indeed they did not hereby make themselves less guilty and faulty, but added to their perjury the sin of rape, fraud and deceit, seeing they might much better have given their daughters, acknowledging their sin in making a rash oath, and repenting of it, than under the privilege of their power and authority have appointed them to take them themselves. But all this they did to silence the cry of a superstitious conscience, which usually is sooner satisfied by idle conceits of men’s own brains than by the evidence of truth and right reason.

V. 22. {Be favourable unto them} Or, gratify us in them.

{for our sakes} i.e. Out of the love that you bear unto us your brethren, that you may free us from that faultiness and guilt which otherwise will lie upon us, seeing we have brought this necessity upon them, by destroying their women, wives, and virgins, and not reserving a sufficient number for them in the war against Jabesh-gilead.

{For ye did not give unto them at this time} i.e. You did not voluntarily give your daughters unto them, but they by force have taken them away without your knowledge or consent, yea against your wills; and therefore you are free from the breach of your oath: and so indeed they were. But they were not innocent who used this plea, seeing they had contrived and appointed this rape. But this they conceal, which would but have made them odious to the parents of the virgins, and so less able to satisfy and appease them.

V. 24. {And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe, &c.} i.e. They went in troops to the tribe of which they were; and being come thither they parted company and went severally to their families from which they were descended, and then particularly every man to his own house.

V. 25. {In those days there was no King in Israel} These words have already been often inserted in these histories, ch. 17:6 and 18:1 and 19:1, and are here placed for the close of all, to show how great a blessing kings and governors are unto a nation, seeing under an anarchy nothing springs and thrives but idolatry and superstition and all outrageous lusts and villainies.