Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
OaaJs Conspiracy. JUDGES X, XI. Israel Opjyreesed by (heir Enemiei.
—He was uncle to Abimelech by the father's side, and consequently brother of Gideon ; yet the former was of the tribe of Issachar, while the latter was of Manasseh. They were, most probably, uterine brothers, dwelt In Shamir in Mount Epltraim—As a central place, he made namely, the priests of Baal, made Ablmelccli Utng by the plain of the pillar—Rather, by the oak near a raised mound—so that the ceremony of coronation might be conspicuous to a crowd.
7-21. JOTHAM BY A PARABLB REPROACIIETII THEM.
it the seat of government. 3. Jair, a Glleadite—This judge was a different person from the conqueror of that north-eastern territory, and founder of Havoth-jair, or " Jair's villages." (Numbers 32. 41; Deuteronomy 3. If;' Joshua 13. 3; 1 Chronicles 2. 22.) 4. lie had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts—This is a characteristic trait of Eastern manners in those early times; and the grant of a village to each of his 30 sons was a striking proof of his extensive possessions. His having thirty sons
7. lie stood o» tlie top of Moiiut Gei-izlm, and lifted up
Ills voice—The spot he chose was, like the housetops, the public place of Shechem ; and the parable drawn from the rivalry of the various trees was appropriate to the diversified foliage of the valley below. Eastern people are exceedingly fond of parables, and use them for conveying reproofs—which they could not give in any other way. The top of Gerizim is not so high in the rear of tlie town, as it is nearer to the plain. With a little exertion of voice, he could easily have been heard by the people of the city; for the hill so overhangs the valley, that a pei'son from the side or summit wduld have no difficulty in speaking is no conclusive evidence that he had more than one wife, much less that he had more than one at a time. There are instances, in this country, of men having as many children by two successive wives.
to listeners at the base. Modern history i-ecords a case, in which soldiers on the hill shouted to the people in the
6-9. Israel Oppressed by the Philistines and Ammonites. 6. the cliildren of Israel did evil again in the sight of tlie Lord—This apostasy seems to have exceeded every former one in tlie grossness and universality of the idolatry practised. 7. Philistines and the childi-en of Ammon—The predatory incursions of these two hostile neighbours were made naturally on the parts of the land respectively contiguous to them. But the Ammonites, animated with the spirit of conquest, carried their arms across the Jordan ; so that the central and southern provinces of Canaan were extensively desolated.
city, and endeavoured to instigate them to an insurrection. There is something about the elastic a tmosphere of an Eastern clime which causes it to transmit sound with wonderful celerity and distinctness. [Hackett.] 13.
-tvliie wlilch clieeretli God and man—Kot certainly in the same manner. God might be said to be " cheered " by it, when the sacrifices were accepted, as lie is said also to be honoured by oil {v. 9). 21. Jotliam went to B« tr—The modern village El-Bireh, on the ridge which bounds tlie northern prospect of Jerusalem.
10-1."). They Cry to God. 10. Tlie cliildren of Israel cried unto the Lord, We have sinned against thee— The first step of repentance is confession of sin, and the best proof of its sincerity is given by the transgressor, when he mourns not only over the painful consequences which have resulted from his offences to himself, but over the iieinous evil committed against God. 11. the Lord said, Did I not deliver you from the Egj-ptlans—The circumstances recorded in this and the following verses, were not probably made through the high priest, whose' duty it was to interpret the will of God. 12, Maonites —
22-19. Gaal's Conspiracy. ii'Z. when Abimeleeh 3»atl reigned three years—His reign did not, proliably at first, extend beyond Shechem; but by stealthy and progres Klve encroachments he subjected some of the neighbouring towns to his sway. None could "reign" in Israel, except by rebellious usurpation ; and hence the reign of Abimelech is expressed in the original by a word signilyiiig "despotism," not that whicli describes the mild and divinely authorized rule of the judge. 23. then Cod sent an evil spirit between Abimeleeh and the men of Shechem i. e., in the course of providence, jealousy, distrust, secret disat Tection and smothered rebellion appeared among his subjects disappointed and disgusted Mith his tyranny; and God permitted those disorders to punish the complicated crimes of the royal fratricide and idolatrous usurper. 26. Gaal came with his brethren, and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him —An insurrection of the original Canaanites, headed by this man, at last broke out in Shechem. 28-45. would to Cod this people were under my hand—He seems to h-ave been a boastful, impudent, and cowardly person, totally unfit to be a le.idor in a revolutionary crisis. The consequence was, that he allowed himself to be drawn into an ambush—was defeated—the city of Shechem destroyed and strewn with salt—and the people took refuge in the stronghold, which was set fire to, and all in it perished.
i. e., Midianites.
16-18. They Repent ; God Pitieth Them. They put away the strange gods . . . and served the Lord; and li>is soul was grieved for the misery of Israel—On their a'^'indonment of idolatry and return to purity of worship, Gixl graciously abridged the term of national affliction, and restored times of peace. 17, 18. the children of Ammon were gathered together—From carrying on guerrilla warfare, the Ammonites proceeded to a continued campaign; their settled aim being to wrest the v/hole of the transjordanic territory from its actual occupiers. In this great crisis, a general meeting of the Israelitish tribes was held at Mizpeh. This Mizpeh was in eastern Manasseh. (Joshua 11. 3.)
CHAPTER XI.
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
CHAPTER X.
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 Iord 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.
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, coi Kduded '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 uort Uward
JS8. flowhelt the king of Ammon lienrkeiied not unto the words of Jephthah —His remonstrances to the ag-