Chapter XXIV (continued, part 2)
50-57. Abimelech Slain. 50. Then went AI>imelech to Thebez, and encamped against it—Now Tubas—not far fiom Sliecliem. 51. all the men and women gat to the top of the tower—The Canaanite forts were generally mountain-fastnesses or keeps, and they often had a strong tower whicli served as a last refuge. The Assyrian basreliefs aU'ord counterparts of the scene here described so vivid and exact, that we might almost suppose them to be representiitions of the same historic events. The besieged city-the strong tower within—the men and women crowding its battltineiUs—the fire applied to the doors, and even the huge fragment* of stone dropping from the hands of one of the garrison on the heads of the assailants —are all well represented to the life—just as they are here described in the narrative of inspired truth, fcioss.]
Ver. 1-3. Jephthah. 1. Jephthah—"opener." son of an harlot—A concubine, or foreigner; Implying an inferior sort of marriage prevalent in Eastern countries. Whatever dishonour might attach to his birth, his own high and energetic character rendered him early a person of note. Gilead begat Jephtliah—His father seems to have belonged to the tribe of Manasseh. (1 Chronicles 7.
14, 17.) 2. tliou Shalt not Inlierit in our father's house —As there were children by the legitimate wife, the son of the secondary one was not entitled to any share of the patrimony, and the prior claim of the others was indisputable. Hence, as the brothers of Jephthah seem to have resorted to rude and violent treatment, they must have been influenced by some secret ill-will. 3. Jephthah dwelt in the land of Tob—On the north of Gilead, beyond the frontier of the Hebrew territories. (2 Samuel
10. 0, 8.) there were gathered vain men to Jephthah— Idle, daring, or desperate, and went out with him— Followed him as a military chief. They led a freebooting
Ver. 1-5. Tola .Iudgetji Israel in Shamir. 1. after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel, Tola— /. e., to save. Deliverance was necessary as well from intestine asarpatiou as from foreign aggression, the son of Puah
life, sustaining themselves by frequent incursions on the Ammonites and otlier neighbouring people, in the style
The Gileadites Covenant wilh Jephtfiah. JUDGES XII. His Vow and VutM-y.
gressor were disregarded, and war being inevitable, preparations were made for a determined resistance.
ol' Robin Hood, or Higlilaud reivers in the Ijonler forays, even wlien England and rScotland were at peace. The same kind of life is led Ijy r.iany an Arab or Tartar still, who, as the leader of a band, acquires fame by his stirring or gallant adventures, and it is not deemed dishonourable wlien the expeditions are directed against tlioseont of his own tribe or nation. .leplilhali's mode of life was similar to that of David when driven from the court of Saul.
2!)-;!l. His Vow. ^9. tlien tlte l§ipirit of tlie Lord came upon Jepiithah—The calm wisdom, sagacious forethought, and indomitable energy which he was enabled to display, were a pledge to himself and a convincing evidence to his countrymen, tliat ho waf qualified by higher resources than his own for tlie momentous duties of his
office. He passed over Giiead and Manasseh—The provinces most exposed and in danger, for the purpose of levying troops, and exciting by his presence a widespread Interest in the national cause. Returning to the camp .at Mizpeh, lie 'hence began his march against the enemy, and there h» made his celebrated vow, in accordance with an ancient custom for gene/nls at the outbreak of a war, or on the eve of a battle, to promise the god of their worsliip a costly oblation, or dedication of some valuable booty, in the event of victory. Vows were iu common practice also among the Israelites. They were encouvaged by the Divine approval as emanating from a spirit of piety and gratitude, and rules laid down in the law for regulating the performance. But it is ditficult to bring Jephthah's vow within tlie legitimate range (see on Leviticus 27. 28). 31. wliatsoever cometli fortli of tlie doors of my house to meet me—This evidently points not to an animal, for that might have been a dog; which, being unclean, was unfit to be offered ; but to a person, and it looks extremely like as if he, from the first, contemplated a human sacrifice. Bred up as ho had been, beyond the Jordan, where the Israelitish tribes, far from the taliernacle, were looser in their religious sentiments, and living latterly on the borders of a heathen country where such sacrifices were common, it is not improbable that he may have been so ignorant as to imagine that a similar immolation would be acceptable to God. His mind, engrossed with the prospect of a contest, on the issue of which the fate of his country depended, might, through the influence of superstition, consider the dedication of the object dearest to him the most likely to ensure success, shall surely lie the Lowl's ; and (oc) I will offer it up for a burnt ollerins—The adoption of the latter particle, which many interpreters suggest, introduces the important alternative, that if it were a person, the dedication would be made to the service of the .sanctuary; if a proper animal or thing, it would be offered on the altar.
4-11. The Gileadites Covenant with Jephthaii. 4-. In processof time—On the return of the season, tlie clilldreii of Ammoii made war against Israel—Having prepared the wayby the introduction t)f Jephtliah.tliesacred historian here resumes the tliread of his narrative from ch. 10. 17. The Ammonites seem to have invaded the country, and active hostilities were inevitable. 5, 6. t5ie elders of Giiead went to fetch .leplitliali—All eyes were directed towards him as the only person possessed of the qualities requisite for the preservation of the country in this time of imminent danger; and a deputation of the chief men was despatched from the Hebrew camp at Mizpeh to solicit his services. 7-9. Jeplitliali said, Did not ye hate me 1—He gave them at first a liaughty and cold reception. It is probable tliat lie saw some of his brothers among the deputies. Jephtliah was now in circumstances to malce his own terms. ^Vith his former experience—he wouM have shown little wisdom or prudence without binding them to a cUar and specific engagement to invest him with unlimited authority, the more especially as he was al)out to imperil his Hfe in their cause. Although ambition might, to a certain degree, have stimulated his ready compliance, it is iinpossible to overlook the piety of his language, which creates a favourable impression that his roving life, in a state of social manners so different from ours, was not incompatiljle with habits of personal religion. 10, 11. Tl»e elders of Israel said »into Jephtliah, The I^ord he witness l>etween us—Their offer being accompanied l)y the most solemn oath, Jepiithah intimated his acceptance of tlie mission, and his willingness fo .accompany tliem. But to make "assurance doubly sure," he took care that the pledge given by the deputies in Tob should be ratified in a general assembly of the people at Mizpeh—and the language of the historian, " Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord," seems to imply that his inauguration with the character and extraordinary office of judge was solemnized by prayer for the Divine blessing, or some religious ceremonial.
32,*!. He OvEUCOMES THE .Vmmonites. 3-Z. Jephthah passed over to the children of Ammon, and tlie Lord delivered tliem into liis liand—He met and engaged them at Aroer, a town in the tribe of Gad, ui)on the Anion. A decisive victory crowned the arms of Israel, and the pursuit was.continued to Abel (plain of the vineyards), from south to north, over an extent of about sixty miles. 31. Jephtliah eame to Ifllxpeli un(o his house, and, liehold, his daughter eaiue out to meet liim with timbrels and with danees—The return of the victors was hailed, as usual, by the joyous acclaim of s female band (1 .Samuel IS. G), the leader of whom was Jep.ithah's daughter. The vow was full In liismind.and It Isev'dent that it had not been communicated to any one, otherwise precautions would doubtless have been taken to place another object at his door. The shriek, and other accompaniments of Irrepressible grief, seem to indicate that her life was to bo forfelled as a sacrifice; the nature of the sacrifice (which was abhorrent to the character of God; and distance from the tabernacle does not sufilce to overturn this view, which t he language and whole si rain of the narrative plainly support; and although the lapse of two months might be supposed to have allorded time for reflection, and a better sense of his duty, there Is but too much reason to conclude that he was Impelled to the fullllment by the dictates of a pious but uuenllghleued conscience.
12-2.S. His Emba.ssvto the King of Ammot^. 1'J-!J8. •Teplithah sent messengers unto the kin:; of the ehildren of Ammon—This first acl in liis ju<iicial ca))acity
refif.'cts the iiighcst credit on his char.acter for prudence and moderation, justice and humanity. The bravest officers liave always been averse to war; so Jephthah, whoso courage was indisputable, resolved not only to malce it clearly appear tluit hostilities were forced upon liim, l)ut to try measures for avoiding, if possible, an .ippeal to arms : and In pursuing such a course he was acting as became a leader in Israel fDi'uteronomy 'JO. 10-lS). 13. the king of Ammon answered, Keeatise Israel took away my land—(See on Deuteronomy 2. Ii)-;i7.) The subject of quarrel was a claim of riglit advanced Ijy (lie Ammonite monarch to the lands which tlu! Israelites wei-e occupying. Je))hthah's reply was clear, decided and unanswerabh'
—first, those lands were not in the possession of the Ammonites when his countrymen got th(™, and that they hail been acquired by l ight of c<>iii]nest from the Ainorites; secondly, that the Israelites had now, by a lapse of
SIX) ye.-irs of undisiiuled possession, established a prescriptive right to the o('cupatlon ; and thirdly, having received a grant of them from the Lord, his jieople wvvc entitled to malnlaln their right on the same principle th.at guided the Ammonites In receiving, from their god ("hemosh, the territory tliey now occupied. This diplomatic statement, so adml rable for the clearness and force of Us arguments, coiKduded 'with a sob inn appeal to (iod to mainlain, by (be issiu' of events, tlie cause of right anil justice.
CIIArTER XII.
Ver. 1-."?. TlIK ElMIHAIMITEsQ UAltUEM.INIl WITH JKPHTIIAII. 1. The men of Kpliralm gnlliered tliemselvea together JIvb., were sumuiuned. aud went uortUward
JS8. flowhelt the king of Ammon lienrkeiied not unto the words of Jephthah —His remonstrances to the ag-
Quari-el of the Ephraimiles. JUDGES XIII, XIV. The Birth of SamsoTt.
—After croKsins the Jordan, their route from Ephraim
for the sake of lier promised ofTspving, required to prac-
tice the rigid abstinence of the Nazarite law (see on Nam-' hers (i. 3). lie shall begin to deliver Israel OMt of the hands of the Philistines—A prophecy encouraging to a patriotic man; tlie terms of it, however, indicated that the period' of deliverance was still to be distant. 6-8.
was, strictly siiciking, in a nortli-easterly direction, towards Mi/.pch. tliey said unto Jeplithali, Wherefore
didst thoM not call nsl—Tliis is a fresli developnieTt of
the jealous, rasli,and irritable temper of the Ephraimiles. The ground of their offence now wiis their desire of enjoy-
tlieit nianoah entreated the Lord—On being informed by his wife of Mie welcome intimation, the husband made
ing the creditor patriotism, alllioiigh tlieyhad not shared
In the glory of victory. 3. wlien I called yon, yc delivered me not ont of fUeir Siands—The straifjlitforward answer of Jeplithah shows tliat their chai>;e was false;
it the suljject of" earnest pr.ayer to God ; and this is a remarkable instance, indicative of tlie connection which God has established between prayer and the fulfilment ot His promises.
their complaint of not being treated as confederates and
allies entirely without foundation; and their boast of a ready contribntiou jf their services came with an ill grace from peoplewho had purposely delayed appearing till the
11-U. The Angel Appears TO Manoah. 11. Art thou the man that spakest unto the -woman 1—Manoah's intense desire for the repetition of the angel's visit was prompted not by doulits or anxieties of .any kind, but was the fruit of lively faith, and of his great anxiety to follow out the instructions given. " Blessed was he wlio had not seen, yet had lielieved."
crisis was past. 3. wlien I saw tliat yc delivered me not, I put n»y life in my hands—A common form of speech in the East for undertaking a duty of imminent
peril. This Jephthah had done, having encountered and routed the Ammonites witli the aid of his Gileadite volunteers alone; and since the I^ord had enabled him to conquer without requiring assistance from any other
1.5-2;',. Manoah's Sacrifice. 15. Manoah said unto the angel, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall liave made ready a kid—The stranger declined the intended liospitality,and intimated that if the meat were to lie an offering, it must be presented to tlie Lord. Jlanoah needed this instruction, for his purpose was to offer the prepared viands to him, not as the Lord, but as what he imagined him to be, not even au angel (v. 16), but a proptifc. .>v merely human messenger. It was on this account, and not as rejecting Divine honours, that he spoke in this manner to Manoali. The angel's language was exactly similar to that of our Lord (Matthew 19.17). 17. Manoah said »»nto the nngel, Wliat Is tJ»y nanie I Manoali's request elicited the most unequivocal proofs of the divinity of hissupernatural visitor—in liis name "secret" (in the Mnrtj. wonderful), and in the miraculous flame tliat betokened tlie acceptance of the sacrifice.
tribe, why should the Ephraimites take offence? They ought rather to have been delighted and tliaukful that the war had terminated without their incurring any labour and danger.
4-l.'>. DiSCERXEn BY THE WORD 81BTSOLETH, ARE SljAFN BY THE Gri>EAniTES. 4-. the men of Gllead smote Ephraim, hecanse they said. Ye Glleadif es are fiijfltives of Kphraim—The remonstrances of Jephthah, though reasonable and tem])erate, were not only ineffectual, but followed by insulting sneers tiiat the Gileadites were reckoned both by the western Manassites and Ephraimites as outcasts—the scum and refuse of their common stock. This was addressed to a peculiarly sensitive people. A feud immediately ensued. The Gileadites, determined to chastise this public affront, gave them battle; and having defeated the Ephraimites, chased their foul-mouthed but cowardly assailants out of the territory; and rushing
24, 2.5. Samson Eoun. 24. the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson—Tlie birtll of this cliild of promise.and the reportof the importantnational services he was to render, must, from the first, have made him an object of peculiar interest and careful instruction. 35. the Spirit of God began to move Itim at times—Not, probalily, as it moved tlie prophets, who were charged with an inspired message, but kindling in his youthful bosom a spirit of high and devoted patriotism. Eshtaol —The free city. It as well as Zorah stood on the border between Judah and Dan.
to.the fords of the Jordan, intercepted and slew every fu-
gitive. Tlie method adopted for discovering an Ephraim-
Ite was hy the pronunciation of a word naturally suggested by the place where they stood. ".Shil)boleth," means a stream; "Sibboleth," a burden. The Eastern tribe had, it seems, a dialectical provincialism in the sourid of Shibboleth ; and the Ephraimites could not bring their organs to pronounce it. 7. Jeplithah died—After a government of six years, this "mighty man of valour" died ; and however difficult it may be for us to understand some passages in his liistory, he has been ranked by apos-
tolic authority among the worthies of the ancient church. He wasfolloyred by a succession of minor judges, of whom the only memorials preserved relate to the number of their families and their state.
Ver. l-o. Sam.son Desires a Wife of the Philistines.
1. Tlmnath—now Tibna, about three miles from Zorah, his birth-place, saw a woman . . . of the Philistines; and tolfl his father and his mother, and said. Get her for me to wife—In the East parents did, and do in many cases still, negotiate the marriage alliances for their sons. During their period of ascendency, tlie Philistine invaders had settled in the towns, and the intercourse between them and the Israelites was often of such afriendly and familiar character as to issue in matrimonial relations. Moreover, the Philistines were not in the number of the seven devoted nations of Canaan-—with whom thai law forbade them to marry. 3. Is there never a woma'ii among the daugliters of tliy brethren—/, c, of thine, own tribe—a Danite woman. Samson said, Get lier for me, for she pleaseth me -»vell lil., "slie is riglit in mine eyes"—not b.y her beautiful countenance or handsome figure, but right or fit for his ptirpone. And this throws light on the historian's remark in reference to the resistance of Ills parents: "they knew not that it was of tli« Lord that he sougiit an occasion against the Philistines" —rather from the Pliilistines—originating on their side. The Lord, by a course of retributive proceedings, was about to destroy the Philistine power, and the means whicii he meant to employ was not the forces of a numerous army, as in the case of the preceding judges, but the miraculous prowess of the single-h luded champion ofls-
Ver. 1. Israel Serves the Philisthnes Forty Years.
1. the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years—The Israelites were represented (cli.
10. 6, 7) as having fallen universally into a state of gross and confirmed idolatry, and in chastisement of this great apostasy the Lord raised up enemies tluit harassed them
In various quarters, especially the Ammonites and Philistines. The invasions and defeat of the former were narrated in the two chapters immediately preceding this; and now the sacred historian proceeds to describe the inroads of the latter people. Tlie period of Philistine ascendency comprised forty years, reckoning from the time of Elon till the death of Samson.
2-10. An Anoet, Appears TO Maxoah's Wife. 2. Zorah—A Danite town (Joshua 15. :):?) lying on the conunon boundary of J^idah and Dan, so that it was near the Philistine border. 3. the angel of the I^ord—The messenger of the covenant, the Divine personage who made so many remarkable appearances of a similar kind already de- •cr1l)ed, 5. thou ghalt conceive and bear a son—This predicted child being to be a Nazarite, the mother was.
Samnon's Marriage and Riddle. JUDGES XV. Se Bums ihe rJtilidine^ Corn,
raei; In these circumstances, the provocation to hostilities could only spring out of a private quarrel, and this marriage sclieme was doubtless suggested by the secret Influence of the Spirit as the best way of accomplishing the intended result.
Ver. 1. 2. Sajison is Denied His "Wife. 1. in the time of wheat Uai"i-e8t—i. c, about the end of our April, or the beginning of our May. The sliocks of grain were then gathered into heaps, and l.ving on the field or on the threshing-floors. . It was the dry season, dry far beyond our experience, and the grain in amost combustible state. Samson -vlsite^l Ills wife with a kill—It is usual for a visitor in the East to carry some present; in tl»is case. It might be not only as a token of civility, but of reconciliation, he said— /. c, to himself. It was liis secret purpose. Into the cUaml>er—The female apartments or harem. 2. her fatJier said, I verily tlioui^Ut tliat thou hadst utterly Iiated her—This allegation was a mere sham—
6-9. He Kills a Lion. 5-9. a yoiuig llon—Heb., a lion in the pride of his youthful prime. The wild mountain passes of Judah were the lairs of savage beasts, and most or all the "lions" of Scripture occur in that wild country. His rending and killing the shaggy monster, without any weapon In his hand, were accomplished by that superhuman courage and strength which the oecaaional influences of the Spirit enabled him to put forth, and by the exertion of which, in such private incidental circumstances, he was gradually trained to contide in them for the moi'e public work to which he was destined. 7. lie went down and talked with the woman—the intercourse between the youth of dilTereht sexes is extremely
flimsy pretext to excuse his refusal of admittance. The proposal he made of a marriage with her younger sister was but an insult to Samson, and one which it was unlawful for an Israelite to accept (Leviticus 18. IS).
rare and limited in the East, and generally after they are betrothed. 8. after a time lie returne<l to take l»er probablj' after the lapse of a year— the usual interval between tlie ceremonies of betrothal and marriage. It was spent by the bride elect with her parents in preparation for the nuptials—and at the proper time the bride-
S-8. He Burns the Philistines' Coi:n. 3. Samson said, Now shall I be more blameless tiknn the Philistines—This nefarious conduct provoked llie hero's just indignation, and he resolved to take signal vengeance. 4. went ajitl caught three huinU-ed foxes— Rather jackals; an animal Ijetween a wolf and a fox, v>'hich, nnlike our fox, a solitary creature, prowls in large packs or herds, and abounds in the mountains of Palestine. The collection of so great a number would require both time and assistance, took tii-e-brands—Tordics or matches, which would burn slowly, retaining the fire, and blaze fiercely when blown by the wind. He put two jackals together, tail by tail, and fastened tightlja fire-match between them. At nightfall he lighted the fire-brand, and .sent eacli pair successively down from the hills, into the "Slufala," or plain of Philistia, lying on the borders of Dan and Judah, a rich and extensive corn district. The pain caused by the fire would make the animals toss about to a wide extCTit, kindling one great conflagration; but no one could render assist^mce to his neighbour: the devastation was so general, the panic would be so great. 6. who hatli done this—The author of this outrage, and the cause that juovoked such an extraordinary retaliation, soon became known; and the suflerers, enraged by the destruction of tlii ir crops, rushing with tumultuous fury to the house of Samson's wife, "burnt her and her fatlierwith fire." This wa.s a remarkable retribution. To avoid this menace, she had betrayed her husband ; and by. that unprincipled conduct, eventually exposed herself to the horrid doom which, at the sacrifice of conjugal fidelity, she had sought to escape.
groom returned to take her home, lie turned aside to »ee tSie carcass of the lion ; and, behold, there was a swarm of hees and lioney in the carcass of the lion In such a climate, the myriads of insects, and the ravages of birds of prey, together with the influences of the solar rays, would, in a few months, put the carcass in a state Inviting to such cleanly animals as Ijees.
10, U. His Makkiaoe Feast. 10. his father went down—the father is mentioned as the head and representative of Samson's relatives. Samson made there a feast—the wedding festivity lasted a week. The men and women were probably entertained in separate apartments—the bride, with her female relatives, at her parents' house; Samson, in some place o))tained for the occasion, as he was a stranger. A large number of paranymphs, or "friends of the bridegroom," furnislied, no doubt, by the bride's family, attended his party, ostensibly to honour the nuptials, but really as spies on his proceedings.
12-ls. His Riddle. 12-18. I will put forth a rldiUe— riddles are a favourite Oriental amas(;ment at festive entertainments of this nature, and rewards are olTered to those who give the solution. Samson's riddle related to honey got in the lion's carcass. The prize he offered was thirty sindinim, or shirts, and tliirty changes of gai--
xnents, probably woollen. Three days were passed in vain iit tern jjts to unravel the enigma. The festive week was fast drawing to a close, when they secretly enlisted the services of the new-married wife, wlio having got the Becret, revealed it to her friends. If ye hntl not |ilou^hed witli my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle—
7. Samson said, Thou{;h ye liave done tliis, yet will
I be avenjced of you—By that act the husbandmen had been the instruments in avenging his private and personal wrongs. But as a judge, divinely aiipointed to deliver Israel, his work of reti ibiil ion was not yet accomplished. H. smote them hip and thigh—A proverbial expression for a merciless slaugliler.
metaphor borrowed from agricultural pursuits, in which not only o.xen but cows and lieifcrs were, and continue to be, employed in dragging the plough. Divested of metaphor, tlie meaning is taken by some in a criminal sense, but proljably bears no more than that they had resorted to the aid of his wife—an unworthy expedient, wliicli might have Ijcen deemed by a man of less nolile sjiirit and generosity as releasing him from the oljligatloii to fullll liis bargain.
9-13. He is lioiiNi) nv thk Men of Judah, and Delivered TO THR PUTHSTINKS. 8. he Went doivn and dwelt in tlie top of the rock Klnni — Rjvther went down and dwelt in the cleft— 1. 1\. the cave or cuvern of Ihe "cliir" Eta!ii. 0. titen the Philiatiiies went up—to the high land of .ludah. and spread tliemselves in Lehl Now El-IiCkieh, abounding with limestone cllfl's; the Rides of which are perforated with caves. The object of the Philistines in this expedition v,as to apprehend Samson, In reveu'ic lor the great slaughter he had committed on their people. With a view of fn elng his own countrymen from all dang<!r from the infurlateil Philistines, he allowed liimscOf to be V)ound and surrendered n fettered prisoner Into tlu>ir power. ICxultlng with joy at the near prosj)ect of ridd.uice from so fonnidable an enemy, they went to mi'ct him. But by a sudden illapse of the Spirit he exerted his superhuman strength, an<l lliidinga lU'W
li), '20. IlE Slays Thirty riiiLisTiNES. 10, rJO. went to Askelon, and slew thirty men—Tliis town M as Ml)OUt twenty-four miles west by soutli-west from Tiniimtli ; and his selection of this place, wliich was dictated by tlie Divine Spirit, was prol)ably owing to its l)itter liostility to Israel, look their spoil—the custom of slrlpi>ing a Rlatn eiK Tuy was unknown In Hebrew wailan>. ao. KaiiiKon'8 wife was f;iven to his companion, wliom lie used ait hi* friend i.e., "tlie friend of tlie brlileproom," who was the medium of cominunicaliiig iluring tlie festivities lielween him and his bride; and whose acceptance of her hand, therefore, wiks an act of base treaclieiy, tlial could not fall to provoke the Just roscntinciut of Samson.
(or moist) Jawbone of an ass, he laid hold of it, and with no other weapon, slew a thousand men at a place which he cnlled lianiath-lehi—). c„ the hill of the Jawbone. 10, witli the Jtiivboiic of ail aiM, henpii upon heaps, wUb
RAMLEII, OS TIIK SUFPOSKI) SITK OF ARIMATHEA,
Delilah BetraijS Sanuon. JUDGES XVI. He is Overcome, and his Death.
Uie jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men—Tlie Inadequacy of the weapon plainly shows this to have been a miraculous feat, " a case of (Supernatural strength,"
was driven into the warp, not by a reed, but by a wooden spatula ; tlie extremitj' of .the web was fastened to a pin or stake fixed in the wall or ground; and while Delilah sat squatting at her loom, Samson lay stretched on the
just as the gift of prophecy is a case of supernatural knowledge [Chalmeks.] 19. a liollow place in tlie jaw —In Lciii—taking the word as a proj^er noun, marlcing the place, tliere came water tbereout ; and wJien lie lisd flmnli ills spirit came again— His strength, exhausted by the violent and long-continued exertion, was recruited by the refreshing draught from the spring ; and
floor, with his liead reclining on lier lap—a iDositiou very common in the East, went away with the pin of the benm, and with the web i. e., the whole weaving apparatus.
15-20. He is Overcome. 15-30. she pressed him daily with her words— Tliough disappointed and mortified, this vile woman resolved to persevere; and conscious how completel.y he was enslaved by his passion for her, she assailed hira witlia succession of blandishing arts, till she at length discovered the coveted secret. 17. If I be shaven, my strejigth will go from iiie—His herculean powers did not arise from his hair, but fi-om his peculiar relation to God as a Nazarite. His unshorn locks were a sign of his Nazaritism, and a pledge on the part of God that his supernatural strength would be continued. 19, she called for a man, and caused him to shave olf the seven locks of his liead — It is uncertain, however, whctlier the ancient Hebrews cut o/F the hair to the same extent as Orientals now. The word eniploj'ed is sometimes the same as that for shearing sheep, and therefore the instrument might l>e only scioSC)rs. ^0. He wist not tliat the Lord was dep.irted froiai liim—what a huniil-
it was called En-hakkore, the "supplication well," a name which records the piety of this heroic cliampion.
Ver. 1-3. 1. Samson Carries away the Gates of Gaza. Gaza—Now Guzzah, the capital of the largest of the five Philistine principal cities, about fifteen miles eouth-west of Ashkelon. The object of this visit to tliis city is not recorded, and unless he had gone in disguise,
it was a perilous exposure of his life in one of tlie enemy's strongholds. It soon transpired that he was there; and it was immediately resolved to secure him, i^ut deeming themselves certain of their prey, tlie Gazites deferred the execution of their measure till the morning. 3. Samson arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate
ol' the city—A ruinous pile of masonry is still pointed out as the site of the gate. It was probably a part of the town wall, and as this ruin is "toward Hebron," there is no iinpiohability in the tradition, carried them np to the top of an hill, that is toefore Hehron—That hill is ICI-Moutar; but by Hebron in this passage is meant "the mountains of Hebron;" for otherwise Samson, had he run jiiglitand day from the time of his fliglit from Gaza, couM only have come on tiie evening of the following day
iatini4 and painful spectacle! Deprived of the Divine inflaciK-os-ilfgraded in his charactf-r—and yet, tlirough the
.inf.iluatii;u of a guilty passion, scarcely awake to the wrelclieilness of liis fallen condition !
21, 22. The Philistines Took him and Put out his Eyes. 21. the Philistijies took him and put ont hia eyes—To tliis cruel privation prisoners of ranlcand consequence have commonly been sulyected in tlie East, and the punishment is inflicted in various ways, by scooiiing out the e.yeballs, by piercing the eye, or destroying the sight by holding a red-Iiot injn before the eyes. His security was made doubly sure liy his being bound with fetters of brass (copper), not of leather, likeother captives, he did grind in the prison-honse—This grinding with hand mill-stones being tlie employment of menials, he was set to it as the deepest degradation. 3^. Howbeit his hair began to grow again—It is probable that he had now reflected on his folly; and becoming a sincere penitent, renewed his Nazarite vow. " His hair grew together with his repentance, and his strength witli his hairs." [Bishop Hai,l.]
within si^ht of the city of Hebron. The city of Gaza was. In those days, probably not loss tlian three-quarters of an hour distant from El-Montar. To have climbed to the top of this hill with the ponderous doors and their bolts on his slioulders, tlirough a road of thick sand, was a feat which none but a Samson could have accomplished. LVan DE Velde.]
1-11. UeIjTi.ah Cokrupted by the Philistines. 4. he toved a woman in the -valley of Sorelt—Tlie situation of this place is not known, nor can the character of Delilah be clearly ascertained. Her abode, her mercenary character, and her heartless blandishments att'ord too much reason to believe s!ie was a profligate woman. 5. the lords of the Philistines—tlie five rulers deemed no means beneath their dignity to overcome this national enemy. Kntice him, and see wherein his great strength licth—They probably imagined that lie carried some amulet about his person, or was in the possession of some important secret by wliich lie had acquired sucli herculean strength; and they bribed Delilah, doubtless by a'large reward, to discover it for them. Slie undertook the service, and made several attempts, plying all her arts of persuasion or blandishment in his soft and communicative moods, to extract his secret. 7. Suiitson said, Bind me with seven green withs—Vine tendrils, pliant twigs, or twists made of crude vegetable stalks are used in many Eastern countries for ropes at the present day. 8. she bound him with them—probably in a si)ortive manner, to try wlietlier he was jesting or in earnest. 9. there were men lying in v/ait, abiding ii» tlse chamber—The Heb., literally rendered, is, " in the inner or most secret part of the house." 10. And Delilah said—To avoid exciting suspicion, slie must have allowed some time to elapse before making this renewed att<?rnpt. Ti. new ropes—It is not said of what material tliey were formed; but from their being dried, it is pmbable they were of twigs, like the former. The Heb. intimates that they were twisted, and of a thick, slrcmg description. 13. If thou weavest the seven locks ofmy head—braids or tresses, into which, like many in the East, he chose to
28-25. Their Feast to Dagon. 33. tlae lords of the Philistines gathered to oflTer a great sacrilsce to D.igon —It was a common viractice in heatlien nations, on the return of their solemn religious festivals, to bring forth
tlieir war prisoners from their places of confinement or slavery, and, in heaping on them every species of indignity, ofter their grateful tribute to the gods by whose aid they had triumphed over their enemies. Dagon was a sea-idol, usually represented as having the head and upper parts human, while the rest of tlie body resembled a fish.
26-31. His Death. 37. there were upon the roof about three tliousand men and woiueBi that beheld while Samson made sport—This building seems to have been similar to tlie spacious and open amphitheatres well known among the Romans, and still found in many countries of tlie East. Tliey are ljuilt wholly of wood. The standing-place for the spectators is a wooden iloor resting upon two pillars and rising on an inclined plane, so as to enable all to have a view of the area in the centre. In the middle there are two large beams, on which the whole weight of the structure lies, and these beams are supported by two pillars placed almost close to each other, so that when these are unsettled or displaced, the whole pile must tumble to the ground. 38. Samson called unto the Lord—His penitent and prayerful spirit seems clearly to indicate that this meditated act was not that of a vindictive suicide, and that he regarded him-
plait his hair. Working at the loom was a female employment; and Delilah's appears to have been close at hand. It was of a very simple construction ; the M'oof
self as putting forth his strength in his capacity of a puljlic magistrate. He must b(! considered, in fact, aa dying for his country's cause, and his death was not de-
Micah Seli up Idnlalry. JUDGES XVII, XVIII. 21ie Daniles SeeL an Iiiheritanee.
signed or sought, except as it miglit be the inevitcable consequeuce of his great effort. His prayer must have been a silent ejaculation, and, from its being revealed to the historian, approved and accepted of God. 31. Then his bi-etlir«n and all tUe House of Ills father came do>vu and (oclc him, and broiiglit Jiim up, and buried Ulm—Tnis awful cattustrophe seems to have so completely paralyzed the I'iiiiistines, that they neither attempted to prevent the removal of Samson's corpse, nor to molest the Isi'aelitC'S for a long time after. Thus the Israelitish hero rendered by his strength and courage signal services to his country, and was always regarded as the greatest of its champions. But his slavish subjection to the don^ination <.)r )iis passions was unworthy of so great a man, and lessens oar respect for his character. Yet he is ranked among the ancient worthies who maintained a firm faith in God (Hebrews 11. 32).
Iievite Hebreic, filled his hand. This act of consecration was not less unlawful for Micah to perfurm tiian lor this Levite to receive (see on ch. IS. 13. now 1 know that the Lord will do me good—The removal of his son, followed by the installation of this Levite into the priestly ofUce, seems to have satisfied his conscience, that by what he deemed the orderly ministrations of religion he Mould prosper. This expression of his hope evinces the uuited intiueuce of ignorance and superstition.
Ver. 1-21). The Danites Seek Out an Inheritance. 1-6. In those days the Danites sought tSteni nn inheritance to dwell in — Tlie Danites liad a territory assigned them as well as tlie other tribes. But either through indolence, or a lack of energy, they did not »c(iuiie the full possession of their allotment, but suffered a cousideralile portion of it to be wrested out of their hands by the encroacliments of their powerful neiglil)ours, tire Philistines: and, in consequence, being straitened for room, a considerable number resolved on trying to edect a new and adiiitional settlement in a remote part of the land. A small deputation being despatched to reconnoitre the country, arrived on their progi'ess northward at the residence of Micah; and recognizing his priest as one of their former actjuaintances, or perhaps by his provincial dialect, they eagerly enlisted his services in ascertaining the result of their present expedition. His answer, though apparently promising, was delusive, and really as ambiguous as those of tile heathen oracles. This application brings oul still more clearly and fuily than the schism of Micah the woeful degeneracy of the times. The Danites expressed no emotions either of surprise or of indiguatiou at a Lirvite daring to assume the priestly functions, and at the existence of a rival establisliment to that of Sniloli.
Ver. 1-4. MiOAH Restoring tub Stolen Money to HIS jioTiiiiK, Sue makes Images. 1. a man of JUount £l>Uraimi. e., (he mountainous parts of Ephraim. This and the other narratives that follow form a miscellaneous collection, or appendix to the Book of Judges; belonging to a period when liie Hebrew nation was in a greatly disordered and (fori upt state. This episode of Micah is connected with ch. 1. '.'A, and it relates to his foundation of a small sanctuary of his own—a miniature represei\tative of the Shiloli tal)ernacle—which he stocked witli images modelled probably in imitation of the ark and clieruliim. Micah and his mother were sincere in their inti'iition to lioiiour God. But their faitli was blended with a sad amount of ignorance and delusion. The divisive course they pursued, as well as the will-worship thejpractised, suijjectcd the perpetrators to the penalty of death. 3. a graven Image and a molten image—Tlie one carved from a bloi'k of w.hkI or stone, to be plated over with silver; the oHier, a tigurc formed of the solid metal cast into a moulil. It is ol)servable, however, that only 200 shekels were given to the founder; and probably the expense of making two such figures of silver, with their appurtenances (pedestals, bases, &c.), might easily cost, in those da.vs, shekels, which, at 2s. -Id. eacli, is al)out a sum not adecjuale to the formation of large statues. [Tavlou's KUAtJMKNT.] .'}. the man Micalt had a Ikouse of gods—//('(/rc)/', a house of God—a domestic chapel, a private religious estalilisliment of his own. an ephod (See on Kxoilus 2S. 1.) Teraphim—Tutelary gods of the houseiiold ifieeou (J^'iuvsis .'il. II), .'in), consecrated one of Uls sous, who I>ecame his i>rlest—The assumption of the priestly olKce l)y any one out of the family of Aaron was a (lire<!t violation of the Divine law (Numbers .i. It); 16.17; Deuteronomy 21.5; Hel)rews 5.4). <>. every man tlid that which was rlijht In his own eyes—Ki'om want of a s(>ttled government, there was no one to call him to account. No punisliment followed any crime. 7. BethIchem-jndah—,So called in contradistinction to a town of the same niime in Zebulun (.loshua li). 15). of the family (i.e., tribe) of .Tudah—Men of the tribe of Levi miglit conni'ct themselves, as Aaron did (I'lxodus (1. 2:i\ by marriage with iinotlier tril)e; and tliis young Levite belonged to the tribe of .ludah, by his mother's side. Which accounts for Ills being in Betlilehem, not one of the Levitical cities. N. the man departed to sojourn where, he could tltid a place—A coinjietent provision being secured for overy member of the Leviti(tal order,
Tlie.v are ready to seek, through means of the terapliim, the iiuorination that could only be lawfully applii'd for through the high priest's Uriin, and, being tlius eijually erroneous in their views and liabits as Micah, show the low slate of religion, and how much superstition prevailed lu all parts of the land. ?-10. the live men departed, and came to JLaish—or Leshem (Joshua II). 47), supposeii to have been peopled by a colony Of Ziiionians. The place was very secluded—the soil ridi in the abundance and variety of its produce, and the inhabitant.s, following the peaceful pursuits of agriculture, lived in
tlieir fertile and sequestered valley, according to the Zidoiiian style of ease and security, happy among them-
selves, and maintaining little or no conimunication with the rest of the world. The discovery of tliis northern paradise seemed, to the delight of the Danite spies, an aeeoniplishmentof the priest's prediction, and they hastened back to inform their brethren in the south both of the value of their prize, and how easily it could be made their
pri'V. 11. tliere went thence of the family of the Dan-
ites six hundred men—this was the collective number of the men wlio were equipped with arms to carry out this e-vpeditionary enterprise, without including tlie families and furnil lire of the emigrants (u. 21). Their Journey led them through the territory of Judah, and their (irst halting-place was "behind," that is, on the west of Kirjath-
Jearini, on a spot called afterwards "the camp of Dan." Prosecuting the northern route, they skirted the base of the Kphralmite hills; and on aiiproaching the neighliour-
liood of Micah's residence, tlie spies having given information llial aprivate sanctuary was ke|)t there, the priest of whii li had rendered them Important service when on their exiiloring expedition, it was unanimously agreed that both he and the lurniture of the estalillshment would be a valuable acquisition to their proi>osed settlement. A plan of spoliation was ininiediately formed. While tlie armed nirri stood sentinels at the gales, the live spies broke Into the cliapel, pillaged the Images and vestnients, and su('ceeded in bribing tlie priest also by a tempting
Ills wandering about showiid liiin to have been a person of a roving disposition or unsettled habits. In the course of Ills Journeying he came to the house of Micah, who, on learning what he was. engaged his permanent ser-
vices. 10. Mlciih said unto him, Dwell with me, be unto me a father—A s|)|j itual fatlier, to coiidiict tlu; religious services of my establishment; he was to receive, in addition to his board, a salary of ten shekels of silver, equal to 2.')S. a y(!iir. a suit of apparel—Not only dress
offer to transfer his services to their new colony. 'J'aking charge of tlie ephod, the teraphim, and the graven liiu\K«,
for ordinary us(>, but veslineiits suitable for tlui discharge of his jirlestly functions, l^i. rillcah consecrated the 170
Of the LeviU and his Wife. JUDGES XIX. An Old Man EnUrlaim him al Gibeah,
Accompanied by a servant, he arrived at the bouse of his father-in-law, who rejoiced to meet him, in the hope that a complete reconciliation would be brought about between his daughter and her husband. The Levite, yielding to tlie hospitable importunities of his father-in-law, prolonged his stay for days. 8. tarried (with reluctance) until afternoon lit., the decline of the day. People in the East, who take little or nothing to eat in the morning, do not breaklast till from 10 to 12 a.m., and tliis meal the hospitable relative had purposely protracted to so late a period as to afford an argument for urging a further stay. 9. the day draweth toward evening—//eftyrH', the pitching time of day. Travellers who set out at daybreak, usually halt about the middle of the afternoon tlie
" he went in the midst of the people"—a central position assigned him in the march, perhaps for his personal se-
curity; but more probably in imitation of the place appointed for the priests and the ark, in the middle of the congregated tribes, on the marches through the wilderness Tliis theft presents a' curious medley of low mor-
ality and strong religious feeling. The Danites exempli-
fied a deep-seated principle of our nature—that mankind have religious aft'ections, which must have an object on which tliese may be exercised, while they are often not very discriminating in the choice of the objects. In proportion to the slender influence religion wields over the heart, the greater is the importance attached to external
rites ; and in tlie exact observance of these, the conscience
first evening, to enjoy rest and refreshment. It was, then, too late a time to commence a journey. But duty, perhaps, obliged the Levite to indulge no further delay. 10. the man departed, and came over against .Tebus The note, " which is Jerusalem," must have been inserted by Ezra or some later hand. Jebus being still, though not entirely (ch. I. 8) in the possession of the old inhabitants, the Levite resisted the advice of his attendant to enter it, and determined rather to press forward to pass the night in Git)eah, which he knew was occupied by Israelites. The distance from Bethlehem to Jerusalem is about six miles. The event showed that it would have been better to have followed the advice of his attendant—to have trusted themselves among aliens, tluin among their own countrymen. 13. in Gibeah, or in Ramah—The first of these places was five miles northeast, the other from four to five north of Jerusalem. 13. he went in and sat Iiim down in a street of tlie city The towns of Palestine at this remote period could not, it seems, furnish any establishment in tlie shape of an inn or public lodging-house; and hence we conclude that the custom, which is still frequently witnessed in the cities of tlie East, w.as then not uncommon, tor travellers who were late in arriving, and who had no introduction to a private family, to spread their bedding in the streets, or wrapping themselves up in their cloaks, pass the night in the open air. In the Arab towns and villages, however, the shelck, or some other person, usu.iUy comes out and urgently invites the strangers to his house. This was done also In ancient Palestine (Genesis 18.4; 19. 2), and that the same hospitality was not shown in Gibeah, seems to have been owing to the bad character of the people.
is fully satisfied, and seldom or never molested by reflections on tlie breach of minor morals. iiii-ZG. the men that were » the Houses near t j Micali's were gatliered together—the roblxMS of the chapel being soon detected, a hot pursuit was fortliwith commenced by Micah, at the head of a consideral)le Ijody of followers. The readiness with which they joined in the attempt to recover the stolen articles artbrds a presumption that the advantages of the chapel had been open to all in the neighbourhood ; and the importance wliich Micah, like Laljan, attached to his teraphim, is seen l)y tlie urgency with which he pursued the thieves, and the risk of bis life in attempting to procure their restoration. Finding' his ))arty, however, not a tnatch for the Danites, he thought it prudent to de-
sist, well knowing the rule which was then prevalent in the land, that
They should take who had the power, Aod tbc?8huu)d keep who could." Thky Win Laisti. 27-29. 'Z7. they came niito Lnish
, . . smote the people, and burnt the city—"We are revolted by this inroad and massacre of a quiet and senure people. Nevertheless, if the original grant of Canaan to the Israelites gave them the warrant of a Divine commission and command for this enterprise, that sanctities all and legalizes all." [Chalmers.] This place seems to have been a dependency of Zidon, the distance of which, however, rendered it impossible to oljtain aid thence in the sudden emergency. 39. they built a city, and called
It Dan— It was in the northern extremity of the land,aud hence the origin of llie phrase, " from Dan to Beersheba."
30,31. They Set Up Idolatry. 30. The children of Dan set up the graven Image—Their distance secluded them from the rest of the Israelites, and doubtless this, which was their apology for not going to .Shiloh, was the cause of perpetuating Idolatry among tliem for many generations.
10-21, An Old Man Entertains him at Gibeah. 16. there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of Mount Ephraim—And perhaps his hospitality was quickened by learning the stranger's occupation, and that he was on his return to his duties at Shiloh. 19. there is no want of anything —In answering the kindly inquiries of the old man, the Levite deemed it right to state that he was under no necessity of being burdensome on any one, for he possessed
Ver. 1-15. A Levite Going to Bethlehem to Fetch HIS Wife. 1. It came to pass In those days—The painfully interesting episode that follows, together with the Intestine commotion the report of It produced throughout the country, belongs to the same early period of anarchy and prevailing disorder, a certain Levite took a concnbinc—The priests under the Mosaic law enjoyed the privilege of marrying as well as other classes of the people. It was no disreputable connection this Levite had formed; for a nuptial engagement with a concubiue-wife (though, as wanting in some outward ceremonies, it was reckoned a secondary or Inferior relationship) possessed the true essence of marriage; it was not only lawful, but sanctioned by the example of many good men. 3. she went away from him unto Iter father's Iiouse—The cause of the separation assigned in our version rendered
all that was required to relieve his wants. Oriental travellers alw.ays carry a stock of provisions with them; and knowing th.at even the khans or lodging-houses they may find on their w.ay atf'ord nothing beyond rest and
shelter, they are careful to lay in a supply of food both
for themselves and their beasts. Instead of hay, which
is seldom met with, they used chopped straw, which, with a mixture of barley, beans, or such-like, forms the provender for cattle. The old man, however, in the warmth of a generous heart, refused to listen to any explanation, and bidding the Levite keep his stock for any emergency that might occur in the remainder of his journey, invited them to accept of the hospitalities of his house for the night. 20. only lodge not in tlie street As this is no rare or singular circumstance in the East, the probability is that the old man's earnest dissuasive from such a procedure arose from his acquaintance with the infamous practices of the place.
It unlawful for her husband to take hep back (Deuteronomy 24.4), and according to the uniform styleof sentiment and practice In the East, she would have been put to death, had she gone to her father's family. Other versions concur with Josephus, In representing the reason of the flight from her husband's house to be, that she was dlsgnsted with him, through frequent' brawls. 3. and l«er hnsband arose, and went after her to speak frieniUy to her— //pfcreui, "speak to her heart," in a kindly and aflSectlonute manner, so as to rekindle her ull'ection.
2'2-28. The Gibeahites Ahu.se his Conoubtnk to Death. 23. certain sons of Belial beset the house— The narrative of the horrid outrage that was committed —of the proposal of the old man—the unfeeling, carelesSi
The Lerite Declares his Wrong. JUDGES XX. The Benjamites Smitten.
and in many i-pspocts, inexplicable cotulu^-t of tlio Levite lowaniK liis wile, ilist-Iose a stale of molality lliat woiild have appeared iuerediblt,', did it not rest on llie testimony of the sacred liistoiiaii. Botli the one and the other ought lo iiove protected the female inmates of tlie house, even thouj;li at tlie expense of Uioir liv^es, or thrown thejnselves on God's providence. It sliould be noted, liowever, tliat the guilt of such a foul outrage is not fastened on tlie geneial population of Gibeah. ciivitled l»er Ijito twelve piiics—The want of a reguhxr government warranti'd an extraordinary step; and certJiinly no method could have lieen imagined more certain of rousing universal horror and indignation than this terrible smnmous of the Levite.
attitude of resi.sta-ice they assuUKvl. 14-17. the eSiJlrtren of Uciijiiniin g^tliereil tiitniselves out of tUe cities uuto Ciibe.aii—Allowing their valour to be ever so great, not hing but blind passion and unbending obstinacy could ha\e imptdled them to take,tlio Held against their brethren with such a disparity o'f numbers. 10. leiTt-licnded
every one could sliiii" stones at an linir-l(read(!i, and not miss—The sling was one of the (>arliest weapons used in war. The Hebrew sling was probably similar to that of the Egyptian, consisting of a leather thong, broad in the middle, with a loop at one end, by which it was flriiily held with the hand; the other end terminated in a lash, which Vias let slip when the stone was thrown. Tlio.se skilled in the use of it, as the Benjamites were, could liit the mark with unerring certainty. A good sling could carry its full force to the distance of aX) yards.
18-28. The ISRAEHTKS Lose Forty TH0U.SAND. 18-38.
tlie eliildren of Israel arose, and w ent icp to tlie liouse of God—This cousult.;it ion at .siiiloh was right. But they ought to have done it at the commencement of their proceedings. Instead of this, all their plans were formed, and never doubting, it would .seem, that the war was just and inevitable, the only subject of llieir inquiry related to the iirccedeucy of the tribes—a point wliich it is likely was discus.sed in the assembly. Had they asked counsel of God .sooner, their expedition would have been conducted on a dillerent piinciple—most probabljby reducing the number of lighting men, as in the case of Gideon's army. As it was, the vast amount of volunteers formed an excessive and unwieldy force, unfit for strenuous and uniled action against a small, compact, ;ind well-directed army. A panic ensui^l, and the confederate tribes, in two successive engagements, sustained great losses. These repeated disasters (notwithstanding their attack on Beiijamiti had been divinely authorized) overwhelmed them with shame and sorrow. Led to reflection, they became sensilile of their guilt in not repressing their national
• Ver. 1-7. The Levite, in a General Assembly, Declares his AV'rong. 1. all tlie coiigrcgalioji was gatU-
ei-ecl as oi»e mau—In consequence of the immense sensation the liorriel tragedy of Gibeah liad producetl, a national assembly was convened, at which " the chief of
all the people" from all parts of tlie land, including tlie eastern tribes, appeared as delegates. Mizpclk—the place of convention (for there were other Mi/.pehs), was in a town situated on the coutines of Judah and Benjamin (Joshua 1.5. 3S; IS. 26). Assemblies were frequently held there afterwards (1 Samuel 7. U; 10. 17); and it was but a short distance from Shiloh. The plirase, " Unto the Lord," may be taken in its usual sense, as denoting consultation of the oracle. This circumstance, together with the convention being called "the assemljly of tlie peoiiUi of God," seems to indiciite, that amid the excited passions of the nation, those present felt the iirofound gravity of
tlie occasion, and .tdopted the best means of maintaining a becoming deportment. 3. Now tlic cliildreii of IScnjankin lieard tlint tJic cliililreii of Israel w« r»' .some nji to Sllipeu—.Some suppose that Benjamin had been passeil over, tiie crime having been perpetrated within t'lic territory of that tribe; and that, as the concubine's corpse
idolatries, as well as in loo [iroudly relying on their superior numbers, and tlie precipitate rashness of this expedi-
tion. Having humbled themselves by prayer and fasting, as well as observed the appointed metliod of expiating their sins, they were assured of ae<^eplance as v.'cU as of vic-
lia.l been divided into twelve piece.s—two had been sent to Manasseh, one respectively to the western and eastern divisions. It is more probable that Benjamin had received a formal summons 11 lie the other trilies, but chosi> to treat
tory. The presence and .services of riiinehas on this occasion help us to ascert.ain the chronology thus far, that the date of the occurrence must be fixed shortly after the death of Joshua.
lt\\illi iridill'eri'iice, or haughty disdain. 4-7. ttte I.evite, tUe liiisband of tUe woman tUat was slain, answered and said—The injured liusliand gave a brief and unvarnislu d recital of the tragic outrage, from which it ajiiiears that force was used, which he could not resist. His testimony was doubtless corroborated by those of his servant
29-l.S. They Ukstuoy all ttik Bex,tamite.s, F.xrr.PT Six Hundred. !JV»-4S. Israel set Hers In wait round nbout Oilteali—A plan was formed of taking that city by
St i-alageiu, siiuihir lo tliat employed in the capture of Ai. 15aal-<ft«iiar— a palm grove, where Baal was worshipped. The main army of the coufeilerate tribes w is drawn up ther(\ 33. out of tl»e meadows of tJil)enl» Ilvb., the
anil tlie old lOpliraimite. There was no need of strong or highly-coloured description to work upon the feelings of the audi(!nce. The facts spoke for themselves, and produced one common sentiment of detestation and vengeance.
cave.s of Gib(Mh. a hill—in which the ambuscades lay hid. 31. 'I'liere eame nj,-,aii»st (^llreiwk t«n titousaud cltosen men—this was a third division, diJIereiit both from tli(> ambuscade and the army, who were fighting at Baal-taniar. The general account stated In verse;!.) Is follov.ed by a detailed narrative of the battle, which is continued to the end of the chapter. 45. They turned and
8. Thioir Decrhk. 8. all tlie people arose as one man —The extraordinary unaiiiiriity tliat prevailed shows, that notwithstanding great disorders had broken out in many jiarts, the people were sound at the core; and remembering their natioiiid covenant with God, now felt the necessity of wiping out so foul a stain on their character as a peoph!. It was resolved that the inhabilants of Gibeah should be subjected to condign punisliment. But Uk; resolutions were conditional. For as the common law of nature and nations requires that an inquiry should he made, and satisfaction demaiuh'd, before committing an act of hostility or vengeance, messengers were deKpatclied through the whole territory of Benjamin, demanding the Immediate surrender or execution of the deliiKiuents. The request was Just and reasonable; and by relusiiig it tin? Benjamites virtually made themselvea a parly in llie (luarrol. It must not be sujiposed that the
fled toward.sthe wilderness unto the rock of liimimon —Numbers of the fugitives found refuge in the e:ives of
this rocky mountain, whicli is situated to the north-east of Beth-el. 8uch i>lac('s are stili sought as secure retreats
In times of danger; and until the method of blowing up rocks by gunpowder became known, a few men could in such caves sustain a siege Icir ninuths. 4G. all ivltieli feU tliat day of Eleiijamln were twenty at«d live tliousand men—On cftinparing this with verse •'>•>, it will be seen that the loss Is stat<'d here in round nnmbers, and l.s confined only to that of the third (hiy. W'e mutt conclude
tliat 1000 had fallen during the t wo previous engugeiiients,
In ord(>r to make the aggregate am<aiiil yiven (r. l.^i*. 48. the men of fsrael turned »{i<i!u upon the ehildren o( Uenjamlit, and sinole (tieiii witli the ed^e of the sword —This frightful vengejince. extending fixjm Gibeah to tho whole territory of llenjamln. was r'xecnted under tlie impetuous Imiiulse of liighly exi-iled passions. But doiiW,-
peojile of this tribe weninsensible or inditl'erent to the atrocious character of t he crime that had been committed on tiieir soil. But their patriotism or their pride was
o(1'. iidcd b,\' the h((stlle dcmrmslratlon of the other tribe.'?. The p'.issloiis wi-re inllam.'d on both sides; but certainly the i;. nj^iiiiilcN in-.nirred an awful responsiblllly by the
Naomi Reluming Home, EUTH I. Pxulh Accompanieg Ker,
ishing its inhabitants for not joining the crusade against Benjamin; and tlius, with a view of repairing the consequences of one rash proceeding, they liurriedly ruslied to tlie perpetration of another, tliough a smaller tragedy. But it appears (v. 11) tliat, besides acting in fulfilment of their oath, the Israelites had tlie additional object by this raid of supplying wives to tlie Benjamite remnant. This shows the intemperate fury of the Israelites in the indiscriminate slauglitor of the women and ciiiidren.
less the Israelites were only the agciits of inflicting the righteous retributions of Goil; ami the memory of this
terrible crisis, which led almost to tlie extermination of a whole tribe, was conducive to tlie future good of the whole nation.
"Ver. 1-15, The Peopi-e Bewaii. the Desoi-atio^t of IsKAEI/. iJ. Tl«e people came to tlie Iioiise of God, . . . nnd lifted tip tlielr voices and wept—Tlie characteristic
lti-21. The Eldeks Consult how to Find Wives fob THOSE THAT WERE IjEFT. 16. The elders of the congregation said, How sliall >ve do for wives for tltem that remain—Though tlie young women of Jabesh-gilead had been carefully spared, the supply was found inadequate, and some other expedient must be resorted to. 17. There must be an inlieritance for tl&em that are escaped of Benjamin—As they were the only riglitful owners of the territory, provision must be made for transmitting it to their legitimate heirs, and a new act of violence was meditated (v. 19); tlie opportunity for which was afforded by the approacdiing festival—a feast generally supposed to be the feast of taliernacles. This, like the other annual feasts, was held in Shiloh, and its celebration was attended witli more social liilarityand holiday rejoicings than tlie rest. 19. On tlie cast side of tlie highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem—Tlie exact site of the place was described evidently for the direction of the Benjamites. 31. daughters of Sliiloh come out to dance in dances—The dance was anciently a part of the religious observance ; and it was done on festive occasions, as it is
flclcleness of tlie Israelites was not long in laeing displayed ; for scarcely liad tliey cooled from the flei'ceness of their sanguinary vengeance, tlian they began to relent and rushed to the opposite extreme of self-accusation and grief at the desolation wliich their impetuous zeal had produced. Their victory saddened and humbled them. Their feelings on tlie occasion were expressed by a public and solemn service of expiation at the house of God. And yet this extraordi nary observance, though it cniihled them to find vent for their painful emotions, did not atrbrd them
full relief, for they were fettered by tlie obligation of a religious vow, heightened l)y the addition of a solemn anatliema on every violator of tlie oath. There is no previous record of tliisoatli; but tlie purport of it was, that they would treat tlie perpetrators of this Gibeah atrocity in the same way as the Canaanites, wlio were doomed to destruction ; and the entering into this solemn league was of a piece with the rest of tlieir inconsiderate conduct in this whole affair. 0. tliei-e is oite tribe cut olT from Israel tliU day i.e., in danger of becoming extinct; for, as It appears from v. 7, they had massacred all tlie women and children of Benjamin, and 6U0 men alone survived OJ the whole tribe. Tlie prospect of such a blanlt in the cata.- logue of the twelve tribes, such a gap in tlie national arrangements, was too painful to contemplate, and immediate measures must be taken to prevent tliis great catastrophe. 8. there came none to the camp from Jabeshgllead to tlie assembly—This city lay within the territory of eastern Manasseh, about fifteen miles east of the Jordan, and was, according to Josephus, the capital of Gilead. The ban which the assembled tribes liad pronounced at
still in tlie East, not in town, but in the open air, in some adjoining field, tlie women being by themselves. The young women being alone indulging tlieir liglit and buoyant spirits, and appreliensive of no danger, facilitated the execution of the scheme of seizing them, wliicii closely resembles tlie Sabine rape in Roman history. The elders undertook to reconcile the families to the forced abduction of their daughters. And tlius the expression of their public sanction to this deed of violence aflbided a new evidence of the evils and difficulties Into which the unhappy precipitancy of the Israelites in tliis crisisjiad involved tliem.
Mizpeh seemed to impose on them the necessity of pun-
THE BOOK OF EUTH. CHAPTER I.
aged widow, longing to enjoy the privileges of Israel, resolved to return to her native land as soon as slie was assured that the famine had ceased, and made the necessary arrangements with her daughters-in-law. 8. Naomi said unto her two daugliters-in-law. Go, return each to her mother's house—In Eastern countries women occupy apartments separate from those of men, and daughters are most frequently in those of tlieir mother. The Lord deal kindly with yon, as ye have dealt with the dead —i. e., with my sons, your husbands, %vliile they lived. 9. the Lord grant that ye may tiitd rest—enjoj' a life of
Ver. 1-5. Elimelech, iriven by Fajiine into Moab, Dies there, l. in the days when the judges ruled The beautiful and interesting story which tliis book relates, belongs to the early times of the judges. The precise date cannot be ascertained. 3. Ellmelech—signifies "My God is king." Naomi-fair or pleasant; and their two sons, Mahlon and Chi lion, arc supposed to be tliesame as Joash and Sariiph (1 Chronicles 4. 22j. Ephrathites— The ancient name of Bethlehem was Ephratli (Oenesis35.
19; 48.7), which was continued after tlie occupation of the land by the Hebrews, even down to tjic time of tlie prophet Mlcah (Mlcah 5. 2). ncthlehem-Judah—so called to distinguish It from a town of the same name in Zebulun. The family, compelled to emigrate t^i Moab through pressure of a famine, settled for several years In that country; and after the death of tlieir father, the two sons married Moablte women. This wa-s a violation of the Mosaic law (Deuteronomy 7.3; 2:1.3; Ezra it. 2; Ncheiniah 18. 2.f), and Jewish writers say that the early deaths of both the young men were Divine Judgments Inflicted ou them for those unlawful connections.
tranqui-llity, undisturbed by the cares, iiicumliraiices, and vexatious troubles to which a state of widowhood is peculiarly exposed. Then she kissed them—the Oriental manner when friendsare parting. 11. arc there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be yemr husbands 1—This alludes to the ancient custom (Genesis 38.
2(i) afterwards expressly sanctioned by the law of Moses (Deuteronomy 25.5), whicli required a younger son to marry the widow of liis deceased brother. l;-J, 13. Turn again, my daughters, go your ways— Tluit Naomi should dissuade her daughters-in-law so strongly from accompanying her to tlie land of Israel may appear strange. But It wsus the wisest and most jiruiU nt course
6-18. Naomi, Retuknino Hosie, Rtn'ii Accompanies Her. 0, 7. Then she arose wltli her daii;;<v<ers-in-law, ttint she might return from the coiuitt y of Aloab—The
for her to adopt; first, because they might be influenced by hopes which could not be realized ; second, because
Ruth Gleans in the Fidd of Boaz, EUTH II, III. vcho Acknowledges her
her own wants, she had some (i>. IS) In reserve for her mother-in-law. 16. let fall also some of the handful* on purpose for her—Tlie gleaners in the East glean with much success ; for a great quantity of corn is scattered iu the reaping, as well as in their manner of carrying it. One may judge, then, of the large quanlily which Ruth would gather in consequence of the liberal orders given to tlie servants. These extraordinary marks of favour were not only given from a kindly disposition, but from regard to her good character and devoted attachment to her venerable relative. 17. and beat out that she had gleaned When the quantity of grain was small, it was beat out by means of a stick, an epliah—supposed to contain about a bushel. 30. the man is one of our next kinsmen Heb., " one of our redeemers"^—on whom it devolves to protect us, to purchase our lands, and marry you, therelict of his next kinsman. She said, "one of them," not that there were many in the same close relationship, but that he was a very near kinsman, one other indiviuual only having the precedence. 31. all my harvest—both barley and wheat harvests. The latter was at the end of May or the beginning of June. 33. Naomi su Id unto Kuth, It Is good tliHt thou go out w ith his maidens—a prudent recommendation to Kutli to accept thegenerous invitation of Boaz, lest, if she were seen straying into other fields, she migiil not only run the risk of rude Irealmeut, but displease him by seeming indifl'erent to his kiiul liberality. Moreover, the observant mind of the old matron had already discerned, in all Boaz's attentions to Ruth, the germs of a stronger ulfection, which she wished to inci'ease.
they might be led, under temporary excitement, to take a Btep tliey miglit afterwards regret; and, tliird, because the sincerity anil strength of their conversion to tlie true religion, wliicli slie liad taught tliein, would be tliorouglily
tested. 13. tlie hand of tUe Lord is gone out agulnst me— I. e., 1 am not only not in a condition to provide you witli oilier hcsbands, but so reduced in circumstances that
I cannot think of your being subjected to privations with me. The arguments of Naomi prevailed with Orpah, who returned to her people and her gods. But Kuth clave unto
her; and evenin the pages of Sterne, that great master of pathos, there is nothing which so calls forth the sensi-
bilities of the reader as the simple eflusion he has borrowed from Scripture— of Ruth to her mother-iu-law. [Chalmers.]
19-22. They Come to Bethlehem. 19-23. all the city -was moved about them—The present condition of Naomi—a forlorn and desolate widow, presented so painful a contrast to the floui-ishing state of prosperity and domes-