Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Ehud Slays Eglon. JUDGES IV. Deborah and Baiai Deliver Israel mity to the manners and worship of their ulolatrous neighbours.
region, which, adjoining the territory of Benjamin, had probably sufrere<l most from the grievous oppression of the Moabites. 28. they went down after him, and took the fords—(See on Joshua 2. 7) with the view of preventing all escape to the Moabite coast, and by tlie slaughter of 10,000 men, rescued his country from a state of ignominious vassalage. 31. after liim was Shamgar—No notice is given of the tribe or family of this judge-, and from the Philistines being the enemy that roused him into public service, the suffering seems to have been local—confined to some of the western tribes, slew a hundred men with an ox-goad—This instrument is eight feet long, and about six inches in circumference.
8-11. Othniei, Delivers Israel. 8-11. sold tliem— t". e., delivered theiu into the hand of Cliuslian-risliathaim, or Chushan " tlie wiclied." This name had been probably given him from his cruel and impious cliaracter. sen-ed Clinsliaii-ris Uatliaim elglit years—By tlie payment of a stipulated tribute yearly; the raising of wliicli must have caused a great amount of labour and privation. 9. Aviseii the children of Israel cried unto tlie Lord—In their distress tliey had recourse to earnest prayer, accompanied by humble and penitent confession of their errors. Othnlel—(See on Josliua 15. 17; ch. 1. 1'^.) His military expetience qualified liim for the work, while the gallant exploits he was known to have performed, gained him the
It is armed at the lesser end with a sharp prong for driving the cattle, and on the other with a small iron paddle for removing the clay which encumbers the plough in working. Such an instrument, wielded by a strong arm, would do no mean execution. We may sup- « pose, however, for the notice is very fragmentary, that Shamgar was only the leader of a band of peasants, who by means of such implements of labour as they could lay hold of at the moment, achieved the heroic exploit recorded.
full confidence of liis countrymen in liis ability as a leader. 10. Tlie Spirit of tlie Lord came upon Iilm, and lie judged Israel, and went out to war—Impelled by a supernatural influence, lie undertook the difficult task of government at this national crisis—addressing himself to promote a general reformation of manners, the abolition of idolatry, tlie revival of pure religion, and then, after these preliminary measures, he collected a body of choice warriors to expel the foreign oppressors, the Lord delivered Chuslian-risliathalm king of Mesopotamia Into his Iinnd, and his hand pret-alled against Chushan—No details are given of this war, whicli, considering the resources of so potent a monarch, must liave been a determined struggle. But tlie Israelitisli arms were crowned through the blessing of God with victory, and Canaan regained its freedom and independence. 11. Othnlcl died—How powerful the i nflueiice of one good man is, in church or state, is best found in his loss. [Bishop Hall.]
CHAPTER IV.
Ver. 1-17. Deborah and Barak Deliver Israel from Jabin and SiSERA. 1. The children of Israel again did evil in the siglit of the Lord, when Ehud was dead The removal of this zealous judge again left his infatu* ated countrymen without the restraint of religion. !9. Jabin, king of Canaan—Jabin, a royal title (.Toshua II.
1). The second .Jabin built a new capital on the ruins of the old (Joshua 11. 10, 11). The northern Canaanltes had recovered from the effect of their disastrous overthrow in the time of Joshua, and trinmphed in their turn over Israel. This was the severest oppression to which Israel had been subjected. But it fell heaviest on the tribes in the north, and it was not till after a grinding servitude of twenty years they were awakened to view it as the pnni.shment of their sins, and to seek deliverance from Ood. 4. Deborah, a prophetess—A woman of extraordinary knowledge, wisdom, .and piety, instructed in Divine knowledge by the Spirit, and accustomed to interpret His will; who acquired an extensive infiuence, and was held In universal respect, insomuch that she became the animating spirit of the government, and discharged
12-30. Ehud .Slays Eglon. 1^14. the children of Israel did evil again in tlie sight of the Lord—The Israelites, deprived of the moral and political influences of Othniel, were not long in following their native bias to idolatry, the Lord strengthened Kglon, king of Moab—The reigning monarch's ambition was to recover that extensive portion of his ancient territory possessed by the Israelites. In conjunction with his neighbours, the Ammonites and the Amalekites, sworn enemies of Israel, he first subjected the eastern tribes, then crossing the .lordan, made a sudden incursion on western Canaan, and in virtue of his conquest.s, erected fortifications in the territory .adjoining Jericho [Josephus], to secure the frontier, and fixed his residence there. This oppressor was permitted, in the providence of God, to triumph for eighteen years. 15. Ehud, son of Gcra i. e., descended from Gera, one of Benjamin's sons (Genesis 40. 21). lefthanded—This peculiarity distinguished many in the BenJamite tribe (eh. 20. 16). But the original word is rendered in some v(>rsions " l)oth-handed," a viewcounten.mced by all the special duties of a judge, except that of military leader. 4. wife of Lapidoth —rendered by some "a woman of splendours." 5. she dwelt under the pnim tree-Or, collectively, palm grove. It is common still in the East to administer justice in the open air, or under the canopy of an umbrageous tree. 6. she sent and called Barak—By virtue other official authority as judge. Kedesli-naphtali—Situated on an eminence, a little north of the Sea of (Galilee, and so called to distinguish it from another Kedesh in Issachar. hath not the Lord of Israel commanded—A Hebrew form of making an emphatic comniunication. go and draw toward Mount Taboi an Isolated mountain of Galilee, north-east corner of the plain of Esdraelon. It was a convenient pla(ui of rendezvous, and the enlistment Is not to be considered as limited to 10,000, though a smaller force wouVl have been Inadofiuate. 8. Itrirak said unto her. If thou wilt go witik me, then I will go—His somewhat singular reiiuest lo be accompanied by Deborah was not altogether the result of weakness. The Orientals always take what Is dearest to the battle-field along with them; they think It makes them fight bettor. The policy of Barak, then, to have the presence of the prophetess Is perfectly Intelligible, as It would no less stimulate the valour of the troops, than sanction. In the eyes of Israel, the uprising against nn oppressor so powerful as Jabin. 9. the Lord shall sell Sisern Into the hand of a woman—Tills was a prediction which Barak could not understand at the time; but tlie strain of It conveyed a rebuke of his unmanly fears. 11. now Ileber the Kenlfe pitched his tent— It Is not uncommon, even In the present day, for pastoral tribes to
1 Chronicles 12.2. l»y him the chililren of Israel sent a present unto Kglon, the king of Moab—that Is, the yearly tribute, which, according to Eastern fashion, would be borne with ostentatious ceremony, and offered (t>. 18) by sever.al messengers. 1(5. Kliud made him a dagger, and he did gird It upon his right thigh—The sword was usually worn on the left side; so that Ehud's was the more likely to escape detection. 19. quarries Rather graven linages (Deuteronomy 7. 2.'> ; .leremlali 8. 19; 51.52); statues of Moablto Idols, the sight of which kindled the patriot l(r zeal of Ehud to avenge t ills pulillc insult to Israel on its author. I have a secret errand unto thee, O king; who said, Keep silence—"Privacy"— signal for all to withdraw. !40. a summer parlour— Heh., "chamber of cooling"—one of those retired edifices which Oriental grandees usually have In their gardens, and In which they repose during the heat of the day. Khiid put forth hU hand—The whole clrcumstaneo of this daring act—the death of Eglon without n shriek, or nolsetlie locking of the doors—the carrying ofj' the key —the calm, unhurried deportment of Ehud—show the strength of his confidence that ho was doing Ood service. 27. he l>lew a trumpet In the mount of Rphrnim —Summoned to arms the people of that mountainous 160