COLLECTION  OF  PURITAN  AND 
 ENGLISH  THEOLOGICAL  LITERATURE 
 
 LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 
 PRINCETON,  NEW  JERSEY 
 
 5"CC 
 6 
 
\ 
 
COMMENTARY 
 
 UPON 
 
 ?OSHVAtfVT>GES 
 
 AND 
 
 R     V     T     H. 
 
A 
 
 COMMENTARY 
 
 UPON    THE     BOOKS 
 
 OF      .  (  ,  .-  ■  ■         '/'(■o//,i/sJ, 
 
 JOSHUA^  JUDGES 
 
 AND 
 
 RUTH. 
 
 B    Y 
 
 The  Right  Reverend  Father  in  GOD, 
 
 SYMON  Lord  Bilhop  of  ELY. 
 
 . ..  _ 
 
 L  0  N  D  0  M: 
 
 Printed   for    £\t.  CljiftiJCll  at    the   Rofe  and  Crown  in 
 St.  Faufs  Churchyard.     1701. 
 
i 
 
 - 
 
( I ) 
 
 COMMENTARY 
 
 UPON    THE 
 
 Book  of  JOSHUA. 
 
 THIS  Title  doth  not  neceflarily  fignifie  that 
 this  Book  was  written  by  JOSHVA,  as  the 
 five  foregoing  were  by  Mofes :  but  only  that  it 
 contains  the  acts  done  by  Joflma :  Yet  there  wants  not 
 arguments  to  prove  that  JoJIwa  was  the  Author  of  this 
 Book.  For  though  Grotius  and  many  other  modern 
 writers,  with  fome  of  the  ancients,  think  they  find 
 reafons  in  the  Book  it  felf  againft  this  opinion  :  yet 
 the  ancient  Talwudrjls,  and  feveral  of  the  latter  afcribe 
 it  to  him,  being  principally  induced  thereunto,  by 
 thofe  words  in  the  laft  Chapter  of  this  Book,  v.  26. 
 Which  I  cannot  fay  are  an  evident  proof  of  it  (for 
 thofe  words  may  relate  only  to  the  Covenant  menti- 
 oned in  that  Chapter)  but  thus  they  fay  expreily  in 
 Btvci  Bathra,  Cap.  1.  JoJIwa  wrote  bis  own  Booh^  and 
 the  eight  laft  verfes  of  the  Law.  And  then  concerning 
 the  five  laft  verfes  of  this  Book,  they  write  after  this 
 manner  in  the  fame  place  ^  Eleazar  wrote  the  29th. 
 Vtrfi^  Sec  of  the  XXHrth.  Chapter,  as  Phineas  did,  v. 
 33.  And  there  are  Men  of  excellent  learning  who 
 have  undertaken  to  anUver  all  that  can  be  objetted  un- 
 to this    (particularly  Daniel  Huetiits   in  his  Demon- 
 
 B  Jiratic 
 
a  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 JlratJo  Evang.  Propoft  IV.)  Which  objections  I  fhall 
 confider  in  their  proper  places,  where  they  feem  to 
 arife  in  this  Book. 
 
 Which  the  Jews  reckon  among  the  firft  Prophets  (as 
 they  call  them)  though  it  contain  only  an  Hiftory  of 
 what  pafled  till  the  death  of  Jojhua.  Which,  in  all 
 likelyhood,  he  would  not  negledt  to  write  himfelf,  as 
 Mofes  did  what  palled  in  his  time  :  that  every  Tribe 
 and  every  Family  might  have  an  unqueftionable  Title 
 to  their  Inheritance,  under  his  own  Hand  :,  who  had 
 by  God's  order  made  a  divifion  of  the  Land :  and 
 that  all  Pofterity  might  fee  the  promifes  made  unto 
 them  by  Mofes  were  fo  pun&ually  fulfilled,  that  there 
 failed  not  ought  of  any  good  thing  which  the  LORD 
 had  fpoken,  but  all  came  to  pafs  5  as  he  obferves, 
 XXI.  45.  And  that,  in  a  fhort  time  :  for  this  Book 
 contains  the  Hiftory  of  the  IfraeUtes  from  the  death 
 of  Mofes,  to  the  death  of  Jojhua.  That  is,  as  fome 
 compute,  for  the  fpaceofXVII.  Years,  or  rather  near 
 XXVII.     See  upon  XIV.  10. 
 
 Chapter   > ^______ 
 
 I. 
 W"V^  CHAP.     I. 
 
 Yerfe  x. 
 
 Verfe  1.  TVfO^  after  the  death  of  Mofes.']  Thus 
 l\l  thofe  Books  are  wont  to  begin,  whofe 
 argument  relates  to  the  Book  before  going.  As  the 
 Book  of  Judges  is  in  this  manner  conne&ed  with  this 
 of  Joflma  ^  and  the  Book  oiRnth,  with  that  of  Judges* 
 And  the  LXX.  make  fuch  a  Preface,  to  join  the  Book 
 of  Lamentations,  with  the  Prophefie  of  Jeremiah. 
 
 After  the  death  of  Mofes  J]  I  fuppofe  immediately 
 after  the  days  of  mourning  for  him  were  ended, 
 XXXIV  Dent.  •&.  The 
 
upon  J  O  8  H  U  A. 
 
 J  he  Servant  of  the  LORD.']     See  XXXIV  Dent.  5.   Chapter 
 
 It  came  to  pafs  that  the  LORD  [pake  unto  Jofona  the         I. 
 
 7  of  Nun.]  Out  of  the  San&uary,  it  is  mod  likely  :  L/~V~\j 
 tVom  whence  he  had  fpoken  to  him  a  little  before 
 Mofes  his  death,  and  made  him  a  promife  of  what  he 
 orders  him  now  to  accomplifh  (XXXI  Dent.  14.  23.) 
 and  where  E/eazar  was  appointed  long  before,  to  ask 
 counfel  for  him,  when  there  was  great  occcafion. 
 XXVII  Numb.  2r. 
 
 Mofes  Minifter."]  Who  had  attended  upon  Mofcs 
 from  the  beginning,  in  his  higheft  employment,  XXIV 
 Exod.  13.     1  Dent.  38. 
 
 Ver.  2.  Mofes  my Servant  is  dead."]     He  hath  finilh-  Verfe  2. 
 ed  his  work,  and  can  do  me  no  further  fervice. 
 
 Now  therefore  arifeT]  Put  an  end  therefore  unto 
 your  mourning  for  him  $  and  go  about  the  bufinefs 
 which  he  hath  left  thee  to  perform. 
 
 Go  over  this  Jordan.~]  Within  fight  of  which  they 
 lay  encamped. 
 
 Thon  and  all  this  People,  unto  the  land  which  I  Jo 
 give  to  them,  even  to  the  Children  of  Ifrael.~]  As  he  pro- 
 mifed  when  he  changed  his  name  from  Ofliea  into 
 Jofiua,  XIII  Numb.  16.   I  Dent.  38.    WlDeut.  28. 
 
 Ver.  3.  Everyplace.']     Within  the  limits  mentioned  Verfe  3. 
 in  the  next  Verfe. 
 
 That  the  fole  of  your  foot  fh  all  tread  upon,  that  have  I 
 given  you,  as  Ifiid  unto  Mofes.']  He  would  not  have 
 them  doubt  of  what  Mofes  faid  from  him  (XI  Dent. 
 24.)  though  he  were  dead. 
 
 Ver.  4.  FromtheWildemefs.     This  was  the  bounds  Verfe  4. 
 of  the  Country,  on  the  South. 
 
 And  this  Lebanon!]  Which  was  the  bounds  on  the 
 North.  And  Jofjua  feems  now  to  have  been  in  fight 
 of  it :  to  which  the  Divine  Majeft y  dire&ed  his  ob- 
 
 B  2  fervaticn. 
 
4  A  COMMENT ART 
 
 Chapter  fervation,  as  the  moft  Eminent  Mountain  in  thole 
 
 I.        Parts  of  the  World. 
 t/^V'NJ       Even  unto  the  great  River,    the   River  Euphrates.'] 
 Which  was  the  Eaftern  bounds  $  and  called  by  other 
 Authors  the  great  River,   as  I  have    obferved  on 
 I  Deut.  7. 
 
 All  the  land  of  the  Hittitcs.]  Who  were  a  very 
 powerful  People  in  the  Country,  dwelling  together 
 with  the  Amorites  in  the  Mountainous  parts  of  it* 
 XIII  Numb.  29.  Some  of  which  were  of  the  race  of 
 the  Giants :  and  are  therefore  particularly  mentioned, 
 to  fhew  that  the  moft  terrible  People  (hould  not  be 
 able  to  ftand  before  Joflma.  But  he  fhould  either  de- 
 ftroy  them,  or  expel  them,  and  make  them  flee  their 
 Country  :  as  thefe  Hittites  did  $  of  whom  we  read, 
 and  of  their  Kings,     2  Kings  VII.    6. 
 
 Unto  the  great  Sea.]  The  Mediterranean,  which  was 
 the  We  ftern  border,  as  it  here  follows* 
 
 Towards  the  going  down  of  the  Sun,  fialt  be  your  co aft 7] 
 See  upon  XI  Dent.  24.  and  other  places. 
 ¥erfe  5.        Ver,  5.  There  fhall  not  any  Man  be  able  to  ftand  be- 
 fore thee  all  the  days  of  thy  life!]     VII  Deut.  24. 
 
 As  I  was  with  Mofes  fo  I  will  be  with  thee!]  To  fub- 
 due  all  the  People  of  Canaan  before  him  3  as  he  did 
 the  Egyptians,  the  two  Rings  of  the  Amorites,  and  the 
 Midianites  before  Mofes.  To  counfel  alfo,  and  ad- 
 vife  him  in  all  difficulties,  as  he  had  done  Mofes. 
 
 I  will  not  fail  thee,  nor  forfake  thee.]  See  upon 
 XXXI  Deut.  6.  8.  On  which  promife  they  relied  in 
 future  times,  1  Kings  VIII.  57. 
 Vtrk  6.  Ver.  6.  Be  firong  and  of  a  good  courage.]  This  charge 
 he  had  given  him  before  the  death  of  Mofes,  XXXI 
 Deut.  23.  And  David  gave  the  fame  to  Solomon, 
 iChron.  XXVIIL  20. 
 
 For 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  5 
 
 lor  unto  this  People  fait  thou  divide  for  an  inheri-  Chapter 
 tancc  the  land  which  1  Jnurc  unto  their  fathers  to  give         I. 
 then/.']     He  had  promifed  him,    in  the  place  before  L/*V\J 
 named,  that  he  jhould  bring  them  into  the  land,  &c. 
 And  here  now  adds,  that  he  (hould  fettle  them  in  the 
 pofleflion  of  it  5  by  adigning  every  one  their  portion 
 in  it.     Which  he  did  by  fuch  a  Divine  direction,  as 
 lilenced  all  difputes  about  it. 
 
 Ver.  7.  Only  be  thouftrong  and  very  conragioits,  f/j<zf  Verfe  7. 
 thou  may  eft  obferve  to  do  according  to  all  the  Latv^  which 
 Mofes  my  Servant  commanded  thee,']  It  requires  the 
 greateft  courage  and  refolution,  efpecially  in  a  Go- 
 vernour,  to  be  truly  Pious  and  Pveligious  :  by  obfer- 
 ving  the  Laws  himfelf,  and  feeing  them  obferved  by 
 others. 
 
 Turn  notjrom  it  to  the  rigfo  hand  or  to  the  left7\  By 
 adding  to  it,  or  taking  away  from  it,  XII  Dent,  ult. 
 Or  more  fimply  5  no  way  deviate  from  it.  For  it  is 
 a  metaphor  from  Men  in  a  journey  :  who  go  ftrait  for- 
 ward  in  the  plain  high  way  5  and  turn  not  afide  into 
 by  paths,  which  lead  they  know  not  whether. 
 
 That  thou  mayeft  proffer  vphetherfoever  thou  go  eft  7]  Or 
 do  wifely  ^  as  it  is  in  the  Margin  :  for  it  is  the  greateft 
 policy,  to  be  truly  Religious. 
 
 Ver.  8.  This  Bool^oj  the  Law."]    The  Original  ofyerfe  8. 
 which  was  preferved  in  the  San&uary  :  from  whence 
 God  now  fpake  to  him,  XXXI  Deut.  26. 
 
 Shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth.~]  He  was  to  read  in 
 it  continually,  that  he  might  inftruft  others :  and  be 
 thereby  an  example  to  all  future  Governors  and  Kings 5 
 according  to  the  Law,  XVII  Deut.  18.  19.  By  which 
 it  is  evident  that  JoJJma  had  a  Copy  of  the  Law  5  which 
 was  then  written  and  extant  in  his  time. 
 
6  A  COMMENT A RY 
 
 Chapter        But  thou  foalt  meditate  therein  day  and  night \\    His 
 I.        other  weighty  employments  were  not  to  hinder  him 
 
 L/VNJ  from  pondering,  as  well  as  reading,  the  Law  of  God : 
 becaufe  it  was  co  be  his  rule,  in  all  his  private  tranf- 
 aftions,  and  publick  adminittrations. 
 
 That  thou  mayejl  obferve  to  do  according  to  all  that  is 
 written  therein. \  Which  was  not  poffible,  without 
 the  ferious  and  attentive  confederation  before  menti- 
 oned. 
 
 For  then  thou  /halt  make  thy  way  profperous,  and  then 
 thouflalt  have  good  fuccefsT]  Or  do  wifely.  Prudence 
 and  profperity  go  together.  But  no  prudence  com- 
 parable to  the  drift  obfervance  of  the  Laws  of  God  : 
 upon  which  the  felicity  of  Kingdoms  and  States  de- 
 pend. 
 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9-  Have  not  I  commanded  thee  $  Be  Jirong 
 and  of  a  good  courage  ;  be  not  afraid,  neither  be  thou  dif- 
 mayed :  for  the  LORD  thy  God  is  with  thee  whet herfo- 
 ever  thou  goefir\  He  confirms  him  in  the  resolution 
 he  had  put  into  him  (v.  6.)  by  two  arguments:  the 
 Divine  Vocation  5  and  the  Divine  Prefence  with  him. 
 See  1  Deut.  29.  30.  XXXI.  6,  7,  8.  The  latter  of 
 which  the  Tar  gum  thus  exprefleth,  For  the  WORD  of 
 the  LORD  thy  God  flail  be  for  thy  help,  in  every  place 
 where  thou  goeft.     See  v.  14. 
 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  Then  Joflma  commanded  the  Officers  of  the 
 People,  faying."}  I  have  often  obferved,  that  as  SCHO- 
 PHETIM  were  Judges,  who  heard  Caufes  in  their 
 Courts,  and  pronounced  Sentence:  So  SCHOTERIM 
 were  inferiour  Officers  belonging  to  the  Court  5  who 
 fummoned  People  to  attend,  and  executed  the  Sen- 
 tence. For  after  Mofes  had  mentioned  1  Deut.  15. 
 the  chief  of  their  Tribes,  Captains  over  Thoufands, 
 and  Hundreds,  and  Fifties  and  Tens,  he  at  laft  men- 
 tions 
 
 ^ 
 
upon    J  O  S  H  U  A.  y 
 
 tions  thefe  Officers  among  their  Tribes.     Who  were  Chapter 
 imployed,  it  appears  by  this  place,    in  the  Camp,  as         I. 
 well  as  in  the  Courts  of  Juitice.  Ly^VNJ 
 
 Ver.  ii.  Pdfj  through  the  hoft,  and  command  the  y  r 
 People  faying,  Prepare  you  vifluals.]  They  were  to 
 make  Proclamation  not  only  in  all  the  four  Camps 
 of  Ifracl  5  but  in  the  feveral  Tribes  who  were  under 
 thofe  Standarts:  to  provide  themfelves  with  fuch 
 Victuals  as  the  Country  of  Sihon  and  Og,  which  they 
 had  lately  conquered,  afforded.  For  being,  after 
 three  days  (TIL  i.)  to  remove  very  early  in  the  morn- 
 ing, perhaps  they  might  not  have  had  time  to  gather 
 Manna  fufficient,  and  to  prepare  it  before  they  began 
 their  march. 
 
 For  within  three  days."]     See  III.  I.  2. 
 
 Te  floall  pafs  over  this  Jordan.']  Which  was  not  fo 
 far  from  Shittim  where  they  now  lay,  but  they  could 
 fee  it. 
 
 And  go  to  pojfefs  the  land,  which  the  LORD  yoir 
 God  giveth  you  to  pojfefs  it.]  He  conftantly  remember  - 
 them  of  this  donation  from  God  :  both  to  ftrengthen 
 their  faith,  and  to  excite  their  thankfulnefs.  For  they 
 got  not  the  land  in  poffejjion  by  their  own  Sword,  neither 
 did  their  arm  fave  them  5  but  his  right  hand,  &C  be- 
 caitfc  he  had  a  favour  to  them,  as  the  Pfalmift  fpeaks, 
 XLIV.  3. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  to  the  Renbenites,  and  to  the6adites^y^[^  12, 
 and  to  half  the  tribe  of  Manajfeh,  fpake  Jojfjua,  faying.] 
 Here  he  begins  to  do  according  to  the  command  of 
 Mofis,  as  God  before  directed  him,  v.  7,  8.  For 
 Mofes  had  given  this  charge  to  the  Reubenites,  &c. 
 when  he  gave  them  their  poffefiion  on  this  fide  Jordan, 
 XXXII  Numb.  20,  91,  &c.  and  put  them  in  mind 
 of  it  again,  III  Dent.  18,  &c. 
 
 Ver.  r?. 
 
8  AC OMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  13.  Remember  the  Word  which  Mofes  the  Ser- 
 L        want  of  the  LORD   commanded  you,  faying."]     It  is 
 
 L/"V\J  very  obfervable,    how  gently  and   not  imperioufly 
 
 Verfe  1 3.  Jofhua  exercifes  his  authority,  at  his  firft  entrance  upon 
 his  Office.  For  he  only  puts  them  in  mind  of  what 
 Mofes  required  from  them  5  and  leaves  them  to  reflect 
 upon  the  promife  they  made  to  him. 
 
 The  LORD  your  God  hath  given  you  reft,  and  hath 
 given  you  this  land.']  That  is,  a&ually  beftowed  upon 
 them 'a  Country  to  fettle  in.  For  here  their  Wives, 
 and  Children,  and  Cattle  remained  (with  a  fufficient 
 number  of  Perfons  to  look  after  them)  when  they 
 marched  into  Canaan :  as  it  follows  in  the  next  Verfe. 
 
 Verfe  14.  ^er.  14.  Tour  Wives ,  your  little  ones,  and  your  Cattle 
 fhall  remain  in  the  land,  which  Mofes  gave  yon  on  this 
 fide  for  dan  :  but  ye  fhall  pafs  before  your  brethren  armed!*] 
 March  in  the  front  of  them  \  to  (hew  their  forward- 
 nefs  to  bring  them  into  the  fame  happy  condition  with 
 themfelves. 
 
 All  the  mighty  Men  of  Valour  to  help  them."]  Such  as 
 Jofhua  pick'd  out :  for  it  is  evident  they  did  not  all  go 
 over  5  but  only  Forty  Thoufand  of  them,  IV.  13. 
 The  reft,  though  fit  for  War,  were  left  to  defend 
 their  Wives,  Children,  and  Flocks,  while  thofe  mighty 
 Men  of  Valour  went  to  help  their  Brethren. 
 
 "Verfe  15.  Ver.  15.  Until  the  LORD  have  given  your  brethren 
 reft,  as  he  hath  given  you."]  A  fetled  poffeffion  of  the 
 Land  of  Canaan,  as  they  had  of  the  Land  of  the  two 
 Kings  of  the  Amorites. 
 
 And  they  alfo  have  poffeffed  the  land,  which  the  LORD 
 your  God  giveth  them!]  He  would  have  them  look 
 upon  the  Conqueft  of  the  Land  as  certain  ^  becaufe 
 God  had  made  a  grant  of  it  to  their  Brethren. 
 
 Then 
 
upon    J  O  S  H  II  A. 
 
 n  ye  fhall  return  to  the  land  of  t/.<  Ion,   and 
 
 77 joy  it,  which  Mofes  the  LORDS  Servant  gave  yon 
 on  this  pat  Jordan,  towards  the  Sun-rifing7\  Accord- 
 ing to  the  agreement  which  Mofes  had  made  with  chem, 
 XXXIII  Numb.  20,  21,2:. 
 
 Ver.  16.  And  they  anfvered  Jofhua,  faying,  all  that  Verfe  16. 
 thou  co nw; an  left  us,  we  will  do  }  and  whether focver  thou 
 jcndejl  us  we  will  go.']  It  is  likely,  this  was  the  an- 
 iwer  not  only  ok  the  Reubenites,  Gaditcs  and  Ma- 
 naffites  5  .but  of  all  the  reft  of  the  Tribes:  before 
 whom,  JoJIma  put  thefe  two  Tribes  and  an  half  in 
 mind  of  their  duty:  Which  they  all  engage  to  per- 
 form exactly  :  Thefe  words  containing  a  full  recog- 
 nition of  Jofiua's  authority,  and  their  abfolute  fub- 
 miflion  to  it. 
 
 Ver.   17.  According  as  we  hearkned  unto  Mofes  in  all  Verfe   l~. 
 things,  fo  will  we  hearken  unto  thee.']     Here  they  ac- 
 knowledge his  authority  to  be  equal  to  that  of  Mofes  ; 
 who  was  undoubtedly  fet  over  them  by  Cod  5  as  they 
 now  own  Joffjua  to  be. 
 
 Only  the  LORD  thy  God  he  with  thee,  as  he  was  with 
 Mofes.']  Thefe  words  are  not  a  reftri&ion  of  their 
 obedience,  which  did  not  depend  upon  his  SuccefTes  : 
 but  a  folemn  Prayer  to  God,  of  whom  they  defired 
 no  other  Governour  than  Joftua,  that  he  would  make 
 him  as  victorious  as  Mofes  was  over  all  their  Ene- 
 mies Therefore  fome  tranflate  the  words,  not  only, 
 butmay  the  LORD  thy  God,  &C.  OX  f  nee  the  LORD 
 thy  God  hath  prom/fed  to  he  with  thee.  The  Targum 
 Paraphrafe  thefe  words  as  he  did,  v.  9.  only  let  the 
 )VORD  of  the  LORD  thy  God  he  thy  helper, -as  he 
 was  to  Mofes.  J 
 
 Ver.    18.  Whofoever  he  be  that  doth  rebel  again  ft  thy  yerre   ,g 
 commandment^  and  will  not  hearken  unto  thy  words  in 
 
 C  all 
 
io  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter   all  that  thou  commandefi  him,  he  ffj all  be  put  to  death,'] 
 I.         This  feems  to  be  the  voice  of  all  the  People,  and  of 
 
 t/Y\J  their  Elders:  or  a  Decree  made  by  the  Elders,  as  the 
 Jews  underftand  it.  Who  looking  upon  Jojfmd  to 
 be  a  King  as  Mofes  was:  extend  this  to  all  the  Kings 
 of  Ifrael  in  following  times.  So  Guih  ScBrc^ard  ob- 
 ferves  out  of  Maimonides  in  his  M/fhpat  Hammelech, 
 Cap.  IV.  Theor.  XIV.  p.  101.  But  it  (hould  rather 
 be  faid,  that  Jojhva  was  a  King  and  a  Prophet  as 
 Mofes  was  :  and  the  Law,  as  liufi  obferves,  ordered 
 him  to  be  put  to  Death  that  tranfgrefled  the  orders  of 
 Mofes,  and  of  a  Prophet. 
 
 Only  be  jirong  and  of  a  good  courage?]  He  had  the 
 greater  reafon  to  be  couragious,  fince  they  refolved 
 as  one  Man,  toftand  by  him,  and  never  to  difobey 
 him.  And  therefore  the  word  rdh^  which  we  tran- 
 ilate  only,  (hould  rather  be  translated  therefore:  as  it 
 plainly  Signifies  XIII.  6.  Where  fpeaking  of  the 
 Land  that  remained  to  be  peffefled,  Cod  promifes  to 
 drive  out  the  Inhabitants  5  and  therefore  bids  Jojhua. 
 to  divide  it  to  the  IfraelHes  for  an  Inheritance. 
 
 Chapter 
 
 II.  C  H  A  P.     II. 
 
 L/"V\J 
 
 Verfe  1.    Verfe   1.     \ND  Joflwa  the  Son  of Nun  fentT]     Or 
 
 Jf\  hadjent,   before  the  directions  given 
 
 to  the  Officers,  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  Chapter, 
 
 v.  10,  11.  which  beft  agrees  with  the  22.  v.  of  this 
 
 Chapter,  and  the  reft  of  the  Story. 
 
 Out  pfShittimT]  Which  was  in  the  Plains  of  Moab, 
 where  Ifrael  now  lay,  XXXIV  Deut.  1.  called  Abel- 
 Shittim,   XXXIII  Numb.  49. 
 
 Two 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  M 
 
 Two  Men.']     Which  were  fuflicient  for  the  bufinefs  Chapter 
 they  went  about.  II. 
 
 To  fftc  fecretly.~]  So  that  none  were  privy  to  it  l/V\j 
 among  the  Ifraclitcs,  but  Jof/vta  :  Who,  it  is  prob- 
 able did  not  fend  them  without  an  order  from  God  5 
 who  intended  to  difpofe  things  fo,  that  they  fhould 
 bring  back  to  him  a  great  encouragement  to  his 
 Faith. 
 
 Sayings  go  view  the  I  and.~]  Not  the  whole  Coun- 
 try of  Canaan  5  but  only  that  part  of  it,  which  lay 
 about  Jericho,  as  it  here  follows.  Whofe  Fortificati- 
 ons they  were  to  obferve,  and  the  approaches  to  it  , 
 with  the  (irength  that  was  in  it. 
 
 And  they  xvent.~]  Over  the  Fords  of  Jordan,  I  fup- 
 pofe,  mentioned,  v.  7. 
 
 And  came  into  an  harlots  houfe,  called  Rahak']  Who 
 kept  a  publick  Houfe,  or  an  Inn,  to  entertain  Strangers : 
 By  going  into  which,  they  thought  they  would  be 
 lefs  fufpe&ed  of  any  defign.  The  word  Zonah,  which 
 is  commonly  tranflated  an  Harlot,  the  Chaldee  Para- 
 phrafe  renders  Pnndakitha :  which  is  plainly  the 
 Greek  word  UavSb^tx,  fignifying  (he  kept  a  Houfe  of 
 publick  reception.  And  fo  St.  Chryfoftom  calls  this 
 Woman,  in  his  fecond  Sermon  of  Repentance,  7rav* 
 Sb%i'jT*{zv  :  for  there  is  no  doubt  fhe  kept  a  publick 
 Hcvule.  But  fuch  Perfons  in  thofe  days,  made  their 
 Bodies  as  publick  as  their  Houfes :  and  therefore  (he 
 is  confiantly  called  Rahab  the  Harlot,  by  the  Ancients  ^ 
 and  even  by  two  Apoftles  who  call  her  -^rpr,  XI 
 Hebr.  21.  II  James  25.  For  fo  (lie  had  been  ^  though 
 now,  it  is  probable,  converted  by  the  Faith  which 
 was  wrought  in  her.  Which  was  fo  eminent,  that 
 (he  was  not  only  admitted  into  the  Society  of  God's 
 People  5    but  married  into  a  Noble  Family  of  the 
 
 C  2  Tribe 
 
l2  ACOMMENTAKT 
 
 Chapter  Tribe  cfjudah  5  from  whom  Chriji  fprung,   1  Math. 
 [[.       5.  and  is  propounded  as  an  example  of  lively  Faith 
 L/^V\j  unto  all  Chriltians,  XI  Hebr.  31.    II  Jam.  25. 
 
 And  lodged  there.']  Took  up  their  lodging  in  her 
 Houfe,  by  a  Divine  direction,  as  appeared  after- 
 wards. 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2m  And  it  was  told  the  King  of  Jericho."]  Who 
 was  not  negligent,  we  may  well  think,  tofetawatch, 
 to  obferve  who  came  in,  and  went  out  of  the  City. 
 
 Sayings  Behold,  there  came  Men  in  hither  to  night."] 
 In  the  Evening  :  which  was  the  molt  proper  time  to 
 come  into  the  City  undifcovered  3  becaufe  then  the 
 People  whofe  bufinefs  lay  out  of  the  City,  were  ge- 
 nerally going  home  to  their  own  Houfes. 
 
 Of  the  Children  oflfraei]  As  they  judged  by  their 
 Habit,  or  Language,  or  Afped. 
 
 To  fearch  out  the  Country?]     For  they  could  not 
 think  they  came  for  any  other  end, 
 Verfe  3,        Ver.   3.   And  the  King  of  Jericho  fent  unto  Rahab, 
 faying,  Bring  forth  the  Men  that  are  come  to  thee,  which 
 entred  into  thy  Houfe  ;  for  they  be  come  to  fearch  out  all 
 the  Country."]     He  fent  fome  Officers  with  a  Warrant 
 to  apprehend  them  5   and  to  require  her  to  deliver 
 them  up  into  their   Hands,    as   Enemies  of  their 
 Country. 
 Verfe  4.        Ver.  4.'  And  the  \f omen  tooh^  the  two  Men,  and  hid 
 them."]    Or  rather  had  hidden  them,  before  the  Officers 
 came :  having  heard,  its  likely,  a  rumour  that  they 
 were  difcovered,    and   fearch  would   be  made   for 
 them. 
 
 And  faid  thus,  There  came  Men  unto  me,  but  I  wiji 
 not  whence  they  were.]  She  could  not  deny  that  (he  re- 
 ceived fuch  ftrange  Guefts  :  but  would  not  own  that 
 flhe  knew  from  what  Country  they  came  :  nor  was  it 
 
 her 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  i  a 
 
 her  bufinefs  to  make  inch  enquiry  3  her  Houfe  being  Chapter 
 open  unto  all.  U 
 
 Ver.    5.   And  it  came  to  pafs,  about  the  time  of  jljut-  L/^V\J 
 ting  of  the  gate.']     The  Gate  of  the  City,  next  to  her  Ver(e  5. 
 Houfe:  which  was  wont  to  be  (hut  (as  they  are  now 
 in  all  well  governed  Cities")  at  a  certain  hour. 
 
 When  it  was  darkf)  And  confequently  few  or  none 
 ftirring  in  the  Streets. 
 
 The  Men  went  out,  whether  they  went  I  wot  not.~] 
 She  would  have  them  think,  they  went  both  out  of 
 her  Houfe,  and  out  of  the  City  :  though  (he  knew  not 
 which  way  they  went,  it  being  dark. 
 
 Purfue  after  them  quichjy^  for  ye  ft  all  overtake  them.] 
 Yet  it  was  fo  little  a  while  (ince  they  went  out,  that 
 (he  would  have  them  believe,  they  could  not,  if  they 
 made  hafte,  but  overtake  them  before  they  got  over 
 Jordan.  For  if  they  were  Ifraelites,  it  might  be  cer- 
 tainly concluded  they  went  that  way.  No  body  can 
 fay,  that  Rah  ah  did  not  tell  an  untruth  ,  but  this  may 
 be  faid  in  her  excufe  :  that  it  is  no  wonder  if  (he 
 thought  it  lawful,  if  not  neceffary,  fo  to  do,  for  the 
 faving  of  the  life  of  innocent  Men.  Since  feveral 
 great  Philofofbers  have  been  of  that  opinion,  and  fome 
 of  the  ancient  Fathers  of  the  Church :  particularly  St. 
 Auftin  confefles  it  to  be  a  very  difficult  Queftion,  Cap. 
 XV.  ad  Confentinum.  And  Arias  Montanus  upon  this 
 very  place,  makes  it  ones  duty  to  elude  thofe,  who 
 we  think  intend  to  do  mifchief  to  others.  Which  he 
 pretends  to  juftifie  by  many  Examples,  in  a  Difcourfe 
 concerning  Mens  true  and  certain  duties.  But  that  is 
 too  bold  an  undertakings  fince  the  Fathers  before  St. 
 Auflin,  and  all  the  Jews  condemn  this  practife. 
 
 Ver.  6.  But  fie  brought  them  up,  &c.  or  rather,  Jhe  y^fe  $ 
 had  brought  them  up  to  the  roof  of  the  hcufe.~]     Which 
 
 was 
 
,4  A  COMMENT  A  KY 
 
 Chapter  was  made  fiat,  To  that  Men  might  lye  or  walk  upon 
 IL       it  in  thofe  Countries.     See  XXII  Dent.  8. 
 
 L/~S/~SJ  And  hid  them  with  the  Jialkj  of  Flax,  which  fie  had 
 laid  in  order  upon  the  roof."]  Covered  them  all  over 
 with  the  (talks  of  Flax,  which  I  fuppofe  were  newly- 
 cut,  and  laid  upon  the  roof  of  the  Houfe  to  be  dried 
 by  the  Sun,  till  they  were  fit  to  be  peeled.  Or,  as 
 fame  think,  thefe  were  (talks  of  Flax  cut  the  Year 
 before  :  and  made  ufe  of  now  to  (bow  that  no  body 
 was  gone  upon  the  roof,  where  (he  had  laid  them. 
 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  the  Men  purfued  after  them  the  way  to 
 Jordan,  unto  the  Fords."]  Where  Jordan  was  fo  (hal- 
 low that  Men  might  wade,  or  fo  narrow  that  they 
 might  foon  fwim  over  it.  There  the  purfuers  lay 
 three  Days,  waiting  to  catch  them  in  their  return. 
 
 And  as  foon  as  they  which  purfued  them  were  gone  eut, 
 they  fhut  the  gate."]  Which  being  opened  to  let  the 
 purfuers  out,  was  immediately  (hut  again  ,•  that  if 
 the  Spies  lurk'd  in  the  City,  they  might  not  efcapein 
 the  dark  :  and  that  no  other  perfon  might  enter,  who 
 they  might  pofiible  think,  lay  watching  an  opportu- 
 nity to  get  in. 
 
 Verfe  8.  ^er#  *  And  before  they  were  laid  down!]  To  com- 
 pofe  themfelves  to  deep  :  which  after  their  journey 
 they  might  be  glad  to  take  any  where. 
 
 She  came  up  unto  them,  upon  the  roof]  To  bring 
 them  down,  its  likely,  to  a  more  commodious  lodg- 
 ing. 
 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  Andfiefaid  unto  the  Men,  I  know  that  the 
 LORD  hath  given  you  the  Land.]  Wonder  not  that 
 I  have  taken  fuch  care  of  your  prefcrvation :  for  I 
 believe  in  the  LORD  as  you  do  5  and  know  that  he 
 hath  beftowed  this  Country  upon  you,  for  your 
 pofleffion. 
 
 And 
 
upon    J  O  S  H  U  A.  15 
 
 And  that  your  terror  is  fain  upon  ///,  and  that  all  the   Chapter 
 inhabitants  of  the  Land  faint  bee  ante  of  you. ~]     She  was        1 1. 
 the  more  confident  of  their  faccefs,  bectfufe  fhe  ob-  iy^\^\J 
 ferved  the  People  of  the  Land  were  ftruck  with  fuch 
 I  dread  of  them,  as  not  to  be  able  to  defend  their 
 Country  againft  them.     See  XI  Dent.  25. 
 
 Ver.  10.  For  we  have  heard  how  the  LORD  dried  y^fe  ic> 
 up  the  water  of  the  Red-fea  for  you ^  when  yon  came  out 
 of  Egypt."]  And  there  overthrew  Pharaoh  and  his 
 Hoft,  after  he  had  fmitten  him  and  his  Country,  with 
 divers  miraculous  Plagues.  The  report  of  which, 
 was  come  to  them,  as  well  as  their  palling  through 
 the  Sea  :  Which  though  it  were  Forty  Years  ago,  was 
 remembred  with  aftonilhment. 
 
 And  what  you  did  unto  the  two  Kings  of  the  Amor  it  es 
 that  were  on  the  other  Jide  Jordan,  Sihon  and  Og,  whom 
 ye  utterly  deftroyed.]  This  was  a  thing  of  frefh  me- 
 mory, and  could  not  but  ftrike  them  with  confterna- 
 tion  :  thefe  two  Kings  being  very  potent  5  and  their 
 near  Neighbours  and  Allies.  For  they  were  part  of 
 the  Amorites,  who  dwelt  in  the  mountainous  parts  of 
 this  Country  3  as  was  before  obferved. 
 
 Ver.    II.   And  as  foon  as    we    heard    thefe    things •!  Verfe    I 
 As  Mofes  prophefied  they  would,  XV  Exod.  14,  15-. 
 
 Our  hearts  did  melt.']  The  fame  phrafe  in  1  Dent. 
 28.  where  we  tranflate  it  difc  our  aged  :  and  fo  ic  is 
 here  explained  in  the  next  words. 
 
 Neither  did  there  remain  any  more  courage  in  any 
 Man,  becaufe  of  you. ~]  The  moll  valiant  among  them, 
 were  utterly  ditheartned. 
 
 For  the  LORD  your  God,  he  is  God  in  Heaven  a- 
 bove,  and  in  the  Earth  beneath.]     This  is  a  plain  con- 
 feffionof  the  true  God,    the  Creator  of  MeavHl  and 
 Larth  ;   wherein  he  rules  and  governs  all  things  ac- 
 cording- 
 
16  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 ■Chapter    coding  tohis  pleafnre.     This  is  her  Faith  celebrated 
 II.        by  the  Apoftle  to  the  Hebrews,  which  moved  her  to 
 
 L/*WJ  entertain  the  Spies,  and  to  preferve  them  with  th~ 
 danger  of  her  own  Life,  if  (he  had  been  difcovered. 
 
 Vetfe  12.  Ver.  12.  AW  therefore,  J pray  y ou ,  five ar  unto  mt 
 by  the  LOtoj  The  Targum  hath  it,  by  the  WORD 
 of  the  LORD.  An  Oath  was  the  greateft  iecurity 
 that  could  be  defired  for  the  performance  of  what 
 they  promifed.  For  all  Nations  expected  grievous 
 puni  (laments  would  fall  upon  perjured  Perfons  : 
 which  they  that  feared  the  LORD,  the  true  God, 
 above  all  Men  dreaded.  SteSelden,  Lib.  II.  deSynedr. 
 Cap.  XI.  N.  IV. 
 
 Since  I  have  fherced  yon  kjndnefs."]  As  they  could 
 not  but  acknowledge. 
 
 That  ye  will  alfo  fljew  kindnefs  to  my  Father  s  Houfe, 
 and  give  me  a  true  tohgn7\  She  asked  two  things  of 
 them  5  firft  that  (he  and  her  whole  Family  might  be 
 preferved,  as  (lie  had  prefer  ved  them  :  and  then  that 
 they  would  give  her  fuch  a  token,  as  fhould  not  fail 
 her  $  but  upon  the  fight  of  it,  the  Ifr&elites  (houldab- 
 ftain  from  doing  them  any  hurt. 
 
 Verfe  1 3.  Ver.  13.  And  that  you  will fave  alive  my  Father  and 
 my  Mother,  and  my  Brethren,  an-d  my  Sijier •s.~]  This 
 is  a  particular  explication  of  what  (he  meant  by  her 
 Fathers  Houfe,  in  the  foregoing  Verfe  :  and  (hows 
 that  (he  had  no  Husband,  nor  Children. 
 
 And  all  that  they  have,  &c]  All  her  kindred,  as 
 we  tranflate  it,  VI.  23.  Or  the  Children  of  her 
 Brethren  and  Sifters :  Or  perhaps,  all  their  Cattle, 
 that  they  could  bring  with  them  into  her  Houfe. 
 
 Verfe  ia       ^er*  x4"  J^n<^  ^Je  ^en  anfvpere^  ^er->  ^Hr  Life  for 
 **' yonrs7\     They  fware  to  her  (it  appears  from  v.  17.) 
 
 and  wifh'd  they  might  perifti,  if  they  did  not  preferve 
 
 her 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  i  7 
 
 her  and  her  Family.     For  they  did  not  doubt  but  CI 
 Jojhtia   would    ratifie-vvhat  they   pron.ifed  5    though        11. 
 without  his  authority,    lor   the    publick  good   and  \SW~\J 
 fafety. 
 
 If  yc  utter  not.']  Do  not  divulge  or  declare  to  any 
 one. 
 
 Thk  our  bujinefs.]  In  the  Hebrew,  this  our  word^ 
 /.  e.  this  agreement  they  had  made  with  her.  Left 
 others  fhould  (belter  themfelves  under  her  roof,  or 
 ufe  that  token  they  intended  to  give  her  5  and  there- 
 by fecure  themfelves  from  deftruftion.  In  this  they 
 (bowed  great  prudence  and  management :  taking  care 
 that  their  gratitude,  might  not  prove  an  obftru&ion 
 to  the  publick  Juftice. 
 
 And  it  foall  be  when  the  LORD  hath  given  us  the 
 Land,  that  ive  will  deal  kindly  and  truly  with  thee."] 
 Upon  this  condition,  they  promife,  when  they  had 
 taken  Jericho  (for  that's  here  meant  by  the  Land,  v.  1 .) 
 they  would  keep  their  word  faithfully  with  her,  and 
 be  as  kind  to  her  as  (he  had  been  to  them. 
 
 Ver.    15.  Then  foe  let  them  down  by  a  cord,  through  yer#  x «- 
 the  Window.']     Which  in  thofe  Countries  were  large, 
 as  appears  by  the  Story  ofjezabel,  whom  her  Eunuchs 
 threw  down  out  of  a  Window,  2  Kings  IX  30,  32. 
 
 For  her  Honfe  was  upon  the  Town  Wall.]  Both  the  time 
 (which  was  in  the  Nightji  and  the  place  was  very 
 commodious  to  contrive  their  efcape:  becaufe  her 
 Houfe  was  adjoining  to  the  Wall  of  the  City. 
 
 And  foe  dwelt  upon  the  Wall.]  I  take  the  meaning 
 to  be  that  the  apartment  (be  referred  fcr  her  felf,  was 
 next  to  the  Wall  and  built  upon  it  :  the  reft  of  her 
 Houfe  towards  the  Street-,  being  kept  for  Strangers. 
 This  gave  her  the  fairer  opportunity,  without  any 
 noife,  to  let  them  down. 
 
 D  Ver.  16. 
 
,8  A   COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter        Ver.   16.  And  fie  faid  unto  them ',  Getye  tothe  moun- 
 II.       frfi//,  left  the  purfuers  meet  you!]     This  was  prudent 
 
 L/"V^NJ  advice,   not  to  go  towards  Jordan  prefently,  but  firft 
 
 Ver.  16.  to  one  of  the  Mountains,  wherewith  the  Plain  of 
 Jericho  was  furrounded,  as  Jofephus  tells  us,  Lib.  I. 
 de  Belh  Judaico.  Cap.  12,  13.  and  Lib.  V.  Cap.  4. 
 And  the  Scripture  it  felf  informs  us  as  much,  2  Kings 
 II.  15,  16. 
 
 And  hide  your  [elves  there."}  In  fome  of  the  Caves, 
 which  were  frequent  in  the  Mountains. 
 
 Three  T>ays7]  For  fo  long  (he  thought  the  purfuers 
 might  (lay  about  Jordan,  waiting  for  their  return. 
 
 'Until  the  pirfuers  be  returned  :  and  afterward  may  ye 
 go  your  way."]  Which  (he  thought  probably  would 
 be  within  that  time  :  and  perhaps  (he  underftood 
 their  orders  were  to  ftay  no  longer. 
 
 Ver.  17.  Ver.  17.  And  the  Men  faid  unto  her."]  As  (he  was 
 about  to  let  them  down  :  for  it  was  net  fafe  to  have 
 this  difcourfe  together  after  they  were  down  }  which 
 might  have  been  over  heard  by  the  Watch. 
 
 We  will  be  blamelefs  of  this  thy  Oath,  which  thou 
 haft  made  us  to  fweart]  The  meaning  is,  that  it  (hould 
 not  be  their  fault,  if  their  Oath  was  not  kept :  and 
 therefore  they  now  name  the  token,  upon  which  the 
 prefervation  of  her  Family  (hould  depend  5  with 
 fome  other  conditions  that  were  reafonable  to  be  ob- 
 ferved.  Which  they  mention  to  (how,  how  ftudi- 
 ous  they  were  not  to  be  guilty  of  violating  their 
 Oath. 
 
 Ver    18  ^er#   l^'  Behold  when  we  come  into  the  land,  thou 
 
 fialt  bind  this  line  of  fear  let  thread.']  It  is  called  a 
 Cord  before,  %>.  15.  and  no  doubt  confided  of  fo 
 many  Threads  twifted  together,  as  made  it  a  Line 
 ftrong  enough,  to  hold  the  weight  of  a  Man's  body, 
 
 and 
 
upon  JOSHUA. 
 
 and  not  break.  But  there  are  thofe  who  doubt  whe- 
 ther the  Hebrew  word  Schenl  fignifie  any  thing  of  the 
 colour,  but  only  a  twined,  or  twifted  Cord,  funicu- 
 lum,  conduplicatum,  or  contort  urn  :  from  S ban  ah  to 
 double.     See  Gataker  in  his  Mifcellanea,  Cap.  XL. 
 
 /;/  the  U  in clow  which  thou  haft  let  us  clown  by.~]  Or 
 rather,  Aoft  let  us  down  by.  For  (lie  was  about  to  do 
 it,  but  had  not  done  it,  when  they  had  this  difcourfe 
 with  her.  Some  refer  this  to  the  Window  at  which 
 (he  let  them  out :  but  it  is  mod  natural  to  refer  it  to 
 the  Line.  For  by  that  they  were  let  down  3  and  it 
 was  to  remain  in  the  Window,  that  the  Ifraelites 
 might  fee  it,  as  the  token  that  that  was  the  Houfe, 
 which  was  to  be  faved.  Procopius  Gazaus  compares 
 this  Scarlet-line  with  the  Blood  which  Mofes  ordered 
 to  be  (truck  upon  the  fide  Pofts  of  their  Doors,  which 
 was  a  token  they  (hould  be  preferved,  XII  Exod. 
 7.   13. 
 
 And  thotijb alt  bring  thy  Father,  and  thy  Mother,  and 
 thy  Brethren,  and  all  thy  Father  s  houflold  home  to  thee  J 
 That  is,  all  their  Children  5  and  perhaps  near  Rela- 
 tions, fuch  as  Uncles,  Aunts,  and  Coufins :  as  we 
 feem  to  underftand  it,  VI.  23.  And  one  cannot  but 
 think,  that  Great  Grand-fathers,  and  Grandmothers, 
 if  (he  had  any  alive,  were  comprehended  in  thefe 
 words. 
 
 Ver.  19.  And  it  flail  be,  that  rvhofoever  flail  go  out  yer 
 of  the  Door  of  thy  Houfe  into  the  Street,  his  Blood  flail 
 be  on  hk  Head,  and  we  will  be  guiltlefs7\  They  would 
 be  bound  to  preferve  none  but  thofe  who  kept  in  the 
 Houfe.  Which  was  but  reafonable,  for  they  did  not 
 know  how  to  diftinguifh  them  from  others,  if  they 
 were  in  the  Street. 
 
 D  a  And 
 
so  A  CO  MMENT ART 
 
 Chapter  And  whofoever  fiall  be  with  thee  in  the  Houfe,  hk 
 II.        Blood  frail  be  on  our  Head,  if  any  Hand  be  upon  him  7] 
 
 L/"V\J  They  would  as  foon  die  themfelves,  as  let  any  of 
 thofe  perifh.  An  emblem  of  our  Safety  and  Salvation, 
 by  continuing  conftantly  in  the  Church  in  Faith  and 
 Holinefs.  For  her  Houfe  was  a  very  fit  figure  of  the 
 Church,  efpecially  of  the  Gentiles :  who  like  her, 
 had  gone  a  whoring  after  Idols,  but  were  converted 
 to  ierve  the  living  God. 
 
 Ver.  2  0.  ^er*  2C#  ^ n^  '7f  t^0H  Hiter  thi*  ottr  bufinefs,  then  we 
 will  be  quit  of  the  Oath,  which  thou  haft  made  us  to 
 fvpear-~]  They  repeat  the  condition,  mentioned  z;.  14. 
 as  of  great  importance.     See  there. 
 
 Ver.  2  1.  .^   2I*  And  fie  f aid,    According  to  your  word,  fo 
 
 be  it.~]     She  agreed  to  all  the  conditions,    they  im- 
 pofed  upon  her. 
 
 And  fie  fent  them  away,    and  they  departed."]     After 
 this  mutual  agreement,  confirmed  with  an  Oath. 
 
 n'djlti  bound  the  fear  let  line  in  the  Window^]  Im- 
 mediately, as  fome  think  :  that  the  Spies  might  know 
 where  to  look  for  it  hereafter  3  and  that  (he  might 
 have  al  ways  before  her  Eyes,  fuch  a  comfortable  pledge 
 of  her  fafety.  It  was  more  prudent  alio,  as  Arias  Mon- 
 tana* obferv'es,  to  do  it  now,  then  when  the  Ifraelites 
 came  to  befiege  the  place :  for  that  novelty  might 
 have  made  the  People  of  Jericho  fufpeft  fome  cor- 
 refpondence. 
 
 Ver.  22.  Ver.  22.  And  they  went  and  came  unto  the  Mountain 
 and  abode  there  three  Days,  until  the  purfuers  were  re- 
 turned']  Being  furnifhed,  it  is  likely,  with  fuffici- 
 ent  Provifion  by  Rahab.  Many  think  they  ftaid  there 
 but  one  whole  Day,  and  part  of  other  two  :  which, 
 according  to  the  ftile  of  the  Scripture,  may  be  called 
 three  Days.     But  their  only  reafon  for  it,  is  to  make 
 
 thefe 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  21 
 
 thefe  three  Days,    and  thofe  mentioned  in  the  firfl:  Chapter 
 Chapter  v.   11.  to  be  the  fame  :    which  is  not  prob-        [j. 
 able.  L^VNJ 
 
 And  the  purfuers  fought  them  throughout  all  the  way, 
 &c.]  Which  led  to  the  Fords  of  Jordan.  This  ex- 
 press their  diligence,  though  it  wanted  fuccefs.  And 
 perhaps  there  were  more  ways  than  one,  that  led  thi- 
 ther :  in  all  which  they  placed  themfelves,  or  fome 
 other  perfons,  to  watch  for  them. 
 
 Ver.  23.  So  the  two  Men  returned^  and  defended  y^y,  25. 
 from  the  Mountain."]  From  whence  perhaps  they  could 
 fee,  when  the  purfuers  came  back.  Or  they  had  fome 
 intelligence  of  their  return  5  or  as  T  faid  before,  that 
 they  had  Commiffion  only  to  fearch  for  them  three 
 Days. 
 
 And  pa/fed  over.']     The  River  Jordan. 
 
 And  came  to  J  of  ma  the  Son  of  Nun,  and  told  him  all 
 things  that  befel  them.  ]  Since  they  left  him.  This 
 (hews  that  JojJjua  fent  them  fo  privately,  that  it  was 
 unknown  to  the  People  (as  I  expounded,  v.  1.)  for 
 they  give  him  alone  an  account,  of  what  had  hapned 
 unto  them.     See  VI.  17. 
 
 Ver.  24.  And  they  f aid  unto  Jof ma,  truly  the  LORD  Ver.  24. 
 hath  delivered  into  our  hands  all  the  land ;  for  even  all 
 the  inhabitants  of  the  Country  do  faint  becaufe  of  us.] 
 This  was  part  of  what  they  had  learn'd  from  Rahaby 
 v.  9.  8cc.  Who  had  ftrengthned  their  Faith  by  her 
 
 own. 
 
 CHAP 
 
1  22  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter 
 
 ^^j  CHAP.     III. 
 
 Verfe   i.    Verfe   I.      \ND  Jojlwarofe  early  in  the  morning."] 
 ±\  The  next  morning  after  he  had  com- 
 manded the  Officers  to  warn  the  Hoft,  to  prepare  for 
 their  removal,  Chap.  I,   10,  n. 
 
 And  they  removed  from  Shittim!]  Where  they  had 
 lain  now  above  two  Months.  For  they  came  hither 
 on  the  firft  Day  of  the  Eleventh  Month,  of  the  Fortieth 
 Year  after  they  came  out  of  Egypt.    See  i  Deut.  3. 
 
 And  came  to  Jordan,  he  and  all  the  Children  of  IfraelT] 
 Which  River,  as  Jofephw  tells  us,  was  LX  Stadia 
 from  Shittim.  But  it  is  fo  uncertain  what  his  Stadia 
 or  furUngs  were  $  that  one  can  only  guefs  how  many 
 of  our  Miles,  Three/core  of  them  made.  Mod  think 
 about  Seven. 
 
 And  lodged  there  before  they  pijfed  over."]  The  He- 
 brew word  Jalinu  doth  not  neceflarily  fignifie,  that 
 they  lodged  there  only  one  Night :  for  it  often  de- 
 notes a  longer  time  of  abode.  And  therefore  the 
 vulgar  tranflates  it  Moratifnnt,  they  flayed  there,  viz. 
 three  Days,  as  it  follows  in  the  next  Verfe. 
 Ver.  2-.  Ver.   2.  And  it  came  to  pafs  after   three  Days,  that 
 
 the  Officers  went  through  the  Hojl.]  In  the  end  of 
 the  three  Days  before  mentioned,  Chap.  I.  10,  11.  he 
 fent  the  fame  Officers  there  mentioned  to  make  a  new 
 Proclamation.  For  it  feems  to  me  moft  reasonable,  to 
 take  all  this  ftory  in  the  order  wherein  it  is  related  : 
 only  fuppofing  theSpies  to  have  been  fent  before  the  firft 
 Proclamation  made  by  the  Officers  (as  I  obferved  II.  1. 
 the  words  may  be  tranflated.)  And  thus  our  great 
 Primate  of  Ireland  underftands  it.     After  Jojhtta  was 
 
 confimul 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  23 
 
 confirm'd  in  his  Office  (Chap.  I.  *>.  1,2,  &c.)  he  fent  Chapter 
 out  the  Spies,    and  then  commanding  the  People  to        III. 
 provide  themfelves  Vi&uals,  he  marched  from  Shittim  iym\T\J 
 to  Jordan  :   and  the  third  Day  (after  that  command 
 to  provide  themfelves  Victuals)  he  gave  a  new  com- 
 mand to  prepare  themfelves  to  pafs  over  Jordan  the 
 next  Day. 
 
 Ver.   3.  And  they  commanded  the  People."]  By  order  Ver.  3. 
 from  Joflma,  and  in  his  Name  and  Authority. 
 
 Sayings  When  ye  fee  the  Ark^  of  the  Covenant  of  the 
 LORD  your  God,  and  the  Priejls  the  Levites  bearing  tt7\ 
 Hitherto,  faith  Kimchi  upon  this  place,  cc  The  Le- 
 "  vites  (that  is  the  Children  of  Kohath)  carried  the 
 "  Ark  5  but  now  the  Priefts  are  appointed  to  that 
 "  Office :  for  the  greater  Santtification,  or  honour  of 
 cc  it,  and  becaufe  of  the  Miracle,  which  was  to  be 
 "  wrought  before  it.  Our  Rabbins  fay,  that  the 
 Priefts  carried  it  thus  three  times.  Now  in  this  place  5 
 and  when  they  compaffed  Jericho;  and  when  Zadol^ 
 and  Abiathar  brought  it  back  to  Jerufalemy  when 
 David  fled  from  Abfalom.  2.  Sam.  XV.  29.  Unto 
 which  he  adds  a  fourth  ^  when  it  was  brought  into 
 the  Temple  which  Solomon  built :  for  the  Levites  were 
 not  permitted  to  go  into  the  San&uary,  much  lefs  in- 
 to the  mod  holy  place  :  into  which  it  was  carried  by 
 the  Priefts,   1  Kings  VIII.  6. 
 
 Then  ye  JJjall  remove  from  your  place,  and  go  after  it.  ~] 
 By  this  it  appears  the  Ark  was  carried  in  the  front  of 
 them  :  whereas  ufually  it  was  ordered  to  be  carried 
 in  the  middle  of  their  Camps,  as  we  read,  II  Numb. 
 17.  But  at  their  firft  removal  from  Mount  SinaJ, 
 which  was  a  time  extraordinary,  it  march'd  before 
 them  for  three  clays,  X  Numb.  33.  And  fo  it  did 
 now,  (and  at  no  other' time)  when  they  were  to  enter 
 
 into 
 
24  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter    info  QBnkdH\  for  a  fpecial  reafon  alfo,  as  I  fhall  ob- 
 III.      ferve  on  the  next  Verfe. 
 
 L/*vSj       Concerning  the   phrafe,   the    Priefts  the  Levites. 
 
 Ver>  See  XVII  Deut.  9. 
 
 Ver.  4.  Tet  there  fiall  he  afpace  between  you  and  it, 
 about  two  thoufand  cubits.']  This  is  a  demonftration 
 that  it  was  not  ufual  for  the  Ark  to  go  before  the 
 whole  Army  :  for  if  it  had.  there  would  have  been 
 no  need  to  inftruft  them,  at  what  diftance  they  fhould 
 keep  from  it  5  which  would  have  been  conftantly  ob- 
 ferved. 
 
 By  Meafurc."]  It  is  likely  they  Meafured  the  di- 
 ftance by  a  line  ^  at  which  the  People  were  at  firft  fet  : 
 And  then  walking  in  equal  paces  with  the  Priefts, 
 kept  at  the  fame  diftance  3  though  perhaps  not  pre- 
 cifely.  For  they  might  chance  to  move  a  pace  or 
 two  fafter,  or  take  larger  paces :  and  therefore  he 
 faith  about  two  Thoufand  Cubits. 
 
 That  ye  may  know  the  way  by  which  ye  mujl  go."]  There 
 was  the  very  fame  reafon  for  the  Arks  going  before 
 them  now,  that  there  was  when  they  came  from 
 Mount  Sinai :  For  then  it  was  to  Jbarch  out  a  rejling 
 place  for  them,  i.  e.  to  (how  them  where  they  fhould 
 reft  3  and  now  it  was  to  lead  them  in  the  way  they 
 were  to  march,  unto  their  long  expected  fettlement  in 
 the  promifed  Land.  Ifit  had  not  been  for  this,  it 
 would  have  been  carried  in  its  ufual  place  :  But  the 
 Pillar  of  the  Cloud,  which  hitherto  conduced  them, 
 having  now  left  them,  as  R.  Solomon  obferves,  this 
 fupplied  its  place  ,•  and  went  before  them  as  that  had 
 been  wont  to  do. 
 
 For  ye  have  not  faffed  this  way  heretofore.']  They 
 were  to  be  led  in  an  untrodden  path,  which  the  power 
 of  God  (of  whofe  pretence  with  them  the  Ark  was 
 the  Symbol.)  made  for  them.  Ver.  5. 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  i  5 
 
 Vcr.   5.  And   JoJIma  fa/d   unto    the  People.']     The   Chapter 
 Night  before  they  went  over  Jordan,    as  appears  by       III. 
 the  Inter  part  or  the  Verfe.     And  perhaps  he  fpake  L/~V%J 
 this  himfelf,  at  the  head  of  every  one  of  their  Tribes  ,  ▼crle  5 
 it  being  of  great  importance. 
 
 Sanciifie  yonrf elves.)  Other  places  tell  us  what  was 
 their  ufual  Santtification.  See  XIX  Exod.  10,  11. 
 XI  Numb.  18.  But  befides  the  legal  purifications, 
 one  cannot  but  think  that  he  intended  they  fhould  dif- 
 pofe  their  Minds  by  Holy  Meditations  and  Prayer  to 
 God,  to  receive  his  benefits,  and  to  be  more  fenfible 
 of  them,  when  they  were  beftowed  on  them. 
 
 tor  to  worrow  tht  LORD  will  do  wonders  among  yoit.~] 
 Which  he  would  have  them  be  in  a  condition  to  ob- 
 ferve,  and  to  lay  to  heart.  And  in  order  thereunto, 
 prepare  themfelves  by  ferious  thoughts  ofGoJ,  and 
 of  his  Providence  :  as  well  as  by  walhing  their  bodies, 
 and  abftaining  from  their  Wives,  which  were  a  part 
 of  the  San&ification  here  intended. 
 
 Ver.   6.  And  Jofhua  fyake  unto  the  Priefts.)     The  yerfe  5. 
 next  morning. 
 
 $  dying,  Take  up  the  Ai\  of  the  Covenant.)  Upon 
 their  fhoulders  3  for  fo  it  was  to  be  carried,  VII 
 Numb.  9. 
 
 And  pafs  over  before  the  People.")  This  precept  had 
 been  unnece(Tary,if  they  had  been  wont  to  carry  it  be- 
 fore the  People. 
 
 And  they  tool^  up  the  Ark^of  the  Covenant,  and  went 
 before  the  People.']  After  Joflwa  had  fpoken  what  fol- 
 lows, v.  7,  8,  &c.  But  it  is  mentioned  now,  to  fhow 
 the  readinefs  of  the  Priefts,  as  well  as  of  the  Peo- 
 ple to  obey  the  commands  of  JoJIwa.  Whom  they 
 look'd  upon  as  a  Prophet,  as  Mofes  was,  who  had 
 power  to  give  extraordinary  orders  from  God.   Such 
 
 E  were 
 
26  ACOMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  were  thefe,  for  the  Priefts  to  carry  the  Ark  5  and  to 
 III.       march  with  it  before  the  People,  not  in  the  midft  of 
 L/"V^vJ  their  Camps. 
 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  the  LORD  /aid  unto  JofJmaT]  By  an 
 audible  Voice,  I  fuppofe,  from  the  Sanftuary  :  near 
 unto  which  he  now  was  \  the  Priefts  being  about  to 
 take  out  the  Ark  from  thence,  to  carry  it  before  the 
 People. 
 
 This  Day.']  The  tenth  Day  of  the  firft  Month, 
 on  which  the  Pafchal  Lamb  was,  by  the  Law,to  be  fet 
 apart,  to  be  offered  four  Days  after,  Xli  ExW.  3. 
 
 Will  J  begin  to  magni fie  thee  in  the  fight  of 'all  Jfirae!.] 
 By  doing  fuch  wonders  before  them  all,  as  {hould 
 convince  them  JoJ/ma  was  appointed  by  God  to  be  their 
 fupream  Governour  :  who  (hould  givethem  poffeffion 
 of  the  Land  of  Canaan.     See  IV.  14. 
 
 That  they  may  know  that  as  I  was  with  Mofes,  fio  I  will 
 be  with  thee.~]  See  I.  5.  From  the  time  of  Mofes  to 
 the  days  of  Satri  God  declared  by  fome  extraordinary 
 things  whom  he  would  have  to  be  the  fupream  Go- 
 vernour of  his  People  :  whofe  authority  he  eftablifh- 
 ed  by  doing  wonders. 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  thou  fa  alt  command  the  Prre/is  that  bear 
 the  Ark.  of  the  Covenant,  faying."]  Every  thing  was 
 done  by  his  order,  that  it  might  appear  he  was 
 powerful  with  God:  who  wrought  thofe  wonders  at 
 his  word. 
 
 When  ye  are  come  to  the  brink  of  the  water  of  Jordan."] 
 Jordan  then  overflowed  beyond  its  banks  :  therefore 
 they  were  not  to  go  to  the  brink  of  the  River,  but  of 
 the  Water. 
 
 Te  f/jall  ftand  fill/  in  Jordan.]  And  there  ftop 
 till  the  Waters  above  were  fufpended,  and  thofe  be- 
 low run  away :  and  then  they  went  and  ftood  in  the 
 midft  of  the  River^  v.  ij.  Ver.  o. 
 
upon  JOS  [III  A.  27 
 
 Ver.   9.    And  Joflstia  Jaid  unto  the  Children  of  Iff  ac I,   Chapter 
 Ome  biiker."]     To  the  Sanctuary  I  fuppofe,  where  he      III. 
 now  was,  v.  7.  u^VVj 
 
 And  hear  the  words  of  the  LORD  your  Gcd.~]  Which  Verfe  9. 
 fojhua  reported  to  them  from  God :  who  was  about 
 to  demonftrate  himfelf  to  be  the  Omnipotent  LORD 
 of  all  Creatures;  and  in  a  peculiar  manner  their  God, 
 in  Covenant  with  them  and  full  of  kindnef:  to 
 them. 
 
 Ver.  10.  Andjofiuafaid,  Hereby  ye  foal/  kriovo  that  Verfe  10 
 the  living  God  is  among  you.~]  Thefe  are  the  words 
 of  the  LORD  their  God :  who  is  called  the  living 
 God  ,  in  opposition  to  the  Idols  of  the  Hea- 
 then. Who  could  do  nothing  5  much  lefs  fuch 
 Miracles,  as  demonftrated  the  God  of  Ifrael  to  be  the 
 Eternal  LORD  of  Heaven  and  Earth :  who  giveth 
 Life  to  all  things.  And  he  is  faid  to  be  among  them 
 (or  in  the  midfl  of  them)  whom  he  takes  into  his  pro- 
 tection, to  defend  and  preferve  them  from  all  Evil. 
 
 And  that  he  will  without  fail  drive  out  from  before 
 you.~]  Mod  certainly  make  good  his  promile  made  to 
 Abraham  long  ago  (XV  Gen.  18,  &c.)  becaufe  he 
 lives  for  ever  to  perform  his  word. 
 
 The  Canaanites^  and  the  Hittites,  and  the  Hivitcs^ 
 and  the  Perizzites,  and  the  Girgafites,  and  the  Amo- 
 rites,  and  the  Jebu/ites.]  Here  all  the  VII  Nations  are 
 mentioned  (as  they  are  VII  Dent.  1.)  though  fome- 
 time  only  VI  of  them  are  mentioned,  the  Ghgaftes 
 being  omitted.     See  III  Exod.  17. 
 
 Ver.   11.  Behold  the  Ark.  of  the    Covenant. 1      So  Verfe  ir. 
 called  becaufe  in  it,  were  the  two  Tables  of  the  Co- 
 venant between  God   and    them.     It   is  frequently 
 called  the  Arl{  of  the    Tefiimony^    XL  Exod.    20,    21. 
 IV  Numb.  5.  and  here  in  this  Book  IV  16. 
 
 E  2  Of 
 
28  ACOMMENTARr 
 
 Chapter        Of  the  LORD  of  the  whole  Earth  paffeth  over  before 
 II I.     /».j     To  take  poifeffion  of  the  Land   of  Canaan  : 
 l/VSJ  Which  he  gave  them  as  LORD  of  the  whole  Earth  5 
 and  as  particularly  engaged  by  his  Covenant  to  be  (tow 
 upon  them.     The  Author  of  the  Book  Cofri  under- 
 ftands  this,  as  if  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  was  called 
 the  LORD  of  the  whole  Earth  :   becaufe  God  was  fo 
 prefent  with  it,  that  where  the  Ark  was  there  were 
 wonders  wrought  $  which  ceafed  in  its  abience.  Pars 
 IV.  Srfif-    3.  D.  Kiwchi,   and  Jof.  Albo  fay  the  fame  5 
 and  I  find  Andreas  NUfius  following  this  fancy :  be- 
 caufe there  is  an  accent  after  the  Ark^  of  the  Covenant^ 
 diftinguifhingthofe  words  from  what  follows,  which 
 (fay  they)  are  therefore  added  by  apportion.     But 
 Bonfrerim  hath  confuted  this  very  judicioufly  ,  ob- 
 ferving  that  the  accent  is  not  of  that  nature :    and 
 therefore  the  LXX,   the  Chaldee,  Vulgar  Latin,  Synt- 
 machus,  Aquila,  the  Syriac  and  Arabic^  tranilate  it  as 
 we  do,  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  of  the  LORD  of  the 
 whole  Earth.     See  Buxtorfde  Arcax  Cap.  I.     And  yet, 
 I  know  not  how  it  came  to  pafs,  fome  have  been  fo 
 bold  as  to  alter  our  Tranflation  in  fome  printed  Copies, 
 which  I  have  met  withal  5  where  thefe  words  are  thus 
 tran&ited,  the  Arktof  the  Covenant,  even  the  LORD  of 
 the  whole  Earth. 
 
 Into  Jordan."]     By  which  Miracle  they  were  con- 
 firmed in  their  belief  of  his  promife  :  when  theyfaw 
 the  Waters  of  Jordan  flee  before  him. 
 Verfe  12.      Ver#   I2*  Now  therefore  take  ye  twelve  Men  ottt  of  the 
 "Tribes  of  Ifrael."]     To  do  what  he  (hould  command 
 them,  IV.  2,  &c. 
 
 Out  of  every  Tribe  a  Man.~]  The  Tribe  of  Levi 
 was  one  of  the  XII,  upon  all  accounts,  but  only  in 
 the  dividing  of  the  Land  :  Ephraim  and  blanalfeh  be- 
 ing but  one,  viz.  the  Tribe  of  JofepL  Ver.  13. 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  i9 
 
 Ver.   13.   And  it  /baS  came  to  pafs,  as  foon  as  the  Chapter 
 
 files  of  the  feet  of  the  Prhjls,  that  bear  the  Ar\  of  the         \\\. 
 LORD,   the  LORD  of  the  whole  Earth.']      Here  the    t/V\J 
 Ark  of  the  Covenant  is  called  the  Ark  of  Jehovah  Verfe  13. 
 ( not  Jehovah)  who  is   the  LORD,    or   Governour 
 and  l\nler  of  the  whole  Earth.     In  which  is  compre- 
 hended  the  Sea,    and   the  Rivers,   and  all  Wacers, 
 which  he  commandeth  as  he  pleafeth. 
 
 Shall  refl  in  the  Waters  of  Jordan."]    Dip  their  Feet 
 in  the  brim  of  the  Waters,  as  it  is  explained  -z/.  1  5. 
 
 That  the  Waters  of  Jordan  jhall  be  cut  off  from  the 
 Waters  that  come  down  from  above.']  The  Waters 
 which  now  ran  in  one  Stream,  were  divided  over 
 againft  the  place  where  the  Priefts  trod  :  fo  that  the 
 lower  part  of  them  ran  down  the  Channel  towards  the 
 dead  Sea  ^  and  thofe  above  not  coming  down  to  fup- 
 ply  their  place,  the  ground  was  left  dry. 
 
 And  they  foall  ftand  on  an  heap.]  Viz.  The  Waters 
 above,  towards  the  head,  or  Springs  of  the  River, 
 were  made  to  ftand  ftill,  as  if  they  were  congealed  : 
 rifing  in  an  heap,  piled  one  upon  another,  but  noc 
 running  down  at  all. 
 
 Ver.  14.  And  it  came  to  pafs  when  the  People  re-  yer[%  X4 
 moved  from  their  tents  to  pafs  over  Jordan,  and  the 
 Priefl s  bearing  the  Arl^of  the  Covenant  before  the  People.'] 
 The  Priefts  moved  firft  5  and  then  the  People  follow- 
 ed them,  at  fucha  diftance  as  Joflvta  had  prefcribed^ 
 v.  3,  4. 
 
 Ver.   i<j.  And  as  they  that  bare  the  Ark  of  the  Co-  Verfe  15, 
 venant  were  come  into  Jordan,  and  the  feet  of  the  Priefls 
 that  bare  the  A*\  were  dipped  in  the  brim  of  the  Water.~\ 
 Which  had  overflown,   as  it  here  follows,    beyond 
 the  bounds  of  the  Channel. 
 
 For 
 
3o  4C0MMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  For  Jordan  overflomth  all  his  banks  at  the  time  of 
 HI.  harveft.]  This  is  meant  of  Barley  harveft  }  which 
 L^V%J  began  about  the  Paflbver,  as  many  have  obferved  :  and 
 particularly  Herm  annus  Conringim  in  his  Book  De 
 initio  anni  Sabbatici.  See  upon  XVI  Dmt.  9.  And 
 it  appears  by  the  next  Chapter,  IV  19.  that  it  was  in 
 the  firft  Month,  or  the  Month  Abib,  when  the 
 Paflbver  was  to  be  kept :  and  therefore  muft  fignifie 
 that  harveft.  See  alfo  1  Chron.  XIL  15.  This  was  like- 
 wife  a  time  when  the  River  was  more  likely  to  over- 
 flow than  in  Wheat  harveft  :  becaufe  now  the  Snow 
 begun  to  melt,  that  was  in  the  neighbouring  Moun- 
 tains 3  efpecially  in  Lebanon  3  at  the  foot  of  which 
 was  the  Fountain  of  Jordan.  By  which  the  River 
 was  always  fwoln  at  this  time,  and  thereby  the  Mi- 
 racle increafed.  Such  overflowing  of  other  Rivers, 
 greater  than  this,  are  obferved  by  Authors,  at  certain 
 feafons :  with  which  I  fhall  not  trouble  the  Reader. 
 Ver.  1 6.  ^er#  1^#  And  the  Waters  which  came  down  from 
 above  flood.]  Stopt  and  ran  no  further :  but  were 
 driven  back  unto  thofe  that  were  coming  down. 
 
 And  refe  up  upon  an  heap."]  Inftead  of  flowing 
 down  the  Channel,  were  lifted  up  into  the  Air  3 
 and  appeared  like  a  Mountain,  as  the  Vulgar  Latin 
 tranflates  it. 
 
 Very  far  from  the  City  Adam."]  At  a  great  diftance 
 from  a  City  then  called  Adam:  which  lay  upon  the 
 River. 
 
 That  is  befide  ZaretanT]  The  former  was  a  fmall 
 City  3  and  therefore  its  fituation  is  defcribed  by  a 
 place  of  greater  note  called  Zaretan  :  which  lay  on 
 one  fide  of  it,  in  the  Plain  of  Jordan,  as  we  read, 
 1  Kings  VII.  46. 
 
 And 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  31 
 
 And   ihofc    that    came  clown  toward  the   Sea  of  the   Chapter 
 Plain,    even    the    Sall-fca,    failed,     and  were   cut  of.]         ]\\. 
 Thofe  Waters  of  the  EUver,    which  were  below  to-  L^V^SJ 
 wards  the  Salt-fea  into  which  Jordan  emptied  it  felf, 
 ran  all  thither :  and  fo  left  the  Channel  perfectly  dry  : 
 that  the  People  might  pals  over  5  which  they  did  di- 
 reftly  over  again  ft  Jericho. 
 
 And  the  People  pa  (fed  over  right  againft  Jericho.'] 
 Having  that  famous  City  in  their  view  :  from  whence 
 perhaps  the  People  on  the  Walls  might,  with  amaze- 
 ment, fee  the  lfraclites  walk  through  the  Hiver  on 
 dry  ground.  It  \v*js  a  great  refreshment  alfo  to  the 
 Jfraelites  after  their  march,  to  pitch  their  Tents  in  fo 
 goodly  a  Plain,  as  this  before  Jericho. 
 
 Ver.   17.  And  the   Priejis  that  bare  the  Arh^  of  the  yerfe   r- 
 Covenant  of  the  LORD  food  firm  on  dry  ground ',    in 
 the  midft  of  Jordan.]     In   one  and  the  fame  place, 
 and  pofture  :  with  their  faces  towards  Jericho. 
 
 And  all  the  lfraclites  faffed  over  on  dry  ground.] 
 Keeping,  I  fuppofe,  the  fame  diftance,  of  twoThou- 
 fand  Cubits  from  the  Ark :  for  there  was  room 
 enough  on  either  fide,  to  march  by  it,  and  not  come 
 near  it. 
 
 Until  all  the  People  were  faffed  clean  over  JordanJ] 
 Which  they  could  not  do  in  a  fhort  time,  unlefs  we 
 fuppofe  them  to  have  marched  all  in  a  bread  ,  which 
 is  not  likely.  For  there  was  a  certain  place,  called 
 ever  after  by  the  name  of  Bcthabara,  to  preferve  the 
 memory  of  their  pafling  over  there  :  which  is  men- 
 tioned 1  John  28.  It  made  therefore  the  Faith  and 
 Conftancy  of  the  Priefts  very  remarkable :  who  re- 
 mained fo  long  in  the  middle  of  the  River,  till  the 
 whole  Multitude  were  got  over  :  without  fear  of 
 that  great  Mountain  of  Waters  from  above,  coming 
 tumbling  down  upon  them.  They 
 
^  A  C  OMMENT  ART 
 
 D 
 
 Chapter        They   who  look  upon   this  part  of  the  Divine 
 HI.       Hiftory  as  improbable,  if  not  incredible,  fhould  con- 
 
 LyV"VJ  hder  what  a  ihame  it  is  to  have  lefs  Faith  than  the 
 Heathen.  Who  left  their  gods  fhould  be  thought 
 lefs  powerful  than  the  God  of  Ifrael,  forged  thofe 
 ftories  which  the  Per  funs  tell  of  Zoroafiers  pa  fling 
 over  Rivers  ,  and  the  Greeks  of  Inachus  dried  up  by 
 Neptune  :  and  other  fuch  like  5  which  Huetius  hath 
 collected  in  his  £>u£jliones  Ahzetan£,  Lib.  2.  Cap.  Xll. 
 Nnmb.  XV.  Why  then  do  they  call  in  quefticn  the 
 Power  of  the  true  God  5  who  either  by  himfelf,  or 
 by  his  Angels  could  eafily  flop  the  courfe  of  a  River  5 
 which  he  himfelf  made  :  and  both  make  the  Waters 
 rife  up  in  aheap  as  high  as  he  pleafed  $  and  alfo  (land 
 fo  reared  up,  in  a  firm  hardnefs,  as  if  they  had  been 
 congealed. 
 
 Chapter 
 
 IV.  C  H  A  P.     IV, 
 
 L/VNJ 
 
 Verfe  1.   Verfe  i.     \ND  it  came  to  pafs  when  all  tJx  People 
 jLX  were  clean  pa/fed  over  Jordan,  that  the 
 LORDfpake  unto  JoflwafayingT]     It  is  likely  he  went 
 to  return  thanks  unto  God  for  fo  wonderful  a  Mercy  5 
 and  then  God  fpake  to  him  what  follows. 
 Verfe  2.        Ver.  2.  Take  you  twelve  Men  out  of  the  People,  out 
 of  every  Tribe  a  Man.]     He  bids  him  now  call  toge- 
 ther the  twelve  Men  formerly  chofen.    III.  12. 
 Verfe  3.        Ver.  5.  And  command  you  them.']  I  fuppofe  Jojlma 
 had  fome  of  the  Elders,  or  heads  of  the  Tribes  3  that 
 joined  with  him  in  this  Office. 
 
 Saying,  Take  you  hence  out  of  the  midfl  of  Jordan,"] 
 Which  continued  perfeftly  dry  for  fome  fpace  after 
 
 they 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  33 
 
 they  were  all  gone  over  :   that  is,  till  the  Priefts  re-  Chapter 
 moved  from  thence.  IV. 
 
 Out  of  the  place  where  the  Prlejls  feet  flood  firm^  L/*V"\J 
 twelve  (ionesJ]  Some  underftand  this  (o  precifely,  as 
 it  they  were  to  take  them  from  under  the  very  foles 
 of  the  Priefts  Feet..  Which  is  not  prob'able  3  but 
 only  near  to  the  place  where  they  Rood.  For  the 
 Priefts  did  not  ftir  a  ftep  from  the  place  where  they 
 firft  ftood  ^  and  therefore  none  can  tell  how  they 
 fnould  take  thefe  Stones  from  under  their  Feet,  and 
 place  others  in  their  room  (v.  9.)  while  they  remain- 
 ed ftanding  fixed  in  the  fame  place. 
 
 And  ye  fo all  carry  them  over  with  you.~\  In  the  fight 
 of  all  the  People 5  to  make  the  Miracle  more  known 
 among  them  all. 
 
 And  leave  them  in  the  lodging  place,  where  you  flail 
 lodge  this  night. ~]  As  a  monument  of  this  miraculous 
 work  of  God  5  which  remained  ever  after  in  Gilgal  : 
 the  place  where  they  lodged  that  Night,  v.  19,  20. 
 
 Ver.  4.  Then  JoJJma  called  the  twelve  Men  whom  he  Verfe  i 
 had  prepared,  Scc.^     Before  they  pafled  over  Jordan, 
 III.   12. 
 
 Ver.    5.  And  Jofiua  faid  unto  them,  Pafs  over  before  yerr 
 the  Ark.  of  the  LORD  God  into  the  midft  of  Jordan^  5* 
 
 This  is  a  Divine  order  to  go  back  again  into  the  River, 
 to  the  very  place  where  the  Priefts  ftood  with  the 
 Ark  :  by  which  thefe  XII  Men  were  difpenfed  withal, 
 to  come  nearer  to  the  Ark  than  the  reft  of  the  Con- 
 gregation. 
 
 And  take  ye  up  every  Man  a  Stone  upon  his  fjjoulder."] 
 Great  Stones  as  big  as  they  could  well  lift,  and  carry. 
 So  the  Hebrew  word  imports,  v.  3. 
 
 According  unto  the  number  of  the  Tribes  of  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Ifrael.~]     That  they  might  publifh  in  every 
 
 F  Tribe 
 
34  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  Tribe  this  evident  teftimony  of  the  Power  of  God  : 
 IV.       which  laid  the  bottom  of  the  River  dry,  for  fo  long 
 
 L/"V%J  a  time  '•>  that  they  not  only  all  went  over  on  dry 
 ground,  but  fome  of  them  returned  again,  and 
 took  up  thefe  Stores,  and  laid  others  in  thdr  room, 
 v.  9. 
 
 Verfe  6  '  ^  ^Jat  f^f  nu^  ^e  d  fi&n  unloyou^\     A  token 
 
 of  what  God  had  now  done  lor  them. 
 
 That  when  your  Children  ash^  their  Fathers  in  time  to 
 come,  faying,  What  mean  thefe  Stones.']  It  was  na- 
 tural for  Men  in  future  Ages,  feeing  great  Stones  (jn 
 a  place  perhaps  where  there  were  no  more)  and  juft 
 XII  of  them,  laid  together,  or  one  upon  another, 
 to  ask  how  they  came  there,  and  for  what  end  they 
 were  brought  thither,  and  by  whom, 
 v  r  m  Ver.  7.  Then  JJjal/  ye  anfwerthem,  that  the  Waters 
 /  *  of  Jordan  were  cut  off,  before  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant 
 of  the  LORD,  when  it  faffed  over  Jordan,  the  Waters 
 of  Jordan  were  cut  off.]  This  was  to  give  them  oc- 
 cafion  to  report  at  large,  what  God  had  done  for 
 them  at  their  entrance  into  Canaan  $  that  their  pofte* 
 rity  might  be  affefted  with  it,  no  lefs  than  them- 
 felves. 
 
 And  thefe  Stones  fh  all  he  for  a  memorial  to  the  Children 
 of  Ifrael  for  ever.']  Keep  in  memory  this  Miracle  in 
 all  Ages  to  come,  as  long  as  this  Nation  lafted.  All 
 People  have  been  wont  to  ereft  Monuments  of  Stone 
 to  preferve  the  memory  of  Covenants,  or  Victories, 
 or  other  great  things.  And  though  there  was  no  In- 
 fcription  upon  thefe  Stones  ^  yet  the  Number  of  them, 
 and  the  place  where  they  lay,  which  was  not  ftony, 
 was  fufficient  to  fignifie  fome  memorable  thing: 
 which  upon  inquiry  would  be  made  known;  to  thofe 
 that  faw  and  obferved  them. 
 
 Ver.  8. 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  35 
 
 Ver.  8.   And  the  Children  of  Ifracl  did  fo  as  Jofbua   Chapter 
 commanded,  Scc.^J     That  is,  the  twelve  Men  did  ac-       IV. 
 cording  to  his  order,  both  in  taking  up  the  Stones,  L/*V~\J 
 and  carrying  them  to  the  place  where  they  lodged.      Vcrle  3. 
 
 nd  laid  them  down  there.']  Which  perhaps  were 
 eredled  into  a  kind  of  Pillar,  that  they  might  look 
 like  a  Monument  of  fomething  done  thereabout.  Or, 
 they  were  fo  placed,  as  to  be  fo  many  little  Monu- 
 ments of  God's  Mercy.     See  v.  20. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  Joflmafet  up  twelve  Stones  in  the  midjl  Vcrfe  9. 
 of  Jordan,  in  the  place  where  the  feet  of  the  Pricjts 
 that  bare  the  Covenant  fiood.]  This  renders  it  probable 
 that  the  other  XII  Stones  taken  out  of  Jordan  were 
 fet  up  in  Gilgal,  as  thefe,  taken  out  of  fome  of  the 
 Fields  thereabouts  were  ere&ed  in  the  mid  ft  of  the 
 River:  to  teftifie  to  all  Pofterity  their  miraculous 
 pafiage  over  it,  at  this  place. 
 
 And  they  are  there  unto  this  day7\  From  hence, 
 not  only  fuch  Men  as  Mr.  Hobbs,  but  Mafius,  and 
 Grotius  and  divers  others,  have  argued,  that  this  Book 
 was  not  written  by  Jojlma  5  but  by  fome  Perfon  who 
 lived  at  a  great  diftance  from  his  time,  as  thefe  words 
 they  fancy  import.  But  this  is  a  mere  fancy  5  for  if 
 Joflwa  wrote  this  Book  in  his  Old  Age,  or  at  leaft 
 then  added  his  laft  hand  to  it  (as  it  is  probable  he 
 did  J  he  might  as  well  ufe  thefe  words,  as  one  that 
 lived  an  Hundred  Years  after.  And  at  this  rate  of 
 arguing  (as  Huctius  obferves)  Mofes  muft  not  be  the 
 Author  of  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy  ("where  he  fpeaks 
 in  the  fame  (tile,  X.  5.  XI.  4.)  nor  St.  Mathew  the 
 Author  of  the  Gofpel,  which  he  wrote  not  many 
 Years  after  our  Saviour's  Death  ;  who  ufes  the  very 
 fame  words,  XXVII.  8.  XXVIII.  21.  See  Demonftr. 
 Evang.  Propof.  IV  Cap.  XXIV. 
 
 F  2  Ver.  10. 
 
36  ACOMMENTARr 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  IO.  For  the  Priefls  that  bare  the  Ar^  flood  in 
 
 IV.        the  midfl  of  Jordan."]     It  is  remarkable  in  this  whole 
 
 L/'WJ  relation,    that  when  the  Priefts  are  mentioned,  thefe 
 
 Verfe  ic.  words  are  (till  added,  that  bare  the  Arh^  or,  the  Arl^ 
 
 of  the  Coven Ant  (both  in  this  Chapter,  v.  9.   16.  18. 
 
 and  in  the  foregoing  v.  13,  14,  15.  17.)  to  (hew  that 
 
 this  Miracle  was  not  to  be  aferibed  to  them,  but  to 
 
 the  power  of  the  LORD,  unto  whom  they  Miniftred. 
 
 Until  every  thing  was  finifhed,  that  the  LORD  com- 
 manded Jofllnta  to  fpeak^  unto  the  People.]  Concerning 
 the  taking  up  of  the  twelve  Stones,  and  placing  others 
 in  their  room  ^  and  all  that  preceded  concerning 
 their  paffing  over  the  River  :  which  it  is  likely  he 
 exhorted  them  to  do  cheerfully. 
 
 According  to  all  that  Mofes  commanded  Jofhua:"] 
 We  do  not  read  that  Mofes  gave  any  particular  di- 
 rections about  the  foregoing  matters :  therefore  the 
 meaning  is,  that  Joflma  frrenuoully  executed  all  that 
 God  ordered,  as  Mofes  had  admoniftied  him.  III 
 Deut.  28.  and  other  places. 
 
 And  the  People  hafted,  and  faffed  over."]  This  doth 
 not  refer  to  all  the  People,  as  if  they  went  a  fwift 
 pace  over  the  River,  out  of  fear  of  Waters  over- 
 whelming them  fas  fome  think)  but  to  fuch  as  re- 
 mained ftill  behind  the  Ark,  to  attend  its  motion. 
 Who  now  feeing  all  that  Jofhua  commanded  was 
 finifhed,  made  hafte  to  get  over  the  River,  as  their 
 Brethren  had  done  before  them.  It  is  faid  indeed,  v. 
 1.  that  when  all  the  People  were  clean  paffed  over,  Joflwa 
 gave  order  about  the  XII  Stones :  but  the  meaning  is, 
 when  the  main  body  of  the  People  were  gone  over; 
 for  it  appears  by  the  next  Verfe,  that  they  had  not  all 
 intirely  paffed  over  until  now. 
 
 Ver.  11. 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  37 
 
 Ver.  i  T.   And  it  came  to  pafs  that  when  all  the  People  Cha| 
 tvere  clean  paffed  over."]     So  th  l(  none  were  remain' 
 in  the  Plains  of  Moab,  from  whence  they  came  K./m\'~\J 
 
 it  the  Ark.  of  tie  LORD  paffed  over,  and  tfoVetA  II 
 Pricfls.]  They  who  went  firft  into  the  River,  came 
 laft  out :  it  being  by  the  Power  of  the  LORD,  whofe 
 Ark  the  Priefts  bare,  that  the  courfe  of  the  River 
 was  flopped,  and  a  way  made  for  all  the  People  to 
 pals  over. 
 
 In  the  prefence  of  the  People."]  Who  beheld  the 
 Water  Handing  (till  on  an  heap,  while  the  Ark  was 
 in  the  Rivet  $  but  come  tumbling  down,  when  it 
 was  gone.  Which  demonstrated  that  it  was  Gods 
 prelence  with  them,  to  which  alone  they  owed  this 
 miraculous  Mercy. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  the  Children  of  Reuben,  and  the  Chit-  yerfe  12 
 dren  of  Gad,  and  half  the  tribe  of  Manaffeh,  paffed  over 
 armed  before  the  Children  of  Ifracl,  as  Mofes  fpake  unto 
 them.']  They  were  the  firft  that  pafled  over,  (accord- 
 ing to  their  engagement,  XXXII  Numb.  20,  21.  27. 
 of  which  Joflma  had  put  them  in  mind,  I.  13.) 
 ready  to  encounter  any  Enemy  that  might  have  op- 
 pofed  their  landing. 
 
 Ver.  13.  About  forty  thoufand  prepared  for  War7]\jtx  I5 
 Or,  ready  armed  (as  it  is  in  the  marginj  and  prepared 
 to  fight,  in  cafe  they  met  with  any  oppofition.  It  is 
 obfervable  that  in  the  laft  mufter  made  not  long  ago^ 
 of  thofe  that  were  fit  for  War  in  their  feveral  Tribes, 
 there  were  above  Forty  Thoufand  in  the  Tribe  of 
 Reuben  alone  ^  and  above  Fifty  Thoufand  in  that  of 
 Manajfeh,  XXVI  Numb.  7.  34.  And  therefore  it  is 
 likely  Jo/hua  pick'd  out  only  this  number  of  chofen 
 Men  :  and  left  all  the  reft  to  look  after  their  Families 
 and  Flocks. 
 
 Paffed 
 
38  A   COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter        Pajfed  over  before  the  LORD  unto  battled]     Being 
 IV.       paffed  over  the  River,  they  ftood  in  battle  array  be- 
 
 L/V"NJ  fore  the  Ark:  at  the  diftance,  I  fuppofe  of  two 
 Thoufand  Cubits. 
 
 In  the  Plains  of  Jericho.']  Where  it  might  be  fup- 
 pofed  the  People  of  Jericho  would  have  encamped, 
 to  hinder  their  paffage. 
 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  On  that  day  the  LORD  magnified  Jojlma 
 in  the  fight  of  alllfraeL]     As  he  promifed,  III.    7. 
 
 And  they  feared  him,  as  they  feared  Mofes,  all  the 
 days  of  his  life."]  This  wonder  gained  him  the  like 
 refpeft  and  reverence,  that  the  dividing  the  Red 
 Sea  did  to  Mofes,  XIV  Exod.  21. 
 
 Verfe  1 5.  Ver.  1 5.  And  the  LORDfpake  unto  Jojhua,  faying.] 
 All  this  bufinefs,  was  managed  purely  by  the  Divine 
 dire&ion. 
 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  Command  the  Priejis  that  bare  the  Ark  of 
 the  Teflimony,  that  they  come  up  out  of  Jordan."]  The 
 midft  of  which  River  where  they  ftood,  being  the 
 loweft  and  deepeft  part  of  it,  they  are  properly  faid 
 to  come  up  when  they  left  that  Station. 
 
 Verfe  17.      Ver.  17.    Jojlma  therefore  commanded    the  Priejis, 
 faying,  Come  ye  up  out  of  Jordan.]     Where  they  wait- 
 ed for  the  Divine  order,    and  did  not  ftir  till  they 
 received  it. 
 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  And  it  came  to  pafs  when  the  Priejis  that 
 bare  the  At\  of  the  Covenant  of  the  LORD,  were  come 
 tip  out  of  the  River  Jordan,  and  thefolesofthe  Priejis 
 feet  were  lift  up  unto  the  dry  land.]  Where  the  Waters 
 of  Jordan,  when  it  overflowed  furthermoft,  were 
 never  wont  to  come. 
 
 That  the  Waters  of  Jordan  returned  into  their  place.] 
 The  Channel  was  filled  again  by  the  defcent  of  the 
 Waters.     Which  for  forne  time  had  ftood  heaped  up, 
 
 and 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  39 
 
 and  could  not  ftir  5  but  now  were  let  loofe  to  keep  Chapter 
 their  indent  courfe.  IV". 
 
 And   overflowed  all  his  banks,    as  they  did  before \\  L/^V"NJ 
 Which  was  done,  it  is  likely,  by  a  gradual  defcentof 
 the  Water  5  and  not  by  the  tumbling  down  of  that 
 great  heap  all  at  once. 
 
 Ver.  19.   And  the  People  can/e  out  of  Jordan  on  they    ,~ 
 tenth  day  of  the  fir fi  month.]      In  which  Month  they 
 came  out  o£  Egypt,  upon  the  Fifteenth  Day  of  it :  So 
 that  there  wanted  juft  five  Days  of  Forty  Years  fince 
 their  coming  from  thence. 
 
 And  encamped  in  Gilga!~]  A  place  very  famous  in 
 after  times.  Becaufe  ok  their  firft  encampment  here  : 
 which  they  feem  to  have  continued  for  feveral  Years, 
 during  the  Wars  of  Canaan.  Here  alfo  they  were 
 Circumcifed  (from  whence  the  place  had  its  name, 
 V.  9.)  and  kept  the  firft  Paffover :  the  Tabernacle  and 
 the  Ark  remaining  here,  as  long  as  the  Ifraelites  kept 
 their  Station  in  this  place.  See  IX.  6.  X.  6.  43. 
 XIV.  6.  Which  was  I  fuppofe,  till  the  War  was 
 ended,  and  they  had  alfo  begun  to  divide  the  Land. 
 See  XIV.  6.  After  which  the  Tabernacle  was  fixed  in 
 Shiloh,  XVIII.  1.  XXII.  9.  12.  Though  (till  Gil- 
 gal  continued  a  famous  place,  as  appears  from  Second 
 of  Judges,  1.    1  &/;;/.  XI.   14,15.    XIII.  4,  &c. 
 
 In  the  Eaji  border  of  Jericho.']  That  is,  between 
 Jordan,  which  lay  behind  them  ,  and  Jericho,  which 
 lay  before  them. 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  thofe  XII  Stones  which  they  tool^  out  0/Verfe  K 
 Jordan,  did  Jojhua pitch  in  Grlgal.]  We  are  not  told 
 in  what  form  they  were  pitched  5  whether  they  re- 
 mained fingle  and  diftinft,  or,  as  Jofephus  will  have 
 it,  joined  together  in  the  form  of  an  Altar.  It  feems 
 to  agree  beft  with  the  end  aad  intention  of  them,  if 
 
 we 
 
4o  ^COMMENT^Rr 
 
 Chapter  we  conceive  them  to  have  been  fet  down  fingle,  but 
 IV.      in  fome  order  (fuppofe  three  in  a  row)  reprefenting 
 
 L/"V\J  like  fo  many  little  Pillars,  the  twelve  Tribes  of  IfraeL 
 Who  parting  over  Jordan  on  dry  ground,  a  Man  out 
 of  each  Tribe  was  ordered  to  bring  a  Stone,  and  place 
 them  here  ,  for  a  perpetual  memorial  (v.  7.)  of  what 
 God  had  done  for  them.  For  Stones,  every  one 
 knows,  (efpecially  fome  fort  of  them  J  are  of  a  very 
 durable  nature,  and  therefore  ufed  by  all  Nations  in 
 the  Monuments  they  have  made  to  preferve  the 
 Memory  of  Perfons  and  Things.  In  fo  much,  that 
 if  it  be  true  which  Procopius  reports,  (in  his  fecond 
 Book  de  Bella  Vandalico)  concerning  the  two  Pillars 
 ere&ed  by  the  Canaanites,  who  fled  into  Africa  before 
 the  face  of  Jofhua,  with  an  Infcription  fignifying 
 their  Expulfion  by  him  :  I  conclude  it  to  have  been 
 done  in  imitation  of  thefe  Stones,  whereby  Joflnta 
 preferved  the  Memory  of  the  miraculous  way  which 
 was  opened  to  him,  for  their  Expulfion. 
 
 Verfe2l.  Ver.  21.  And  he  J pake  unto  the  Children  of  Ifrael, 
 fying,  When  your  Children  pall  ask,  their  Fathers  in 
 time  to  come,  faying,  What  mean  thefe  Stones  .<?]  See 
 v.  6.  Where  he  had  faid  this,  at  the  time  they  took 
 up  the  Stones :  and  now  repeats  it,  when  they  pitched 
 them.  For  then  he  may  be  thought  to  have  fpoken 
 only  to  the  XII  Men  :  but  now  to  all  the  XII  Tribes. 
 
 Verfe  22.  ^er*  22«  And  ye  fial/ let  your  Children  know  faying, 
 Ifrael  came  over  thk  Jordan  on  dry  land.~]  That  it 
 might  not  be  left  to  every  Mans  liberty  to  give  what 
 anfwer  they  pleafed  to  their  Children,  when  they  en- 
 quired the  meaning  of  thefe  Stones  5  he  fets  down  the 
 very  words  they  fhould  fpeak  unto  them:  that  they 
 might  be  fure  to  be  duly  inftrufted  in  the  wonderful 
 Mercy  of  God  to  their  Nation. 
 
 Ver.  23. 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  41 
 
 Ver.  2  3.  For  the  LORD  your  God  dried  up  the  Wa-    Chapter 
 ters   of  Jordan  fro/;/  before  yon,    until  ye  tvere  paffed        IV. 
 over.']     He  would   have  Pofterity  made  fenfible,    it  L/"yVJ 
 was  a  Divine  benefit  beftowed  on  them,  by   the  Di-  Verfe  23. 
 vine  Power:    Which  alone  could  ftop  the  courfe  of 
 a  River,    till  a    whole   Nation  parted  over  on   dry 
 ground. 
 
 As  the  LORD  your  Cod  did  to  the  Rcd-fea.]  At 
 the  fame  time  he  would  have  them  take  occafion  to 
 remember  thern  of  another  miraculous  Mercy :  like 
 Unto  this,  though  fuperiour  to  it.  Which  the  Pro- 
 phets, in  after  rimes,  delighted  to  commemorate  to- 
 gether, as  appears  from  CXIV  PfiL  5. 
 
 Which  he  dried  up  before  us,  until  vpe  were  gone  over.'] 
 What  he  did  for  their  Forefathers,  he  did  for  them: 
 who  reaped  the  happy  fruit  of  it.  Juft  as  the  faving 
 of  Noah  and  his  Family  in  the  Ark,  was  the  faving 
 of  all  mankind  :  who  fprang  from  them. 
 
 Ver.  24.  That   all  the  People  of  the   Earth   wight  Verfe  24, 
 know  the  hand  of  the  LORD."]     All  Nations  round 
 about,  who  heard  of  this,  might  be  made  fenlible  of 
 the  Power  of  the  God  of  Ifrael. 
 
 That  His  mighty  7]  Which  can  do  all  things. 
 
 And  that  ye  might  fear  the  LORD  jour  God  for 
 ever.]  The  People  of  Ifrael  efpecially  (for  whom 
 thefe  wonders  were  wrought)  might  religioufly  wor- 
 fhip  and  ferve  him.  For  fo  the  fear  of  God  fre- 
 quently fignifies  in  Scripture.  And  therefore  the  LXX 
 here  trariflate  thefe  words  "pxufJUHs  a&nSt  %i>g/w  ihv 
 Oiiv  'jufyf,  that  ye  may  worfl)ip  the  LORD  your  God  : 
 which  includes  in  it  all  the  duty  owing  to  him.  And 
 fo  they  tranllate  the  laft  words  for  ever,  iv  7tzliti 
 tfi'jti  in  every  thing  that  you  do. 
 
 G  CHAP. 
 
43  A  COMMENT ARY 
 
 Chapter 
 
 J^Sj  CHAP.     V. 
 
 Verfe   *<    Verfe   I.      \ND  it  came  to  pafs,  when  all  the  Kings 
 ±\  of  the   AmoritesT]      Thefe    were  the 
 principal  Inhabitants,  and  the  moft  Valiant  in  all  the 
 Country  }  as  hath  been  formerly  noted. 
 
 Which  were  on  the  fide  of  Jordan  Wejiward."]  This 
 feems  to  be  added,  to  fhow  that  befides  the  two 
 Kings  of  the  Amorites^  Sihon9  and  Og,  whom  they 
 had  already  fubdued  on  the  other  fide  of  Jordan 
 Eaftward  5  there  were  other  Kings  of  the  fame  Nation 
 on  that  fide  of  Jordan^  where  the  IfraelJtes  now  were. 
 And  it  is  not  improbable,  that  thefe  Kings  command- 
 ed the  Nitrites,  Hivites  and  Jehufites,  as  well  as  the 
 AmoriUs* 
 
 And  all  the  Kings  of  the  Canaanites,  which  mere  by 
 the  Sea.~]  i.  e.  The  Mediteranean^  where  the  Peo- 
 ple properly  called  Canaanites  dwelt:  though  there 
 were  Colonies  of  them  fpreaci  in  other  places.  The 
 LXX  here  call  them  iSaciA&s  £  ^oiwW  the  Kings  of 
 Phoenicia.  For  upon  that  Sea  were  the  Principal 
 Cities  of  the  ancient  Phanicians,  viz.  Tyre  and  Sidon. 
 But  though  the  People  that  lived  upon  the  Sea  coaft 
 were  peculiarly  called  by  this  name  of  Phoenicians  5 
 yet  they  were  fo  powerful,  that  the  whole  Country 
 was  called  %»&&&  pavmm  the  Country  of  the  Phoeni- 
 cians ^  as  the  ZJfXcall  the  Land  of  Can a an ,  v.  12. 
 of  this  Chapter. 
 
 Heard  that  the  LORD  had  dried  up  the  Waters  of 
 Jordan  from  before  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  until  we  were 
 pajfed  over7\     This  founds  like  the  Language  of  Joflma, 
 or  of  fome  other  Perfon  then  prefent,    when  this 
 
 wonder 
 
upon   JOSHUA.'  43 
 
 wonder  was  wrought.     Which  aftonifhed  thofe  that  Chapter 
 lived  in  the  remoteft  parts  of  the  Country:    who        V. 
 little  thought  of  an  Invallon  on   that  fide  (which  it  L/^V^NJ 
 is  likely,  made  them  not  draw  any  Forces  that  way) 
 imagining  the  River,  efpecially  when  it  overflowed 
 all  its  Banks,  was  a  fufficienr  ftcurity  unto  them,  on 
 that  frontier. 
 
 That  their  hearts  weltccL  <     r  was  there  fpirit  ih 
 
 them  any  n/orc,  becaufe  of  the  Children  of  TfraeLj  They 
 quite  loft  their  courage  5  which  began  to  fail  ihem 
 before,  as  we  read.  Chapt.  Second  v.  11.  Or  as  the 
 J.  XX  expound  it,  their  underftandtng  piled  thtm^ 
 and  they  were  in  fuch  a  conlternation,  that  none 
 knew  what  to  advife  for  their  fafety.  In  which  the 
 Providence  of  God  is  much  to  be  obferved,  that  by 
 this  means  the  Israelites  were  fecurely  circumcifed  (as 
 it  here  follows)  whereas  if  the  People  of  Canaan 
 had  been  couragious  and  watchful,  they  had  taken 
 them  at  a  great  advantage,  if  they  had  then  fain  up- 
 on  them  5  as  appears  by  the  ftory  of  the  Schechemhes, 
 XXXIV  Gen.  25.  They  had  leifure  alfo,  without 
 my  difturbance,  to  celebrate  the  Pajfover,  v.  10. 
 
 Ver.   2.  At  that  time  the  LORD  faid  unto  Joflwa."]  Verfe  2. 
 The   next  day,    which  was  the  Eleventh  day  of  the 
 firfi  Month,-  as  our  Primate  Vfhtr  and  others  judge 
 mod  likely. 
 
 Mal^e  thee  fkarp  Knives. ~]  Or,  as  it  is  in  the  mar- 
 gin of  our  Bibles,  Knives  of  Flints:  Which  Stones 
 were  plentiful,  it  is  likely,  in  the  Mountains  there- 
 abouts. And  after  they  had  marched  Forty  Years  in 
 the  Wildernefs,  it  is  probable  (as  Tbeodorti  notes) 
 that  they  were  not  provided  with  fuch  Knives  as  we 
 ufe  of  Iron.  By  the  very  words  alfo  or  Joflma  it  ap- 
 pears he  fpeaks  of  Knives  they  were  now  to  provide  ^ 
 
 G  2  and 
 
44  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  and  not  of  fuch  as  they  had  already.    Nor  is  it  ftrange 
 V.       fuch  Knives  (hould  beufed,  for  they  were  common 
 L/'WJ  in  the  Eaftern  Countries,  as  may  be  gathered  out  of 
 the  Talmud  in  the  Treatife  of  the  Sabbath  $   where 
 they  fay,  in  the  killing  of  Beajis  they  ufe  either  a  Flint- 
 (lone  (fo  tbey  interpret  the  word  tzur)  or  Glafs,  or 
 a  Huil.     From  whence  Theodoric  Hackfpan  concludes, 
 that  if  (harp  Stones  fufficed  for  the  killing  of  Beafts, 
 there  was  no  need  of   any  other  in   Circumcifion. 
 Who  obferves  alfo  that  the  Jews  fay  they  might  Cir- 
 cumcife  with  any  Inftrumenc,  made  either  of  Stone, 
 or  Glafs :  but  not  of  a  Quil  5  becaufe  there  was  dan* 
 ger  it  might  flit  and  hurt  fo  tender  a  part.     And  at 
 this  Day  they  do  Circumcife  in  the  Eaft,  with  Knives 
 nude  of  Stones,  fuch  as  Zipporah,  it  is  fuppofed,  ufed 
 in  the  Circumcifion  of  her  Son,    IV  Exod.  25.  '  See 
 this  Queftion  debated  in  Sixiinus  Amama  his  Antibar- 
 barus,  Lib.  2.  Pag.  282.     Jujiin  Martyr  thinks  there 
 was  fome  My  ftery  in  the  ufe  of  thefe  Knives.    See  his 
 Dialogue  with  Trypho,  p.  341,  342. 
 
 And  Circnnkife  again  the  Children  of  Ifrael  the  fe- 
 cond  time7\  This  dorh  not  fignifie  that  they  who  had 
 been  circumcifed  heretofore,  were  to  be  now  circum- 
 cifed  again  (from  whence  fome  have  drawn  an  argu- 
 ment for  the  repeating  of  Baptifm,  as  St.  Auftin  tells 
 us)  but  that  there  had  been  fuch  a  general  Circum- 
 cifion heretofore  ordered,  as  there  was  to  be  now 
 after  a  long  omiffion  of  that  rite.  And  it  is  prob- 
 able that  it  was  at  Mount  Sinai f,  in  the  firft  Month  of 
 the  fecond  Year  after  they  came  out  of  Ezypt.  When 
 they  kept  a  Paffover  on  the  fourteenth  Day  of  that 
 Month  (IX  Numb.  1,  2,  3. )  and  before  they  kept  it, 
 circumcifed  all  that  had  not  been  circumcifed  in  Egypt, 
 or  fince  they  came  out  of  it.     For  no  uncircumcifed 
 
 Peifon, 
 
upon  JOS  HU  A.  45 
 
 Perfon,  nor  any  one  who  had  a  Son,  or  a  Man  Ser-  Chapter 
 vant  in  his  Houfe  uncircumcifed,  was  capable  to  be        V. 
 admitted  to  it.     We  do  not  read  indeed  of  the  neg-  L^V"NJ 
 left  of  Circumduon  in  k'gypt,  or  in  that  Year  where- 
 in they  came  out  of  it :  but  confidering  the  great  op- 
 preffion  they  lay  under  in  that  Country,  and  the  fe- 
 veral  diftreffes  they  were  in  after  their  deliverance  for 
 three  Months  till  they  came  to  Sinai  $  and  the  abfence 
 of  Mofes  a  long  time,  after  they  came  thither,  it  is 
 very  probable  this  rite  was  omitted,  till  Gcd  called 
 upon  them  (as  he  did  now)  to  celebrate  the  Paffover: 
 and  then  they  were  conftrained  to  take  care  of  it  5  be- 
 caufe  otherwife   they  could  not  have  kept  it.     See 
 Seldcn,  Lib.  2.  de  Synedr.  Cap.   II.  N.  1. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  Joflma  made  him  fiarp  Knives,  and  Verfe  2. 
 circumcifed  the  Children  of  JfraelJ]  Ordered  every 
 one  that  wanted  it,  to  be  circumcifed.  And,  it  is 
 probable,  not  only  all  thofe  that  came  over  Jordan  ^ 
 but  fuch  of  the  Reubenites,  Gad/tes  and  Manajjltes  as 
 were  left  on  the  other  fide,  were  circumcifed  alfo. 
 And  all  in  one  Day  5  that  they  might  be  in  a  con- 
 dition to  Eat  the  Paffover.  Nor  need  it  feem  ftrange 
 that  it  was  difpatched  in  fuch  a  fhort  time  }  for  they 
 might  employ  as  many  hands  as  they  pleafed  in  this 
 work  :  there  being  no  neceflity  that  a  Prieft  or  a  Le- 
 vite  fhould  do  it  5  but  it  might  be  performed  by  their 
 Fathers,  or  Mothers,  or  any  other  Perfon. 
 
 At  the  hill  of  the  fore-skins.']  In  the  Hebrew,  at 
 Gibeah  Naaraboth*  Which  fome  take  to  be  the  name 
 of  the  place,  where  they  were  circumcifed.  But  then 
 that  place  was  fo  called  from  the  Fore-skins,  that 
 were  there  thrown  3  which  were  fo  many,  that  being 
 laid  upon  an  heap,  and  covered  with  Earth,  they 
 made  a  little  Hillock,  as  the  Jews  conceive.  See  Pirk* 
 Elkfer,  Cap.  XXIX.  Ver.  4, 
 
46  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter         Ver.  4.   And  this  is  the  caufe  why  Jofiua  did  Or- 
 V.       cumcife.']     The  reafon  of  this  order  and  of  the  exe- 
 (yV\J  cution  of  it,  is  here  given. 
 
 Verfe  4.  All  the  People  that  came  out  of  Egypt,  that  were  males \ 
 even  all  the  men  of  war,  died  in  the  Wilder  nefs,  by  tfx 
 way  after  they  came  out  of  Egypt. ~]  That  is,  all  that 
 were  then  twenty  Year  Old  :  for  fuch  only  were  re- 
 puted Men  of  War,  and  were  guilty  of  the  Sedition 
 mentioned  in  XIV  Numb,  for  which  they  were 
 doomed  to  perifh  in  the  Wilde     :fs. 
 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  Now  all  the  People  that  came  out,  were  cir^ 
 cuwc/fed.*]  Not  only  thofe  tfiife  died  for  their  Re- 
 bellion, but  all  the  reft,  under  twenty  Years  Old, 
 were  generally  circumcifed  :  except  fome  Infants  who 
 (as  I  (aid  upon  v.  2.)  might  have  been  negle&ed, 
 during  their  heavy  opprefiion  there. 
 
 But  all  the  People  that  were  born  in  the  Wilder nefs  by 
 the  way,  as  they  came  forth  out  of  Egypt,  them  they  had 
 not  circumcifed.']  Never  fince  they  removed  from 
 Mount  Sinai:  where  it  is  likely  there  was  a  general 
 Circumcifion  $  as  there  was  now  to  be  before  their 
 celebrating  the  Paffover,  which  had  not  been  kept 
 fince  that  time. 
 Verfe  6.  ^er.  6.  For  the  Children  of  Ifrael  walked  forty  years 
 in  the  Wilder  nefs,  till  all  the  People  that  were  men  of 
 war,  which  came  out  of  Egypt  were  confumed,  Scc^ 
 Thefe  words  feem  to  give  the  reafon,  why  they  were 
 not  circumcifed  :  becaufe  they  were  in  a  wand  ring 
 condition,  while  they  remained  in  the  Wildernefs, 
 and  did  not  know  when  the  Cloud  would  remove 
 from  the  Tabernacle  to  lead  them  to  another  place. 
 Which  if  it  had  done,  when  Children  were  newly 
 circumcifed,  their  Lives  might  have  been  endangered 
 by  motion,   while  they  were  fore.     This,   a  great 
 
 many 
 
Hpo$   ]  O  S  H  U  A.  47 
 
 many  think,  nude  Mofes  difpenfe  with  Circumcifion  Chapt  r 
 by  God's  direction.     We  do  not  find  bim  indeed        V. 
 
 conlulting  God  about  it  5  bathe  was    1  tl  cd  that  God  l/"Y~SJ 
 approved  of  this  reaion,  for  the  omifiion  ot  it.     R. 
 Jofe,  as  Mr.  Selden  obferves,  gives  this  account  of  the 
 
 whole  bufinels  5  Ihe  Ifrael/ies  kept  but  one  Pajfover,  all 
 the  time  they  were  in  the  11  ildcrnefs.  The  reafon  was  in 
 that  Tear  (which  was  the  next  to  that  wherein  they 
 came  out  of  Egypt)  their  Tents  were  pitched  in  a  place 
 where  they  might  ftfely  Circumcife  the  Males  that  had 
 been  lately  bom  5  left  the  neglect  of  it  Jlwiild  hinder  the 
 legitimate  eating  of  the  Paffover.  But  in  all  the  time 
 following,  wherein  they  wandrcd  in  ihe  defer  t,  they  did 
 not  Qrcumcife  their  Children  }  lecaufe  of  their  incom- 
 modious journeys,  and  the  danger  of  Circumcifion  by  the 
 way:  fo  that  they  could  keep  no  more  Paffovers  till 
 they  came  to  Canaan,  This  i5  a  far  better  reafon, 
 than  what  many  of  them  give,  who  fay  Circumcifi- 
 on was  omitted,  becaufe  the  North  wind  never  blew 
 all  the  time  they  were  in  the  Wildernefs :  and  wounds 
 are  very  dangerous  when  it  doth  not  blow.  Whence 
 their  medical  Maxim  mentioned  in  the  Talmud,  In 
 cloudy  Days,  and  when  the  Eafi  wind  blows,  we  neither 
 Qrcumcife,  nor  open  a  Vein.  See  Buxtorf  Synagog  Ju- 
 daica,  Cap.  IV.  But  if  this  matter  be  well  consider- 
 ed, we  cannot  reft  Satisfied  with  the  foregoing  reafon. 
 For  all  the  time  they  were  in  the  Wildernefs,  Children 
 were  born,  and  Women  lay  in  :  and  there  was  greater 
 danger  by  their  motion,  while  they  were  in  Labour, 
 and  when  they  were  newly  brought  to  Bed  ^  than 
 there  was  in  their  Childrens  being  circumcifed.  Who 
 were  fore,  but  for  a  few  Days :  whereas  the  other 
 were  not  fit  to  go  abroad,  or  to  travel  in  a  great  many. 
 For  which  and  for  feveral  other  reafons,     Fortunaius- 
 
 Scacchm, 
 
4* 
 
 A   COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  Scacchw,  thinks  this  was  not  the  caufe  why  they  were 
 V.       not  circumciied,  during  their  travels  in  the  Wilder- 
 
 L/V%J  nefs,  but  the  true  reafon  was,  that  they  did  not  look 
 upon  the  precept  of  Gircumcifion,  as  obliging  them 
 till  they  came  to  fettle  in  the  Land  of  Canaan.  For 
 in  the  Covenant  which  Mofes  made  with  them  at 
 Mount  Sinai  there  is  nothing  laid  about  Circumeifion  : 
 unto  which  they  were  bound  by  the  Covenant  made 
 with  Abraham  fas  our  Saviour  obferves,  VII  John  21.) 
 and  that  runs  thus,  I  will  give  unto  thee,  and  unto  thy 
 feed  after  tine  the  Land  wherein  thou  art  a  granger,  &c. 
 Thou  /halt  kgep  my  Covenant  therefore  thou  and  thy  feed 
 after  ihee9  (kc.  Every  man  Child  fljaU  be  circumcifed, 
 XVll  Gen.  8,  9,  10.  See  Sacror.  PUochrifm.  Myrothcr. 
 x.  Cap.  LIV. 
 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  their  Children  whom  he  raifed  up  in 
 their  fead,  them  Jofiua  circumcifed.]  Now  that  they 
 were  come  to  their  reft  in  the  Land  of  promife. 
 
 For  they  were  uncircumcifed,  becaufe  they  had  not  cir- 
 cumcifed them  by  the  way."]  For  the  reafon  above  men- 
 tioned. To  which  this  may  be  added,  that  feveral 
 great  Men  (fuch  as  Theodoret  and  St.  Hierom  among 
 the  ancients)  think  that  Circumeifion  being  a  note  of 
 diftin&ion  between  the  Ifraelites  and  other  People, 
 there  was  no  need  of  it  in  the  Wildernefs^  when  (as 
 Cedrenus  fpeaksj  they  were  7mvTv<;  aThoyivvs  k&%w' 
 fjtejjAvQi  feperated  from  all  Strangers,  by  the  Wilder- 
 nefs  it  felf.  Others  think  that  the  mixed  multitude 
 of  Egyptians,  who  moved  by  the  Miracles  they  had 
 feen  done  in  their  Country,  went  out  of  it  with  the 
 Ifraelites  and  joined  themfelves  to  them,  were  the 
 caufe  of  this  omiffion  :  For  they  could  not  prefently 
 incorporate  with  them  by  receiving  Circumeifion  5 
 and  therefore  it  was  fufpended  that  thefe  Egyptians 
 
 might 
 
upon  J  O  S  H  U  A.  49 
 
 might  not  look  upon  themfelves  as  quite  a  different  Chapter 
 People.     But  longer  than  till   they  came  to  Canaan        V. 
 they    would   not   have  it  diicontinued  ^    v.  hen  all,  L/^T\J 
 Egjftians  as  well  as  Ifraelites^  received  it  :  that  they 
 might   not  be  upbraided  as  a  People  of  a  different 
 original.      And  as  the  omiflion   of  it  in  the  deferr, 
 made  the  Profelites,  who  came  out  of  Egypt,  equal 
 with  the  Ifraelites,  while  they  ftayed  there:    fo  as  a 
 moll  learned  Friend  of  mine  f Dr.  AlixJ    fuggeft  to 
 me,  it  fhowed  that  there  was  no  abfolute  neceflity  of 
 this  rite,  and  that  it  could   not  be  of  eternal  obli- 
 gation. 
 
 Ver.   8.  And  it  came  to  pafs  when  they  Bad  done  cir-  Verfe  8. 
 aimcifing  all  the  People,  that  they  abode  in  their  place  in 
 the  Camp.~]     Lay  ftill  without  motion  (which  would 
 have  hindred  the  healing  of  the  fore)  and  had  not 
 the  leaft  difturbance  given  them  by  the  People  of 
 Canaan. 
 
 Till  they  were  whole.~]  Which  they  were  againft  the 
 Paffover.  For  reckoning  the  Eleventh  Day  for  one, 
 there  were  four  Days  between  their  Circumcillon  and 
 the  Paffover  :  which  was  not  kept  till  the  Fourteenth 
 Day  at  Even.  When  the  pain  was  pretty  well  over : 
 for  it  was  fmarteft  on  the  third  Day.  See  upon  XXXI V 
 Gen.  25. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  the  LORD  J aid  unto  Jojbua,  This  Day  yeri  . 
 have  I  rolled  away  the  reproach  of  Egypt  from  off  yon  7\ 
 It  is  commonly  thought  that  by  the  reproach  of  Egypt 
 is  meant  nothing  elfe,  but  Uncircumcifion  :  with 
 which  the  Ifraelites  always  reproached  other  People, 
 particularly  the  Egyptians  3  among  whom  they  had 
 long  dwelt,  and  with  whom  they  were  be  ft  acquaint- 
 ed. But  our  learned  Dr.  Spencer,  thinks  the  reproach 
 °f  Egypt,  is  the  llavery  to  which  they  had  been  there 
 
 H  lone 
 
5o  A  C  0  MM  EN  T  ART 
 
 Chapter  long  fubjeft :    but  now  were  fully  declared   a  free 
 V.       People  by  receiving  the  mark  of  the  Seed  of  Abraham, 
 '-L/^/^sJ  and  made  heirs  of  the  promifed  Land.     This  he  very 
 often  repeats,  Lib.  i.  de  Leg.  Hebr.  Ritual.  Cap.  IV. 
 p.  44.    51.  55.     And  no  doubt  Jofhua  now  chofe, 
 immediately  upon  their  entrance  into  the  Land  of 
 Canaan,  to  caufe  them  to  be  circumcifed  :  not  only  as 
 a   token  they  peculiarly  belong  d  to  him  $    but  to 
 oblige  them  to  be  careful  to  obferve  all  the  Laws  of 
 God.     Many  of  which  could  not,  and  others  were 
 not  obferved  in  the  Wildernefs:  but  were  now  to  be 
 regularly  practifed,  becaufethey  held  the  Land  of  Ca- 
 tan  by  this  tenure.     To  this  purpofe  alfo  Theodoret 
 difcourfes,    in  his  Queftions  upon  this  Book  ^    they 
 •  ere  made  now  Lords  of  the  promifed  Land,  who 
 were  lately  Slaves  in  Egypt :  For  they  could  not  be  the 
 legitimate  Children  of  Abraham ,  Jfaac  and  Jacob,  and 
 heirs  of  the  promifes  made  to  them,    till  they  were 
 circumcifed.  Ralbag  hath  another  notion  of  it,  that  the 
 Egyptians  feeing  the  Ifraelites  wander  fo  long  as  they  did 
 in  the  Wildernefs,  reproached  and  flouted -th^m,  as  if 
 they  were  brought  thither  to  be  deftroyed,    and  not 
 to   poffefs    the  Land  of  Canaan.     From   which   re- 
 proaches God  now  delivered  them,  when  he  affured 
 them,    by  enjoining  their   Circumcidon,    that  they 
 ftiould  fhortly  enjoy  that  Country,  which  God  pro- 
 mifed 5  but  which  no  uncircumcifed  Perfon  might  in- 
 herit.    But  the  firft  is  the  plained:  and  mod  uncon- 
 drained  Senfe. 
 
 Wherefore  the  name  of  the  place  is  called  Gflgal  :. 
 ,,j     Tins  was  the  firft  Original  of  the  r. 
 this  place  had  ever  after.  Vox  G dial  \n  Hebrew, 
 n  whence  this  word  comes,  fignifies,  to  remove, 
 away,  or  devolve.     And  fo  here  the  LX 
 
 Hate 
 
upon   JOSHUA-  51 
 
 1 1  ire  the  word  gaOothi  (I  have  rolled  amy)  by  apa'Acv,   Chapter 
 and  the  Vulgar  by  abftttli,  I  have  uk?n   iway.    \Vh  V. 
 
 it  Orange  thu  Jofephus  Ihould  fay  (L.  V.  Antiq.  i/V"VJ 
 Cap.  1.)  thit  this  wor  r/fignifi  //,  wh 
 
 t  follows  5  as  if  be- 
 
 >w  they  found  themfelyes  perfeftly  freed  tV 
 t         lyptUnst  and  from  all  the  troubles  they  endured 
 i  Vikierneis, 
 
 hh  day."]     Thefe  words  arc  alledged  by  fome 
 aga.  >'s  being  the  Author  of  this  Book  :    to 
 
 whic,  r  hath  been  given,  IV.  9. 
 
 Ver.       .  he  Children  of  Ifrael  encamped  in  Verfe  10. 
 
 QttgalT]     Continued  their  Carnp  there,  as  they  were 
 enpvned,  v.  8. 
 
 And  kept  the  Pa/pjver."]  Which  was  the  feeond 
 Paffover  thai  had  been  kept,  fince  its  firfts  Inftitution  : 
 the  firft:  being  obferved  the  feeond  Year  after  their 
 coming  out  of  Egypt  at  Mount  $tnaf$  after  which  it 
 had  been  omitted  Thirty  Nine  Years,  becaufe  many  of 
 the  People  were  uncircumcifed. 
 
 On  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  month  at  F,ven7\      Ac- 
 cording to  the  command  of  God,   XII  Exod.  6. 
 
 In  the  Plains  of  Jericho']     Where  the  Tabe 
 was  in  the  midft  of  their  Camp  5  unto  which  they 
 brought  their  Lamb:    for  it  could  be  facriffced 
 where  elfe,    XVI  Dent,  2.     And  therefore  hither  the 
 Reubenites  and  Gadites  and  Manajfites  on  the  other 
 fide  Jordan  came  to  offer  this  Sacrifice  which 
 eafier  for  them,    than  it  was  in  after  tim?s  to  go  up 
 to  Jerufalem. 
 
 Ver.   11.   And  they  did  eat  the  old  Corn  of  the  Land.l  Verfe    1 1 
 Which  the  People  of  the  Country  had  left  in  their 
 Barns  5  when  they  fled  into  Jericho,  and  other  ftrcng 
 holds. 
 
 H  2  The 
 
$2  A  CO  MMENT  A  R  T 
 
 Chapter  The  morrow  after  the  Pajfover."]  There  is  a  great 
 V.  difpute  among  the  Jews  whether  this  were  the 
 t/^TNJ  Fifteenth  Day  of  the  Month,  which  was  properly  the 
 next  Day  after  the  Paffover  :  or  as  others  take  it  the 
 Sixteenth  Day,  which  was  the  Solemn  Sabbath  kept 
 on  the  firft  Day  of  unleavened  Bread  (XXIII 
 Levit.  10,  ii.)  when  they  were  to  wave  the  Sheaf  of 
 the  firft  fruits,  before  the  LORD.  The  former  are 
 in  the  Tight. 
 
 Unleavened  Cakes^]  That  is,  they  kept  the  Feaft 
 of  unleavened  Bread  :  which  was  diftind  from  the 
 Paffover,  as  I  obferved,  XII  Exod.  15,  &c. 
 
 And  p arched  Corn  on  the  felffame  day7\  This  was 
 new  Corn,  which  was  growing  that  Year  they  entred 
 into  Canaan.  Of  which  it  was  not  lawful  to  eat,  till 
 they  had  offered  the  Sheaf  before  mentioned  (XXIII 
 Levit.  14.J  and  therefore  is  made  an  argument  by 
 fome,  that  it  was,  the  Sixteenth  Day  of  this  Month, 
 when  this  Corn  was  parched. 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  the  Manna  ceafed  on  the  morrow  after 
 they  had  eaten  of  the  old  Corn  of  the  Land^  neither  had 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael  Manna  any  more."]  Becaufe  they 
 had  no  need  of  it  (as  Kimchi  and  others  interpret 
 it)  being  fupplied  by  the  ftore  of  old  Corn  which 
 they  found  in  the  Land  of  Canaan^  and  by  what  was 
 growing  upon  the  ground. 
 
 But  they  did  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  land  of  Canaan 
 that  year. ~]  After  they  had  offered  the  Sheaf  before 
 mentioned,  XXIII  Levit.  11.  So  that  Manna  ceafed 
 on  the  Sixteenth  or  Seventeenth  Day  of  the  firft  Month  : 
 having  continued  with  them  Forty  Years,  wanting 
 about  a  Month.  So  R.  Bechai  truly  interprets  thefe 
 words,  XVI  Exod.  35.  not  to  fignifie  Forty  Tears 
 compleat  3  but  near  Forty  Years.     For  it  began  to  fall 
 
 oh 
 
upon  J  OS  H  U  A.  rj5 
 
 on  the  Fifteenth  Day  of  the  fecond   Month  5    and   Chapter 
 ceafed  on  the  Sixteenth  or  Seventeenth  Day  of  the         V. 
 firlt  Mcnrh  of  the  Fortieth  Year  after  they  came  out  of  l/"VNJ 
 Fgypt.     And  therefore,  to  iTiow  that  they  were  not 
 to  expound  thofe  words,    they  did  cat  Manna  Forty 
 Years,  in  a  ftrift  and  precife  fenfe,  Mofes  immediately 
 adds,  until  they  came  to  a  land  inhabited,  they  did  eat 
 Manna  till  they  came  to  the  borders  of  the  land  of  Ca- 
 naan.    Which  was  exaftly  fulfilled:  Gilgal  being  on 
 the  borders  of  the  land,  where  it  now  ceafed.     But  it 
 continued  till  that  time  5  though  they  came  to  a  land 
 inhabited,  when   they  conquered  the  Kingdoms  of 
 Sihon  and  Og. 
 
 Ver.  13.   And  it  came  to  pafs,    when  Joflwa  was  by  y    r~ 
 Jericho."]     After  he  had  performed  thefe  folemn  rites 
 of  Circumcifion  and  the  Paflbver,    JoJIma  went  to 
 take  a  view  of  Jericho  5  and  to  bbferve,  as  Generals 
 are  wont  to  do,  the  approaches  to  it. 
 
 That  he  lift  up  his  eyes  and  looked.']  Thefe  words 
 fignifiea  fudden  apparition  of  a  perfon  to  him.  For 
 fo  this  phrafe  is  ufed,  when  fomething  new  and  un- 
 expected prefents  it  felf,  as  one  was  intent  upon  fome- 
 thing elfe  XVIil  Gen.  1.    XZ>a«.  5. 
 
 And  behold  there  flood  a  Man  before  him.']  Whom 
 he  took  to  be  a  Man. 
 
 U  ith  his  fee  or  d  drawn  in  his  hand  over  againfl  him  A] 
 He  feemed  to  be  a  Soldier,  or  rather  a  great  Com- 
 mander}  and  flood  directly  oppofite  to  him. 
 
 And  Joflma  went  unto  him.]  Such  was  his  undaunt- 
 ed courage,  with  which  God  had  infpired  him. 
 
 And  faid  unto  him,  art  thou  for  us,  or  for  our  adver- 
 
 f tries}]     He  demands  of  him,    whether  he  came  to 
 
 help  the   Ifraelites,    or  the   People  of  Canaan  :    for 
 
 whom   (it  appears  by  the  AnfwerJ  Joflma  fufpe&ed 
 
 he  came  to  fight.  Ver.  14, 
 
$4 
 
 Chapter 
 V. 
 
 Verfe  is 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Ver.  14.  And  he  faid,  Nay.']  7.  e.  I  am  not  on 
 the  fide  of  your  Adversaries. 
 
 But  as  Captain  (ox  Prince)  of  the  hoft  of  the  LORD 
 am  I  now  come.'}  By  the  hoft  of  the  LORD  is  here 
 meant,  the  whole  body  of  the  People  or  Ifrael,  whom 
 the  LORD  hxmfe-lf  led  forth  out  01  Egypt,  as  his  army 
 (See  Xll  Exod.  41.)  andnow  appeared  in  this  manner, 
 that  he  might  (how  he  would  (till  conduct:  them,  as 
 their  chief  Commander  and  leader :  by  whom  they 
 (hould  be  vi&orious  over  their  Enemies.  For  though 
 many  take  this  to  have  been  a  created  Angel  (Michael, 
 fuppofe,  the  chief  of  them)  yet  it  is  evident  that 
 Joflwa  did  not  think  him  fo  to  be :  for  he  fell  down 
 and  worfhipped  him  5  as  we  read  in  the  words  follow- 
 ing. 
 
 And  Jojhud  fell  on  hk  face  to  the  earth.~]  With  the 
 profoundeft  reverence. 
 
 And  did  worfhip.']  Which  hedurft  not  have  given 
 (for  God  alone  is  to  be  adored)  nor  would  an  Angel 
 have  received,  without  fuch  a  check  as  an  Angel  gave 
 St.  John  (XXII  Revel.  10)  if  he  had  not  taken  him 
 to  be  the  Divine  WORD  that  was  come  to  fight  for 
 them.  So  the  Chaldee  Paraphrafe  upon  XJofb.  42. 
 it  was  the  WORD  of  the  LORD  that  fought  for  them  5 
 according  to  Gods  promife,  1.9.  17.  This  a  moft 
 learned  Friend  of  mine  (Dr.  Alix)  (hows  was  the 
 Judgment  of  the  ancient  Jewifh  Church  (See  his  late 
 Book  on  that  Argument,  p.  234.)  and  it  is  moft  cer- 
 tain was  the  Judgment  of  the  ancient  Christians: 
 particularly  of  Juflin  Martyr^  Eufebws  and  Theodoret. 
 See  Valefius  in  his  Annotations  upon  Eufebius  his  Ec- 
 clefiaftical  Hiftory,  Lib.  1.  Cap.  2.  p.  7.  And  there- 
 fore  our  great  Primate  of  Ireland  fears  not  to  fay  in 
 his  Annals,  Jefus  Dominus  nofier^  princeps  militia  pa- 
 
 .«•-..       iris 
 
upm    JOSHUA.  55 
 
 trfr  fiii  Jefi  typho  a  I  Jtrii  /  gladhftrlHo  apparent,  Chapter 
 
 pron/ittit  ft  populum  defenfurum.     That  is,  Jeius  our        V. 
 Lord  the  Prince  of  his  Fathers  Hofl,   appearing  to  l/VNJ 
 him  who  was  a  type  of  him  at  Jericho  with  a  drawn 
 Sword,  promifed  to  be  the  defender  of  the  People. 
 Where  he  teems  by  the  Captain  of  the  LORDS  hofl 
 to  underfhnd  our  LORD  who  commands   Angels 
 themfelves  :  for  they  are  fometimes  called  the  hofl  of 
 Heave//,   i  Kings  XXII  19.     II  Luke  13.  And  it  may 
 very  well  be  thought  the  meaning  here. 
 
 And  fa  id  unto  him,  what  faith  my   Lord  unto  hh 
 .:Nt.~\     JoJJjua  was  poffeiTed  with  fuch  a  deep  fenfe 
 of  the  greatnefs  of  this  perfon  3    that  he  humbly  de- 
 fires  to  receive  his  commands,   and  he  would  obey 
 them. 
 
 Ver.  15.  And  the  Captain  of  the  LORDS  hofl  faid  \revfe  15, 
 unto  Jofuta,  I  oofe  thy  fljoc  from  off  thy  foot^  for  the 
 pine  nherc  thou  flan  deft  is  holy. f\  This  is  the  fulleft 
 evidence  that  can  be  given  of  the  Divinity  of  this 
 Perfon  that  appeared  to  him.  Who  was  fo  far  from 
 reproving;  him  for  doing  him  too  much  honour ,  that 
 he  commanded  him  to  do  much  more.  For  that  which 
 he  here  requires,  is  the  higheft  acknowledgment  of  a 
 Divine  pretence,  that  was  ufed  among  the  Eaftern 
 Nations:  as  the  fame  Dr.  Alix  obferves.  And  con- 
 fide ring  that  thefe  are  the  very  fame  words  which 
 were  fpoken  to  Mofes,  \\\  Exod.  2,  3.  we  learn  the 
 reafon  why  Godcommahded  this  to  Jof/jua.  Which 
 for  the  flrengthning  of  his  Faith  5  that  as  now 
 he  was  placed  in  Mofes  his  (lead,  fo  God  would  be 
 with  him,  as  he  had  been  with  Mofes.  And  thus 
 Joh.  &  Coch  difcourfes  very  reafonably,  upon  the  CV 
 1  of  the  Sanhedrin,  Cap.  Vf.  N.  3.  This  An  eel 
 1  himfelf  to  be  x>POrfhip[  d  by  whofe  pre- 
 
 ■ 
 
5<5  A  C  OMMENT  A  KT 
 
 Chapter,  fence  the  place  where  he  appeared  was  fantfified,  fo  that 
 V.        Jofoua  was  commanded  to  put  off  his  Shccs0  no  doubt  was 
 
 L/"VNJ  he  whom  all  the  Angels  in  Heaven  wor/Jjip. 
 
 And  Jojhua  did  fo.']  Put  cff  his  Shoes  in  token  of 
 reverence  to  that  place  5  which  was  Holy,  while  that 
 Divine  prefence  remained  there  :  though  net  after  it 
 was  gone.  And  it  continued  there  for  fome  fpace  of 
 time,  to  give  Jojlma  advice,  and  to  encourage  him  to 
 hope  for  his  prote&ion  and  aftifcance :  as  appears 
 from  v.  2.  of  the  next  Chapter. 
 
 Chapter 
 
 VL  C  H  A  P.     VI. 
 
 Verfe  1.  Verfe  1.  ]VTO  W  Jericho  was  ftraitly  fiut  up,  be- 
 1_  ^1  caufe  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael."]  The 
 Targum  underftands  it,  as  if  he  fpake  of  the  ftrong 
 Fortifications  of  Jericho  5  which  made  it  needful 
 Jojhua  fhould  be  incouraged  in  his  enterprize  againft 
 it.  But  the  words  in  the  Hebrew  are  litterally,  (as  is 
 noted  in  the  Margin  of  our  Bibles)  did  font  up,  and 
 wasjhut  up:  which  plainly  relates  to  the  ftri&s guards 
 which  were  kept,  that  none  could  get  into  the  City, 
 nor  get  out  of  it.  So  it  is  explained  in  the  next 
 words. 
 
 None  went  out,  and  none  came  in7\  They  (hut  up 
 their  Gates  fo  clofe,  that  none  could  go  out  to  carry 
 intelligence  to  Jojlma :  and  they  were  blocked  up  fo 
 clofe  by  the  Israelites  (to  which  the  later  part  of  the 
 foregoing  words  may  perhaps  refer)  that  none  could 
 get  in,  to  bring  any  intelligence  or  relief  to  the  in- 
 habitants of  Jericho. 
 
 Ver.  2. 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  57 
 
 Ver.    2.  And   the  LORD fuel  unto  Joflma7\     The   Chapter 
 fame  perfon  fpeaks  to  him  (all  agree)  who  is  called       VF. 
 the  Prince  of  the  LORDS  hoft  in  the  foregoing  Chap-  L^V"\j 
 ter  :  and  here  is  called  JEHOVAH.     Which  fliowsVerfe  2. 
 he  was  not  a  created  Angel,  but  God  himfelf:    who 
 alone  could  promife  and  perform  what  follows. 
 
 See,  I  have  given  into  thy  hand  Jericho,  and  the 
 King  thereof,  and  the  mighty  Men  of  valour. ~]  Who 
 were  gathered  together  in  this  place  out  of  feveral 
 Nations  :  it  being  a  frontier  City,  which  they  made 
 as  flrong  as  they  were  able,  and  defended  by  the  moft 
 valiant  Men  they  had  in  the  Country.  See  XXIV.  it. 
 lor  we  are  to  fuppofe  that  they  had  refufed  the  offers 
 of  Peace,  which  God  ordered  to  be  firft  fent  unto 
 them  (XX  Dent.  1.0.)  and  trufting  to  their  Forces, 
 took  up  a  defperate  refolution  not  to  yeild  upon  any 
 terms. 
 
 Ver.   3.  And  ye  fiall  compafs  the  City,  all  ye  Men  0/Verfe   3. 
 of  War,  and  go  round  the  City  once.~]  At  filch  a  diftance, 
 I  fuppofe,  that  they  could  not  reach  them  from  the 
 City,    with  their  Arrows   or   Stones    flung  againft 
 them. 
 
 Thus  f mil  ye  do  fix  Days.~]  Once  every  of  thofe 
 Days ;,  in  fuch  order  as  is  defcribed,  v.  6,  7,  8,  9. 
 This  lookt  not  like  making  War  5  but  appeared  to 
 the  befieged,  it  is  probable,  as  a  paftime. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  feven  Priejis  JI)all  bear  before  the  A^Verfe  4. 
 feven  Trumpets  of  Rams  Horns.']  Such  Trumpets  as 
 they  ufed  to  blow  withal  in  the  Year  of  Jubilee, 
 XXV.  Lev.  9.  For  fo  the  phrafe  is  in  the  Hebrew 
 Trumpets  of  Jobel.  And  I  have  obferved  el fe where, 
 that  Rams  Horns,  not  being  hollow,  Trumpets  could 
 not  be  made  of  them. 
 
 I  A 
 
<3  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        And  the  feventh  day  ye  flail  compafs  the  City  feven 
 
 VI.       times.]     The  feventh  Days  march  differed   in   two 
 
 tyVNJ  things  from  the  other  fix  \  that  they  compaffed  it  but 
 
 once  on  oiher  Days,   and  made  not  the  leaft  noife: 
 
 but  now  feven  times,  and  made  a  great  fhout  at  the 
 
 end  of  the   laft  Circuit.     Concerning  this  Number 
 
 feven  fee  Drujius  upon  this  place}    and    upon   IV 
 
 Levit.  6.   Grotius  faith    of  it  in  fhort    (upon   the 
 
 2  Chron.    XXiX.    21.)    Heptas  facris   propria.     The 
 
 number  feven  is  proper  to  facred  things:    as  appears 
 
 by   the  feven    Angels  and   feven   Trumpets,    VIII 
 
 Revel.  2. 
 
 And  the  Priefts  Jh all  blow  with  the  Trumpet s?]  All 
 the  time  they  marched  fo  often  round  the  City.  See 
 Tertullian,  L.  2.  adv.  Marcion.  C.  21. 
 Verfe  K.  Ver.  5*  And  it  /hall  come  to  pafs  that  when  they  mahs- 
 a  long  blafl  with  the  Rams  Horns.']  A  loud  found 
 protra&ed,  after  a  ruftick  manner :  as  Bochart  inter- 
 prets it,  in  his  Hierozoicon^  P.  r.  Lib.  2.  Cap. 
 XLIIL 
 
 And  when  ye  hear  the  found  of  the  Trumpet."]  And 
 were  commanded  by  Jojhua  to  fhout,  v.  16. 
 
 All  the  People  flail  flout  with  a  great  Jfjout.]  Such 
 as  Soldiers  ufe  when  they  make  an  onfet  upon  a  place  5 
 or  when  Armies  meet  to  give  battle. 
 
 And  the  Wall  of  the  City  flail  fall  down  flat.']  Or,  fall 
 under  it,  as  it  is  in  the  Hebrew.  Which  feems  to 
 fignifie  that  the  Foundations  of  the  Wall  were  Tub- 
 verted  5  fo  that  it  funk  and  fell  into  the  Ditch  :  (or 
 as  the  jews  explain  it)  funk  into  the  very  ground  on 
 which  it  flood  5  fo  as  to  leave  no  ruins,  as  in  the 
 common  fall  of  Walls.  In  which  they  fuppofe  ano- 
 ther Miracle. 
 
 And 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  59 
 
 And  the  People  fljall  afcencl  up  every  Man  ft  might  he-   Chapter 
 fore  h/w.']     The  whole  Wall  did  not  fall  down,  for        VI. 
 Rahabs  hgufe  ftood,  which  was  upon  the  Wall,  II.  15.  L/"V"\J 
 But  fuch  wide  breaches  were  made  every  where  round 
 about,  that  the  Israelites  went  ftraight  forward,  and 
 found  an  eafie  entrance  into  this  City  :    which  the 
 amazed  inhabitants  had  no  heart  to  defend.  Or  rather, 
 the  whole  Wall  funk  into  the  Earth,    only  Rahabs 
 Houfe  was  left  (landing  :  which  made  the  thing  more 
 remarkable.     And  thus  God  demonftrated  that  it  was 
 his  wonderful  Power,    which  overthrew  the  City  : 
 againft  which  they  brought  no  Engines,  nor  battering 
 Rams,    &c,    a?v\x  juuovn  <poevh    avi\7nyy@^  K6pgmpii<;  jy 
 tiyk  5i^/»,    &c-  as  Epiphanius  fpeaks  Haref.  LXVI. 
 N.  83. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  Joflwa  the  Son  of  Nun  called  the  Priefts,  Verfe  6. 
 and  fuid  unto  them,  Take  up  the  Ark^  of  the  Covenant."] 
 This  is  the  fecond  time  that  the  Priefts  are  ordered 
 to  carry  the  Ark  5  which  belonged  to  the  Office  of  the 
 Rohathites.     See  III.  3. 
 
 And  let  [even  Priejis  bear  f even  Trumpets  of  Rams 
 Horns  before  the  Ark,  of  the  LORD.']  As  the  LORD 
 commanded,  v.  4. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  he  /aid  unto  the  People  pafs  on,  and  Verfe  7. 
 con/pafs  the  City,  and  let  him  that  is  armed  pafs  before 
 the  Arl^  of  the  LORD.~]  This  explains  v.  3.  Where 
 he  feems  to  command  only  the  men  of  roar  to  compafs 
 the  City.  But  the  meaning  is,  that  the  whole  body 
 of  the  People  (honld  march  in  this  Circuit  :  the  Men 
 of  War  going  before  the  Ark,  and  the  reft  of  the 
 People  following  it,  as  it  is  explained  v.  9. 
 
 Ver.   8.  And  it  came  to  pafs  when  ^ojhua  hadfpoken  \T^rfe  3 
 unto  the  Peopled]     By  the  Priefts,  as  trie  LXX  under- 
 ftand  it. 
 
 I  2  Th*t 
 
60  A  COMMENT AKT 
 
 Chapter       That  thefeven  Prkfls  bearing  the  [even  Trumpets  of 
 
 VI.       Rams  Horns,  paffed  on  before  the  LORD,    and  blew 
 
 L/^VSJ  with  the  Trumpets,  and  the  Arl^  of  the  Covenant  of  the 
 
 LORD  followed  them7\     According  to  the  direction 
 
 given,  v.  6. 
 
 Verfe  o.  ^er*  9*  ^n^  ^Je  arme<^  ^en  went  before  the  Prkfls, 
 that  blew  with  the  Trumpets.']  Here  the  order  of  their 
 march  explains  the  command,  it.  7. 
 
 And  the  rere-ward  came  after  the  Ark/]  That  is,  the 
 reft  of  the  People  who  had  no  Arms,  old  Men,  Wo- 
 men and  Children,  came  in  the  rere  of  the  Ark. 
 Concerning  the  word  Meajfeph,  [which  we  tranllate 
 rere-ward.~]  See  XNumb.  23.  From  whence  may  be 
 gathered  that  by  this  rere-ward  is  meant  the  Tribe  of 
 Dan,  as  the  Targnm,  Raft  and  Kimchi  underftand  it. 
 Who  by  the  armed  men  before-mentioned,  underftand 
 the  Reubenites,  Gadites  and  Manaffites  who  were  en- 
 gaged by  Mcfes  to  go  armed  before  the  LORD  to  War, 
 XXXII  Numb.  20.  and  renewed  this  engagement  to 
 Joflua,  I.  12,  &c. 
 
 The  Prkfls  going  on,  and  blowing  with  the  Trumpet s.~] 
 The  word  Prkfls  is  not  in  the  Hebrew  5  which  made 
 the  Vulgar  to  tranflate  the  words  in  fuch  a  manner  as 
 if  the  whole  multitude  before  mentioned  made  a  found 
 with  Trumpets.  Buccmis  omnia  concrepabant.  But 
 there  being  no  order  for  any  to  blow  with  Trumpets, 
 but  only  the  Prkfls,  our  Tranflators  have  done  well 
 to  fupply  that  word  from  v.  4.  as  they  doalfo  v.  1 3. 
 where  this  is  again  repeated. 
 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  Jofoua  had  commanded  the  People, 
 faying,  Te  fial/  not  flout,  nor  make  any  noife  with  your 
 voice,  neither  flail  any  word  proceed  out  of  your  mouth.'] 
 They  were  not  to  talk  to  one  another,  as  they  went 
 along  5  but  march  in  a  profound  (ilence,  before  and 
 
 after 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  61 
 
 after  the  LOKD  ^    waiting  on  him,    to  fee  what  he  Chapter 
 would  do  for  them.  VI. 
 
 til  the  day    I  bid  )0u  Jhout,    than  fljall  yc  fijout.~]  L^V^SJ 
 That  is,  on  the  feventb  Day,  after  they  had  compalfed 
 the  City  feven  times. 
 
 Ver.  n.  So  the  Ark.  of  the  LOUD  compaffed  the  City,  Verfe  i  i . 
 going  about  it  once.]  It  is  uncertain  upon  what  Day 
 they  began  to  do  this.  But  it  is  very  probable  (as 
 the  Jews  fay  in  their  larger  Chronicle)  that  it  was  the 
 next  Day  after  the  feven  Days  of  unleavened  Bread 
 were  ended. 
 
 And  they  came  into  the  Camp,  and  lodged  in  the 
 Camp.]  They  fpent  the  reft  of  the  Day  in  the  Camp, 
 to  refrefh  themfelves  :  and  lay  there  the  following 
 Night. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  Jofljua  rofe  up  early  in  the  woming.~]y^fe   l2 
 Viz.  That  morning  of  the  firft  Day,    of  compafling 
 the  City. 
 
 And  the  Priefts  took,  up  the  Ark  of  the  LORD.~] 
 Thefe  words,  and  thofe  that  follow  in  the  next  Verfe, 
 give  a  particular  account  of  what  was  done  the  firft 
 Day  :  according  to  that  which  was  faid  in  general, 
 v.  8,  9. 
 
 Ver.   13.  And  the  feven  Priejis  bearing  feven  Trum-.y^v,  12. 
 pets  of  rams  horns  before  the  Arl^  of  the  LORD,  went 
 on  continually.']     Without  refting  or  making  any  ftop, 
 in  a  continued  motion,    till  they  had  finilhed  their 
 Circuit. 
 
 And  blew  with  the  Trumpets!]  As  foon  as  they  be- 
 gan their  motion. 
 
 And  the  armed  Men  went  before  them,  but  the  rere- 
 ward  came  after  the  Arl^,  the  Priejls  going  on  and  blow- 
 ing with  the  Trumpets*']  Till  they  had  ended  their 
 Circuit. 
 
 Ver.  14, 
 
62  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Ver,  14.  And  the  fecond  day  they  compaffed  the  City 
 VI.      once.~]     In  the  fame  order  before  defcribed. 
 
 L/~\T\J       And  returned  into  the  Camp.']     As  they  had  done 
 
 Verfe  14.  the  fir  ft  Day,  v.  11. 
 
 And  fo  they  did  fix  DaysJ]  The  remaining  four 
 Days  were  fpent  in  the  fame  pompous  (how,  without 
 ftriking  a  ftroke,  or  fpeaking  a  word  :  that  the  fub- 
 verfion  of  the  City  might  be  afcribed  wholly  to  the 
 Power  of  God  5  which  fecretly  undermined  the  Walls 
 and  threw  them  down. 
 
 Verfe  15.  Ver.  15.  And  it  came  to  pafs  on  the  feventh  Day7\ 
 The  Jewifi  writers  fay  this  was  the  Sabbath,  as  Ray* 
 mundus  obferves  in  his  Pugio  Fidei,  and  Jof.  de 
 Voyfin  in  his  Annotations  upon  him,  P.  625.  But  I 
 fhall  only  mention  the  words  of  Kimchi,  which 
 are  thefe.  The  Ark.  of  the  LORD  compaffed  the  City 
 the  firfl  time,  on  thefirji  Day  of  the  Week;  So  our 
 DoUors  of  pious  memory  have  delivered,  that  the  feventh 
 Day  whereon  the  City  was  taken  was  the  Sabbath  :  though 
 they  hilled  and  burnt  upon  that  Day.  For  he  that  com- 
 manded the  Sabbath  to  be  obferved,  commanded  it  now 
 to  be  prophaned  for  the  definition  of  Jericho  :  as  he 
 commanded  burnt  offerings  to  be  facrffced  on  this  Day. 
 Which  is  the  very  inftance  whereby  our  blefled  Savi- 
 our juftifies  his  doing  fome  Works  upon  the  Sabbath 
 Day.  And  here  I  cannot  but  note,  that  it  was  JE- 
 HOVAH, according  to  this  Explication,  who  gave 
 this  command  to  compafs  the  City  on  this  Day  as  well 
 as  any  other.  That  great  LORD  who  gave  the  com- 
 mand to  keep  the  Sabbath,  now  difpenfed  with  it : 
 he  that  fpake  from  Mount  Sinai  was  the  Perfon  who 
 appeared  to  Jojima.  For  whether  this  Day  was  the 
 Sabbath  or  no,  it  is  certain  one  of  the  feven  Days 
 wherein  they  were  thus  employed,  was  the  Sabbath: 
 
 and 
 
upon   J  O  S  H  U  A.  63 
 
 and  confequently  that  reding  on  that  Day  was  dif-  Chapter 
 periled  withal,  by  the  fame  authority  that  made  the      VI. 
 Law  of  the  Sabbath.  L/^V"\J 
 
 That  he  rofe  early  about  the  dawning  of  the  Day.]  All 
 the  fix  Days,  I  fuppofe,  they  rofe  early,  as  they  did 
 upon  the  firft  v.  12.)  but  upon  this  Day  very  early, 
 as  foon  as  they  could  fee :  becaufe  they  had  feven 
 times  as  much  work  to  do,  as  they  had  upon  the 
 other  Days. 
 
 And  compaffed  the  City  after  the  fame  manner,  feven 
 times.]  Not  with  a  continued  motion,  I  fuppofe, 
 but  reding  a  while  ("perhaps  after  each  Circuit)  to 
 refrefh  themfelves.  Otherwife  by  fo  much  motion, 
 they  might  have  been  difpirited,  and  unfit  to  attack 
 Jericho,  when  the  Wall  of  it  fell  down  before 
 them. 
 
 Only  on  that  day  they  compaffed  the  City  feven  times?] 
 For  fo  had  the  LORD  ordered,  v.  4. 
 
 Ver.   16.  And  it  came  to  pafs   at  the  feventh  time.~]Vtxk   16. 
 As  foon  as  they  had  ended  the  feventh  Circuit. 
 
 II hen  the  Priejis  blew  with  the  Trumpets.']  Such  a 
 long  found  as  is  mentioned,  v.  5. 
 
 Jojhttafaid  unto  the  People.]  By  fuch  Officers,  as  he 
 had  appointed  to  give  the  order  5  when  they  heard 
 that  unufual  found  of  the  Trumpet. 
 
 Shout.]  In  allured  hope  of  Vi&ory  3  as  it  follows 
 in  the  next  words,  for  the  LORD  hath  given  yon  the 
 City, 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  the  City  fiall  be  accurfed.]  All  the  yrerre  I7 
 commands  given  in  this,  and  in  the  two  following 
 Verfes,  could  not  be  delivered  juft  before  he  bad  them 
 (hour :  but  they  had  been  given  fome  time  before 
 they  began  to  march  the  feventh  time  about  the  City. 
 And  if  any  thing  of  thefe  matters  was  repeated  now, 
 
 it 
 
64  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  it  was  very  briefly :  by  bidding  them  remember  the 
 VI.  orders  they  had  received  concerning  the  City,  and  all 
 l/Y\J  that  was  therein. 
 
 I  have  obferved  elie  where,  that  this  word  Chorem, 
 f  which  we  tranflate  accurfed)  fignifies  fometirnes  the 
 gift  it  felf  which  is  devoted  to  God,  for  his  ufes, 
 XXVII  Levit.  24.  fometirnes  that  which  is  devoted 
 to  perpetual  deftru&ion,  by  the  right  which  God 
 hath  to  puniQi  capital  enmities  to  him :  as  here  in 
 this  place.  And  thus  Mr.  Selden  obferves  the  great 
 Sanhedrim  might  devote  thofe  to  deftru&ion,  who  in 
 War  did  not  obferve  fuch  charges  as  were  given  them  3 
 of  which  they  find  an  inftance  in  XXI  Judges  5.  See 
 him  Lib.  IV.  de  Jure  Nat.&  Gentium,  Cap.  VI. 
 
 Even  it  and  all  that  are  therein,  to  the  LORD 7]  As 
 the  firft  fruits  of  their  Victories,  in  the  Land  of  Ca- 
 naan. All  whofe  Inhabitants  God  ordered  to  be  ex- 
 terminated :  but  thought  fit  to  make  fuch  an  example 
 of  the  firft  that  refufed  to  fubmit ;  as  to  raze  their  very 
 City,  and  command  it  never  to  be  built  again.  For 
 that  this  was  done  by  a  particular  order  from  God, 
 appears  from  1  Kings  XVI.  34.  Thus  he  command- 
 ed even  fuch  Cities  in  Ifrael  to  be  deftroyed,  as 
 {hould  hereafter  revolt  to  Idolatry,  XIII  Deut.  15*, 
 16,  17. 
 
 Only  Rahab  the  Harlot  flail  live,  fie  and  all  that 
 are  with  her  in  the  HoufeJ]  Which  is  explained  in  the 
 execution  of  this  order,  v.  x%. 
 
 Becaufe  fie  hid  the  mejfengers.~]  Who  fware  unto 
 her  that  (he  (hould  be  preferved.  And  therefore 
 both  in  juftice  and  gratitude,  Jofhua  was  bound  to 
 take  care  of  her :  and  no  doubt  had  order  from  God 
 to  make  good  the  Oath  of  the  Spies. 
 
 That 
 
upon  JOSH  U  A.  65 
 
 That  we  fent.]     This  feems  to  import  that  Jojhua  Chapter 
 fent  the  Spies  by  the  advice  or  confent  of  the  Elders :       VI. 
 though  it  may  fignifie  no  more  but  that  he  fent  them  L/~ST\J 
 upon  a  publick  account.     See  II.  1.25. 
 
 Ver.    18.  And  yon,  in  any  wife  keep  your  felves  from  yer[>  ,g 
 the  accurfed  thing.']     Take  heed  led:  you  meddle  with 
 any  of  the  fpoils,  which  are  devoted  to  God  5    and 
 appropriate  them  to  your  own  ufe. 
 
 Left  ye  make  your  felves  accurfed  when  ye  take  of  the 
 accurfed  thing.']  Bring  your  felves  under  the  fame 
 fentence  of  being  devoted  to  deftrudHon. 
 
 And  make  the  Camp  of  Ifrael  a  curfe.]  And,  more 
 than  that,  expofe  the  whole  Camp  to  the  fame  danger. 
 For  many  times  God  takes  occafion  to  punifh  the 
 whole  body  of  a  People  for  their  other  Sins  5  when 
 fome  of  them  only  have  highly  offended  him. 
 
 And  trouble  H.']  Difturb  the  courle  of  their  Victo- 
 ries. 
 
 Ver.    19.  But  all  the  Silver  and  Gold,  and  vejfels  <?/Verfe  19. 
 Drafs  and  Iron.~]     And  other  metals.,  I  fuppofe. 
 
 Arc  confer ated  to  the  LORD.]  Except  the  Gold 
 and  Silver  of  their  Images,  which  were  utterly  to  be 
 deftroyed  3  according  to  an  exprefs  command  of  God, 
 VII  Dent.  25,  26. 
 
 They  flail  come  into  the  treafury  of  the  LORD.'] 
 Which  was  in  the  Tabernacle.  To  the  fervice  of 
 which  fuch  things  were  wholy  appropriated,  and 
 might  not  be  imployed  to  any  other  ufe.  But  it  is 
 very  probable,  that  before  fuch  things  were  put  into 
 the  treafury,  they  were  purified  5  by  making  them  go 
 through  the  fire  :  according  to  the  Law,  XXXI  Numb. 
 22,  23.  The  Jews  think  thefe  things  were  given  to 
 God,  becaufe  the  City  was  taken  en  the  Sabbath. 
 
 K  Ver.  : 
 
66  A  CO  MMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  20.  So  the  People  pouted^  when  the  Priejls  blew 
 VI.       with  the  Trumpets.]     As  they  had  been  commanded, 
 
 L/"WJ  v.   16. 
 
 Verfe  20.  J„d  #  came  f0  pafs  when  the  People  heard  the  found 
 of  the  Trumpet ,  and  the  People  Routed  with  a  great  fa  out  7] 
 This  is  repeated  to  (how,  that  this  was  all  that  the 
 People  contributed  to  the  expugnation  of  this  City  : 
 which  they  wholly  afcribed  unto  God. 
 
 Thai  the  WaU  fill down  fiat.']  As  the  LOUD  had 
 pro  mi  fed,  v.  5. 
 
 So  that  the  People  went  up  into  the  City,  every  Man 
 (iraight  before  him,  and  they  tool^  the  City.]  As  it  was 
 eaiie  to  do,  when  the  Garrifon  was  in  iuch  a  confter- 
 nation,  at  the  fudden  fall  of  the  Wall,  without  any 
 vihhle  force  to  throw  it  down  5  that,  in  all  likely  - 
 hood,  they  could  make  little  or  no  remittance. 
 
 Verfe  2  1 .  ^er*  2 1  •  ^n(^  ^ey  utterly  dejlroyed  all  that  was  in  the 
 City,  both  Man  and.  Woman,  Toung  and  Old,  and  Ox, 
 and  Sheep,  and  Afs,  with  the  edge  of  the  Sword.']  See 
 XX  Deut.  16,  17.  Some  have  obferved  that  there  are 
 no  Camels  here  mentioned  5  which  were  not  com- 
 monly bred  in  this  Country  :  much  lefs  Mules  which 
 were  not  known  in  the  Land  of  Ifrael  till  the  Days  of 
 David.  As  Bochart  concludes  from  the  mention, 
 upon  feveral  occasions,  of  Oxen,  Sheep,  and  AiTes  5 
 but  never  of  thefe  Creatures  till  his  time.  But  if 
 there  were  any  other  animals  in  Jericho  befides  thefe 
 here  named,  they  were  all  killed  :  for  that  was  the 
 Law  of  the  Ckerem.  As  for  their  killing  of  Infants 
 and  Women.  See  Groiim,  L.  III.  de  Juri  Belli  & 
 Pack,  Cap.  IV.  Seft.  IX.  And  it  muft  alfo  be  re- 
 membred  that  they  were  a  People  guilty  of  fuch  foul 
 Idolatry,  thatic  was  fit  the  whole  race  of  them  (hould 
 be  deftroyed,  as  Sodom  was  5  where  all  the  Children 
 
 perifhed 
 
upon  J  O  S  FI  U  A.  67 
 
 perifhed  as  well  as  others.    And  this  was  a  type  of  (he  Chapter 
 intire  deftru&ion  of  New  Babylon  mentioned  in  the       VI. 
 Revelation,  L/*V"\J 
 
 Ver.   22.  But  JoJIma  had  fard  unto  the  two  Men  that  Vcri 
 had  fpied  out  the  Country.']     He  had  given  this  order 
 before  the  falling   of  the  Wall  ^  when  they  began 
 their  march  on  the  feventh  Day,  thefeventh  time, and 
 before  they  (homed. 
 
 Go  into  the  Harlots  Houfe.']  Which  by  the  won- 
 derful Providence  of  God  over  her  was  left  (landing, 
 with  part  of  the  Wall  upon  which  it  was  built,  when 
 the  reft  funk  into  the  ground. 
 
 And  bring  out  thence  the  Woman \  and  all  that  fie 
 hath.']     With  her  in  the  Houfe. 
 
 As  ye  fware  unto  her.']     II.   14. 
 
 Ver.  23.  And  the  young  Men  that  were  fpies  ?r^///  Verfe  2"» 
 in,  and  brought  out  Rahab,  and  her  Father,  and  her 
 Mother,  and  ail  that  fie  had:  and  they  brought  out  all 
 her  l^ndredT]  By  this  it  appears  that  all  related  to 
 her,  who  took  (belter  under  her  roof,  were  prefer- 
 ved  from  deftruftion.  Such  is  the  great  clemency  of 
 God,  who  for  the  fake  of  one  excellent  Woman  (pared 
 a  great  many  that  had  done  nothing  to  deferve  his 
 favour. 
 
 And  left  them  without  the  Camp  of  Jfrael."]  They 
 were  brought  out  of  the  Houfe,  becaufe  it  was  ro  be 
 burnt,  with  all  the  reft  of  the  City  :  which  was  to 
 be  laid  defolate  without  inhabitant.  And  they  were 
 carried  without  the  Camp  of  lfrael\  becaufe  it  was 
 Holy  by  the  prefence  of  the  LORD  there:  which 
 made  it  unlawful  for  them  to  enter  into  it,  til!  they 
 had  abjured  their  gentile  Superftition  \  and  by  C.ir- 
 cumcifion  (and  by  Baptifm  as  the  cuftom  was  in  after 
 times,  if  not  now)  admitted  into  the  body  of  the  If 
 raelites.  &  2  Ver.  24. 
 
68  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.   24.   And  they  burnt  the  City  with  fire ,  and  atl 
 VI.       that  was  therein."]     By  the  juft  judgment  of  God  upon 
 
 L/"V,\J  it,    for  the  horrible  wicked  nets  committed   therein, 
 
 Verfe  24.  See  Grotius  de  Jure  Belli  &  Pack,  L.  III.  Cap.  XII. 
 Sed*  a. 
 
 Only  the  Silver  and  the  Cold,  *nd  the  veffels  ofErafs 
 and  Iron,  they  put  into  the  treafury  of  the  Houfe  of  the 
 LORD.~]  As  had  been  enjoyned  before  they  took 
 the  City,  v.  19. 
 
 Verfe  2<.  Ver.  25*  And  Jojhuafaved  Rahab  the  Harlot  alive, 
 and  her  Fathers  houfliold,  and  all  that  fie  had.]  It  is 
 likely  her  Father  and  his  Houfhold  gave  credit  to 
 what  (he  faid  $  and  confequently  were  converted, 
 as  (he  was,  to  the  true  Religion  :  by  what  they  had 
 heard  before,  and  now  faw  with  their  own  Eyes,  of 
 the  wonderful  works  of  God. 
 
 And  fie  dwelleth  in  Jfrael  unto  this  Day."]  Was  in- 
 corporated with  the  Ifraelites,  and  made  a  Member 
 of  their  body  5  as  all  her  kindred,  its  likely,  were. 
 At  leaft  they  became  profelytes  of  the  Gate  (as  they 
 called  thofe  who  renounced  Idolatry,and  worihipped 
 the  God  of  Ifrael)  though  they  were  not  circumciied. 
 Concerning  this  phrafe  unto  this  day,  See  before 
 IV.  9. 
 
 Becaufe  fie  hid  the  meffengers  which  Joflma  fent  to 
 fpie  out  Jericho.]  Which  proceeded  not  merely  from 
 her  humanity,  but  was  a  noble  aft  of  couragious 
 Faith. 
 
 Verfe  26.  Ver.  26.  And  Jofhua  adjured  them  at  that  time  fay- 
 ing^] He  made  the  Elders  and  heads  of  their  feveral 
 Tribes  (I  fuppofe)  bind  themfelves  by  a  folemn  Oath, 
 and  they  took  the  fame  fecurity  of  all  the  People : 
 adding  a  Curfe  upon  themfelves  and  their  Pofterity, 
 if  any  of  them  broke  this  Oath, 
 
 Curfed 
 
upon    J  O  S  H  LI  A.  6) 
 
 Curfcd  be  the  Man  before  the  LORD.']     This  (hows  Chapter 
 that  this  Cher  em   whereby  he  adjudged  him  and  his      VI. 
 Family  to  deftru&ion,    who  fhould  rebuild  Jericho,  l/"V"\J 
 was  a  fentence  pronounced  by  the  LORD}  and  not 
 by  JoJIwa  without  his  order.     And   fo  we  read  ex- 
 prelJy  in  the  firft  Book  of  the  Kingsy  XVI.  ////.     See 
 concerning   this  Ckere/n,    Mr.  Selden,  L.  IV.  cle  Jure 
 Nat.  &  Gent.  Cap.  VII.   P.  ^05. 
 
 That  rifeth  up  and  buildeth  this  City  Jericho."]  Whofe 
 ruins  God  would  have  remain,  as  a  perpetual  Monu- 
 ment of  his  Power,  and  of  his  feverity.  So  Mai- 
 monides  in  his  More  Nevochim  Pars,  III.  Cap.  50; 
 This  anathema,  faith  he,  was  pronounced,  that  the 
 Miracle  of  the  fubverfion  of  Jericho  might  be  kept  in  per- 
 petual memory  :  For  whofoever  faw  the  Walls  finl^  deep 
 into  the  Earth  (as  he  understands  it)  would  clearly 
 difcern  that  this  was  not  the  form  of  a  building  defiroyed  by 
 Man,  but  miraculoufly  thrown  down  by  God. 
 
 He  (l)all  lay  the  foundation  thereof  in  his  firjl  bornT] 
 That  is,  in  the  death  of  his  firft  born. 
 
 And  in  his youngefi  Son  f/jaU  he  fet  up  the  gates  of  it.] 
 The  meaning  is,  in  the  progress  of  the  work  the  reft 
 of  his  Children  fhould  die  :  and  when  he  had  finifl> 
 ed  it  (which  was  when  he  fet  up  its  gates)  he  (hould 
 lofe  the  laft  of  them.  Which  was  fulfilled  exaftly  in 
 the  Days  oCAhab,  as  we  read  in  the  place  before  named, 
 1  Kings  XVI.  34.  Which,  by  the  way,  fliows  this 
 Book  of  Jojlma  to  have  been  older  than  the  Book  of 
 the  Kings. 
 
 We  are  not  to  imagin  that  this  Anathema  reach'd 
 any  further,  than  to  the  builder  of  Jericho  and  his 
 Family  :  not  to  thofe  who  fhould  inhabit  it,  after  it 
 was  rebuilt.  For  there  was  a  company  of  Prophets, 
 who  made  no  fcruple,  to  fettle  here  in  future  times, 
 
 2  Kings 
 
7o  A  C  0  MMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter.  2  Kings  I.  15.     And  if  it  had  been  built  in  any  other 
 VI.      place,  and  not  on  the  ruins  of  the  old  City  (though 
 
 L/'VNJ  they  had  given  it  the  name  of  Jericho)  one  cannot 
 think  he  that  built  it  would  have  fain  under  this 
 Curfe.  Which  either  he  did  not  mind,  or  did  not 
 believe:  otherwife  he  would  not  have  adventured  to 
 reftore  this  City.  Unto  which  he  was  tempted  by  its 
 pleafant  Situation,  2  Kings  I.  19. 
 
 Verfe  27.  Ver.  27.  So  the  LORD  was  with  Jejbta?]  Thus 
 God  made  good  hispromife  to  him,  1.  5.  9.  Where 
 the  Targum,  as  I  obferved,  hath  it,  the  WORD  of  the 
 LORD  thy  Go  J  flail  be  thy  helper.  And  fo  thefe 
 words  run  in  that  Paraphrafe,  and  the  WORD  of  the 
 LORD  helped  Joflma  \  that  Divine  perfon  who  ap- 
 peared to  him,  and  incouraged  him  in  this  under- 
 taking, V.  13,  14,  &c. 
 
 And  his  fame  was  no) fed  throughout  all  the  Country \\ 
 There  was  no  part  of  the  Country,  which  did  not 
 hear  of  their  wonderful  entrance  into  it  over  Jordan  5 
 and  of  the  Miraculous  taking  of  Jericho  5  and  the 
 execution  done  there :  which  made  the  name  of 
 Jojhua  famous  among  them,  as  a  Captain  before 
 whom  Rivers  fled,  and  the  ftrongeft  Walls  fell 
 down  flat. 
 
 CHAR 
 
upon  JOS  H  U  A.  ;i 
 
 Chapter 
 CHAP.     VII.  V1L 
 
 Verfe  r.   1T)Z)T  the  Children  of  IJraeU]     That  is,  Verfe  i. 
 
 O  one  among  them.  Which  is  an  nfual 
 form  of  Speech  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  to  afcribe 
 that  to  many  indefinitely,  wherein  one  alone  is  con* 
 cern'd  :  becaufe  where  Men  are  united  in  a  Society, 
 th^y  are  all  to  partake  in  the  good  or  evil  that  every 
 of-  their  Members  doth.  Inftance  of  which  we  find 
 in  VIII  Gen.  4.  XIX.  29.  XXIII.  6.  XU  Judges?. 
 XXVI  Math.  8.  See  Bochart  in  his  Hierozoicon,  P.  1. 
 Lib.  2.  Op.  XVII.  P.  212.  and  a  great  many  more 
 inftances  he  heaps  up,  P.  2.  Lib.  5.  Cap.  III. 
 P.  669. 
 
 Coviwitted  a  trefpafs  in  the  ac  cur  fed  thing.']  Offend- 
 ed God  by  purloyning  to  his  own  ufe,  fome  of  the 
 fpoils}  which  were  devoted  to  deftruftion,  or  ap- 
 propriated to  Gods  treafury :  with  a  Curfe  upon  him 
 that  meddled  with  them. 
 
 Far  Acban  the  Son  ofCarmi7\  Who  is  called  Achar  in 
 1  Chron.  II.  7.  became  he  having  troubled  Ifrael  'as 
 the  word  Achat  figniiies)  v.  25.  of  this  Chapter  :  i: 
 is  likely  that  in  after  times  they  turned  his  name  mtd 
 Ac  bar  inffead  of  Achan. 
 
 Ice  Son  ofZdbd/.~]  Who  is  called  Zinm,  1  Chron: 
 II.  6. 
 
 The  S  'crah  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah.~]     For  w 
 
 find  Zeral  is  the  Son  ofJvdafj$  and  came  with 
 him  into  Egypt,  when  he  was  very  young:  for  wre 
 read  of  no  Children  he  had,  XLVl  Gen.  12.  And 
 if  we  (1  .  him  to  have  begotten  Zabdf,  when 
 he  was  LXX  Year.  Old  5  and  allow  as  many  Years 
 
 ore 
 
72  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  before  Zabdi  begat   Charmi  5    and  as   many  before 
 
 VI  I.      Carmi  begat  Achan:    we  may  make  account    (with 
 
 L/"V~\J  Bonfrerius)    that  Achan  was  now  about  Fifty  Years 
 
 Old  :  an  Age  wherein  many  Men  begin  to  be  more 
 
 covetous,  than  they  were  in  their  Youth. 
 
 Took.ofthe  accurfed  thing.']  What  it  was,  he  him- 
 felf  confefTeth,  v.  2 1 . 
 
 And  the  anger  of  the  LORD  was  kindled  againfithe 
 Children  of  Ifrael."}  The  fin  of  one  member  of  the  body 
 provoked  the  Divine  Majefty  to  exprefs  his  difplea- 
 fure  againft  them  all  (which  they  deferved  upon  other 
 accounts)  that  they  might  be  awakened  to  find  out, 
 and  to  punilh  him,  who  had  brought  them  into  great 
 danger. 
 
 This  Preface  is  made  to  this  Chapter,  to  (how  whence 
 the  ill  fuccefs  they  had  at  At  proceeded. 
 Verfe  2 .  Ver.  2 .  And  JoJIma  fent  Men  from  Jericho  to  Ai.~] 
 Called  Hai  in  Abrahams  time,  XII  Gen.  8.  Which 
 Jcflua,  I  fuppofe,  had  fummoned  to  furrender,  ac- 
 cording to  the  precept  in  XX  Dent.  10.  but  they  had 
 refufed.  It  was  a  City  about  three  Miles  diftant  from 
 Jericho,  as  the  Jews  fay  in  Semoth  Rabbah  5  which 
 Mafius  takes  to  fignifie  three  Leagues. 
 
 Which  is  befides  Beth-aven."]  Whether  Beth-aven 
 here  fignifie  a  City,  or  a  Wildernefs.  is  uncertain. 
 See  XVIII.  12. 
 
 On  the  Baft-fide  of  Beth- el."]  A  place  which  was 
 but  one  League  from  Ai^  as  Mafius  computes  5  and 
 lay  Weft  ward  of  it  (XII  Gen.  8.)  for  the  War  was 
 carried  on  from  the  Eaft  where  Jericho  was,  to  the 
 Weftern  parts  of  the  Country.  It  was  called  Beth- 
 aven  in  future  times,  by  way  of  reproach  5  when  the 
 Golden  Calves  were  fet  up  in  it  5  which  made  it  not 
 a  honfe   of  God  (as  Beth  el  fignifies)    but  an   houfe  of 
 
 Iniquity, 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  73 
 
 Iniquity,  1.  e.  Idolatry,  which  is  the  import  of  Beth-  Chapter 
 aver;.     But  it  is  plain  from  hence  thefe  were  two  di-      VII. 
 fti net  places.  L^VNJ 
 
 And  [fake  unto  thent^  faying,.  Go  up  and  view  the 
 Country  5  and  the  Men  went  up  and  viewed  Ai.~]  How 
 it  lay,  and  how  it  was  fortified,  &c.  And  it  Teems 
 to  have  been  feated  in  the  Hilly  Country  5  and  be- 
 longed to  the  Amorites,  v.  7. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  they  returned  unto  Jofljua  and  J aid  unto  Verfe  9. 
 him,  Let  not  all  the  People  go  up^  but  let  about  two  or 
 three  thou/and  Men  go  up  and  [mite  Ai,  &ZC.~]  They 
 thought  this  number  would  be  fufficient,  becaufe,  as 
 it  follows  in  the  end  of  the  Verfe,  they  were  but  few  : 
 And  therefore  they  would  not  have  all  Ifrael  put  to 
 the  trouble  of  marching  thither.  In  which  counfel  a 
 good  Providence  of  God  interpofed  :  tor  if  the  flight 
 of  three  Thoufand  Men  put  the  Ifraelites  into  fuch  a 
 confirmation  (as  we  read,  v.  5,  6.)  what  a  conditi- 
 on would  they  have  been  in,  if  all  the  People  had 
 been  put  to  the  worfe  ^  as  they  would  have  been,  if 
 they  had  attacked  Ai,  while  this  guilt  remained  among 
 them. 
 
 Ver.  4.  So  there  went  up  thither  of  the  People  about  Verfe  4. 
 three  thoufand  Men,  and  they  fled  before  the  Men  of 
 Al7\  Who  feeing  fo  fmall  a  number,  came  out  and 
 engaged  the  Ifraelites  :  whofe  courage  quite  failed 
 them  5  fo  that  they  feem  not  to  have  (truck  a  ftroke, 
 but  immediately  ran  away.  For  God  had  left  them ; 
 to  whom  they  owed  all  their  valour  and  vi&ories. 
 
 Ver.  5.   And    the  Men  of  Ai  fmote    of  them  about  Verfe.  5. 
 thirty  and  fix  Men."]     Of  the  hindmoft  of  them,  it  is 
 moft   likely,    who  could  not  run  away  fo  fafl:  as 
 the  reft. 
 
 L  For 
 
74 
 
 A  CO MMENT^Rr 
 
 Chapter      For  they  chafed  them  from  before  the  gate?]    Of  the 
 
 VII.      City  Ai. 
 CVVi       Unto  Shebarim.]     A  place,  I  fuppofe,  between  Ai 
 and  Jericho:  which  the  Targnm  thinks  had  its  name 
 from  the  rout  of  the  Ifraelites  there. 
 
 And  f mote  them  in  the  going  down?]  Till  they  came 
 to  the  Plains  of  Jericho.  For  A/,  (landing  on  a  Hill  3 
 there  was  a  defcent  from  thence  thither. 
 
 Wherefore  the  hearts  of  the  People  melted.]  As  Wax 
 doth  before  the  Fire  (XXVIII  Pfal.  2.)  or  as  Ice  be- 
 fore the  Sun. 
 
 And  became  as  Water."]  Weak  and  wavering,  in 
 uncertain  refolutions  5  not  knowing  what  to  do. 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  J  of  ma  rent  his  Clothes?]  As  the  man- 
 ner was  when  they  were  full  of  grief  5  upon  occafion 
 of  any  great  calamity,  or  the  commiffion  of  any 
 great  crime.  Which  cuftom  was  very  ancient, 
 XXXVII  Gen.  34.  XLIV.  13.  and  continued  in  the 
 times  of  the  Prophets :  who  make  it  a  crime  that  Men 
 did  not  rend  their  Clothes,  when  grievous  Sins  were 
 committed. 
 
 And  fell  to  the  earth  upon  his  face?]  To  make  his 
 fupplication  to  God  for  Mercy. 
 
 Before  the  Ark  of  the  LORB?]  Not  in  the  San&u- 
 ary,  but  with  his  face  towards  it.  In  imitation  of 
 which  the  Prscentor  in  the  Jewiffj  Synagogue  at  this 
 Day,  falls  down  before  the  Cheft  wherein  they  keep 
 the  Book  of  the  Law  :  when  he  takes  it  out  to  read  } 
 as  Buxtorf  obferves  in  his  Synag.  Judaica.  And  on 
 folemn  Faft-Days,  as  the  Mifna  tells,  fuch  proba- 
 tions were  ufual. 
 
 Until  the  even-tide?]  Continued  all  Day  in  Fad- 
 ing and  Prayer  to  God. 
 
 He  and  the  Elders  oflfrael]  Who  rent  their  Clothes, 
 I  fuppofe,  as  he  had  done  5  and  then  prefented  them- 
 
 felves, 
 
upon   J  OSHUA,  75 
 
 (elves,  in  this  mournful  manner,  before  God  y  toim-   Chapter 
 plore  his  Mercy.  VII. 
 
 J  put  dufi  upon  their  heads.']  This  was  ftill  an  L/"VXj 
 higher  expreilion  of  great  grief,  and  of  a  deep  fenfe 
 of  their  un worthiness  to  be  relieved.  Which  was 
 very  ufual  in  this  Nation  (i  Sam.  IV.  12.  2  Sam.  I. 
 2,  ©V.J  and  was  imitated  by  the  Gentiles  ^  as  we 
 fee  in  the  Example  of  the  N/n/vites,  III  jta//d/6  6.  and 
 of  Achilles  who  bewailed  the  Death  of  Patroclus,  by 
 throwing  Duft  on  his  Head,  and  lying  down  in  the 
 Du(t,  as  Homer  defcribes  it  in  Iliad  2.   z>.  23,  24. 
 
 Ver.  7.  ^W  jf^/ft//*  /aid,  alas,  U  LORD  God.]  yak  7. 
 A  form  of  Speech  dolefully  bewailing  their  forlorn 
 condition.  Which  did  not  misbecome  fo  great  a 
 Captain  as  Jojhtia  was  5  for  the  moft  generous  fpirits 
 have  the  moft  tender  fenfe  of  humanity,  as  Arias 
 Mont  amis  excellently  difcourfes  upon  this  place. 
 
 Wherefore  haji  thou  at  all  brought  this  People  over 
 Jordan,  to  deliver  us  unto  the  hands  of  the  Amorites  to 
 defiroy  us}]  This  is  not  a  iinful  expoftulation  with 
 God  (for  he  is  not  reprehended  for  it,  but  gracioufly 
 inftru&ed)  but  only  a  confeffion  of  his  ignorance, 
 why  God  fhould  do  fuch  wonders  for  them  as  he  had 
 done,  and  now  let  them  fall  into  the  hands  of  thofe 
 Enemies,  whom  they  had  conquered  on  the  other  fide 
 of  Jordan.  And  it  is,  as  if  he  had  faid,  I  am  con- 
 founded in  my  thoughts,  being  unable  to  underftand 
 why,  (£>c.  and  confequently  he  humbly  defired  to  be 
 informed  in  the  reafon  of  this  change  of  his  Pro- 
 vidence. 
 
 Would  to  God  we  had  been  content,  and  dwelt  on  the 
 other  fide  Jordan.]  As  far  as  he  could  apprehend, 
 they  had  better  have  refted  Satisfied  with  what  they 
 had  in  pofleffion,  than  be  thus  defeated  in  their  at- 
 tempt to  acquire  more.  L  %  Ver.  &. 
 
76  A  CO  MMENT  AK  Y 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  8.  0  LORD,  what  Jhatt I  fay  .<?]  Whatcourfe 
 VII.      fhall  I  take  ?    Or,  how  (hall  I  anfwer  the  reproaches 
 
 IS~sT\j  of  our  infulting  Enemies? 
 
 Verfe  8,  When  Jfracl  turneth  their  backs  before  their  Enemies  f\ 
 What  hope  is  there  of  conquering  them  $  or  prefer- 
 ving  our  felves  ? 
 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  For  the  Canaanites  and  all  the  inhabitants  of 
 the  land  will  hear  of  it.]  They  that  are  at  the  great- 
 eft  diftance,  by  the  Sea-fide,  will  hear  the  report  of 
 our  defeat :  which  willfoonbe  fpread  over  the  whole 
 Country. 
 
 And  ft?  all  inviron  us  round  about.']  Be  incouraged 
 thereby  to  gather  all  their  Forces  together,  and  fur- 
 round  us. 
 
 And  cut  off  our  name  from  the  earth."]  Utterly  de- 
 ftroy  us. 
 
 And  what  wilt  thou  do  unto  thy  great  name  z  ]  And 
 which  was  worfe,  God  would  lofe  the  glory  of  all 
 the  Miracles  he  had  wrought  5  and  be  thought  unable 
 to  accomplifh  what  he  had  begun  to  do  for  his  Peo- 
 ple. This  argument  Mofes  had  formerly  prefled, 
 XXXII  Exod.  12.  XIV  Numb,  16.  IX  Dent.  28. 
 And  God  himfelf,  in  the  Song  which  he  bad  Mofes 
 teach  the  People,  makes  ufe  of  it,  XXXII  Dent. 
 26,   27. 
 
 Verfe  1  c.  Ver.  10.  And  the  LORD  faid  unto  Jojlma,  Get  thee 
 up  5  why  lief  thou  thus  upon  thy  face  f\  Thefe  words 
 are  not  a  reproof,  but  a  gracious  anfwer  to  his  Prayers. 
 For  when  a  Perfon  who  fupplicates  a  Prince,  is  com- 
 manded to  rife  up  from  his  Knees,  it  is  a  token  of 
 acceptance. 
 
 Verfe   11.      Ver.   11.  Ifrael  hath  finnedT]     See  v.  1. 
 
 And  they  have  alfo  tranfgreffed  my  covenant  which  1 
 commanded  themT]     They  had  promifed  obedience  to 
 
 all 
 
upon  JOSHU  A.  77 
 
 all    Cods    commands,    XXIV  Fxod.  7.    and   aflured   Chapter 
 Joflma  they  would  do  whatsoever  he  bad  them,   I.  16,      VII. 
 17,   18.   And  this  was  a  late  command  delivered  by  \^y\T\J 
 him  from  God,  that  they  fhould  not  meddle  wich  any 
 thing  devoted  to  Cod,   with  a  folemn  curie. 
 
 tor  they  have  even  taken  of  the  accitrjed  thing.]  That 
 which  belongs  to  me,  v.  1. 
 
 And  have  alfo  Jioln,  and  diffenibled  alfo.~]  Not  only 
 purloyned  that  which  God  referved  to  hiinfelf;  but 
 denied  it  after  the  faft  was  done.  For  I  fuppofe 
 JoJ/jua,  after  the  deftruftion  of  Jericho,  had  madeen- 
 quiry,  whether  the  Silver  and  Gold,  &c.  were  brought 
 into  the  Treafury,  and  whether  they  had  deftroyed 
 all  other  things,  as  God  commanded  :  and  they  all 
 anfwered,  that  they  had. 
 
 And  they  have  put  it  even  amongft  their  own  fluff \~] 
 To  conceal  it  from  difcovery.  Or,  it  is  an  expreilion 
 of  his  impudent  tranfgreffion  of  Gods  command,  ia 
 converting  it  immediately  to  his  own  private  ufe. 
 For  in  this  Verfe  the  crime  is  aggravated  in  a  gradual 
 manner  5  in  that  Achat*  had  not  only  finned,  but 
 againft  the  Covenant  they  had  folemnly  made  with 
 him 5  and  that  in  a  matter  of  great  importance,  in 
 which  he  had  lately  laid  his  injunctions  upon  them  : 
 having  not  only  taken  to  himfelf  what  belonged  to 
 God,  but  done  it  by  way  of  ftealth,  as  if  he  could 
 not  fee  it  5  and  likewife  denied  the  doing  of  it;  and 
 perfifting  in  the  Sin,  by  mixing  what  he  had  ftoln 
 with  his  own  proper  Goods. 
 
 Ver.   12.    1  here  fore  the   Children   of  lfracl  could  not  Verfe    12, 
 ft  and  before  their  ELmmies,  buf turned  their  backs  before 
 their  Enemies  becaufe  they  rvere  accurfed.]     By  having 
 a  Man  among  them,  who  was  lain  under  the  Curfe 
 of  God. 
 
 Neitbi 
 
7* 
 
 A  COMMENT ART 
 
 Chapter        Neither  will  I  be  with  you  any  more,  except  you  de~ 
 
 VII.     jlroy  tfo  accurfed  from  among  youP[    Thefe  words  (how 
 
 S^/^TSJ  that  only  one  Man  among  them  was  accurfed,  though 
 
 they  all  fuffered  for  it  \    and  were  to  continue  to 
 
 fuffer,  till  he  was  deftroyed.     For  now  that  they 
 
 knew  there  had  been  fuch  a  crime  committed  among 
 
 them,  they  had  been  as  guilty  as  Achan,  if  they  had 
 
 not  punifhed  it. 
 
 Verfe  i^.      ^er.  13.  Vp.~]  He  was  not  frill  lyingon  the  ground, 
 
 *  for  God  had  bid  him  rife  before,  and  he,  I  fuppofe, 
 
 had  obeyed  him:    But  this  is  a  word  whereby  he 
 
 quickens  him  to  make  all  the  fpeed  he  could,  to  do  as 
 
 he  now  directed  him, 
 
 San&ifie  the  People."]  Call  upon  them  to  fanftifie 
 themfelves  j  as  it  here  follows. 
 
 And  fay  unto  them,  fanUifie  your  felves.~]  As  they 
 did  when  they  were  to  meet  the  LORD  at  Mount 
 Sinai)  XlXExod.  10,  &c.  and  as  they  were  lately 
 commanded  to  do,  when  he  led  them  over  Jordan, 
 III.  5.  For  now  they  were  to  appear  before  his  Ma- 
 jefty,  that  an  inquifition  might  be  made,  who  he  was 
 that  had  been  guilty  of  this  foul  crime. 
 
 To  morroxv7\  For  he  would  not  have  the  guilt  re- 
 main any  longer  upon  them. 
 
 For  thus  faith  the  LORD  God  of  Ifrael,  there  is  m 
 accurfed  thing  in  the  midft  of  thee,  0  JfraeL"]  He  fpeaks 
 in  this  ftile,  both  to  awaken  them  to  fan&ifie  them- 
 felves 3  and  alfo  to  appear  before  the  LORD  next 
 morning. 
 
 Thou  canji  not  ftand  before  thine  Enemies,  until  ye 
 take  away  the  accurfed  Tiring  from  among  you  J]  Both 
 the  Perfon  that  had  violated  the  Anathema  5  and  the 
 thing  he  had  purloyned. 
 
 Ver.  14. 
 
upon    JOSHUA-  79 
 
 Vcr.  14.  In  the  morning  therefore  ye  full be  brought  .]  Chapter 
 Before  the  LOUD.  y/r> 
 
 According  to  your  tribes']  Some  principal  perfons  L*^V^\j 
 of  every  tribe,  reprcfenting  the  reft,  were  fet  before  Verfe  14 
 the  LORD. 
 
 And  it  JlhtUbc  that  the  tribe  which  the  LORD  taketh, 
 flhill  come  according  to  the  families  thereof^  and  the 
 family  which  the  LORD  foall  take,  Jijall  come  by 
 houfjolds  $  and  the  houf/jold  which  the  LORD  (hall 
 take,  f mil  come  Man  by  Man.~]  There  is  no  difficulty 
 in  thefe  words,  but  only  to  underftand  how  this  in- 
 quifition  was  made,  and  the  author  of  the  faft  dis- 
 covered. Which  is  not  here  expreffed,  there  being 
 no  words  to  fignifie  how  the  LORD  took,  one  Tribe, 
 and  Family,  and  Houfhold,  and  Perfon  from  the  reft. 
 The  jfen\r  (who  are  never  at  a  lofs  in  thefe  matters) 
 tell  us,  that  when  they  ftocd  before  the  San&uary, 
 the  High  Prieft  was  in  it  with  the  ZJrim  and  Thummim  : 
 wherein  were  twelve  Stones,  with  the  names  of  the 
 Children  of  Ifrael  engraven  in  them.  And  when 
 that  Tribe,  fuppofe,  to  which  the  guilty  Perfon  be- 
 longed was  called,  that  Stone  in  which  was  the  name 
 of  that  Tribe  changed  colour  :  and  fo  it  did  when 
 the  Family,  and  the  Houfhold,  and  the  Perfon  were 
 called.  But  this  is  a  mere  fancy  of  the  Stones  (Inning, 
 or  becoming  duskifh  5  by  which,  I  have  fhown  elfe- 
 where,  anfwers  could  not  be  given  to  enquiries,  by 
 Vrim  and  Thummim.  And  what  others  of  them  fay, 
 is  not  much  better  ,  For  inftance,  Kimchi,  who  tells 
 us  fome  are  of  opinion,  that  they  being  made  to  pafs 
 before  the  Ark,  the  guilty  could  not  ftir  a  foot.  See 
 leveral  other  conceits  in  Bnxtorfs  Hijloria  Urim  & 
 Thummim,  P.  304,  &c\ 
 
 But 
 
So  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter.       But  the  plaineft  account  of  this  matter  is  this,  that 
 
 VII.      they  were  difcovered  by  catting  of  Lots,  in  the  pre- 
 
 L/"V"NJ  fence  of  God  :  which  was  an  ufual  way  in  after  times 
 
 of  difcovering  noxious Perfons,   i  Saw.XlV.  41,42. 
 
 I  Jonah  7.     So  Jofephus  L.  V.  Cap.  1.  and  Ralbag. 
 
 Verfe  15.       Ver.   15.   And  it  jhall  be^  that  he  that  is  taken  with 
 
 the  accurfed  thing,  fiall  be  burnt  with  fire."]     After  they 
 
 had  ftoned  him  to  Death  with  Stones,  v.  25. 
 
 He  and  all  that  he  hath]  His  Children,  and  his 
 Cattle  5  his  Tent  and  all  his  Goods  $  as  it  is  explain- 
 ed, v.  24. 
 
 Betaufe  he  hath  tranfgrejffed  the  Covenant  of  the 
 LORD.]    v.  11. 
 
 And  becaufe  he  hath  wrought  folly  in  IfraeL]  Com- 
 mitted a  very  heinous  Sin. 
 
 Ver.  16.  So  Joflwa  rofe  up  early  in  the  morning!]  It 
 is  probable  he  acquainted  no  body  with  thefe  orders ; 
 but  made  all  the  hafte  he  could  to  put  them  in  execu- 
 tion. For  if  they  had  been  known  abroad,  Achans 
 guilt  might  have  made  him  flee  from  fo  terrible  a 
 fentence. 
 
 And  brought  lfrael  by  their  Tribes,  and  the  Tribe  of 
 Judah  was  taken.]  Who,  if  we  may  believe  the  Jews, 
 immediately  ftood  to  their  Arms^  and  would  not 
 lay  them  down,  till  they  faw  the  Man  apprehended 
 and  punilhed  who  had  done  this  thing. 
 Verfe  27.  Ver.  17.  And  he  brought  the  family  of  Judah,  &c."] 
 Every  Family  of  that  Tribe,  till  that  of  the  Zarhites 
 was  taken. 
 
 And  he  brought  the  family  of  the  Zarhites  Man  by 
 Man!]  That  is^  every  head  of  their  feveral  Houfholds, 
 as  he  was  directed,  v.  14. 
 
 AndZabdi  was  taken.]  That  is,  the  Lot  fell  upon 
 his  Houfhold. 
 
 Ver.  18. 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  b  i 
 
 Ver.   1 8.   And  he  brought  his  houjlwlcl  Man  by  Man,    ChaptCf 
 and  Achan  the  Son  of  Car/;// ,  the  Son  ofZabdi,  the  Son        VII. 
 of  Zcrah,  of  the  tribe  of  Jitdah  was  taken.]     Here  the  L/'W-  . 
 Samaritan  Chronicle  tells  the  very  fame  ftory  with  the  Verfc  i3 
 Talmudifts  jhat  the  Stone  in  the  Breft-plate  of  the  High 
 Prieft,  in  which  was  engraven  the  name  ofjudah-^ 
 was  darkned  when  Achan  was  named.     See  Hottingers 
 Smegma  Orient ale ^  Cap.  VIII.  P.  505. 
 
 Ver.  19.  And  joflmafaid  unto  Achan,  mySon.~]  All  Verfc  19. 
 great  minds  are  full  of  tendernefs  and  companion, 
 and  nothing  more  unbecomes  a  Prince,  than  violent 
 Paflion.  Which  Jojhua  was  fo  far  from  exprefTing 
 on  this  occafion,  that  he  fpeaksto  him  with  the  greateft 
 mildnefs  imaginable. 
 
 Give  I  pray  the  glory  to  the  LORD  God  of  I fr  a  el.'] 
 The  Samaritan  Chronicle  before  named,  paraphrafes 
 this  not  amifs  $  Lift  up  thine  Eyes  to  the  King  of  He  a- 
 ven  and  Earth,  and  acknowledge  that  nothing  can  be 
 hid  from  him:  who  knows  the  greateft  fecrets. 
 
 And  make  confefflon  unto  him,  and  tell  me  now  what 
 thou  haft  done.']  Openly  confefs  thy  guilt  3  and  relate 
 to  me  what  it  is,  that  thou  haft  converted  to  thine 
 own  ufe. 
 
 Hide  it  not  from  me.]  Who  thou  feeft  have  God 
 at  hand,  to  difcover  that  which  none  of  us  know  but 
 thy  felf. 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  Achan  anfweredjoftua,  and  /aid,  tn-  Verfe  JO. 
 deed  1  have  finned  againft  the  LORD  God  of  Ifracl.] 
 Which  the  Samaritan  Chronicle  thus  expreffes,  /  ac- 
 knowledge that  I have grievoufly  finned  before  God,  who 
 knows  all  fecret  and  hidden  things.  For  I  have  preva- 
 ricated again/l  the  Covenant  of  God,  and  againft  his 
 Embajfador. 
 
 M  And 
 
82  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        And  thus  and  thus  have  I  done.']     Committed  this 
 
 VII.      Sin,  with  fuch  circumftances,  as  here  follow. 
 L/"V~\J        Ver.    21.  When  I  faw  among  the  fpoils.~]     He  doth 
 Verfe  21-  not  fay  in  what  place  5    but  the  forenamed  Chronicle 
 faith,    it  was  as  he  entred  into  one  of  their  Tem- 
 ples. 
 
 A  goodly  Babylomfo  garment."]  There  are  a  great 
 many  opinions  about  this  Garment  5  which  Bochartus 
 moft:  probably  judges  to  have  been  a  various  garment, 
 as  the  LXX  tranllate  it :  that  is,  of  divers  colours  : 
 Wherein  were  feveral  figures  either  woven,or  wrought 
 with  a  Needle.  For  which  fort  of  work  Babylon  was 
 famous  j  in  fo  much  that  they  were  called  painted  gar- 
 ments ;  which  made  a  moft  glorious  fhow,  and  there- 
 fore was  very  inviting  to  the  eye  of  Achan.  Who 
 was  tempted  by  its  lufter,  to  referve  one  of  ihefe 
 Garments  for  his  own  ufe,  or  to  fell :  for  they  were 
 of  an  itnmenfe  price.  See  him  in  his  Phaleg.  Lib.  1. 
 Cap.  VI.  where  he  hath  a  long  differtation  about  this 
 Garment. 
 
 And  two  hundred  Shekels  of  Silver!]  Which  is  as 
 much  as  an  Hundred  German  Dollers,  as  Majius 
 obferves. 
 
 And  a  wedge  of  Gold."]  In  the  Hebrew  a  tongue  3 
 for  it  had  that  (hape. 
 
 Of  Fifty  Shekels  weight."]  This  may  be  underftood 
 two  ways  3  either  that  it  was  worth  fo  many  Shekels 
 in  value,  that  is  Fifty  Dollers :  or,  that  it  weighed  as 
 much  as  Fifty  Shekels,  that  is,  three  Hundred  Dollers. 
 The  laft  fenfe  Mafius  thinks  mod  probable. 
 
 Then  I  coveted  and  took,  them."]  To  his  own  ufe  5 
 when  he  fhould  have  brought  them  into  Gods  treafury, 
 I  James  1 5 . 
 
 And 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  fc  3 
 
 .1  behold  they  arc  hid  in  the  Earth  in  the  mi  Ail  of  fv 
 my  lent,']     Till  he  could  have  time  to  difpofe  of  th  IF. 
 
 to  his  beft  advantage.  iyy\j 
 
 And  the  Silver  under  it  J]     The  Silver  was  imir 
 clutely  under  the  Babylonian  Garment,  and  the  Gold 
 under  that.     For  both  Silver  and  Gold  are  here  meant, 
 though  one  only  mentioned. 
 
 Ver.   22.  Then  Jofhuafent  meffengers,  and  they  ran  \ 
 to  the  Tent.~]     Left  any  one  (hould  remove  them  and 
 render  the  fact  dubious  5  and  that  the  Children  of  If- 
 rael  might  be  fpeedily  expiated. 
 
 And  behold  it  was  hid  in  his  Tent,  and  the  Silver 
 under  it.']  They  found  the  Babylonif/j  Garment  (as 
 was  laid  before)  hid  in  the  Earth,  and  the  Silver  and 
 Gold  under  it.  The  LXX  indeed  underftand  it,  as 
 if  the  Gold  and  Babylonifl)  Garment  were  uppermofr, 
 and  the  Silver  under  them.  For  fo  they  tranilate 
 thefe  words  both  here  and  in  the  foregoing  Verfe, 
 7D  dpy! ^icv  D7rof(jli74)  av^f,  the  Silver  under  them.  The 
 wedge  of  Gold  perhaps  was  wrapt  in  the  BabyloniJIj 
 Garment:  and  fo  the  Silver  might  be  faid  to  lye,  ei- 
 ther under  it,  or  under  them. 
 
 Ver.  23.  And  they  tool^  them  out  of  the  midfi  of  the  Verf 
 Tent.']     Where  he  told  them   he  had  buried   thefe 
 things. 
 
 And  brought  them  unto  Jofljua,  and  unto  all  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Ifrael.~]     For  they   were  all  affembled  at  I 
 Tabernacle,  waiting  to  fee  the  iffue  of  this  matter. 
 
 And  laid  them  before  the  LORD.~]  That  the  faft 
 might  bemanifeftj  and  the  LORD  acknowledged  to 
 be  omnifcient. 
 
 Ver.  24.  And  Joflwa  and  all  Ifrael  with  him.']     By  \/erk 
 an  universal  confent. 
 
 M  2  Took, 
 
84 
 
 A  CO MMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Took  Achan  the  Son  of  ZerahT]     He  was    Zerahs 
 
 VII.       gr^at  Grand-Child. 
 {S~sf%J       And  the  Silver,  and  the  Garment ,  and  the  wedge  of 
 Gold.']     Which  God  would  not  have  put  into  his 
 treafury,  after  they  had  been  thus  perverted  to  a  pri- 
 vate ufe. 
 
 And  his  Sons,  and  his  Daughters."]     This  feems  very 
 hard,  that  they  (hould  be  Executed  in  fuch  a  terrible 
 manner,  as  here  follows,  for  their  Fathers  fault.   But 
 the  Jews  in  Pirke  Eliefer  fay,  they  were  puniflied  $  be- 
 caule  they  were  privy  to  their  Fathers  ftealth,and  con- 
 cealed it.    Others  think  this  was  a  neceifary  feverity  in 
 the  beginning  of  a  new  Empire,  and  of  a  plentiful 
 fortune  5    upon  which  they  now  entred :    that  they 
 might  not  wantonly  abufe  it.    But  there  are  thofe, 
 who  think  this  is  but  a  feeming  difficulty :    Achan 
 alone  being  ftoned  (as  we  read  in  the  next  Verfe,  all 
 Jfrael ftoned  him  with  Stones)  and  his  Children  brought 
 forth  to  be  fpedtators  of  it.     And  when  it  is  faid  in 
 the  conclufion  of  the  next  Verfe,   they  ftoned  them 
 with  Stones,  it  relates  to  his  Oxen  and  Affes  and  Sheep 
 which  were  ftoned  with  him.     See  Guil.  Vorftius  in 
 his  Annotations  on  Pirke  Eliefer,  P.  224. 
 
 And  his  Oxen,  and  his  Affes,  and  his  Sheep,  and  his 
 Tent,  and  all  that  he  had.]  This  was  done,  to  repre- 
 fent  to  the  People  the  heinoufnefs  of  this  offence  ^ 
 and  to  ftrike  fuch  a  terror  into  them,  that  they  Qiould 
 not  dare  to  commit  the  like. 
 
 And  they  brought  them  unto  the  valley  of  Achor.] 
 Which  had  its  name  from  him,  v.  26.  See  there. 
 Verfe  15.  Ver.  25.  And  Joflma faid.]  He  was  the  fole  Judge, 
 as  the  Jews  think,  in  this  matter.  And,  whereas  by 
 the  Law,  none  might  be  condemned  out  of  the  mouth 
 of  one  Witnefs,  nor  was  any  Judge  to  fit  alone,  with- 
 out 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  S$ 
 
 out  Afliftants  (according  to  their  DodJors )  nor  any  Chapter 
 Mans  teftimony  to  be  admitted  againft  himielf  (be-      VJI. 
 caufe  in  a  mad  fit,  he  might  undo  himfelfj)  yet  their  L/"V\j 
 King  had  this  lingular  prerogative,  that  he  might  try 
 a  Man  alone  by  himfelf,  and  condemn  him  out  of 
 the  mouth  of  one  Witnefs,  nay,   from  his  own  con- 
 fefiion  5  as  Joflwa  did  here  (who  was  their  King  or 
 Supreme  Governor)  in  Achans  cafe,    and  as  David 
 did  afterward  in  the  cafe  of  the  Amalekjte,  2  Sam.  1. 1  5. 
 See  G.  Schickard,  in  his  J us  Rcgiit ///,  Cap.  IV.  Theorem 
 XIV.     But  Jojlma  is  impertinently  alledged  as  a  proof 
 of  this  extraordinary  Power  ^  for  it  was  God  who 
 convicted  Achan,    and  pronounced    this   femence : 
 which  Jojhua  only  put  in  execution. 
 
 Why  haft  thou  troubled  mi  the  LORD  Jbalt  trouble 
 thee  thkday.~]  The  Doftors  in  the  Hierufalem  Talmud 
 in  the  Treatife  Sanhedrim,  Cap.  VI.  fancy  there  is  a 
 peculiar  emphafis  in  thefe  words  this  Day.  As  if  he 
 had  faid,  in  this  day  thou  Jfjalt  be  troubled,  but  thou 
 JJjalt  not  be  troubled  in  the  world  to  come.  For  they 
 think  that  he  having  given  glory  to  God,  by  con- 
 fefling  his  Sin,  had  all  his  punifhment  here. 
 
 All  agree  Jo/frua  alludes  to  his  name  5  the  word 
 Achar  fignifying  to  trouble  or  difturb.  Or  rather,  his 
 name  was  changed  from  Achan  unto  Achar  $  becauie 
 of  this  difturbance  which  he  gave  to  all  JfraeL 
 
 And  all  Ifracl  floned  him  with  Stone  <.~]  Which  was 
 a  punirtiment  of  great  Crimes,  as  I  have  obferved  elfe- 
 where.  See  XX  Levi i.  9.  11,  12,  13,  &c.  as  I  re- 
 member. This  is  faid  to  be  done  by  all  Jfrael  j  bc- 
 caufe  they  were  all  prefent,  and  confenting  to  it. 
 
 And  burnt  them  with  fire,  after  they  hadftoned  them 
 with  Stones.']  Burnt  their  dead  carcafes.  Why  they 
 were  both  ftoned,  and  alfo  burnt  3  Elicfer  in  his  Pirfa 
 
 and 
 
86  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  and  Vorfiius  upon  him  gives  a  reafon  in  the  place 
 
 VI I.  above  named. 
 L/"V^yJ  Ver.  26.  And  they  raifed  over  him  a  great  heap  of 
 Verfe  20. Stones  unto  this  Day.~]  As  a  monument  of  his  Sin, 
 and  of  Gods  judgment  upon  him.  Thus  they  did 
 with  Abfolom,  2  Sam.  XVIII.  17.  And  Houfes  or 
 Cities,  which  were  deftroyed  are  faid  to  be  turned  in- 
 to an  heap,  XXV  Ifa.  2.  or  heaps ^  IX  Jerem.  11.  as  a 
 token  of  their  utter  ruin. 
 
 And  the  LORD  turned  from  the  Jiercenefs  of  his 
 anger7\  Was  reconciled  to  his  People,  after  they  had 
 executed  his  fentence  againft  him,  that  provoked  his 
 anger*  So  the  Samaritan  Chronicle.  Thus  the  anger  of 
 God  was  removed  from  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  and  he 
 was  pleafed  with  what  they  had  done.  See  XIII  Deut.  1 7. 
 
 Wherefore  the  name  of  that  place7\  Where  he  was 
 ftoned  and  burnt. 
 
 Was  called  the  valley  of  Achor  unto  this  day.  From 
 that  time  all  the  People  called  this  place  by  that  name, 
 in  memory  of  this  Execution  done  upon  Achar.  So 
 he  was  alfo  called  ever  after  this.  For  though  his 
 name  was  Achan,  yet  from  hence  forward  they  called 
 him  Achar,  the  troubler  of  Ifrael.  And  fo  he  is  here 
 called  in  the  Syriac  Verfioh,  and  by  Jofephus,  Atha- 
 nafius,  Ba/tl,  and  others  mentioned  by  Bochartus  5  as 
 Ezra  himfelf  alfo  calls  him,  1  Chron.  II.  7.  See  Hiero- 
 zoicon,  P.i.  Lib.  II.  Cap.  XXXI.  in  the  latter  end. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
upon   JOSHUA. 
 
 y 
 
 CHAP.     VIIL 
 
 Chapter 
 VIIL 
 
 Verfe   I.     \NDthe   LORD  faid    unto    >y/W.]  Verfe  i 
 l\  Who,  it  is  likely,  now  confulted  God 
 
 about  their  progrefs  in  this  War.  Which  he  had 
 not  done  before  (VII.  2.)  being  fufficiently  autho- 
 rized by  what  God  had  often  faid  to  him,  and  by 
 their  fuccefs  againft  Jericho :  but  this  late  defeat  be- 
 fore Ai,  might  make  him  think  it  neceffary  to  take 
 advice  of  the  Divine  Majeity,  before  he  attempted 
 any  thing  farther. 
 
 Fear  not  neither  be  difn/ayed.~]  Becaufe  of  the  late 
 ill  fuccefs :  of  which  he  now  knew  the  caufe  5  which 
 was  removed. 
 
 Take  all  the  People  of  War  with  thee.~]  This  order 
 may  feem  ftrange,  fince  the  People  themfelves  thought 
 two  or  three  Thoufand  were  fufficient,  if  God  were 
 with  them.  But  God  would  have  them  all  to  (hare  in 
 the  fpoil  of  Ai :  that  they  who  had  obeyed  him  in 
 abftaining  from  laying  their  hands  on  any  thing  in 
 Jericho,  might  be  now  rewarded  for  it,  by  the  prey 
 of  this  City  5  as  it  follows  in  the  next  Verfe. 
 
 And  arife,  go  up  to  Ai.~]  Which,  it  appears  by 
 this,  was  in  the  Hill  Country. 
 
 /  have  given  into  thy  hand  the  King  of  Ai,  and  his 
 People,  and  his  City,  and  his  Land.~]  He  bids  him  be 
 confident  of  a  compleat  Vi&ory  :,  as  if  he  had  already 
 won  it. 
 
 Ver.    2.  And  thou  fialt  do  to  Ai  and   her  King,   as  y 
 thoudidft  to  Jericho  and  her  King.~]  Only  with  fuch  a 
 difference,  as  follows  in  the  next  words. 
 
 Only 
 
88  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Only  the  fp  oil  thereof  and  the  Cattle  thereof  [I)  all  ye 
 VIII.      t&ke  for  a  prey  unto  your  felves.]     None  of  the   Silver 
 \ym\T\J  or  Gold  or  any  thing  elfe,  was  feperated  to  Gods  ufe, 
 nor  ordered  to  be  deftroyed  }  but  they  were  to  en- 
 joy it  all  intirely  themfelves. 
 
 Lay  thee  an  ambufl)  for  the  City  behind  it \]  On  the 
 Weft  of  it :  for  they  were  now  in  Gilgal,  which  lay 
 Eaftward. 
 Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  So  Joflma  arofe,  and  all  the  People  of  War , 
 to  go  up  againji  AiT]  In  obedience  to  the  Divine  di- 
 rection, v.  1. 
 
 And  Joflma  chofe  out  Thirty  Thoufand  mighty  Men  of 
 valour,  and  fent  them  away  by  night."]  When  they 
 were  lefs  liable  to  be  obferved. 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  And  he  commanded  them,  faying,  Behold, 
 ye  [I) all  lie  in  wait  againfi  the  City,  even  behind  the  Ciiy7\ 
 Like  a  great  General  he  affigns  their  Poft,  to  every 
 part  of  the  Army. 
 
 Go  7iot  very  far  from  the  City.']  Lie  as  clofe  to  it, 
 as  you  can,  without  being  difcovered. 
 
 But  be  ye  all  ready."]  To  feize  upon  the  City,  when 
 all  the  People  were  drawn  out  of  it. 
 Verfe  5.        Ver.   5.  And  I,  and  all  the  People  that  are  with  me, 
 tvill  approach  unto  the  City!]     As  if  they  intended  to 
 aflault  it. 
 
 And  it  flull  come  to  pafs,  when  they  come  out  againfi 
 us,  at  at  the  firfl.~]  Which  he  rationally  prefumed 
 they  would,  being  flulh'd  with  fuch  good  fuccefs. 
 
 That  we  will  flee  before  them.1]     Counterfeit  a  flight, 
 as  foon  as  they  appeared. 
 Verfe  6.         Ver.  6.  For  they  will  come  out  after  us,  till  we  have 
 drawn  them  from  the  City."]     Purfue   them,    with  all 
 their  force. 
 
 For 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  8^ 
 
 For  they  trill  fay  J  hey  flee  before  us  at  at  the  firjl  :  there-    Chapter 
 fare  ire  will  flee  before  the  He  gives  the  reafon  of      VIII. 
 
 their  flight  without  ftrikitig  of  a  lltroke  (as  we  now  L^V^vj 
 fpeak)  that  all  the  People  might  be  inticed  out  of  the 
 City,  in  purfuit  of  them:  as  he  concluded  they 
 would  be  5  becaufe  now  there  was  a  greater  number 
 of  the  Ifruelites  than  before  \  which  would  require 
 their  whole  power  to  deal  with  all. 
 
 Ver.   7.   Then  ye  fljall  rife  up  from  the  ambuflj  and  yer[e  -4 
 fcife  upon  the  City.']     Upon  the  fignal  given,    men- 
 tioned, v.  18. 
 
 For  the  LORD  your  God  will  deliver  it  into  your 
 hand.~]  He  would  not  have  them  fear  to  enter  the 
 City :  which  he  afTured  them  God  would  put  into 
 their  poffoffion. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  it  fljall  be  when  we  have  taken  the  City,  Verfe  8. 
 that  ye  /hall  fet  the  City  on  fire. ~]  The  Gate  where 
 they  entered,  or  fome  of  the  skirts  of  the  City  :  as 
 a  token  they  were  poffeffed  of  it.  '  For  they  were  to 
 take  the  fpoil  of  the  City,  before  they  burnt  it. 
 v.  x8. 
 
 According  to  the  commandment  of  the  LORD  fljall  ye 
 do.~]     And  not  tranfgrefs,  as  Achan  did. 
 
 See,  L  have  commanded  you.~]  Acquainted  them 
 with  the  will  of  God  :  in  the  obfervance  of  which, 
 they  might  be  confident  of  fuccefs. 
 
 Ver.  9.  Jofl}ua  therefore  fent  them  forth,    and  they  Verfe    ' 
 went  to  lie  in  ambuflj.']    He  fele&ed  thefe  Thirty  Thou- 
 fand  Men  out  of  the  reft  of  the  Army  5  and  when  it 
 was  dark  they  went  upon  the  forenamed  defign. 
 
 And  Jofljua  lodged  that  night  among  the  People.]  T 
 forenamed  detachment  (as  we  now  fpeak)  was  com- 
 manded by  fome  great  Officer  ^  in  whom  Jofljua  con- 
 fided:   but  he  himfelf,  lay  all  night  in  the  body  of 
 
 N  the 
 
9o  A  COMMENT  AKT 
 
 Chapter  the  Army  $  that  he  might  be  ready  in  the  morning, 
 VIII.     to  give  the  neceffary  orders. 
 
 IS~\T\J      Ver.   10.  And  Joflma  rofe  up  early  in  the  morning, 
 
 Verfe  10.  and  numbred  the  People.']  He  firft  gave  orders  to  the 
 Officers  (for  he  could  not  do  it  himfelf  alone)  to 
 fee  that  none  of  the  People  were  wanting. 
 
 And  went  up,  he  and  the  Elders  oflfrael,  before  the 
 People  to  Ai.~]  And  then  he  commanded  them  to 
 march  ^  he  was  attended  by  the  Elders  of  Ifrael,  lead- 
 ing them  on  towards  Ai.  But  it  is  uncertain  who  are 
 here  meant  by  the  Elders  oflfrael.  Some  think,  the 
 chief  commanders  in  the  Army:  but  they  are  never 
 called  Elders,  much  lefs  the  Elders  oflfrael.  But  the 
 Rulers  and  Judges  are  called  by  this  name,  who,  I 
 fuppofe  waited  upon  Jof/ma  as  a  Council  of  War  : 
 being  Men  authorized  by  God  to  affift  the  fupreme 
 Governour,  XI  Numb.  1.6.  X4,  25. 
 
 Verfe  11  ^er*  II#  ^nd  al/ the  People,  even  the  People  of  War 
 that  were  with  him]'  went  tip  and  drew  nigh  and  came 
 before  the  City.']  The  diftance  between  Gilgal  and  Ai 
 being  but  three  Leagues,  it  is  likely,  the  People  being 
 muttered  early  in  the  morning,  they  got  thither  be- 
 fore noon.  Thofe  words,  even  the  men  of  war  that 
 were  with  him,  feem  to  be  oppofed  to  the  thirty  thou- 
 fand,  whom  he  had  fent  away  before  to  lie  in  am- 
 bufh,  v.  3. 
 
 And  pitched  on  the  North  fide  of  Ai.]  Here  the 
 main  body  of  the  Army  lay,  behind  the  Hills  its  like- 
 ly, fo  that  they  were  not  difcovered  till  the  Evening, 
 or  the  next  Day. 
 
 Now  there  was  a  valley  between  them  and  AiT]  Where 
 they  of  Ai,  I  fuppofe,  drew  up:  when  they  refolved 
 to  engage  them* 
 
 Ver.  12, 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  >  r 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  took  about  five  thoufand  and  fit  them  Clupier 
 to  lie  in  ambufl)  between  Bct/xl  and  Ai.~]     Which  places      VI IT. 
 were  but  a  League  diftant  one  from  the  other.     See  i.-^WJ 
 VII.  2.  Verfe  12. 
 
 On  the  Wefi  fide  of  the  City.']  Where  the  former 
 detachment  were  ordered  to  lie,  v.  4.  But  thefe 
 feem  to  have  been  a  diftinct  party  from  them  \  and 
 fent,  its  likely,  for  another  purpofe  :  to  intercept  all 
 thofe  that  might  think  to  fave  themfelves,  by  flying 
 through  by  ways  5  which  they  were  fet  to  guard. 
 There  are  thofe  indeed  who  think  that  there  were 
 but  thirty  thousand  Men  in  all,  employed  in  this  Ex- 
 pedition againft  Ai  5  and  that  out  of  them  thefe  five 
 thoufand  Men  were  fent  to  lie  in  ambufh,  that  they 
 might,  in  convenient  time,  fet  fire  to  the  City.  See 
 Mafius.  But  this  is  fo  dire&ly  contrary  to  Gods  com- 
 mand, to  take  all  the  People  of  War  with  him,  v  1.  and 
 to  what  is  faid,  v.  3.  11.  that  I  cannot  think  it  to  be 
 true.  One  had  better  fay,  this  party  was  added  to 
 ftrengthen  the  Thirty  Thoufand  Men  in  their  under- 
 taking. 
 
 Ver.   13.  And  when  they  had  fet  the  People,  even  all Verfe  13 
 the  hoji  that  wm  on  the  North  of  the  City,    and  their 
 lyers  in  wait,  on  the  Weft  of  the  City7\     That  is  when 
 things  were  thus  difpofed,  about  the  Evening. 
 
 JojJma  went  that  night  into  the  midft  of  the  valley f\ 
 To  pray  to  God,  it  is  likely,  for  a  bleffing  upon 
 their  enterprife. 
 
 Ver.   14.  And  it  came  to  pafir  when  the  King  of  Ai  Verfe  14. 
 faw  /7.]     That  is,  was  informed  of  their  invefcing  the 
 City  on  the  North  fide  of  it:  which  it  is  likely  was 
 in  the  Evening  or  late  that  Night. 
 
 That  they  haftedT]  He  called  a  Council,  and  they 
 fpeedily  refolved  to  diflodge  the  Ifraelites. 
 
 N  2  And 
 
9* 
 
 A  CO MMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Anci  rofe  up  early ,  and  the  Men  of  the  City  went  out 
 VIII,      *ga'mft  Jfiael  to  battle,    he  and  all  his  People.]     The 
 L/-V%i  meaning  is,  all  that  could  fight  went  out  5  and  their 
 King  at  the  head  of  them. 
 
 At  a  time  appointed."]  They  had  agreed  all  to  iflbe 
 out,  at  feveral  Gates  (it  is  likely)  at  a  certain  hour. 
 
 Before  the  Plain.']  He  means,  perhaps,  the  Valley 
 which  lay  between  Ai  and  the  Camp  of  Ifrael :  be- 
 fore which  they  drew  up  their  Army  to  engage  the 
 Jfraelites. 
 
 But  he  wiji  not  that  there  were  Hers  in  ambufl)  againfl 
 him  behind  the  City.]  The  King  had  no  intelligence 
 of  that  ftrong  Party,  which  Joflma  had  fent  to  lie 
 behind  the  City  :  they  keeping,  I  fuppofe,  their  Gates 
 (hut  (as  they  did  at  Jericho,  that  none  could  get  in 
 or  go  out,  VI.  1.)  and  fufpe&ing  no  danger  from 
 the  Weftern  Coaft5  where  they  lay,  but  only  from 
 the  E:aft,  whence  they  knew  the  Jfraelites  were  to 
 march. 
 
 Verfe  1%.  ^er*  *5*  ^nc^  J°fl:,tia^  an<^  a^  Vrael  wade  as  ifthej^ 
 were  beaten  before  them.']  At  the  firft  onfet,  Jojkua 
 himfelf  turned  his  back?  and  all  the  reft  of  his  Army  : 
 as  if  they  durft  not  ftand  before  them. 
 
 And  fled  by  the  way  of  the  IVildernefs.]     Which  lay 
 between  Jericho  and  Ai. 
 Verfe  16       ^er*  1^*  And  all  the  People  that  were  in  Ai."]    Who 
 "  were  able  to  fight. 
 
 Were  called  together  to  purfue  them."]  I  fuppofe  fome 
 of  the  Men  of  War  might  be  left  in  the  City  till  they 
 faw  the  Jfraelites  fly,  and  then  they  were  ail  called 
 out  (as  Verfe  14.  is  to  be  underftood )  together  with 
 thofe  of  Bethel,  who  were  come  to  their  affiftance  : 
 being  near  Neighbours  3  and  both  under  the  fame 
 King. 
 
 And 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  £3 
 
 And  they  pitrfued  after  "jojhita,   and  were  drawn  away   Chapter 
 from  the  City.~]     They  were  fo  eager  in  their  purfuit,     VI J  I. 
 that  they  were  drawn  to  a  greater  diftance  from  Ai,  l/*V"\J 
 than  they  would  have  been,    if  they  had  conddered 
 the  danger  of  leaving  it  naked. 
 
 Ver.    17.   And  there  wm  not   a  Man  left  in   A/,  j  Verfe  17. 
 None  that  were  able  to  fight. 
 
 Or  Bethel,  that  went  not  out  after  Ifrael.~]  For  they 
 of  Bethel,  it  appears  by  thefe  words,  were  come  to 
 the  afliftance  of  Ai,  before  any  of  the  Army  of  Ifracl 
 arrived.  For  afterwards  they  could  not,  becaufe  the 
 ambufh  lay  between  Bethel  and  Ar?  v.  9. 
 
 And  they  left  the  City  open,  and  purfned  after  Ifrael7\ 
 There  was  not  fo  much  as  a  Man  left  to  guard  the 
 Gates :  but  all  were  engaged  in  the  purfuit. 
 
 Ver.   18.  And  the  LORD  faid  untojoflma.]     God  Verfe  18. 
 fecretly  fuggefted  to  him,  that  now  was  the  time  for 
 the  ambufh  to  fall  upon  the  City  5  when  their  Army 
 was  drawn  fo  far  from  it,  that  they  could  not  return 
 foon  enough  to  relieve  it. 
 
 Stretch  out  the  Spear  that  is  in  thy  Hand,  towards 
 At."]  He  bids  him  face  about  (as  we  now  fpeak)  and 
 flop  the  flight  of  the  Ifraclites.  It  is  much  diiputed 
 what  the  Hebrew  word  Chi  don  dgnifies :  which  the 
 Vulgar  Latin  tranflates  a  Shield.  But  Bochartus  hath 
 taken  a  great  deal  of  pains  to  fhow,  that  ir  every- 
 where fignifies  in  Scripture,  a  Spear  (as  we  tranflate 
 it)  or  a  Lance  1  or  fome  kind  of  fuch  like  offend ve 
 weapon,  efpecially  in  this  place,  he  thinks,  there  can 
 be  no  doubt  of  it.  For  it  was  a  weapon  he  had  in 
 his  Hand,  and  was  to  ftretch  forth  towards  the  City  : 
 that  it  might  be  a  fignal  to  thofe  in  ambufh  to  rife  and 
 enter  the  City  5  and  to  thofe  who  fled,  to  make  a 
 ftand  and  encounter  the  Enemy.     To  which  purpofe 
 
 nothing 
 
9A  A  COMMENT  A  RT 
 
 Chapter,  nothing  could  be  more  proper  than  a  Spear,  with  a. 
 VIII.  Flag,  it  his  highly  probable,  at  the  end  of  it  (like  to 
 Lrf^WJ  our  Enfigns)  which  made  it  more  vifible.  See  Hiero- 
 zeicon,  P.  i.  Lib.  II.  Cap.  VIII.  P.  135,  &c.  The 
 LXX  here  tranflate  it  ycSnvj  which  Suidasfays  fignifies 
 a  kind  of  weapon  ow  Si^H^  like  to  a  Spear.  See 
 the  fame  mod  learned  Author,  in  his  Canaan,  Lib.  I. 
 Cap.  XLII.  P.  744. 
 
 For  I  will  give  it  into  thy  hand.']  As  he  promifed, 
 v.  1. 
 
 And  Joflma  ftretched  out  the  Spear  that  he  had  in  his 
 Hand  toward  the  City.']  That  all  Ifrael  might  fee  it  3 
 as  they  did  the  Rod  of  Mofes,  when  they  fought 
 againft  Amakk. 
 
 Verfe  19.  ^er*  I9*  ^xU^  f^e  am^uflJ  rofe  quic%  out  of  their 
 place.]  Being  admonifhed  by  fome  Divine  fuggeftion 
 (as  Mafius  thinks)  as  well  as  by  the  fignal,  that  now 
 was  the  time  to  execute  their  defign. 
 
 And  they  came  as  foon  as  he  had  flretched  out  his 
 Hand.]  Which  they  might  fee  from  fome  of  the 
 Hills,  at  the  back  of  which  they  lay.  But  why  they 
 (hould  watch  for  this  fign,  or  underftand  what  it 
 meant,unlefs  Joflwahzd  received  this  order,and  told  it 
 them  before  they  went,  cannot  be  conceived. 
 
 And  they  entred  into  the  City  and  tool^  it.]  For  there 
 was  no  body  to  oppofe  them. 
 
 Aitid  hafted  and  Jet  the  City  on  fire ."]  In  .one  place  3 
 which  it  is  likely  was  on  the  North  fide  of  the  City  : 
 that  both  the  Israelites  and  the  People  of  At  might  fee 
 the  fmoke.  This  the  LORD  had  ftricUy  command- 
 ed (fee  v.  8.)  which  made  them  make  fuch  hajte,  as 
 foon  as  they  had  poffeffed  themfelves  of  the  City,  to 
 fet  fire  to  it. 
 
 Ver.  20. 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  9^ 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  when  the  Men  of  At  [oohgd  behind  Chapter 
 then/.']     I  fuppofe  there   was  a  great  fhout  made    by      VJ1I. 
 all  the  Israelites,  when  they  faw  the  fmoak  afcend :  l/^V"\j 
 which  made  the  Men  of  M  look  about  them.  Verft  2    . 
 
 They  faw,  and  behold  the  fmoal^  of  the  City  af  ended 
 up  to  Heaven.']  The  firing  of  any  out  Monies,  or 
 Barns,  was  fufficient  to  make  fuch  a  fmoak :  for  it  is 
 certain  the  City  was  not  yet  burnt.     See  v.  z3. 
 
 And  they  had  no  power  to  flee  this  way,  or  that  way  7] 
 Either  they  were  fo  diimayed,  that  they  flood  flock- 
 ftill  (as  we  fpeak)  or  found  themfelves  fo  invironed, 
 that  they  could  no  way  efcape.  For  on  the  North 
 and  Eaft  fides,  the  great  Army  came  upon  them  \  and 
 on  the  Weft  the  ambufh  iflued  forth  againft  them  : 
 and  the  other  five  Thoufand  Men  block'd  up  their 
 way  on  the  South.  Which  could  not  but  very  much 
 amaze  and  perplex  their  Minds :  and  the  more,  to  fee 
 all  their  vain  glorious  hopes  vanifhed,  which  their 
 King  no  doubt  had  entertained,  of  flopping  the  pro- 
 grefs  of  the  Israelites,  and  being  the  deliverer  of  h 
 Country. 
 
 And  the  People  that  fed  to  the  Wilderncfs  turned  back. 
 upon  the  purfuersf]  v.  15.  They  counterfeited  a  flight 
 no  longer,  but  now  boldly  look'd  their  Enemies  in 
 the  face. 
 
 Ver.  21.  And  when  Jofoua  and  all  Ifrael  faw."]     By'yer 
 this  it  is  plain,  the  whole  body  of  the  Men  of  War 
 were  here  5  and  not  only  three  Thoufand  of  them,   as 
 
 ne  fuppofe.     See  v.  12. 
 
 That  the  awbufo  had  taken  the  City,  and  that  the 
 fmoke  of  the  City  afcended.]  Whereby  they  under- 
 flood  it  was  taken. 
 
 Then  they  turned  again,  and  few  the  Men  of  Ai.j 
 After  they  had  made  a  ftand  a  while,   and  rallied  5 
 
 they 
 
96  ACOMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  they  fell  upon  the  Men  of  Ai,   and  made  a  great 
 VIII.     (laughter  of  them. 
 
 L/"V"SJ       Ver.   2  2.   And  the  other  ifjfved  out  of  the  City  again fl 
 
 Verfe  22.  them,  fothey  were  in  the  midji  dfjfrael,  fome  on  this  fide 
 and  fome  on  that  fide  :  and  they  f mote  them,  fo  that  they 
 let  none  of  them  remain,  orcfcape.~]  By  this  Stratagem, 
 they  were  all  intirely  cut  off. 
 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  And  the  King  of  Ai  they  took,  alive,  and 
 brought  him  to  JoflmaT]  Perhaps  they  were  ordered 
 fo  to  do  5  that  he  might  be  made  a  publick  fpe&acle 
 of  the  Divine  vengeance. 
 
 Verfe  24.  Ver.  24.  And  it  came  to  pafs,  when  Ifrael  had  made 
 an  end  of  flaying  all  the  inhabitants  of  AiT]  That  is, 
 the  Men  of  War. 
 
 In  the  field,  in  the  Wildernefs  wherein  they  chafed 
 them.']  By  this  it  appears,  that  they  fled  before  the 
 Ifraelites,  as  foon  as  they  turned  upon  them  :  having 
 no  heart  to  fight  them,  v.  20. 
 
 And  when  they  were  all  fain  by  the  edge  of  the  Sword, 
 until  they  were  confumed.]  This  is  repeated,  to  ex- 
 prefs  a  compleat  Vi&ory. 
 
 That  all  the  Ifraelites  returned  unto  Ai."]  From 
 whence  they  counterfeited  a  flight. 
 
 And  fmote  it  with  the  edge  of  the  Sword J]  All  the 
 People  that  were  left  in  it  $  as  every  one  was,  that 
 was  not  able  to  go  to  War. 
 
 Verfe.  2«S.  Ver.  25*  Andfo  it  was,  that  all  that  fell  that  day, 
 both  of  Men  and  Women,  were  twelve  thoufandT]  By 
 which  it  appears,  this  was  no  great  City  5  and  that 
 they  who  were  fent  to  view  the  Country  had  reafon 
 to  think  a  fmall  Party  fufficient  to  fubdueit,  VJI.  2, 
 3.  For  the  Men  of  Bethel  feem  to  be  included  alfo 
 in  this  number  5  being  mixed  with  thofe  of  Ai :  from 
 whom  the  Ifraelites  could  not  diftinguiih  them. 
 
 Even 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  97 
 
 "Even  *l!  the  Men  of  Ai7\     The  inhabitants  cf  the  Chapter 
 City   (as  it  follows  in  the  next  Verfe)  and  the  terri-      VI I  [ 
 tory  about  it,  great  and  fmall,  Men  and  Women.      L/VVi 
 
 Ver.  26.  And  Jo/ljuadrcw  not  his  handbac^  wherewith  Verie 
 
 he  firetched  out  the  Spear,  until  he  had  utterly  dejlroyed 
 all  the  inhabitants  of  Ai7\  But  kept  his  arm  extended, 
 with  the  Spear  in  it  5  as  Mofes  his  Rod  was  lifted  up 
 during  the  Fight  with  An/alek.  Or,  the  meaning 
 may  be,  that  he  himfelf  charged  them  and  continued 
 to  Fight,  as  long  as  there  was  a  Man  left. 
 
 Ver.   27.  Only  the  Cattle   and  the  fp oil  of  the  City."]  yerfe  2y 
 1.  e.     Their  Silver  and  Gold,    and  Houfhold  fluff, 
 &e. 
 
 Ifrael  tool^for  a  prey  unto  thentfelves^  according  unto 
 the  Word  of  the  LORD,  Sec.']  Who  was  fo  far  from 
 referving  any  of  thefe  things  to  himfelf,  that  he 
 made  an  exprefs  grant  of  them  to  the  Ifraelites,  v.  2. 
 
 Ver.  28.  And  Joffma  burnt  Ai.']     After   they  had  Verfe  28. 
 gotten  all  the  fpoil  of  it  :  which  had  been  loft,  if  it 
 had  been  burnt  before  by  the  Hers  in  ambufh.     See 
 v.  8.  19. 
 
 And  made  it  an  heap,  even  a  defolation  unto  this 
 Day."]  Laid  it  wafte  5  fo  that  it  was  known  only  by 
 its  ruins  for  a  long  time  after  :  as  it  was  at  the  time 
 when  this  was  written.     See  v.  if.  26. 
 
 Ver.  29.  And  the  King  of  Ai  he  hanged  on  a  tree.']  yerfe  29, 
 Being  the  head  of  a  very  wicked  People,  who  was 
 fit  to  be  made  a  publick  fpe&acle  of  Gods  Difpleafure. 
 Lipfus  in  his  Book  de  Cruce.  Lib.  I.  Cap.  XI.  Pro- 
 duces this  as  an  antient  inftance  of  crucifying  noto- 
 rious Malefaftors.  But  that  is  a  great  mi  (lake,  cruci- 
 fixion being  no  Jcwifi,  but  a  Ron/an  punifbment. 
 Nor  were  crucified  Perfons  hanged  and  ftrangled,  as 
 the  King  of  J/,and  Human  were  5  butfaftned  alive  to  a 
 
 O  Cn 
 
98  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Crofs  with  Nails  ftruck  into  their  Hands  and  Feet. 
 VIII.     The  LXX  indeed  here  expound  it,  he  was  hanged 
 
 L/~\r\J  l™  %>*■*  tiltijuLx,  wherein  they  feem  to  have  refpett  to 
 the  figure  of  the  Crofs :  but  there  is  no  fuch  thing  in 
 the  Hebrew.     See  XXV  Numb.  4. 
 
 Until  the  even- tide  :  and  as  foon  as  the  Sun  went 
 down^  Jojhua  commanded  that  they  f/jould  take  his  car- 
 cafe  down  from  the  tree."]  For  fo  God  had  com- 
 manded, XXI  Dent.  22,  23.     See  there. 
 
 And  caji  it  at  the  tntring  of  the  Gate  of  the  City."] 
 Where  he  was  wont  to  fit  in  judgment  :  and  in  all 
 probability  hid  exercifed  a  great  deal  of  injuftice 
 and  cruelty. 
 
 And  raifed  thereon  a  great  heap  of  Stones ,  that  re- 
 maineth  unto  this  Day.']  As  they  did  upon  Achan, 
 VII.  26.  and  for  the  fame  end  5  to  be  a  monument 
 of  his  being  hanged  near  to  this  place. 
 
 Verfe  20.  ^er*  30,  Then  Jo/hua  built  an  Altar  unto  the  LORD 
 '  God  of  Ifrael  in  Mount  Ebal.~]  If  this  Mount  Jay  be- 
 tween Ai  and  Bethel  (as  Gerardus  Mercator  indea- 
 vours  to  prove  by  many  arguments  J  then  this  Altar, 
 we  may  well  think,  was  built  immediately  after  the 
 taking  of  Ai0  as  foon  as  they  came  into  poffeffion  of 
 this  Mount :  For  they  look'd  upon  themfelves  no 
 doubt,  as  obliged  to  fulfil  the  command  of  God  given 
 them  by  Mofes  as  foon  as  it  was  poflible.  But  the 
 Scripture  plainly  defcribes  this  Mount  Ebal,  as  near 
 Schechem,  for  there  was  only  a  Valley  between  Ebal 
 and  Gerizim,  from  whence  Jotham  fpake  to  the  Men 
 of  Schechem  (IX  Judg.  7.)  which  was  a  great  way 
 dutant  from  Ai.  And  therefore  we  muft  fuppofe 
 that  which  is  here  related  not  to  have  been  done  till 
 •  y  had  the  Country  about  Schechem. 
 
 Ver.  31, 
 
upon  JOSHUA. 
 
 Ver.  31.  As  Mofes  the  Servant  of  the  LORD  cow-   Chapter 
 manded   the    Children   of  Ifrael?]      XI  Dent.  29,  30.      VIII, 
 
 XXVII.  2,  &c.     See  in  thofe  places.  L/*"V\j 
 
 As  it  is  written  in  the  Bool^  of  the  Law  of  Mofes ,  Vtri 
 an  Altar  of  whole  Stones,  over  which  no  Man  hath  lift 
 up  any  Iron.]  The  Altar  was  built  according  to  the 
 direction  given  by  God,  in  a  foregoing  Law  of  his, 
 XX  Exod.  25.  and  repeated  in  the  XXVII  Deut.  5.6. 
 See  there. 
 
 And  they  offered  thereon  burnt  offerings  unto  the 
 LORD,  and  facrifced  peace  offerings.]  For  now  they 
 renewed  their  Covenant  with  God  the  third  time, 
 as  I  obferved  upon  that  Chapter  in  Deuteronomy, 
 v.   10. 
 
 Ver.  32.  And  he  wrote  there  upon  the  Stones  a  Copy  0/Verfe  22 
 the  Law  of  Mofes,  which  he  wrote  in  the  pre  fence  of  the 
 Children  of  Ifrael.]  It  is  a  great  Queftion  what  it 
 was  he  wrote  upon  thefe  Stones.  Some  fancy  all  the 
 five  Books  of  Mofes }  others  only  the  Book  of  Deu- 
 teronomy :  which  is  more  likely  than  the  other }  but 
 too  long  for  thefe  Stones  to  contain,  or  for  him  to 
 write,  in  the  prefence  of  all  Ifrael  Others  therefore 
 think,  only  the  X Commandments,  or  a  compendium 
 of  the  Law  of  Mofes  :  or,  perhaps,  the  blejfing  and 
 curftngs :  But  Fortunatus  Scacchus,  with  fome  proba- 
 bility,  conjectures,  that  he  only  wro-e  the  words  of 
 the  Covenant  5  by  which  the  Children  of  Ifrael  ac- 
 knowledged they  held  the  Land  of  Canaan,  of  God 
 as  their  great  LORD  :  upon  condition  they  obferved 
 his  Laws,  to  which  they  and  their  Pofterity  were 
 obliged.  And  this  he  principally  grounds  upon  thofe 
 words,  XXVII  Deut.  3.  thou  fl)  all  write  upon  them  all 
 the.  words  of  this  Law.  Where  the  Hebrew  word 
 hazoth  (this)  he  thinks  hath  a  particular  refpeft  to 
 
 O  2  what 
 
,oo  A  CO  MMENT  A  K  T 
 
 Chapter  what  he  is  fpeakmg  of  :  yrz.  their  going  over  Jordan 
 
 VIII.     to  poffefs    the  Land   which  God  gave  them,    upon 
 
 L/"V~NJ  condition   they   obferved   his  Statutes.     See  'Sacror. 
 
 EUochrifm.    Myr other.    Lib.  2.    Cap.  LVII.    P.  570; 
 
 &£.    And  my  Notes  upon  XXVII  Dent.  3. 
 
 Verfe  33.       Ver.  33.   And  all  Ifrael  and  their  Elders,  and  Offi* 
 
 cers,  and  their  Judges ,  flood  on  this  fide  of  the  Ark^ 
 
 and  on  that  fide.]     With  their  faces  towards    the 
 
 Ark. 
 
 Before  the  Priefls  the  Levites,  which  bare  the  Ark  of 
 the  Covenant  of  the  LORD."]  Who  were  to  pro- 
 nounce the  bleffings  and  the  curlings,  prefcribed  by 
 the  Law,     See  XXVUDeut.  24. 
 
 As  well  the  fir 'anger ,  as  he  that  was  horn  among  then/."] 
 For  the  Law  made  no  diftin&ion  between  them,  XIX 
 Levfc.  34. 
 
 Half  of  them  over  againfl  Mount  Gerazim,  and  half 
 of  them  over  again jl  Mount  Ebal,  as  Mofes  the  Servant 
 of  the  LORD  had  commanded  before."]  In  the  XXVII 
 Dent.  12,  13.     See  there. 
 
 That  they  JJjould  blefs  the  People  of  Ifrael."]  There 
 were  curfihgs,  as  well  as  bleffings  pronounced :  but 
 the  intent  of  curfing  was  that  they  might  avoid  thofe 
 Sins  againft  which  they  were  denounced  5  and  there- 
 by obtain  a  bleffing. 
 Verfe  34*  ^er#  34*  And  afterwardshe  read  all  the  words  of  the 
 Law,  the  bleffings  and  the  curfings,  according  to  alt 
 that  is  written  in  the  Bool^of  the  Law!]  Viz.  In  the 
 XXVIt  Deut.  v.  15,  16,  17,  &c.  The  word  after- 
 ward is  not  to  be  neglefted,  which  imports  that  after 
 the  building  of  the  Altar,  and  the  offering  Sacrifices 
 thereon,  and  writing  the  Law  on  the  Stones,  and 
 .  difpofing  the  People  in  their  place  about  the  Ark, 
 then  he  read  the  Law  ■  to  ■  them.     Which  was  likely 
 
 to 
 
upon  JOS  f  I  U  A,  ioi 
 
 to  be  heard  with  the  greater  attention,    when   they   Chapter 
 were  thus   prepared  to  receive  it,   and  had  folemnly      VFIL 
 vvoi  (hipped  God  and  owned  his  Authority.  L/^VXJ 
 
 Ver.   35.  There  was  n ot  a   word  of  all  that  Mofes  y    p      - 
 commanded,    which  Jo/Jjua  did  not  read  before  all  the  ^ 
 
 Congregation  of  lfrael,  vizf)  All  that  Mofes  dire&ed 
 in  the  XX VII.  of  Deuteronomy.  Or  as  others  will 
 have  it,  the  whole  Book  of  Deuteronomy  wherein 
 thefe  bleffings  and  curlings  are  contained.  See XXXI 
 Deut.   13. 
 
 With  the  Women,  and  the  little  ones,  and  the  fir  anger  s^ 
 that  were  converfant  among  them.']  By  the  grangers 
 here  mentioned  fand  in  v.  33-.)  are  to  be  underftood 
 fuch  as  were  Profelites  to  their  Religion :  and  had 
 undertaken  to  obferve  this  Law,  as  well  as  them- 
 felves  5  and  therefore  were  to  be  made  acquainted 
 with  it.  And  that  they  might  be  moved  to  have 
 the  greater  regard  to  it,  JoJJwa.  himfelf,  their 
 chief  Gbvernour  read  it  to  them.  So  fome  o£ 
 the  Jews  underftand  it ,  after  the  Priefis  had  read, 
 the  bleifings  and  curlings,  then  Jofhua  read  all 
 the. commanding  and  forbidding  Precepts  in  the 
 Law. 
 
 CHAR 
 
1Da  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter 
 IX. 
 
 CHAP.     IX. 
 
 Verfe  I.  Verfe  i.  \ND  it  came  to  pafs,  when  all  the  Kings 
 jLjl  which  were  on  this  fide  Jordan,  in  the 
 hills,  and  in  the  valleys,  and  in  all  the  coajis  of  the 
 great  Sea.']  By  the  great  Sea  is  meant  the  Meditera- 
 nean  5  where  thofe  People,  peculiarly  called  Cava- 
 unites  dwelt,  as  hath  been  often  obferved.  And  the 
 Atnorites  feem  to  have  been  the  principal  Inhabitants 
 of  the  Hilly  Country,  in  the  South  of  Jadaa.  See 
 on  I  Dent.  7,   19,  20. 
 
 Over  againji  Lebanon."]  The  LXX  and  the  Vulgar 
 underftand  this,  as  if  he  fpake  of  thofe  that  dwelt 
 near  Lebanon. 
 
 The  Hittite,  and  the  Amorite,  the  Canaanite,  the 
 Perizzite,  the  Hivite,  and  the  Jebufite.']  Thus  they 
 are  reckoned  up  in  the  XX  Deut.  1 7.  where  the  Ger- 
 gafites  are  omitted,  as  they  are  here.  See  an  account 
 of  it  in  my  Notes  upon  that  place  :  and  on  Chapter 
 XVI.  of  this  Book^  v.  10. 
 
 Heard  thereof.]  Of  the  taking  of  Jericho  and  Ai. 
 For  whatisfaid,  in  the  words  immediately  foregoing, 
 concerning  the  Ifraelites  meeting  at  Mount  Ebal,  is 
 not  inferted  as  a  thing  wherein  thefe  Nations  were 
 concerned. 
 Verfe  2.  ^er.  2*  That  they  gathered  themfelves  together  to 
 fight  with  Jojfma  and  with  Ifrael.']  They  entred  into 
 a  confederacy  to  oppofe  Jojhuas  further  progrefs  in 
 the  conqueft  of  their  Country.  But  they  did  not  ga- 
 ther theififelves  to  battle,  till  they  heard  what  Gibeon 
 had  done. 
 
 With 
 
upon   J  O  S  H  U  A.  }02 
 
 With   one    accord.']     The    whole    Country    were   Chapter 
 unanimous  in    that  refolution:    and  thereupon  re-        IX. 
 jected  the  Summons  which  Joflwa  had  lent  them  to  L/~V\J 
 furrender  themfelves  and  their  Cities  to  him. 
 
 Ver.   3.   And  when  the  inhabitants  of  Gibeon.]     Or  Verfe  2. 
 but  when,  &c  Gibeon  was  a  City  in  the  Mountainous 
 Country  5  for  we  read  afterward  of  an  high  place  at 
 Gibeon. 
 
 Heard  what  JoJIma  had  done  to  Jericho  and  to  Ai.~] 
 They  being  Hivites  (v.  7.)  had  at  the  firft  rejected 
 the  offers  of  Peace  which  Jofhua  fent  them,  as  the  reft 
 of  their  Nation  v.  1.)  had  done.  But  hearing  that 
 Joffjtta  had  taken  Jericho  and  Ai,  and  deffroyed  all 
 their  Inhabitants,  they  repented  of  that  refolution  5 
 and  confulted  how  they  might  by  fome  means  or 
 other  make  their  Peace  with  the  Ifraelitcs. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  they  did  work,  wilily."]  It  being  too  yerfe  * 
 late  to  furrender  their  City  tojoflma  upon  fuch  terms, 
 as  he  is  fuppofed  to  have  offered  (for  there  was  no 
 mercy  to  be  (hown  them,  after  they  had  flood  out 
 againft  the  three  Proclamations,  which  the  Jews  fay 
 were  made  to  them)  they  contrived  how  to  put  a 
 falacy  upon  the  Ifraclites  ^  and  by  craft  and  cunning 
 procure  their  favour.  See  my  Annotations  on  XX 
 Dent.  10,   it. 
 
 And  went.]  They  chofe  fome  from  among  them, 
 who  went  in  the  name  of  the  reft,  towards  the  Camp 
 of  lfraeL 
 
 And  wade  as  if  they  had  been  E?nbaJfadors.~]  Pre- 
 tending that  they  were  fent  upon  an  EmbafTy  to  them, 
 from  a  far  Country  :  as  they  affirmed,  v.  6. 
 
 And  took,  old  Sacks  upon  their  AjfsT]  Wherein  was 
 their  Provifion. 
 
 And 
 
to4  *  COMMENT  AKY 
 
 Chapter.       A&&  trine-bottles,   old%  and  rent,    and  bound  upT] 
 
 IX.       Where  they  were  rent 
 \^^\r\J      Ver.  5.  And  old  Shoes  clouted  upon  their  feet.']    As 
 
 Verfe  5.    if  they  had  been  worn  out,  and  patched  up,   with 
 long  travel. 
 
 And  old  garments  upon  them,    and  all  the  Bread  of 
 their  Vrovifton  was  dry  and  mouldy!]     It  is  obferved 
 by  Arias  montamts,  that  nothing  is  faid  of  the  decay 
 of  their  Wine:  which  they  pretended,  it  is  likely, 
 to  have  drunk  all  up,  in  fo  long  a  journey.     For  it 
 was  not  fo  eafie  to  procure  fowre  Wine,  as  mouldy 
 Bread. 
 Verfe  6.         Ver.  6.  And  they  went  to  Joflma,  unto  the  Camp  at 
 Gilgal^  and  faid  unto  him,,  and  to  the  Men  of  IfraeL] 
 They  addretfed  themfelves  to  him,  as  the  Head  of  the 
 People :  and  he  had  his  Council  about  him  :    who, 
 in  all  probability,   are  here  called  the  Men  of  IfraeL 
 Though  fome  conceive,    that  they  had  laid  hold  of 
 every  one  they  met  withal,   and  befeeched  them  to 
 admit  them  to  their  friendftiip. 
 
 We  are  come  from  afar  Country.]     To  fue  to  you 
 for  your  friendfhip. 
 
 Now  therefore  make  ye  a  league  with  us7]  As  they 
 might  do  with  thofe,  that  accepted  the  offers  of  Peace, 
 which  they  fent  them  (XX  De;/^.  11.)  and  therefore 
 much  more  with  thofe  who  came  to  feek  to  be  at 
 Peace  with  them  :  and  were  not  Inhabitants  of  the 
 Land  of  Canaan,  but  came  from  a  far  Country  ;  which 
 they  give  as  a  reafon,  why  they  fhould  make  a  League 
 with  them.  And  indeed  they  had  been  to  blame  if 
 they  had  denied  their  Petition  :  as  the  Romans  were, 
 who  when  they  were  grown  great,  refufed  to  receive 
 a  remote  Nation  into  their  protection  (as  Appian  tells 
 X\$)  who  by  their  Embafladors  fubmitred  themfelves 
 
 to 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  105 
 
 to  their  Power  :  becaufe  they  did  not  fee  they  were  Chapter 
 likely   to  get  any  thing  by  them.     Which  aoditrus       IX. 
 (in  his  Book  again  ft  Malefirettns  dc  Car/fate  Rerum)  L/"W> 
 cenfures  as  a  bale  aftion,  and  injurious  to  Almighty 
 God.     As  if  (aith  he,  the  Majcjiy  of  ruling  and  ad- 
 minijiring  juflicc,    cfpecially    to   miferabk    and   ill  in- 
 JlrucJcd  People,  were  not  the  great  eft  gift  of  God  5   and 
 the  highefi  honour  of  which  a  Man  is  capable  in   this 
 World. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  the  Men  of Ifrael  faid.']     This  fhows  Verfe  7. 
 that  the  Men  of  Ifrael  before  mentioned,    were  not 
 ordinary  Perfons,  but  fuch  as  had  authority  to  treat 
 with  EmbafTadors. 
 
 Unto  the  Hivites."]  Unto  thofe  who  came  from 
 Gibeon,  who  were  really  Hivites,  asisexprefly  faid, 
 XI.  19. 
 
 Peradventure  you  dwell  among  us.']  Are  fome  of 
 the  People  of  this  Land  5  which  we  are  commanded 
 to  rout  out. 
 
 And  how  foall  wo  wake  a  league  with  you  7]     Then  it 
 is  utterly  unlawful  for  us,  to  do  what  yon  defire  : 
 for  God  hath  often  forbidden  it,  XXIII  Exod.  32, 
 33.    XXXIV  Exod.  12,  13,   14,  15,  16.    VII  D 
 2,  3,  &c.  and  other  places. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  they  faid  unto  Joffwa."]     With  whom  y     ' 
 alone  they  had  a  defire  to  treat. 
 
 We  are  thy  Servants."]     This  doth  not  Ggnifie  that 
 they  were  ready  to  yeild  themfelvesto  beTrih 
 to  the  lfraclitcs,  or  accept  of  any  terms  that  Ih 
 be  impofed  on  them:    but  are  only   expreffions  of 
 great  humility  and    Civility  5    acknowledging    the 
 Jfraelites  to  be  their  fuperiors  in  Power  and  St 
 and  therefore  defiring  their  Proteftion  in  their  Li- 
 berties.    Thus  Abraham  addrefftd  himfelf  to  the  Tr 
 
 P  vellers, 
 
lo6  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  vellers,  whom  he  entertained,  as  greater  Perfons  than 
 fX.  himfelf,  XVIII  Gen.  3,  4.  And  Jacob  calls  himfelf 
 L/*VNJ  and  his  Houfhold  the  Servants  oiEfan,  XXX  Gen.  20. 
 And  thus  Batrirides  underftood  their  Language  here  ^ 
 who  fays  the  King  oiGibeon  wrote  a  Letter  tojof/ma, 
 wherein  he  defired  fecurity  from  him  %  and  prefented 
 him  with  great  gifts,  as  Hottinger  obferves  in  his 
 Smegma  Orient  ale,  Cap.  VIII.  P.  507. 
 
 And  Joftnaj aid  unto  them,  Who  are  ye  ?  and  from 
 whence  come  ye  f\  They  being  backward  to  name  the 
 Country  from  whence  they  were  fentj  it  begat  a 
 reasonable  fufpition  in  Jojlma  5  that  they  were  fome 
 of  the  People  of  Canaan. 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9*  And  they  [aid  unto  htm  5  From  a  very  far 
 Country  thy  Servants  are  come.']  They  ftill  avoid 
 giving  a  particular  account  of  their  Country  5  but 
 anfwer  in  general  terms :  in  which  commonly  lies 
 deceit. 
 
 Becanfe  of  the  name  of  the  LORD  thy  God."]  To 
 divert  him  from  preffing  them  to  give  a  more  fatif- 
 faclory  anfwer,  they  pretend  Religion  had  invited 
 them  to  take  this  long  journey :  which  they  knew 
 would  procure  them  a  favourable  audience. 
 
 For  we  have  heard  of  the  fame  of  him,  &C.3  Of  his 
 Miraculous  Works  5  particularly  thofe  which  he  did, 
 to  deliver  them  from  the  Egyptian  flavery.  Which 
 as  it  is  evident  were  come  to  their  knowledge  :  So  it 
 is  very  reafonable  to  believe,  fuch  wonderful  things 
 were  the  motives  that  made  them  feek  for  the  Jfraelites 
 friend  (hi  p.  They  being  wrought  upon  as  Rahab  was, 
 to  embrace  their  Religion, 
 fe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  all  that  he  did  to  the  two  Kings  of 
 the  Amoriies,  that  were  beyond  Jordan,  to  Sihon  King 
 of  Hefibon7  and  to  Og  King  of  Bafljan,    which  yeas  at 
 
 Afitarotb."] 
 
upon  JOS  HIT  A.  ro7 
 
 Afitaroth.]     They  (ay  not  a  word  of  the  drying  up   CI 
 of  Jordan,   and  of  the  taking  of  Jericho  and  j\ 
 
 but  prudently  conceal  their  knowledge  of  thofe  things.  L/'VXJ 
 Becaufe  they  would   have  it  fuppofed  the  tidings 
 thofe  wonders,  could  not  yet  be  arrived  at  a  Country 
 fo  far  off,  as  they  pi\  j  theirs  to  be. 
 
 Ver.  ii.    Wherefore  oar  hlders.]     The    principal Verfe  n. 
 Perfons  in  their  Country  :  who  were  the  Rulersand 
 Governours  of  it. 
 
 And  all  the  inhabitants  of  our  Country  7]      With  the 
 unanimous  confent  of  all  the  People. 
 
 Spake  to  us^  faying,  Take  victuals  with  you  for  the 
 journey.']  Made  choice  of  us  for  this  Embaffy  >  and 
 ordered  us  to  provide  our  felves  with  neceffaries  for 
 fo  long  a  journey. 
 
 And  go  to  meet  then/."]  To  prevent  the  Ifraeliles 
 from  entertaining  any  hoftile  intentions  againfl:  them. 
 
 And  fay  unto  them,  ive  are  your  Servants  :  therefore 
 noir  make  ye  a  league  with  us.]  The  Samaritan  Chro- 
 nicle faith,  they  had  orders  to  tell  JoJJjua  that  they 
 would  embrace  the  Jewifl)  Religion  5  and  refufe  no- 
 thing great  or  fmall  that  he  fhould  defire  of  them. 
 And  indeed  one  would  think  by  what  they  faid  be- 
 fore, that  they  had  a  fenfe  of  the  God  of  Ifrael,  as 
 fuperiour  to  all  other  gods :  and  confequently  were 
 difpofed  to  become  worfhippers  of  him.  For  which 
 reafon  he  was  pleafed  to  difpofe  things  fo,  that  by 
 their  wiles  they  fhould  compafs  their  end,  and 
 entertained  into  the  friendfhip  of  the  Israelites. 
 
 Ver.    12.  This  our  bread  we  took^hot  for  our  provifon  yerfe  t  -, 
 out  of  our  Houfes.]     When  it  was  newly  come  out  of 
 the  Oven. 
 
 On  t'je  day  we  came  forth  to  go  unto  you  \  but  now 
 behold,  it  is  dry,  and  it  is  mouldy 7]     This  they  fay  to 
 
 P  2  demonftrate 
 
108  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  demonftrate  that  they  came  from  a  Country  far  diftant 
 IX.      fr°ra  Canaan.     Which  though  it  was  not  true,    yet 
 
 U^V*W  there  are  thofe  (particularly  Fujfendorf)  who  think 
 it  was  not  culpable,  nor  properly  a  lye  5  being  a  de- 
 vice to  fave  their  lives.  For  who  will  reprehend  a 
 Perfon,  faith  he,  who  by  a  Fiftion  preferves  him- 
 felf  from  being  killed  by  an  Enemy?  Efpecially  in 
 fuch  a  cafe  as  this,  wherein  the  Jfraelites  fuffered  no 
 damage,  by  their  craft?  For  what  lofs  doth  he 
 fuftain  who  is  hindred  from  (bedding  another  Mans 
 Blood  i  but  hath  it  in  his  power  to  defpoil  him 
 of  all  he  hath,  and  bring  him  into  perpetual  fervi- 
 tudej  Co  difarmed  and  weakned  that  he  can  never 
 rife  up  againft  him  ?  Thus  he.  Which  is  a  Do&rine 
 that  ought  not  to  be  allowed. 
 
 Vtric  12.  ^er*  I3>  And  thefe  bottles  of  Wine,  which  we  filled, 
 were  new,  and,  behold,  they  be  rent  :  and  thefe  garments 
 and  our  ftjoes  are  become  old,  by  reafon  of  the  very  long 
 journey."]  They  ufe  thus  many  words,  to  divert  him 
 from  making  any  farther  enquiry,  what  the  name  of 
 their  Country  was  (left  fome  among  the  Ifraelites, 
 who  had  many  Grangers  in  their  Camp,  (liould  have 
 been  able  to  difprove  them)  and  mention  only  the 
 long  time  they  had  fpent  in  their  Journey,  that  he 
 might  be  moved  to  be  kind  unto  thofe,  who  had 
 taken  fo  much  pains  to  beg  the  favour  of  the  If- 
 racl'iics. 
 
 Verfe  14.  ^er-  H-  And  the  Men.*]  That  is,  the  Perfons 
 mentioned,  v.  7.  who  were  the  ol  ap^cvh;  (as  the 
 LXX  here  fay)  the  Princes  or  Riders  of  Ifracl. 
 
 Took^  of  their  victuals."]  Not  to  eat  them,  but  to 
 infpeft  and  examin  them,  whether  their  provifion 
 was  fo  dry  and  mouldy  as  they  pretended.  For  the 
 word  we  tranflate  Victuals,   is  the  very  fame  with 
 
 that 
 
upon    J  O  S  FI  LI  A.  d 
 
 that  before  we  tranllate  Provifwn,  v.  5.  Which  (hows,  Chapter 
 he  doth  not  (peak,  of  Vi&uals  now  prepared  5    but      IX. 
 which  they  brought  along  with  them.     Some  indeed  iyv\J 
 think  the  meaning  is,  that  they  entred  into  a  league 
 with  the  Giheonites,  by  tafting  of  their  Victuals.   But 
 as  this  mu ft  fuppofe  that  they  had  made  a  Feafl:  for 
 the  entertainment  of  thefe  Princes,  and  invited  them 
 to  it  (which  is  altogether  unlikely)  fo  the  making  a 
 league  with  them    follows  after  this,    in  the  next 
 Verle,  and  therefore  was  not  made  by  taking  of  their 
 Victuals. 
 
 And  asked  not  connfel  of  the  mouth  of  the  LORD.~] 
 Thefe  words  may  feem  to  favour  the  fenfe  now  men- 
 tioned 5  that  by  eating  with  them  (which  was  a 
 tcken  of  friendfhip)  they  had  performed  part  of  the 
 ceremony  which  belonged  to  the  making  of  leagues  5 
 without  confulting  the  Divine  Majefty  about  it,  but 
 haftily  believing  an  improbable  ftory.  See  XXVI 
 Gen.  30,  31.  XXXI  Gen.  44,  45.  But  the  meaning 
 of  thefe  words  may  be  no  more  than  this :  that  they 
 depended  wholly  upon  their  own  judgment,  and  that 
 founded  on  fuch  flight  examination  of  the  truth,  as 
 only  taking  their  Victuals  into  their  hands,  and  in- 
 fpe&ing  them  :  when  God  was  near  at  hand  to  give 
 them  advice,  if  they  would  have  confuted  him  :  and 
 it  is  probable  would  have  allowed  them  to  make  a 
 league  with  the  Gibeonhes,  on  fuch  conditions  as  he 
 direfted. 
 
 Ver.  1 5 .  And  Jojhua  wade  peace  with  them.']     Fol-  Verfe   1  5< 
 lowing    the  opinion    of  the    Princes  5    who   took 
 them  to  be  what  they  pretended. 
 
 And  made  a  league  with  them,  io  let  them  live.']  Not 
 merely  to  fpare  their  lives  (which  fuppofing  them  to 
 belong  to  a  far  Country,  they  had  no' warrant  to  take 
 
 away) 
 
no  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  away)  but  to  let  them  continue  in  the  enjoyment  of 
 IX.      all  they  had.     For  to  live  in  Scripture  fignifies  to  be 
 
 L/*V~\J  happy  :    and  therefore  he  promifed  not  to  hurt,  but 
 to  protedt  them  in  their  Rights  and  Liberties. 
 
 And  the  Princes  of  the  congregation  fware  unto  them."] 
 Ratified  the  League  by  a  folemn  Oath  :  the  violation 
 of  which,  in  future  times,  was  feverely  punifhed, 
 %  Sam.  XXII.  6. 
 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  And  it  came  to  pafs  at  the  end  of  three 
 days,  after  they  had  made  a  league  with  them,  that  they 
 heard  that  they  were  their  Neighbours,  and  that  they 
 dwelt  among  them.~]  Speedy  news  being  fent  by  the 
 pretended  Embafladors  to  Gibeon  of  their  gcod  fuccefs 
 (as  we  may  well  think)  there  were  great  rejoycings 
 made  there,  as  Arias  Montanus  fuppofes.  The  report 
 of  which  came  to  the  Jfraelites  three  days  after  the 
 league  was  concluded. 
 
 Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  And  the  Children  of  Jfrael  journed7\  Not 
 the  whole  body  of  the  People  ,  but  a  party  was  fent 
 to  underftand  the  truth. 
 
 And  came  unto  their  Cities  on  the  third  Day."]  On 
 the  third  Day  after  they  began  their  march  thi- 
 ther. 
 
 Now  their  Cities  were  Gibeon,  and  Chephirah,  and 
 Beeroth,  and  Kirjath-jearim.']  The  capital  City  was 
 Gibeon  (called  a  Royal  City,  X.  2.)  upon  which  the 
 other  three  were  dependants.  The  three  firft  of 
 which  fell  afterward  to  the  Tribe  of  Benjamin  (XVIII. 
 25,  2 6. )  as  the  laft  was  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah, 
 XV.  60. 
 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  fmote  them  not.~] 
 Though  they  were  not  fuch,  as  they  fuppofed,  but 
 Canaanhcs  who  were  under  the  curfe  of  God  }  yet 
 they  did  not  deftroy  them  5  for  the  reafon  follow- 
 ing. Becaufe 
 
upon    J  O  S  H  U  A.  m 
 
 Bccaufe  the   Princes   of  the   Congregation  had  fwom    Chapter 
 unto  them  by  the  LORD  God  of  Jfrael.~]     Some  think        IX. 
 their  Oath  did  not  bind  them,  becaufe  it  was  made  L/^V"NJ 
 upon  a  falfe  fuppofition  5  that  the  Gibeonites  were  no 
 part  of  the  VII.  Nations  of  Canaan.      But  if  this  were 
 true,  as  it  is  not  (See  Grotius  de  Jure  Belli  &  Pack% 
 L.  2.  Cap.  XIII.  Sett.  IV.)  the  Princes  judged  right 
 that  it  had  been  very  fcandalous,  and  would  have 
 highly  difhonoured   the   name  of  God  by    whom 
 they   had   fwom,    if  they  had  broken  their  Oath. 
 By  the  keeping  of  which,    the  reverence  which  the 
 Gibeonites   had  already  to  the  Divine  Majefly,  was 
 very  much  increafed:  whereas  it  had  been  vile  in  all 
 Peoples  Eyes,  if  the  JfraelHes  had  not  expreffed  this 
 great  regard  unto  it. 
 
 And  all  the  Congregation  murmured  again fl  the 
 Princes.']  Or,  but  all  the  Congregation  murmured, 
 &c.  becatzfe  they  were  hereby  deprived  of  the  Spoil 
 of  thofe  Cities. 
 
 Ver.    19.  But  all  the  Princes  faid  unto  all  the  Con-  Verfe  1 9. 
 grcgation."]     Their  unanimity  in  this  opinion,    was 
 of  great  moment  to  quiet  the  Peoples  difcontent. 
 
 We  have  /worn  unto  them  by  the  LORD  God  of 
 Ifrael.~]  Efpecially  fince  they  had  engaged  them- 
 felves  by  a  folemn  Oath  to  their  great  and  glorious 
 LORD:  who  fought  for  them,  and  gave  them  all 
 their  Victories,  v.  13,  14.  For  fo  the  Targum  here 
 expounds  thefe  words,  We  have  fwom  by  the  WORD 
 of  the  LORD  God  oflfrael. 
 
 Now  therefore  we  may  not  touch  them 7]  That  is,  do 
 them  any  hurt:  which  we  cannot  do  without  break- 
 ing our  Oath,  and  forfeiting  his  favour. 
 
 Ver.  20-  This  we  will  do  unto  them,    we  will  tvenyf 
 let  them  live.']     As  they  had  covenanted,   v.  15. 
 
Hi  A  COMMENT  A RY 
 
 Chapter       Left  wrath  be  upon  us,  becaufe  of  the  Oath  which  we 
 
 IX.      /ware  unto  thtimC\     Left  God  be  very  angry  with  us 
 
 t/W  for  breaking  our  Oath.     Which  Jofiua,  as  St.  A*- 
 
 fctf/e  obferves  religioofly  obftrved,  ne>  afcza  alienam 
 
 perfidiam  arguit,  [nam  fidem  folveret,    that  he  might 
 
 not  be  guilty  of  fci  fhameful  a  thing,  as  to  break  his 
 
 Faith,  whilft  he  reproved  their  perfidioufnefs.     Lib. 
 
 III.  de  Offciis,  Cap.   10. 
 
 Verfe  21,       ^er#  2I#  ^nd  the  Princes  faid  unto  themT]     But 
 
 they  added  this. 
 
 Let  them  live.']  Though  we  let  them  live,  be- 
 caufe we  muft  be  as  good  as  our  word,  which  is 
 the  meaning  of  the  laft  words  of  this  Verfe  (which 
 muft  be  joyned  with  thefe)  as  the  Princes  had  promised 
 them. 
 
 But  let  them  be  hewers  of  wood^  and  drawers  of 
 waterT]  Yet  they  (hall  not  be  equal  to  us  in  all  pri- 
 viledges,  but  we  will  make  them  in  feme  fort  fer- 
 viceable  to  us  :  in  fuch  employments,  as  will  fave 
 us  a  great  deal  of  labour. 
 
 Unto  al/jhe  Congregation."]  They  were  not  to  be 
 hewers  of  Wood  and  drawers  of  Water,  for  every 
 private  Perfon  5  but  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole 
 Congregation  of  Ifrael:  who  were  bound  to  find 
 Wood  and  Water,  for  the  fervice  of  Cod  at  the 
 Tabernacle.  Which  burden  it  was  now  refolved 
 fhould  be  laid  upon  the  Gibeonites  5  and  thereby  the 
 Children  of  Ifrael  eafed  of  it,  v.  23.  Where  they 
 are  faid  to  be  made  hewers  of  Wood  and  drawers  of 
 Water  for  the  houfe  of  the  LORD.  This  was  no 
 breach  of  their  Oath,  for  they  did  not  make  them 
 abfolutely  Slaves,  but  only  a  facred  kind  of  Servants 
 (zsjofcphus  calls  them)  being  employed  about  the 
 Houfe  of  God  ;  which  was  in  it  felf  honourable,  and 
 
 not 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  113 
 
 not  bafe  and  contemptible.     Some  think  they  were  Chapter 
 afterwards  called  Ncth'num,    which  fignifies  Perl  IX. 
 
 given  to  God  for  his  Service  :  of  whom  we  read  in  W~\T\j 
 j  Chron.  IX.   2.  VIII.  Ezra  20.  and  other  places. 
 
 Ver.   22.    And  Joffwa   called  for  them.']     For  the  Vcrfe  22. 
 Embafladours,  with  whom  he  had  made  a  league. 
 
 And  he  fptikf  unto  them,  faying,  wherefore  have  ye 
 beguiled  us,  £kc]  Impofed  upon  our  belief  by  a 
 falfe  ftory. 
 
 Ver.  23.  Now  therefore  ye  are  curfed.]  Notwith-  Verfe  2^ 
 ftanding  our  Oath,  you  mult  not  quite  efcape  that 
 Curfe  of  God  :  which  hath  long  lain  upon  all  the 
 People  of  Canaan  5  part  of  which  you  are.  For  a 
 fervile  Hate  of  any  fort  to  which  they  were  reduced, 
 was  no  fmall  punifhment  (called  here  a  Curfe)  and  fo 
 much  the  more  grievous,  becaufe  it  was  to  be  per- 
 petual. 
 
 And  there  f/jall  none  of  you  be  freed,  from  being  bond 
 men."]  None  of  them  were  to  continue  free  Men  5 
 but  have  a  fervitude  impofed  upon  them.  Not  in- 
 deed fuch  an  one,  as  made  them  intire  (laves  j  but 
 only  condemnd  them  to  the  laborious  employment, 
 which  here  follows. 
 
 And  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  Water  for  the 
 Houfe  of  my  God.]  This  is  the  limitation  of  their 
 fervitude  5  which  did  not  extend  to  all  things,  but 
 only  to  thefe  and  fuch  like  (it  is  probable)  to  hew 
 Stones,  for  inftance,  for  the  reparation  of  the  Temple 
 after  it  was  built  5  and  to  carry  them  to  thofe  who  were 
 employed  in  that  work.  Qmim  hath  well  expreflfed 
 their  condition,  Add'iUi  funt  pcrfonali  cuidtm  fcrvi- 
 tut/,  they  were  addi&ed  to  certain  perfcmal  fervitude  ^ 
 whereas  if  they  had  dealt  plainly  and  openly  with  the 
 Ifraelites,  they  might  have  been  admitted  only  to  pay 
 
 Q.  a 
 
n4  A  CO MMENT  AK T 
 
 Chapter  a  certain  tribute.     Lib.  2.  de  Jure  Belli  &  Pacts,  Cap. 
 IX.       XIII.  Sett.  IV.  N.  3. 
 
 iyY"\J       Ver.  24.  And  they   anfwered    Joflma   and  J aid,     be- 
 
 Verfe  24.  caufe  it  was  certainly  told  thy  Servants,  how  that  the 
 LORD  thy  God  commanded  hk  Servant  Mofes  to  give 
 you  all  the  Land  and  to  dejiroy  all  its  Inhabitants,  there- 
 fore we  were  fore  afraid  of  our  lives  becaufe  of  you,  and 
 have  done  this  thing7\     They   firft:  give  an  Anfwer 
 unto  Jofhuds  demand,  wherefore  have  ye  beguiled  us  ? 
 Which  was  done  to  fave  themfelves,    if  they  could 
 by  any  (biff,    from  that  deftru&ion,  which  they  be- 
 lieved God  had  decreed  againft  all  the  Inhabitants  of 
 their  Land.     And  they  did  not  know  how  to  evade 
 it,  but  by  this  artifice.     Which,  fince  it  arofe  from 
 fome  degree  of  Faith,  God  fuffered  to  take  effeft  5 
 that  they  might  remain  for  ever  among  the  Ifraelites, 
 as  an  unquestionable  witnefs  of  their  miraculous  con- 
 queft  of  the  Land  of  Canaan. 
 
 Verfe.  25.  Ver.  25.  And  now  behold,  we  are  in  thy  hand:  as 
 it  feemeth  good  and  right  unto  thee  to  do  unto  us,  do.~] 
 Here  they  humbly  fubmit  to  the  doom  he  had  pafled 
 upon  them  -0  or  to  any  other  impofition  he  fhould 
 think  fit  to  load  them  withal. 
 
 Verfe  26.  Ver.  26.  And  fo  he  did  unto  them,  and  delivered 
 them  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  that  they 
 flew  them  not7\  But  Jojhua  would  take  no  farther  ad- 
 vantage of  their  fubmiffion:  but  contented  himfelf 
 with  this  burden  alone,  which  by  a  publick  decree 
 he  laid  upon  them.  It  appears  by  this  that  fome 
 Gentiles  had  more  goodnefs  in  them,  than  many  of 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael :  who  would  have  deftroyed 
 thefe  well  difpofed  People  (if  Jojhua  had  not  hun- 
 dred) who  were  better  believers,  being  (truck  with  a 
 greater  fear  of  Gods  threataings,  than  themfelves. 
 
 Ver.  27 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  h< 
 
 Ver.  2  J.  And  JoJIiua  made  them  that  day  hewers  of  wood   Chapter 
 and  drawers  of  water.  ~]     He  pa  fled  this  fentence  into        IX. 
 a  Law  5  that  from  henceforth  they  fhould  be  fubjeft  LS~\r\J 
 tothis  fervitude:  in  which  they  ferved  God  faithfully  Verfe  27. 
 
 even  to  the  times  of  Nehcmiah.  Who  tells  us  great 
 numbers  of  the  Nethiaim  (who  many  great  Men  make 
 no  doubt  were  of  the  pofterity  of  thele  Gibeonites) 
 returned  from  Babylon  to  rebuild  Jerufalem  and  the 
 Temple,  VII  Nchcm.  46,  &c.  73. 
 
 For  the  Congregation,  and  for  the  Altar  of  the  LORD 
 even  unto  this  Day.']  They  ferved  the  Congregation 
 (who  otherwife  muft  themfelves  have  done  it)  by  Ir- 
 ving the  Altar  with  Wood  and  with  Water.  Which 
 that  they  might  do  regularly,  it  is  probable  they  were 
 difperfed  throughout  all  the  Coafts  of  Ifrael,  where 
 the  Priefts  and  Levites  were  fettled,  and  came  and 
 ferved  with  them  in  their  courfes  fund  as  Conradus 
 Pcllicanus  thinks  were  maintained  out  of  the  publick 
 ftock,  and  the  profits  of  the  Altar.)  For  they  did 
 not  keep  pofleflion  of  their  Cities,  but  furrendred 
 them  to  the  tribe  of  Benjamin  and  Judah,  to  whofe 
 lot  they  fell  ^  as  we  read  in  the  following  part  of 
 this  Book. 
 
 Concerning  thefe  words  nnto  this  Day.     See  IV.  9. 
 
 At  the  place  which  he  fid  all  chufe~]  Which  w7as  now 
 /;,  afterwards  at  Shtloh  5  and  fometime  in 
 Gibeon  it  felt :  which  was  a  City  given  to  the  Priefts, 
 XXI  Jofi.  17.  And,  as  Maimonides  faith  (in  his 
 Treatife  of  the  building  of  the  Temple)  after  Shtloh  was 
 deftroyed,  the  Tabernacle  was  placed  in  Nob,  and 
 then  in  Gibeon  :  In  which  two  places  it  continued 
 Fifty  and  Seven  Years. 
 
 Q2  CHAP. 
 
1 1 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter 
 x-  C  H  A  P.    X. 
 
 Verfe  I .  Verfe  I .  TVT  0  W  it  came  to  pafs  when  Adonizedek^ 
 J_\l  King  of  Jerufalem7\  Who  feems  to 
 have  been  the  moft  potent  Prince  in  Canaan  5  and 
 carried  in  his  name  an  honourable  title,  which  had 
 been  anciently  given  to  the  Kings  of  this  place  :  who 
 had  been  famous  for  doing  Juftice.  For  it  is  prob- 
 able that  ever  fince  Melchizedek^,  who  was  Ring  of 
 Salem  (the  fame  with  Jerufalem)  and  truly  King  of 
 Righteoufnefs,  as  his  name  fignified,  they  affe&ed 
 this  title,  though  they  did  not  always  anfwer  their 
 Charafter.  For  this  Adonizedel^  (whofe  name  im- 
 ports, the  Lord  of  right  eoufnefs)  had  none  of  the 
 vermes  that  were  in  Melchizedek. 
 
 King  of  Jerufalem."]  It  is  probably  thought  that 
 this  City  held  the  name  of  Salem,  which  it  had  in 
 Abrahams  time,  till  the  Ifraelites  came  into  the  Land 
 of  Canaan  :  and  then  they  called  it  Jerufalem,  when 
 they  firft  took  pofleffion  of  it.  Which  they  did  not 
 fo  fully  5  but  that  ftill  the  Jebufites  dwelt  there  with 
 the  Children  of  Benjamin  (See  I  Judg.  8.  21.)  Who 
 were  fo  weak  that  the  Jebufites,  in  time,  recovered  it 
 wholly  to  themfelves,  and  expelled  the  Bexjamites. 
 See  XIX  'judg.  10.  where  it  is  called  Jehus  5  though 
 the  other  name  is  alfo  acknowledged  :  becaufe  the 
 Ifraelites  called  it  Jerufalem,  while  the  Jebnfite shying 
 prevailed,  called  it  Jebns. 
 
 Heard  Imv  Joflnta  had  taken  Ai7\  By  which  means, 
 the  Ifraelites  were  come  nearer  to  him,  than  when 
 they  took  Jericho, 
 
 And 
 
upjn    JOSHUA.  n7 
 
 And   had  utterly  clejiroyed   it    (as   he  had   done   to  Chapter 
 Jericho  and  her  King,   fi  he  had  done   to  Ai   and   her         X. 
 King).     And  therefore  it  highly  concerned  him,  to  l/"V^\J 
 provide,  the  beft  he  could,  for  his  own  fafety. 
 
 And  how  the  inhabitants  of  Gibeon  had  made  peace 
 with  Ifrael.~]  Efpecially  fince  one  of  the  prime  Cities 
 of  the  Country,  had  lubmitted  to  the  Ifraelitcs. 
 
 And  were  among  them.']  Joined  in  fociety  with 
 them,  or  come  (as  we  now  fpeak)  into  their  in* 
 tereft. 
 
 Ver.  2.  Then  they  feared  greatly.']     All  his  People  Verfe  2. 
 thought  themfelves  in  great  danger:    they  as  well  as 
 their  King   having  heard    of  the  terrible  execution 
 Jofljua  had  made  at  Jericho  and  Ai. 
 
 Becaufe  Gibeon  was  a  great  City 7]  Having  others 
 depending  on  it. 
 
 As  one  of  the  Royal  Cities.']  The  Vulgar  Latin  takes 
 no  notice  of  the  Particle  Caph  (as)  but  faith,  it  was 
 a  Royal  City.  And  indeed  that  particle  doth  not  al- 
 \.\u  s  denote  Ukenefs  5  but  only  the  truth  of  the  thing 
 fpoken  of  :  as  in  IV  Hofea  4.  and  many  other  of  the 
 New  Teftament,  as  well  as  the  OKI,  I  John  14. 
 II  Philip.  7.  But  I  think  here  it  fliould  be  exprefled, 
 as  we  do  in  our  Trailation.  Becaufe  Gibeon  was  not  a 
 Royal  City  5  that  is,  had  no  King  in  it,  that  we  read 
 of:  but  was  notwithftanding  equal  to  thofe  Cities 
 that  had  Kings 3  being  governed  by  Elders  (IX.  11.) 
 who  were  perfons  of  very  great  authority. 
 
 And  becaufe  it  was  greater  than  Ai~]  More  Popu- 
 lous. 
 
 td  all  the  Men  thereof  were  mighty. ~]  The  Inha- 
 bitants were  efteemed  Men  of  great  valour :  which 
 made  their  revolt  to  the  Jfiaelites  the  more  confider- 
 able. 
 
 Ver. 
 
n8  ^COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter.        Ver.   5.  Wherefore  Adonizedel^  King   of '  Jerufakm, 
 X.        font   unto   Hoham  King    of  Hebron,    and   unto    Piram 
 
 U^"V\J  King  of  Jarmuth,  and  unto  Japhia   King  of  Lachiffj, 
 
 Vcrfe  3.  and  unto  Dcbir  King  of  Eglon,  faying .]  All  thefe 
 Cities  afterwards  belonged  to  the  Tribe  of  Judah  5 
 as  appears  from  the  following  part  of  this  Book. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4#  Come  unto  me,  and  help  me.']  He  was  the 
 moft  active  in  the  War,  and  feems  to  have  been  of 
 greateft  power  :  calling  the  other  Kings,  only  as 
 Auxiliaries  to  him. 
 
 That  we  may  fmite  Gibeon.~]  He  thought  to  dif- 
 courage  others,  from  yeilding  5  by  making  this  City 
 an  Example  of  their  vengeance. 
 
 For  it  hath  made  peace  with  Jofiua,  and  with  the 
 Children  of  IfraelT]  Forfaken  the  intereft  of  their 
 Country  ^  and  gone  over  to  our  Enemies. 
 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  Therefore  the  five  Kings  of  the  Amorites, 
 the  King  ofjerufalem,  &c.~]  It  is  certain  that  Hebron 
 belonged  to  the  Hittites  \  as  Jerufalem  did  to  the  Jebu- 
 fites.  But  the  Amoritesb€\x\g  the  moft  powerful  People 
 in  Canaan,  (as  appears  from  XV  Gen.  16.)  had,  it 
 feems,  brought  them  under  their  power :  and  fet 
 Kings  of  their  own  Nation  over  them.  Whence  it 
 is,  that  the  Gibeonites^  who  were  originally  Hivites 
 (IX.  17.)  are  faid  to  be  of  the  remnant  of  the  Amorites 
 (2  Sam.  XXI.  2.)  becaufe  they  were  fain  under  their 
 power,  when  Jojlma  conquered  the  Country. 
 
 Gathered  themfelves  together.]  Had  a  general  meet- 
 ing, and  fent  out  fummons  to  all  their  People  who 
 were  fit  for  War,  to  rendevouz  (as  we  fpeak)  at  the 
 place  they  appointed. 
 
 And  went  up7\  Though  they  lived  in  the  high 
 Country,  yet  Jerufalem  was  ftill  higher  :  where  they 
 i'eem  to  have  all  met,  according  to  Adonizedeks  de- 
 fire,  v.  4.  They 
 
upon  JOSHUA,  IIp 
 
 ;  and  nil  their  hojls,  and  encamped  before  Gibeon.]   Chanter 
 Laid  Seige  to  it.  y_ 
 
 :d  made  war  againfl  ft."]     Began  to  aflault  it.  L/*VXJ 
 
 Ver.   6.   And  the  Men  of  Gibeon  fent  unto  Jofot/a  to  „     , 
 the  Camp  to  Gilgai]     Or,  had  fent ,    as  foon  as  they     cr  e 
 heard  of  their  march  towards  them. 
 
 Sayings  Slacl^not  thy  hand  from  thy  Servants.']  They 
 doubted  not  of  his  Succour,  becaufe  they -were  his 
 Servants,  who  had  put  themfelves  under  his  pro- 
 tection :  but  begged  it  might  be  fpeedy,  for  fear  they 
 Ihould  be  overpowred  by  fuch  numerous  forces  as 
 were  coming  againfl:  them. 
 
 Come  up  quickly  and  fave  us  and  help  us^  for  all  the 
 Kings  of  the  Amorites  that  dwell  in  the  Mountains  are 
 gathered  together  againfl  us.~]  They  did  not  hope  to 
 be  preferved  without  his  help  $  nor  unlefs  it  arrived 
 quickly. 
 
 Ver.  7.  So  Jofiua  afcended  from  Gilgai,  he  and  all  yerfe  7. 
 the  People  of  liar  with  him,  and  all  the  mighty  Men  of 
 valour. J  Thefe  laft  words  are  the  Explication  of  the 
 former,  as  if  he  had  faid,  all  the  People  of  War,  even 
 all  the  mighty  Men  of  valour.  For  it  is  not  likely  he 
 took  along  with  him  all  the  fighting  Men  (feme  of 
 which  were  neceflary  to  guard  the  Camp  at  Gilgal) 
 but  only  the  choiceft  of  them  :  on  whole  valour  he 
 could  mod  rely  5  and  who  could  march  moft  fwiftly 
 to  the  relief  of  their  Confederates. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  the  LORD  faid  unto  Jofiua.]  Before 
 he  ftir'd  a  foot,  he  confulted  the  Divine  Majefty 
 about  this  expedition  :  who  encouraged  him  to  un- 
 dertake it. 
 
 Fear  them  not,  for  J  have  delivered  them  into  thine 
 handy  there  flj all  not  a  Man  of  them  (land  before  thee.] 
 
 He 
 
12o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  He  prom'ifed  him  an  entire  Viftory  :    which  embold- 
 X.        ned  him  to  fall  upon  them  undauntedly. 
 
 1/V\J        Ver.  9.   Jo/hua  therefore  came  upon   them  fuddenly^ 
 
 Verfe  9.  and  went  up  from  Gilgal  all  night.']  Accordingly 
 Jcjlwa  made  all  the  hafte  he  could  towards  them  5 
 marching  all  Night,  that  he  might  furprize  them  in 
 their  Quarters  (as  I  fuppofe  he  did)  before  they 
 could  draw  out  their  Army  againft  him. 
 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  the  LORD  difcomfited  them  before, 
 JfraeL"]  The  fuddennefs  of  the  attack,  nc  doubt, 
 put  them  into  great  confufion.  And,  befides,  God 
 ftruck  a  terror  into  them,  which  made  them  feek  for 
 fafety  by  flight,  rather  than  fighting. 
 
 And  flew  them  with  a  great /laughter  at  Gibeon."]  Near 
 to  the  City  $  as  the  Particle  Beth  fignifies  in  many 
 places :  particularly  in  the  fecond  Chapter  of  this 
 Book,  where  Rahabs  Houfe  is  faid  to  be  upon  the 
 Wall  (wetranflateitj  near  or  adjoining  to  the  Wall  3 
 and  V.  13.  where  Jofiua  is  faid  to  be  Bejerkho,  near 
 to  that  City,  for  he  was  not  in  it,  when  the  Captain 
 of  the  LORDS  Hoft  appeared  to  him.  See  Bochart 
 his  Hierozoicon,  P.  1.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  50. 
 
 And  chafed  them  along  the  way  that  goeth  up  to  Beth- 
 horon.~]  To  the  place  which  was  called  by  this  name, 
 when  this  Book  was  written  5  for  there  was  no  fuch 
 place  now  :  it  being  built,  after  they  were  fettled  in 
 Canaan,  by  Sherah  Daughter  or  Grand-Daughter  of 
 Ephraim,  as  we  read  in  the  1  Chron.  VII.  24. 
 
 And  fmote  them  to  Azekah,  and  unto  Mak£edah.~] 
 Two  Cities  afterward  in  the  Tribe  ofjudah,  XV.  95. 
 41.  For  in  the  great  confufion  wherein  they  were, 
 by  the  Hailftones  falling  upon  them  (as  it  here  fol- 
 lows) they  fled  backward  and  forward,  as  we  fpeak, 
 fometime   this  way,   fometimes   the  quite  contrary 
 
 (for 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  121 
 
 (for  Beth-horonhy  Northerly,  and  thefe  other  Towns  Chapter 
 in  the  South)    according  as  the  Hailftones,    by  the       X. 
 fhifting  of  the  Wind,  Hew  in  their  faces.  L/V\» 
 
 Ver.  1 1.  And  it  came  to  pafs  as  they  fled  from  be-  Verfe  1 I, 
 fore  Ifrael,  and  were  in  the  going  down  to  Beth-horon.] 
 Which  was  feated  on  the  fide  of  a  Hill  :  and  feems 
 to  have  taken  its  name  from  this  wonderful  Storm, 
 here  mentioned.  For  Beth-horon  fignifies  as  much, 
 as  the  Houfe  or  place,  of  fury  or  anger. 
 
 That  the  LORD  cafl  down  great  Stones  from  Hea- 
 ven upon  them.']  The  LXX  call  them  ?i/&£  •^olK%^ 
 Halftones  of  a  vaft  bignefs  :  which  fome  think  were 
 accompanied  with  Thunder  and  Lightning.  And 
 thus  the  ancient  Heathen  fay  that  Hercules  was  afiifted 
 in  his  War  againfl:  Albion,  &c.  See  Fojflus,  Lib.  I. 
 dc  orig.  &  progrejfu  Idolol.  Cap.  26.  And  that  rain- 
 ing of  Stones  is  not  a  Fable,  but  a  real  truth,  fee 
 him  alfo,  Lib.  3.  Cap.  XII.  Plutarch  alfo  in  the  Life 
 of  Timoleon  relates  how  a  terrible  ftorm  in  the  face 
 of  the  Carthaginian  Army,  gave  him  a  great  Vi&ory 
 over  them  ;  with  a  very  few  forces  which  he  had  to 
 encounter  them.  They  that  defire  to  fee  more  to  this 
 purpofe,  may  look  into  Huetius  his  SZueJliones  Alne- 
 tana,  Lib.  2.  Cap.  XII.  Sett.  12. 
 
 Vnto  Azekah."]  This  Storm  meeting  them  at  Beth- 
 horon,  drove  them  back  to  Azekah,  as  I  obferved  on 
 the  foregoing  Verfe. 
 
 And  they  died.']  They  upon  whom  the  Hailftones 
 fell,  were  killed  by  them. 
 
 T/jcy  were  mo  that  died  with  the  Hailftones,  than  they 
 whom  the  Children  of  Ifrael  flew  with  the  Sword.~]  For 
 they  could  not  flee  from  the  Stones,  which  came  from 
 Heaven  3  as  they  did  from  the  Sword  of  Ifrael. 
 
 K  '     Ver.  12. 
 
iii  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.   12.  Then  fpakejofhua  unto  the  LORD.']  This 
 
 X.  Song  as  the  Hebrews  call  it.  See  Mafim. 
 \y~\T\J  In  the  Day  when  the  LORD  delivered  up  the  Atno- 
 Verfe  12.  rites  before  the  Children  of  Ifrael.~]  It  is  not  certain  at 
 what  time  of  the  Day  he  fpake  what  follows.  Many 
 think,  when  the  Sun  was  declining  :  others,  rather 
 in  the  Morning.  For  he  marched  all  Night  to  fur- 
 prize  them,  and  in  all  probability  fell  upon  them  by 
 break  of  Day :  and  having  routed  and  chafed  them 
 for  fome  hours,  and  killed  great  numbers  of  them, 
 and  feen  others  fall  by  the  Hailftones,  concluded  he 
 (hould  deftroy  them  all  $  if  he  had  but  time  enough 
 before  Night  came,  to  favour  their  efcape.  Which 
 made  him  pray  that  he  might  have  light  to  con- 
 tinue his  purfuit,  and  gain  a  compleat  Viftory  over 
 them. 
 
 And  he  faid  in  the  fight  of  Ifrael.']  It  is  a  frivilous 
 obfervation  of  Maitnonides,  that  becaufe  it  is  not  faid 
 in  the  fight  of  ALL  Ifrael  (before  whom  Mofes  did  his 
 Miracles)  Jofouawzs  inferiour  to  him,  even  when 
 God  wrought  this  ftupendious  Miracle  at  his  requeft. 
 For  all  Ifrael  did  not  hear  him  fpeak  thefe  words,  but 
 only  fome  few  :  as  many  perhaps  as  were  with  Elijah 
 at  Mount  Carmel,  when  he  brought  Fire  down  from 
 Heaven,  to  confume  his  Sacrifice.  But  there  is  no 
 queftionthat  Ifrael  fignifies  all  the  Army  :  who  heard, 
 or  were  told  what  he  faid. 
 
 Sun  ft  an •d  thou  ftill  upon  GibeonT]  He  defired  it 
 might  ftand  immoveable,  in  that  part  of  the  Heavens, 
 where  he  faw  it,  now  fhining  upon  Gibeon. 
 
 And  thou  Moon  in  the  v alley  of  AialonT]  There 
 were  more  Aialons  than  one  -0  and  it  is  not  certain 
 which  it  is  he  means.  But  it  is  moft  likely,  that  in 
 the  Tribe  of  Dan,  (XIX.  42.    \Judg.  35.)    which 
 
 was 
 
upon  J  O  S  H  U  A.  F :  5 
 
 was  furtheft  from  G'ibeon  :  for  we  muft  fuppofc  theft  Chapter 
 two  places  to  have  been  at  fame*  diftance,  others  x. 
 
 Jojlwa  could  not  have  feen  the  Sun  and    the  Mocn  '^VXi 
 both  appear  at  the  fame  time  :    as  it  is  pre  they 
 
 were  both  now  in  his  Eye,  when  he  fpake  th 
 words.  It  is  not  fit  to  enter  into  fuch  guftions  as 
 thefe;  in  what  fign  the  Sun  now  was,  and  whether 
 the  Moon  was  in  her  increafe  or  decreafe,  &c.  They 
 that  can  make,  and  are  difpofed  to  fuch  enquiries, 
 may  confult  Bonfrerius* 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  the  Sun  flood  flitt,  and  the  M<W*  Verfc  1  $. 
 flayed.']  Thus  Callimachus  reprefents  the  Sun  as  (lop- 
 ping the  Wheels  of  his  Chariot,  to  behold  a  Chorus  of 
 Nymphs  5  which  fo  highly  pleafed  him,  that  it  made 
 him  prolong  the  Day,  v.  181,  182.  of  his  Hymn  to 
 Diana. 
 
 HA3e  7ntf  c/HcA{^  hjl\zv  yj^jv,  aAAx  Str.m 
 
 Where  Ezel(.  Spanhen/lus  excellently  notes,  that 
 what  the  Poets  only  fancied  might  be,  was  really 
 done  in  the  days  oijofiua.  And  wifhes  Grot /us  had 
 not  followed  fome  of  the  Jews  :  who  make  this  to  be 
 only  a  Poetical  phrafe,to  exprefs  a  long  Summers  Day. 
 For  the  Prophet  Habakkftk^  reprefents  ir  otherwife  5 
 and  fo  do  many  of  the  Talmndick.  Doctors.  They 
 that  can  confult  Huetius  alfo  in  his  Alnetana  §lnefli- 
 ones  (Lib.  2.  Cap.  XIL  Sedh  27.)  will  find  enough 
 to  fhame  thofe  who  disbelieve  this  Hiftory:  when 
 they  read  a  great  number  of  Stories  among  the  Hea- 
 then 5  which  (how  they  thought  it  within  the  power 
 of  their  gods,  to  do  fuch  things.  And,  among  other 
 memorable  things,  he  doth  not  forget  the  ancient 
 Tradition  of  the  Egyptians,   related  by  Herodotus  (in 
 
 R  2  his 
 
ia4  A  CO  MMENT  A  KY 
 
 Chapter  his  Euterpe,  Cap.  142.)  concerning  the  Stupendous 
 X.  alteration  of  the  courfe  of  the  Sun.  And  our  Dr. 
 tW*W  Jackfon  hath  obferved,  that  the  Heathen  People  of 
 thofe  times,  did  note  this  miraculous  event,  and  de- 
 liver the  tradition  of  it  to  their  Pofterity.  Who,  as 
 Men  are  wont  to  do,  endeavoured  to  affign  fome  caufe 
 of  it.  And  the  Poets  in  Ages  following  afcribe  it 
 (with  fome  additions)  unto  that  unnatural  Murder, 
 which  Atreus  committed :  at  which  the  Heavens 
 bluQied,  and  the  Sun  flood  ftill.  For  this  bloody 
 fact,  \i  Statins  miftake  not,  was  in  the  time  of  the 
 ThebanWav^  and  that  is  placed,  by  good  Chrono- 
 logers,  about  the  time  of  jtayiWsconqueft  of  Canaan. 
 See  Book  I.  upon  the  Creed,  Chapter  XV.  But  in 
 this  he  was  deceived  for  Atreus  lived  in  the  days  of 
 the  fudges. 
 
 Until  the  People  had  avenged  thmfelves  upon  their 
 Enemies.']  Till  they  had  gained  a  compleat  Vi&ory, 
 and  utterly  deftroyed  their  Enemies. 
 
 Is  not  this  written  in  the  Book,  of  Jafier  *"]  The 
 Targum  expounds  it,  in  the  Book,  of  the  Law:  as  if 
 the  meaning  was  that  there  God  had  foretold,  what 
 wonders  he  would  do  for  his  People.  But  from  the 
 marginal  Translation,  (which  is  the  Book,  of  the  up- 
 right, or  of  righteous  Men)  others  take  it  for  a  Book, 
 where  was  recorded  the  wonderful  things  done  by, 
 or  for  the  Religious  Heroes.  And  there  are  fome 
 probable  arguments,  that  it  was  written  in  Verfe : 
 to  fix  thefe  things  in  the  memory  of  the  People. 
 Grotius  is  of  this  opinion :  for  we  find  mention  of  it 
 no  where  elfe,  but  only  in  the  2  Sam.  I.  18.  and 
 there  it  is  mentioned  upon  account  of  a  Song,  made 
 upon  the  Death  of  Saul  and  Jonathan  by  King  David  : 
 who  caufe d  it  to  be  recorded  in  this  Book,     Which 
 
 was 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  125 
 
 was  not  accounted  facred  (being  written  by   feveral  Chapter 
 
 hands,  and  in  feveral  ages)  and  fo  not  preferved  with        X. 
 
 filch  care,  as  this  and  the  other  Canonical  Books  were.  L/"V"\J 
 
 As  for  their  opinion,  who  think  this  Book  contained 
 
 the  ancient  Annals  of  the  Jews  more  largely,    than 
 
 rhey  are  recorded  in  this,  and  the  following  Books, 
 
 it  hath  no  ground  at  all.     But  is  invented  merely  to 
 
 frame  an  argument  from  thence,  that  Joflwa  was  not 
 
 the  Author  of  this  Book  :  but  that  it  was  collected  in 
 
 after  times,  out  of  this  great  Chronicle  ^  by  fome  body 
 
 who  made  an.  abridgment  of  it.     But  Du  Pin  hath 
 
 well  obferved,  that  it  is  not  faid  here  the  Wars  of 
 
 Jojlma  were  related  in  the  Book  of  Jaficr  3  but  only 
 
 that  mention  is  made  therein  of  the  Miracle  by  which 
 
 the  Moon  ftood  ftill. 
 
 So  the  Sun  flood  JiiI/.~]  There  is  no  more  mention  of 
 the  Moon  :  for  it  was  the  light  of  the  Sun  that  made 
 the  Day. 
 
 //;  the  n/idji  of  Heaven. ~]  This  doth  not  neceflarily 
 fignifie,  that  it  ftood  ftill  precifely  in  the  Meridian 
 point :  but  that  it  appeared  vifibly  to  every  body 
 fixed,  in  the  fame  place  where  it  was,  when  Jof/wa 
 fpake  the  foregoing  words,  to  which  he  was  moved, 
 no  doubt,  by  a  Divine  infpiration. 
 
 And  hajlned  not  to  go  down  about  a  whole  Day.'] 
 It  may  be  (imply  tranflated,  a  whole  Day  :  the  Particle 
 Caph^  as  I  obferved  before,  fignifying  oftimes  nothing 
 of  (imilitude,  but  the  very  thing  it  felf.  Therefore 
 I  look  upon  MaiwoniJcs  his  Explication  as  un- 
 grounded :  who  by  Kajom  thtvtim  (as  an  whole  Day) 
 underftands  only,  as  the  longcft  Day  in  Summer, 
 More  Nevochim,  P.  11.  Cap.  XXXV.  Which  was  a 
 poor  bufinefs,  it  being  now  Summer  time,  when  this 
 Miracle  was  wrought:  and  as  Lyra  thinks  in  the 
 Month  of  June.  Ver.  14. 
 
ii*  A  COMMENT  A  KY 
 
 Chapter  Ver.  14.  And  there  was  no  day  like  that,  before  it  or 
 X.  after  it,  that  the  LORD  hearkped  to  the  voice  of  a 
 L/V^sJ  A£i»f1  That  is,  did  at  his  defire  (or  rather  com- 
 Verfe  14.  mandj  fuch  a  ftupendious  thing  as  this.  Whereby 
 he  gave  an  evident  demonftration,  that  he  who  did 
 fuch  wonders  in  Egypt,  and  at  the  Red  Sea,  and  the 
 River  Jordan,  had  an  abfolute  power  not  only  over 
 the  Elements  (as  we  call  them)  and  all  inferiour 
 Creatures,  but  over  the  Heavenly  bodies,  the  Sun, 
 Moon  and  Stars,  whom  the  Heathen  worfhipped. 
 They  have  ftrange  love  to  cavilling,-  who  would 
 hence  have  it  thought,  this  Book  was  not  written  by 
 JofJma :  when,  if  he  wrote  it  in  his  old  Age,  there 
 were  many  days  paired  fince  this  prodigy,  as  Huetim 
 well  obferves  In  his  Demonflr.  Evangelica.  P.  186. 
 See  various  opinions  about  the  length  of  this  Day  in 
 Sixtinus  Amama  his  Antibarbarus  Biblicut,  Lib.  -III. 
 P.  381,  (Sc. 
 
 For  the  LORD  fought  for  Ifrael.']  By  throwing 
 Stones  from  Heaven  upon  their  Enemies  5  and  giving 
 the  Israelites  ftrength  to  purfue  them  5  and  flopping 
 ■the  Suns  courfe,  that  they  might  not  want  light  for 
 their  purfuit!  and  prefer ving  them  from  the  Stones 
 which  fell  upon  their  Enemies,  and  not  upon  them, 
 though  mingled  with  them  in  the  fight. 
 Verfe  ic.  ^er*  *5*  And  Joflma  returned,  and  all  Ifrael  with 
 him,  unto  the  Camp  to  GilgaL"]  The  LXX  in  the 
 common  Copies  wholly  omit  this  Verfe  5  becaufe 
 Jo/fjua  did  not  return  to  Gilgal,  till  he  had  done  what 
 follows:  and  then  he  fpeaks  of  his  return,  in  the 
 fame  words  and  fyllables,  v.  43.  But  'tis  in  the 
 Edition  of  Hervafus,  1540.  as  my  mod  learned 
 Friend  Dr.  Alix  informs  me  ;  and  the  meaning  of  it 
 here  therefore  is  no  more  than  this  5    that  he  was 
 
 about 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  txj 
 
 about  to  return,    till  he  heard    where  the  dvt  Kings   Chapter 
 were  5  and  that  many  of  the  Enemies  were  ftill  re^        X. 
 maining.  L/~V\J 
 
 Ver.   16.  But  thcfe  five  Kings."]     Mentioned,  v.  3.  ycrfe  |£ 
 
 Fled.']  Efcaped  the  Sword  of  the  Ifraclites  by 
 flight  5  being  provided  perhaps  with  fwift  Beafts  for 
 that  purpofe :  and  taking  fome  by  ways,  feparate  from 
 their  fcattered  forces,  fo  that  the  Hailftones  did  not 
 fall  upon  them. 
 
 And  hid  thcmfelves  in  a  Cave."]  Which  they  knew 
 to  have  fecret  lurking  places  in  it :  where  they  could 
 not  be  ealily  difcovered. 
 
 At  MaJ&edah.~]  In  the  confines  of  that  City.  Which 
 not  being  yet  taken,  Joflma  could  not  command  great 
 Stones  to  be  rolled  upon  the  mouth  of  the  Cave,  if 
 it  had  been  in  the  City  it  felf. 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  it  was  told  Jofiua,  faying.  That  the  Verfe  17 
 Jive  Kings  were  hid  in  a  Cave  at  Mak&edah.~]  It  is 
 likely  Joflwa  had  given  a  particular  charge  about 
 them  :  and  they  made  enquiry  what  was  become  of 
 them,  till  it  was  difcovered,  that  they  were  in  this 
 place. 
 
 Ver.   18.  And  Jofoua  faid,  Roll  great  Stones  upon  yerfe   I(c# 
 the  mouth  of  the  Cave."]     To    hinder   their  coming 
 out. 
 
 And  fet  Men  by  it  for  to  keep  ihem."]  He  ordered 
 a  guard  alfo,  to  fee  that  none  removed  the  Stones. 
 
 Ver.  19.  And  flay  you  not,  but  purfue  after  your  yerfe  lQ 
 Enemies^]  They  thaf  brought  this  intelligence,  were, 
 it  is  likely,  fome  Officers  in  the  Army  :  whom  he 
 would  not  have  to  ftop  their  purfuit  of  the  icauered 
 Canaanites,  by  looking  after  thefe  Kings  5  but  1: 
 it  to  others  to  take  care  to  keep  them  fate  (hut  up  in 
 the  Cave. 
 
 And 
 
YaB  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chanter       And  fm/te  the  hindermofl  of  them 7]     He  mean9,  all 
 X.        that  they  could  overtake  in  their  flight, 
 
 \^/^r\J  Suffer  them  not  to  enter  into  their  Cities. ~]  And  hin- 
 der the  reft  from  retreating  into  their  own  Cities :  by 
 which  means  they  would  not  remain  in  a  body  toge- 
 ther 5  but  difperfed  here  and  there,  where  they  could 
 fave  themfelves. 
 
 For  the  LORD  your  God  hath  delivered  them  into 
 your  hand?]  Given  you  an  opportunity  to  compleat 
 their  deftru&ion. 
 
 Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  And  it  came  to  pafs,  when  JoJIwa,  and  the 
 Children  of  Ifraef]  i.  e.  The  Children  of  Jfrael  by 
 the  command  and  dire&ion  of  Jofiua  $  who  lent  out 
 ftrong  Parties  to  purfue  them  :  but  he  himlelf  feems 
 to  have  gone  to  lay  fiege  to  Makkfdah. 
 
 Had  made  an  end  of  flaying  them  with  a  very  great 
 flaughter,  till  they  were  confumedT]  Till  there  was 
 none  of  them  to  be  feen  in  a  body  together. 
 
 That  the  refi  which  remained  of  them^  entred  into 
 fenced  Cities. ~]  Thofe  few  that  efcaped,  got  into  fuch 
 fortified  Cities  as  they  could  reach. 
 
 Verfe  21.  Ver.  21.  And  all  the  People?]  Who  had  been 
 fent  out,  and  engaged  in  purfuit  of  the  Enemy. 
 
 Returned  to  the  Camp  to  Jofoua  at  Mak^edah.] 
 Where,  no  doubt,  he  had  ordered  a  general  rende- 
 vouz,  as  we  now  fpeak,  of  the  whole  Army  that 
 had  been  employed  in  this  War. 
 
 In  Peace."]  The  LXX  tranflate  it  vyi&t  found  and 
 fafe:  and  the  Vulgar ,  fani  ©  intcgro  numero  5  found 
 and  without  the  lofs  of  a  Man.  Which  is  to  be  un- 
 derftood  of  that  detachment  fent  to  purfue  them 
 (v.  19.)  who  came  all  fafe  to  the  Camp,  and  not  a 
 Man  of  them  loft,  or  fo  much  as  wounded. 
 
 Nont 
 
upon  JOS  HU  A.  iip 
 
 Norte  Moved  his  tongue  again  (I  any  of  the  Children   Chapter 
 of  lfracl.~]     There  was  not  fo  much  as  a  Dog   that       X. 
 barked  at  them.     For  that  word  Dog  is  to  be  fupplied  L/"V\J 
 (as  Bochartuf  thinks)    according  to   what  we   read, 
 XT  Exod.  7.  See  Hicrozo/con,  P.  1.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  LV. 
 It  is  an  expreffion  of  the  great  tranquility  wherein  they 
 were  5  and  of  an  intire  Victory  :  there  being  not  fo 
 much  as  a  Dog  left  to  difturb  them. 
 
 Ver.  22.  Then  faid  Jofljua,  Open  the  mouth  of  they erfe  2  2. 
 Cave,  and  bring  out  thofe  Jive  Kings  unto  me  out  of 
 the  Cave.~]  The  Wifdom  of  JoJIma  is  here  obferved 
 by  Arias  Montanus  ;  who  would  not  do  this  Exe- 
 cution, till  all  the  People  were  returned  to  the  Camp, 
 to  be  witneflcs  of  it.  And  he  might  have  added, 
 that  he  executed  them,  before  he  affaulted  Makkcdah, 
 that  the  inhabitants  of  that  Gity  might  fee  there  was 
 no  hope  of  any  fuccour  from  thofe  Kings  5  who  had 
 been  very  powerful. 
 
 Ver.  23.  And  they  did  fo^  and  brought  forth  thofe  Verfe  22' 
 five  Kings  unto  him  out  of  the  Cave,  the  King  of 
 Jcrufalem,  the  King  of  Hebron^  Sec.  They  are  named 
 in  the  fime  order,  as  in  v.  3.  according  to  their  rank 
 and  quality:  for  next  to  the  King  of  Jerufalem,  who 
 was  the  chief,  the  King  of  Hebron  feems  to  have  been 
 of  greateft  note  5  and  fo  of  the  reft.  The  fame  Mon- 
 tana thinks  it  probable,  that  as  they  brought  them 
 forth,  and  fet  them  before  JoJIma,  rh^y  faid,  this  is 
 the  King  of  Jerufalem  5  and  then  this  is  the  King  of 
 Hebron,  Sec. 
 
 Ver.   24.  And  it  came  to  pafs,  when  t^ey  brought  out 
 e  Kings  to  Jofma,  that  JoJIma  called  for  nil  the  Men 
 oj  Jfraclli     That  is  all  the  Men  of  War. 
 
 S  And 
 
i3o  A  CO  MMENT  AK  X 
 
 Chapter        And  faid  unto  the  Captains  of  the  Men  of War ,  which 
 X.      were  with  him."]    That  is,  the  great  Officers  of  the 
 U'V^vJ  Army. 
 
 Come  near,  put  your  feet  upon  the  Necks  of  thefe 
 Kings."]  Who  lay  bound,  I  fuppofe,  proftrate  upon 
 the  ground. 
 
 And  they  came  near,  and  put  their  feet  upon  the  Necks 
 of  them?]  Not  out  of  infolence  and  pride }  but  in- 
 token  that  thefe  Kings  and  their  Countries  were 
 brought  in  ablolute  fubje&ion  to  them  :  and  that  God 
 had  fulfilled  his  promife,  XXXIII  Dent.  nit.  • 
 
 Ver.  25.  And  Joffjua  faid  fear  them  not^  nor  be  dif- 
 Verfe.  25.  ^ayed^  heftrong,  and  of  a  good  courage.']  The  fame 
 that  Mofes  had  faid  to  them  all  long  ago,  I  Dent.  21, 
 29.  and  God  had  lately  faid  to  Joflyua,  I.  6.  7.  9. 
 and  might  be  faid  with  greater  reafon  now,  when 
 they  faw  their  greateft  Enemies,  lye  proftrate  under 
 their  feet. 
 
 For  thus  fiati  the  LORD  do  U  all  your  Enemies  t 
 
 againjl  whom  you  fight."]    To  all  the  inhabitants  of 
 
 Canaan* 
 
 -       ,       Ver.  26.  And  afterward  Jo/fjua  fmote  them  and  flew 
 
 verie  2°-tfom.']    After  they  had  trampled  upon  them,    he 
 
 ordered  them  to  be  killed. 
 
 And  hanged  them  on  five  trees. ~]     As  a  mark  of  in- 
 famy, whereby  a  terror  was  ftruck  into  all  others. 
 
 And  they  were  hanging  on  the  trees  till  the  evening!] 
 Expofed  to  this  contempt,  all  that  long  Day :  which 
 God  made  on  purpofe  that  they  might  do  all  the  great 
 things  before  mentioned,  and  what  follows,  before 
 the  Night  came  upon  them.  Then  their  bodies  were 
 taken  down,  not  in  honour  to  them  but  in  honour 
 to  the  Land  of  Ifrael^  wherein  God  now  dwelt.  So 
 Men  Ezra* 
 
 Ver,  27- 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  131 
 
 Ver.  27.  And  it  came  to  pafs,    at  the   time  of  the   Chapter 
 goi ng  down  of  the  Sun,  that  jojbud  commanded,     and         X. 
 they  took,  them  down   off  the  trees,    and  cajl  them  into  L^^V^SJ 
 the  Cave,    wherein  they  had  been  hid,  8tc]     He  had  Verfe  27. 
 given  this  order  as  foon  as  they  were  hanged,  accord- 
 ing to  the  Law  of  Mofes:   by  which  he  atted  before 
 at  Ai,  VIII.  29.     And  with  their  bodies  he  caft  all 
 the  inftruments  of  their  puni(hment  fthe  Trees,  and 
 whatsoever  faftned  them  unto  them)    into  the  Cave, 
 as  Maimonides  faith,  and  the  Samaritan  Chronicle  here 
 particularly  obferves. 
 
 Ver.  28.  And  that  day  Jojhua  tool^  MaJ^edah.']  The  Verfe  28. 
 fame  Day  the  King  of  it  was  hanged  :  and  it  feems 
 to  me  probable  it  was  on  that  long  Day  (as  I  faid  be- 
 fore) which  God  made  that  they  might  compleat 
 their  conqueft  of  thefe  Kings  ^  and  when  they  had 
 done  take  this  City  alfo.  Our  great  Primate  of  Ire- 
 land  indeed  by  that  day  under ftands  the  fame  day  that 
 he  fet  down  before  the  City  :  which  he  thinks  was 
 fome  time  after  what  is  before  related. 
 
 And  fmotc  it  with  the  edge  of  the  Sword,  and  the 
 King  thereof  he  utterly  deftroyed.l  He  was  (lain  among 
 the  reft  $  and  not  taken  alive  as  the  King  of  Ai 
 was. 
 
 Them,  and  all  the  Souls  that  were  therein. ~]  All  the 
 fighting  Men,  together  with  the  Women  and  Chil- 
 dren: becaufe  they  had  refufed  the  offers  of  Peace, 
 fent  them  from  JoJ/jua,  before  he  invaded  their 
 Land. 
 
 He  let  none  rcmjin.~]  But  faved  the  Cattle,  which 
 they  took,  with  their  goods,  for  a  prey. 
 
 And  he  did  to  the  King  of  Marcel  ah,  as  he  did  to 
 
 King  of  Jericho.]     What  he  did  to  the  King  of 
 
 Jaicho  is  not  recorded  5  but  by  what  is  faid  of  other 
 
 Kiner- 
 
I32  A   COMME  NT  ART 
 
 Chapter  Kings,  it  is  probable  that  he  hanged  him  up,  after  he 
 
 X.       was  found  dead. 
 LZ-VSJ       Ver.   29.   Then  Jofoua  pajfed  from  Makfcedak]  This 
 Verfe  29.  only  fignifies  what  was  their  next  expedition  ^  for  it 
 is  likely  they  refrefhed   themielves  a  while,    before 
 they  left  this  place. 
 
 All  Ifrael  with  htm."]  All  that  he  brought  along 
 wich  him,  to  the  relief  of  Gibeon.     See  v.  7. 
 
 Unto  Libnah.']  A  City  which  fell  to  the  (hare  of 
 the  Tribe  of  Judah,  in  the  divifion  of  the  Land,  XV. 
 42.  and  was  one  of  the  Cities  given  to  the  Priefts, 
 XXI.  13.   iChron.  VI.  57. 
 
 And  fought  aga/nft  Libnah]  Laid  fiege  to  it,  and 
 planted  their  batteries  againft  it. 
 Verfe  go.  Ver.  30.  And  the  LORD  delivered  it  alfo,  and  the 
 King  thereof  into  the  hand  of  Ifrael.']  They  made  an 
 eafie  conqueft  of  it,  becaufe  God  gave  it  up  into  their 
 hand. 
 
 And  he  fmote  it  with  the  edge  of  the  Sword,  and  all 
 the  Souls  that  were  therein,  &zc.~]  The  fame  words 
 whereby  the  deftru&ion  of  Makfcedah  is  defcribed, 
 v.  28.  For  both  thefe  Cities  favoured  the  live  Kings 
 before  mentioned,  and  therefore  (as  Conradus  Pel/i- 
 canus  thinks)  were  deftroyed  utterly  not  only  by 
 the  command  of  God,  but  by  the  right  of  War.  But 
 the  command  of  God  was  the  only  ground,  as  it  is 
 exprefTed,  v.  40. 
 
 Verfe  2 1  ^er*  3 r  *  ^n^  J°Pma  PaJfed  from  Libnah,  and  all 
 Ifrael  with  him  unto  Lachifj.']  Another  City  which 
 fell  to  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  XV.  39.  and  was  not  far 
 from  Libnah. 
 
 And  encamped  againfl  it,    and  fought  againjl   it.'] 
 This,  it  feems,    was  a  ftronger  City  than  either  of 
 the  former  :   for  there  is    no  mention  of  an  en- 
 campment 
 
upon   JOS  H  U  A.  133 
 
 I,    before    they   began    their   Chapter 
 aflat  X. 
 
 r.   g  2 .  >&D  delivered  J  at  I  >fh  into  the  ISV\.) 
 
 ban  Kb  not  add  */ra/  ffo  KV//§  thereof  +  txtt  32. 
 
 fas  he  doth    oi  keduh  and  Libnah,  v.  28.   30.) 
 
 he  was  on:,  or  the  five  Kings,  which  he  had 
 lately  hangd  \  an  J  rhey  had  not  its  likely  fet  a  new 
 one  on  his  Throne,  v.  23. 
 
 Which  tool^  it  on  the  fcond  Day.~]  After  they  be- 
 gan the  Seige:  or,  the  iecond  Day  after  the  taking 
 ot  Makfccdah  and  I  fbnah.  The  former  is  mo  ft  likely, 
 becaufe  their  encampment  again  ft  it  fignifies  they  fpent 
 fome  time  before  it. 
 
 And  fmote  it  rc/th  the  edge  of  the  Sword,  Sec] 
 Thefe  words  and  the  following,  are  the  very  fame 
 with  what  he  faid  before  of  the  two  forenamed  Cities: 
 only  he  doth  not  add,  he  let  none  remain  5  which  is 
 to  be  fuppofed. 
 
 Ver.   33.  Then  Hot  am  King  of  Gezer  came  up  ^yerfe  2fc, 
 help  Lachifl).~]     This   was  a   Citv  aftervvards  in  the 
 Tribe  of  EpbraJm,    XVI.  10.  belonging  to  the  Le- 
 vites,  XXI.  2  i.  and  not  far  from  Gibeon,  as  may  be 
 guefTed  from  \Chron.  XIV.   16. 
 
 And  Joflwa  fmote  him  and  his  People,  until  he  had 
 had  left  him  none  remaining."]  If  he  deftroyed  his 
 City  at  this  time,  he  returned  to  Lachifi.  And  it  is 
 probable,  he  fent  forth  a  detachment  to  fight  Horam 
 and  his  Army,  who  having  routed  them,  deftroyed 
 alio  their  City:  and  then  went  on  with  the  fiege 
 of  Lachijb. 
 
 Ver.  34.  And  from  L  acbijh  J  of."  a  faffed  unto  Eglon."]  \rer(; 
 Which  alfo  belonged  afterward  to  Juuah,    XV.  39. 
 and  feems  to  have  been  as  considerable  as  Lachif/j: 
 For  it  follows,  that  they  encamped  againfi  it,  and  fought 
 
 againfi 
 
i54  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter,  ngawft  it,  as  they  had  done  againft  the  other.    Their 
 X.       King  was  one  of  the  five,  who  was  killed  and  hangd 
 
 ty"WJ  before,  v.  23. 
 
 Verfe  35*  Ver.  35.  And  they  took,  it  on  that  Day Q  The  fame 
 Day  they  fet  down  before  it  5  for  none  came  to  their 
 relief  as  Horam  did  to  help  Lachijh  :  which  may  be 
 one  reafon  that  City  was  not  taken  till  the  fecond 
 Day,  v.  32. 
 
 Andfmote  it  with  the  edge  of  the  Sword,  &C."]  The 
 fame  he  had  faid  of  the  forenamed  Cities  $  only  he 
 faith  he  utterly  defiroyed  all  that  were  therein  on  the 
 fame  Day :  which  is  the  fame  with  thofe  words  he 
 let  none  remain. 
 
 Verfe  36.  Ver.  36.  And  Jofiua  went  up  from  Eglon  and  all 
 Ifrael  with  him  unto  Hebron,  and  they  fought  againfl  it.~\ 
 This  was  alfo  a  City  of  Judah  (as  every  one  knows) 
 XV.  54.  and  was  feated  in  the  Mountainous  Country, 
 as  the  former  were  in  the  Plain  5  which  is  the  reafon 
 he  is  faid  to  go  up  to  it  from  Eglon. 
 
 Verfe  2  7.  ^er#  37*  -^nd  they  took,  it,  and  fmote  it  with  the 
 edge  of  the  Sword,  and  the  King  thereof.*}  Their  King 
 was  one  of  the  five,  whom  Jofhua  had  lately  killed 
 and  hanged.  But  it  feems,  they  had  fet  up  a  new 
 one :  being  a  City  of  great  note,  which  had  other 
 Cities  depending  on  it,  as  it  follows  in  the  next 
 words. 
 
 And  all  the  Cities  thereof]  It  was  not  only  one  of 
 the  Royal  Cities,  which  had  other  Cities  fubjeft  to  it 
 (as  Gibeon  had,  which  was  a  kind  of  Royal  City) 
 but  of  very  great  power.  For  thefe  words  import, 
 as  if  there  were  many  Cities  under  its  jurifdiftion. 
 
 And  all  the  Souls  that  were  therein  ^  he  left  none  re- 
 maining, &c."]  In  this  conqueft  Caleb  was  very  in- 
 strumental, and  fignalized  himfelf  (as  we  now  fpeak) 
 
 by 
 
upon  J  O  S  H  U  A.  r s  * 
 
 by  driving  out  the  three  Sons  of  Ana/{  (XV.  13,  14.)  Chapter 
 
 who  were  (lain   there,    ljudg*   10.     Thus  we  muft        X. 
 
 underihnd  this  Hiftory :  or  elfe  fay  as  lome  do  5  ei-  L/^VSJ 
 
 ther  that  Jofii/a  only  took  the  City  and  deftroyed  it, 
 
 but  could  not  take  the  Cittadel,  or  ftrong  Fort  on 
 
 the  top  of  the  Mountain    (which  doth  not  feem  to 
 
 be  exa&ly  true,    for  we  read  in  the  next  Chapter, 
 
 v.  21,    22.  that  he  cut  off  the  Anak^ms  from    the 
 
 Mountains,  Sk.)  or,  that  after  he  had  deftroyed  it, 
 
 as  is  here  related,  the  Anakims  came  from  Gaza,  and 
 
 other  Cities  of  the  Philijiines  whether  they  now  fled, 
 
 and  peopled  it  again  :    but  were  expelled   again  by 
 
 Caleb,  as  fome  underftand.,  XIV.  12.     See  ljudg. 
 
 10. 
 
 Ver.  38.  And  Jofhua  returned  and  all  Ifrael  with  yerrc  «g^ 
 him  to  Debir  and  fought  again jl  it.']  He  had  not  been 
 there  before,  but  having  gone  as  far  South  and  Weft, 
 as  he  thought  fit  (even  as  far  as  Gaza,  which  was  in 
 the  Weftern  Coaft,  v.  41.)  he  turned  his  courfe  to- 
 ward the  Camp  at  Gilgal,  which  was  now  North- 
 Eaft  from  him ,  and  in  his  way  thither  took  Debir, 
 which  alfo  was  a  City  of  Judah,  XV.  49.  and  one 
 of  the  City  of  the  Priefts,  XXL  15.  1  Chron.  VI 
 58.  called  alfo  Kir'ath  Sepher,  and  Kiriath-Sanna. 
 
 Ver.  39.  And  he  took.it,  and  the  King  thereof,  andVtxk  59. 
 all  the  Cities  thereof  &c.]  It  was  a  great  City  (we 
 may  gather  from  hence,  like  to  Hebron)  in  the  con- 
 queft  of  which  Othniel  the  Brother  of  Caleb  did 
 great  fervice  :  and  therefore  it  was  given  to  him  5  as 
 we  read,  XV.  15,  16,  17.  and  ljudg.  it. 
 
 Ver.  40.  So  JofJjuafmote  all  the  Country  of  the  Hills,  Verfe  40. 
 and  of  the   South ^  and  of  the  Vale,  and  of  the  Springs, 
 and  all  their  Kings.']     He  forbears  to  name  all  the 
 Cities  he  took,    and  in   (hort  faith  he  fubdued  the 
 
 whole. 
 
i:  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  whole  Country  that  lay  South  and  Weft  (as  it  isex- 
 X.  plained  in  the  next  Verfe)  of  whnfoever  fort  it  was : 
 U^N^NJ'both  the  Hilly  and  the  low  Country.  For  they  that 
 defcribe  Countries  are  wdnt  ;o  have  refpeft  to  two 
 things:  the  condition  ;ind  quality  of  the  Soil,  and 
 then  the  Situation.  The  firft  of  thefe  he  expreiTes  in 
 this  Verfe-,  and  the  other  rn  the  next.  For  here  he 
 defcribes  it  as  partly  Hilly  a  ic  dry  5  and  partly  plain 
 and  full  of  Springs. 
 
 He  left  none  remaining,  but  utterly  dejiroyed  all  that 
 breathed.']  Which  muft  be  regained  to  Mankind  : 
 for  they  kept  their  Cattle  as  a  pi-y  to  themfelves. 
 
 As  the  LORD  God  of  Ifracl  commanded."]  This  is 
 added  as  a  juftification  of  the  Ifrsclites,  from  all  im- 
 putation of  cruelty  or  fevericy :  lor  they  only  exe- 
 cuted a  Divine  fentence  againft  this  People  for  their 
 abominable  wickednefs  (XVIII  LevH.  24,  25,  &c.) 
 wherewith  the  ifraelhes  would  have  been  in  danger 
 to  be  infected,  i:  they  had  not  been  extirpated. 
 Verfe  14,  Ver.  41.  ind  Jojlmafmote  them  from  Kadefi-Barnea.li 
 Which  was  in  the  South  of  Canaan,  as  appears  from 
 XXXIV  Isumb.  4.  and  Chapter  XV.  of  this  Book, 
 v.  3.  where  it  is  mentioned  as  belonging  to  the  Tribe 
 of  Judah. 
 
 Even  mid  GazaT]  A  City  of  the  Philifhnes,  in 
 the  Weft  part  of  Canaan  5  towards  the  South. 
 
 And  all  the  Country  of  Goften.l  There  was  a  City 
 in  the  Tribe  of  Judah  of  this  name,  which  lay  in  the 
 Mountains  as  Hebron  did  in  the  Southern  par:  of  the 
 Country,  XV.  51.  From  which  City,  the  region 
 there  abouts  was  called  the  Country  of  Gojhen.  Which 
 had  excellent  Pafture  ground  in  it,  and  was  well 
 watred  (like  that  Country  in  Egypt  of  the  fame  name) 
 and  thence  was  called  Gojhert,  as  Conrad;/ s  P-ellicanvs 
 
 conjedhires  3 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  i37 
 
 conjectures  ;,    becaufe   the  Hebrew  word  GcJIjcm  fig-   Chapter 
 nities  large  fhowers,  which  make  the  Earth  fruitful.  x. 
 
 en  unto  C,ibco>i.~]     Which  was  in  the  more  Nor-  l/"V~Vj 
 therly  part  of  the  Country.     And  therefore,  as  before 
 he  gave  an  account  of  his  Conqueft  from  the  South  to 
 the  Weft  5  fo  here  of  his  Conqueft  from  the  South 
 to  the  North. 
 
 Ver.  42.  All thefe  Kings  and  their  Land  did  JoflwaVexk  4: 
 take  at  one  tir,ie7\     In  one  Expedition. 
 
 Becaufe  the  LORD  God  of  Ifracl  fought  for  Ifrael."] 
 Which  made  their  Conqueft  eafie  and  fpeedy.  The 
 Tar  gum  hath  it,  the  LORD  God  of  Ifracl  by  his 
 WORD  fought  for  Ifrael.  That  is,  by  him  who  ap- 
 peared to  Joflma  as  the  Captain  of  the  Lords  Hoft, 
 V.  13,  14. 
 
 Ver.  43.  And  JoJI: uci  returned  and  Ifrael  with  hh;?,  \rerfe  *• 
 unto  the  Camp  to  G/lgal.~]  To  refrefh  themfelves  with 
 the  company  of  their  Wives  and  Children  5  and  to 
 make  thofe  who  were  left  to  defend  them,  partakers 
 of  their  booty  :  but  efpecially  to  return  folemn 
 thanks  to  God,  for  their  Victories  5  at  his  Houfe 
 which  was  now  fetled  at  GilgaL 
 
 Our  great  Primate  of  Ireland  thinks  that  this  War 
 with  the  five  Kings,  that  came  again  ft  Gibcon,  &c. 
 concluded  this  famous  Year.  In  the  firft  part  of 
 which  Mofes  took  the  Kingdoms  of  Sihon  and  Og  on 
 the  other  fide  Jordan :  and  in  the  latter  part  of  it 
 Joflwa  conquered  a  great  part  of  the  Land  of  Canaan  : 
 and  in  the  middle  of  it  the  Manna  ceafed,  and  they 
 cat  of  the  fruit  of  the  Country.  So  that  in  the  Au- 
 tumn of  this  Year  they  began  to  Sow:  and  confe- 
 quently  from  this  time  they  began  to  number  their 
 Sabbattical  Years.  See  him  in  his  Annates.  A.  M 
 ^554-  But  another  great  Man  (Dr.  AUx)  admonifbes 
 
 T 
 
S38  A  C  0  MMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  me,  that  this  is  againft  the  Opinion  of  the  an- 
 X.      cient  Jews,    who  fuppofe  that  the  firft  Year  of  the 
 
 L/*V%J  Semitah  was  the  fourteenth  after  their  entrance  into 
 Canaan.  For  the  Land  muft  have  been  divided,  be- 
 fore it  was  cultivated  :  andfo  the  Sabbath  of  the  Land, 
 muft  be  feven  Years  after  the  divilion. 
 
 Ch!Frter  CHAP.    XI. 
 
 L/V\J 
 
 Verfe  i.    Verfe  I.      ANDit  came  to  pafs   that  when  Jabin 
 
 ±\  King  of  Hazor.']  This  City  was  the 
 Metropolis  of  the  Northerly  part  of  Canaan^  v.  xo. 
 and  fell  to  the  fhare  of  the  Tribe  of  Naphtali  in  the 
 divifion  of  the  Land.,  XIX.  36.  Jabin  was  the  name 
 of  the  King  of  the  Canaanites  in  this  part  of  the 
 Country,  in  future  times:  and  reigned  in  this  very 
 City,  IV  Judg.  2. 
 
 Heard  of  thefe  things."]  Of  the  Conqueft  Joflma 
 had  made  of  fo  many  Kings,  and  their  Kingdoms, 
 in  the  South,  and  the  Weft  part  of  the  Land. 
 
 That  hefent  to  Jobab  King  of  Madon7\  This  is  the 
 name  of  a  place  we  read  of  no  where  elfe  :  but  was 
 fubjeft,  no  doubt,  unto  Hazor,  as  the  reft  were. 
 
 And  to  the  King  of  Shiniron.~]  A  place  afterward 
 in  the  Tribe  of  Zebulon,  near  to  the  Country  of 
 Naphtali,  XIX.   15. 
 
 And  to  the  King  of  Achfiaph.~]  In  the  Tribe  of 
 After,  XIX.  25.  Thefe  t\vo  laft  places  Arias  Mon~ 
 tanus  thinks  were  more  remote  from  Hazor,  than 
 Madon  :  and  lay  toward  the  South  near  Mount  Tabor: 
 being  the  only  Southern  People  that  remained,  after 
 
 the 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  i 
 
 the  five  Kings  were  deftroyed.  But  toward  the  North,  Cbai 
 irtdtheEaft,    and  the  Weft,    there  were  many   !  XI. 
 
 horn  Jabin  now  gathered  toget'  L/~V\^> 
 
 Ver.   2.   And  to  the  Kings  that  ivere  in  the  North  oj  \' 
 Mountains.]     Or,    Mountainous  Country,    I 
 Lebanon }    for   that  was   in  the  North    pare  o(  ( 
 naan. 
 
 And  in  the  Plains,  South  of  Cinneroth.]  In  the  flat 
 Country,  which  lay  South  of  the  Lake  called  after- 
 ward Genefaret,  now  Cinneroth.  See  XXXIV  Numb. 
 ii. 
 
 And  in  the  valley']  Some  conjefture  he  means  that 
 pleafant  Valley  between  Mount  Hem/on,  and  Mount 
 Gilboa  :  called  the  Valley  of  Jczreel. 
 
 And  the  borders  of  Dor.']  A  City,  with  a  Countrv 
 belonging  to  it,  in  the  Tribe  of  Manaffeh,  XVII.  1 1. 
 
 On  thefVeft.]  Upon  the  midland  Sea.  Where 
 Jofephus  mentions  (in  his  fecond  Book  againft  Appion) 
 a  City  called  Dora,  near  Mount  Carmel  See  Bo- 
 chart//?  \n  his  Canaan.     Lib.  I.   Cap.  XLl.  P.  752. 
 
 Ver.   3.  And  to    the  Canaanite.']     The  People  pe-  Verfe  ;>. 
 culiarly  lb  called. 
 
 /  the  Eaji  and  oh  the  Wejl.']  It  hath  been  noted 
 before,  that  fome  of  this  People  lived  in  the  Eaft 
 near  Jordan  5  and  other  of  them  in  the  Weft  near  the 
 midland  Sea.     See  XIII  tslnmk  29. 
 
 And  to  the  Amorite,  and  the  Hittite,  and  the  Periz- 
 zitc."]  There  were  other  Amorites,  Scattered  tfd  and 
 down  the  Country,  befides  thofe  who  were  fubjeft  to 
 the  five  Rings  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  Chapter, 
 v.  f.  Who  were  all  now  afiembled  together  in  \ 
 
 with  the  reft  of  the  Hittites  and  Pcrizzites, '^who  were 
 in  feveral  parts  of  the  Country)  that  they  might  make 
 as  powerful  an  Army,  as  could  be  raifed. 
 
 T  2  And 
 
,4o  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        And  the  Jebu(ite,  in  the  Mountains^]    About  Jeru- 
 XI.     falem,  where  they  kept  a  ftrong  hold,  till  the  time  of 
 IS*\T\J  David  :  as  the  Perizzites  lived  in  other  Mountainous 
 and  Woody  Countries,  as  Bochartm  obferves. 
 
 And  to  the  Hivite  under  Hermon.~]  This  was  a 
 Mountain  in  the  North-Eaft  part  of  the  Country, 
 where  fome  Hivites  were  fettled :  as  others  were 
 about  Gibeon.  That  Herman  was  Eafterly  appears 
 from  LXXXIX  PfaL  12.  Whence  it  is  that  the  Hu 
 viies  are  called  Kadmonitcs,  that  is,  Eafierlings,  XV 
 Gen.  19.  as  Bochart  hath  obferved  in  his  Phaleg. 
 Lib.  IV.  Cap.  XXXVI.  and  in  his  Canaan,  Lib.  1. 
 Cap.  XIX. 
 
 in  the  land  of  Mizpeh.~]  There  were  feveral  Cities 
 of  this  Name;  one  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  XV.  38. 
 another  belonging  to  Benjamin^  XVIII.  26.  And 
 two  more  beyond  Jordan  in  the  Land  of  Gilead  ; 
 one  in  the  Tribe  of  Gad,  the  other  in  the  Tribe  of 
 Manajfeh,  or  very  near  it  ^  which  gave  name  to  the 
 Country  about  it,  and  feems  to  be  here  intended. 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4-  And  they  went  out.  J  The  Kings  of  all 
 thefe  People. 
 
 They  and  all  their  hofi  with  them,  much  People,  even 
 as  thefand  that  is  upon  the  Seajhore  in  multitude*']  A 
 vaft  Army,  which  could  not  eafily  be  numbred  3  or, 
 which  covered  the  place  where  they  were  incamped, 
 as  Sand  doth  the  Sea  fhore  5  fo  that  nothing  could 
 be  feen  but  armed  Men,  Horfes  and  Chariots,  &c^ 
 It  is  a  proverbial  fpeech  in  Scriptures,  for  vaft  num- 
 bers of  Men,  or  great  quantities  of  Corn  -r  or  exceed- 
 ing much  knowledge  and  wifdom,  as  every  one 
 knows. 
 
 With  Horfes  and  Chariots,  very  many7\  This  made 
 them  the  more  formidable,  becaufe  the  Jfraelites  were 
 
 alt 
 
upon    JOSHUA-.  141 
 
 all  footmen  :   who  might  eafily  be  beaten  by  a  ftrong  Chapter 
 
 body  of  Horfc:    efpceially  when  they  had  Chariots      XI. 
 
 alfo,    which    carried    Men  in  them  ffee  upon  XX  U""WJ 
 
 Dent.  1.)  and  they  had  great  numbers  alfo  "of  them, 
 
 as  thefe  words  intimate,    jofephus  makes  their  Chariots 
 
 alone  to  have  been  Twenty  Thoufand.     The  Land 
 
 of  Canaan  indeed,  did  not  breed  Horfes  (as  I  have 
 
 often  obferved)  but  they  might  eafily  procure  them 
 
 out  of  Egypt  1  and  they  trufted  much  to  this  kind  of 
 
 Forces,  wherein  the  Egyptians  excelled  moft  People. 
 
 See  XVII  Dent.  16. 
 
 Ver.    5.  And  when  all  thefe  Kings  were  met  together  ±\  ^    r 
 In  fome  place  which  the  King  of  Hazor  appointed  ** 
 
 for  a  general  rendevouz.  For  though  this  Multitude 
 were  of  different  Nations,  yet  they  all  now  combined 
 againft  the  Jfraelites.  But  it  was  a  great  Providence 
 of  God,  that  as  all  this  Country  was  not  united  under 
 one  head,  but  divided  into  feveral  petty  Kingdoms  5 
 fo  they  did  not  all  enter  into  a  confederacy  at  the  firft 
 againft  Joflma  5  but  fought  feverally  :  only  five  of 
 their  Kings  joyning  together.  Though  now  they 
 feem  to  have  feen  their  error,  and  therefore  all  that 
 remained,  joined  as  one  Man,  to  oppofe  Jo/buas  fur- 
 ther proceeding. 
 
 They  can/c  and  pitched  together  at  the  waters  of  Me- 
 ronr,  to  fight  againft  Ifraelfj  They  marched  Co  thefe 
 Waters,  and  there  formed  a  Camp,  to  prepare,  and 
 fet  themfelves  in  order,  to  give  Ifrael  battle.  Thefe 
 Waters  all  agree  were  that  Lake  which  Jofephus  calls 
 2xmut  yjovmhty  from  the  abundance  of  Fifties  that 
 were  in  it.  For  Samachon  or  Semechon  in  the  Aral' 
 Language  fignifies  a  Fi(h  (as  Bochart  obferves  in  his 
 Hierozoicon,  P.  i.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  VI.)  and  Jojbm 
 here  calls  the  Waters  of  Merom  3  that  is,  the  uppcx 
 
 Wat 
 
H2  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 ChapteT  Waters.     For   this  Lake  was  near  the   Fountain  of 
 XI.       Jordan  ;  which  ran  through  the  Lake  of  Tiberias,  and 
 
 fe/^VNj  fell  into  .the  Lake  Afyhaltites,  or  the  dead  Sea.  With 
 refpedl  to  which  Waters  thefe  were  called  the  tipper, 
 they  being  lower.  And  here  they  pitched  rather  than 
 any  other  place  5  being  under  the  jurisdi&ion  of 
 Jabin,  who  had  called  them  together.  For  Hazor, 
 where  he  reigned,  was  fituate  upon  this  Lake,  as 
 Jofephus  tells  us,  Lib.  V.  Antiq.  Cap.  VI. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  the  LORD  /aid  unto  Jofhua.']  Who 
 went,  it  is  probable  (as  he  had  done  formerly  (X. 
 8 J  to  confult  the  Divine  Majefty,  how  he  (hould 
 manage  himfelf  upon  this  great  occafton. 
 
 Be  not  afraid  ofthem7\  Some  colleft  from  hence 
 (even  Jofephits  himfelf)  that  Jofhrta  was  pofieffed  with 
 fome  fear  ^  when  he  heard  of  fuch  a  numerous  Army, 
 and  fo  well  appointed,  coming  againft  him.  But  I 
 do  not  think  it  all  probable,  that  after  fo  many  late 
 aflurances  and  fignal  demonftrations,  asGcd  had  given 
 him  of  his  prefence  with  him  in  this  War,  he  (hould 
 be  capable  of  this  paffion.  See  the  fir  ft  Chapter  of 
 this  Book,  v.  2.  3.  6.  7.  9.  III.  7.  9.  ic.  V.  13.  14. 
 15.  X.  8.  Therefore  thefe  words  were  fpoken  to 
 him,  that  he  might  animate  the  People,  whofe  Hearts 
 were  apt  to  fail  them,  when  they  faw  fuch  terrible 
 Enemies. 
 
 For  to  morrow  about  this  time.']  It  is  not  certain 
 what  this  time  was  5  but  it  is  likely  in  the  Morning  : 
 after  he  had  marched  all  Night  (as  he  did  againft  the 
 five  Kings,  X.  9.)  that  he  might  fall  upon  them  un- 
 expectedly. 
 
 /  will  deliver  them  up  all  flam  before  Ifracl.~]  The 
 LXX  Tranflate  it  nlpjiroc/jii^;  put  to  flight.  Which 
 agrees  with  what  follows:  for  it  is  certain  they  were 
 
 not 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  143 
 
 not  all  JIain,  but  many  of  them  fled,    and  the  If  Chapter 
 rjAitcs  porfuod   them.     And  therefore  other  Copieg      XI. 
 of  the  LXX  have  it  -ri\p*>iiAvxc>  ftwt*ded :    fo  broken  l/^v^V. 
 and    (battered,   that    they   were  all   in   effedt  dead 
 Men. 
 
 Thou  (j)alt  hough  their  Horfcs.~]  Cut  their  Ham- 
 firings  $  and  thereby  render  them  unlit  for  future 
 fervice. 
 
 And  burn  their  Chariots  with  fire. ~]  That  they  might 
 be  no  more  ufed:  no  not  by  the  Ifraelites  them- 
 felves. 
 
 Ver.   7.  And  JoJIma  came  and  all  the  People  oflVaryj^fe  - 
 with  him,  againft  them,  to  the  Waters  of  Mero;n.~]    He 
 did  not  wait  for  their  motion  :,    but  attacked  them  as 
 they  lay  in  their  Quarters.     For  that  is  fignified  by 
 the  next  word. 
 
 Suddenly t~]  When  they  thought  not  of  an  Enemy 
 near  them :  but  were  confulting,  perhaps,  how  to 
 manage  the  War  againft  the  Ifraelites. 
 
 And  they  fell  upon  then/.']  When  they  were  un- 
 provided ro  make  fuch  refinance  5  as  they  would  have 
 done,  if  they  hid  been  ready  to  receive  them. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And    the  LORD  delivered  them   into   the  Verfe  8. 
 hand  of  Ifrael  who  f mote  them.~]     Routed,  and  killed 
 a  great  many  of  them. 
 
 And  chafed  them  to  great  Zidon.~]  This  it  feems 
 was  a  large  City,  and  of  great  note  in  theie  Days 
 (tor  there  was  no  Zidon  the  lefs)  built  by  the  Eldeft 
 Son  of  Canaan  (as  Jofephits  thinks)  from  whom  it 
 had  its  name.  See  X  Gen.  15.  It  lay  in  the  North 
 Weft  part  of  Canaan,  upon  the  Sea. 
 
 And  unto  Mij}cphothmaim.~J  It  is  thought  by  fome 
 that  this  was  a  place  where  there  were  hot  Haters: 
 which  I  (hall  not  examin.     But  only   note,    it  is  a 
 
 probable 
 
144  ^     A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 ^SPSble  conjecture  from  Kill.  6.  that  it  was  a  place 
 in  the  Country  of  Zidon:  where  they  made  Salt. 
 
 bf^V^YJ  ZJnto  the  valley  of  Mizpeh  EaftwardJ]  See  v.  3. 
 This  fignifies- that  in -their  confufion,  fome  of  them 
 fled  Weft  ward  to  Zidon  and  Mijlephothwa/m  5  and 
 others  Eaftward  towards  Mizpeh. 
 
 And  they  [mote  them  till  they  left  them  none  remain- 
 ing7\  As  they  divided  themfelves,  and  fled  feveral 
 ways :  fo  did  the  Ifraelites  fend  out  feveral  parties, 
 both  to  the  Weft  and  to  the  Eaft  3  who  purfued 
 them  fo  clofe,  that  they  let  not  a  Man  of  them 
 efcape. 
 
 'Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  And  Joflwa  did  unto  them  as  the  LORD 
 had  him  3  he  houghed  their  Horfes  ^  and  burnt  their 
 Chariots  with  fire."]  We  do  not  read,  as  Kimchi  notes 
 upon  this  place,  of  any  Horfes  or  Chariots  which  the 
 five  Kings  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  Chapter, 
 brought  into  the  Feild  :  becaufe  they  went  only  to 
 befiege  Gibeon,  and  hoped  to  take  it  prefently  by  an 
 aflault  3  in  which  there  was  no  ufe  of  Horfes  and 
 Chariots.  Which  they  did  not  want,  no  more  than 
 thefe  Kings,  who  abounded  in  them,  and  placed  their 
 principal  confidence  in  their  Horfemen  and  Chariots. 
 Which  was  the  reafon  God  commanded  them  to 
 hough  their  Horfes  5  that  is  to  cut  their  Nerves  and 
 Sinnews  in  their  Hams  :  which  Jofephus  tranflates, 
 •d^pfeus  Gomi&v  to  make  them  ufelefs  and  unprofitable. 
 For  God  would  not  have  his  People  place  their 
 fafety  and  fecurity  in  this,  but  in  himfelf  alone  5  as 
 Jgood  People  always  did,  XX  PfaL  7.  Accordingly, 
 when  David  had  conquered  Hadedezar,  and  taken 
 •from  him  a  great  number  of  Horfes  and  Chariots,  he 
 difabled  all  the  Horfes  after  this  example  of  JoJIma 
 fas  if  God  intended  bv  him  to  teach  all  future  Rulers 
 
 of 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  145 
 
 of  his  People  what  to  do)  referving  only  as  many  Chapter 
 as  would  ferve  for  an  Hundred  Chariots,   2  Sam.  VII [.       XT. 
 4.     And  Schickardus  obferves  out  of  the  Jewifi  Au-  L^V^Vj 
 thors,  that  ihey  were  wont  thus  to  enervate  all  the 
 Horfes  they  found  in  the  Kings  Stables  after  his  Death  3 
 that  they  might  not  be  of  ufe  to  his  Succeffor.     See 
 his  Miflyhat  Hammeleck,,    Cap.  VI.    Theorm.  XIX. 
 and  Bochart  his  Hierozoicon,  P.  1.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  XI.  Verfe  10. 
 
 Ver.  10.  And  Jojlma  at  that  time.']  Before  he 
 thought  of  returning  to  his  Camp  at  GilgaL 
 
 Turned  back..']  From  purfuing  thofe  that  fled  to- 
 ward the  Weftern  Coaft. 
 
 And  took,  Hazor.']  Which  was  in  the  Eaftern  part 
 of  the  Country  5  upon  the  Lake  before  mentioned. 
 
 Andfmote  the  King  thereof  with  the  Sword.]  This 
 was  one  reafon,  it  is  likely,  why  he  made  hafte  to 
 invert  Hazor:  becaufe  the  King  thereof,  who  was 
 the  chief  Author  of  this  War,  had  efcaped  out  of  the 
 Battle,  and  thought  to  defend  himfelf  there. 
 
 For  Hazor  before-time  was  the  head  of  all  thofe  King- 
 doms.] Not  of  all  the  Kingdoms  of  Canaan :  but 
 of  all  thofe  mentioned  in  the  beginning  of  this  Chap- 
 ter. Which  was  another  reafon  why  he  fell  upon  it 
 at  this  time  5  that  by  taking  the  moft  confiderable  City 
 of  this  part  of  Canaan, z\\  the  reft  might  be  difheartned 
 to  hold  out  again  ft  him. 
 
 Ver.  1 1 .   And  they  f mote  all  the  Souls  that  were  therein  yerre 
 with  the   edge   of  the  Sword,  utterly    defiroying  them : 
 there  was  not  any  left  to  br cat  1x7]     See  X.  40. 
 
 And  he  burnt  Hazor  with  fire?]  Which  the  Canaanites 
 afterward  rebuilt,  and  pofleffed  it  for  fome  time  : 
 another  King  of  the  fame  Name  reigning  in  it,  IV 
 Judg.  2.  For  the  Kings  of  this  City  were  called  Jabin 
 in  many  Succefllons,  as  the  Egyptian  Kings  were  called 
 
 U  Pbarm 
 
,46  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  Pharaoh,  and  the  Kings  of  the  Philifiines,  Abimelech, 
 
 XI.     &c. 
 tyvNJ       Ver.   12.  And  all  the  Cities  of thofe  Kings,  and  all 
 Verfe.  12.  the  Kings  of  them,  did  Jojhtta  take.]  Viz.  Thofe  men- 
 tioned, ^.2,3.  whom  Jabin  drew  into  confederacy 
 with  him  5  and  perhaps  were  his  dependants. 
 
 And  f mote  them  with  the  edge  of  the  Sword^  and  he 
 utterly  defirojied  them.]  That  is,  all  their  Inhabi- 
 tants. 
 
 Ais  Mofes  the  Servant  of  the  LORD  commanded.'] 
 VII  Dent.  2.  and  many  other  places. 
 
 V  rfe  T2  ^er*  *3'  ^?/*  ^/^r  *^e  Gf/ej-  that  flood  flill  in  their 
 firength.']  The  Hebrew  words  all t hi Ham  ("which  we 
 Tranilate  in  their  firength)  literally  fignifie  on  their 
 heap.,  as  is  noted  in  the  Margin  of  our  Bibles  :  that 
 is,  were  feated  in  an  eminent  place,  and  therefore  of 
 greater  ftrength,  than  thofe  that  ftood  in  the  Plain. 
 Thus  Bochart  interprets  it  in  his  Canaan,  Lib.  I.  Cap. 
 
 XXIX.  from  whence  he  thinks  came  the  names  of 
 Thelafar,  2  Kings  XIX  12.  and  of  Thelabib,  III  Eze\. 
 1 5.     And  thus  I  obferve  the  Prophet  Jeremiah  fpeaks, 
 
 XXX.  18.  Jerufalem  (hall  be  built  on  her  own  heap, 
 or  high  Hill. 
 
 But  the  meaning  may  be,  according  to  our  Tranfla- 
 tion,  the  Cities  whofe  Walls  were  not  battered  down, 
 in  the  taking  of  them. 
 
 Ifrael  burnt  none  ofthem.~\  Becaufe  they  intended 
 to  dwell  in  them  :  and  would  not  be  at  the  charge 
 and  pains  of  building  new  Walls,  for  their  fafety. 
 
 But  Hazor  only,  that  did  Joflma  burn.']  Becaufe  it 
 was  the  Capital  City  5  and  began  this  War  againft 
 them  :  which  being  laid  defolate  by  the  Ifraelites, 
 without  inhabitant :  the  Canaanites  took  their  op- 
 portunity to  rebuild  it,  and  fettle  themfelves  there 
 again.  Ver.  14. 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  i- 
 
 Ver.  14.  And  all  the  (poll  of  thefe  Gt/es,    and  the   ( 
 Cat  lie     the  Children   of   Ijr./cl    tool^   for    a    pte)     t 
 thcmfchcs.~]     As  the  LOUD  allowed  them  to  do  at  LS>t~\J 
 
 ,  vm.  2.  14- 
 
 But  every  Man  they  fmote  with  the  edge  of  the  Sv:ord, 
 Until  they  hud  defiroj/cd  them,  &C."]  Becuife  Cod  had 
 often  commanded  thefe  Nations  (hould  be  rooted 
 for  their  abominable  wickednefs^  left  the  Israelites 
 (hould  be  drawn  into  imitate  them  in  their  fir 
 lendnefs,  as  I  obferved  from,  XVlIi '£*£///.  24,  25, 
 26,  Gfr.     SeealfoXX.  22,  23,  &c. 
 
 Ver.   15.  As    the  LORD    commanded    Mofes    tisVetk  15. 
 Servant.']     XXXIV  Exod.  It,  12,  Sec. 
 
 So  did  Mofes  command  JoJ/jua.~]     XXVI  Numb.  19. 
 23.  XXXI  Dent.  7. 
 
 id  fo  did  Jofma,  he  left  nothing  undone  of  all  t 
 the  LORD  commanded  Mofes."]  Which  is  a  demon- 
 ftration  that  Mofes  left  in  writing  what  we  read  the 
 LORD  commanded  in  the  foregoing  Books,  and 
 that  they  were  not  written  (as  fome  pretend)  in  latter 
 times.  For  then  it  would  have  been  impcilible 
 for  Jo/hua  to  have  executed  every  thing  that  he  com- 
 manded, unlefs  he  had  had  the  Book  of  the  Law  be- 
 fore him  for  his  direction.  But  fo  defirous  are  fome 
 Men  to  weaken  the  authority  of  thefe  Holy  Books, 
 that  from  hence  they  argue  this  Book  otjojlma  could 
 not  be  written  by  himfelf,  but  fome  other :  beeaufe 
 he  gives  himfelf  this  high  commendation.  So  the 
 Author  of  Theolog.  Polit.  who  by  the  fame  reaibn 
 might  have  rejected  St.  Pauls  Epiftles  as  none  of  his.. 
 and  Cafars  Commentaries:  for  both  of  them  re- 
 late their  own  Vertues,  and  the  noble  things  they 
 did. 
 
 Ver.  16.  And  Joftua  tool^  all  that  Land.]  Belonging  Verfe  16 
 to  the  Kings  before  mentioned.  U  2  The 
 
i48 
 
 Chapter 
 
 XI. 
 L/*VSJ 
 
 Verfe  17 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 The  Hills ,  and  all  the  South  Country, and  all  the  Land  of 
 Gojhen,  and  the  Valley,  and  the  Plain.]  This  is  adefcrip- 
 tion  of  his  whole  Conqueft,  as  appears  from  X.  40. 
 The  Mountain  of  Ifrael.]  It  is  very  uncertain  what 
 place  this  was :  but  many  think  it  probable  to  be 
 Bethel.  Where  God  appeared  to  Jacob  as  he  went  to 
 Padan  Arans,  and  promifed  to  give  him  this  Land, 
 XXVIII  Gen.  12,  13.  and  where  he  dwelt,  by  Gods 
 direction,  after  he  came  from  Padan  Adans,  and  God 
 appeared  again  to  him  there,  and  made  him  the 
 fame  promife,  and  changed  his  name  from  Jacob  to 
 Ifrael,  XXXV  Gen.  1.  9,  10,  &c. 
 
 And  the  valley  of  the  fame.']  Belonging  to  the 
 fame  Mountain.  But  Conradus  Pellkanus  thinks  the 
 lingular  number  is  put  for  the  plural ;  and  thus  ex- 
 plains the  whole  Verfe.  The  Laud  of  Ifrael  was 
 partly  in  the  Hill  Country,  partly  in  the  South  to- 
 ward Egypt 0  partly  in  the  Plain  near  the  great  Sea, 
 and  the  Sea  of  Sodom,  and  the  Spring  of  Jordan, 
 near  Tabor  in  Galilee.  And  moreover  the  Mountains 
 of  Ifrael  were  the  two  Carmels,  Herman,  Gilead,  Li- 
 banus,  thofe  about  Jerufalem  and  many  other. 
 
 Ver.  17.  Even  from  the  Mount  HalachT]  Or  the 
 Stony  Mountain,  as  Bfl^r*  interprets  it,  L.  1.  Canaan 
 Cap.  V. 
 
 That  goeth  up  to  Mount  Sezr.]  Which  was  the 
 bounds  of  the  Country  of  Edom. 
 
 Even  unto  Baal-Gad,  in  the  valley  of  Lebanon  under 
 mount  HermonT]  As  in  the  foregoing  words  he  ex- 
 prefles  the  bounds  of  Jojhnas  Conqueft  Southward  $ 
 fo  hither  they  reach'd  Northward.  And  this  feems  to 
 be  a  defcription  of  the  length  of  the  Country  which  he 
 took  from  the  King  of  Hazor,  and  all  thofe  that  join- 
 ed with  him,  as  Arch-biJJjop  Vfier  underftands  it. 
 
 And 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  i 
 
 And  all  their  Kings  he  took,,    and  fn/ote   them  and   Chapter 
 flew  them.']     So  that  none   appeared  to  make  head      XI. 
 againft  him.  iv>v^yj 
 
 Ver.  1 8.  Jojhua  made  war  a  long  time  with  all  thofe  Verfe   18 
 Kings!]     But  thofe  Kings  were  fo  many,    and  made 
 fuch  great  oppofition,  that  he  (pent  fix  Years  (as  the 
 forenamed  great  perfen  computes)  in  this  War,  be- 
 fore he  could  finilh  it. 
 
 Ver.  19.  There  was  not  a  City  that  made  Peace  with  Verfe  19, 
 the  Children  of  IfraelT]  This  is  the  reafon  the  War 
 continued  fo  long  5  becaufe  there  was  but  one  City 
 that  furrendered  on  fuch  terms  as  had  been  offered 
 them  :  but  all  the  reft  obftinately  refufed  to  yeild  unto 
 Jofhua. 
 
 Save  only  the  Hivites,  the  Inhabitants  of  Gibeon.~] 
 VIII.  3.  Who  if  they  had  truly  difcovered  who  they 
 were  (which  out  of  fear  they  concealed)  and  begged 
 Peace,  they  might  have  obtained  it  on  fuch  Conditi- 
 ons as  were  propofed  to  all. 
 
 All  other  they  took,  in  battle.]     By   force  of  Arms. 
 
 Ver.  20.  For  it  was  of  the  LORD  to  harden  their  Verfe  2  0. 
 .<V,  that  they  (l)ould  come  againft  Ifrael  in  battle.'] 
 Being  a  People  obftinately  wicked,  God  ordered 
 things  fo  in  his  Providence,  that  they  were  embold- 
 ned  (notwithftanding  the  wonders  they  had  cer- 
 tainly heard  were  done  for  Ifrael)  to  fight  with  them. 
 By  which  it  appears  the  Gibeonites  were  a  better  fort 
 of  People,  who  confidered  what  God  had  done  in 
 favour  of  the  Ifraelites. 
 
 That  he  might  dejiroy  them  utterly,  and  that  tl>cy  might 
 have  no  favour."]  Which  they  might  have  found  it 
 they  had  not  been  fo  fool-hardy  (as  we  (peak)  as  to 
 imagin  they  could  withftand  thofe,  before  whom  th 
 River  Jordan  fled,  and  &^  Walls  of  Jericho  fell  down 
 Oat. 
 
Y$o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter.        But  that  he  might  defiroy  them,  as  the   LORD  com- 
 XT.      manded  Mofes~)     In  many   places:  particularly,    in 
 L/~V~\J  VII  Dent.  2.  XX.  16,  17. 
 
 Verie  21.  Ver.  21.  And  at  that  time, .]  That  is,  in  the  War 
 before  mentioned,  and  perhaps  in  the  conclufion  of 
 it  :  after  he  had  left  none  to  oppofe  him  in  other 
 places,  but  only  in  thofe  Mountainous  Countries, 
 which  were  of  difficult  accefs. 
 
 Came  JoflwaT]  Either  from  the  Camp  at  Gilgal, 
 or  from  deftroying  the  Kings  and  their  Countries,  of 
 which  he  had  been  fpeaking  in  this  Chapter. 
 
 And  cut  off  the  Anaktms7\  Who  were  a  diftinft 
 People  {Arias  Montanus  thinks)  from  the  CanaanHes  : 
 of  a  Fierce,  Cruel  and  Tyranical  difpofition5  who 
 opprefTed  all  their  Neighbours. 
 
 From  the  Mountains 7]  Where  they  had  fetled,  and 
 it  is  likely,  ftrongly  fortified  themfelves.  Which 
 moved  Jojhua  to  let  them  alone  till  he  had  finifhed  his 
 other  Conquefts.  Concerning  thefe  Attaints.  See 
 XIII  Numb.  22,  35. 
 
 From  Hebron.']  Called  alfo  Kiriath-Arba,  the  City 
 of  Arha  who  was  a  great  Man  among  the  Anakj'ms. 
 See  Bochartus  in  his  Canaan,  Lib.  1.  Cap.  1.  P.  363. 
 
 And  Debir.~]  Called  alfo  Kiriath-Sepher,  as  I  noted 
 before. 
 
 And  Anah.*\  This  as  well  as  the  two  forenamed 
 Cities,  fell  to  the  Tribe  of  Judah;  XV.  50. 
 
 And  from  all  the  Mountains  of  Judah.']  All  the 
 Mountainous  Country  which  afterward  fell  by  Lot  to 
 that  Tribe. 
 
 And  from  all  the  Mountains  oflfraelT]  All  the  Moun- 
 tainous Country,  which  was  in  the  reft  of  the  Tribes 
 of  Ifrael,  where  thefe  People,  its  likely  fled  for 
 fafety. 
 
 Jojhua 
 
upon  JOSH  II  A.  i  <  ! 
 
 Jojhna    defiroyed   the/;/    utterly   with    their    Cities.']  Chapter 
 Which  it  feems  they  had  in  thole  Mountainous  Coun-        x  I. 
 tries  of  Ifrael  5    befides  Hebron^  Debiry  and  Anal  in  l/-\^"\j 
 the  Tribe  of  Judah. 
 
 Ver.  22.  There  were  none  of  the  Anatyms  left  in  the  v    r 
 I  of  the  Children  of  IfraeL~]     He  rooted  them  out 
 of  the    whole  Country    which   the    Ifraelites   con- 
 quered. 
 
 Only  in  Gaza,  in  Gath,  and  in  Aflidod,  there  re- 
 mabted.']  Three  Cities  of  the  Philiflines :  unto  which 
 either  fome  of  them  efcaped.,  and  there  took  ihelter  5 
 or  they  had  been  there  from  ancient  time,  and  the 
 Israelites  could  not  yet  expel  them.  For  they  did 
 not  poflefs  themfelves  of  the  Country  of  the  Phi/wines, 
 till  the  time  of  David ;  when  we  find  fome  of  thefe 
 Giants  (till  there  5  particularly  in  Gath.  But  that  there 
 were  any  of  them  at  Afcalon  the  famous  Bochart  fhows 
 to  be  an  error  in  the  place  before  above  mentioned. 
 Lib.   1.  Canaan,  Cap.  1. 
 
 Ver.  23.  So  Jofljua  took,  the  whole  Land.~]  Which  \"er_f>  22 
 either  the  Canaan ites,  or  the  Anakb;>s  pofleffed  :  That 
 is,  fubdued  it  fo,  that  none  rofe  up  againft  him, 
 though  many  places  were  not  yet  in  the  po/Teffion  of 
 the  Ifraelites.  See  XIII.  1,  2,  &c.  For  which  were 
 many  reafons :  one  of  which  was  becaufe  the  Ifraelites 
 were  not  yet  fo  many  as  to  be  able  to  People  the 
 whole  Country,  and  keep  the  Beads  of  the  Field 
 from  multiplying  upon  them,  XXIII  Exod.  29.  And 
 two  more  reafons  are  added,  III  Judg.  1.  4. 
 
 According  to  all  that  the  LORD  faid  unto  Mofes7\ 
 XXXI  Deut.  7.  8. 
 
 And  Jojhia  gave  it  for  an  inheritance  unto  ICrael."] 
 III  Deut.  28. 
 
 ( ordinz 
 
,p  A  COMMENT A  KX 
 
 Chapter        According  to  their  divifion  s  by  their  Tribes.~]  XXVI 
 XL       Numb.  53.  XXXIII  Nnwb.  54. 
 
 \y^\T\j  And  the  land  rejied  from  War7\  None  of  the  Lords 
 of  the  Philiftwes,  or  any  other  adventured  to  give 
 any  difturbance  to  the  Ifraelitcj  in  their  pofleffions: 
 but  they  enjoyed  them  quietly.  And  thereby  had 
 liberty  to  make  a  divifion  of  the  Country  :  which 
 God  ordered  them  to  go  about,  Chap.  XIIL 
 
 Now  began  the  feventh  Year  from  the  time  the 
 Ifraelites  firft  ploughed  and  fowed  in  the  Land.  And 
 therefore  was  the  firft  Sabbatical  Year  that  they  obfer- 
 ved  afrer  Joflma  had  brought  them  to  their  reft  in  the 
 Land  of  promife.  An  Emblem  (as  our  great  Primate 
 of  Ireland  obferves)  of  that  Eternal  Sabbatifm,  or 
 feft,  unto  which  the  true  Jefus  will  bring  his  People, 
 IV  Hebr.  8.  9.  And  from  this  time,  they  were  to 
 reckon,  unto  their  Jubilee  mentioned,  XXV  Levit. 
 §.  13.  But  that  was  not  from  their  entrance  into  Cz- 
 naan,  but  from  the  feventh  Year  after  the  divifion  of 
 the  Land,  as  I  obferved  before,  upon  the  laft  Verfe 
 of  the  Tenth  Chapter. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  153 
 
 Ch 
 CHAP.     XII.  xif. 
 
 L/VNJ 
 Verfe   1.  lVTO^  tf>cfe  d>'c  ^je    K-i*fL*  of  the  land,  Verfe  t. 
 
 1_  Al  which  the  Children  of  Ifrael  fmote,  and 
 poftffed  their  land.~\  Before  he  gives  an  account  of  the 
 divifion  of  the  Land,  he  thinks  fit  to  lay  before  every 
 ones  Eyes,  as  in  a  Table,  the  Land  they  had  conquer- 
 ed 1  which  was  to  be  divided. 
 
 On  the  other  fide  Jordan  toward  the  rifing  of  the  Sun.~] 
 There  they  began  their  Conquefts,  before  they  parted 
 over  Jordan. 
 
 From  the  River  Am  on,  unto  Blount  Hermon.~]  So 
 the  bounds  of  this  Conqueft  are  defcribed  by  Mofes, 
 If  I  Dent.  3.  IV.  48.  See  there. 
 
 And  all  the  Plain  on  the  Eaft.~]  That  is,  on  the  Eaft 
 of  Jordan,  I  Dent.  i.  called  the  Plain  of  Moab, 
 XXXWDeut.   1. 
 
 Ver.  i.  Sihon  King   of  the  Amorites   who  dwelt  at  „    r    ^ 
 HeJhbonT]     He  was  the  fir  ft  King  whofe  Land  they  2' 
 
 conquered  and  poflefTed.     See  XXI  Numb. 
 
 And  ruled  from  Aroer  which  is  upon  the  banks  of  the 
 River  Amon.~]     See  XXI  Numb.  24. 
 
 And  from  the  middle  of  the  River.]  In  which  ftood 
 the  City  called  Aroer.  For  Ar  never  was  in  the  hands 
 of  Sihon  5  bur  his  Kingdom  was  bounded  by  it,  en 
 that  fide.     See  ft  Baa.  56.    III.  16. 
 
 And  from  half  Gilead.^]     In  the  Hebrew  and  half  of 
 Gilead :  there  being  nothing  to  anfwer  to  the  word 
 from.     Which  being  left  out  the  Senfe  is  plain,  that 
 half  of  the  Country  of  Gilead  belonged  to  Sihon  5 
 as  the  other  half  did  to  Og,  v.  5. 
 
 X  To 
 
154  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        To  the  River  Jabbok  which  is  the  border  of  the  Chil- 
 XIL     dren  of  Ammon7\     Thus  his  Country  is  conftantly 
 
 U^V^vJ  defcribed  :  particularly  in  XXI  Numb.  24.  WlDeut. 
 16. 
 
 Verfe  5.  ^er«  3-  And  from  the  Plain ,  Scc.3  There  is  no- 
 thing anfwering  to  the  word  from  in  the  Hebrew  : 
 which  may  moft  clearly  be  tranflated  and  the  Plain. 
 And  to  the  LXX,  only  retaining  the  word  Araba, 
 which  we  Tranflate  Plain  This  was  another  part  of 
 Sihons  Country,  a  great  Plain,  which  lay  Eaftward 
 of  the  Sea  of  Cinneroth  j  and  the  Salt-Sea  :  by  which 
 it  was  bounded  on  the  Weft. 
 
 The  way  to  Beth- jefoi  mot  h.~]  Which,  by  the  next 
 words,  is  thought  to  have  lain  towards  the  South. 
 
 And  from  the  South  under  Afodod-Pifgah7\  The 
 meaning  feems  to  be,  that  on  the  South  it  was  bound- 
 ed by  Aftdod-Pifgah.  See  III  Deut.  17.  I  do  but 
 touch  thefe  things,  leaving  them  to  a  very  Learned 
 Friend  and  Brother  of  mine,  who  hath  moft  accurately 
 confidered  every  part  and  place  of  this  Country. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  And  the  coaft  of  Og  King  of  Bafoan7\  The 
 next  conqueft  they  made  was  of  the  Kingdom  of  0gy 
 who  was  of  the  remnant  of  the  Giants.  See  III  Deut. 
 11. 
 
 That  dwelt  at  Afhtaroth  and  Edrei."]  See  I  Deut.  4. 
 Some  would  gather  from  this  place,  and  from  XIII. 
 12.  that  he  had  two  Royal  Seats,  one  at  Afitaroth^ 
 another  at  Edrei :  and  that  he  lived  fometimes  in  the 
 one,  and  fometimes  in  the  other. 
 
 Verfe  %.  ^cr-  5-  ^nd  reigned  in  Mount  Her mon.~]  At  the 
 bottom  of  which,  fome  other  People  lived,  who 
 were  conquered  by  Jo/hua\,  XI.  1 7. 
 
 And  in  SalcahT^  This  was  one  of  his  Cities,  in 
 that  part  of  his  Kingdom,  which  was  next  to  Her- 
 
 mon  \ 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  155 
 
 v:on\  as  fern :  conjecture  from  XIII.  II.     But  others  Chapter 
 think  it  was  in  the  Southern  part  of  this  Country,      XIF. 
 pofTefled  afterwards  by  the  Gdaffa  :  which  they  ga-   L/"V*VJ 
 ther  from  1  Chron.  V.  1 1.  iz.  16. 
 
 And  all  BaJIian  unto  the  border,  &c.~]  See  an  ac- 
 count of  this,  and  of  all  that  follows  in  this  Verfe, 
 III  Deut.  13,  14. 
 
 Ver.   6.   Them  did  Mofes  the  Servant  of  the  IOi?D,  Verie  6. 
 and  the  Children  of  lfrael  fmitcA]     Thefe  two  Rings 
 were  conquered  by  Mofes,  before  they  came  into  Ca- 
 naan, XXI  Numb. 
 
 And  Mofes  the  Servant  of  the  LORD  gave  it  for  a 
 pojfejion  to  the  Rcubenites,  and  Qadites,  and  the  half 
 tribe  of  Munafeh.~]  See  XXXII  Numb,  and  III  Deut. 
 12.  XIII.  8.  He  gives  Mofes  the  Title  of  the  Ser- 
 vant of  the  LORD,  twice  in  this  Verfe  ^  to  make 
 them  fenlible  that  this  War  againft  the  two  Kings  be- 
 fore named,  was  made  by  Divine  authority  :  and  that 
 their  Land  was  afterward  given  to  the  Rcub'cnites,  &c. 
 by  the  fame  authority. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  thefe  are  the  Kings."]     They  that  fol-  Verfe  7. 
 low  in  the  reft  of  the  Chapter. 
 
 Of  the  country,  which  Jofiua  and  the  Children  of 
 lfrael  fmote  on  this  fide  Jordan."]  In  the  late  Wars, 
 before  mentioned  in  this  Book. 
 
 On  the  \Ye(l.~]      Weftward  of  Jordan. 
 
 From  Baal-Gad  in  the  valley  of  Lebanon,  even  unto 
 the  mount  Halal^,  which  goeth  up  to  Seir.~]  This  was 
 the  Northern  and  Southern  bounds  of  the  Country 
 of  thefe  Kings.     See  XI.  17. 
 
 U  hich  Jofhua  gave  unto  the  tribes  of  lfrael  for  a 
 pojfeffion,  according  to  their  divifionsT]  Unto  the  reft 
 of  the  Tribes  who  had  not  their  (hare,  on  the  other 
 tide  Jordan,  XI.  33. 
 
 X  2  Ver.  8. 
 
156  A  CO  MMENT  AR  T 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  8.   In  the  mountain J\  and  in  the  valleys,  and  in 
 
 vn.      the  plains.']     This  is  a  defcription  of  the  condition  of 
 
 U'  VVJ   the  Country.    In  which  Valleys  and  Plains  differ  only 
 
 Verfe.  8.    in  this:    that  the  former  were  fuch  as  lay   between 
 
 \lountains,and  the  latter,  the  fiat  Country,  which  was 
 
 remote  from  Mountains. 
 
 And  in  the  Springs.]  Which  commonly  were  at  the 
 foot  of  Mountains. 
 
 And  in  the  il'ildernefs,  and  in  the  South  Country  ~] 
 Thefe  are  joined  together,  becaufe  their  WildernefTes 
 were  Southerly  ^  in  the  hottefc  and  dried  part  of  the 
 Land.  Whereby  we  are  not  to  underftand  Countries 
 without  People  \  but  that  were  thinly  Peopled,,  in 
 comparifon  with  other  parts  of  the  Land.  For  we 
 read  of  Houfesand  Towns  in  the  Wildernefs,  I  Kings 
 ii.  34.  IX.  18. 
 
 The  Hivites,  the  Amorites,  and  the  Canaanites,  &zc~] 
 This  may  relate  either  to  the  Kings,  or  the  Countries 
 forementioned. 
 Verfe  0         ^en  9*  The  King  of  Jericho  one."]     He  is'firftmen- 
 ^'    tioned,  becaufe  firft  conquered. 
 
 The  King  of  Ai.]  He  was  the  next. 
 J  \hich  is  be  fide  Beth-el,  oneT]  The  People  of  which 
 place  came  to  affift  the  King  of  At ,  and  were  con- 
 quered at  the  fame  time,  VIII.  17. 
 Verfe  ic.  Ver.  10.  The  King  ofjeruftlent,  one.']  Who  was 
 the  next  that  oppofed  Jofiua,  and  therefore  men- 
 tioned, X.  1. 
 
 The  King  of  Hebron,  one<~]  He,  and  the  three  next, 
 the  Kings  of  Jarmuth,  Lachijh,  and  Eglon  (v.  11, 
 j.?.)  joined  with  the  King  of  Jerufilem,  and  were 
 vanquifhed  at  the  fame  time. 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  The  King  of  Gezer,  one.']  He  came  out 
 to  help  lachijh,    and  was  fmitten  at  the  fame  time, 
 
 X.  53-  Ver-  *3* 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  lt)7 
 
 Ver.   15.  The  King  of  Dchir,    or:c~]     Mentioned   CI- inter 
 
 X.  93.  XII. 
 
 The  king  ofGcdcr  one.]  We  read  not  of  him  be-  {^\r\j 
 fore  5  but  we  find  feveral  Towns  in  the  Tribe  ofVerfe  13. 
 Jalah,  Of  thtr  fame  or  Neighbouring  Name,  viz. 
 Qeder*h7  and  Uedcroth,  and  (Jederotha/m,  and  Gedcr, 
 XV.  J6,  41.  56.  2  Cfcwtf.  XXVIIf.  i3.  All  which, 
 as  Bocharttrs  oblerves,  have  their  Name  i  Scpimento, 
 from  the  Fence  that  was  about  them,  Lib.  1.  Canaan^ 
 Cap.  XXXVI. 
 
 Ver.   14.   The  King  of  Hormah  one,    the  King  of  yr    r 
 Arad,  oncT]     We  have  no  mention  of  thefe  Kings  *" 
 
 before  :  but  we  know  that  Hormah  was  a  City  in  the 
 Tribe  of  Jitdah,  XV.  30.  I  Judg.  17.  1  Sam.  XXX. 
 30.  and  afterward  given  to  Simeon,  XIX.  J  oft.  4. 
 Arad  alfo  was  a  place  in  the  Tribe  of  Jndah,  as  ap- 
 pears by  the  ftory  in  1  Jndg.  16. 
 
 Ver.  15.   The   King   of  Libnah  one"]     Mentioned  yerfe 
 before,  X.  29.  5* 
 
 The  King  of  Adullam  one.]  This  was  a  City  in 
 the  fame  Tribe  of  Judah,  XV.  35.   1  Sam.  XXII.  1. 
 
 Ver.   16.  The  King  of  Mah^edah,    one.']     See  X.  yer{"e  1$ 
 26. 
 
 The  King  of  Bethel,  one]  We  read  not  of  any 
 King  here  before:  but  it  feems  there  was  one,  de- 
 pending upon  A'r,  VIII.  17. 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  the  King  ofTappuah,  one.]  There  ywe  lv 
 were  two  Cities  of  this  Name.  One  in  the  Tribe  of 
 Jndah,  XV.  34.  The  other  in  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim, 
 XVII.  8.  It  is  probable  the  latter  is  here  meant : 
 became  the  King  of  it  is  mentioned  next  to  the  King 
 of  Bethel,  which  was  in  the  confines  of  Benjamin 
 and  Ephraim.  And  immediately  follows  the  King  of 
 Hepher  ^  which  was  a  place  not  far  off,  in  the  Tribe 
 of  Zebtdon.  The 
 
,58  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       The  King  of  Hepher,    one7\     We  read  of  the  land 
 XII.      of  Hepher  in   i  Kings  IV.   10.     Which   St.   Hierom 
 
 L/"VXJ  iaith,  was  in  the  Tribe  of  Zebulum^    near  Sephorim^ 
 or  Diocafarea. 
 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  T/je  i&Vzg  of  AphekJ]  There  were  two 
 J/?/>e£s  in  this  Country  which  jta/Zwrf  conquered. 
 One  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  XIII.  53.  1  Sam.  IV. 
 1.  XXIX.  1.  Another  in  the  Tribe  of  Jflxr,  XIX. 
 Jojb.  53.  Which  of  them  is  here  intended,  cannot 
 certainly  be  determined. 
 
 The  King  of  Laffaron^  one."]  This  place  is  never 
 named  any  where  elfe  in  Scripture.  But  I  take  it 
 for  Savon  (as  the  Vulgar  Latin  here  doth,  leaving  out 
 the  firft  Syllable)  which  was  a  City  near  Lydda,  as 
 we  learn  from  IX  AUs  35.  And  the  Country  about 
 it  was  very  pleafant  and  fruitful,  XXXIII  Ifa.  9. 
 XXXV.  i.  There  was  another  S^walfo  on  the  other 
 fide  of  Jordan  in  the  Eaft,  in  the  Country  of  the 
 Gaditesy  1  Chron.  V.  16.  of  which  fome  think  the 
 Prophet  Ifaiah^i peaks.   LXV.  10. 
 
 Verfe  1 9.  Ver.  1 9.  The  King  of  Madon,  one  5  the  King  of 
 Hazor,  one7\  Both  thefe  are  mentioned  before,  as 
 conquered  by  Jofiua,  XI.  1. 
 
 Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  The  King  of  Shimron-Meron^  one:  the 
 King  of  Achjhaph,  one7\  Thefe  two  are  mentioned 
 in  the  fame  place,  XI.  1.  And  Shimron  was  in  the 
 Tribe  of  Zebulon  5  and  Achflmph  in  the  Tribe  of 
 Af/jer,  XIX.  15.  25.  The  former  hath  the  addition 
 of  Meron  to  it  in  this  place  5  to  diftinguHh  it  from 
 fome  other  Shimron:  which  fome  think  was  in  the 
 Tribe  of  Ephraim  called  Sho meron  or  Samaria. 
 
 Verfe  21.  Ver.  21.  TheKingofTanaach,  one:  A  City  given 
 to  the  Tribe  of  Manaffeh^  XVII.  11.  and  in  the 
 confines   of  Zebulon.     It  belonged  to  the  Levites, 
 
 XXI. 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  159 
 
 XXI.  25.   But  the  old  Inhabitants  were  not  expelled   Chapter 
 out  of  it,    1  Jndg.    27.  XII. 
 
 Tbt  King  of  Mcgiddo,  one."]     This  City  fell  to  the  L/^V^VJ 
 fame  Tribe,  as  we  read  in  the  fame  place:    and  was 
 near  the  River  Kifbon $    as   may  be  gathered   from 
 V  Jt/dg.  19.     The  Camaanites  were  not  driven  out  of 
 this  City,  1  Jttdg.  27. 
 
 Ver.  22.  The  King  of  Kcdejh,  one.~]  There  were  Verfe  22. 
 two  Cities  called  Kedeflj,  or  Kadcflj :  one  in  the  Tribe 
 ofjndah,  XV.  23.  the  other  in  the  Tribe  of  Naphtali, 
 XIX.  57.  The  latter  is  here  meant,  for  it  was  a 
 fenced  City,  as  we  read  there  :  but  the  other  was  of 
 no  note 
 
 The  King  of  Jokneam  of  Car mc /,  one.]  A  City  in 
 theTribeot  Zebulun,  at  the  bottom  of  Mounter  we/, 
 near  the  River  Betas,  XIX.  1 1.  and  one  of  the  Cities 
 of  the  Lcvitcs,  XXI.  34.  It  had  its  name  from  its 
 delightful  fituation,  as  Bochurt  conjectures,  L.  1. 
 Canaan,   Cap.   XXVIII. 
 
 Ver.  23.  The  King  of  Dor  in  the  coaft  of  Dor,  one."]  yerfe  22. 
 A  City  in  the  Lot  of  the  Tribe  of  Manajfeh,  XVII. 
 11.  Which  had  a  large  territory  belonging  to  it, 
 called  after  its  name.  For  it  was  a  Royal  City,  and 
 one  of  the  mod  ancient  in  Phxnicia,  as  Bochart  ob- 
 ferves.  So  ftrong  alfo  that  the  Ifraelites  could  not 
 get  pofleffion  of  it  (or  could  not  keep  out  the  ancient 
 Inhabitants)  when  it  fell  to  the  portion  of  Manajfeh, 
 I  Judg.  27.  Nor  could  Antiochus  Sidetes,  in  future 
 times  take  it,  though  he  laid  Siege  to  it  with  a  very 
 great  Army,  Lib.  I.  Canaan,  Cap.  XLI. 
 
 The  King  of  the  Natrons  of  Gilgal,  one."]  This 
 Gilgal  is  not  the  place,  where  Joflma  incamped  when 
 he  came  over  Jordan :  for  there  was  no  City  there, 
 aorany  King  of  that  Country,  but  the  King  oi  Jericho. 
 
 That 
 
t6o  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  That  place  alfo  had  its  name  from  the  Circumcifion 
 XII.      of  the  Ifrael/tes  there,  V.  9.     We  have  no  mention 
 
 L/V\J  indeed  of  any  other  Gilgalm  Scripture,  but  St.  Hie- 
 rom  fays,  in  his  time,  there  was  a  place  called  Gelgel, 
 about  fix  Miles  from  Antipalris,  which  was  near  the 
 Sea  5  not  far  from  Joppa.  Hither,  it  is  likely,  Mer- 
 chants from  feveral  Countries  reforted  :  and  thence 
 the  chief  Ruler  there  was  called  the  King  of  the  Na- 
 tions of  GilgaL  Some  finding  mention  of  Galilee  of 
 the  Nations,  fancy  that  is  the  place  here  meant.  But 
 that  name  for  fome  part  of  Galilee,  was  not  known 
 in  the  Days  of  Joflma^  being  occafioned  by  Solomons 
 giving  Hiram  twenty  Towns  in  this  Country,  1  Kings 
 IX.  11.  So  the  fame  St.  Hierom. 
 Verfe  2  a  Ver.  24.  The  King  ofTirzah,  one.']  Itisnotcer- 
 *'  tain  in  what  part  of  the  Country  this  City  was :  but 
 it  is  very  probable,  in  the  Lot  of  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim. 
 For  Jeroboam  (who  was  of  this  Tribe)  and  his  Sue- 
 ceflbrs,  made  it  the  Royal  Seat,  until  the  building 
 of  Samaria,   1  Kings  XIV.   17.    XVI.  23.  24. 
 
 All  the  Kings,  thirty  and  one 7\  Some  cannot  be- 
 lieve that  in  fo  fmall  a  Country,  there  were  fo  many 
 Kings.  But  they  (hould  confider,  that  thefe  Kings, 
 were  only  petty  Princes,  or  Lords  of  Cities ;  which 
 had  a  (qw  Villages  depending  on  them,  the  Inhabi- 
 tants of  which  were  their  Tenants.  This  appears  by 
 v.  9.  where  we  read  of  the  King  of  Bethel:  which 
 was  fo  fmall  a  place,  that  he  and  the  King  of  Ai, 
 joined  together  had  but  twelve  Thoufand  Subjefts, 
 VIII.  25.  For  Kingdoms,  like  all  other  things, 
 were  anciently  very  fmall  in  their  beginning.  See 
 upon  XIV  Gen.  1.  and  Grotius  on  the  firji  Verfe  of 
 this  Chapter:  and  Mafius  upon  the  feventh.  Unto 
 which  may  be  added,  that  Cafar  in  his  fifth  Book  of 
 
 his 
 
upon  J  O  S  FI  U  A.  i  &\ 
 
 this  Commentaries,  fpeaks  of  four  Kings  here  in  the    (  I 
 County  of  JCorJ  alone.     How  many  then  wis  tfc 
 in  all  Brittain  ?     For  it  appears  by  Tacitus,  that  the  k/*V\j 
 Silurcs  and  the  Brigantes  had  their  own  Kings  alio. 
 And  t>/^r  informs  us,  that  in  France  there  were  as 
 many  Kings  as  Princes  ^    and  fo  it  was  in  Spain,   as 
 Livy  writes.     And  Voyifcm,  in  the  Life  of  the  Em- 
 peror Pro  bus  relates  that  when  he  was  in  Germany, 
 reguli  novem  ex    diverfis  gent  i  bus,  &c.    Nine   pettv 
 Kings  came  from  divers  Nations,    and  threw  them- 
 felves  at  his  Feet  5    as  he  himfelf  wrote  to  the  Scn.it 
 of  Rome,  in  a  letter  which  is  there  recorded.     In 
 which  he  calls  them  Nov  cm  Regcs,  Nine  Kings. 
 
 CHAP.     XIII. 
 
 Chapter 
 XIII. 
 
 Verfe   I .  IV T  0  W    Jofiua  was   old   and  ftrikcn    in  y    . 
 
 ]_\l  years.  ]  To  what  Age  he  was  ad-  ene  *" 
 vanced  we  cannot  certainly  know  :  becaufe  we  do 
 not  know  how  Old  he  was  when  they  came  out  of 
 ■  t.  Some  think  three  and  forty  5  and  then  he  was 
 fourfcore  and  three  when  they  came  into  Canaan. 
 And  now,  it  may  be  gathered  by  probable  conjectures, 
 wanted  not  much  of  an  hundred. 
 
 And  the  LORD  J aid  unto  him,    thou    art  old  and 
 Ifri'^n  in  years,  and  there  remaineth  yet  very  much  /',. 
 to  be  poJJc]fed.~)     Which,    in   his  declining   Age,    he 
 could  not  hope  to  live  to  conquer  :  and  therefore  he 
 would  have  him  go  about  another  bufinefs,  v.  7. 
 
 Ver.  2.  This  is  the  land  that  yet  remains^]     To  be  Verfe  :. 
 fubdued  hereafter. 
 
 Y  Ml 
 
k53  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       All  the  borders  of  the  Philiftines7\     Who  lay  in  the 
 
 XIII.    South-Weft  part  of  Canaan,  near  the  Sea. 
 t^/*V%i       And  all  Geflmri."]     Which  was  a  City,  and  a  Coun- 
 try, in  the  North-Eaft,   not  far  from  Her  won;  be- 
 longing to  the  Lot  of  the  Tribe  of  Manaffeh.     See 
 III  Dent.  14. 
 Verfe  3.         Ver.  3.  From  Sihor,  which  is  before  Egypt  P\    He  de- 
 .   fcribes  more  largely  the  borders  of  the  Philijhnes. 
 Whofe  Country  extended  along  the  Sea  Coaft,  South 
 and  North  3  from  Sihor^  which  was  a  little  Stream 
 from  one  of  the  branches  of  Nile  :  whereby  PaUJiine 
 was  bounded  on  that  fide.     See  XV  Gen.  18.     And 
 Vojfim   de  Orig.    and  Progr.    IdoloL    Lib.   2.     Cap. 
 LXXIV. 
 
 Even  unto  the  borders  ofEkron  Northward.']  A  fa- 
 mous City  among  the  Philistines  5  where  Baal-zebub 
 was  worshipped  :  called  in  the  New  Teftament  the 
 Prince  of  the  Devils  (or  Damons)  becaufe  he  was 
 the  principal  god  of  the  People  of  PaUJiine.  This 
 City  was  given  to  the  Tribe  of  Judah  at  firft,  XV. 
 45.  afterward  to  the  Tribe  of  Dan,  XIX.  though 
 neither  of  them  could  get  the  poffeffion  of  it. 
 
 Which  is  counted,  to  the  Canaanite7\  For  the  Phi- 
 lifiines  were  not  original  Inhabitants  of  this  Country, 
 which  belonged  to  the  offspring  of  Canaan,  the 
 youngeft  Son  of  Ham  :  whereas  the  Philijlines  were 
 defcended  from  Mifraim  his  fecond  Son  5  who  ex- 
 pelled the  Avites  cut  of  this  Country  3  as  we  read, 
 II  Dent.  23.  And  fee  my  Annotations  on  XGen. 
 14.  19. 
 
 Five  Lords  of  the  Philip nes7\  Which  Country 
 was  under  the  Government  of  five  Lords,  as  they  are 
 conftantly  called  in  Scripture  5  in  the  Hebrew  Saraim, 
 or  Seranaim  :  which  feems  to  be  an  ancient  Phoenician 
 
 word 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  i5- 
 
 word  (the  (lime  with  Sarim)  for  a  Ruler  of  a  Pro-   CI 
 vince,    or  City.     The  LXX.   call  them  Zafg^Tra,     XI I L 
 and  the  Vulgar  Latin    Regulij    petty  Princes.     But  t^W* 
 they  are  never  called  Melakim^  /.  e.  Kings  in  Scripture, 
 as  the  reft  of  the  Princes  of  Canaan  ate.     Which  in- 
 clines me  to  think  that  their  Government  was  not  fo 
 Abfolute,  as  that  of  the  reft  of  the  Kings  of  Canaan. 
 Only  we  read  in  future  times,  that:  Achi(lj  was  King 
 oiGath:  having  it  feems  in  Davids  Day s,  made  him- 
 felf  more  Abfclute  than  the   former  Lords  of  that 
 place. 
 
 The  Gitzathites,  and  the  Af/jdothites,  the  Efokalonites^ 
 the  Gittites,  and  the  Ebonites."]  Thefe  People  had 
 their  Names  from  the  five  principal  Cities  in  this 
 Country,  where  they  inhabited  5  which  are  com- 
 monly known. 
 
 'Co  the  Avites.~]  Thefe  were  a  People  mixed 
 with  them,  being  a  remnant  (as  I  faid  before)  of 
 the  ancient  Inhabitants  of  this  Country.  But  there 
 was  no  diftinft  Lord  of  them :  there  being  but  five 
 in  all  5  and  fo  many  without  one  over  thefe.  Some 
 have  confounded  them  with  the  Hivites  ;  but  their 
 Name  is  quite  different  in  the  Hebrew:  and  fo  is  their 
 Country.  For  the  Hivites  lived  in  Hermon  in  the 
 North  :  and  thefe  here  in  the  Weft.  From  whence 
 though  they  were  driven  by  the  Caphtorites  (  II  Dent. 
 23  )  yet  fome  of  them  it  feems  remained  :  as  feveral 
 of  the  Canaaanitcs  did,  when  the  Ifraelites  difpofleffed 
 them  of  their  Country.  See  Bochartus  in  his  Pbaleg. 
 Lib.  IV.  Cap.  XXXVI.  who  thinks  they  were  not 
 the  ofF-fpring  of  Canaan  :  but  it  is  manifeft  they  in- 
 habited part  of  the  Country  belonging  to  him. 
 For  Sidon  was  the  firft  born  of  Canaan,  who  was 
 fetkd  on  that  Coaft  5  and  the  border  of  the  Canaanites 
 
 Y  2  is 
 
i<S4  A  co  MM  E.N  T  AK  T 
 
 Chapter  is  faid   to   be   from   thence  unto    Gaza,    X.   Gen. 
 
 XIII.     19. 
 tVVAJ       Vcr.  4.  From  the  South.']     Of  the  Philiftines  Coun- 
 Verie.  4.    try. 
 
 i#/  fie  /*«<i  of  the  Canaanites.~]     All  that  trafr  of 
 Land  which  belonged  to  the  People  properly  called 
 Canaanites  :  who  lived  upon  the  SeaCcalt. 
 
 And  Merah."]  We  find  no  mention  of  this  place 
 elfe  where  :  feme  Tranfiate  it  a  Cave. 
 
 That  is  be  fide  the  Sidenians.~]  Who  were  in  the 
 Northern  point  of  that  Sea  Coaft. 
 
 Vmo  Aphehf]  See  XII.  18.  Where  I  obferved 
 there  were  two  Cities  of  this  Name :  but  it  is  mod  rea- 
 ionable  here  to  understand  that  in  the  Tribe  of  After. 
 Whofe  King  though  Jofiua  had  flain,  he  had  not 
 taken  his  Country. 
 
 To  the  borders  of  the  Amorites.  ~]  Who  were  in 
 theft  parts.  For  they  being  a  mighty  People,  had 
 difperfed  themfelves,  not  only  in  the  Eaft,  and  in 
 the  South  5  but  in  thefe  Northern  Regions. 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5,  And  the  land  of  the  GiblHes.']  A  People 
 inhabiting  a  City  called  Gebal0  and  the  Country  about 
 it  j  near  to  Tyre  and  Sidon  :  as  appears  from  XXVII 
 Eae^.  9.  and  in  1  Kings  V.  18.  tney  are  mentioned 
 as  Stone-Cutters  fent  by  Hiram  King  of  Tyre  to  King 
 Solomon.     See  alfo  Pfal.  LXXXIII.  7. 
 
 And  all  Lebanon  toward  the  Sun  vifing7\  They  ex- 
 tended their  Conquefts  thus  far,  XI.  17.  but  could 
 not  fubdue  the  Eaftem  part  of  this  Country. 
 
 From  Baal-Gard  under  Mount  Her m on,  unto  the  en~ 
 tiffng  of  Hamath7\  Concerning  Baal-Gad.  See  XI. 
 1 70  and  concerning  the  entring  m  of  HawathyXXXlV 
 Numb.  8,. 
 
 Ver.  6. 
 
%f$n  J  os  ii  u  a;  i£5 
 
 Ver.  6.  All  the  inhabitants  of  the  hill  Gantry)     \x\    Chapter 
 the  Northern  parts  of  the  Land.  XHI. 
 
 fyfr*  Lebanon")     This  (hows  what  hilly  Country  l/W; 
 he  ipeaks  of.  Verfe  6. 
 
 L,/7^  Mifrephath-maim.~)  A  place  before  mentioned. 
 XI.  8.  where,  as!  oblerved.  fome  render  it  hot  waters, 
 ox  baths.  For  Sharaph  lignifies  to  burn,  and  Ma'im  is 
 Waters.  And  [  may  add  there  are  thole  that  think  t' 
 were  Lime- Kilns,  others  Glafs-Fumaccs  \  but  moft 
 likely  Salt-Pits. 
 
 id  all  the  Sidonians.~)     Who  were  near  to  the  In- 
 habitants of  Libanm,  Weftvvard  upon  the  Sea. 
 
 Them  will  I  drive  ant  before  the  Children  of  Ifrael.~) 
 If  they  perfifted  conftant  in  his  worfhip  and  fervicc. 
 Which  they  did  not  5  and  therefore  we  never  read 
 that  the  Sidonians  were  conquered  by  the  Ifraelites  : 
 and  the  People  of  Lebanon  were  only  made  tributaries 
 in  the  Days  of  David  and  Solomon. 
 
 Only.']  or  rather  therefore,  as  the  word  Rak,  feme- 
 time  fignifies.     See  Chap.  1.  v.  nit. 
 
 Divide  thon  it  by  lot  unto  the  Children  of  Ijrael  for  an 
 inheritance?)  Though  they  be  not  yet  driven  our, 
 yet,  (ince  I  have  promiied  to  expel  them,  aflign  all 
 the  forementioned  Countries  to  the  Children  oijjrael 
 by  Lot,  as  the  Inheritance  I  have  beftowed  upon 
 them.  Which  gave  them  a  ftrong  affurance  they 
 fhould  have  all  this  Land  :  both  becaufe  God  had 
 given  it  to  them  for  an  inheritance,  and  ordered  it  to 
 be  divided  by  lot. 
 
 As  I  have  commanded  them.)  Or,  as  I  now  com- 
 mand thee,  and  give  thee  Authority  to  do. 
 
 Ver.    7.   AW  therefore  divide  this  land  for  an    in-  V 
 l-ctitance,    nnto  the  nine  tribes,    and  the   half  tribt 
 Manajffeh.']   Both  that  which  was  conquered,  and  due 
 
 which 
 
X66  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  which  remained  unconquered,    was  to  be  divided  : 
 
 XIII.    that  every  Tribe  might  know  what  belonged  to  them, 
 
 L^V%J  by  Gods  gift  5  and  be  encouraged  to  attempt  the  Con- 
 
 queft  of  it,  when  they  were  able  ^  and  be  preferved 
 
 from  entring  into  anyCovenant  or  Society  with  thofe, 
 
 who  kept  their  Inheritance  from  them :   and  likewife 
 
 hinder  the  unconquered  People  from  joining  their 
 
 Forces  together  to  recover  their  Country,  the  Ifrael/tes 
 
 inhabiting  the  Cities  and  Fields,    that  lay  between 
 
 them. 
 
 Verfe  8.        Ver.  8.  With  whom.]     That  is,  with  the  other  half 
 
 of  the  Tribe  before  mentioned. 
 
 The  Reubenites  and  Gadites  have  received  their  in- 
 heritance which  Mofes  gave  them  beyond  Jordan  Eajl- 
 ward.]     XXXll  Numb.  33,  8cc. 
 
 Even  as  Mofes  the  Servant  of  the  LORD  gave  them.'] 
 Which  he  did  by  order  from  God  5  and  therefore  they 
 were  not  to  be  difturbed  in  their  poffeffion,  HI  Dent. 
 18. 
 
 Here  the  words  of  God  to  JoJIma  (v.  1.)  end: 
 and  in  the  next  Verfe  the  writer  of  this  Book  begins 
 to  defcribe  the  Country  which  God  ordered  to  be 
 given  to  the  forenamedtwo  Tribes  and  an  half:  that 
 there  might  be  no  future  difpute  about  this  divifion  5 
 but  it  might  be  held  as  good,  as  that  which  was 
 made  by  Lot  among  the  reft  of  the  Tribes. 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9-  From  Aroer  that  is  upon  the  brinl^  of  the 
 River  Arnon,  and  the  City  that  is  in  the  midfh  of  the 
 River,]     See  XII.  2.  and  III  Deut.  16. 
 
 And  all  the  Plain  of  Medeba  unto  Dibon.]  Thefe 
 are  two  Cities  which  the  Amorites  took  from  the 
 Moabitcs  (as  we  read  XXI  Numb.  30.)  and  the  If 
 raelites  took  from  them  when  they  conquered  Sihon 
 their  King.  )  The  former  of  them  was  in  the  portion 
 
 of 
 
upon    JOSHUA,    ^  i 6y 
 
 of  the  Reubcn/tcs;    the  other  of  the  Gaditcs:    And   Ch 
 when  the  Ten  Tribes  were  carried  Captive,  they  re-     XI II. 
 ed  into  the  polfefiion  of  the  Moabites  again.  For  tw^v, 
 
 s  of  them  as  belonging  to  Moab,  XV.    2. 
 fo  doth  Jeremiah,  XLV1II.  18.  22.     The  Plain 
 of  Medeba,  feems  to  be  the  fame  with  the  Plain  of 
 Moab. 
 
 Ver.    ic.   And  all  the  Otics   of  Sihon   King  of  the  Verfe  10. 
 Amorites,  which  reigned  in  Hcftbon,  unto  the  border  of 
 the  Children  of  Amnion.  ~]     See  XXI   Numb.  24,  25, 
 
 8cc. 
 
 Ver.  11.  And  Gilead,  and  the  border  of  the  Geftu-  Verfe  11. 
 rites,  and  Maacfwthites.~]  Geftur  and  Maacha  were 
 two  Cities  near  Mount  Hermon,  in  the  extream  bounds 
 of  this  Country  Northward.  Whofe  Inhabitants  the 
 Mies  could  not  drive  out  (v.  13.)  and  yet  their 
 Land  was  divided  among  theitf. 
 
 And  all  mount  Her  m  on,  and  all  Baft  an,  unto  Salcah7\ 
 See  all  this  Verfe  explained,  XII.  5.  I  (hall  only 
 add,  that  Maacah  was  in  the  Tribe  oiManaJfeh  5  and 
 is  the  City  which  Ptolomy  calls  Epic<eros.  Which 
 name  the  Chaldee  Paraphraft  ufes  both  here,  and  XII. 
 
 4.  5.  and  III  Dent.  14.  inftead  of  Mate ha ;  as  Bochart 
 obferves,  L.  II.   Phaleg.  Cap.  VI. 
 
 Ver.   12.  All  the  Kingdom  of  Og  in  Baft  an  which  Verfe  12 
 >>ed  in  Afttaroth  and  in  Edrel,  who  remained  of  the 
 remnant  of  the   Giants.']     See  XII.  4.  and   III  Deut. 
 11. 
 
 For  thefe  did  Mofes  fmite  and  cajl  them  out.~]  Thefe 
 Rephaim  f  which  we  Tranllate  Giants)  were  perfectly 
 conquered,  and  rooted  out  by  Mofes.  They  were 
 fmitten  in  Abrahams  time,  by  Chedarlaomcr,  XIV  Gen. 
 
 5.  but  recovered  ftrength  fo  much,  that  their  Coun- 
 
 try, 
 
u  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  tfy,  when  Mofes  conquered  ir,   was  called  the  Land 
 Xili.     of  Gfcawfr,  III  Daft.  13. 
 
 L/*V~\J        Ver.   1  3.  Neverthckfi  the  Children  of  Ifrael  expelled 
 
 Verfe  vy  not  the  Gcfouritcs -and  Maachath/Pes.]     See  v.  2. 
 
 t  the  Geflmrites,  attd  the  Maachathites  dwelt  among 
 the  Ifraelites  unto  this  day."]  For  Jojhua  growing  old 
 (v.  1.)  made  no  further  Conqueft  5  but  left  this  Peo- 
 ple uniubdued,  as  Mofes  alio  had  done. 
 
 Verfe  14.  ^ere  *4-  Only  unto  the  tribe  of  Levi  he  gave  no  in- 
 heritame,']  For  the  Tithes  of  the  whole  Country, 
 were  inftead  of  their  Portion  in  Land,  XVIII  Dent.  2. 
 And  this  is.  fet  down  here  by  Jojlma,  as  formerly  by 
 Mofes  5  to  fhow  that  they  had  as  indifputable  a  right 
 to  the  Tithes,  as  their  Brethren  had  to  the  Land. 
 
 The  Sacrifices  of  the  LORD  God  of  Ifrael  made  by 
 fire,  are  their  inheritance.']  That  is,  the  Inheritance 
 of  the  Priefts,  for  the  whole  Tribe  of  Levi  had  no- 
 thing to  do  with  them.  See  XVlll  Nuwb.  where 
 the  Portion  of  the  Priefts  and  of  the  Levites  is  exactly 
 fet  down.  And  fee  v.  33.  of  this  Chapter,  and 
 XIV.  3.  XVIIL  7. 
 
 As  hefaid  unto  them."}  See  XVIII  Numb.  20,  21. 
 Where  this  is  diftin&ly  (aid,  both  with  refpeft  to  the 
 Pr/efis  and  to  the  Levites. 
 
 Verfe  IK.  ^er#  x5*  And  Mofes  gave  unto  the  tribe  of  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Reuben,  inheritance,  according  to  their  fan//  lies.'] 
 Having  faid  in  general  what  Mofes  gave  to  the  two 
 Tribes  and  an  half,  he  proceeds  to  fet  down  in  par- 
 ticular, what  (hare  each  of  them  had  in  this  Country. 
 That  fo,  they  might  no  more  quarrel  among  them- 
 felves  about  their  Portion  5  than  the  Nine  Tribes 
 and  half  quarrel  with  them  all.  And  firft  he  men- 
 tions what  part  of  the  Land   was  given  to  Reubeu  $ 
 
 which 
 
 i 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  itfp 
 
 which  wis  divided  into  as  many  Portions,    as  they  Chapter 
 had  Families.  XJIF. 
 
 Ver.    1 6.  Their  coajl  reus  from  Aroer^  that  is  on  the  L/~v~V> 
 bank  of  Amen,  Scc.^     See  7>.  9.  Arocr  it  feff  was  in  Vei 
 the  Tribe  of  Gad,  XXXII  Numb.  34.     Unto  which 
 the  Portion  of  the  Rcubcnites  reached. 
 
 Ver.    17.  Hcftbon,  and  all  the  Cities  that  arc  in  t/:c  VVrie  17. 
 Plain.  ~]     He     means   the    Plain   before   mentioned, 
 v.  9. 
 
 DibonT]  It  is  faid  plainly  in  XXXII  Navib.  34. 
 that  it  belonged  to  the  Gaditcs :  for  it  was,  as  Ma/iw 
 well  judges,  in  the  confines  of  both  Tribes }  and  fo 
 was  inhabited  by  both.  Which  is  to  be  faid  alio  of 
 Hefljbon,  here  afcribed  to  the  Reubenitcs :  but  in  the 
 XXI.  39.  is  faid  to  be  a  City  of  the  Lcvitcs  in  the 
 Tribe  of  Gad.  And  fo  we  read  alfo  in  1  Chron.  VI. 
 nit.  And  this  is  (till  more  evident  5  for  He/hbon, 
 which  in  this  Verfe  is  reckoned  to  the  Reubenites,  in 
 the  26th  v.  of  this  very  Chapter,  is  faid  to  be  given 
 to  the  Tribe  of  Gad :  which  is  a  demonftration,  they 
 had  it  between  them. 
 
 Bamoth-baal,  and  Bcth-baaLmcon^]  We  read  of 
 Bamoth  not  far  from  this  Country,  XXI  Numb.  19. 
 But  no  where  elfe  of  Bamoth-baal.  Which  it  is  pro- 
 bable wasfome  high  place  where  Baal  was  worlhipped: 
 for  we  read  of  high  places  in  this  Country,  XXI 
 Numb.  28.  We  find  mention  of  Baal-mcon  in  many 
 places  5  particularly  XXXII  Numb.  38.  Where  it  is 
 faid  to  be  given  to  this  Tribe.  And  the  addition  of 
 Beth  to  it,  fignifies  there  was  fome  Houfe,  that  is 
 Temple  o(yBaal  in  this  place. 
 
 Ver.   18.   And  Jahaz>a7\     Here    they  fought  with  Yetie  i3. 
 Sihon.     See  XXI  Numb.  23. 
 
 Z  And 
 
i7o 
 Chapter 
 XIII. 
 
 A   COMMENT  ART 
 
 And  KedemothT]  From  whence  Mofes  fent  friendly 
 Meflengers  to  Sihon,  to  defire  a  peaceable  paflage 
 through  his  Country,  WIDeut.  26. 
 
 And  Mephaath.']  This,  with  the  two  foregoing, 
 were  Levitical  Cities  in  the  Tribe  of  Reuben,  XXI 
 36,  37.  1  Chron*  VI.  78,  79. 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  AndKirjathaimandSibmah.']  Thefe  two 
 are  mentioned  in  XXXII  Numb.  37,  38.  as  given  to 
 the  Reuben He s. 
 
 And  Zareth-pahar.']  We  do  not  read  of  this  City, 
 any  where  elfe. 
 
 In  the  mount  of  the  valley.']     In  the  Mount  which 
 ver-looked  the  great  Plain  before-mentioned  :  which 
 may  be  fuppofed  to  be  one  of  the  Mountains  of  Aba- 
 rim,  where  this  City,  and  perhaps  the  two  former, 
 were  feated. 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  Baal-Peor."]  It  feems  to  have  had 
 its  name  from  the  filthy  Idol  which  was  there  wor- 
 (hipped  by  the  Moabites,  XXV  Numb.  3.  5.  See 
 XXXIV  Dent.  6. 
 
 And  Afhdod-Pifgah  and  Beth-Jejhimoth.  ]  See 
 XII.  3. 
 
 Ver.  21.  And  all  the  Cities  of  the  Plain.*]  As  well 
 as  thofe  mentioned  in  the  Mountain  which  over- 
 looked it,  v.  19. 
 
 And  all  the  Kingdom  of  Sihon  King  of  the  AmoritesT] 
 That  is,  all  the  forementioned  places  belonged  to  the 
 Kingdom  of  Sihon.  But  they  had  not  all  his  King- 
 dom given  them  5  for  it  was  fhared  between  them  and 
 the  Gadites,  as  appears  from  v.  27. 
 
 Whom  Mofes  fmote  with  the  Princes  of  Midian^] 
 Not  in  the  War  with  Sihon  mentioned,  XXI  Httmb. 
 but  in  another  War  after  that,  undertaken  by  a  par- 
 ticular command  of  God,  XXXI  Numb. 
 
 EvL 
 
 Verfe  20. 
 
 Verfe  21 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  i ;  i 
 
 Evi,  and  Rekem,  and  Zur,  and  Hur,    and  Reba.~]  Chapter 
 Who  are  mentioned  as  killed  in  that  War,  XXXI      X1H. 
 N#mh.  8.  iyw 
 
 Which  were  Dukes  of  Sihon."]  This  is  the  reafon 
 why  they  are  here  mentioned,  becaufe,  though  they 
 lived  in  Midian  yet,  they  were  Tributaries  to  Sihon. 
 And  it  is  likely  affifted  him  in  his  War  with  Ifraely 
 in  which  though  they  then  efcaped,  yet  afterward 
 they  were  (lata  by  them. 
 
 Dwelling  in  the  Country."]  It  is  uncertain  whethei 
 he  mean  that  Sihon  had  given  them  fome  place  in  his 
 Country  to  dwell  in  (that  they  might  be  ready  on  all 
 occafions  to  affift  him  with  their  Forces)  or,  that  they 
 were  fetled  in  the  Country  of  Midi  an  $  whereas  fome 
 of  that  People  were  unfetled,  and  moved  from  place 
 to  place,  like  to  the  ancient  Nomades.  However  it 
 was,  they  were  fuch  great  Men  in  Midian  that  they 
 are  called  Kings,  XXXI  Numb.  8.  as  here  they  are 
 called  Princes.  But  much  inferiour  to  Sihon,  whom 
 they  ferved  only  as  great  Commanders  under  him. 
 So  our  Tranflators  I  fuppofe  underftood  it,  which 
 made  them  render  the  Hebrew  word  Nefiche  by  the 
 Ettglijl)  word  Dukes  :  which  we  elfewhere  Tranllate 
 Nobles,  in  the  LXXXIII  Pfal.  15. 
 
 Ver.   22.  Balaam  alfo  the  Son  ofBeor  the  foothfayerT]  Verfe  2:. 
 He  had  been  a  Prophet;  but  degenerated  into  a  Sooth- 
 fayer,  or  diviner  (fee  XXII  AWi.  5,  6,  7,  8.)  and 
 became  a  Prophet  again  for  the  fake  of  IfraeL 
 
 Did  the  Children  of  Jfraelflay  with  a  Sword,  among 
 them  that  were  /Iain  by  them^]  It  is  hard  to  give  an 
 account  why  he  is  here  mentioned  ^  unlefs  we  fup- 
 pofe him  to  have  been  an  advifer  of  Sihon , 
 and  thofe  Dukes  that  joined  with  him  to  undertake 
 the  War  :   as  it  is  certain  he  was  of  the  Midianitcs 
 
 7  2  to 
 
l?2  AGO  MMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  to  draw  in  the  Ifraelites  to  commit  Idolatry,  XXV 
 XIII.    Numb.  17. 
 
 L/-VSJ       Ver.   23.  And  the  border  of  the  Children  of  Reuben 
 
 Verfe  23.  was  Jordan  and  the  border  thereof,  &C."]  This  River 
 was  the  bounds  of  their  Country  Weiftward. 
 
 Verfe  24.  Ver.  24.  And  Mofes  gave  inheritance  unto  the  tribe 
 of  Gad,  &C.3  As  he  had  done  to  the  Reubenites,  v. 
 15.     See  there. 
 
 Verfe  05.'  Ver.  25.  Andtheircoafinpasjazer.']  SeeXXIAW/£. 
 32.  and  XXXII.  35. 
 
 And  all  the  Cities  of  Gilead.']  That  lay  next  to 
 Jazer.  For  half  of  Gilead  was  given  to  the  Children 
 of  Manaffeh,  v.  %i. 
 
 And  half  of  the  Land  of  the  Children  of  Ammon7\ 
 The  Children  of  Ifrael  took  nothing  from  them,  but 
 were  exprefly  forbidden  to  meddle  with  their  Coun- 
 try, II  Dent.  19.  He  fpeaks  therefore  of  that  part  of 
 their  Country  which  Sihon  had  taken  from  them  (as 
 he  did  part  of  the  Moabites  Country,  XXI  Numb.  26.) 
 and  the  Ifraelites,  having  vanquifhed  Sihon,  juftly 
 poflefled  from  Arnon  to  Jabbok^:  as  Jephtah  reprefents 
 to  the  Ammonites  >  when  they  demanded  this  Land  as 
 belonging  to  them  5  when  the  Ifraelites  had  en- 
 joyed it  near  three  Hundred  Years,  YAJudg.  13.  22, 
 &c. 
 
 Vnto  Aroer.]  This  was  the  bounds  of  that  Coun- 
 try taken  from  the  Ammonites  by  Sihon,  from  Aroer 
 unto  Jabbok.  For  Aroer  was  feated  upon  Arnon  be- 
 fore mentioned,  Xljudg.  13.    • 
 
 That  is  before  Rabbah.]     Over  againfl:  Rabbah,  the 
 chief  City  of  the  Ammonites  Country  :  which  was  in 
 the  North  part  of  it,  as  Aroer  in  the  South. 
 Verfe  26.      ^cr*  2^#  And  from  HefobonT]     See  v.  17. 
 
 Unto 
 
upon    JOSHUA-  i73 
 
 Unto  Ramath-mizpeh.~]     The  fame  with    Ramath-  Chapter 
 ad  of  which  we  read,  XX.  3.  and  many  other     XIII. 
 places.     It  feems  to  be  the  fame  place  which  is  called    l^V^VJ 
 Mizpeh  of  Gilcad,  where  Jephthah  the  Gileadite  lived, 
 Xljiidg.  29.   34. 
 
 And  Bctonim.]  We  know  no  more  of  this  place, 
 than  it  was,  in  all  likelyhood,  a  City  in  the  North 
 part  of  this  Tribe,  as  Ramoth-Gilcad  was  :  and  Hefhbon 
 in  the  South. 
 
 And  from  Mahanaim7\  This  was  a  City  built  in 
 that  place  where  Jacob  law  the  Camps  of  Angels, 
 XXXIIGV;/.  1.  2.  It  was  not  far  from  the  River 
 Jabbol^,  as  appears  from  that  Chapter,  v.  22.  This 
 City  was  very  confiderable  in  after  times  5  Ifobojheth 
 who  reigned  over  Ifracl  after  »SW,  having  his  refi- 
 dence  here  ^  and  David  making  fome  (lay  here  when 
 he  fled  from  Abfohm,  2  Sam.  II.  8.  12.  XVII.  27. 
 It  was  one  of  the  Levitkal  Cities,  XXI.  37. 
 
 Unto  Debir.~]  There  was  another  City  of  this 
 name  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  XV.  15.  49.  But  this 
 was  (as  St.  Hierom  and  Enfebitts  tells  us)  a  City  of  the 
 Ammonites  upon  Jordan. 
 
 Ver.  27.  And  in  the  valley ^  Beth-aram,  and  Beth- y  r 
 Nimrab.']  Having  mentioned  the  frontier  places,  he 
 comes  to  fpeak  of  thole  Cities  which  were  in  the 
 mid  ft  of  the  Country.  And  thefe  two  are  mentioned, 
 XXXII  AW/>.  36.  The  latter  of  which  here  called 
 Beth-Ximrah  (Domm  1?  ardor  urn  as  Bo. hart  interprets 
 it)  is  (Imply  called  Nimra  in  the  third  Verfe  of  that 
 Chapter.  And  the  Waters  o£  Ximrim  (XV  7/16.) 
 feem  to  have  been  in  the  fame  place.  Which  Mofes 
 and  Jojhua  fiy  belonged  to  the  Gadites :  but  Ifaiah 
 and  Jeremiah  call  it  a  City  of  the  Moabites.  Who  in 
 the  Days  of  thofe  Prophets,    after  the  Ten  Tribes 
 
 were 
 
*74 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  were  carried  Captive,   recovered  ttoofe  places.    See 
 XI II.     Bochartns  in  his   Hierozo/con,    P.  I.    Lib.  III.  Cap. 
 C/-VNJ  VII. 
 
 And  SuccothT]  Which  was  the  place  were  Jacob 
 fixed,  after  he  had  pafled  over  Jabbok^,  in  his  return 
 from  Padan-Aran/,  XXXIII  Gen.  17. 
 
 And  Zaphon."]  A  place  which  St.  Hierom  faith  lay 
 upon  the  River  Jordan. 
 
 The  reft  of  the  Kingdom  ofSihon  King  of  Hejhbon.'] 
 That  is,,  all  but  that  which  was  given  to  the  Ren- 
 be nites. 
 
 Jordan  and  his  border."]  For  inftance,  the  Country 
 bordering  upon  Jordan. 
 
 Even  unto  the  edge  of  the  Sea  of  Cinneroth,    on  the 
 other  fide  Jordan  Eafiward.~\     To  the  extream  part  of 
 the  Lake,    in  after  times,  called  Genefareth :  where 
 the  River  Jordan  came  out  of  it,   on  the  South- 
 Baft. 
 Verfe  28,      Ver.  28.  This  k  the  inheritance  of  the  Children  of 
 Gad,  after  their  Families,  the  Cities,  and  their  Villages.] 
 Which  are  not  all  named,  but  they  were  in  the  region 
 here  defcribed. 
 Verfe  29.      Ver.  29.  And  Mofes  gave  inheritance  unto  the  half 
 tribe  of  Man  of  eh,  &c]     The  Country  which  they 
 conquered  on  the  other  fide  Jordan,  being  too  large 
 for  the  Reubenites  and  Gadites  alone,  Mofes  beftowed 
 what  follows  upon  the  half  Tribe  of  Manajfeh.  Who 
 did  not  defire  it,  as  far  as  I  can  find    (fee  XXXII 
 Numb.  1.  2.)  but  were  thought  fit  to  be  joined  with 
 the  other  two  Tribes,   becaufe  they  were  very  nu- 
 merous  fXXVI  Numb.  34.)    and  it  is  likely    had 
 ♦  great  ftore  of  Cattle,  as  the  other  hade 
 
 Ver.  30. 
 
upon   J  O  S  H  U  A.  i75 
 
 Ver.  30.  And    their    coafl    was  from    Mahanaim7\   Chapter 
 Mentioned  before,  v.  26.  XIII. 
 
 All  Bajhan,    all  the  Kingdom  ofOg  King  of  Baft  an.]  L/~V~NJ 
 This  Kingdom  confilkd  of  three  parts  (III  Dent.  13.)  Verfe  30, 
 half  of  Gilead,    Ba/Jjan,    and  the  region   of  Argob. 
 All  which  fometimes  are  comprehended    under  the 
 name  of  Bafian,  becaufe  it  was  the  principal  part  of 
 his  Kingdom. 
 
 And  all  the  Towns  of  J  air,  which  are  in  Bafl)an.~\ 
 This  is  an  Explication  of  what  went  before.  For 
 thefe  Towns  were  in  the  forenamed  Kingdom  of 
 Baf/jan,  and  not  diftinft  from  it.  Why  they  are 
 called  the  Towns  of  Jair  Mofes  gives  an  account, 
 XXXII  Numb.  41. 
 
 Threefcore  Cities."]  Which  were  in  the  region  of 
 Argob,  as  we  read,  III  Dent.  4.  14. 
 
 Ver.  3  f .   And  half  Gilead.~]     The  other  half,  that  Verfe  2 1 . 
 was  not  given  to  the  Gadites,   v.  25.     This  alfo  is 
 but  an  Explication  of  what  he  faid  at  the  firft  :    for 
 Gilead  was  not  diftintt  from  the  Kingdom  of  Og  King 
 of  Baffjan  5  but  a  part  of  it. 
 
 And  Afiaroth  and  Edrei  Cities  of  the  Kingdom  of  Og 
 m  Bafian.~]  Royal  Cities,  as  is  commonly  thought 
 from  XII.  4. 
 
 Were  pertaining  unto  the  Children  of  Machir,  the 
 Son  of  Manajfehr\  All  the  pofterity  of  Manaffeh 
 came  from  Machir ,  for  he  had  no  other  Son  befide 
 him,  XXXII  Numb.  29.  unto  vvhofe  Children  ;  that 
 is,  to  one  half  of  them  (as  it  is  explained  in  the  fol- 
 lowing words)  he  gave  this  part  of  that  Kingdom, 
 lUDeut.  15/ 
 
 Even  to  the  one  half  of  the  Children  of  Machir,  by 
 their  families \]  Among  whom  Jair  and  his  pofterity 
 had  the  honour  to  be  reckoned,    though  he  was  of 
 
 the 
 
i76  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  the  Tribe  of  Judah  •  becaufe  he  was  his  Grand-Child 
 XIII.    by  his  Daughter:  and  fo  inftrumental  in  conquering 
 
 [y^T\J  this  Country,  that  he  had  his  Inheritnace  given  him 
 here,  i  Cbron.  II.  2f,  &c.  XXXIV  NhM.  41, 
 42. 
 
 Verfe  22.  Ver.  32,  7#e/e  <?>*£  Me  Countries  which  Mofes  did 
 diftribute  for  inheritance  in  the  Plains  of  Moab,  on  the 
 other  fide  Jordan  by  Jericho  Eaftward.  ~]  Which 
 Countries  with  their  bounds  and  limits,  are  thus 
 particularly  defcribed,  that  every  Tribe  might  reft 
 fatisfied  with  Gods  appointment  3  and  not  invade 
 their  Brethrens  Territories. 
 
 Verfe  33.  Ver.  33.  But  unto  the  tribe  of  Levi  Mofes  gave  not 
 any  inheritance  :  the  LORD  God  of  Ifrael  was  their 
 inheritance,  as  he  faid  unto  them7\  This  had  been 
 noted  before  in  this  very  Chapter,  v.  14.  and  is 
 again  noted,  XIV.  3.  4.  and  again  XVIII.  7. 
 Which  frequent  repetition,  was  for  the  honour  of 
 this  Tribe  5  and  that  the  People  might  have  the 
 greater  regard  to  them,  and  care  of  them. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
upon   JOS  H  U  A.  i77 
 
 Chapter 
 CHAP.     XIV.  XIV. 
 
 Verfe   I.     \ND    thefe    are   the    Countries.']     Vi%.  Verfe  i. 
 
 l\  Thofe  mentioned  in  the  XV,  XVf. 
 and  following  Chapters  :  for  this  Chapter  is  but  a 
 kind  of  Preface  to  the  divifion  of  the  Land. 
 
 ]\  hich  the  Children  of  Ifrael  inherited  in  the  land  of 
 Canaan.]     Which    was  now  conquered   by  Joflma, 
 as  that  of  Sihon  and  Og  had  been  by  Mofes. 
 
 Which  Eleazer  the  Prieft,  and  Jojhua  the  Son  of  Nun, 
 and  the  heads  of  the  Fathers  of  the  tribes  of  the  Children 
 of  Ifrael  dijlributed  for  inheritance  unto  them.]  Ac- 
 cording to  the  command  given  by  God  to  Mofes, 
 XXXIV  Numb.  17,  18.  Where  the  names  of  the 
 twelve  Heads  of  the  Tribes,  or  the  Princes  (as  they 
 are  there  called)  are  fet  down,  v.  19,  qo,  Qfc 
 
 Ver.  2.  By  lot  was  their  inheritance.']     To  take  v^rfe  2. 
 away  all  occafion  of  Controverfie  5  the  matter  being 
 determined  by  God. 
 
 As  the  LORD  commanded  by  the  hand  of  Mofes.] 
 XXVlNuntb.   55.   56.    XXXIII.  54. 
 
 For  the  nine  tribes,  and  for  the  half  tribe .]  Who 
 were  to  be  provided  for  in  the  Land  of  Canaan,  as 
 the  other,  it  here  follows,  had  been  on  the  other  fide 
 Jordan. 
 
 Ver.  3.  For  Mofes  had  given  the  inheritance  of  two  Verfe  ^. 
 tribes  and  an  half,  on  the  other  fide  Jordan.]  This 
 feems  to  argue  a  (\rong  Faith,  which  the  Nine  Tribes 
 and  half  had  in  the  promife  of  God  :  that  they  were 
 contented  to  fee  their  Brethren  put  in  aftual  poiTeiii- 
 on  of  their  Inheritance  5  when  they  were  only  in 
 hope  of  their  Portion. 
 
 A  a  Bnt 
 
i78  A   COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       But  unto  the  Levites  gave  he  no  inheritance  among 
 
 XIV.    them!]     Neither  on  this  fide  Jordan,    nor  on    the 
 
 L/"V"\J  other:  as  was  faid  before,  XIII.  33.  and  mentioned 
 
 here  again  for  the  reafon  following. 
 Verfe  4.  ^er.  4.  For  the  Children  of  Jofeph  were  two  tribes, 
 Manaffeh  and  Ephraim!}  The  priviledge  of  the  firft 
 Born,  was  transferred  from  Reubens  to  Jofeph  (1  Chroa. 
 V.  1.  2,)  from  whofe  two  Sons  fprung  two  Tribes. 
 So  that  there  were  ftill,  XII.  Tribes,  without  reckon- 
 ing Levi  for  one,  XLVIIlGe^.  5.  6. 
 
 Therefore  they  gave  no  part  to  the  Levites  in  the 
 Land!]  Becaufe  the  Children  of  Jofeph  fucceeded  in 
 their  room,  as  the  Vulgar  Latin  Tranflates  the  fore- 
 going words :  that  is,  to  make  up  the  number  of 
 Twelve  Tribes. 
 
 Save  Cities  to  dwell  in!}  Not  for  a  poffeffion,  as 
 Conrad*  ReUicanw  obferves,  but  only  for  an  habita- 
 tion. For  they  could  not  fell  them,  as  their  Bre- 
 thren might  their  poffeffions. 
 
 With  their  fuburbs  for  their  Cattle,  and  for  their  [ub- 
 fiance!]     See  XXXV  Numb.  2,  3,  &c. 
 Verfe  5.         Ver.   5.   As  the  LORD  commanded  Mofes,  fo  the 
 Children  of  Ifrael  did.]     That  is,  afligned  them  Cities 
 and  Suburbs,  XXI.  1,2,  &c. 
 
 And  they  divided  the  Land!]  That  is,  when  Ele- 
 4zar,  Jofhua,  and  the  Princes  had  divided  it. 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  Then  the  Children  ofjudah!]  Before  they 
 went  to  caft  Lots,  for  the  divifion  of  the  Land,  fome 
 of  the  Children  ofjudah  interpofed  in  the  behalf  of 
 Caleb :  coming  along  with  him,  I  fuppofe,  as  Wit- 
 neffes  to  the  truth  of  what  he  alledged. 
 
 Came  unto  Jojlwa  in  GilgaL]  Where  the  Taber- 
 nacle as  yet  was :  for  Jojbua  had  not  removed  his 
 Camp  from  hence  j  and  accordingly  here  the  divifion 
 
 of 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  179 
 
 of  the  Land  began  to  be  made  :  though  it  was  finifh-   Chapter 
 ed  at  Shiloh,  as  we  read,  Chap.  XVIII.  XIV. 
 
 And  Caleb  the  Son  of Jcphunneh  the  Kenczitc,  faid  L/^VXJ 
 unto  ItfmJ]  This  (hows  that  he  was  the  principal 
 perfon  concerned  in  this  addrefs  to  Joftua  :  though 
 the  reft  perhaps  who  came  along  with  him,  were  not 
 only  Witneffes  to  the  truth  of  his  pretenfions,  but 
 came  to  defire  Joftua  to  begin  the  divifion  of  the 
 Land  :  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  now  that  the  Rcubcnites 
 were  provided  for,  being  the  Eldeft  of  thofe  that 
 wanted  their  portion.  Among  whom  Caleb  was  not 
 only  a  confiderable  perfon,  but  one  of  thofe  Princes 
 who  were  appointed  by  God,  to  affift  in  the  divifion 
 of  the  Land,  XXXIV  Numb.  19.  And  therefore 
 would  not  be  a  judge  in  his  own  cafe }  but  have  it 
 fetled  before  by  JoJ/jua,  the  fupreme  Governour  of 
 Gods  People.  Why  he  is  called  the  Kenczite,  is 
 not  eafie  to  refolve:  nor  is  it  certain,  whether 
 Caleb  or  Jephunneh  be  called  the  Kenezitc.  But  it 
 comes  to  the  fame,  whether  the  one  or  the  other  be 
 fo  called,  and  the  Hebrew  words  will  bear  either  con- 
 ftru&ion  :  yet  St.  Hierom  and  the  LXX.  take  it  to  be- 
 long to  Caleb  $  fome  of  whofe  Anceftors  was  called 
 Kenez  :  which  was  certainly  a  name  very  common  in 
 their  Family.  See  XV.  17.  and  ljudg.  13.  And 
 there  is  no  improbability  in  it  that  Kenez  was  the 
 Father  of  Jephunneh,  from  whence  both  he  and  his 
 Son  were  called  Kenezites. 
 
 Thou  knoweft  the  thing  that  the  LORD  faid  unto 
 Mofes,  the  Man  of  God.~]  He  gives  him  this  title, 
 that  what  he  ordered  might  be  thought  of  greater 
 authority,  i.e.  a  Divine  command. 
 
 Concerning  me  and  thee,  in  Kadefi-Bamea~]  Which 
 he  was  confident  Jofiua  could  not  but  remember  5  be- 
 
 A  a  2  ing 
 
lSo  A  C  0  MMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  i"g  concerned  in  it,   as  well  as  himfelf.     See  XIV* 
 
 XIV.     Numb.  24.  30.  38. 
 ^/-V\j       Ver.  7.  Forty  years  old  was  I  when  Mofes  the  Ser- 
 Verfe  7.    vant   of  the  LORD  fent  me  from  Kadefi-Barnea,  to 
 fpy  out  the  Land.']     He  mentions  this  partly,  to  (how 
 that  Mofes  took  care  to  fend  Perfons  of  feme  ex- 
 perience, able  to  make  obfervations,  and  judge  aright  $ 
 as  well  as  in  their  full  ftrength  of  body,  able  to  travel 
 and  take  pains.     Such  it  is  probable  were  all  the  reft, 
 as  well  as  he  :  Men  grown  up  every  way  to  maturity, 
 both  of  judgment,  and  bodily  vigour. 
 
 And  I  brought  him  word  again,  as  it  was  in  my 
 heart?]  Delivered  my  true  opinion  freely  and  fin- 
 cerely  $  without  either  fear  or  flattery,  XIII  Numb. 
 30. 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  Neverthelefs,  my  brethren  that  went  with  me, 
 made  the  heart  of  the  People  melt.']  XIII  Numb,.  31, 
 32.  XIV.  1,  &c.  which  did  not  difcourage  him  at 
 all,  from  fpeaking  the  truth. 
 
 But  I  wholly  followed  the  LORD  my  God?]     This 
 teftimony  God  himfelf  gave  him,   XIV  Numb.  24. 
 Which  he  might  therefore  mention,    without  any 
 breach  of  modefty  :  it  being  the  ground  of  his  pre- 
 fent  petition. 
 Verfe  0.         Ver.   9.  And  Mofes  fware  on  that  day  faying,  furely 
 the  land  whereon  thy  feet  have  troden,  Jfjal/  be  thine  in- 
 heritance, and  thy  Childrens  for  ever  :  becaufe  thou  baft 
 wholly  followed  the  LORD  my  God.]     See  I  Deut.  34, 
 35,  36.     This  was  firft  pronounced  by  God  himfelf, 
 and  that  with  an  Oath,  XIV  Numb.  21.  24.     See  my 
 Notes  there.     Some  think  his  treading  on  it  with  his 
 feet,  was  his  taking  poffeffion,    and  being  admitte^ 
 the  owner  of  that  Land  :    according  to  the  prefent 
 notion  of  Civil  Lawyers  ^  who  will  have  poffejfio,  to 
 
 be 
 
upon   JOSHUA  ibi 
 
 be  as  much  as  pedis  pojitij.     But  this  is  only  a  modern  Chapter 
 conceit.  XIV. 
 
 Ver.    IO.   And  now,    behold,    the  LORD  hath  kept  L/V\j 
 we  alive,  as  he  f aid,  thefe  forty  and  five  years. ~]     Thus  Verfe   it. 
 far  he  had  fulfilled  his  words,  in  preferving  him  alive 
 till  the  Country  was  conquered,  wherein  he  promifed 
 him  a  certain  portion :    fo  that  he  wanted  only  actual 
 poflefiion  of  it. 
 
 Even  jince  the  LORD  [pake  this  word  unto  Mofes 
 while  the  Children  of  Ifrael  wandred  in  the  wilder  nefs.  ~\ 
 Which  was  Thirty  and  Eight  years. 
 
 And  now,  loy  1  am  this  day  fourjeore  and  five  years 
 old.]  It  feeras  then  that  feven  Years  was  pafled  fince 
 they  came  into  Canaan,  before  they  began  to  divide 
 the  Land  :  which  was  not  till  a  Year  after  the  War 
 was  ended.  See  XI.  18.  As  for  the  time  that  fol- 
 lowed between  the  compleat  divifion  of  the  Land, 
 and  the  Death  of  JoJ/ma,  it  is  not  fet  down  in  this 
 Book  :  nor  have  we  words  in  it,  from  whence  to  make 
 a  probable  conje&ure  about  it,  but  only  thole  XXIII. 
 I.  where  it  is  faid,  a  long  time  after  God  had  given 
 them  reft,  Joflwa  waxed  old,  6tc.  Which  fhows  it  is 
 not  to  be  retrained  to  fo  (hort  a  time  as  feven,  or  ten 
 Years :  but  may  rather  be  thought  twenty,  as  Dh  Pin 
 computes  it. 
 
 Ver.  II.  As  yet  I  am  as  firong  this  day,  as  I  was  yerfe  xl^ 
 in  the  day  that  Mofes  fent  me.']  As  able  both  in  Body 
 and  Mind  to  undertake,  and  to  difpatch  any  bufinefs, 
 as  he  was  forty  and  five  Years  ago.  Which  was  a 
 wonderful  bleffing  of  God }  and  an  argument  his 
 Petition  fhould  be  granted :  becaufe  he  wanted  r>ei- 
 ther  Courage  nor  Strength,  to  aflault  and  take  the 
 place  hedefired,  if  it  were  ftill  in  the  CanaaniteshAndsj 
 or  to  defend  and  preferve  it,  if  it  were  already  con- 
 quered .  A  2 
 
iS* 
 
 A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter        As  myftrength  was  then,  evenfo  is  myftrength  now, 
 XIV.    for  war,  both  to  go  out  and  to  come  in7\     This  is  a  re- 
 L*^V\J  petition  of  what  he  affirmed  ;   as  is  ufual,    when  a 
 thing  is  certain  and  undoubted.     Concerning  this 
 Phrafe,  go  out  and  come  in.     See  XXVII  Numb.  17. 
 And  this  (hows  the  force  and  efficacy  of  Gods  pro- 
 mife,  confirmed  by  an  Oath  :  which  (as  Dr.  Jackfon 
 well  obferves)    was  as  remarkable  in  preferving  his 
 Life  and  Strength  5  as  in  bringing  Mortality  on  others, 
 who  he  fware  (hould  not  enter  into  Canaan. 
 Verfe  12.      Ver.   12.  Now    therefore  give   me    this   mountain, 
 whereof  the  LORD  fpake  in  that  Day.~]     The  moun- 
 tainous Country,  where  Hebron  lay,  XI.  21.  Which 
 was  the  place  promifed  to  him,  as  I  obferved  upon 
 XIV  Numb.  24. 
 
 For  thou  heardejl  in  that  day7\  The  LXX.  and 
 the  Vulgar  Latin  refer  this  to  what  goes  before,  and 
 make  the  fenfe  to  be,  as  if  he  had  faid  3  in  thy  hearings 
 God  promifed  this  Country  to  me. 
 
 How  the  Anakjms  were  there,  and  that  the  Cities  were 
 great  andjirong.']  The  Vulgar  makes  the  Senfe  to  be, 
 where  the  Anakims  are,  &c.  See  XlllNumb.  z8.  52, 
 33.  He  mentions  Cities  in  the  Plural  number:  for 
 we  read  of  two  other,  befide  Hebron,  which  they 
 poflefled,  XL  21. 
 
 If  fo  be  the  LORD  will  be  with  me.']  Thefe  are 
 not  words  of  doubting  \  but  a  pious  acknowledgment 
 that  nothing  could  be  fuccefsfully  enterprized,  with- 
 out Gods  gracious  affiftance  :  of  which  no  queftion 
 he  was  very  confided  t.  The  Tar  gum  hath  it,  if  fo  be 
 the  WORD  of  the  LORD  wiUbe  my  heifer.  Which 
 is  the  conftant  Language  of  that  Paraphraft,  in  all 
 this  Book,  upon  fuch  occafions.  See  I.  9.  17.  VI. 
 27.    X.  42.  and  XXIII.  3.  10. 
 
 Then 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  183 
 
 Then  I  JIjuII  be  able  to  drive  them  out,  as  the  LORD   Chapter 
 fahir\     Which  whether  it  was  done  now,  or  before,      XIV. 
 when  Jojlma  conquered  the  Country,    is  a  difpute.  L^V^NJ 
 See  X.  37. 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  Jojlma  blcffed  him \\  Acknowledged  Verfe  13. 
 his  deferts,  and  beieeched  God  to  profper  him  in  his 
 undertaking,  and  gave  his  confent,  that  he  fhould 
 have  this  Country.  For  then  God  is  laid  to  blefs  a 
 Man,  when  he  beftows  his  benefits  upon  him  :  and 
 we  do  not  blefs  others  to  purpofe,  unlefs  we  do  what 
 they  defire.     Accordingly  it  here  follows. 
 
 And  gave  unto  Caleb  the  Son  of  Jephunneh,  Hebron 
 for  an  inheritance?]  That  is,  the  Country  about  it. 
 For  Hebron  it  felf  was  a  City  of  the  Priefls,  XXI. 
 11.  13.  where  it  is  expreily  faid,  v.  12.  the  Fields 
 and  the  Villages  of  it  were  given  to  Caleb. 
 
 Ver.    14.  Hebron  therefore  became  the  inheritance  of yerfe 
 Caleb   unto    this  day,    because    he   wholly  followed    the 
 LORD  God  of  ffrael]     God  rewarded  his  fidelity, 
 by  this  (ingular  gift :    which   he  beftowed  upon  him 
 before  the  Land  was  divided  by  Lot. 
 
 Ver.    15.   And  the  name  of  Hebron  before  was   Kir-  Verfe  i«?, 
 jath-Arba.]     See  upon  XXIII  Gen.  2. 
 
 Which  Arba  was  a  great  Man  among  the  Anakjms.~] 
 Of  great  Authority,  as  well  as  Strength.  So  the 
 word  Gadol  is  ufed,  XXIV  Gen.  35.  and  fo  we  call 
 Men  at  this  day,  who  are  of  great  Power,  by  the 
 name  of  Magnates.  He  was  the  Father  of  Anal^, 
 XV.  13.  and  XXI.  11.  who  either  built  this  City, 
 or  fortified  it  5  or  made  it  his  Royal  Seat  ( being  a 
 kind  of  Prince  among  them)  and  perhaps  was  here 
 buried.  Which  made  it  be  called  his  City.  See  upon 
 XIII  Numb.  33. 
 
 And 
 
!84  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  And  the  land  had  reft  from  War 7]  Which  gave 
 XIV.    them  liberty  to  divide  the  Land.     This  was  faid  be- 
 
 Ly^VNJ  tore,  XL  alt.  and  now  repeated,  perhaps,  to  (how 
 that  what  is  here  reported  concerting  Calebs  was 
 done  fome  time  ago $  at  the  end  of  the  War:  and 
 now  mentioned  to  (how,  that  he  held  this  portion 
 of  Land  by  a  Divine  donation  ,  before  the  Country 
 was  divided  by  Lot. 
 
 Chapter 
 XV-  C  H  A  P.     XV. 
 
 Verfe  I.    Verefe  1.  /~Y~*HIS  then  was  the  lot  of  the  tribe  of 
 
 X  the  Children  of  Judah.']  The  firft 
 Lot  that  came  up,  was  for  the  Tribe  of  Judah  $  in 
 honour  of  it,  and  that  the  Prophecy  of  Jacob  might 
 be  fulfilled  concerning  his  preheminence  among  his 
 Brethren.  The  manner  of  drawing  thefe  Lots,  fee 
 upon  XXVI  Numb.  55,  56.  Which  it  is  apparent 
 could  not  be  done,  without  a  precedent  furvey  of  the 
 whole  Country.  A  defcription  of  which  being  laid 
 before  Joflma^  he,  and  Eleazar,  and  the  Princes,  di- 
 vided it  into  Nine  {hares  and  an  half,  as  equal  as 
 they  could  :  considering  not  merely  the  quantity  of 
 ground  ^  but  the  quality  alfo  and  goodnefs  of  the 
 Soil.  This  Survey  is  not  mentioned  here  5  but  it  is 
 afterward,  XVIII.  4.  and  therefore  is  to  be  fuppofed, 
 when  they  began  to  divide  the  Land. 
 
 By  their  Families^  The  Lot  was  only  of  fo  much 
 Land  (bounded  as  follows)  for  the  whole  Tribe. 
 Unto  every  family  of  which,  a  portion  was  affigned 
 by  Jofiua>  and  the  reft,  who  were  appointed  to  fee 
 
 that 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  185 
 
 that  none  were  neglefred,  and  that  they  had  every   Chapter 
 one  a  juft  proportion.     Therefore  the  Lot  for  each      XV. 
 Tribe  was  not  fo  unalterably  fixed  and  determined  j  L/'WJ 
 but  that  it  might  be  enlarged  or  diminifhed  :  by  taking 
 from  that  Tribe  which  had   too  much,    and   giving 
 it  to  that  which   had  too  little.     See  XIX.  9. 
 
 Even  to  the  border  of  Edom,  the  wilder  nefs  of  2,in, 
 Southward  was  the  uttermojl  part  of  the  South  coafi."] 
 See  XXXIV  Numb.  2.  Edom  lay  upon  the  Wilder- 
 nefs  of  Zim  5  and  the  Lot  of  Judah  extended  as  far 
 as  that :  which  was  the  South  part  of  the  Land.  And 
 indeed  the  Tribe  of  Judah  (as  Conr.  Pel/icanus  ob- 
 ferves)  had  half  of  the  South  part  of  the  whole  Land 
 of  Canaan  for  their  portion:  as  the  Tribes  of  Jofeph 
 (Ephraim  and  Manajfeh)  had  the  North  part.  With 
 whom  the  reft  of  the  Tribes  were  intermixt,  viz. 
 Sin/con,  Benjamin  and  Dan  with  the  Tribe  of  Judah  ; 
 and  Ijfachar,  Zabulon,  After  and  Saphtali  with  the 
 Portion  of  Jofeph. 
 
 Ver.  2.  And  their  South  border  was  from  the  ftore  yerre 
 of  the  Salt-Sea.~]  The  foregoing  Verfe  was  a  fhort 
 defcription  of  the  length  of  Juaah's  Country  :  Now 
 he  defcribes  the  bounds  of  it,  on  all  quarters.  And 
 here  faith,  that  the  Salt,  or  dead  Sea,  was  the  bounds 
 of  it  on  the  South-Eaft.  For  fo  it  was  as  here  fol- 
 lows. 
 
 From  the  Bay  that  lookzth  Southward.']  In  the  He- 
 brew from  the  tongue:  which  fignifies  either  a  Crecl^, 
 or  a  Promontory,  as  fome  underftand  it,  pointira;  to 
 the  South-Eaft.     See  XXXIV  Numb.  3. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  it  went  out  to  the  South  fide  of  Maaleh-  \reerf  2. 
 acrabbimT]     There  was  a  Mountain  fo  called,  from 
 the  multitude  of  Scorpions  that  were  there.     It  lay 
 at  the  end  of  this  Lake,    XXXIV  Numb.  4.     From 
 
 B  b  whence 
 
i86  A  COMMENT  A  K  Y 
 
 Chapter  whence  the  Country  of  Acrabatene  had  its  Name,  as 
 XV,      Bochart  thinks    ( fee  hierozouon,    P.  2.  Lib.  V.  Cap. 
 L^V%J  XXIX.)    which    lay   near  the    Country   of  Edom, 
 I  Maccab.  V.  3. 
 
 And  paffed  along  to  Zin,  and  afcended  npon  the 
 South  fide  unto  Kade/lj~barnea.~]  This  is  the  very  de- 
 scription of  the  Southern  bounds  of  the  promifed 
 Land,  XXXlViNW  4. 
 
 And  faffed  along  to  HezronT]  There  is  nothing 
 faid  of  this  place,  in  the  Book  of  Numbers:  but  it 
 appears  to  have  been  a  City,  from  the  25th  Verfe  of 
 this  Chapter. 
 
 And  went  up  to  Adar.~\  This  place  is  mentioned  in 
 the  forenamed,  XXXIV  Numb.  4.  and  called  Bazar- 
 adar.  So  that  Hezron,  lay  between  Kadefh-barneah 
 and  this  Town. 
 
 And  fetched  a  compafs  to  Karkaa."]  This  place  is 
 not  mentioned  in  Numbers,  or  any  where  elfe  :  but 
 lay  beyond  Adar,  not  in  a  right  Iiner  but  bending  to- 
 wards the  Weft. 
 Ver{&4»  Ver«v  4,  And  from  thence  it  paffed  toward  Azmon.'] 
 This  is  mentioned  in  the  forenamed  place,  XXXIV 
 Numb.  4, 
 
 And  went  out  unto  the  River  of  Egypt ,  and  the  going 
 &ut  of  that  coafi  was  at  the  Sea."]     That  is,  the  Medi* 
 teranean  Sea.     See  XXXIV  Numb.  5. 
 -   This  (l)all  be  your  South  coaflT]     From  the  Tongue 
 of  the  Salt-Sea^  to  the  Mediterranean. 
 ¥erfe  K.        ^er#  5"  ^n^  *^e  ^afi  border  was  the  Salt-Sea,  even 
 mto  the  end  of  Jordan."]     Having  defcribed  the  Sou- 
 thern limits,    he  fets  down  the  Eaftern.     Which  be- 
 ginning where  the  Southern  did,   at  the  Tongue  of 
 the  Salt-Sea  ^  reached  to  the  other  end  of  it :  where 
 Jordan  fells  into  this  Sea.    So  that  the.  whole  length 
 
 of 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  187 
 
 of  this  Sea,  from  one  end  of  it  to  the  other,  was  the  Chapter 
 Eafkern  bounds  of  Jnda/Ss  Country.  XV. 
 
 And  their  border  at  the  North  quarter,  was  from  the  L/*VNJ 
 Bay  of  the  Sea,   at  the  utter  mo  ft  part   of  Jordan."]      It 
 hid  its  beginning  where  the   Eaftern  border  ended, 
 viz.  at  the  mouth  of  Jordan,  where  it  runs  into  the 
 Salt-Sea. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  the  border  went  up  to  Beth-hoglah.]      A  Verfe  6. 
 City  in  the  Tribe  of  Benjamin,  XVIII.  21. 
 
 And  pajfed  along  by  the  North  of  Beth-arabah.] 
 Another  City  in  the  fame  Tribe,  XVIII.  21.  though 
 there  was  one  in  this  Tribe  of  the  fame  name  (y.6\. 
 of  this  Chapter)  which  fome  take  to  be  the  fame  City : 
 which  lay  in  the  frontier  of  both  Tribes. 
 
 And  the  border^]     That  is,  this  Northern  border. 
 
 Went  up  to  the  Stone  of  Boh  an,  the  Son  of  Reuben.] 
 We  find  mention  made  of  this  Stone  again,  in  XVIII. 
 17.  where  he  fpeaks  of  the  bounds  of  the  Tribe  of 
 Benjamin.  It  was  but  lately  laid  here,  fince  the  Is- 
 raelites came  into  this  Country  :  but  by  whom,  or  of 
 what  it  was  a  monument,  is  not  known.  It  is  cer- 
 tain Bohan  did  not  dwell  here}  for  the  Reubenltes 
 had  their  portion  on  the  other  fide  of  Jordan :  but 
 perhaps  he  performed  fome  famous  exploit  in  this 
 place,  or  died  and  was  buried  here  ^  being  one  of 
 thofe  that  came  over  Jordan  to  affift  their  Brethren  in 
 the  Conqueft  of  Canaan. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  the  border  went  up  towards   Debir.]  Verfe  7. 
 Which  is  mentioned  in  no  other  place.     For  it  is  not 
 the  fame  with  that  Debir,  in  v.  15.  which  was  in 
 the  South   near  Hebron  $   but  this   in  the  Northern 
 Parts. 
 
 From  the  valley  of  Achor.]  Mentioned,  VII.  24.  26. 
 
 B  b  2  Avd 
 
1 88  A   COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Andfo  Northward  looking  towards  Gilgal.]    Having 
 
 XV.      Gilgal  on  the  North  of  it.     Which  is  to  be  under- 
 
 \ymYm\j  ftood,  not  of  that  Gilgal  near  Jericho  :    but  of  that 
 
 place  called  Geliloth,  XVIII.  17.  which  was  diftant 
 
 from  thence,  as  appears  by  what  follows. 
 
 That  is  before  the  going  up  to  AdummimT]  A  place 
 which  ftood  upon  a  rifing  ground  :  which  fome 
 think  was  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah-0  others  of  Benja- 
 min. 
 
 Which  was  on  the  South  fide  of  the  River."]  Or,  of 
 the  Brook :  which  fome  take  to  be  the  Brook  Cedron. 
 
 And  the  border  faffed  toward  the  waters  ofEn-fhemeJI)^ 
 and  the  goings  out  thereof  were  at  En-rogelP]  This 
 place  it  is  evident  (i  Kings  I.  9.J  was  near  Jerufalem : 
 which  (hows  that  Gilgal  before  mentioned,  was  not 
 the  place  where  they  were  now  encamped. 
 
 Verfe  8  ^er#  ^'  ^n^  ^e  ^or^er  weHt  HP'~]  ^or  it  was  an 
 afcent  from  the  Salt-Sea  to  this  Country :  efpecially 
 when  they  came  nigh  to  this  place. 
 
 By  the  valley  of  the  Son  of  Hinnom."]  A  famous 
 place  on  the  Eaft  fide  of  Jerufalem :  and  fo  delight- 
 fully (hady,  that  it  invited  them  to  Idolatrous  wor* 
 fhip  in  this  Valley  5  whereby  it  became  infamous, 
 2  Kings  XXIII.  10.  Vlljerem.  32.  Hinnom  in  all 
 probability,  was  fome  eminent  Perfon,  in  ancient 
 times,  who  was  the  owner  of  this  Valley.  For  it  is 
 fometimes  called  the  Valley  of  the  Children  of  Hinnom  : 
 which  (hows  his  pofterity  were  planted  here.  After 
 it  was  polluted  by  Idolatry,  it  became  a  place  where 
 they  threw  all  their  filth,  and  excrements,  and  dead 
 carkafes  ^  and  where  there  was  a  continual  fire,  the 
 Jews  fay,"  to  burn  bones,  and  fuch  fordid  things,  as 
 were  thrown  here:  from  whence,  they  think,  it  be- 
 came the  name  for  Hell  fire. 
 
 Vnto 
 
upon    J  O  S  R  U  A.  i 
 
 Unto  the  South  fide  of  the  Jebufite  ]     /.  c.  The  City   Chapter 
 of  the  Jtbu/ites.  XV. 
 
 Tie  fame  is  Jcmfalem.]      Which  is  called  Jebnft\  in  L/^/"\J 
 the  lail  Verfe  of  the  XVIII  Chapter :    and    Jtk*s% 
 XIX  Judg.  10.     Efpecially  that   part  of  it   fortified 
 by  the  Jebuf/tes,  which  was  called  Mount  Sion  ^  and 
 lay  on  the  South  of  Jerufalem. 
 
 And  the  border  irent  up  to  the  top  of  the  Mountain."] 
 Which  is  thought  to  be  Mount  Moriah. 
 
 That  lieth  before  the  valley  of  Hinnom  IVeJltvard.] 
 It  was  Weftward  to  the  Valley  of  .Hinnom  5  and  fo 
 had  that  Valley  on  the  Eaft  of  it. 
 
 II  hich  is  at  the  end  of  the  valley  of  the  Giants  North- 
 ward.]  Which  Mountain  had  on  the  North  part  the 
 Valley  of  Rephnim  (as  the  word  is  in  the  Hebrew) 
 which  was  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  extending  it  felf 
 from  Mount  Moriah,  as  far  as  Bethlehem,  as  Jofephw 
 tells  us. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  the  border  was  d)\twn  from   the  top  of  Verfe  9. 
 the  HiU  to  the  Fountain  of  the  Water  Nephtoah.]  Where 
 this  Fountain,   or  Well  of  Water  was,  cannot  be 
 known  :  for  it  is  no  where  mentioned,  but  here  and 
 in  XVIII.  15. 
 
 And  went  out  to  the  Cities  of  mount  Ephron.]  This 
 place  alfo  is  unknown  :  for  it  cannot  be  that  in  the 
 Tribe  of  Ephraim,  mentioned,   1  Chrotu  XIII.  19. 
 
 And  the  border  was  drawn  to  Baalah,  which  is  Kir- 
 jath-jearimT]  Called,  v%  60.  and  XVIII.  14.  Kir- 
 jath-baal :  there  being,  it  is  likely,  a  Temple  pf  Baal 
 in  this  place  :,  whofe  name  the  Ifraelites  changed  into 
 Kirjathjearim :  which  fignihes  urbs  fylvarum  3  be- 
 caufe  of  the  gcodly  Trees  hereabouts,  which  made 
 it  the  litter  for  Idolatrous  ufes. 
 
 Ver.  10. 
 
i^o  A  COMMENT  A  KY 
 
 Chapter       Vef.  10.  And  the    border   compaffed  from   Baalaft 
 XV.      Wejlward.~]     Not  in  a   direft  line,   but  bending  to- 
 L/*V%J  ward  the  Weft. 
 
 Verfe  10.      Unto  mount  Se\r7\    Not  that  Mount  belonging  to 
 the  Edomites,  but  another  of  that  name. 
 
 And  pajfed  aldng  unto  the  fide  of  mount  Jearim 
 (which  is  Chefalon)  on  the  North  fideT]  This  was  a 
 woody  Country,  as  appears  from  the  name  of  this 
 Mountain :  and  from  Mount  Seir  alfo  3  which  fignifies 
 as  much  as  hairy. 
 
 And  went  down  to  Beth- fie mejh.~]  A  known  place 
 in  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  and  a  City  of  'the  Priefts, 
 XXI.  16. 
 
 And  puffed  on  to  TtmnahT]  Another  City  in  the 
 fame  Tribe  $  v.  $j.  but  afterward  given  to  the  Tribe 
 of  Dan,  XIX.  43. 
 Verfe  11.  ^er*  1 I#  And  the  border  went  out  to  the  fide  ofEkron 
 '  Northward."]  This  City  belonged  to  the  Phitifiines  : 
 but  fell  to  the  Lot  of  Jttdah,  as  did  alfo  A/hdod  and 
 Gaza,  v.  45,  46,  47.  But  afterward  Ekron  was  given 
 to  the  Danites,  as  the  forenamed  place  tells  us,  XIX. 
 
 43- 
 
 And  the  border  was  drawn  to  Shicron,    and  paffed 
 
 along  to  mount  Baalah,  and  went  out  unto  Jabneel."] 
 It  cannot  now  be  known,  where  thefe  three  places 
 were  :  only  it  appears  by  what  follows,  that  they 
 were  not  far  from  the  coaft  of  the  Philiflines. 
 
 And  the  goings  out  of  the  border  were  at  the  Sea.~] 
 That  is,  the  Northern  border  ended  at  the  Mediter- 
 ranean Sea  :  where  there  was  a  City  called  Jamnia  5 
 which  fome  think  the  fame  with  Jabneel. 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  the  Weft- border  was  to  the  great  Sea, 
 and  the  coaji  thereof]     All  along  that  Coaft  of  the 
 
 Mediterranean, 
 
 . 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  ipi 
 
 Mediterranean,  unto  the  River  of  Egypt :  where  the  Chapter 
 Weft-border,  met  with  the  Southern,  v.  4.  XV. 
 
 This  is  the  coajl  of  the  Children  of  J  fid  ah  round  about ,  L/^V^VJ 
 according  to  their  families.']  That  is,  Thus  their  Lot 
 was  bounded  on  all  fides,  in  the  firft  draught  of  it. 
 Which  being  afterward  found  too  large,  it  was  con- 
 tracted into  a  narrower  compafs  :  that  more  room 
 might  be  made  for  the  Tribe  of  Simeon^  who  had 
 part  of  this  Lot  given  them  5  as  fome  other  places 
 were  added  out  of  it,  to  the  Tribes  of  Benjamin  and 
 Dan  5  as  will  appear  afterwards. 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  unto  Caleb  the  Son  of  Jephunnch  he  Verfe  IX. 
 gave  a  part  among  the  Children  ofjudah.]  Or  rather, 
 he  (that  is  Jojhm)  had  given  him  a  part  in  this  Coun- 
 try, which  by  Lot  fell  to  the  Tribe  of  Judab.  See 
 the  foregoing  Chapter,  XIV.  6,  7,  &c.  where  we 
 read  how  Caleb  petitioned  for  it }  and  founded  his 
 Petition  upon  a  grant  made  to  him  of  it,  Jong  ago 
 by  God  himfelf. 
 
 According  to  the  commandment  of  the  LORD  to 
 Jofl)Ha.~\  God  promifed  it  by  Mofes,  and  it  appears 
 from  thefe  words,  that  Jo/hva  had  an  order  from  God 
 to  make  it  good. 
 
 Even  the  City  of  Arba  the  father  of  Anak,  which  is 
 Hebron."]  See  XIV.  15.  This  is  here  again  particu- 
 larly remembred,  and  an  addition  made  to  it,  for 
 this  reafon  :  That  Jofina  having  defcribed  the  bounds 
 of  the  Country  ot  Judah^  and  intending  to  letdown 
 the  particular  Cities  which  were  included  in  it,  and 
 diftributed  among  them  (as  he  had  juft  before  faid, 
 v.  12.)  according  to  their  families  5  it  might  be  re- 
 membred that  there  were  two  Cities,  or  rather  the  ter- 
 ritories about  them,  given  to  two  Families,  antecedent 
 to  this  diftribution,    made  by  him,   Eleazar  and  the 
 
 Princes* 
 
^i  #  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  Princes.     Which  being  a  matter  fit  to  remain  for 
 XV.      ever  upon  record,  and  to  be  known  :o  all  polterity, 
 L/"VSJ  heinfertsit  here  at  large,  in  this  defer?  ption   of  the 
 Portion  of  Judah .  of  which,  it  is  likely,  every  Fa- 
 mily of  that  Tribe  had  a  Map  in  their  H   nfes  3  that 
 they  knowing  their  limits,  might  both  preferve  them, 
 and  keep  within  them. 
 Verfe  14.      Ver.  14.  And    Caleb    drove  thence."]     Not  by  his 
 '  own  Power  alone ;   but  by  the  Confederate  Army 
 of  the  Tribe  of  Judah  and  Simeon  (I  J#dg.  3. 9.  &c.) 
 in  which,  it  is  probable  he  had  a  principal  command  : 
 and   led  on  that  party,   which   alfaulted  this  City. 
 See  X.  36.  37.  XL  21 
 
 The  three  Sons  of  Ana^  Shejhai,  and  Ahiman,  and 
 Talmai,  the  Children  of  AnakJ]  Whom  he  had  feen 
 iive  and  forty  Years  ago,  and  was  not  at  all  affrighted 
 at  them.     See  XIII  Numb.  22.  and  1  Judg  10,  (&c. 
 
 Ver.  15.  And  he  went  up  thence  to  the  inhabitants  of 
 Debir.^     See  X.  38,  39. 
 
 And  the  name  of  Debir  before  was  Kirjath-Sepher.'] 
 See  I  Judg.  11,  12.  It  is  called  alfo  Kirjath-Sanna^ 
 v.  49.  of  this  Chapter  :  which  hath  the  fame  fignifi  - 
 cation.  For  Sunna  (as  Bochart  obferves,  Lib.  2. 
 Canaan,  Cap.  XVII.)  in  the  Arabicl^  Language  is, 
 Learnings  or  the  Law.  The  Chaldee  there  calls  it 
 Kirjath-arche  5  which  he  Tranflates  urbs  archivorum, 
 the  City  where  the  ancient  Records  of  thefe  Nations 
 were  kept.  All  which  (hows  the  conje&ure  of  fome 
 very  learned  Men  is  not  improbable,  who  think  this 
 City  in  thofe  times  was  the  feat  of  learning,  as  Athens 
 was  among  the  Greeks  in  future  Ages :  In  fo  much 
 that  Qrotim  takes  this  City  to  be  the  fame  with  that 
 which  Xenophon  calls  tpowittav  yjjuvd<nov,  the  School  of 
 ■the  Pluenicians*     But  as  the  word  yj^vousuv  in  Xeno- 
 
 phons 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  vp^ 
 
 phons  Days  did  not  (Ignifie  a  School  of  Learning,  but   Chapter 
 a  place  defigned   for  exercifes  of  the  body:    io  we      XV. 
 do  not  read  of  any  famous  place  in  that  Country  to  (^"WJ 
 which  Men  reforted  in  his  time  for  Study. 
 
 Ver.   1 6.  And  Caleb  f aid. ~]     Made  Proclamation,  Verfe  16. 
 I  fuppofe,    throughout  the    Army,    which    he    led 
 again  11  Dcbir. 
 
 He  that .  fmiteth  Kirjath-Scphcr,  and  taketh  it.  " 
 Admits  this  fortrefs,  and  poffeffeth  himfelf  of  it. 
 
 To  him  will  I  give  Achfah  my  Daughter  to  Wife."] 
 With  this  place,  I  fuppofe,  for  her  Dowry. 
 
 Ver.  i  7.  And  Othniel  the  Son  ofKcnaz,  the  Brother  Verfe  1 7. 
 of  Caleb  toolkit.']  He  was  ftirred  up  by  the  Spirit  of 
 God,  it  is  probable  (as  he  was  when  he  was  made 
 Judge  of  Ifraet,  III  Judg.  9.  10.)  to  attack,  this  place, 
 with  m  extraordinary  courage.  In  which  the  Pro- 
 vidence of  God  appeared  (as  Caleb  hoped  it  would) 
 in  beftowing  his  Daughter  upon  a  worthy  Perfon, 
 and  keeping  the  Inheritance  in  his  own  Tribe. 
 
 And  he  gave  him  Achfah  his  Daughter  to  Wife."] 
 Some  think  this  was  not  Lawful,  becaufe  he  was  her 
 Uncle.  But  that  is  a  miftake,  for  Othniel  was  not 
 Calebs  Brother,  but  Kcnaz,  who  was  Otlniels  Father. 
 For  Caleb  is  conftantly  called  the  Son  of  Jephunn ih\ 
 and  Othniel  the  Son  of  Kenaz.  Therefore  they  had 
 not  the  fame  Father:  but  were  very  near  of  Kin  ; 
 which  is  all  the  word  Brother  fignifies  in  many 
 places. 
 
 Ver.   18.   And  it  came  to  pafs,  as  fie  came  unto  him.'}  Verfe  i<?. 
 A9  (he  was  brought  from  her  Fathers  Houfe,    to  her 
 Husbands  5    according  to    the   accufton.ed   manner, 
 SteSelden,  in  his  Vxor  Hehr.  L.  2.  Cap.  XI. 
 
 That  foe  moved  him  to  asl^  of  her  Father  a  Field."] 
 Ddired  her  Husband 5    unto  whom  (he  thought  her 
 
 C  c  Father 
 
1 94  A  CO  MMENT  AK  Y 
 
 Chapter  Father  at  this  time  would  deny  nothing,  to  beftow 
 
 XV.      a  Field  upon  her.     Or,  perhaps  (he  moved  him  to 
 
 L/"Y~\J  give  her  leave  to  ask  it   of  her  Father:    as  (he  did, 
 
 either  by  his  permiffion,  or  by  his  defire  5  who  might 
 
 tell  her,  it  was  more  proper  for  her  to  ask  it,    than 
 
 himfelf. 
 
 And  fie  lighted  off  her  AfsT]  Upon  which  they 
 rode  then  in  thofe  Countries :  having  ho  Horfes, 
 nor  Mules,  till  after  times.  And  her  lighting  down 
 was  in  reverence  to  her  Father :  unto  whom  (he  ad- 
 drefled  her  felf  in  an  humble  pofture. 
 
 And  Caleb  [aid  to  ker^  what  wouldejl  thou  ? "]  He 
 feems  to  have  prevented  her  requeft  5  knowing,  by 
 her  pofture,  (he  had  fomething  to  defire  of  him.  But 
 Ludov.  de  Dleti  takes  it  quite  otherwife  5  that  when 
 (he  came  to  her  Husbands  Houfe,  (he  did  not  alight 
 from  her  Afs,  but  continued  ftill  fitting  upon  it. 
 Which  her  Father  obferving  and  asking  her  the  reafon, 
 why  (he  did  not  come  down  and  go  to  her  Husband  5 
 (he  told  him,  (he  had  firft  a  thing  to  beg  of  him. 
 And  thus  both  the  LXX.  and  the  Vulgar  Trandate  it, 
 as  if  (he  did  not  alight,  but  fighed  and  cried,  oz  ?S 
 ova  from  the  Afs  on  which  (he  fat. 
 
 Ver.  19.  Who  anfaered,  give  me  ableffing!]  Beftow 
 a  gift  upon  me,  as  the  word  blefling  is  ufed,  XXXIII 
 Gen.  11.  or,  make  my  happinefs  compleat. 
 
 For  thou  hafl  given  me  a  South  land.']  A  dry 
 Country :  being  both  Mountainous,  and  towards  the 
 South.  That  is,  towards  the  defarts  of  Arabia,  from 
 whence  very  hot  and  fcorching  winds  were  wont  to 
 blow. 
 
 Give  me  alfo  Springs  ofWater.~]  A  Field  hard  by, 
 wherein  were  Springs  of  Water.  For  it  was  not 
 merely  the  Springs  (he  begd,  but  the  ground  in  which 
 
 they 
 
upon  JOSHUA. 
 
 they  were:    as  appears   from   the  foregoing  Verfe, 
 where  fhe  moved  her  Husband  to  ask  a  Field. 
 
 And  he  gave  her  the  upper  Springs,  and  the  net  bet 
 Springs.']  Whereby  that  dry  ground  might  be  watred, 
 and  made  fruitful.  He  feems  to  have  given  her  more 
 than  (he  defired  :  not  only  thofe  Springs  that  were 
 in  the  Mountain  $  but  thofe  which  were  below  alio. 
 That  fo  neither  the  rifing  ground,  nor  the  plain, 
 might  want  Watery  as  Arias  Montanus  expounds 
 it. 
 
 Ver.  20.  This  is  the  inheritance  of  the  tribe  of  the  Verfe  2C 
 Children  of  Judah,  according  to  their  families."]  Now 
 follows  an  account  of  the  Cities,  within  the  Lot  of 
 this  Tribe:  which  were  affigned  to  their  feveral 
 Families  ^  after  Hebron  which  was  the  principal  of 
 them  (for  here  David  reigned  over  the  Tribe  of 
 Judah  alone,  feven  Years)  was  given  to  Caleb.  Which 
 the  Jews  generally  think  he  did  not  get  into  his 
 poffeffion,  till  after  the  Death  of  JoJIwa,  as  is  related 
 in  the  Bock  of  Judges.     See  there,  I.  11,  12,   15, 
 
 Ver.  21.  And  the  utter  mofi  Cities  of  the  tribe  of  the  Verfe  21 
 Children  of  Judah."]  Thofe  that  were  in  the  con- 
 fines 5  for  he  doth  not  feem  to  number  all  that  were 
 in  the  heart  of  the  Country.  So  the  Jews  think  5 
 though  the  truth  is,  as  will  appear  in  the  following 
 ptrt  of  the  Chapter,  he  only  begins  with  the  outmoft: 
 Cities,  but  afterwards  proceeds  to  thofe  that  were  in 
 the  mid  ft  of  the  Country. 
 
 Towards  the  coafl  of  Edom  Southward.]  He  begins 
 with  thofe  that  lay  on  the  South  fide  of  the  Country  : 
 which  was  the  border  he  firft  defcribed,  ^.1,2. 
 
 Cc  2  Rabzeet. 
 
%96  A    C  OMME  NT ,iRr 
 
 Chapter       RabzeeW]     Where  that  Valiant  Perfon  Benajah  was 
 XV.      born,    who  fmote  two   Lyon-like   Men    of  Moab, 
 
 L/"V%J    I  Chron.  XI.  2  2. 
 
 And  Eder."]  Which  Eufebius  calls  E^c).  But  he 
 hath  no  more  to  fay  of  it  $  nor  of  Jagur,  and  the  reft 
 that  follow,  but  that  they  were  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah  : 
 Nor  (hall  I  go  about  to  enquire  further  after  every 
 particular  City  mentioned  :  the  number  of  which  is 
 fummed  up,  v.  32. 
 
 Verfe  32.  Ver.  32*  All  the  Cities  are  twenty  and  nine,  with 
 their  Villages?]  If  the  foregoing  places  be  told,there 
 are  no  lefs  then  Thirty  and  Eight  of  them.  But  there 
 were  only  Twenty  and  Nine  of  them  (as  fome  folve 
 the  difficulty)  that  could  be  called  Cities  5  the  other 
 being  only  Villages.  Or,  the  meaning  is  (as  the 
 Jews  generally  think)  that  Twenty  and  Nine  only 
 belonged  to  the  Tribe  of  Judah :  the  reft  being  after- 
 ward given  to  the  Tribe  of  Simeon,  as  we  find  in  the 
 XlXth.  Chapter.  Where  Nine  of  thefe  very  Cities 
 here  mentioned,  are  faid  to  be  in  that  Tribe,  viz. 
 Beer-fieba,  Moladah,  Hazar-fhual,  Baalah,  Azem^ 
 Hormah,  Zigleg,  Ain,  and  Rimtnon.  Which  Nine, 
 with  the  Twenty  and  Nine  here  fet  down  as  the  fum 
 total,  make  juft  Thirty  and  Eight.  And  this  feems 
 to  be  the  truer  account,  becaufe  the  Villages  of  other 
 Cities  are  mentioned,  v.  36.  and  41.  and  yet  none 
 of  them  fet  down  by  name,  as  is  fuppofed  in  the  firft 
 interpretation  of  thefe  words. 
 
 Verfe.  33.  Ver.  33.  And  in  the  Valley?]  Or  in  the  Plain,  be- 
 low the  Mountains.  But  which  way  I  (hall  not  ex- 
 amine :  becaufe  the  Geography  of  this  Country,  will 
 be  done  I  hope,  by  a  better  hand. 
 
 Ver.  36. 
 
upon   J  O  S  H  U  A.  1^7 
 
 Ver.  36.  Fourteen  Cities  with  their  Villages.']  There  Chapter 
 are  Fifteen  in  all,  if  we  take  the  two  laft  for  diftinft      XV. 
 Cities.     But,  in  all  probability,  they  were  but  one,  L^V^sJ 
 called  indifferently  Uederahj  or  (as  we  Tranflate  it  in  Verfe  36- 
 the  Margin)  Gederothaim.     Perhaps  there  might  be 
 a  double  City,    the  Old  and  the  New:    Or,    Gede- 
 r^/w/wwasan  Appendix  to  Gederah,  as  the  Burrough 
 of  Southward  is  to  the  City  of  London. 
 
 Ver.   37.  Zenan,  and  hadafiah,  &c.*]     I  fuppofe  Verfe  27. 
 thefe  Cities  and  all  that  follow  to  the  Forty  firft 
 Verfe,  lay  alfo  in  the  Valley,  or  Plain. 
 
 Ver.  41.  Sixteen  Cities  with  their  Villages.']  There  Verfe  Al 
 are  exa&ly  that  number,  among  which  Mizpeh,  La- 
 chrfb,  Bcth-dagon,  Eglon,  and  Mak^edah  were  the 
 chief.  They  feem  to  have  been  in  the  Weftern  part 
 of  this  Country  5  near  the  Tribe  of  Dan:  forthetwo 
 firft,  in  the  former  divifion  (Efitaol  and  Zorcah, 
 v.  33.)  were  afterwards  given  to  the  Danites,  XIX. 
 41.  " 
 
 Ver.  42.  Lebnah  and  Ether,  &c]  Thefe  two  Cities  Verfe  42. 
 and  thofe  that  follow  unto  v.  45.  were  in  another 
 divifion  of  the  Plain  Country.     Among  which  Leb- 
 nah,    Kcilah,    Achzib  and  Marcfljah  were   the  moft 
 noble. 
 
 Ver.  44.  Nine  Cities  with  their  Villages.']  But  Ether  Verfe  44. 
 and  Ajban  were  afterwards  given  to  the  Tribe  of 
 Simeon,  XIX.  7.  which  may  feem  a  prejudice  to  the 
 interpretation  which  the  Jews  giveof  v.  32.  Unlefs 
 we  fuppofe  thefe  two  places  to  be  different  from  them, 
 though  called  by  the  fame  name.  As  here  is  mention 
 made  of  Ajhnah  (v.  43.)  and  there  is  one  of  the  fame 
 name  in  the  former  divifion,  v.  33. 
 
 Ver.  4j.  Ekfon  with  her  Towns  and  her  Villages.']  Verfe  a<. 
 The  Hebrew  word  for  Towns  fignifies  Daughters  :    by 
 
 which 
 
tyS  A  COMMENT  ART  \ 
 
 Chapter  which  feem  to  be  meant  lefler  Cities,  depending  on 
 XV.  Eh?**  5  with  their  Villages  belonging  to  them.  Gath 
 L/"V\J  and  Askalon,  perhaps,  were  tuch  at  this  time  5  though 
 in  future  times  they  grew  up  to  be  of  more  confeder- 
 ation :  which  may  be  the  reafon  they  are  not  here 
 mentioned.  For  this  and  the  two  following 
 Verfes,  defcribe  the  Lot  of  ofjudab  in  the  Weft  up- 
 on the  Mediterranean  Sea  :  which  comprehended  all 
 from  Ekron,  to  the  River  of  Egypt. 
 
 Verfe  48.  Ver.  48.  And  in  the  Mountains.']  From  the  Plain 
 he  goes  to  the  Mountains  3  and  diftributes  the  Cities 
 there  into  five  divifions. 
 
 Shamir  and  Jaitir,  &c]  In  this  diviiion  there 
 were  Eleven  Cities :  among  which  was  KirjathSanna 
 (v.  49.)  which  had  three  names.    Seez;.  15. 
 
 Verfe  52.  Ver.  52.  Arab  and  Dumah,  &c]  In  this  divifion 
 there  were  Nine  Cities,  v.  54.  Which  were  in  the 
 Mountainous  Country  in  the  middle  of  Jud*a$  as 
 thofe  mentioned  before  and  thofe  that  follow  were. 
 And  therefore  it  is  not  true  which  the  Jews  fay,  that 
 he  reckons  up  only  the  Cities  in  the  skirts  of  the 
 Country:  with  which  indeed  he  began.  See  ?..*f. 
 
 Verfe  55.  Ver.  55.  Maon,  Camel,  &c]  This,  and  the  two 
 following  Verfes,  contain  an  account  of  Ten  Cities 
 and  their  Villages,  in  another  divifion  :  two  of  which 
 were  near  together  ;  for  Nabal  dwelt  in  Maon,  and 
 had  great  pofleffions  in  Camel,  iSam.  XXV.  2. 
 There  was  another  Maon  in  the  defer ts  of  Jejlnmon, 
 1  Sam.  XXIII.  1.  as  there  was  another  among  the 
 Moabties  called  Beth-Maon,  the  Houfe  or  dwelling  of 
 Maon.  The  People  of  which,  called  Maomtes,  and 
 as  fome  think  Mehumms  (X  Jttdg.  12.  2  Chron. 
 XXVI.  7.J  were  very  powerful,  and  fometime  op- 
 prefled  the  Ifraelites.     And  there  was  likewife  another 
 
 Carmel : 
 
upon  J  O  S  H  Q  A.  ipp 
 
 Cdrmcl:  for  this  is  not  the  place  where  Elijah  built  Chapter 
 an  Altar  and  ottered  Sacrifices,  when  he  Hew  the  Pro-      XV. 
 phets  of  Baal    (i  Kings   XVIII.)  but  a    place    far  u~y~\j 
 diftant  from  it.     Where  Saul  made  himfelf  a  pi 
 when  he  returned  from  theConqueftof  the  Amakkrtes 
 (i  Sum.  XV.  iz.)    that  is,    encamped,  as  fome  will 
 have  it,  and  divided  the  Spoil,  or  built  a  triumphant 
 Arch,  as  St.  Hierom  interprepts  it.      And  where  Nabal 
 kept  fo  many  Sheep,  as  are  mentioned   in  the  place 
 forenamed :  and  is  the  place  the  Prophets  mean  (as 
 Bochart  conjectures)  when  they  fpeak  of  the  Pafhires 
 of  Carmtl,    Ljerm.   19.    \Amos  2.    VII  Micah.   14. 
 See  Hiei  /,  P.  1.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  XLVIII. 
 
 Ver.  57.  Cam,  Gibeah,  and  Tiwvah,  &C.J  The  Verfe  <7. 
 fiiO:  ofthefe  Cities,  Conradm  Pc/ficanus  thinks  haih 
 the  fame  name  with  that  called  Kinah,  ^.22.  though 
 :  .  in  a  different  place.  And  indeed  in  this  di- 
 vifion confifting  of  Ten  Cities,  there  are  two  whofe 
 s  we  had  before,  when  he  fpeaks  of  thofe  in  the 
 skirts  of  the  Country,  viz.  Ziph  and  Zanoah,  fee  v. 
 24  54.  Which  fhews  there  were  many  Cities  in  the 
 fame  Country  of  the  fame  name. 
 
 Gibcah   and  Timnah.~\     Are  known   places.     See 
 XXXVIII  Getf.  12. 
 
 Ver.   58.  Halhul,    Betb-zwr,  &c]     In  this  and  in 
 the  following  Verfe,  are  contained  a  fmall  divifion  Vci'e  5°- 
 of  fix  Cities:  the  moft  eminent  of  which  was  Beth- 
 zm\  which  lay  in  the  rode  from  Hierufalem  to  Hebron, 
 about  Twenty  Miles  from  it,  as  St.  Hierom  tells  us. 
 
 Ver.  60.  Kirjath  ba.rf,  Beef]     Here  are  only   two  yerfe  £a 
 Cities  in  this  divifion,  the  firft  of  which  was  called 
 Khjath-jearim  as  we  read,    XVIII.   14.  and   Baala^ 
 and  Baal-Jitdab,  %Sam.  VII.  2.   1  Chron.  XIII.  6. 
 
 Ver.  61. 
 
200 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  61.  IntheWildernefs.~\     So  the  Hebrews  call 
 XV.      thofe  parts  of  the  Country,  which  were  but  thinly 
 
 L/"V"VJ  inhabited  5  as  this  was,  wherein  there  were  but  fix 
 
 Verfe  61.  Cities.  Of  this  Wildernefs  of  Judah  we  read  fre- 
 quently, in  the  following  Books  of  Scripture.  Se- 
 veral parts  of  which  are  mentioned  in  the  Hiftory 
 of  David,  when  he  fled  for  fear  of  Said,  and  lurked 
 in  this  Country.  Particularly  in  the  Wildernefs  of 
 Ziph,  1  Sam.  XXIII.  14.  and  of  Maon,  v.  24,  z,<$. 
 and  of  Engeddi  one  of  the  places  here  mentioned, 
 1  Sam.  XXIV.  1.  and  there  was  a  part  of  the  Wil- 
 dernefs not  far  from  Carmel  before  mentioned,  1  Sam. 
 XXV  14. 
 
 Verfe  62.  Ver.  62.  The  City  ofSalt.l  Some  take  this  to  be 
 Zoar,  the  little  City  unto  which  Lot  was  permitted 
 to  flee,  at  the  deftru&ion  of  Sodom.  Which  is  called 
 the  City  of  Salt,  either  becaufe  it  ftood  near  the  Salt- 
 Sea  5  or  becaufe  Lots  Wife  was  hereabouts  turned 
 into  a  Pillar  of  Salt. 
 
 Verfe  63.  Ver.  63.  As  for  the  Jebufites  the  Inhabitants  of  '  Je- 
 rufalem,  the  Children  of  Judah  could  not  drive  them 
 out7\  This  fuppofes  that  Jerufalem  belonged  to  the 
 Children  of  Judah:  and  fo  it  did  in  part,  though 
 not  the  whole  $  for  fome  of  it  was  in  the  Tribe  of 
 Benjamin,  as  (hall  be  obferved  in  its  proper  place. 
 The  King  of  this  City  Jojhua  had  vanquifhed,  toge- 
 ther with  other  four  Kings  of  the  Amorites  who 
 joined  in  battle  with  him,  Xjofij.  5.  23.  and  in  the 
 conclufion  of  that  Chapter  he  is  faid  (v.  42.)  to 
 have  have  taken  all  thefe  Kings  and  their  Land  at  one 
 time.  But  if  Jerufalem  was  then  taken,  as  well  as 
 the  Land  about  it,  the  ftrong  hold  of  Zion  remained 
 ftill  in  the  hands  of  the  Jehufites.  And  the  Ifraelites 
 not  being  able  prefently  to  People  all  the  Cities  they 
 
 had 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  -,  i 
 
 had  taken,  the  Jebujites  recovered  the  City  of  Jem-  Chapter 
 Ulan,  and   got  pofleffion  of  it  again  :  from  whence      XV. 
 the  Children  of  JucLih  expelled  them  after  the  Death  L^Vsj 
 of  Joffma,    I  Judg.  8.     But  (till  Mount  Zion  con- 
 tinued in  their  hands,   until  the  Reign  of  David. 
 
 But  the  Jebujites  dwelt  with  the  Children  of  Judah  at 
 lerufalem  unto  this  day^\  That  is,  in  the  Fort  of 
 Zion,  which  was  a  part  of  it :  Where  they  were  fo 
 confiderable,  that  the  City  was  called  the  City  of  the 
 Jebujites,  and  its  name  Jebns,  XlXjudg.  10,  it. 
 There  can  be  no  doubt  I  think,  that  thefe  Jebufites 
 were  of  the  Seed  of  Canaan,  they  being  conftantly 
 numbred  among  the  VII.  Nations  devoted  to 
 deftruftion.  Yet  fome  of  the  Jews  have  a  con- 
 ceit that  the  People  here  mentioned  were  derived 
 from  Abimelech  King  of  the  Philiflines :  with  whom 
 their  Fore-father  Ifaac  made  a  folmn  league  5  and 
 therefore  the  Children  of  Judah  did  not  expel 
 them.  So  Kimchi.  But  this,  it  is  evident,  is  a  foolifh 
 imagination  :  for  why  did  they  expel  them  at  the 
 laft,  as  they  did  5  if  they  were  to  be  kind  to  them 
 upon  this  account. 
 
 D  d  CHAP. 
 
4M     v/    \J     i.rx   IVJ.    X-» 
 
 xv  T  A  K  T 
 
 Chapter 
 XVI. 
 
 CHAP.    XVI. 
 
 Verfe  i.    Verfe   I.  /"T~\Wfi   lot    of  the  Children   ofjofeph.0] 
 
 X  That  is,  of  Fphraim,  and  that  half 
 of  the  Tribe  of  Manajfeh,  which  was  not  yet  pro- 
 vided for.  See  v*  4.  One  cannot  but  obferve  the 
 Providence  of  Cod,  in  bringing  up  their  Lot  next  to 
 Judah's.  For  as  he  had  the  Prerogative  of  being 
 made  the  chief  of  all  Jacobs  Children,  XLIX  Gen. 
 10.  fo  Jofeph  had  the  priviledge  of  the  Firft-born 
 transferred  to  his  Family.  And  therefore  they  are 
 confidered  before  any  of  the  other  Tribes,  except 
 Judah. 
 
 Fell  from  Jordan  by  Jericho.  J  In  the  Hebrew, 
 went  forth  from  Jordan,  by  the  City  of  Jericho.  Which 
 was  in  the  Tribe  of  Benjamin :  which  Tribe  lay  be- 
 tween the  Tribe  of  Judah,  and  the  Tribe  ofEphra/m* 
 ZJnto  the  water  of  Jericho  on  the  Eajt7\  This  is 
 juftly  thought  to  be  the  Water  mentioned,  1  Kings 
 II.  19,  20,  21.  whofe  Spring  EUJha  healed  \  by  which 
 the  Plain  of  Jericho  was  watred  See  Jofephus,  L.  V* 
 deBclio  Jud.  Cap.  IV. 
 
 To  the  Wildernefs  that  gaeth  up  from  Jericho  through 
 out  mount  Bethel.']  It  appears  from  XVIII.  ix,  13, 
 that  this  was  the  Wildernefs  of  Beth-aven. 
 Verfe  2.  ^er*  2t  ^nd  goeth  up  from  Bethel  to  Luz.~] 
 Bethel  was  a  place  fo  called,  becaufe  Jacob  there  had 
 the  famous  Divine  Vifion  mentioned,  XVIII  Gen. 
 It  was  nigh  to  the  City  Luz,  as  appears  from  the  19th. 
 Verfe  of  that  Chapter:  but  was  diftindt  from  the  City 
 itfelf,  being  in  the  neighbouring  Fields,  where  Jacob 
 hj  all  Night  5  though  being  fo  near>  it  is  likely  after- 
 ward 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  203 
 
 Ward  they  became  one  City.  But  they  who  would  Chapter 
 hence  inier  that  this  Book  could  not  be  written  by  XVI. 
 Jojijud,  becaufe  I  uz  was  built  after  his  Death  in  the  L/"V~V; 
 Land  of  the  Hittites  (1  Judg.  26.)  do  merely  trifle. 
 For  it  is  plain  he  doth  not  fpeak  here  of  that  Luz  $ 
 but  of  the  old  one  :  For  the  Country  of  the  Rittites 
 belonged  to  Hebron  and  Beerfljeba,  and  the  neigh- 
 bouring places  in  the  Land  of  Judah  :  unto  which 
 the  Author  of  this  Book  could  have  no  refpeft  here, 
 in  the  defcription  of  the  Land  of  Ephratm.  There- 
 fore when  Luz  and  Bethel  are  (aid  to  be  the  fame 
 (XVIII.  i).  and  \Judg.  23.)  the  meaning  can  be 
 no  more,  but  that  in  length  of  time  they  were  united  : 
 the  Inhabitants  of  Lnz  going  into  Bethel  And  of  fuch 
 coalitions  of  two  Cities  into  one,  there  are  (ix  Hun- 
 dred Examples,  as  Huetiuf  fpeaks  in  his  Dcn/onftr. 
 Evang.  Propof.  IV.  and  therefore  I  think  Dn  Pin 
 well  Translates  this  whole  Verfe,  in  this  manner, 
 From  Bethel- 1 uz  the  border  paffeth  along  to  Archi- 
 ataroth. 
 
 And  pajfeth  along  unto  the  borders  of  Arch}  to  Ataroth.~] 
 Or  rather,  the  borders  of  Archi-ataroth,  as  both  the 
 LXX  and  the  Fulgar  TranOate  it  5  and  as  the  words 
 are  in  the  Hebrew:  this  being  the  fame  City  which  is 
 afterward  called  Ataroth,  v  7.  It  being  ufual  to  cut 
 off  the  former  part  of  the  names  of  Cities  \  as  Bo- 
 chartu*  obferves  in  abundance  of  inftances :  and  gives 
 this  for  one,  in  his  Phaleg.  Lib.  1.  Cap.  XXIV. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  goeth    down   ivejlward    to  the   coaji  of  Verfe  3* 
 JaphtaliJ]     It  is  not  known  where  this   place  was, 
 being  no  where  elfe  mentioned  :    but  it  was  in  the 
 Weftern   part  of  the  Land,    toward   the   Mediter- 
 ranean. 
 
 D  d  a  Vnto 
 
204  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       ZJnto  the  coafl  of  Beth-horon  the   nether.']     See  X. 
 
 XVI.  ic. 
 L/'VNJ  And  to  Gezer.')  This  was  one  of  the  Levitical 
 Cities  in  this  Tribe  of  Ephram,  XXlJoflj.  21.  And, 
 as  If.  Cafaubon  hath  proved  at  large,  it  was,  in  all 
 probability,  the  City  which  Jofephus  and  the  Author 
 of  the  Book  of  the  Maccabees  call  Gazara^  and  is 
 mentioned  as  a  neighbouring  City  to  Joppa,  Azotus, 
 and  Jamnia.  See  his  Annot.  upon  Lib.  XVI.  Strabonis 
 P.  261,  262. 
 
 And   the  goings  out  thereof  are  at  the  Sea."]     The 
 Vulgar  hath  it  at  the  great  Sea.     Which  is  certainly 
 here  meant  5  this  being  a  (hort  defcriptionof  the  Lot 
 of  this  Tribe  from  Jordan  on  the  Eaft,  to  the  Medi- 
 terranean on  the  Weft. 
 Verfe  4.      "  Ver.  4.  So   the  Children  of  Jofepl\    Manaffeh  and 
 Ephraim,    tooh^  their  inheritance]     According  to  the 
 following  meafures.     Which  give  a  more  particular 
 account,  of  what  is  before  faid  in  general. 
 Verfe  5.         Ver.  5.  And  the  border  of  the  Children  of  Ephr aim, 
 according  to  their  Families.']     And  firft  he  (hows  what 
 was  given  to  Ephraim  5  referving  the  defcription  of 
 Manaffetis  Portion  to  the  next  Chapter. 
 
 Even  the  border  of  their  inheritance  on  the  Eafl  fide.] 
 The  North-Eaft.  For  he  defcribes,  though  grofly, 
 only  the  breadth  of  this  Lot  from  South  to  North. 
 
 Was  Ataroth-Addar,  unto  Beth-horon  the  upper."] 
 The  firft  of  thofe  was  in  the  South,  and  the  latter  in 
 the  North. 
 Verfe  6  ^tx'  ^'  ^n^  f^e  border  went  out  toward  the  Sea.~] 
 From  Beth-horon  the  upper,  this  Northern  border 
 went  on  one  fide  Weftward,  toward  the  Mediter- 
 ranean. 
 
 To 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  205 
 
 To  Michmcthah  on  the  North  (ule.~]     And  on  the  Chapter 
 other  fide  Eaftward,  towards  Jordan.     This  is  very      XVI. 
 obfeurely  expreffed :    but  it  appears,  from  what  iol-  L/*V^\J 
 lows,  it  mult  be  thus  interpreted. 
 
 And  the  border  went  about  haliward  unto  Tannah- 
 Shiloh.~]  Still  proceeded  further  Eaftward,  unto  this 
 place :  the  name  of  which  only,  is  now  known. 
 
 An  /  faffed  by  it  on  the  Eaft  to  Janohah.'j  Another 
 place  Ealterly,  of  which  we  are  now  ignorant.  For 
 there  are  no  Records  left  to  make  us  underftand 
 whereabouts  in  the  Eaft  it  was  iituated  :  which  was 
 perfeftly  underftood  when  this  Country  was  inhabited 
 by  the  Ephramites. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  it  went  down  from  Janohah,  to  Ataroth,  Verfe  7. 
 and  Naarath,  and  came  to  Jericho.']     Not  to  the  very 
 City,    for    that  belonged  to  Benjamin  :    but   to  the 
 Country  adjoining. 
 
 And  went  out  at  Jordan.']  Which  was  the  Eaftern 
 bounds  of  this  Country. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  the  border  went  out  from  Tappnah  \/erfe  8. 
 Weftward,  unto  the  River  Kanah.~]  He  returns  to  de- 
 fcribe  the  length  of  it  from  Eaft  to  Weft:  if  the 
 River  or  Brook  Kanah,  be  the  fame  with  the  Brook 
 Cerith,  mentioned  1  Kings  XVII.  3.  And  fo  not 
 only  Adricoinius  underftands  it,  but  that  great  Man 
 Bochartus  :  whoobferves  it  was  called  the  Brook  Chc- 
 rith,  from  the  Hebrew  word  Cara,  which  iignifies  to 
 cat  or  feed,  becaufe  here  God  commanded  the  Ravens 
 to  feed  Elijah  5  and  it  was  called  Kana  from  the 
 multitude  of  Reeds,  which  grew  there  (and  fo  the 
 Vulgar  here  Tranflate  it,  the  valley  of  reeds)  in  which 
 it  may  be  fuppofed  Elijah  lay  hid.  Hicrozoicon,  P.  2. 
 Lib.  2.  Cap.  XIV.  But  there  is  fo  much  to  be  ob- 
 ie&ed  againft  this  fituation  of  the  Brook  Kana~>  that 
 
 I 
 
2o6  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  I  tnuft  leave  it  in   fufpenfe  whether  it  were  in  the 
 XVI.     Eaft,    or  in  the  Weft  :    and  confefs,  with  Conradm 
 
 L/"\^NJ  Pel/icanus,  that  as  none  of  the  Hebrews  or  Latins  have 
 given  a  fatisfattory  account  of  thefe  four  laft  Verfes, 
 lb  I  do  not  pretend  to  it. 
 
 And  the  goings  out  thereof  were  at  the  Sea."]  Where 
 &<*  alone  is  mentioned,  it  is  commonly  underfiood 
 to  fignifie  the  Mediterranean :  which  quite  over- 
 throws the  opinion,  which  makes  Kan  a  the  fame 
 with  Cherith.  But  the  vulgar  here  took  it  for  the 
 Sali-Sea  (adding  the  word  Salfijfimum)  which  favours 
 the  forenamed  opinion. 
 
 This  is  the  inheritance  of  the  tribe  ofEphraim  by  their 
 E amities \]     A  grofs  defcription  of  it. 
 
 Verfe  Q.  ^er.  9*  ^n<^  ^e  fip^rate  Cities  for  the  Children  of 
 Ephraim,  were  among  the  inheritance  of  the  Children 
 of  Manajfch,  &c."]  What  thefe  feparate  Cities  were 
 cannot  now  be  known,  becaufe  we  have  not  a  par- 
 ticular account  given  of  all  the  Cities  of  this  Tribe 
 (as  we  had  of  Judali)  but  only  of  thofe,  which  were 
 the  limits  of  their  Country.  But  they  feem  to  have 
 been  fome  Cities  in  the  Tribe  of  Martaffeh,  which 
 were  inhabited  by  the  Children  of  Ephraim,  though 
 the  Territories  about  them  belonged  to  the  Manaffites 
 and  were  occupied  by  them.     See  XVII.  8,  9. 
 
 Verfe  IO.  ^er*  IO'  And  they  drave  not  out  the  Canaanites  that 
 dwelt  in  Gezer  ^  but  the  Canaanites  dwell  among  the 
 Ephramites  unto  this  day. ~]  The  Inhabitants  of  Gezer 
 were  properly  Canaanites :  who  dwelt  upon  the  Sea 
 Coaft  5  where  Gezer  was  fituated.  See  v.  3.  This 
 is  mentioned  alfo,  ljudg.29. 
 
 And  ferve  under  tribute."]  They  fo  far  fubdued 
 them,  as  to  make  them  Tributaries :  and  fome  fancy 
 impofed  on  them  the  precepts  of  the  Sons  of  Noah. 
 
 But 
 
upon  Joshua.-  207 
 
 But  they  ought  to  have  deftroyed  them,  and  were  Chapter 
 forbidden  to  make  Peace  with  them  upon  any  con-  XVf. 
 editions.  See  II  Judg.  I,  2,  3.  Unlds  Groiius  his  con- 
 jecture be  true,  that  the  Inhabitants  of  Uczer  fub- 
 mitted  and  accepted  the  terms  of  Peace,  which  Jojkna 
 was  bound  to  otter  them,  before  he  began  the  War. 
 As  the  Gcrgafiles,  he  thinks,  alio  did:  who  remained 
 even  in  our  Saviours  time.  For  they  delivered  up 
 themfelves  at  the  fir  ft  Summons  to  furrender:  which 
 is  the  realbn  he  imagines,  that  they  are  omitted  in  the 
 Enumeration  of  their  Enemies,  both  in  the  IX.  1. 
 and  XX.  D.  17.  See  his  An  not.  on  his  XIII  Chapter 
 of  the  fecond  Book  de  Jure  Belli  &  Pack.  Seft. 
 IV. 
 
 This  City  and  the  People  of  it  were  deftroyed  in 
 Solomons  time  by  Pharaoh  Ring  of  Egypt :  who  made 
 a  prefent  of  it  to  his  Daughter,  Solomons  Wife  :  who 
 thereupon  rebuilt  it,  1  Kings  IX.  16,  17.  Till  then 
 the  Canaanites  lived  in  it :  from  whence  Spinoza. 
 would  have  it  concluded  that  this  Book  was  not 
 written  by  Jofhua,  becaufe  we  find  the  fame  thing  re- 
 corded in  the  Book  of  Judges  (I.  29.)  which  is  of 
 a  later  date.  But  this  is  a  very  frivilous  Cavil,  for 
 as  Hitetivs  well  obferves,  if  an  Hiftorian  foould  have 
 faid  in  the  Life  of  Tiberius  the  Germans  were  not  de- 
 ftroyed, the  fame  might  in  like  manner  have  been  faid 
 in  the  Life  of  Vtfpafian :  and  jufl:  fo,  when  Jofhua 
 faith  the  Gazerite s  were  not  cut  off  by  the  Epbraimites, 
 it  did  not  hinder  him  that  wrote  in  the  following  Age, 
 from  faying  the  very  fame  :  becaufe  they  ftill  remained 
 in  the  poffedion  of  their  ancient  habitation. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
-c  A  COMME  NT  ART 
 
 Chapter 
 XVII.  CHAP.     XVII. 
 
 Verfe  i.    Verfe  i.  '   I  KHere  was   alfo   a  lot  for  the  tribe  of 
 
 JL     Manaffeh7\     That  half  of  it,  which 
 had  no  Portion  on  the  other  fide  Jordan. 
 
 (For  he  was  thefirji-born  of  Jofeph).  I  cannot  make 
 any  Senfe  of  this:  and  therefore  think  the  particle 
 ki  (hould  be  tranilated  though,  not  for.  And  then 
 the  meaning  is  plain  enough  5  that  the  Lot  of  Ma- 
 najfeh  came  up  after  that  of  Ephraim  (not  before  it) 
 though  he  was  the  firft-born  of  Jofeph  :  for  Jacob 
 had  prefered  Ephraim  before  him,  XL VIII  Gen.  19, 
 
 20. 
 
 For  Maehir  the  firft  born  of  Manaffeh7\  And  his 
 only  Son,  from  whom  fprung  fuch  a  multitude,  that 
 there  was  not  room  for  them  all,  on  the  other  fide 
 Jordan  :  but  part  of  them  were  to  be  difpofed  of 
 here. 
 
 The  father  of  Gilead.']     XXVI  Numb.  2  9. 
 
 Becaufe  he  was  a  Man  of  War.']  This  is  generally 
 thought  to  relate  to  Maehir;  who  had  done  fome  fa- 
 mous exploits  in  the  Skirmiflies  they  had  with  fome 
 neighbouring  People,  while  they  were  in  Egypt  (fee 
 1  Chron.  VII.  21.,  2%.)  for  he  was  not  alive  to  fight,, 
 when  they  came  to  Canaan. 
 
 Therefore  he  had  Gilead  and  Bafoan.~]  A  (hare  in 
 this  Country  :  for  fome  of  it  was  given  to  the  Rea- 
 benites  and  Gaditcs^  XIII.  25.  but  the  Gileadites  were 
 alfo  planted  here  (^.31.)  for  inheriting  the  valour 
 of  their  progenitor,  they  were  fit  to  defend  this 
 frontier  Country. 
 
 Ver.  2. 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  209 
 
 Ver.   2.  And  there  was   alfo  a  lot  for  the  reft  of  the  Chapter 
 Children  of  Manaffeh,  by  their  families.]      A  great  part     XVII. 
 of  the  Manajjites  being  difpofed  of  before  they  pafled  L/^V^Vj 
 over  Jordan  :  now  follows  the  Lot  which  fell  to  the  VTcrft  2. 
 reft,  whofefeveral  Families  he  names. 
 
 For  the  Children  of  Abiczer,  and  for  the  Children  of 
 Helcl^,  and  for  the  Children  of  Afriel,  and  for  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Sfjechcm,  and  for  the  Children  of  Hepher^  and 
 for  the  Children  of  Shemidah.]  Thefe  fix  Families  de- 
 fended from  Gilcad  as  we  read,  XXVI  Numb.  30, 
 &c.  Where  the  firfl:  of  them,  who  is  here  called 
 Abiezer,  is  there  called  Jeazer. 
 
 Thefe  are  the  male  Children  of  Manajfeh,  the  Son  of 
 Jofeph,  by  their  families  7]  He  ufes  the  expreffion  of 
 male  Children,  to  introduce  what  follows,  concern- 
 ing the  Females.  And  they  are  called  the  Children 
 of  Manaffeh,  becaufe  they  inherited  in  his  right}  be- 
 ing Families  defcended  from  him.  See  Selden  de 
 Succefionibus,  Cap.  XXII. 
 
 Ver.  3.  But  Zelophehad  the  Son  of  Hepher,  the  Son 
 of  Gilead,  the  Son  of  Machir,  the  Son  of  Manajfeh."] 
 Here  he  recites  their  Pedigree  from  the  Son  of  Jofeph. 
 
 Had  no  Sons,  but  Daughters.']  And  fo  could  not 
 make  a  Family  in  Manaffeh -^  and  confequently  have 
 no  (hare  in  the  Land. 
 
 And  thefe  are  the  names  of  hk  Daughters  Mahlah, 
 and  Noah,  &c]     See  XXVI  Numb.  33. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  they  came  near  before  Elcazar  the  Prieft, 
 and  before  JoJJ;ua  the  Son  of  Nun,  and  before  the  Princes.]  Verfe  3. 
 To  whom  God  had  committed  the  care  of  dividing 
 the  feveral  Lots.     XIV.  1.    XXXIV  Numb.  17,   18. 
 
 Saying,  the  LORD  commanded  Mofes  to  give  us  an 
 inheritance  among  our  brethren.']  See  XXVII  Nutxb. 
 6,  7. 
 
 E  e  Therefore 
 
2io  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Therefore  according  to  the  Commandment  of  the  LORD 
 XVI  f.     he  gave  them  an  inheritance  among  the  brethren  of  their 
 
 U'VNJ  Father.']  Or,  an  inheritance  was  given  them,  ac- 
 cording to  this  Commandment  of  God  to  Mofes^  by 
 Eleazar,  and  Joflma^  and  the  reft  who  were  appointed 
 to  divide  the  Land.  For  after  the  Lot  had  deter- 
 mined what  Land  every  Tribe  fhould  have,  Eleazar^ 
 Jojima  and  the  Princes  confidered  how  many  Families 
 there  were  in  the  Tribe,  and  how  large  they  were  5 
 and  accordingly  divided  it  among  them.  So  XXVI 
 Numb.  55,  56.  imports. 
 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  And  there  fell  ten  portions  to  Manajfeh."] 
 For  there  were  fix  Portions  given  to  fix  Sons.  But 
 the  Portion  of  Hepher,  the  laft  of  them,  being  di- 
 vided into  five  parts  among  his  five  Daughters,  there 
 were  ten  Portions  in  all.  See  Selden  de  Succejfion, 
 Cap.  XXIII.  Which  ten  Portions  being  affigned  to 
 fo  many  Families,  Eleazar,  Jojhua  and  the  Princes^ 
 were  not  concerned  any  further,  in  dividing  thefe 
 ten  Portions,  into  lefler,  among  feveral  Houfholds  5 
 but  that,  I  fuppofe,  they  agreed  among  themfelves. 
 
 Befide  the  land  of  Gilead  and  Bafan^  which  were  on 
 the  other  fide  Jordan."]     Mentioned  before  v.  1. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver,  6.  Becaufe  the  Daughters  of  *  Manajfeh.*]  That 
 is,  of  Zelophehad  defcended  from  Manajfeh. 
 
 Had  an  inheritance  among  his  Sons.]  Being  con- 
 fidered as  heirs  to  their  Father. 
 
 And  the  reft  ofManajfehs  Sons.*]  Which  were  not 
 of  the  fix  Families  before  mentioned. 
 
 Had  the  land  ofGileadT]  On  the  other  fide  Jordan  5 
 as  hath  been  often  faid :  and  is  again  repeated,  to 
 prevent  all  contentions  that  might  arife  about  their 
 Portions. 
 
 Ver.  7. 
 
upon   J  O  S  H  U  A.  211 
 
 Ver.   7.  And  the  Coaft  of  Manaffeh  was  from  Afier   Chapter 
 to  Michmethah,  that  Ikth  before  Shechem.']     This  was     XVI [. 
 the  South  border,    which  went  from  a  City  called  l/^V^\j 
 Afher,    to  another  called  Michmethah  :    which   was  Vcrft   7. 
 over  againft  a  City  in  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim,   called 
 Shechem. 
 
 And  the  border  went  along  on  the  right  hand  unto  the 
 inhabitants  ofEntappuah  ~]  And  fo  to  thofe  that  lived 
 in  the  Land  of  Tappuah,  leaving  Tappuah  it  felf  on  the 
 right  hand. 
 
 Ver.  8.  Now  Manaffeh  had  the  land  of  Tappuah."]  yerle  g. 
 All  the  territory  adjoining  to  this  City,  belonged  to 
 the  Tribe  of  Manaffeh. 
 
 But  Tappuah  on  the  border  of  Manaffeh  belonged  to 
 the  Children  of  EphraimT]  But  the  City  it  felf,  which 
 lay  on  the  confines  of  their  Country,  was  one  of 
 thofe  feparated  Cities,  fpoken  of  in  the  foregoing 
 Chapter  (v,  9.)  in  which  the  Children  of  Ephraim 
 dwelt. 
 
 Ver.   9.  And  the  coajl  defcended  unto  the  River  Ka-  Verfe  9. 
 nah,  Southward  of  the  River. ~]     Concerning  this  place, 
 fee  v.  8.  of  the  foregoing  Chapter. 
 
 Ihcfe  Cities  of  Ephraim  are  among  the  Cities  of 
 Manaffeh.']  That  is,  the  Cities  on  the  Coafl:  before 
 mentioned,  were  inhabited  by  the  Ephraimites^  as 
 well  as  Tappuah:  though  they  were  in  the  Tribe  of 
 Manaffeh.  For  thefe  two  Tribes  were  nearer  of  Kin 
 than  any  other  :  and  fo  greater  friendQiip  was  intend- 
 ed to  be  eftablifhed  between  them. 
 
 The  coafl  alfo  of  Manaffeh  was  on  the  North  fide  of 
 the  River!]  By  the  Coajl  of  Manajfehy  is  meant  the 
 Cities  inhabited  by  the  Manajfites :  which  were  all 
 on  the  North  fide  of  this  River.  As  all  thofe  on 
 the  South  fide  of  it,  though  belonging  to  the  Ma- 
 
 E  e  2  najfites, 
 
2l2  A  C  0  MMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  najfites,  were  inhabited  by  the  Children  of  Ephraim. 
 XVII.         And  the  goings  out  of  it  were  at  the  Sea."]     The 
 
 i^y^TSJ  coaft  mentioned  in  the  beginning  of  the  Verfe,  ended 
 at  the  Mediterranean  Sea. 
 
 Verfe  10.  ^er.  I0,  Southward  it  was  Ephraims,  and  North- 
 ward it  was  Manajfehs,  and  the  Sea  is  his  border. ~\ 
 Thefe  words  exprefs  how  thefe  two  Tribes  lay,  with 
 refpeft  to  each  other  :  Ephratm  on  the  South,  and 
 Manajfeh  on  the  North  5  and  both  bounded  on  the 
 Weft  by  the  Mediterranean. 
 
 And  they  met  together  in  A(her  on  the  North,  and  in 
 IJfachar  on  the  Eaft.]  Though  on  the  South  the  Tribe 
 of 'Manajfeh  was  wholly  joined  to  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim, 
 yet  on  the  North  Weft,  towards  the  great  Sea,  it 
 had  the  Tribe  of  Afher  on  the  confines  of  it :  and  on 
 the  Eaft,  (towards  Jordan  and  the  Sea  of  Tiberias') 
 the  Tribe  of  IJfachar.  So  Conradus  Pellicanus  rightly 
 explains  thefe  words.  For  both  the  Tribes  of  Ephraim 
 and  Manajfeh  could  not  touch  thefe  other  Tribes. 
 
 Verfe  II.  Ver.  11.  And  Manajfeh  had  in  IJfachar  and  in 
 Afher.']  As  Ephraim  had  fome  Towns  in  the  Tribe 
 of  Manajfeh:  fo  Manajfeh  had  fome  in  the  Tribes  of 
 IJfachar  and  Afher,  unto  whom  in  the  North  Weft, 
 and  the  Eaft  they  were  near  Neighbours. 
 
 Beth-fiean  and  her  Towns.]  This  was  a  place  not 
 far  from  the  Sea  of  Tiberias  before  mentioned,  and 
 near  Jordan. 
 
 And  Ibleam  and  her  Towns.]  It  appears  by  the 
 2  Kings  IX.  27.  that  it  was  not  far  from  Megiddo, 
 mentioned  in  the  latter  end  of  this  Verfe. 
 
 The  inhabitants  of  Dor  and  her  Towns.]  Concern- 
 ing Dor,  fee  XI.  2.  whofe  Inhabitants  (as  alfo  thofe- 
 of  the  other  Cities  following)  are  here  mentioned  5 
 becaufe,  it  feems,   they  pofleffed  the  People  (whom 
 
 they 
 
upon   J  O  S  H  U  A.  213 
 
 they  ought  to  have  deftroyed)  as  well  as  their  Ones  O  to    1 
 and  Towns  }  making  them  their  Slaves.  |  , 
 
 And  the  'inhabitants  of  En  dor  and  her  Tnvns.~]  The  L/'VXj 
 City  whether  Saul  went  to  confult  with  the  Witch. 
 Ic  was  not  far  from  Mount  Tabor  5  which  was  in  the 
 Confines  of  the  Tribe  of  Jjfachar. 
 
 And  the  inhabitants  ?f  Tanaach  and  her  Towns. ~] 
 This  City  lay  not  far  from  the  other :  and  was  one 
 of  thofe  given  to  the  Levitcs,  XXI.   25. 
 
 And  the  inhabitants  of  Megid  do  an  I  her  fowns.~] 
 This  was  near  the  former  3  not  for  horn  the  Brook 
 Kifion,   V  Judg.  19. 
 
 Even  three  Countries.']  Or  nther,  three  parts  of 
 thofe  Countries  before  mentioned. 
 
 Ver.   12.  Yet  the  Children  ofManaJfeh  could  not  drive  Verfe  12- 
 ant  the  inhabitants  of  thofe  Cities.]      Through    want 
 of  Faith  in  God,    and  of  Zeal  to  perform  his  com- 
 mands :  which  made  them  (lack  in  their  attempts  to 
 expel  the  Inhabitants  of  this  Country. 
 
 But  the  Canaanites  would  dwell  in  that  land.]  Find- 
 ing themfelves  ftrong  enough  to  maintain  it,  againft 
 fuch  feeble  endeavours,  as  they  ufed  to  conquer  it. 
 
 Ver.  13.  Yet  it  came  to  pafs  when  the  Children  of  Verfe  1 i* 
 Ifrael  were  waxen  Jirong^  that  they  put  the  Canaanites 
 to  tribute.']  When  they  were  more  numerous  and 
 expert  in  War,  not  only  the  Manajfites,  but  they  of 
 other  Tribes  alfo  brought  the  Canaanites  to  be  Tribu- 
 taries to  them. 
 
 But  did  not  utterly  drive  them  out.~]  In  which  they 
 grievouOy  offended  againft  Gods  command,  XX  Deut. 
 16,  17,  18. 
 
 Ver.   14.  And   the  Children    of  Jofeph  fpake    unto  Verfe  14 . 
 JoJ/jua.]  Both  they  of  Ephraim1  and  they  of  Manajfch, 
 v.  17. 
 
 Sayings 
 
a, 4  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Saying?  Why  haft  thou  given  me  but  one  lot  and  one 
 XVII.     portion  to  inherit,  feeing  I  am  a.  great  People.']     They 
 \S*sT\J  were  discontented  with  their  Lot,  which  they  thought 
 too  ftrait  for  them  :   becaufe  they  were  fo  very  nu- 
 merous, that  the  Country  which  was  affigned  them, 
 was  little  enough  for  one  of  them. 
 
 Forafmuch  as  the  LORD  hath  bleffed  me  hitherto.'] 
 Multiplied  them  exceedingly,  as  appears  from  XXVI 
 Numb.  34.  37. 
 Verfe  15.  ^er-  *5-  Andjofiua  anfwered  them,  If  thou  be  a 
 great  People."]  Though  he  was  their  Flefh  and  Blood, 
 yet  Jofhua  would  not  humour  them :  but  returns 
 their  Argument  upon  them,  that  fince  they  were  fo 
 great  a  People,  they  (hould  do  as  here  follows. 
 
 Then  get  thee  up  to  the  wood  Country."]  Which  was 
 in  the  High-lands,  v.  18.  which  is  full  of  Trees. 
 For  Aba  as  Bochart  obferves,  fignifies  very  thick  Woods, 
 Lib.  2.  Canaan,  Cap.  IX. 
 
 And  cut  down  for  tly  felf  there."]  Make  it  habi- 
 table. 
 
 In  the  land  of  the  Perizzites."]  Who  were  a  rough, 
 uncivilized  People,  living  in  thefe  Mountainous 
 Forrefts  5  as  Bochart  gathers  from  this  place  :  and 
 thinks  they  had  their  name  from  thence.  Becaufe 
 they  did  not  live  in  Cities  and  Towns,  but  in  thofe 
 Pagi  that  were  in  the  Woods  ?  which  the  Hebrews 
 call  Pherazoth  :  from  whence  the  Pagani,  the  People 
 who  lived  in  thofe  places,  were  called  Pherazim, 
 L.  IV.  Phaleg.  Cap.  XXXVI. 
 
 And  of  the  Giants."]  There  were  fome  of  the  Re- 
 phaim  (as  the  Hebrew  word  is)  (till  remaining  here : 
 or  it  was  a  place  where  they  had  been  wont  to 
 dwell 
 
 // 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  215 
 
 If  mount  Ephrahn  be  too  narrow  for  thee.']     If  that   Chapter 
 noble  Mount  which  was  given  them  for  their  Portion,     XVII. 
 with  the  reft  of  the  Land  before  mentioned  (which  l/V\J 
 is  included  in  the  name  of  Mount  Ephrawt,  the  prin- 
 cipal part  being  put  for  the  whole)  did  not  afford 
 them  room  enough,  he  exhorts  them  to  enlarge  their 
 bounds,  by  taking  in  thofe  Wood-lands  before  men- 
 tioned. 
 
 Ver.   16.  And  the  Children  of  Jofeph  faidy  The  Hilly erfe  x6. 
 h  not  enough  for  us.~]     They  ftill  infifted  that  if  they 
 could  get  pofleffion  of  the  Woody  Mountain  5    and 
 deftroy   all  the  Inhabitants,    and  cut  down  all  the 
 Trees  ^  it  would  not  be  fufficient  to  contain  them. 
 
 And  all  the  Canaanites  that  dwelt  in  the  land  of  the 
 Valley.']  But  if  it  would,  they  further  alledge  they 
 had  no  hope  to  conquer  it  5  becaufe  before  they 
 could  come  at  it,  they  muft  encounter  thofe  that 
 lived  in  the  Valley  below  it,  who  were  too  ftrong 
 for  them. 
 
 Have  Chariots  of  Iron.']  Before  which  they  were 
 not  able  to  ftand.  For  he  doth  not  mean  Chariots 
 made  of  Iron,  but  armed  with  Iron  :  which  the  An- 
 cients called  enrrus  falcati,  in  Greek  $f&7tmoydzf\  5 
 having  a  kind  of  Sithes  of  two  Cubits  fatkned  to  long 
 Axle-trees  on  both  Wheels.  Which  being  driven 
 fwifrly  through  a  body  of  Men  made  great  (laughter : 
 mowing  them  down  like  Grafs  or  Corn.  Xenophon 
 gives  a  defcription  of  them  in  his  Cyro-Padia,  Lib. 
 VI.  and  Siumtus  Curtiux^  Lib.  IV.  Cap.  9.  lregetius 
 alfo  de  re  Militart,  L.  III.  Cap.  24.  Bonfrerius  hath 
 heaped  up  abundance  on  this  fubjeft  :  and  fo  hath 
 Joh.  Cnnradus  Dhtericus  in  his  Antiq.  Biblic£.  P.  529, 
 &c.  where  he  obferves  Xenophon  imagined  Cyrus  to 
 have  been  the  inventor  of  thefe  Chariots :  which  had 
 
 been 
 
*i6  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  been  in  ufe  among  the  Canaanites  Eight  Hundred  Year 
 XVII.    before. 
 L/^V^VJ       Both  they  who  are  of  Beth-fhean  and  her  Towns,  an  A 
 they  who  are  in  the  valley  of  Jezreel."]     Which  Cities 
 it  feems  lay  near  to  this  Mountain,  unto  which  Jofhua 
 directed  them:   and  both  of  them  poffeffed  by  the 
 Canaanites. 
 Verfe  17.      ^er*  *7#  ^nd  Jofljuafpalg  unto  the  houfe  ofjofeph, 
 even  unto  Ephraim  and  Manajfeh."]    He  was  not  moved, 
 by  their  Obje&ions,  from  his  Resolution  5  but  told 
 them, 
 
 vThott  art  a  great  People  and  haft  great  power."]  That 
 by  their  own  confeffion  they  were  very  numerous  5 
 and  confequently  of  great  power. 
 
 Thou  foalt  not  have  one  lot  only.]  And  therefore 
 need  not  be  ftraitned  in  their  habitation  ,  which  they 
 faid  was  not  fufficient  for  one  Tribe. 
 Verfe  18.  ^er*  x^-  ^Ht  f^e  mountain  fiall  be  thine."]  For 
 they  {hould  have  the  Mountain  added  to  their  Por- 
 tion :  which  he  could  not  enlarge  any  other  way  5 
 it  being  fetled  by  a  divine  decree. 
 
 For  it  is  a  Wood,  and  thou  ffjalt  cut  it  down."]  Or, 
 though  it  be  a  Wood,  yet  they  could  cut  it  down  and 
 grub  it  up  :  and  then  it  would  afford  a  commodious 
 habitation. 
 
 And  the  out  goings  of  it  Jhall  he  thine.]  They 
 (hould  have  the  produft  of  it.  Or,  all  the  Country 
 below  in  the  Valley  (v.  16.)  (hould  be  theirs  alfo. 
 
 And  thou  ffjalt  drive  out  the  Canaanites,  though  they 
 have  Iron  Chariots,  and  though  they  be  ftrongT]  He 
 anfwers  all  their  Obje&ions  (v.  16.)  with  an  affu- 
 rance,  that  they  (hould  be  able,  with  Gods  help,  to 
 difpofTefs  the  prefent  Inhabitants  5  notwithftanding 
 their  great  Force  and  Power.  For  fo  Cod  had  com- 
 manded 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  217 
 
 manded  them  to  believe,  and  not  to  be  afraid  of 
 their  Chariots,  which  now  feemed  fo  terrible  to  them. 
 See  XX  Dent.  1. 
 
 Chapter 
 CHAP.     XVIII.  XVIII. 
 
 L/"V"NJ 
 Verfe   1.     \ND  the  whole  Congregation  of  the  Ch/l-  Verfe   1. 
 
 J\  dren  ofIfracl.~]  All  their  Elders  and 
 heads  of  their  Tribes  who  reprefented  the  Peopje  of 
 Ifiael :  and  are  fometimes  meant  by  the  whole  Congre- 
 gation, as  Corn.  Bertranthzth  (hewed  in  many  inftances, 
 particularly  in  1  Chron.  XIII.  1,  2,  &c.  See  L.  de 
 Repub.  Judaica,  in  the  latter  end  of  Cap.  VI.  and 
 Cap.  XI.  But  here  it  may  well  fignifie  the  whole 
 body  of  the  People,  who  accompanied  the  Aik  to 
 fettle  it  in  a  new  place. 
 
 Affembled  together  at  Shiloh.~]  A  place  in  the  Tribe 
 of  Ephraim  5  not  far  from  Jcrnfalcm  :  and  as  the 
 great  Primate  of  Ireland  thinks  the  fame  with  Salem. 
 But  I  do  not  find  any  ground  for  that  Opinion. 
 
 And  Jet  up  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation  there7\ 
 Which  had  hitherto  remained  in  Gflgal 5  but  now, 
 by  Gods  order  no  doubt  (for  he  was  to  choofe  the 
 place  of  his  own  refidence,  Xll  Dettt.  5.  II.  14,^.) 
 was  removed  hither :  together  with  the  Camp  of 
 Ifracl,  which  tarried  fo  long  in  Gilgal  merely  becaufe 
 the  Tabernacle  was  there.  If  it  be  enquired,  what 
 token  God  gave  of  his  choice  of  this  place,  Mr.  Medc 
 anfwers  (Difcourfe  XLV.  Book  1.)  perhaps  it  was 
 by  giving  fome  extraordinarv  token  of  his  approba- 
 tion, by  accepting  their  Sacrifices :  or  it  may  be  they 
 
 F  f  confulted 
 
ai8  A  CO  MMENT  AK  X 
 
 Chapter  confulted  him  in  this  cafe  by  the  Oracle  oiVrim  and 
 XVIII.    Thumim.     For  when  he  made  choice  of  Mount  &ion\ 
 L/V^vJ  *n  Angel  bad  the  Prophet  Gad  tell  David  he  (hould 
 fet  up  an  Altar  in  the  Threfhing-  floor  of  Oman  5  and 
 there  God  anfwered  him  by  Fire,e>v.  See  1  Chron,  XXI. 
 18.  26.     Now  the  reafon  of  its  being  tranflated  to 
 ShUoh  it  is  likely,  was  becaufe  it  would  have  been  too 
 far,  after  the  divifion  of  the  Land.,  for  all  the  Tribes 
 of  Ifrael  to  go  to  Gilgal,  to  perform  all  that  the  Law 
 required  to  be  done  at  the  Tabernacle.     Which  was 
 now  indifpenfably  to  be  performed,    though  while 
 they  lived  in  the  Wildernefs,    they  did  not  live  by 
 thefe°  rules  (XII  Dent.  8,  9,  10.)   and  perhaps  while 
 they  continued  unfetled  in  Canaan  could  not  exadtly 
 obferve  them.     This  place  alfo  was  very  convenient 
 for  all  the  Tribes  torefort  unto  5  and  likewife  very 
 fafe,  being  guarded  by  the  two  powerful  Tribes  of 
 Judah  and  Ephraint.     And  it  was,  as  I  faid,    in  the 
 Lot  of  the  latter  5   for  it  was  fit  it  (hould  be  where 
 Jojlma  was  \    who  being  of  this  Tribe  lived  among 
 them.     Here  it  is  thought  the  Tabernacle  continued 
 for  the  fpace  of  three  Hundred  and  Fifty  Years,  till 
 the  Days  of  Samuel:    but  our  Primate  before  men- 
 tioned reckons  no  more  than  three  Hundred  Twenty 
 and  Eight  Years. 
 
 And  the  land  was  fubdned  before  them7\  Or  rather 
 for  the  Land  was  fubdued,  &c.  that  is  continued 
 quiet,  without  any  oppofition  from  the  Old  Inhabi- 
 tants, fince  the  Conqueft  mentioned,  XI.  23. 
 Verfe  2.  ^er*  2*  ^n(^  ^ere  rzwMned  among  the  Children  of 
 Ifrael  fev en  tribes,  which  had  not  yet  received  their 
 inheritance^]  For  whom  no  Lot  had  been  drawn  at 
 GilgaL  The  reafon  of  which  was,  perhaps,  becaufe 
 the  laft  mentioned  Tribes,of  the  Houfe  of-Jofeph9  were 
 
 not 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  219 
 
 not  fatisfied  with  the  Dividon  which  was  begun  to  be  Chapter 
 made  there.     And  therefore  Jo/fjua  ftopt  his  proceed-    XVIII. 
 ings,  till  he  had  nude  a  new  furvey  of  the  whole  L/^V~Vj 
 Country.     In  order  to  which  God  commanded  him 
 to  remove  hither  :  from  whence,  being  in  the  middle 
 of  the  Country,  they  might  do  it  more  eafily  ^  and 
 alfo  give  the  Children  of  Jofeph  greater  content,  by 
 ietling  Gods  houfe  among  them. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  Jofiuafaid  unto  the  Children  of  Ifrael.~]  Verfe  &- 
 Unto  the  Congregation  before  mentioned,  v.   I. 
 
 How  long  are  yon  flacky  to  go  to  poffefs  the  land,  which 
 the  LORD  God  of  your  fathers  hath  given  you.~]  He 
 doth  not  blame  them  for  not  taking  pofTeflion  of  the 
 Land  which  was  conquered,  without  Gods  direction 
 by  a  Lot  (for  that  was  exprefly  commanded)  but  for 
 their  being  fo  (low  to  confider  or,  and  propound 
 fome  means,  of  making  fuch  an  equal  divifion,  as 
 they  delired  :  that  they  might  take  poffeffion  of  the 
 Land,  where  their  Lot  fhould  fall. 
 
 Ver.  4.  Give  out  from  among  you  three  Men  for  each  yerfe  * 
 tribe,']  He  therefore  himfelf  propounds  a  method  for 
 their  Satisfaction  5  and  fuch  an  one  as  they  could  not 
 dillike,  viz.  that  they  fhould  chufe  three  Men  (for 
 he  would  not  appoint  them,  but  only  give  them  or- 
 ders what  to  do)  out  of  each  of  the  feven  remaining 
 Tribes  that  were  not  provided  for :  or  rather,  out  of 
 the  Nine  Tribes  and  an  half  5  that  they  who  had  al- 
 ready received  their  Portion,  might  be  willing  to  re- 
 iign  up  fome  part  of  it,  if  they  found  upon  the  fur- 
 vey there  was  not  fufficient  left  for  their  Brethren. 
 
 And  I  will  fend  them,  and  they  f/jal/  rife,  and  go 
 through  the  land.~]  Give  them  orders,  to  go  immedi- 
 ately through  the  whole  Country  :  both  that  which 
 was  divided  and  that  which  was  not. 
 
 F  f  2  An 
 
22o  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       And  defcribe  it."]     Set  down  not  only  the  demen- 
 XVIII.    fionsof  it  5  but  its  condition  and  quality  :    whether 
 L^VNJ  barren  or  fruitful,  mountainous  or  plain,  &c. 
 
 According  to  the  inheritance  of  them ,~]  Making  fo 
 many  parts  in  the  defcription,  as  there  remain  Tribes 
 that  want  their  Inheritance.  Thus  the  next  Verfe 
 teaches  us  to  explain  it. 
 
 And  they  [hall  come  again  to  me7\  Make  their  re- 
 port to  him,  when  they  had  done,  that  he  might  judge 
 of  it. 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5;  And  they  ft  all  divide  it  into  /even  parts.'] 
 Of  equal  extent,  with  a  juft  refpeft,  as  Jofephus  ob- 
 ferves,  not  merely  to  the  quantity  of  ground,  but  the 
 goodnefs  of  the  Soil.  But  there  was  no  refpeft  to  the 
 greater  or  lefier  number  of  Perfons  in  each  Tribe  : 
 for  then  thefe  Men  had  given  each  Tribe  their  Por- 
 tion 5  and  there  had  been  no  need  of  a  Lot.  Their 
 bufinefs  was  to  divide  the  Country  into  feven  equal 
 Portions :  and  leave  God  to  appoint  which  Portion 
 Ihould  fall  to  each  Tribe.  Who  would  have  no 
 reafon  to  complain,  when  thedivifion  was  made  by 
 themfelves. 
 
 J ud ah  Jl) all  abide  in  their  coafl  on  the  South ,  and  the 
 houfe  of  Jofeph  JI)all  abide  in  their  coajis  on  the  North."] 
 But  the  Lot  of  Jndah  which  was  Southerly,  and  the 
 Lot  of  Ephraim  and  Manaffeh  which  with  refpeft  to 
 the  former  were  Northerly,  were  not  to  be  altered. 
 But  thefe  Tribes  were  to  remain  undifturbed  in  their 
 Pofleffions,  unlefs  it  fhould  be  found,  that  they  had 
 more  than  they  needed,  and  others  had  lefs.  For  this 
 was  the  very  reafon  of  making  a  new  and  more  exaft 
 furvey.of  the  Country,  than  had  been  made  before  the 
 firft  divifion  5  that  there  might  be  an  allotment  made 
 more  to  every  ones  fatisfafr ion }   when  they  had  a 
 
 more 
 
upon  JOSH  II  A.  22? 
 
 more  perfefr  account  of  all  the  Land.     Accordingly   Chapter 
 it  is  evident  that  the  Tribe  of  Jndah  (by  common    XVIII. 
 confent  no  doubt)  parted  with  fome  of  their  Portion  L^\T\J 
 to  the  Simtonites,   and  the  Danites  5  whofe  Lot  ap- 
 peared to  be  too  fcanty,  XIX.  29.  41. 
 
 Ver.  6.  Ye  fid  all  therefore  defer  i  be  the  land  into  f even  yerfe  g 
 parts,  and  bring  the  defer  ipt  ion  hither  to  mc7\  When 
 the  Men  who  were  appointed  to  meafure  the  Coun- 
 try, had  divided  it  into  feven  parts  5  he  orders  that 
 the  defcription  thus  divided  fhould  be  laid  before 
 him. 
 
 1  hat  I  may  cafl  lots  for  you  here  before  the  LORD.] 
 Whereby  their  Poffeffions  were  fetled  and  eftablifhed 
 by  a  Divine  Authority.  For  the  Lots  being  drawn 
 before  the  San&uary,  God  was  defired  to  declare 
 what  Portion  every  Tribe  fhould  have.  Accord- 
 ingly it  was  their  duty  to  look  upon  it  as  a  facred 
 appointment,  and  to  be  contented  with  it  :  for  it 
 was  done  at  the  very  door  of  the  Tabernacle,  as  we 
 read,  XIX.  nit. 
 
 Ver.  7.  But  the  Levites  have  no  part  among  'you,  yerfe  7. 
 for  the  Priefihood  of  the  LORD  is  their  inheritance,'] 
 He  declared,  what  had  been  often  faid  before,  that 
 in  this  divifion  of  the  Land,  the  Priefts  and  Levites 
 were  to  have  no  (hare  :  God  having  otherwife  pro- 
 vided for  them.     See  XIII.  14.   32.    XIV.  3. 
 
 And  Gad  and  Reuben,  and  half  the  tribe  ofManajfch, 
 have  received   their  inheritance  beyond  Jordan,    &C.'] 
 And  as  for  the  reft,  no  care  was  to  be  taken  of  them 
 in  this  divifion  :    becaufe  Mofes  had    provided   for 
 them  before  they  came  over  Jordan. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  the  Men  arofe  and  went  arvay.~\     Being  Veife  8. 
 chofen  by  their  Brethren  (as  Jojhtia  dire&ed  v.  4.)  to 
 a&  in  their  name. 
 
 And 
 
Ma  A  C  OMMENT  A  KY 
 
 Chapter       And  Jcfhua  charged  them   that  went  to  defribe  the 
 
 XVIII.    land,  faying,  Go,  and  walkthrough  the  land,    and  de~ 
 
 L^VNJ  fcribe  it,  Sccf)     Before  they  went  Jofiua  gave  them  a 
 
 charge  to  do  the  bufinefs  they  went  about,  with  care 
 
 and  fidelity:    ufing  their  beft  diligence  to  be  truly 
 
 and  fully  informed.     And  at  their  return  give  him 
 
 an  account  ^  that  he  might  put  an  end  to  all  difputes, 
 
 by  defiring  God  to  affign  every  Tribe  their  Portion. 
 
 That  I  may  here  caji  lots  for  yon,  before  the  LORD  in 
 
 Shiloh.~]     Thefe    words   found    as  if  he    gave   this 
 
 charge  to  them  in  the  prefence  of  God,    before  the 
 
 Sanftuary :  that  they  might  be  excited  to  execute  his 
 
 orders  with  greater  diligence. 
 
 Verfe  9.  ^er.  9*  ^n(^  *^e  ^en  wen*  an<^  PaJfcd  through  the 
 land"]  Through  the  whole  Country,  which  they 
 had  conquered. 
 
 And  defcribed  it  by  Cities7\  Set  down  the  name 
 .of  every  City,  and  its  Villages,  and  the  Territory 
 about  it,  with  its  Situation.  For  fo,  I  fuppofe, 
 Jo/tua  had  charged  them. 
 
 Into  feven  parts  in  a  Bookf]  In  which  were  feven 
 Maps,  as  we  now  call  them  :  w7hich  mad£  a  Choro- 
 graphical  Defcription  of  all  the.  Cities,  Towns, 
 Mountains,  Plains,  Woods,  and  all  other  conditions 
 of  the  Soil. 
 
 And  came  again  to  Jojhtta  to  the  hoft  at  Shiloh.~] 
 For  the  Tabernacle  being  removed  hither,  the  Camp 
 followed  it,  as  I  obferved,  v.  1.  And  here  it  re- 
 mained till  the  Land  was  divided  among  the  feven 
 Tribes.  Which  could  not  be  done  in  a  (horttime; 
 for  Jofephus  faith  they  were  feven  Months  in 
 taking  this  Survey,  and  making  the  forenamed  de- 
 fcription. 
 
 Ver.  10. 
 
upon  JOSH  U  A,  27i 
 
 Ver.   ic.  And  Joflnia.']     With    the   a  (lift  a  nee  of  Chapter 
 Eka&arznd  the  Princes,   XIV.  i.  XVIII. 
 
 Cajl  lots  far  them  in  Shiloh  before  the  LORD.]  As  L/~V"NJ 
 he  toki  them  he  would,  v,  6.  The  manner  of  it  (ee  Verfe  10. 
 upon  XXVI Numb.  55.  56. 
 
 And  there  Jojhua  divided  the  land  unto  the  Children  of 
 Ijrael,  according  to  their  d/viJ/ons.~]  That  is,  accord- 
 ing to  the  diviiions  made  by  the  Surveyors :  which 
 were  fo  juft  and  equal,  that  all  confented  the  Lot 
 fhould  determine  what  part  fhould  belong  to  them. 
 
 Ver.    it.  And  the  lot  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin  came  Verfe  II. 
 upr\     The  Providence  of  God   fo  ordered  it,    that 
 his  Children  fhould  have  the  fir  ft  Lot  of  thefe  feven  5 
 next  to  the  Children  of  Jofcph:    they  two  being  the 
 only  Sons  of  Rachel,  Jacobs  beloved  Wife. 
 
 According  to  their  families.']  To  be  divided  ac- 
 cording to  their  Families. 
 
 And  the  coaji  of  their  lot  came  forth  between  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Jndah.~]     Who  lay  on  the  South  of  them. 
 
 And  the  Children  of  JofephT]  For  the  Ephramitcs 
 lay  on  the  North  of  them.  And  it  is  obfervable  that 
 ill  the  blefling  of  Mofes,  Benjamin  is  placed  between 
 Jttdah  and  Jofeph  {Levi  having  no  Inheritance  among 
 them)  which  Prophefie  of  Mofcs  by  this  Lot  was  ex- 
 actly fulfilled  concerning  him,  XXXIII  Dent.  12. 
 
 Ver.   12.  And  their  border  on    the   North  fide  nw.ryerf€   i2 
 from  Jordan^  and  the  border  went  up  to  the  fide  of  Jeri- 
 cho, on  the  North  fide.']     Juft  thus  the  South  border 
 of  Ephraim    proceeded     from    Jordan  by     Jericho  5 
 which  was    in  the  Tribe  of    Benjamin.     See  XVT. 
 
 And    went   up   through    the    mountain    'il  cftward. 
 Through   the  Mountainous  Country,    which  lay 
 the  North   of  Jericho^    ic  went  up  to   the   \V 
 part  of  the  Country. 
 
2H  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And  the  goings  out  thereof  were  at  the  Wildcrnefs  of 
 XV  III.    Bet  haven. ~]     A  place  near    Bethel:    which  in  after 
 
 V^VNJ  times  (when  they  committed  foul  Idolatry  there) 
 was  called  Beth-aven,  an  Hcufe  or  place  of  Iniquity, 
 IV  Hofiai$.  X.  8. 
 
 Verfe  15.  Ver.  13.  And  the  border  went  out  from  thence  to- 
 roards  Luz,  to  the  fide  of  Luz  (which  is  Bethel ) 
 Southward .~]  On  the  South  fide  of  that  City.  See 
 XVI.  2.  The  Jews  think  there  were  two  Bethels  : 
 one  here  named  in  the  Confines  of  Benjamin  and 
 Jofeph,  where  Jacob  had  the  Vifion  of  the  Ladder 
 reaching  up  to  Heaven  :  and  the  other  Bethel,  near  to 
 At,  VIII,  6.17. 
 
 And  the  border  defcended  to  Ataroth-adar."]  Galled 
 in  the  place  forenamed,  XVI.  2.    Archi-ataroth. 
 
 Near  the  hi li  that  lieth  on  the  South  fide  of  the  nether 
 Beth-horon7\  A  City  in  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim,  XVI. 
 3.  called  the  nether,  becaufe  there  was  an  higher  hard 
 by  it,  in  the  Mountain  adjoining.  Though  others 
 will  have  the  two  Beth-horons  to  have  been  at  a  great 
 diftance,  one  in  the  Mountains  ofEphraim,  the  other 
 in  the  Valley  near  Jordan. 
 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  And  the  border  was  drawn  thence. 1  In  a 
 line  bending  Weftward,  as  appears  by  what  follows 
 in  the  end  of  the  Verfe :  which  tells  us  the  Weftern 
 border  began  from  Beth-horon  the  nether. 
 
 And  compaffeth  the  corner  of  the  Sea  Southward, 
 from  the  hill  that  lieth  before  Beih-horon7\  I  cannot 
 give  any  account  of  this  border,  according  to  our 
 tranflation.  For  it  is  certain  it  did  not  compafs  any 
 corner  of  the  Mediterranean  (and  no  other  Sea  can 
 be  here  meant)  nor  come  near  unto  it.  Therefore  by 
 Peath,  which  we  Tranilate  corner,  muft  be  under- 
 stood the  fide  of  the  Sea.     As  if  he  had  faid,    it  ran 
 
 along 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  22$ 
 
 along  in  a  parallel  line  to  the  Sea.     So  the  Vulgar  hath  Chapter 
 it,  over  again  (I  the  Sea $    and  the   LXX.  to  the  fame    XVIII. 
 purpofe.     And  the  word  Southward  is  joined  by  the  L/"V~VJ 
 Vulgar  not  to  the  Sea,  but  to  the  next  words,  South- 
 ward from  the  Hill  that  lieth  before  Beth-horon. 
 
 Southward.]  That  is,  the  Hill  was  to  the  South  of 
 Bcth-horon,  as  we  read  in  the  Verfe  before. 
 
 And  the  goings  oat  thereof  were  at  Kirjaih-baal 
 (which  is  Ki rj at h-j earing  a  City  of  Judah.]  See  XV. 
 60. 
 
 This  was  the  IT  eft  quarter.']  Here  the  Peath  before 
 mentioned  (for  it  is  the  fame  word  we  before  Tranflate 
 corner)  the  Weft  fide,  or  quarter  ended.  For  that's 
 meant  by  its  goings  out. 
 
 Ver.   15.  And    the    South    quarter.']     The   fame  Verfe  15. 
 word  again  in  the  Hebrew,  viz.  Peath. 
 
 U  as  front  the  end  of  Khjath-jcarin/,  and  the  border 
 went  out  on  the  Wefl.]  Did  not  go  directly  South, 
 but  bordered  fomething  towards  the  Sea  5  till  it  came 
 to  the  Well  of  Waters  of  Nepktoah,  as  this  Verfe  con- 
 cludes. See  XV.  9,  by  conlidering  of  which,  and 
 the  foregoing  and  following  Verfes  5  it  will  be  un- 
 neceflary  to  fay  much  of  this  South-border  of  Benja- 
 min :  it  being  the  fame  with  the  North  border  of 
 Judah.  For  the  very  fame  places  are  named  here, 
 that  are  there  5  and  in  the  fame  order  :  with  this 
 difference  only,  that  in  defcribing  this  border  he  pro- 
 ceeds from  the  Weft  toward  the  Eaft :  but  in  de- 
 fcribing that  of  Judah  from  the  Eaft  towards  the 
 Weft.  So  that  Kirjath-jearim  is  there  the  North 
 limits  of  Judah  3  as  it  is  here  the  South  limits  of 
 Benjamin. 
 
 g  Ver.  16. 
 
1*6  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Ver.   1 6.  And  the  border-came  down  to  the  end  of 
 XVI 1 1,    the  Mountain  that  lieth  before  the  Valley  of  the  Son  of 
 iyy~\J  Hinnom,  8tc]     See  XV.  8. 
 Verfe  16.      And  defcended  to  En-rogel.~]     See  XV.  7. 
 v    r  Ver.   1 7.   And  was  drawn  from  the  North,  and  went 
 
 '*  forth  to  En-JIjemefh,  and  went  forth  towards  Gel? loth."] 
 See  there  5  where  this  place  is  called  Gilgal. 
 
 Which  is  over   againfi  the  going    up  to  Adummim, 
 and  defcended  to  the  Stone  of  Boh  an,  the  Son  of  Reu- 
 ben.l     See  there,  and  v.  6. 
 Verfe  18.      Ver.   18.  And  pajfed  along  toward  the  fide  of  Arabah 
 North- ward  5    and  went  down  unto  Arabah.]     Called 
 Beth- arabah,  XV.  6.  and  fo  the  LXX.  have  it  here 
 in  this  Verfe. 
 Verfe  10       ^er*   I9*  And  the  border  paffed  along  to  the  fide  of 
 '  Beth-hoglah  Northward."]     Leaving  Beth-hogla  on  the 
 North  of  it,  fee  XV.  6. 
 
 And  the  out  goings  of  the  border  were  at  the  North- 
 bay  of  the  Salt  Sea.]  Its  utmoft  progrefs  was  to  the 
 Tongue  or  Bay  of  the  Salt  Sea,  which  is  on  the  North 
 part  of  it. 
 
 At  the  South  end  of  Jordan.']  Where  Jordan  ends 
 towards  the  South  :  being  fwallowed  up  by  the  Salt 
 Sea. 
 
 Thk  was  the  South  coaJl.~]    That  is,  hither  it  reached, 
 and  here  it  ended. 
 Verfe  20.      ^er-  2°'   And  Jordan  was  the  border   of  it  on  the 
 "  Eaftj?de.~]  Till,  near  Jericho,  it  met  with  the  bounds 
 of  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim  and  Manajfeh. 
 
 This  was  the  inheritance  of  the  Children  of  Benjamin 
 by  the  coafts  thereof  round  about. ~]  That  is,  a  defcrip- 
 tion  of  its  bounds,  on  all  fides. 
 
 According  to  their  families.']  Which  Was  divided 
 among  as  many  Families,  as  were  in  that  Tribe. 
 
 Ver.  21. 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  zz ; 
 
 Ver.   21.  Now  the  Cities  of  the  tribe  of  the  Children  Chai 
 oj  Benjamin  according  fo  their  families ^  were  Jericho.']    XVIII. 
 Having  given  a  defcription  of  the  bounds   of  the  L/*WJ 
 Country,  he  fets  down  the  principal  Cities  in  it.  The  *i« 
 
 fir  ft  of  which  was  well  known,  viz.  Jericho  :  the 
 Territory  of  which  remained,  though  the  City  itfelf 
 deftroyed.  And  perhaps  there  werefome  Houfcs 
 there  5  though  without  Walls,  or  Gates:  which  feem 
 to  be  the  only  things  which  JoJIma,  commanded  (hould 
 not  be  built,  VI.  26. 
 
 td  Betb-koglah.~]     A  City  nigh  to  Jericho  5  not 
 far  from  the  River  Jordan. 
 
 And  the  Valley  of  KczizC]  Rather,  Emer-Keziz  : 
 for  he  fpeaks  of  a  City,  not  of  a  Valley.  Or,  it  may 
 be  interpreted,  Keziz  in  the  Valley  5  that  is,  in  the 
 Plain  of  Jericho. 
 
 Ver.  22.  And  Beth- arabath.]  This  City  is  reckoned  yerrc  ::. 
 to  Judaic  XV.  61.  being  it  feems,  in  the  Confines  of 
 both  Tribes.  It  flood  alfo  in  the  Plain  of  Jericho, 
 fignifying  as  much  as  Domus  Cawpcjlr/s,  an  habitation 
 in  the  Fields.  For  there  were  large  Fields  about  it, 
 as  Bochartus  fuppofes  3  from  whence  a  place  in  Affyria. 
 for  thisreafon,  was  called  Orabs..  as  he  (hows,  L.  IV. 
 Phaleg.  Cap.  XXI. 
 
 And  ZemaraiwC]     A  City  it  is  probable  built  bv 
 Zcmari,  the  Tenth  Son  of  Canaan,  XGen.id.   The 
 was  a  Mountain  alfo  called  by  this  Name  5  from  tl 
 City,  it  is  likely.     For  though  it  is  faid  to  be  in 
 Mount  Epbraim,  2  Chron.  XIII.  14.    it  might  alio  in 
 part  belong  to  Benjamin  \    as  Betharaba  and  th     I 
 City  did  belong  to  two  Tribes. 
 
 And  Bethel.']     A  City  in  the  Confines  of  the  Tribe 
 of  Ephraim  and  of  Benjamin  :    which  feems  to  h 
 belonged  to  both. 
 
 G  gr  2  Ver.  ; 
 
22%  A  COMMENT  A  KX 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  23.  And  Avim,  andParah7andOphrah."]\We 
 XVIII.    know  no  more  of  thefe  Cities,  but  their  Names. 
 
 L/"^/"NJ       Ver.  24.   And  Cephar-  haammonai,  andOphni.~]  Thefe 
 
 Verfe  24.  alfo  are  unknown  Cities. 
 
 And  Gaba.~]  This  is  often  named  in  Scripture, 
 and  called  Gibeah :  being  that  place  where  the  foul 
 fadt  was  committed,  which  almoft  ruined  this  Tribe, 
 XIX  Judges.  And  is  called  Gibeah  of  Saul }  becaufe 
 it  was  his  native  Country  ,  where  he  made  his  red- 
 dence,  after  he  was  King,  1  Sam.  X.  26.  And  it 
 was  one  of  the  Cities  of  the  Priefts,  XXI  Jo/Ij.  17. 
 
 Twelve  Cities,  with  their  Villages^]  Which  feem  to 
 have  been  in  the  Eaftern  part  of  their  Country. 
 
 Verfe  25.  Ver.  25.  Gibeon,  and  Ram ah ,  and  Beeroth.~]  The 
 firft  of  thefe  is  well  known  from  the  Story  of  its 
 ancient  Inhabitants,  related  in  the  IXth.  Chapter  of 
 this  Bcok.  It  was  alfo  a  City  of  the  Priefts,  XXI. 
 17.  and  feated  on  a  Hill,  as  its  very  name  imports. 
 Ramah  alfo  was  an  eminent  City,  on  the  North  fide 
 of  Jerjtfalem,  as  Bethlehem  was  on  the  South.  So  that 
 Jerufalem  was  in  the  rode  from  the  one  to  the  other  : 
 as  appears  from  the  Man  that  went  from  Bethlehem 
 Judah  to  Ramah,    XIX  Judg.  2.  II.  13. 
 
 Beeroth  alfo  is  notorious  upon  this  account,  that  it 
 was  one  of  the  Cities  which  cunningly  joined  with 
 Gibeon  to  deceive  Jojhua  and  procure  a  Peace  with 
 them,  IX.  17. 
 
 Verfe  26.  Ver.  26.  And  Mizeph.~]  There  were  feveral  Cities 
 of  this  name,  as  I  have  noted  before,  XV.  38.  And 
 this  was  in  the  confines  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah:  fo 
 that  it  feems  to  have  belonged  both  to  them  and  to 
 Benjamin,  as  feveral  others  did. 
 
 And  Cephirah7\  Another  of  the  Cities  depending 
 upon  Gibeon0  IX.  17. 
 
 And 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  22? 
 
 Artel  Morah.~]     An  unknown  City.  Chapter 
 
 Ver.  27.  A*dRe$gm.~\     This  is  a  City  mentioned    XVIII. 
 both  by  Ettfebius  and  St.  Hierom:  but  they  do  not  fay  L/^"V"\J 
 where  it  was  5    nor  fo  much  as  name  the  two  next,  Verfc  27. 
 Irpcel,  and  Taralab. 
 
 Ver.   28.  And   Zclah,    Eleph.  ~]      Two    Cities    °fyerfe  23 
 which    no   more  than   the   Names   are   remaining. 
 Ettfebius  and  St.  Hierom  mention  the  former  as  in  the 
 Tribe  of  Benjamin,  but  fay  no  more. 
 
 Artel  Jebuf\  which  is  Jerufalem.~]  See  XV.  63. 
 Where  it  is  reckoned  to  the  Tribe  of  Judah :  for 
 both  that  Tribe  and  Benjamin  had  an  intereft  in  it. 
 The  old  City  belonged  to  the  Tribe  of  Benjamin: 
 unto  which  an  addition  being  made,  it  belonged  to 
 Judah  (as  fome  make  account)  That  is,  the  North 
 part  with  Mount  Mori  ah  was  in  the  portion  of  Ben- 
 jamin :  but  the  South  part,  wherein  Mount  Si  on  was, 
 belonged  to  'judah. 
 
 Gibcath.~]  This  was  a  diftinfr  City  from  Gaba, 
 v.  24.  and  I  fuppofe  near  to  Jerufalem. 
 
 And  Kirjath.]  The  very  name  imports  a  City. 
 Which  Eitj cuius  and  St.  Hierom  fay  was  under  the 
 Metropolis    of    Gibeath   forementioned.     n£\<s  Cm 
 
 Fourteen  Cities  with  tlxir  Villages!]  Which  were 
 in  the  Weftern  part  of  this  Tribe. 
 
 This  is  the  inheritance  of  the  Children  of  Benjamin.  ~\ 
 Which  was  one  of  the  fmalleft,  with  refpedt  to  the 
 quantity  of  ground  which  they  pofleffed  :  but  the 
 Soil  was  the  richeft  of  all  other  Tribes,  as  Jofephus 
 informs  us. 
 
 According  to  their  Families.']  All  the  Families  of 
 the  Benjaminites  were  difpofed  of  into  thefe  great 
 Cities,   and  the  Territories  belonging  to  them  :    in 
 
 which, 
 
~3G  A  COMME  NT  A  RY 
 
 which,  it  is  probable,  there  were  lelTer  Cities,  not 
 here  named.  For  we  find  two  Cities  of  the  Priefts 
 in  this  Tribe,  which  are  not  among  thofe  here  fet 
 down,  viz.  Anathoth,  and  Aim  on  ^  XXI.  18. 
 
 Chapter 
 XIX.  CHAP.     XIX. 
 
 Verfe  I.  Verfe  I.  \ND  the  fecond  lot  came  forth  to  Simeon, 
 ii  even  for  the  tribe  of  the  Children  of 
 Simeon.']  Both  the  LXX.  and  the  Vulgar  leave  out 
 the  latter  part  of  thefe  words,  as  if  they  were  fuper- 
 fluous:  and  only  fay,  the  fecond  lot  came  forth  to 
 Simeon.  But  I  fuppofe  the  words  following  in  the 
 Hebrew  are  intended  to  (how,  that  though  their  In- 
 heritance was  within  that  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah  (as 
 the  next  words  tell  us)  yet  thofe  Cities  were  not  all 
 that  were  given  to  this  Tribe,  but  they  had  another 
 fhare  by  Lot  that  fell  to  them.  And  God  difpofed 
 it  fo  that  the  very  next  Lot  to  Benjamins,  came  up 
 for  them  :  Simeon  being  the  Eldeft  Son  of  Jacob  that 
 was  unprovided. 
 
 According  to  their  Families."]  Which  was  divided 
 by  Eleazar,  Jofhua  and  the  Princes  among  their  feveral 
 Families. 
 
 And  their  inheritance  was  within  the  inheritance  of 
 the  tribe  of  Judah."]  So  we  well  Tranilate  it :  for 
 though  the  word  in  the  Hebrew  be  betoch  (in  \he  tnidjl) 
 of  the  Inheritance  of  Judah:  yet  it  fignifies  no  more 
 than  within.  For  the  Lot  of  Simeon  did  not  lie  in 
 the  very  heart  (as  we  fpeak)  but  in  the  skirts  of  the 
 Country   of  Judah.     From   whofe    Northern,    and 
 
 Wefcern 
 
upon  JOS  FI  U  A.  231 
 
 Weftern  borders  fame  part  was  cat  off,  anJ  given  to  Chapter 
 the  Simeonites \  for  the  rcafon  mentioned,  v.  9.  XIX. 
 
 Ver.   2.  And  they  had  in  their  inheritance  Beer-Jheba  L/~\T\J 
 tndSheba.']     Or  rather,  Beer-fieba,    which    is  Sbeba.  Verfe  2. 
 For  they  were  one  and  the  fame  place}    fomerin 
 called  at  length  Beer-Jheba^   and  fometime  contra: 
 into  Sbeba.     Nothing  being  more  common  than  to 
 Cut  off  the  beginning  of  the  names  of  Towns,  and 
 places,  as  Bornartu*  hath  fhown  in  many  inftances, 
 in  his  Phaleg.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  XXIV.  which  he  repeats 
 in   his   H/erozoicon,    P.  1.     Lib.  2.    Cap.  XV.     And 
 certainly  it  is  fo  here  :    for  otherwife  it  would   not 
 been  faid,  v.  6.  there  were  Thirteen  Cities  in  all  5 
 but  Fourteen  :    for  there  are  fo  many  if  Sbeba  be  di- 
 ftinft  from  Bccr-fieba.     Which  was  the  laft  City  in 
 the  South,  belonging  to  the  Land   of  IfraeL     From 
 whence  the  common  faying,  from  Dan  to  Bcer-JIjeba  5 
 to  exprefs  the  whole  length  of  the  Country  :    from 
 Dan  in  the  North,  to  Bccr-fljeba  in  the  South. 
 
 And  Moladah.~]     This  is  mentioned  before,  in  the 
 account  we  had  of  the  Lot  of  Judah,  XV.  26. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  Hazar-Jhtidl.~]     A  place  where  there  y    r 
 was  abundance  of  Foxes.  r  e  3. 
 
 And  Balih.']     The  fame  that  is  mentioned  in  the 
 South  of  Judah,  XV.  29. 
 
 A*.  7.3     It  fignifies  in  Hebrew,  great  ftrength. 
 
 We  read  of  it  no  where  elfe  but  in  this  place,  and 
 1  Chron.  IV.  29.  where  it  is  called  E%em. 
 
 Ver.  4.   And  Eltolad.]     Called  there  Tolad:   the  Verfe  4. 
 firfr  fyllable  being  cutoff,  as  I  faid,  v.  r.  it  often  is. 
 
 And  Bethul7\  "  Called  there  Bethuel     Which  fome 
 will  have  to  be  the  fame  with  Beihulia  where  Judith 
 dwelt}  becaufe  (he  was  of  the  Tribe  of  Simeon.     But 
 that  is  a  mi  [lake,  for  this  was  in  the  South  of  Jud 
 and  that  a  City  in  G alike.  An 
 
a3a  A   C  OMMENT  ARr 
 
 Chapter       And  Hormah.~]     Which  is  mentioned  in  the  fame 
 XIX.     place,   i  Chron.  IV.  30.  and  was  one  of  the  Cities,  to 
 \S*\T\J  whom  David  fent  part  of  the  fpoil  he  took  from  the 
 Am  ale  kites,  1  Sam.  XXX.  30. 
 
 Verfe  <         Ver'  5'  And  Zi&la&ml    A  neighbouring  City,   as 
 5'    appears  from  both  the  forementioned  places. 
 
 And  Beth-mar  caboth,  and  Hazar-Sufah.]  It  is  a 
 very  probable  conjecture  of  Bochartus  that  thefe  were 
 two  of  the  Cities,  where  Solomon  kept  his  Chariots 
 and  Horfes,  1  Kings  X.  26.  For  the  former  of  thefe 
 fignifies,  the  Houfe  of  Chariots  5  and  the  other,  the 
 Village  of  Horfes.  For  it  is  called  Hazar-Snfim,  in 
 the  Plural  number,  1  Chron.  IV.  31.  See  Hierozoicon, 
 P.  1.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  IX. 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  Bethdebaoth,  and  Sharuhen.']  They 
 feem  to  be  the  fame  Cities,  called  in  aftertimes  Beth- 
 birei,  and  Shaaraim,  1  Chron.  IV.  Ji. 
 
 Thirteen  Cities  and  their  Villages.']  See  v.  1 . 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  Ain,  Remmon,  and  Ether \  and  Aflmn."] 
 One  of  thefe  Towns  is  otherwife  called  in,  1  Chron. 
 IV.  32.  viz.  Etam,  not  Ether :  and  a  fifth  is  added. 
 Which  (hows  all  the  Cities  and  Towns  belonging  to 
 Simeon,  are  not  here  mentioned  :  no  more  than  all 
 thofe  belonging  to  Benjamin,  as  I  obferved  on  v.  28. 
 of  the  foregoing  Chapter.  Afhan  alfo  is  thought  by 
 Bochart  fin  the  place  before  named)  to  be  the  fame 
 with  Chor-ajlmn,  in  1  Sam.  XXX.  30.  by  cutting  off 
 the  firft  fy liable. 
 
 Four  Cities  and  their  Villages7\  Which  are  men- 
 tioned feparate  from  the  reft :  either  becaufe  they  were 
 in  another  part  of  the  Country  5  or  becaufe  they  were 
 not  properly  Cities,  but  only  Chatferim  (large  Vil- 
 lages) as  they  are  exprefly  called,  1  Chron.  IV.  32. 
 That  is,  Towns  which  were  without  Walls.     Here 
 
 indeed 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  233 
 
 indeed  they  are  called  Cities  3  but  that  mnft  be  under-  Chap 
 itood  largely  to  make  it  agree  with  the  Chronicles,  tor     XIX. 
 Towns  ot  more  than  ordinary  bignefs.  IVW^ 
 
 Ver.   8.  And  all  the  Til/ages    that  rrcre  round  about  Verfe  8. 
 theft  Cities  ~]     Here  the  Wbrd  Chatferim  (Villages)  is 
 oppofed  to  Cities :  and  fignifies  all  the  Towns  great 
 and  fmall,  that  lay  about  all  the  Cities  before  men* 
 tioned. 
 
 To  Baalah'bccr,  Ramath."]  This  is  the  name  but 
 of  one  City,  called  (imply  Baal,  in  \Chron.  IV.  33. 
 and  is  that  City  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  mentioned 
 XV.  v.  24.  or  v.  29.  As  far  as  which  City  the 
 bounds  of  the  Tribe  of  Simeon  reached.  Some  think 
 this  is  the  City,  which  Solomon  built,  f.  c.  repaired, 
 and  made  larger  and  Wronger,  1  Kings  IX.  18. 
 
 On  the  Souths  This  doth  not  relate  to  the  fitu- 
 ation  of  the  City  before  mentioned  ^  but  of  the  In- 
 heritance of  this  Tribe  :  which  was  on  the  South  of 
 J  tid  ah. 
 
 Ver.  9.  Out  of  the  portion  of  the  Children  of  JudahVerk  9. 
 vcas  the  inheritance  of  Simeon."]  For  which  reafon  the 
 bounds  of  this  Tribe  on  all  fides  are  not  defcribed, 
 as  of  the  foregoing  5  becaufe  that  was  fufficiently 
 done  in  the  defcription  of  the  poffefiion  of  Judah  ^ 
 out  of  which  the  Inheritance  of  this  Tribe  was 
 taken. 
 
 For  the  part  of  the  Children  of  Jitdah  was  too  much 
 for  them.']  They  who  were  fent  to  make  a  new  fir- 
 vey  of  the  whole  Land,  found  that  the  former  Sur- 
 veyors had  not  meafured  it  exaftly  :  but  left  one  di- 
 vifion  too  big  in  proportion  to  the  reft  3  which  fell 
 to  the  Tribe  of  Judah.  Who  had  now  therefore  a 
 large  (lice  cut  from  them  :  becaufe  they  had  too  much, 
 and  others  too  little. 
 
 H  h  Therefore 
 
C234  A  co  MMENT  AR  T 
 
 Chapter       Therefore  the  Children  of  Simeon  had  their  inherit 
 
 XIX.      tance,    within  the  inheritance  of  them!]     Within  that 
 
 U^\^\J  Lot.,  which  was  at  firft  given  to  the  Tribe  of  Judah. 
 
 Yet  not  absolutely  given,  but  fo  that  if  it  appeared 
 
 there  was  not  diffident  for  the  reft  of  their  Brethren, 
 
 and  they  had  more  than  enough  $    that  error  fhould 
 
 be  corre&ed,    by  taking  fomething  from  them,  and 
 
 giving  it  to  another  Tribe:  as  it  was  now  in  this  new 
 
 allotment. 
 
 Verfe  10.      Ver.   IO#  ^nd   the  third  lot  came  up  for  Zebnlun, 
 
 according  to  their  families."]     He  was  not  the  next 
 
 Brother  $  for  Ijfachar  was  born  before  him.     But  he 
 
 is  mentioned  before  Ijfachar,  both  in  the  bleffing  of 
 
 Jacob,    XLIXGe*.  13.  and  of  Mofes  XXXIII  Dent. 
 
 18. 
 
 And  the  border  of  their  inheritance  was  to  Sarid.~] 
 No  more  is  faid  of  this  place  by  Eufebius,  but  that  it 
 was  o&tcv  ZaSxAvv,  the  bound  or  limit  of  Zebulun, 
 and  St.  Hierom  faith  the  fame.  And  by  what  follows, 
 it  feems  to  have  been  the  South-Weft  border. 
 Verfe  11.  Ver.  11.  And  their  border  went  up  toward  the 
 Sea7\  That  is  the  Mediterranean :  which  was  in  the 
 Weft. 
 
 And  Maralah,  and  reacheth  to  Dabbafjeth."]  Thefe 
 were  Cities  in  the  Weftern  borders,  as  appears  by  the 
 following  words. 
 
 And  reacheth  to  the  River  that  is  before  Jokneam.~] 
 See  XII.  22, 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  turned  from  Sarid  Eajiward  toward 
 the  Sun-rijtng."]  This  is  the  defcription  of  the  South 
 border  :  which  went  from  Sarid  in  the  Weft,  unto 
 Jordan  in  the  Eaft. 
 
 Unto  the  border  of  Chifloth-tabor.~]      A  City  near 
 
 Mount  Tabor y  in  the  Tribe  of  Ijfachar,  v.  18.     For 
 
 \  as 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  235 
 
 as  on  the  Weft  the  Zebulonites  were  contiguous  to  the  Chaprci 
 Tribe of  Mtnajfch:    fo  toward  the  Eaft,    they  were     XIX. 
 to  the  Tribe  of  Ifachar.  L/**Y~VJ 
 
 And  then  ^octh  out  to  Daborah.']  A  City  alio  in 
 the  Tribe  of"  Ifachar,  XXI.  28. 
 
 And  gocth  up  to  Japh/a.~]  It  is  uncertain  where  this 
 City  was,  though  lome  think  it  to  be  the  ftrong  City 
 which  Jofephus  calls  Japha  (L.  2.  de  Bello  Jud.  Cap. 
 25.)  and  places  it  in  Galilee  near  Jotapata. 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  from  thence  pafjeth  on  along  on  ft&eVerfe  13. 
 Eaft  to  Gittah-hcpher.~]  This  feems  to  be  a  description 
 of  the  Eaftern  border.  We  read  of  the  land  ofHepher, 
 1  Kings  IV.  10.  which  was  near  the  Sea  of  Galilee. 
 There  this  City  was,  in  which  Jonah  the  Prophet  was 
 bom,  2  Kings  XIV.  25. 
 
 And  Ittah-Kaz,in.~]  This  City  it  is  likely  was  up- 
 on the  fame  Sea  of  Galilee,  called  Genefaret:  which 
 the  Vulgar  calls  Thacafin. 
 
 And  gocth  out  to  Rcmmon-methoar,  to  Neah.~\  Here 
 the  Eaftern  border  ended  (for  that  is  meant  by  the 
 Phrafe  gocth  out)  at  the  Sea  otGcncftret.  So  Jofephus 
 exprefly  affirms.     See  XLIX  Gen.  13. 
 
 Ver.   14.  And  the  border  cowpjjjcth  it  en  the  North  Verfe  j±. 
 fide  to  Hannathon.~]     Here  begins  the  defcription  of 
 the   Northern  border :    which  from  the  laft  named 
 place,    went  in  a  bending  line  towards  Hannathon: 
 a  City,  it  is  fuppofed,  in  this  Tribe. 
 
 And  the  out  going  thereof  arc  in  the  I  'alley  of  Jcph- 
 thacl.~]  Here  the  Northern  border  ended.  But  we 
 know  no  more  of  this  Valley  of  Jephtha-cl,  than 
 that  it  was  in  the  Tribe  of  Affer,  in  the  confines  of 
 this  Tribe,  v.  27. 
 
 II  h   :  Ver.  15 
 
a3<5  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Ver.   15.  AndKaltath,  and  Naballal,  and  Shiwron, 
 XIX.     <wd  idalah  and  Beth-kbem.]     It  is  not  certain  whether 
 L/^/%J'  thefe  Cities  belonged  to  Zebulon,  or  are  fet  down  as 
 Verfe  15.  places  upon  which  this  Tribe  bordered.     Of  the  two 
 firft  I  can  give  no  account:    but  we  read  of  Shimron 
 as  a  principal  City,  which  had  a  King  in  it  conquered 
 by  JoJIoua.     See  XII.  20.     And  Idalah  is  mentioned 
 by  St.  Hierom  (de  lock  Hebraick)  and  called  Jadela  .* 
 as  if  it  were  compounded  of  Jad   (which  fignifies  a 
 place,   XXV  Deut.  12.)   and  Ela    (a  Goddefs)  being 
 the  place  where  Venus  was  worfhipped,  as  Bochartm 
 conjectures,  Lib.  1.  Canaan  Cap.  III.     As  for  Bethle- 
 hem, we  are  not  to  take  it  for  the  place  where  our 
 Saviour  was  born:  which  is  called  Bethlehem-Judah  $ 
 to  diftinguifti  it  from  this,  which  was  far  from  it. 
 
 Twelve  Cities  with  their  Villages."]     Here  are  more 
 Cities  than  twelve  3  therefore  feme  of  them  are  men- 
 tioned   only  as    the  boundaries   of  this   Country. 
 There  is  no  doubt  but  thofe  mentioned  v.  13.  were 
 in  this  Tribe  :    and  many  think  thofe  five  here  men- 
 tioned in  this  were  fo  alfo.     Jokneam  likewife  be- 
 longed to  it :  but  which  were  the  reft  to  make  up  the 
 number  twelve  cannot  be  determined. 
 Verfe  16.      Ver.    16.  This  is  the  inheritance  of  the  Children  of 
 Zebnlon,    according  to  their  families .,    thefe  Cities  with 
 their  Villages .]     That  is,  thefe  were  the  bounds  of  it} 
 but  all  the  Cities  belonging  to  it  are  not  here  fet  down : 
 For  we  read  of  two  Kartah  and  Dimnah  (XXI.  34, 
 35.)  which  are  not  here  named.     And  indeed  Twelve 
 Cities,  do  not  feem  fufficient  for  Sixty  Thoufand  Men 
 (XXVI  Numb.  27.  therefore  they  were  only  the  prin- 
 cipal :  and  all,    perhaps,    that  the  meafurers  of  the 
 Land  had  noted  in  their  Book. 
 
 Ver.  17. 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  237 
 
 Ver    17.  And  the  fourth  lot  c.iwe  out  fur  ljfachar,  Chapter 
 for  the  Children  of  ljfachar  according  to  the'/r  families .~]     XI A. 
 Thus  faT  there  is  (ome  kind  of  order  obierved  in  tW"^ 
 thefe  Lots:    ljfachar  being  Brother  to  Zcbulun  by  the  Verfe  17. 
 fame  Mother. 
 
 Ver.  18.  And  their  border  was  towards  JezreeL"]  yerr3  .0 
 This  was  one  of  the  Pvoyal  Seats  of  the  Kings 
 of  Ifrael  in  after  times,  1  Kings  XXF.  1 .  Which  En- 
 febius  and  St.  Hicrom  place  in  the  Tribe  of  Manaffeh  : 
 but  ought  to  be  accounted  belonging  to  this  Tribe, 
 as  the  next  place  is  agreed  to  be.  There  was  another 
 in  the  Tribe  otjudah,  XV.  56. 
 
 And  ChefullothT]  Mentioned  v.  12.  which  both 
 the  forementioned  Authors,  place  in  the  Tribe  of 
 ljfachar  under  the  name  of  Achefeloth. 
 
 And  ShunemT]  Where  that  noble  Lady  lived  who 
 entertained  Elifoa  at  her  Houfe,  2  Kings  IV.  8.  12. 
 And  where  Abifrag,  the  Wife  of  David  in  his  old 
 Age,  was  born,  1  Kings  1.  3. 
 
 Ver.  19.  Hapharaiw,  and  Shihon,  and  Anaharath.~]  Verfe  1  <\. 
 He  doth  not  defcribe  the  borders  on  all  fides  of  this 
 Tribe  ^  but  only  fets  down  fome  principal  Cities: 
 for  it  lying  between  Manaffeh  and  Zcbulun,  the  fitu- 
 ation  of  it  was  fufficiently  known.  And  they  do  but 
 guefs  who  fay  thefe  fix  Cities  named  in  the  foregoing 
 Verfe  and  in  this,  were  in  the  Southern  border. 
 
 Ver.   20.  And    Rabbi  th,    and  Kifliion,    and  Abcz.~]  yerfe  2I 
 Thefe  three  Cities    and   the  two  next  that  follow 
 (v.  21.)  they  will  have  to  eonftkute  the  Weftern 
 border. 
 
 Ver.  11.  And  Remeth and  Fn-ganni/n.']     Here,  as  Verfe  22, 
 1  faid-,  they  imagin  the  Weftern  border  ended. 
 
 En  haddah  and  Beth-Pazzcz.~]  Thefe  two  and  the 
 three  next,  v.  22.  they  will  have  to  be  the  Northern 
 border.  Ver.  22. 
 
2^ 
 
 A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  2  2.  And  the  coaji  reachcth  to  Tabor. ,J     That  is. 
 
 XIX.     this  Northern  border,    for  Mount  Tabor  was  in  I 
 L/"V"NJ  North  :  and  this  City  was  hard  by  it  5    and  received 
 Verfe  22.  its  name  from  the  Mount,  or  gave  its  name  to  it. 
 
 And  Shahazimah,  and  Bcth~fl)emefJ).~\  Here  ended 
 the  Northern  border.  There  was  another  Bcth-fhemefo 
 in  the  Tribe  of  Naphtali}  v.  38.  and  another  in  the 
 Tribe  of  Judah,  XXI.  16. 
 
 And  the  out  goings  of  their  border  was  at  Jordan."] 
 This  makes  it  probable  the  former  account  of  its 
 other  borders  is  not  true  :  becaufe  it  leaves  no  City 
 for  the  Eaftern  border  near  Jordan  ^  nor  any  for  the 
 middle  of  the  Country. 
 
 Sixteen  Cities  with  their  Villages!]  This  Chows  that 
 Tabor  was  a  City:  otherwife  there  would  be  but 
 Fifteen. 
 Verfe  2?.  ^er'  23*  This  is  the  inheritance  of  the  tribe  of  the 
 Children  of  Ijfachar,  according  to  their  families,  the 
 Cities  and  Villages.  ~]  Thefe  were  their  principal 
 Cities;  but  it  is  likely  there  were  others.  For  we 
 read  of  two  not  here  mentioned.  XXI.  28,  and  29, 
 Dcbarch  and  Jarmuth :  yet  there  are  thofe  who  think 
 Jarmuth  is  but  another  name  for  Ren/eth  here  men- 
 tioned, v.  21.  which  to  me  doth  not  feem  prob- 
 able. 
 Verfe  24.  ^7er*  24#  And  the  fifth  lot  came  out  for  the  tribe  of 
 the  Children  of  After,  according  to  their  families!]  No 
 reafen  can  be  given  for  this  order  ^  unlefs  it  be  that 
 God  was  pleafed  to  place  this  Tribe,  being  defcended 
 from  the  Handmaid  of  Leah,  not  far  from  Zebulon, 
 one  of  Leah's  Sons.  As  for  Gad,  the  Elder  Brother 
 of  After,  he  was  provided  for  before,  on  the  ether 
 Jade  of  Jordan. 
 
 Ver.  25 
 
upon  J  OS  H  II  A.  230 
 
 Ver.  25.  And  their  border   n\is  Helkath,  and  Hair,  Chapter 
 
 •./  Bcten  and  Achfhaph.~]     We  know   no   more  of     XIX. 
 the  three  firft    of  thefe   Cities,    than  their  Names.  l/*"v~\j 
 Luc  the  lad  of  them  was  very  confiderable  :  mention  Verfc  25. 
 being  made  of  the  King  of  Achfhaph,    XI.  1.  XII. 
 20.     The  firft  of  them  alio  we  find  was  a  Levitrcal 
 City,  XXI.   31.    called  Hnkpl^  in   1  Chron.  VI.  75. 
 It  appears  likewile  by  the  mention  of  Cam/el  in   the 
 next  Verfe,   unto  which  this  border  reached,    that 
 thefe  Cities  lay  in  the  Weft,  near  the  Mediterranean 
 Sea. 
 
 Ver.  26.  And  Alammalech,  and  Am  ad,  and  Mi-  Verfe  26. 
 JJjael,  and  reacheth  to  Cam/el  \\cflrvard.~]  Or,  by  the 
 Sea,  not  for  from  Ptolamak^  to  diftinguifh  it  from 
 the  other  Carmcl  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  near  Hebron. 
 See  XV.  55.  Here  the  great  Prophet  Elijah  fometimes 
 dwelt,  and  confuted  the  Baaliles  by  a  flupendious 
 Miracle.  But  we  are  as  ignorant  of  the  three  Cities 
 mentioned  in  this  Verfe,  as  we  are  of  the  other  in 
 the  foregoing. 
 
 And  to  Shihor-Libnath7\  Whether  this  was  a  City 
 (fome  fancy  Ptolowak)  or  a  Promontary,  or  a  muddy 
 River  :  (for  there  are  thofe  different  opinions  about 
 it)  I  cannot  determine. 
 
 Ver.  27.  And  titrneth  toward  the  Sun-r)fing7\  Ityerfe  27; 
 turned  from  the  Sea  toward  the  Eaft  :  and  lb  North- 
 ward, bending  towards  the  Weft  again,  For  there 
 are  no  borders  or  fides  of  this  Tribe  defcribed  .  But 
 from  the  South  part  of  the  Sea  it  turned  Eaitward  : 
 and  then  Northward,  in  the  form  of  a  Bow,  towards 
 the  North  part  of  the  fame  Sea,  where  Zldon  was, 
 v.  28. 
 
 To  Beth-dagon.~]  There  was  a  place  of  this  Name 
 mentioned  before  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah,    XV.  41. 
 
 when 
 
Ho  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  where  it  is  thought  there  was  a  famous  Temple  of 
 XIX.     Dagon,  the  god  of  the  Philijiines. 
 
 \S*Sf\J  And  reacheth  to  Zebu  Ion,  and  to  the  Valley  Jiph- 
 tkah-el.']  And  fo  touched  upon  the  North-border  of 
 the  Tribe  oiZebulon :  in  which  the  Valley  of  Jeph- 
 thah-el  lay.     See  v.  14. 
 
 Toward  the  North  fide  of  Beth-emck^  and  Neiel"] 
 Where  thefe  were  is  not  known.  Only  Eufebius  and 
 St.  Hierom  fay,  Beth-cmck  lay  in  a  Valley,  or  low 
 place  in  this  Tribe :  as  the  Word  feems  to  im- 
 port. 
 
 And  goeth  ant  to  Cahul  on  the  left  hand7\  On  the 
 North  fide  (called  the  left  hand)  of  this  City,  which 
 lay  in  the  Tribe  of  After,  this  border  ended.  Some 
 have  been  fo  frivilous  as  from  hence  to  argue  that 
 this  Book  was  written  long  after  JoJImas  time  5 
 becaufe  the  Land  of  Cabul  (1  Kings  IX.  13.)  was 
 not  known  till  the  Days  of  Solomon  when  Hiram  gave 
 this  name  to  the  Land,  which  Solomon  prefented  him 
 withal.  As  if  there  were  no  difference  between  the 
 Land,  and  the  City  of  Cabul.  When  one  of  them 
 was  a  little  Region,  containing  twenty  Towns,  and 
 the  other  a  fmall  place  in  the  confines  of  Ptolomais  : 
 both  of  them  in  the  Tribe  oi  After.  They  are  plainly 
 diftinguifhed  by  Jofephus,  who  calls  one  of  them 
 ytw  XaSotXoip  the  Land  of  Cabul  %  and  the  other 
 yAjjJw  the  Village  of  Cabul:  as  Hnetius  hath  obfer- 
 ved.  Propof  IV.   Demonftr.  Evang.  P.  186. 
 
 Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  And  Hebron^  Called  Elbon  by  the  LXX. 
 and  by  the  Vulgar  Abran :  to  diftinguifh  it,  I  fup- 
 pofe,  from  that  Hebron  in  the  Land  ofjudah. 
 
 And  Rehob.~]  There  were  two  Cities  of  this  name 
 in  this  Tribe.  See  v.  9c.  One  of  them  was  a  Leviti- 
 calCit}\  XXI.  31.  and  the  Canaanites  kept  pofleffion 
 either  of  that,  or  the  other,  IjMg.ji.  And 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  241 
 
 And  HamvtonJ]     There  was  a  Levitical  City   of  Chapter 
 this  name  in  the  Tribe  of  Naphtali,   1  Chron.  VI.  76.     XIX. 
 called  Hanm/othdor  in  XXI.  of  this  Book,   32.  L/~V"V> 
 
 And  Kana.~]  There  were  two  Cities  of  this  name  : 
 one  in  the  upper  Galilee,  which  was  Kana  the  greater ; 
 and  the  other  in  the  lower  Galilee,  called  Kan  a  \l 
 lefs.  He  fpeaks  here  of  the  greater,  which  was  near 
 to  Sidon.  The  lefler  was  that  wherein  our  Saviour 
 turned  water  into  Wine,  and  of  which  Nathaniel  and 
 the  Syrophanician  Woman  were. 
 
 Even  unto  great  Sidon.']     See  before  concerning  this 
 City,  XI.  8, 
 
 Ver.  19.  And  then  the  coafi  turncth  toRamah7\  Another  Verfe  29, 
 City  on  the  Northern  part  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea. 
 
 And  to  the  firong  City  Tyre7\  This  Tranilation  is 
 queftionable.  For  we  never  read  one  word  of  the 
 City  Tyre  (unlefs  it  be  here)  until  the  Days  of  David : 
 though  we  often  read  of  Sidon  in  the  Books  of  Mofes  ^ 
 even  in  the  Prophefie  of  Jacob.  And  as  Bochartus 
 obferves  Homer  himfelf  who  fpeaks  frequently  of 
 Sidon  and  the  Sidonians,  never  names  Tyre,  Lib.  IV. 
 Phaleg.  Cap.  XXXV.  Therefore  it  is  highly  prob- 
 able fome  other  place  is  meant  by  Tzor  (as  our  Margin 
 notes  the  word  is  in  the  Hebrew)  which  was  a  fenced 
 City,  as  we  render  the  word  here  tranilated  Strong, 
 v.  55-.  And  there  were  feveral  Cities,  perhaps  called 
 by  this  name  of  Tzor  or  Tyre,  befides  that  famous  one 
 in  future  times:  particularly  Palatyrvs  $  as  much  as 
 to  fay  old  Tyre.  And  it  is  no  improbable  conjedhire  of 
 Cantpegim  litringa,  that into  thefe  two  places  Sidon 
 and  Tzcr,  many  of  the  People  of  Canaan  Hed,tofecure 
 themfelves  when  fojfma  invaded  them.  For  I 
 figniftes  not  only  a  Rock,  but  any  firong  forti' 
 place:    from  whence  it  ispoffible  the  Latin  word 
 
 i  i 
 
0A2  ACOMMENtARY 
 
 Chapter  Tunis,    and  then  our   Englifh   Tower,    is   derived. 
 XIX.     Certain  it  is  that  thefe  two  were  famous  Cities,  q^- 
 
 L/"V\J  ^Qifu  XcLfjLitpj),  as  Strabo  calls  them,  Lib.  XVL 
 where  he  faith  they  were  fo  anciently,  and  not  only 
 in  his  time  :  in  fo  much  that  it  was  uncertain  which 
 was  the  the  Metropolis  of  the  Phoenicians.  But  it  is 
 certain  he  fpeaks  of  the  New  Tyre,  which  was  built 
 in  an  Ifland  :  but  the  Old  one  was  on  the  Continent. 
 See  his  Obfervationes  Sacrae,  Lib.  I.  Cap.  I. 
 
 And  the  coaji  turneth  to  Hofah.l  Declined  a  little 
 toward  a  City  of  this  Name. 
 
 And  the  out  goings  of  it  are  at  the  Sea,  from  the 
 coaji  to  Achzib.Ji  It  ended  at  the  Country,  which 
 belonged  to  Achzib.  For  fo  Hebel  (which  we  here 
 Tranflate  Coaji)  fignifies.  In  proper  fpeaking  it  fig- 
 nifies  a  Cord,  whereby  ground  was  meafured :  and 
 thence  was  ufed  to  fignifie  the  portion  of  ground  it 
 felf,  which  was  meafured  by  that  Cord,  or  Line. 
 Thus  we  read  of  Hebel  Argob,  the  Region  of  Argob, 
 III  Dent.  13.  and  Hebel  Ha) am  the  Region  of  the 
 Sea,  UZephan  5.  Achzib,  according  to  St.  Hierom  is 
 that  place,  which  by  Pliny  ^  and  others  was  called  in 
 after  times  Ecdippa. 
 
 Verfe  30.  Ver.  30,  Ummah  alfo,  and  Apheh^,  and  Rehob.'] 
 It  is  probable,  thefe  were  three  Cities  in  the  heart  of 
 the  Coumry  of  AJher. 
 
 Twenty  two  Cities  with  their  Villages."]  There  are 
 more  than  this  number  here  mentioned,  though  we 
 do  not  reckon  Carmel,  nor  Jephthael^  one  of  which 
 was  a  Mountain,  the  other  a  Valley.  Therefore  fome 
 of  .them  were  only  the  boundaries  of  this  Tribe,  but 
 did  not  belong  to  their  poffeffion. 
 
 Verfe  31.  Ver.  31.  This  is  the  inheritance  of  the  tribe 
 of  the  Children   of  AJher,    according  to  their  families^ 
 
 thefe 
 
upon   J  O  S  H  U  A.  243 
 
 thefe  Cities  with  their  Ill/ages.']     That  is,  theft  were  Chapter 
 the  moft  Eminent  Cities :  "though  it  be  probable  there      X  i  X. 
 were  fome  other.     For  we  read  of  one  called  -,  l^WJ 
 
 XXI.  30.  not  here  mentioned. 
 
 Ver.   32.  And  the  fixth  lot  came  out  for  the  ChH  .37. 
 
 of  Naphtalr,  even  for  the  Children  ofNaphtali,  accc 
 tng  to  their  families.]  Here  the  Younger  Son  of 
 Bilhdb,  the  Handmaid  of  Rdchel  is  preferred  before 
 the  Elder,  who  was  Dan  (XXX  Gen.  6.  8.)  as  Ze- 
 hnlon  was  before  Iffachar.  Such  was  the  method  of 
 Divine  Providence  in  that  Nation  5  to  fhow  them 
 that  they  ought  not  to  value  themfelves  too  highly, 
 as  they  were  prone  to  do,  upon  their  external  privi- 
 ledges. 
 
 Ver.  33.  And  their  codfl  was  from  Hcleph,  fromVerfc  33 
 AUon  to  Zaanannim,  dnd  Adami,  Nekeb,  dnd  Jabneel^ 
 unto  Lakttmi]  He  doth  not  fay  what  Coaft  this  was, 
 but  by  what  follows  it  appears  to  be  the  Northern 
 border  5  where  thefe  Cities  were  fituated,  near  Leba- 
 non and  Sidon^  and  the  reft  of  the  Northern  part  of 
 Afters  Country.  For  Ndphtdli  comprehended  the  up- 
 per Galilee. 
 
 And  the  out  goings  thereof  was  at  Jordan.']  This 
 border  ended  at  this  River  5  and  at  the  very  Foun- 
 tain of  it,  which  was  at  the  foot  of  Libanus. 
 
 Ver.  34.  And  then  the   codji  turneth  Weflwdrd  to  Verfe  34 
 Aznoth-tabor,    dnd  goeth  out  from  thence  to  Huk^pkf] 
 The  Southern  border  began  at  the  former  of  thefe 
 Cities  5  and  ended  at  the  latter. 
 
 And  redcheth  to  Zebulon  the  South  fide.]  Touched 
 on  the  confines  of  the  Tribe  of  Zebulon :  fo  that 
 the  North  fide  of  Zebulon,  was  the  South  fide  of 
 
 phtali. 
 
 I i  2  And 
 
344  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       d#d  Macbeth  to  After  on  the  Weft  fide7\     This  is  a 
 XIX.     &ort  account  of  their  Weftem  border,  which  went 
 {^^sTSJ  as  far  as  to  the  borders  of  the  Tribe  of  Afier. 
 
 And  to  J n dab  upon  Jordan  toward  the  Sun-rijtng.~\ 
 It  was  not  near  Judah,  there  being  feveral  Tribes  be- 
 tween them.     Therefore  the  meaning  is,  this  Tribe 
 had  communication  with  that  of  Judah  by  the  River 
 Jordan.     So  the  word  upon  in  our  Tranflation  muft 
 be  interpreted  (though  there  be  no  propofition  at  all 
 in  the  Hebrew  before  Jordan)    which  River  afforded 
 them  convenience  of  carrying  Merchandizes  to  Judah, 
 or  bringing  them  from  thence.     And  thus  forae  think 
 the  Prophefie  of  Mofes  was  fulfilled,  XXXIII  Dent. 
 23.    Po/fefs  thou  the  Weft  and  the  South.     Which  doth 
 not  fignifie  that  they  had  any  Land  in  the  South  : 
 but  that  they  trafficked  with  it,    by  the  means  of 
 Jordan. 
 Verfe  25.      ^er.  35*  ^n^  the  fenced  Cities  are  Ziddin,    Zer, 
 and  Hammath,  Rakhath  and  Cinnereth.~]     Thefe  were 
 Northern  Cities,  it  appears  by  that  mentioned  in  the 
 mid  ft,  Hammath,  or  Hamath,  which  was  the  utmoft 
 bounds  of  the  Land  of  Ifrael  Northward.     See  XIII 
 Numb.  21.  XXXIV.  8.    1  Kings  VIII.  65.     It  feems 
 to  have  had  its  name  from  the  Youngeft  Son  of  Canaan, 
 who  it  is  likely  built  it,  as  his  Eldeft  Son  did  Sidon, 
 X  Gen.  18.     It  continued  a  famous  City  a  long  time, 
 for  in  the  Days  of  David  we  read  how  the  King  of 
 it  cunningly  made  his  Peace  with  him,    by  a  great 
 prefent,  2.  Sam.  VIII.  9,  &c 
 
 Rakkath.~\  Which  follows  that,  is,  in  the  opinion 
 of  fome  of  the  Jews  the  fame  with  Tiberitts-  So  the 
 Author  of  the  Book  de  Gppk  Hebraicis,  fet  forth  by 
 Hottinger.  Whence  the  Talmudifls,  as  he  obferves, 
 fay  Rakath  is  Zipporia:  which  was  called  Rakah,  be- 
 
 caufe 
 
up  m    J  O  S  H  LI  A.  ;  4  5 
 
 caufe  it  wasfeated  upon  the  bank  of  a  River,     It  Chai 
 
 was  alio  called  M<cf/ay  and  at  laft  Tiberias;  though     XIX. 
 other  JcivjJ/j  Authors  make  RJ^it/j  different  from  l/"V*w 
 that  City. 
 
 On*erethr\  A  place  upon  this  Sea  of  Tiberias -^  in 
 which  there  were  fine  Gardens  and  a  kind  of  Para- 
 dife.  Whence  it  was  called  Genefer^s  much  as  to  fay 
 the  Gardens  of  Princes  (Gannolh-Sarim)  And  it  had 
 the  name  of  Onnereth^  from  its  fweetnefs  and  plea- 
 fures  as  the  Jciyj  fay  (Cod.  Meg///.)  Kinnereth^  is 
 Ginfer.  And  why  is  it  called  Citinereth  ?  becaufe  its 
 fruits  are  as  fweet  to  the  taftc,  as  the  found  of  an  harp 
 is  to  the  ear.  See  Hottinger  in  his  Annot.  on  the 
 ibrenamed  Book,  P.  36. 
 
 As  for  the  two  firft  Cities  Ziddim  and  Zor,  I  can 
 fay  nothing  of  them. 
 
 Ver.   36.  And   Adam  ah,   and  Ram  ah,   and  Hazor.~]  Verfe  36. 
 We  may  guefs  where  thefe  Cities  were  by  the  laft  of 
 them,  Hazor,  to  which  they  were  Neighbours.     See 
 concerning  it,  XI.  1. 
 
 Ver.  37.  And  Kedefh,  and  Edrei,  and  En-hazor.']  Verfe  37 
 The  firft  of  thefe  was  a  Levitical  City,  XXI.  32. 
 in  which  that  famous  Captain  Baraks  was  born,  IV 
 Jndg.  6.  where  it  is  called  Keditb-Naphtali,  to  di- 
 ftinguifti  it  from  thofe  of  that  name  in  other  Tribes. 
 Of  the  other  two  Cities,  we  know  nothing. 
 
 Ver.  38.  And  Iron,  and  Migdal-el,  and  Horem^y^fe  28. 
 and  Beth-anath,  and  Beth-f/jemefo.~]  Every  one  knows 
 there  was  another  Beth-f/jemef/j  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah  , 
 and  that  this  City  and  Bcth-anath,  the  Children  of 
 Naphtali  could  not  conquer,  Ijudg.  33.  But  we 
 know  no  more  of  them,  nor  of  the  reft  :  fave  only 
 that  Eufebius  fays,  there  was  a  large  Village  called 
 M.;gdalel,  between  Dora  and  Ptolowais. 
 
 Kinctc 
 
o46  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Nineteen  Cities  with  their  Villages.']     Six  of  which 
 XIX.     were  fenced  Cities  ^  certainly  belonging  to  this  Tribe : 
 
 \ym^T\J  anc*  there  are  as  many  more  mentioned,  as  make  up 
 twenty  three.  Some  of  which  therefore  muft  be  ac- 
 counted as  bordering  Cities  3  or  only  large  Villages, 
 and  not  properly  Cities. 
 
 Verfe  39.  Ver.  39.  This  is  the  inheritance  of  the  tribe  of  the 
 Children  of  Naphtali  according  to  their  families,  the 
 Cities  and  their  Villages.']  This  muft  be  underftood 
 (as  in  the  account  of  the  forementioned  Tribes)  of 
 the  principal  Cities:  for  there  were  more  befides 
 thefe,  as  appears  from  XXI.  32.  Where  Hammoth- 
 dor,  and  Kartan  are  numbred  among  the  Levitical 
 Cities  in  this  Tribe,  which  are  not  mentioned 
 here. 
 
 Verfe  40.  Ver.  40.  And  the  feventh  lot  came  out  for  the  tribe 
 of  the  Children  of  Dan,  according  to  their  families.'] 
 They  were  the  only  remaining  Tribe,  that  was  to  be 
 provided  for. 
 
 Verfe  41.  Ver.  41.  And  the  coafi  of  their  inheritance  was 
 Zorah,  and  Efhtaol,  and  Ir-fhemefi.']  He  doth  not 
 defcribe  their  Lot  by  its  borders  5  but  mentions  the 
 Cities  that  were  in  it.  Some  of  which  at  firft  were 
 given  to  Judah  :  out  of  whofe  fhare,  it  being  too 
 large,  fome  Cities  were  taken  for  the  Danites,  as 
 others  were  for  the  Simeonites.  And  it  is  certain  the 
 two  firft  of  thefe  fell  to  Judah,  in  the  firft  divifion 
 of  the  Land,  XV.  33.  Both  very  eminent  places,  for 
 the  Birth  and  Burial,  and  mighty  motions  of  Sam/on. 
 For  at  Zorah  he  was  born,  XIII  Jndg.  2.  between 
 Zora  and  Eflotaol  he  was  buried,  XVI  Judg.  nit.  and 
 here  the  Spirit  of  God  began  to  move  him,  at  certain 
 times,  XIII.  25.  It  is  probable  alfo,  that  Ir-fhemefi 
 was  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah  at  the  firft:   it  being  of 
 
 the 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  24? 
 
 the   fame  fignification  with    Beth-foe  weft.     For  one  Cbaj 
 fignifies  the  City  of  the  Sun  5    the  other,    the   Honfe,     XtX. 
 or  Place  of  the  Sun.  L/*V"\J 
 
 Ver.  42.  And  Shaalabbin.']  Which  the  Amoritcs  yerfe  42. 
 kept  in  their  poflellicn,  ljudg.  35.  where,  byafmall 
 change  of  letters,  it  is  called  Shaalbin  5  and  in  fome 
 Copies  of  the  LXX.  tranllated  &*  S>  ^  ad  ifalmxat : 
 and  in  others  <L*  OlAzZiv.  And  in  our  preient  LXX. 
 both  thefe  are  retained.  For  a  Fox  in  the  Arabian 
 Language  is  called  Thalab,  and  in  the  Phsmistan 
 (which  is  half  ArabkkS)  Saalab,  as  Bochartus  obferves 
 in  his  Hicrozorcon,  P.  1.  Lib.  III.  Cap.  XIII.  and  in 
 his  Canaan,  Lib.  1.  Cap.  XXXIV.  P.  684. 
 
 And  A)alon7\  Another  City  which  the  Anurkas 
 kept  from  them,  as  we  find  in  the  fame  place, 
 ljudg.  35.  And  was  one  of  the  Levitical  Cities, 
 XXI.   25.  and  that  famous  place  mentioned,  X.  15. 
 
 And  Jethlah.~]  We  know  no  more  of  it,  then  that  it 
 was  a  City  in  this  Tribe. 
 
 Ver.  43.  And  Elon,  andThimmathah^  and  £Ar^;/-l  Verfe  42. 
 It  is  certain  that  the  laft  of  thefe  three  Cities,  was  at 
 firft  given  to  Jndah,  XV.  45.  But  Tlmmathah  was 
 not  the  fame  with  Timnah  in  the  fame  Tribe  (XV. 
 10.  57.)  but  quite  different  from,  it:  as  Gtbeath  I 
 obferved  in  the  foregoing  Chapter,  was  from  Geba. 
 For  Samfon  went  down  to  this  City  Timnath,  XIV 
 Judg.  5.  which  (hows  it  was  in  a  Valley  :  whereas 
 Judah  went  up  to  Timnath  to  Sheer  his  Sheep 
 (XXXVIII  Gen,  11.  13.)  which  fhows  it  was  upon 
 an  Hill.  Concerning  Elon  I  can  fay  nothing  5  unlefs 
 it  be  the  fame  with  Holon  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah, 
 XV.  51. 
 
 Ver.   44.  And  Eltelyh,  and  Gibbet hon,  and  Baalah.~]  Verie  44. 
 Some  think  that  the  firft  of  thefe  is  the  fame  with  that 
 
 City 
 
a48  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  City  in  the  Tribe  ofjudab  called  Eltekpn,  XV.  59. 
 XIX.      And  the  laft  the  fame  with  that  ca!!ed  there  Baalah, 
 
 L^V^vJ  v.  39.  As  for  Gibbethon  the  Danitts  feem  not  to  have 
 got  poffeffion  of  it,  or  to  have  loft  it  again  :  for  it 
 was  in  the  hands  of  the  Philijiines  after  the  Days  of 
 David,  1  Kings  XV.  27.  XVI.  15.  and  yet  ap- 
 pointed one  of  the  Levitical  Cities,  XXI  Jeflj.  23. 
 
 Verfe  4«v  ^er*  45*  And^ehud,  and  Bene-beral^,  and  Gath- 
 rtmmon?\  Where  jfe/W  was  I  find  not:  but B*^^ 
 is  mentioned  by  hufebim  as  a  Village  near  Azotm 
 (or  Afodod)  and  St.  Hierom  faith  in  his  time  was 
 called  Bernca.  Which  may  incline  us  to  his  opinion 
 that  Geth-rimmon  was  no  other  than  the  Cicy  of  Gath, 
 fo  often  mentioned  in  Scripture,  as  one  of  the  prin- 
 cipal Cities  of  the  Philijiines.  It  is  reckoned  among 
 the  Levitical  Cities,  XXI.  24.  as  Gibbethon  was  (^.44.) 
 though  in  the  hands  ofthe  Philijiines. 
 
 Verfe  46.  Ver.  46.  ^«d  Mejarkpn,  and  Eakjion.']  It  is  not 
 certain  where  thefe  places  were  5  but  very  likely  near 
 to  the  place  next  mentioned. 
 
 With  the  border  before  Japho.~]  This  place  was  after- 
 ward called  Joppa,  being  the  principal  Port  Town 
 in  all  Judjea  (mentioned  by  Pompon.  Mela,  Strabo 
 and  Pliny)  and  continues  fo  to  this  Day  5  retaining 
 the  name  of  Js:pha:  which  in  Hebrew  figmfesfair 
 or  beautiful.  It  is  not  certain  that  it  was  a  part  of 
 the  Tribe  of  Dan,  though  Eufebius  calls  it  a  Sea 
 Town  ofthe  Lot  of  Dan:  for  thefe  words  may 
 fignifie  no  more,  but  that  their  portion  comprehend- 
 ed the-border,  which  lay  before  this  place. 
 
 Verfe  47.  Ver.  47.  And  the  ceajl  of  the  Children  of  Dan'  went 
 out  too  little  for  ihem.~]  Thefe  words  too  little  are  not 
 in  the  Hebrew  5  where  there  is  nothing  anfwering  to 
 diem.     But  the  words  run  thus,    the  Coaft  of  the 
 
 Children 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  249 
 
 Children  of  Dun  went  out  from  them.     That  is,  they  Chapter 
 were  difpoffefled  ot  it,  in  fome  parts,  by  their  power-     XIX. 
 ful  Neighbours,  the  Amorites  :  who  forced  them  into  L/^V^sJ 
 the  Mountains,    and  would   not  let  them  dwell  in 
 the  Valley,  ljudg.  34.     This  put  them  to  fuch  (traits, 
 that  they   were  conftrained  to  enlarge  their  border 
 fome   other   way  :    which    they   did  by  the    means 
 following.     I  (hall  only  further  note,  that  this  is  no 
 ftrange  Phrafe  :  for  in  the  Year  of  Jubilee    Lands 
 are  faid  to  go  out,  when  they  returned  to  their  firft 
 owners,  from  the  prefent  poffeflbrs,  XXV  Levit.  28. 
 30.  31.  33. 
 
 Therefore  the  Children  of  Dan  went  tip  to  fight  againfl 
 Lc/Ijer,/.~]  A  City  not  far  from  Jordan,  called  Laifl), 
 in  the  Book  of  Judges,  before  it  was  taken  by  the 
 Danitcs.  In  after  times,  when  it  fell  into  the  hands 
 of  the  Romans,  it  was  called  Paneas :  and  made  the 
 Metropolis  of  Itnrea  and  Trachonitis.  And  from 
 Philip  alfo,  Son  of  Herod  the  Great,  who  very  much 
 enlarged  and  adorned  it,  it  was  called  Csfarea  Philippr, 
 in  honour  of  Tiberius  Cafar. 
 
 And  tooh^  it,  and  fmote  it  with  the  edge  of  the  Sword, 
 and  poffeffed  it,  and  dwelt  therein.  ~]  Were  not  di- 
 fturbed  in  their  pofleffion. 
 
 And  called  Lef/jem  Dan,  after  the  name  of  Dan  their 
 Father."]  Thus  Conquerors  were  wont  to  change 
 the  names  of  places,  which  they  fubdued.  This  was 
 done  after  Joffjuas  Death  5  and  is  related  more  largely 
 in  the  Book  of  Judges,  Chap.  XVIII.  Where  there 
 is  an  account  of  the  w  hole  Expedition.  From  whence 
 fome  argue,  this  Book  was  not  written  by  Joflwa  : 
 whereas  no  more  can  be  inferred  from  it  than  this; 
 that  in  after  times  Ezra,  or  fome  other,  thought  good 
 to  put  in  this  Verfe  here,  tocomplear  the  account  of  the 
 
 K  k  datrites 
 
a5o  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  Danites  poffeffions.    But  any  one  rmy  fee,  as  Huetius 
 XIX.     obferves,  that  if  this  Verfe  were  takc?n  away,  all  that 
 U^\^\J  is  faid  of  this  Tribe  coheres  perfectly  :    and  there  is 
 no  breach  at  all  in  the  context  of  the  foregoing,  with 
 the  following  Verfe  after  this.     Which  is  an  argu- 
 ment, that  this  (hort  account  of  their  taking  Lefiem, 
 were  not  the  words  of  the  Writer  of  this  Book,  but 
 inferted  afterward  by  fome  other  Perfon.     For  if  they 
 were  taken  away-,    this  relation  of  the  Danites  Lor, 
 would  be  more  like  the  account  of  the  Lot  of  all  the 
 reft. 
 *r    r      o       Ver.  48.  7  his  is  the  inheritance  of  the  tribe  of  the 
 '  Children  of  Dan,  according  to  their  families,  thefe  Cities 
 with  their  Villages^    The  number  of  them  is  not  fet 
 down,  as  in  the  foregoing  Tribes:  of  which  it  is  no 
 purpofe  to  enquire  the  reafon. 
 .    P  Ver.  49.  When  they  had  made  an  end  of  dividing 
 
 er  *?'"  the  land  for  inheritance,  by  their  coafis.  3  That  is, 
 after  every  Tribe  had  their  Portion  affigned  to 
 them. 
 
 The  Children  of  Ifrael  gave  an  inheritance  to  Jo/Ima 
 the  Son  of  Nun,  among  them."]  We  cannot  but  ob- 
 ferve  the  wonderful  modefty  of  this  Great  Man, 
 who  received  his  Portion  laft  of  all  5  and  then,  not 
 by  Lot  but,  by  their  Gift,*  who  were  already  poffefled, 
 of  the  whole  Land. 
 $>rfe  50.  ^er#  5°*  According  to  the  word  of  the  LORD,  they 
 gave  him  the  City  which  he  asked. ~\  God  indeed  had 
 ordered  that  he  fhould  have  a  Portion,  and  that  he 
 fhould  chufe  it :  but  he  was  content  to  ftay  for  it, 
 till  every  body  elfe  was  ferved.  We  do  not  ex- 
 prefly  read  of  this  command  :  but  many  things  were 
 faid,  and  done  -,  which  are  not  recorded.  And  he 
 being  as  faithful  and  upright  as  Caleb  (and  befides, 
 
 chofen 
 
upon.  JOSHUA.  251 
 
 chofen  to  be  the  Captain  of  Gods  People")  we  cannot  Chapter 
 but  think,  that  when  God  ordered  what  Caleb  fhould     XIX. 
 have,  he  gave  the  fame  direction  about  Joflma.     And  L/~V"NJ 
 fo  much  is  implied  in  thofe  words  of  Caleb  himfelf, 
 when   he  demanded  his  Portion  of  Joflma,  XIV.  6. 
 Thou  kjiorvefl  the  thing  the  LORD  faid  unto  Mofes  the 
 Man  of  God,  concerning  me  and  thee  in  Kadejfj-barnca* 
 Even  in  Timnath-Serah  in  mount  Ephraim.]     He  did 
 not  chufe  the  be  ft  place  in  all  the  Country  5    but  a 
 convenient  place  in  his  own  Tribe.    Which  was  feated 
 on  the  Northfide  of  a  Hill  called  Gaaffj ,  as  we  read 
 in  the  latter  end  of  this  Book. 
 
 And  he  built  the  City  and  dwelt  therein."]  Repaired 
 it,  I  fuppofe  (for  in  all  likelyhood  there  was  a  City 
 there  before)  and  made  a  convenient  Habitation,  for 
 his  Family,  and  Kindred.  But  we  read  nothing  of 
 them  :  for  as  he  did  not  affeft  to  make  himfelf  King 
 of  Canaan,  fo  he  contented  himfelf  with  a  little,  and 
 made  no  large  provifion  for  his  Pofterity.  We  have 
 no  mention  made  of  his  Sons  or  Daughters :  but  (as 
 Conrad.  Pel/icanus  fpeaks)  all  the  Ifraelites  were  his 
 Children. 
 
 Ver.  5 1 .  Thefe  are  the  inheritance \,  which  Eleazar  Verfe  5 1 
 the  Priefi,  and  Jojlma  the  Son  of  Nun,  and  the  heads 
 of  the  Fathers  of  the  tribes  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  di- 
 vided for  an  inheritance  by  lot,  in  Shiloh  before  the 
 LORD,  at  the  door  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congrega- 
 tion.'] It  is  ufual,  after  fo  long  an  account,  to  reca- 
 pitulate in  brief  what  they  had  done,  and  by  what  au- 
 thority :  which  he  doth  in  this  Verfe. 
 
 So  they  made  an  end  of  dividing  the  Country.]  Every 
 Tribe  had  the  place  of  their  fettlement  appointed,  to 
 their  fatisfattion :  fo  that  there  was  no  further  divifion 
 made  of  the  Land. 
 
 Kk  2  CHAP. 
 
2^2 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter 
 XX.  CHAP.     XX. 
 
 Verfe  i.    Verfe  i.     AiVI)    the    LORD  fpake  unto   Jofiuay 
 
 l\  faying.']     From  the  Tabernacle,  at  the 
 
 Door  of  which  he  and  Eleazar,  and  the  Princes,  had 
 
 been  making  a  divifion  of  the  Land  :  as  the  lad  Verfe 
 
 of  the  foregoing  Chapter  tells  us. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver-  2-  Speal^unto  the  Children  of  Ifrael  faying, 
 Appoint  out  for  yon  Cities  of  refuge.]  This  was  the 
 proper  time  for  it,  when  they  were  all  met  together 
 to  receive  their  feveral  portions  of  Land :  after  an 
 exatt  furvey  of  the  Country. 
 
 Whereof  I  fpeak^  to  you  by  my  Servant  Alofes.]  In 
 the  XXXV  Numb.  9,  10,  11,  &c.  where  he  treats  of 
 them  at  large:  and  repeats  it  again,  XIX  Dent.  1, 
 2,  &c. 
 
 Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  That  the  /layer  that  hjUeth  any  perfon  un- 
 awares0  and  unwittingly  may  flee  thither.]  Such  places, 
 every  body  knows,  there  were  among  the  Heathen  $ 
 but  commonly  they  were  their  Temples,  and  their 
 Altars 5  as  many  have  obferved.  Particularly  Job. 
 Genfius  lately,  in  his  Book  de  ViUimh  Humank.  Pars. 
 2.  Cap.  XXI.  P.  483,  &c.  But  there  were  alfo 
 fome  Cities,  that  had  this  priviledge,  as  Dilherrus 
 (who  thinks  herein  the  Gentiles  imitated  the  Jews) 
 obferves  out  of  Tacitus ',  L.  III.  Anal  where  he  faith 
 the  principal  Cities  of  Greece  contended  before  Tibe- 
 rius about  this  matter,  de  Jure  Afylorum.  See  Dijfert. 
 de  Cacozeka  Gentilium^  Cap.  III. 
 
 And  they  /hall  be  your   refuge  from  the  avenger  of 
 blood.']     Proteft  fuch  Perfons  from  him  who  ftudied 
 to  avenge  the  Blood  of  the  (lain.     Concerning  whom 
 fee  XXXV  Numb.  12.  Ver.  4. 
 
upon  J  OS  H  LI  A.  253 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  when  he  that  doth  flee  unto  one  of  thofc  Chapter 
 Cities,  Jhali  jiand  at  the  entrance  of  the  gate  of  the  City,"]     XX. 
 
 Defiring  to  be  admitted  and  protetited  there.  L/~VXJ 
 
 And  jhali  declare  his  ctufe  in  the  Ears  of  the  Elders  Verie  4. 
 of  that  Ot}'.']     That  is,    the  Judges  who  fat  in  the 
 Gate  before  mentioned,  XVI  Dent.  18. 
 
 They  Jhali  take  him  into  the  City  unto  them."]  Beine; 
 fatisfied  he  was  fuch  a  Perfon  as  he  pretended. 
 
 And  give  him  a  place  that  he  may  dwell  among  them.] 
 Aflign  a  convenient  habitation  for  him  :  thefe  Cities 
 being  appointed  by  God  for  that  purpofe,  and  given 
 unto  thofe  who  inhabited  them  on  this  condition  5 
 that  they  fhould  entertain  fuch  Perfons  when  they  fled 
 to  them. 
 
 Ver.  5.  And   if  the   avenger    of  blood  pnrfue  after  Verfe   <v 
 him.']     Defiring  he  might  be  delivered  up  into  his 
 hands. 
 
 Then  they  J/ja/l  not  deliver  the  flayer  up  into  his 
 hands."]     But  defend  him  from  his  aflaults. 
 
 Becaufe  he  f mote  his  neighbour  unwittingly,  and  hated 
 him  not  beforetime."]  It  was  a  cafual  (laughter,  with- 
 out any  defign  of  doing  him  hurt,  ajs  far  as  appeared 
 to  them.  If  the  avenger  purfued  the  flayer  fo  clofely, 
 that  they  had  not  time  to  examine  the  matter  at  the 
 Gate  of  the  City,  they  were  not  to  let  him  ftand 
 there  5  but  take  him  in  (and  afterward  hear  his  caufe, 
 and  judge  it)  left  the  avenger  (hould  kill  him  before 
 he  was  admitted  into  their  City. 
 
 Ver.   6.  And  he  Jhali  dwell in  that  City,  until  he  Jiand  Verfe  6 
 before  the  Congregation  for  judgment."]     The  avenger 
 might  bring  him  before  another  Tribunal,  to  be  tried 
 whether  he  killed  the  Man  by  chance,    or  not.    See 
 XXXV  Numb.  24,  15. 
 
 Am 
 
a54  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       And  until  the  death  of  the  high  Prieji,    that  fin//  he 
 XX.      in  thofe  daysr\     If  that  Court  found  him  not  Guilty 
 
 L/"VNJ  of  wilful  Murder,  he  was  reftored  to  the  City  of 
 Refuge  :  but  confined  to  live  there,  till  the  Death  of 
 the  High-Prieft.    See  in  the  fame  place. 
 
 Then  foall  the  flayer  return ,  and  come  unto  his  own 
 City,  and  his  own  Houfe,  &c.  *]  See  XXXV  Numb. 
 28. 
 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7-  And  they  appointed  Kedefi  in  Galilee,  in 
 mount  Naphtali }  and  Shechem  in  mount  Ephraim,  and 
 Kirjath-arba  (which  is  Hebron)  in  the  mountain  of 
 Judah.~\  It  is  commonly  obferved,  that  as  thele 
 three  Cities  were  feated  on  high  and  eminent  places, 
 that  they  might  be  feen  afar  off:  fo  they  were  at  fuch 
 a  diftance  from  each  other,  that  all  the  Country 
 might  more  eafily  have  the  benefit  of  one  or  other  of 
 them.  For  Kedefh  was  in  the  North  5  and  Hebron  in 
 the  South  }  and  Schechem  between  both.  Thus  they 
 fulfilled  the  command  of  God,  XIX  Deut.  8. 
 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  on  the  other  fide  Jordan  by  Jericho 
 Eaftward."]  On  the  Eaft  of  Jericho,  in  the  Land  of 
 the  two  Tribes  *nd  half  5  which  was  almoft  as  long 
 as  the  Land  of  Canaan,  though  not  fo  broad. 
 
 They  aligned  Bezer  in  the  Wildemefs,  upon  the 
 Plain,  out  of  the  tribe  of  Reuben  $  and  Ramoth  Gilead 
 out  of  the  tribe  of  Gad  $  and  Golan  in  Baft) an  out  of 
 the  tribe  of  Manaffeh.']  Thefe  Cities  were  affigned 
 by  Mofes  before  he  died,  IV  Deut .  43.  but  had  not 
 the  priviledge  till  now.  And  it  is  obfervable  that  if 
 Bezer  flood  in  a  flat  Country  ^  the  other  two  Ra- 
 moth and  Golan  were  in  the  high. 
 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  Thefe  were  the  Cities  that  were  appointed 
 for  all  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  and  for  the  flranger 
 that  fojourneth  among  them.  *]     For  the  fafety  of  all 
 
 forts 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  255 
 
 forts  of  Perfons,  as  is  manifeft  from  the  XXXVch   Chapter 
 Numb.   15.  XX. 
 
 That  rvhofoever  kjllcth  any  Pcrfon  at  unawares,  might  Ly^V^VJ 
 jicc  thither,  and  not  die  by  the  hand  of  the  avenger  of 
 blood,  until  he  flood  before  the  Congregation  7\  It  is 
 obfervable,  that  all  thele  Cities  belonged  to  the  Lc- 
 vitcs :  who  by  their  Authority  might  defend  the  Man 
 from  unjuft  ufage  j  and  by  their  Wifdom  direft  the 
 Elders  to  judge  aright  concerning  his  Caufe  5  and 
 alfo  give  him  good  inftru&ions  while  he  lived  among 
 them,  until  the  Death  of  the  High  Pried:, 
 
 Chapter 
 CHAP.     XXI.  XXI. 
 
 Verfe  1.  /~T*HEN  came  near, T]     After  the  Cities  Verfe  1, 
 _L     of  refuge  were  fetled. 
 
 The  heads  of  the  fathers  of  the  LevitesT]  So  the 
 Princes  of  the  feveral  Tribes  (who  devided  the  Land 
 together  with  Joftuaznd  Elea%ar)  are  called,  XIV.  1. 
 and  in  the  conclufion  of  this  Verfe.  And  therefore 
 the  chief  Perfons,  defcended  from  Kohath,  Gcrfion 
 and  Merari  (who  were  the  Fathers  of  the  Levites) 
 are  here  meant  by  the  heads  of  the  fathers  of  that 
 Tribe. 
 
 Unto  Eleazar,  and  unto  Jojlwa,  and  unto  the  heads 
 of  the  fathers  of  the  tribes  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael.~] 
 appointed  by  God  to  fee  the  Land  divided,  called 
 the  Princes  of  the  Tribes,  XXXIV  Numb.  18. 
 
 Ver.   2.  And  they  fpake  unto   them  at  Shiloh  in  the  Verfe  2.- 
 land   of  Canaan,  faying,    the   LORD  commanded  by 
 the  hand  of  Mofes  to  give  m  Cities  to   dwell  in^  with 
 
 the 
 
2$6  A   C  OMMENT ART 
 
 Chapter  the  Suburbs  thereof,  for  our  Cattle."]     This  commin  d  is 
 XXI.     regiftrcd  in  the  XXXV  Numb,  z,  &c,  and  is  (et  down 
 
 lSV\j  before  the  mention  of  Cities  of  refuge  (which  are 
 commanded  in  the  following  part  of  the  Chapter) 
 though,  it  feems,  that  Command  was  executed  be- 
 fore this. 
 
 Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  gave  unto  the 
 Levites  out  of  their  inheritance,  at  the  commandment 
 of  the  LORD,  thefe  Cities  and  their  Suburbs."]  Not 
 only  Jofljua,  Eleazar  and  the  Princes,  but  all  the 
 People  of  Ifrael  acknowledged  this  obligation,  which 
 God  had  laid  upon  them :  and  accordingly  thefe 
 words  import  that  the  People  feparated  fo  many  Cities 
 as  he  commanded  by  Mofes  ( which  were  to  be  Forty 
 and  Eight,  XXXV  Numb.  7.)  for  the  habitation  of 
 the  Levites.  Which  Cities  are  here  named,  and  di- 
 ftributed  among  them  in  this  Chapter. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  And  the  lot  came  out  for  the  family  of  the 
 Kohathites.']  After  the  Cities  were  fet  out,  which 
 fhould  belong  to  them  5  then  they  were  divided  by 
 Lot  among  the  fevcral  Families  of  the  Levites;  as 
 the  whole  Land  was  among  the  Tribes.  And  the 
 firft  Lot  came  out  for  the  nobleft  family  in  the  Tribe 
 of  Levi :  for  Mofes  and  Aaron  were  defcended  from 
 TCohath. 
 
 And  the  Children  of  Aaron  the  Prieft,  which  was  of 
 the  Levites.]  The  Family  of  Aaron  being  Priefts, 
 were  the  principal  among  the  Levites,  and  therefore 
 were  firft  and  very  honourably  provided  for. 
 
 Had  by  lot  out  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  out  of  the 
 
 tribe    of  Simeon,    and  out  of  the    tribe  of  Benjamin, 
 
 thirteen  Cities.]     It  was  by  a  fpecial  Providence-  that 
 
 the  fhare  which  fell  to  the  Pricfts,  was  in  thofe  Tribes 
 
 #hat  were  neareft  to  the  City  $  which  God  intended 
 
 (hould 
 
 % 
 
upon  JOSHUA. 
 
 fhould  be  the  iked  place  of  his  Worfhip  and  Service 
 in  future  times:  that  the  Priefts  might  be  read} 
 give  their  attendance  there*,   without  much  trouble. 
 
 Ver.    5.   And  the    rcjl  of  the  Children   of  Kohath.~]  \ 
 All  his  descendants  were  not  Priejls,  but  Aaron  and 
 his  Family  alone  5  the  re  It  were  bare  Levitts, 
 
 Had  by  lot  out  of  the  family  of  the  tribe  of  Fphraim, 
 and  out  of  the  tribe  of  Dan,   and  out  of  the  half  tribe  of 
 Manajfeh,  ten  Cities.]     Thefe  three  Tribes  were  nearelt 
 to  the  three  forementioned  :    to  that  the  Kohathites 
 were  not  far  feparated  one  from  another. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  the  Children  of  Gcrflwn  had  by  lot  out  VerP  6. 
 of  the  families  of  the  tribe  of  ljfachar,  and  out  of  the 
 tribe  of  Afljer^  and  out  of  the  tribe  of  Naphtalr,  and  out 
 of  the  half  tribe  of  Manaffeh  in  Baftan,  thirteen  CitiesT] 
 Among  the  Sons  of  Levi  Gerf/jon  is  mentioned  as  the 
 Eldeft  (VIEW.  16.  Ill  Numb.  17  J  but  the  Lot 
 came  up  firft  to  the  Children  of  Kohath,  the  Priefts 
 being  defcended  from  him. 
 
 Ver.   7.  And  the  Children  of  Merari  by  their  Families^  \ 
 had  out  of  the  tribe  of  Reuben,  and  out  of  the  tribe 
 Gad,  and  out  of  the  tribe  of  Zebulun,    twelve  Cities.] 
 This  is  only  a  general  account  of  the  Tribes  in  which 
 their  feveral  Lots  fell,   and  of  the  number  of  Cities 
 bellowed  on  their  feveral  Families. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  gave  by  lot  n?ttoytr; 
 the  Levites  thefe  Cities  with  their  Suburbs.]     The  Chil- 
 dren of  Ifrael,  as  I  faid  before  gave  them:    and  the 
 Lot  divided  them. 
 
 As  the  LORD  commanded  by  the  hand  of  Mofes.'l 
 Who  ordered  both  how  many  Cities  they  fhould 
 have  5  and  how  large  the  Suburbs  of  them  (hould  be. 
 See  XXXIV  Nuwb.  3,4. 
 
 L  1  Ver.  9. 
 
2 
 
 5* 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  9.  And  they  gave  out  of  the  tribe  of  the  Children 
 XXI.      °f  J"dah,  and  out  of  the  tribe  of  the  Children  of  Sim eon , 
 (^^V^NJ  thefe  Cities  which  are  mentioned  by  name.']     Here  now 
 Verfe  9.    follows  a  particular  account  of  the  names  of  thofe 
 Cities,    which  were  faid  before  in   general  to  have 
 been  given  out  of  thefe  two  Tribes.     Which  are  put 
 together  x,  becaufe  the  Lot  of  Simeon  was  taken  out 
 of  the  Lot  of  Jitdah. 
 Verfe  10.      ^er*   IO#  ^ V^ci)  f^e  Children  of  Aaron,  being  of  the 
 family  of  the  Kokathites,  8cc]      One  of  the  Families 
 of  the  Kohathites,  and  the  Eldeft  of  them  :  for  they 
 defcended  from  Amram,    the  Eldeft  Son  of  Kohath, 
 VlExod.  18.    Ill  Numb.  19. 
 
 For  theirs  was  the  fir fl  lot.']     They  had  the  honour 
 to  be  firft  provided  for,  as  was  faid  before,  v.  4. 
 Verfe  il»      ^er   II#    ^n^  they7]      That    is,    Eleazar,    Joflma 
 and  the  Princes. 
 
 Gave  them  the  City  of  Arba,  the  father  of  Anak^ 
 which  is  Hebron^  in  the  hill  Country  of  Judah,  &C."] 
 See  of  this  City,  XIV.  15.  XV.  13. 
 Verfe  12*  Ver.  l2'  But  the  fields  of  the  City,  and  the  Villages 
 thereof  gave  they  to  Caleb  the  Son  of  Jephunneh,  for  his 
 pojfejfion."]  The  Priefts  had  only  the  City  and  Sub- 
 burbs:  which  were  their  pofleffion,  as  much  as  the 
 Fields  and  Villages  were  Calebs  j  on  whom  they  were 
 beftow'd  before,  XIV.  15,  &c. 
 Verfe  12.  ^er*  x3-  Thus  they  gave  to  the  Children  of  Aaron  the 
 Prieji,  Hebron  with  her  Suburbs,  to  be  a  City  of  refuge 
 for  the  flayer."]  It  was  given  them  with  this  condition, 
 that  they  who  flew  a  Man  unawares,  (hould  be  en- 
 tertained here,  and  have  a  place  given  them  to  live 
 Securely  among  them,  XX.  4. 
 
 And  Libnah  with  her  Suburbs."]     This  is  to  be  un- 
 derftood  to  belong  to  them  no  otherwife,  than  Hebron 
 
 did: 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  2^ 
 
 did:  unto  which  they  had  no  right  beyond  the  City  Chapter 
 and  Suburbs:    And  therefore  the  Fields  and  the  Vil-     XXI. 
 lages  of  Libnah  they  had  nothing  to  do  withal  :  and  L/~V"V> 
 the  lame  is  to  be  noted,  of  all  the  following  Cities  of 
 the  Priefts. 
 
 Ver.    14.  And  Jattir  with  her  Suburbs  %    and  Eft-  Verfe  14. 
 temoa  with  her   Suburbs."]     Thefe   are  mentioned   as 
 belonging  to  Judah,  XV.  48.  50. 
 
 Ver.    15.  And  Holon  with  her  Suburbs."}      Called  Verfe  15. 
 He////,    iChron.    VL   56. 
 
 And  Debir  vp'/th  Jxr  Suburbs.']      See  XV.  15. 
 
 Ver.   16.  And  Am  with  her  Suburbs.]     A  City  in  Verfe  16. 
 the  Tribe  of  Simeon,  XIX.  1 7.  but  taken  out  of  Judah, 
 XV.   j* 
 
 And  Jut i ah  with  her  Suburbs."]     XV.  55. 
 
 And  Beth-fiemcJI)  with  her  Suburbs."]  Unto  which 
 City  the  Providence  of  God  diretted  theKine,  which 
 drew  the  Cart  wherein  the  Philiflines  put  the  Ark, 
 when  they  fent  it  home,  there  being  a  great  many 
 Priefts  in  it,  to  receive  it  with  due  care  and  reverence, 
 I  Sam.  VI.    12,    13. 
 
 Sine  Cities  out  of  thefe  two  tribes."]  For  the  Tribe 
 oijudah  was  very  large  :  and  the  command  of  God 
 was,  that  from  them  which  had  many  Cities,  they  flwuld 
 give  many,  XXXV  Numb.  8. 
 
 Ver.   17.  And  out  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,    Gibeon\ait  17. 
 with   her   Suburbs,     Gcba    with    her   Suburbs.  ~]       See 
 XVIII.  24.  25. 
 
 Ver.   18.  Anathoth  with  her  Suburbs."]     The  City  of  Verfe  18. 
 the  Prophet  Jeremiah,  who  was  a  Prieft,  \Jcrcm.    1. 
 
 And  Almon  with  her  Suburbs.]  Called  Alemeth,  in 
 1  Chron.  VI.  6c.  For  there  were  greater  alterations 
 than  this,  made,  by  length  of  time,  in  the  names  of 
 places. 
 
 L  1  z  Four 
 
a^o  ^  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Four.  Giles.']     Which  was  a  great  many  out  of  fo 
 XXI.      fmall  a  tribe :  but  the  Soil  of  it,  as  I  obferved  before, 
 t^V~NJ  was  very  rich. 
 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  J9-  All  the  Cities  of  the  Children  of  Aaron  the 
 Pr  lefts,  were  thirteen  Cities,  with  their  Suburbs .]  As 
 was  faid,  v.  4. 
 Verfe  bo.  Ver.  20.  And  the  families  of the  Children  of 'Kohath 
 the  Levites  which  remained  of  the  Children  of  Ko hath."] 
 Who  were  mere  Levites,  and  not  Priefts. 
 
 Even  they  had  the  Cities  of  their  lot  out  of  the  tribe 
 ofEphraim.]  Part  of  them  were  planted  there,  and 
 part  of  them  in  two  other  Tribes,  as  it  follows,  v.  23, 
 &c. 
 vrjrie  21.  Ver.  21.  For  they  gave  them  Schechem  with  her 
 Suburbs  in  mount  Ephraim,  to  be  a  City  of  refuge  for  the 
 flayer.]     See  XX.  7. 
 
 And  Gezer  with  her  Suburbs."]     See  XVI.  3.  10. 
 Verfe  22.       Ver.  22>  And  Kibzaim  with  her  Suburbs.]     Which 
 is  called  Jok#;eam,  in  1  Chron.  VI.  68. 
 
 And  Beth-horon  with  her  Suburbs^]      We  read  of 
 
 loth  the  Beth-horons  in  the  defcription  of  this  Tribe., 
 
 the  upper  and  the  nether,   XVI.  3.   5.    the  firft  of 
 
 which  feems  to  be  here  meant. 
 
 Verfe  7  2.      Ver.  Q3-  And  out  of  the  tribe  of  Dan,  Elkeleth  with 
 
 her  Suburbs,  Gibethon  with  her  Suburbs. 
 Verfe  24.      Ver.  24-  -Aijalon    with   her  Sububrs,  Gath-rimmon 
 with  her  Suburbs,  four  Cities.]     The  four  Cities  men- 
 tioned in  thefe  two  Verfes,    we  find  before  in  this 
 Tribe,  XIX.  41.  44.  45. 
 Verfe  25.      Ver.  25.  And  out  of  half  of  the  tribe  of  Manajffeh.] 
 That  half  of  it,  which  was  fetled  in  Canaan. 
 Tanach  with  her  Suburbs.]     XVII.  II. 
 And    Gath-rimmon    with   her    Suburbs.  ]      In   the 
 1  Chrcn.  VI.  70.    thefe  two  Cities  are  called  Aner, 
 
 and 
 
upon  J  OS  H  U  A.  261 
 
 and  Bihar,*  ;  fo  much  were  names  changed  in  a  long  Chapter 
 traft  of  time.    Or,  they  being  dtfppffefled  of  the  two     XXI. 
 Cities  here  mentioned,  by  the  Invalions  of  their  Ene-  tyy\j 
 mies  (who  perhaps  demolifhed  them)  theie  two  others 
 were  given  in  lieu  of  them. 
 
 Two  Cities."]  Which  was  a  juft  proportion  to  the 
 other  whole  Tribes :  who  gavejW. 
 
 Ver.  16.   All  the  Cities  were  ten  with  their  Suburbs,  Verfe  26. 
 for  the  )  1  of  the  Children  ofKohath  that  remained.} 
 
 Who  were  not  of  the  Children  of  Aaron,  the  Priefts, 
 v.  5. 
 
 Ver.  27.  And  unto  the  Children  of  Ger[hon  of  the  ft-  Verfe  27. 
 mily  of  the  Levi 'tcs \out  of  the  other  half  tribe  ofManafjeh.] 
 Which   had  their  inheritance,  on  the  other  fide  of 
 Jordan. 
 
 Golan  in  Baf/jan  with  her  Suburbs ,  to  be  a  City  of  refuge 
 for  the  flayer.']  XX.  8.  From  whence  the  neigh- 
 bouring Country  was  called  Gaulonitk. 
 
 And  Beefitcrah  with  her  Suburbs.]  Called  Afotaroth 
 in  the  1  Chron.  VI.  71.  by  a  very  light  change  :  only- 
 leaving  out  the  firft  Letter. 
 
 Two  CitiesT]  The  fame  number  that  was  given  out 
 of  the  other  half  of  this  Tribe,  ^.25. 
 
 Ver.   28.  Out  of  the  tribe  of  Iffachar,    Kifion  withyQrfe  2g# 
 her    Suburbs.  ]     XIX.  20.     Called   Kedefi,     1  Chron. 
 VI.  72. 
 
 And  Dabareh  with  her  Suburbs."]  Not  mentioned 
 before  in  this  Book,  but  in  1  Chron.  VI.  72. 
 
 Ver.  29.  Andjarmuth.']    Called  Ramoth,  1  Chron.  Verfe  29, 
 VI.  73. 
 
 And  Engannim.~\     XX.  21.  Called  Anew,  1  Chron. 
 
 VI.  73. 
 
 Ver.  20. 
 
26i  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Ver*  50.  And  out  of  the  tribe  of  After,  Mrjhal  with 
 XXI.      her  Suburbs."]     Called  Mifiea L,  XIX.  26.  Bind  Mafbal, 
 U^VNJ  1  Chron.  VL  75. 
 
 Verfe  30.     ^#d  Abdon.]      Mentioned  in  that  place  in  the 
 Chronicles:   but  not  in  the  XlXth Chapter  of  this 
 Book.     See  v.  31.  of  that  Chapter. 
 Verfe  si.      Ver.  31.  Helkath    with    her   Suburbs.]      XIX.  15. 
 Called  Hukpk*  t  Chron.  VI.  75. 
 
 And  Rehob.]     Mentioned  there,    and  XlX.Jofh. 
 
 28. 
 
 Verfe  32.      Ver.  32.  And  out  of  the  tribe  of  Naphtali,  Kedeft 
 
 in  G s  alike ,  to  be  a  City  of  refuge  for  the  flayer P]    XX,  7; 
 
 And  Hamwoth-dor  with  her  Suburbs.]  Called  fimply 
 
 Hatfrath,  XIX.  35.  and  Hammoth,   1  'Chron.  VI.  76". . 
 
 ^#d  Kartan  with  her  Suburbs^]  Called  Kirjathain* 
 in  1  C/jjw.  VI.  76. 
 
 Three  Cities^]  This  being  a  fmaller  territory,  it 
 feems,  than  the  reft  of  the  Tribes  forementioned, 
 who  gavejW. 
 Verfe  22.  Ver.  33.  All  the  Cities  of  the  Gtrfoonites  according 
 to  their  families  were  thirteen  Cities,  with  their  Suburb  s7] 
 As  was  faid  before,  v.  6. 
 Verfe  34.  Ver.  34.  And  unto  the  families  of  the  Children  of 
 Merari,  the  reft  of  the  Levites.  ]  The  remaining 
 Families  of  the  Levites :  for  there  were  three  headsof 
 them  5  GerJJjon,  Kohath,  and  Merari. 
 
 Out  of  the  tribe  ofZebulun,  Jokncam  with  her  Suburbs, 
 and  Kartah  with  her  Suburbs.]      Of  the  former,  fee 
 XIX.  11.  and  of  the  latter,  v.  16. 
 Verfe  35.       Ver.  35.  Dimnah  with  her  Suburbs,    Naharr  with 
 her  Suburbs.]     See  XIX.  15.  1 6. 
 
 Four  Cities.]  There  are  but  two  mentioned,  1  Chron. 
 VL  yj.  with  quite  different  names :  the  other  two, 
 it  Teems,  being  loft  before  that  time. 
 
 Ver.  36. 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  163 
 
 Ver.   36.   And  out  of  the  tribe    of  Reuben,    Bezer  Chapter 
 ivith  her  Suburbs.']     Which  was  one  of  the  Cities  of    XXI. 
 refuge,  XX.  8.  though  not  here  mentioned,  as  the  l^"V~No 
 'reft  are  in  the  foregoing  part  of  this  Chapter  5  and  Verfe  36. 
 in  v.  38. 
 
 And  Kedewothwith  her  Suburbs.']  Thefe,  and  the 
 two  Cities  in  the  following  Verfe,  Kedcmoth,  and 
 Mephaath,  are  mentioned  as  Cities  in  this  Tribe  XIII. 
 18.  And  fo  they  are  in  1  Chron.  VI.  78,  79.  as  Lc- 
 vHicaI  Cities. 
 
 Ver.  37.  Kedcmoth  with  her  Suburbs,  Sccf]  Some  ^  r 
 have  urged  againft  the  Integrity  of  the  Hebrew  Text,  r  e  37 
 that  this  and  the  foregoing  Verfe  are  not  to  be  found 
 in  fome  ancient  Copies  of  the  Bible :  and  indeed  the 
 Maforites  acknowledge  as  much.  But  it  is  evident 
 that  they  are  found  in  Copies  of  very  great  antiquity  ! 
 and  the  context  (hows,  that  they  ought  to  be  here  1 
 as  Bifhop  Walton  obferves  in  his  Conftderator  Considered, 
 Chap.  VI.  Seft.  XIV.  And  Hottinger  alfo  (who  an- 
 fwers  this  Cavil  more  largely)  obferves  that  they  are 
 in  a  mod  accurate  MS.  of  the  Duke  of  Rohans,  written 
 1495.  See  his  Thefaurus  Ph/lolog.  L.  I.  Cap.  2. 
 gxaft.  IV.  P.  i8r^Sfr.  The  Maforites  who  take 
 notice  of  this  omiilion,  acknowledge  in  the  Margin 
 of  this  Verfe,  that  it  was  to  be  found  in  feveral 
 Copies. 
 
 Ver.  38.   And  out  of  the  tribe  of  Gad,    Ramoth  in  Verfe  38, 
 Gilead  with  her  Suburbs,    to  be  a  City  of  refuge  for  the 
 Jkiyer^     XX.  8. 
 
 And  Mahanaim  with  her  Suburbs.']  This  City  was 
 made  by  Abner  the  Royal  Seat,  for  IJhboJheth.  BaoiAeio 
 tttafn  as  Jofephw  fpeaks,  L.  VII.  Antiq.  Cap.  V. 
 
 Ver.  39, 
 
064  A   COMMENT  A  RY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.   99.   Hefobon  with  her  Suburbs,  Jazer  with  her 
 XXI.     Suburbs,  four  Cities  in  all.']    Thefe  with  the  foregoing, 
 
 iWNJ  are  mentioned,  iChron.  VI.  8c,  81, 
 
 Verfe  39.      Ver.  40.  So  all  the  Cities  for  the  Children  ofMerari, 
 
 Verfe  40.  Sec.  were  by  their  lot  twelve  Cities.]     As  was  faid   in 
 general  before,  v.  7. 
 
 Verfe  41.      ^er#  41"  ^U  the  Cities    of  the   Levites  within  the 
 pojffejjion  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael,    were  forty  and  eight 
 Cities,  with  their  Suburbs.]     So  God  ordered  by  Mcfes, 
 XXXV  Numb.  7.     And  it    is  a  demonftration  that 
 Mofes  was  divinely  infpired,   to  make  fuch  an  ap- 
 pointment}   before    they    knew    whether  without 
 ftraitning  the  other  Tribes,    they    could   afford  fo 
 many  Cities  to  the -Levites.     For  when  Joflwa  and 
 Caleb  went  up  to  fearch  the   Land    (with  the  reft 
 mentioned,   XIII  Numb.')  they  could   have  no  op- 
 portunity to  take  the  demenfions  of  the  Country  5 
 whereby  Mofes  might  know  there  would  be  room 
 enough,  to  allow  the  Levites,  fo  large  a  proportion 
 as  this :    but  he  was  dire&ed  to  it  by  a  Divine  fore- 
 knowledge. 
 Verfe  42.      Ver.  42.  Thefe  Cities  were  every  one  of  them,   with 
 their  Suburbs  round  about  them.]     Viz.  Two  thoufand 
 Cubits  on  every  fide,  round  the  City,  as  is  ordered, 
 *XXXV  Numb.  5.     Which  muft  be  owned   to  be  a 
 great   proportion   for  this  Tribe  5    which  was  the 
 imalleft  of  them  all.     But  God  would  have  an  ample 
 provision  made  for  his  Minifters  :  and  they  had  none 
 of  the  Land  belonging  to  thefe  Cities,  as  was  before 
 obferved  5    but  only  room  for  themfelves,   and  for 
 their  Cattle. 
 
 Thus  were  all  thefe  Cities.]  Difpofed  and  fetled  ac- 
 cording to  the  Divine  Commandment.  Six  of  which 
 were  Cities  of  refuge :  and  the  other  forty  two  had  the 
 
 fame 
 
upon   JOSHU  A. 
 
 fame  priviledges,  if  the  Inhabitants  pleafed,    and  at 
 the  coft  of  thofe  that  fled  thither  for  fafety. 
 upon  XXXV  Sumb.  6. 
 
 Ver.  49.  And  God  gave  unto  Ifrael  all  the  Ixnd, 
 which  he  /mart  to  give  unto  their  fathers.']  He  gave 
 them  a  right  to  the  whole  Country  (which  was  di- 
 ftributed  among  them,  as  he  appointed,  by  a  Lor 
 which  he  ordered  and  dire&ed)  and  he  gave  them  the 
 actual  pojfejfion  and  enjoyment  of  the  greatefc  part  of 
 ic :  and  he  gave  them  power  to  fubdue  the  reft  (if 
 they  continued  obedient  to  him)  as  foon  as  it  was 
 convenient.  Which  was  exattly  according  to  his 
 Promife  and  Oath  made  to  them :  for  they  not  being 
 numerous  enough  to  People  the  whole  Country,  at 
 their  firft  coming  into  it,  he  never  intended  to  expel 
 all  the  old  Inhabitants  at  once,  but  by  degrees :  as 
 we  read  exprefly,  XXIII  Exod.  29,  30. 
 
 And  they  pojfejffed  it,  and  dwelt  therein."]  Went 
 every  Man  to  his  Lot }  and  peopled  the  Country,  as 
 far  as  at  prefent  they  were  able. 
 
 Ver.  44.  And  the   LORD  gave   them   reft  round  Verfe  44. 
 about,  according  unto  all  that  he  [ware  unto    their  fa- 
 thersJ]     None  molefted  them   in  their  PofTeffions, 
 but  they  plowed,  and  fowed,  and  reaped,  &c.  with- 
 out any  difturbance. 
 
 And  there  flood  not  a.  Man  of  all  their  Enemies  be- 
 fore  them.]  For  whofoever  had  oppofed  them  were 
 overthrown  and  deftroyed  by  them :  and,  as  it  fol- 
 lows, 
 
 The  LORD  delivered  all  their  Enemies  into  their 
 hand.]  Which  is  not  to  be  underftood,  as  if  all  the 
 People  of  Canaan  were  abfolutely  under  their  Power : 
 but  that,  as  long  as  Joflwa  lived,  not  a  Man  appeared 
 Jo  fight  with  them,  but  was  delivered  up  unto  them. 
 
 M  m  Ver.  45. 
 
,;£6  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  45.  There  failed  not  ought  of  any  good  thing 
 XXI.      which  the  LORD  had  fpoken  unto  the  houje  of  Ifrael^ 
 C/-VSJ  all  came  to  pafs.~]     Which  they  themfelves  (he  tells 
 Verfe  45*.  them  afterward,  XXIII.  14.)    knew  very  well,    and 
 could  not  but  confefs.     But  it  muft  be  underftood 
 according  to  the  Explication  of  v.  43.     For  the  time 
 of  fulfilling  fome  part  of  his  promife  was  not  come  : 
 and  the  compleating  of  what  was  begun,  depended 
 upon  their  Obedience    to  him.      But   (as  Conradus 
 Pel/icanus  here  admonifhes)    we  are  taught  by  this  the 
 truth  of  the  Divine  promifes  $  and  it  ought  to  eftablijh 
 the    belief  of  the   faithful,    that  it   do   not  fluUuate  : 
 though  the  promifes  of  God  feem  to  us  to  be  fulfilled 
 very  /lowly. 
 
 Chapter 
 XXII.  CHAP.     XXII. 
 
 Verfe  1.  Verfe  1.  AND  Jofhua  called  the  Reubenites,  and 
 jlV  Gadites,  and  the  half  tribe  ofManajffeh.~] 
 Who  came  as  Auxiliaries  to  their  Brethren  when  they 
 pafled  over  Jordan  5  as  they  had  engaged  to  do, 
 when  they  received  their  Inheritance  on  the  other 
 fide  of  it,  I.  12,  13,  145  &c. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  And  f aid  unto  them,  ye  have  kept  all  that 
 Mofes  the  Servant  of  the  LORD  commanded  you:  and 
 have  obeyed  my  voice  in  all  that  I  commanded  you.'] 
 XXXII  Numb.  20,  &c.  Ill  Deut.  18,  &c.  In  this 
 and  the  following  Verfes  he  commends  them  for 
 their  Obedience  unto  God  and  unto  him  :  and  for 
 their  fidelity  to  their  promifes  5  and  their  conftancy 
 and  patience  in  their  Piety  to  Cod,  and  love  to  their 
 Brethren.  Ver.  3. 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  267 
 
 Ver.  3.  Te  have  not  left  your  Brethren  thefe  many  Chapter 
 days,  unto  th'is  day.]     Seven  Years  (fome   think,  as     XXII. 
 imny  more)    they  had  continued  in  their  Service  5  l/~\T\j 
 as  long  as  the  War  lafted  with  the  Canaanites :  yea,  Verfe  5. 
 tilf  they  had  feen  their  Brethren  fetled  in  the  Lots 
 fain  to  them. 
 
 But  have  kept  the  charge  of  the  Commandment  of 
 the  LORD  your  God.  ]  During  which  time  they 
 never  refufed  what  was  expected  from  them,  for  the 
 help  of  their  Brethren.  See  XI.  18.  XIV.  10.  This 
 was  a  great  proof  of  their  patient  Obedience,  in  (lay- 
 ing fo  long  from  their  Wives  and  Children. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  now  the  LORD  your  God  hath  given  Verfe  4. 
 reft  unto  your  Brethren,  as  he  prowifedthem.]     Which 
 he  had  done  for  them  before,  I.  13. 
 
 AW  therefore  return  to  your  tents.']  So  he  calls  their 
 Hcufes,  becaufe  this  was  the  common  word  ufed  for 
 4  long  time  in  the  Wildernefs,  to  fignifie  an  Habi- 
 tation. 
 
 And  unto  the  land  of  your  pojfejfion,  which  Mofes  the 
 Servant  of  the  LORD  gave  you  on  the  other  fide 
 Jordan."]  It  was  but  reafonable  and  juft,  that  they 
 ihould  go  and  enjoy  what  God  had  given  them  5 
 now  their  Brethren  were  in  a  quiet  pofleilion  of  their 
 Portion  :  and  that  their  fidelity  in  performing  their 
 promife,  (hould  be  rewarded  with  the  like  5  in  dif- 
 mifling  them,  when  they  had  done  their  bufinefs. 
 For  they  engaged  to  ferve  no  longer,  than  till  they 
 had  driven  the  Canaanites  out  of  their  Country, 
 X  X  X 1 1  Sumb.  2 1 . 
 
 Ver.  5.  But  take  diligent  heed  to  do  the  Command-  Verfe  5. 
 merit   of  the  Law,    which    Mofes  the    Servant   of  the 
 LORD   charged  you.]     That  is,    to  obferve  all   his 
 precepts  (as  they  had  done  this  of  aiding  their  Bre- 
 
 M  m  2  thren) 
 
26%  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  thren)  and  for  that  end,    preferve  in  mind  all  that- 
 XXII.   God  had  done  for  them.     See  IV  Dent.  9, 
 
 'WVXJ  To  love  the  LORD  your  God,  and  to  walk,  in  all  his 
 ways,  and  to  keep  hh  commandments,  and  to  cleave  un- 
 to himy  and  ferve  him  with  all  your  heart,  and  with  all 
 your  foul."]  Efpecially  to  worlhip  the  LORD 
 alone,  with  fincere  affe&ion  :  which  Mofes inculcated 
 above  all  things,  before  he  left  them,  VI  Dent.  5.  13, 
 14    X.  12.  XI.  13.22.  XX.  9.  XXX.  6.  20. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  So  JoJIma  blejfed  them,  and  fent  them  away.] 
 He  not  only  praifed  and  commanded  them  y  but  dif- 
 raifled  them  with  a  folemn  Prayer  to  God  for  his 
 bleffing  upon  them.  And  he  feems  firft  to  have  dif- 
 mifled  with  his  bleffing  the  Reubenltes  and  Gadites : 
 and  then  to  have  blefled  the  Manajjites  by  them- 
 felveSo 
 
 And  they  went  unto  their  tent.]  In  order  to  pack 
 up  their  goods  $  and  make  themfelves  ready  for  their 
 departure. 
 
 Y^vfc  7,  Ver.  7.  Now  to  the  one  half  of  the  tribe  of  Manajfeh, 
 Mofes  had  given  pojfefjion  in  Bajloan  5  but  unto  the  other 
 half  thereof  gave  Jo/fma  among  their  brethren  on  this 
 fide  Jordan  Wejlward."]  This  is  repeated  to  fhow  why 
 he  mentioned  only  half  the  Tribe  of  Manajfeh, 
 v.  1.  and  to  introduce  what  follows. 
 
 And  when  Jofoua  had  fent  them  away  alfo  unto  their 
 tents.]  As  he  had  done  the  Reubenites  and  Gadites. 
 Then  he  blejfed  them.]  This  feems  to  fignifie  that 
 he  gave  a  peculiar  bleffing  to  the  Manajjites.]  That 
 is,  rewarded  their  Services,  by  fome  prefent  which 
 he  made  them.  Forfo  the  word  bleffing  (lobferved 
 before)  fome  times  fignifies,  2  Kings  V.  15.  And 
 he  did  this  the  rather,  becaufe  the  Manaffltes,  were 
 near  of  Kin  to  the  Children  of Ephr  aim  (of  which 
 
 Tribe 
 
upon  JOS  HIT  A.  26p 
 
 Tribe  he  himfelf  was)  and  were  now  to  be  feparated   Chapter 
 from  the  reft  of  their  Brethren  in  Canaan.  XXII. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  he  fpake    unto  them,  faying^]     This  L/y\j 
 fpeech  feems  to  be  direfted  to  the  Rcubcnites  and  Verfe  2. 
 (Jadites,    as  well  as  to  the  Manajfites:   though  they 
 had  a  peculiar  concern  in  it. 
 
 Return  with  much  riches  unto  jour  tents,  and  with 
 very  much  Cattle,  and  with  Silver,  and  with  Gold,  Sec/] 
 As  much  as  to  fay,  Part  with  your  Brethren  content- 
 edly and  well  pleafed  $  laden  with  the  Spoils  which 
 you  have  got  in  the  Wars  againft  the  People  of  Canaan. 
 For  they  had  their  (hare  in  the  prey,  as  well  as  the 
 other  feven  Tribes  and  half  3  and  carried  it  away  to 
 their  own  Country. 
 
 Divide  the  fa  oil  of  your  Jimmies  with  your  Brethren."] 
 He  orders  them,  when  they  came  home,  to  let  thofe 
 that  ftand  on  the  other  fide  Jordan^  to  defend  their 
 Wives,  Children  and  Cattle,  to  have  a  fhare  in  the 
 Spoil,  which  they  had  gotten.  For  this  was  thought 
 an  equal  thing  by  God  himfelf,  in  the  War  they  had 
 with  the  Mrdeanitesj  before  they  came  over  Jordan  .• 
 when  twelve  Thoufand  went  out  to  fight  ;  who  had 
 one  half  of  the  fpoil  :  the  other  half  being  divided 
 among  all  the  Congregation,  that  ftaid  at  home, 
 XXXI  Numb.  27.  And  it  is  very  reafonable  to  think 
 that  now  the  fame  proportion  was  obferved  :  tTie  Forty 
 Thoufand,  who  went  to  help  their  Brethren  in  the 
 War,  having  one  half  of  the  Spoil,  and  their  Bre- 
 thren, who  ftaid  to  guard  their  poflefiion,  the  other 
 half.  So  that  the  Warriours  had  the  far  greater  fhare; 
 as  there  was  reafon  :  becaufe  they  had  hazzarded 
 their  lives  in  the  interprize.  But  in  Davids  time  it 
 was  made  a  Law,  that  they  who  went  to  fight,  and 
 they  that  ftaid  to  guard  the  Stuff,    (hould  have  an 
 
 equal  . 
 
27o  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  equal  (hare  in  the  Prey,    i  Sam.  XXX.  24,  25.     See 
 XX 1 1    XIV  Gen.  ult. 
 Ly^VNJ       Ver.  9.   And  the  Children  of  Reuben,  and  the  Qhil- 
 Verfe  9.    dren  of  Gad,  and  the  half  tribe  of  Manaffeh,    returned 
 and  departed  from  the  Children  of  Ifrael  out  of  Shiloh, 
 ■which  is  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  to  go  into  the  Country 
 of  Gilead,  8tc]     This  fhews  that  he  gave  them  all 
 his  bleffing  in  Shiloh  where  the  San&uary  was:    and 
 fent  them  from  thence,  under  the  Divine  Prote&ion, 
 to  their  own  Country.     Which  is  here  called  the 
 Country  of  Gilead,  becaufe  that  was  an  eminent  part 
 of  their  Country  :  divided  between  the  Children  of 
 Gad  and  Manaffeh^    and   here  comprehends  all  the 
 reft  of  the  Land,  where  the  Reubenites  lived. 
 Verfe   IO»      Ver.   10.  And    when    they   came   to  the  borders    of 
 Jordan?]     Or,  they  came    (for  the  word  when  is  not 
 in  the  Hebrew)  unto  the  banks  of  that  River. 
 
 \\hich  are  in  the  land  of  Canaan7\  This  feems  to 
 import  that  they  built  the  Altar,  mentioned  in  the 
 end  of  the  Verfe,  before  they  went  over  for  dan,  in 
 the  Land  of  Cannan.  Which  is  not  at  all  likely  3  for 
 it  would  not  have  anfwered  their  intention:  which 
 was  to  (how,  that  Jordan  did  not  make  fuch  a  fepa- 
 ration  between  them  and  their  Brethren,  but  that  they 
 were  one  People  with  thofe  in  Canaan  5  where  the 
 Altar  of  God  was  in  Shiloh.  Therefore  I  take  this 
 to  be  a  fhort  manner  of  Speech,  fignifying  that  they 
 came  to  the  borders  of  Jordan  in  the  Land  of  Canaan  5 
 and  pafled  over  into  their  own  Country  on  the  other 
 fide  of  the  River.  And  fo  to  the  Hebrew  word  Gelilaih 
 (which,  we  TranllsLiZ  borders)  feems  to  fignifie,  a  cer- 
 tain place  near  Jordan,  to  which  they  came.  The 
 Vulgar  latin  Tranflate  it  heaps  5  the  LXX.  in  the 
 Vatican  Copy  retains  the  word  TaXctoid'  (or  Ta,\i\'jeS 
 
 as 
 
upon    J  O  S  H  11  A.  271 
 
 as  other  Copies  more  truly  have  it)  taking  it  for  ibrne  Chapter 
 rioted   place,    which  was  near  to  their   paflagc  over     XX! f. 
 Jordan.  U^W^ 
 
 The  Children  of  Reuben,  and  the  Children  oj 
 and  the  half  tribe  of  Manaffeh  built  there  an  Altar  by 
 Jordan.']  The  word  there  hath  made  it  thought, 
 that  they  built  this  Altar  in  the  land  of  Canaan  be- 
 fore mentioned.  But  the  particle  Sham  relates  to 
 time,  as  well  as  place  :  and  may  be  tranllated  then,  as 
 well  as  there.  Examples  of  which  there  are,  in 
 V  Judg.  21.  Vll I  Prov.  27.  compared  with  v.  30. 
 tllEcckf.  17.  and  moil  plainly  XL  VIII I  fa.  16. 
 And  thus  it  is  to  be  here  interpreted  ,  that  before  they 
 went  any  farther,  they  ftayed  by  Jordan,  till  they 
 had  built  this  Altar,  on  the  borders  of  their  own 
 Country.  For  fo  the  next  Verfe  teaches  us  to  ex- 
 pound it,  and  will  admit  of  no  other  Senfe  :  where 
 it  is  faid  they  had  built  an  Altar  over  again  (I  the  land 
 of  Canaan. 
 
 A  great  Altar  to  fee  to.  ~]  Which  made  a  great 
 fhow  :  being  very  high  and  Confpicuous  5  that  it 
 might  be  feen  a  far  off.  For  being  built,  not  by  a 
 private  Perfon  but,  by  the  whole  body  of  a  great 
 People,  they  thought  they  could  not  make  it  too 
 (lately  and  magnificent.  And  herein  it  differed  fo 
 much  from  the  Altar  made  by  Mofes,  that  they 
 thought  perhaps  it  would  adminifter  the  lefs  occafion 
 to  their  Brethren,  to  fufpedi:  it  was  intended  for 
 Sacrifice. 
 
 Ver.   11.   And  the  Children  of  IfraeL~)     That  were  Verfe  11 
 in  the  Land  of  Canaan.     This  is  an  inftance  of  fuch 
 a  fhort  manner  of  Speech,  as  I  take  that  in  the  fore- 
 going Verfe  to  be  5  which  muft  bf  made  out  by  Tome 
 fuch  Supplement,    as  is  there   mentioned.     For  the 
 
 R 
 
72 
 
 A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Reubenites,  Gadites,  &c.    were  the  Children  of  Ifrael, 
 
 XXII.  as  well  as  thofe  fetled  in  the  Land  of  Canaan, 
 VyVNJ  Heard  fayT]  This  is  an  argument  the  Altar  was 
 not  built  on  their  fide  of  Jordan  ^  for  then  they 
 would  have  feen  what  they  were  doing,  and  hindred 
 the  building:  whereas  they  heard  nothing  of  it,  till 
 it  was  built. 
 
 Behold,  the  Children  of  Reuben,  and  the  Children  of 
 Gad,  and  the  half  tribe  of  Manajfeh,  have  built  an 
 Altar,']     By  a  common  confent. 
 
 Over  againji  the  land  of  Canaan,  in  the  borders  of 
 Jordan,  at  the  pajfage  of  the  Children  of  IfraeL]  Ei- 
 ther there  where  they  now  pafled  over  Jordan  $  or 
 where  they  all  paffed  over  when  they  entred  Canaan  ; 
 or  at  the  ufual  place  where  every  body  was  wont  to 
 pafs  over :  that  they  might  take  the  more  notice  of  it. 
 And  here  alfo  were  the  geliloth  before  mentioned, 
 like  thofe  on  the  other  fide :  which  feem  to  have 
 been  great  banks  caft  up,  to  keep  Jordan  from  over- 
 flowing too  far. 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  when  the  Children  of  Ifrael  heard  ofk, 
 the  whole  Congregation  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael.']  Not 
 all  the  People  of  the  Land,  but  their  Elders,  and 
 heads  of  their  Tribes,  who  in  the  foregoing  Books 
 are  often  called  by  the  name  of  Coledath  {all  the 
 Congregation)  See  XXVII  Numb.  2.  XXXII.  2.  and 
 XVIII.  Chapter  of  this  Book,  v.  1. 
 
 Gathered  themfelves  together  at  ShilohT]  It  feems 
 they  had  been  feparated  :  being  gone  to  fettle  ia 
 their  feveral  Cities. 
 
 To  go  to  War  againji  them.]  To  confult  about  if, 
 For  they  imagined  them  to  be  Apoftates  from  their 
 Religion  ;  which  as  it  required  them  to  worfhip  the 
 I  ,ORD  alone  and  no  other  God  5    fo  at  no  other 
 
 place 
 
upon  JOSHUA. 
 
 place  but  that  which  he  hiinf.-lf  hi'!  chofui.     Where  (  . 
 he  allowed  but  one  Altar,  as  there  was  but  one  Cod.     XX 
 See  YAlDeut.  5.  6.  11.  13.  18.26.27.  XIII.  i2,&7.  u. 
 That  Altar  alio,    where  he  commanded  Sacrifices  to 
 be  offered,  was  to  be  but  three  Cubits  high  (XXVII 
 Exod.  1.)  lb  that  they  went  not  up  to  it  by  Steps 
 (XX  Exod.  26.)    whereas  this   was  an    high   Altar: 
 like  thofe  among  the  Heathen,  who  loved  to  Sacri 
 on  high  places,    (/.  e.  Mountains)    and    alfo  upon 
 high  and  lofty  Altars:    which  advanced  their  Sacri- 
 fices nearer  Heaven.     And  this  perhaps  was  one  thing, 
 that  incenfed  the  Congregation  now  affeinbled,  ai 
 made  them  think  their  Brethren  were  lapfed  to  Ido- 
 latry :    either  intending  to  worfhip  other  gods  5  or 
 the  God  of  Ifrael  in  an  unlawful  place,  and  manner. 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  fent  unto  the  Verfe  i~ 
 Children  of  Reuben,  and  to  the  Children  of  Gad,  and 
 to  the  half  tribe  of  Manajfch  into  the  land  of  Gilead.~] 
 Their  Seal  did  not  fo  tranfport  them,  but  that  they 
 prudently  confidered  it  was  fit  firfl:  to  be  rightly  in- 
 formed of  the  matter  of  fatt  :  and,  if  any  thing  was 
 amifs,  to  endeavour  to  fet  it  right  by  Counfel,  and 
 Arguments,  before  they  betook  themfelves  to  Arms. 
 In  order  to  which,  they  fent  the  EmbafTy  here  men- 
 tioned. 
 
 PhJneas  the  Son  of  Eleazar  the  Prieft.~\  A  Perfon  of 
 very  Eminent  Authority  among  them,  and  more  likely 
 to  be  received  with  due  regard,  XXXI  Numb.  6. 
 
 Ver.  14.  And  with  him  Sen  Princes,    of  each   cfrief  Verfe  14 
 houfe  a    Prince    throughout    all    the   tribes    of  Ifrael  7\ 
 Which  were  Nine  and  an  half:  So  that  a  Prince  y 
 chofen  out  of  the  half  Tribe  of  Man.tfch,  as  v.  el 
 out  of  the  other  Nine. 
 
 N  n 
 
274  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And  each  one  was  an  head  of  the  houfe  of  their  fa- 
 
 XXII.    thers,  among  the  thoufands  of  IfraelT]     That  is,  they 
 
 L*/"VXJ  were  Chiliarchs,    as  the  LXX.  calls  them:    and  the 
 
 chief  among   {uch  Rulers  of  thoufands  in  the  feveral 
 
 Tribes,  XVIII  Exod.  zi. 
 
 Verfe   IK       ^er*   *5"  And  they  c  ante  unto  the  Children  of  Reuben, 
 '  and  to  the  Children  of  Gad,    and  to  the  half  tribe  of 
 Manajfeh."]     Who  hearing  of  their  coming,   held  a 
 Congregation,  it  is  likely  of  the  chief  Perfons  among 
 them,  to  receive  their  Meflage. 
 
 Into  the  land  of  Gilead.~\  So  he  calls  here,  and 
 v.  13.  the  Country  of  the  two  Tribes  and  half  5  by 
 the  name  cf  an  eminent  part  of  it,  which  is  put  for 
 the  whole,  as  I  obferved  upon  v.  9. 
 
 And  they  fpal^e  unto  them,  faying7\  Made  the  fol- 
 lowing Speech  in  the  Aflembly  of  the  two  Tribes  and 
 half,  by  the  mouth  of  Phineas. 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  Thus  faith  the  whole  Congregation  of  the 
 LORD.']  The  Representatives  of  the  whole  People 
 of  Jfrael  5  in  whofe  name  this  Embaify  was  fent. 
 
 What  trefpafs  is  this  that  you  have  committed  againjh 
 the  LORD  God  of  Ifrael.~\  They  were  not.  able  to 
 exprefsthe  heinioufnefs  of  it. 
 
 To  turn  away  this  day  from  following  the  LORD."] 
 So  foon  after  they  had  feen  his  wonderful  works  ^. 
 and  received  fuch  a  charge  from  Jofoua,  as  he  gave 
 them  at  their  departure  from  Canaan,  v.  5. 
 
 In  that  you  have  built  you  an  Altar7\  Which  they  fup- 
 pofed  was  for  Sacrifice. 
 
 That  you  might  rebel  this  day  againfl  the  LORD."] 
 Which  was  direft  oppofition  to  his  exprefs  command, 
 immediately  after  he  gave  them  the  Law  from  Mount 
 Sinai,  XX  Exod.  24.  And  fee  the  places  before  named, 
 upon  z/,  12, 
 
 Ver.  17.. 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  275 
 
 Ver.  1.7.  Is  the  iniquity  of  Peor  too  Utile  for  us,  Chapter 
 
 frot?i  which  we  are  not  clean  fed  to   this  day.~]     He  in-      XXI!. 
 (lances in  this,  being  himfelf  an  aftor  in  the  punilh-  lv^v^vj 
 me  nt  of  it:    though  it  deferyed  ftill  greater  punifh-  Verie  17. 
 tnent.     For  that's  the  meaning  of  we  arc  not  clean  fed $ 
 have  not  iufficiently  differed  tor  that  Sin  :  there  being 
 fome  remaining  (he  feared)  that  were  intefted  with 
 thofe    Idolatrous    inclinations :    whom  God    might 
 juftly  cut  off. 
 
 Although  there  was  a  Plague  in  the  Congregation  of  the. 
 LORD.']  Which  deftroyed  Twenty  and  Four 
 Thouland,  XXV  Numb.  9. 
 
 Ver.    18    But  that  you  niujl  turn  away  this  day  from\rtvc~  ,3 
 following  the  LORD.~]     Commit  more   (ins  of  that 
 nature.     For  whether  they  intended  to  worfhip  other 
 gods,  or  to  worfhip  the  God  of  Ifrael,  in  a  manner 
 he  did  not  allow,  it  was  in  his  efteem  Idolatry. 
 
 And  it  will  be,  feeing  ye  rebel  to  day  againjl  the 
 LORD.']  It  muft  be  acknowledged  that  they  were  a 
 little  too  hafty  in  concluding  their  Brethren  to  be 
 Rebels ^  before  they  had  askt  them  for  what  purpofe 
 they  had  erefted  this  Altar  :  which  fhould  properly 
 have  been  the  firft  Queftion  ?  But  their  Pious  fear 
 left  God  fhould  be  offended,  made  them  immediately 
 fall  into  this  vehement  expoftulation. 
 
 That  to  morrow.]     That  is,  quickly,  or  fpeedily. 
 
 He  will  be  wroth  with  the  whole  Congregation  of  If- 
 raci]  With  you  for  committing  this  Sin  :  and  with 
 us,  for  not  punifhing  it. 
 
 Ver.  19.  Notivithftaudi;?g.~]     Or  rather,    and  now,  Verfe  10. 
 as  the  I.XX.  Translate  the  Hebrew  Particle,  Veac. 
 
 If  the  land  of  your  foffejfion  be  unclean.]  They 
 imagined  the  Rcubcnitcs,  and  Gaditcs,  and  Manajfitej, 
 might  take  their  Land  to  be  lefs  Holy,    for  want  of 
 
 N  n  z  an 
 
V6  A  CO MMENT A KT 
 
 Chapter  an  Altar,  and  fuch  a  token  of  the  Divine  prefercce, 
 XXII.  as  there  was  in  the  Tabernacle.  This  appears  to  be 
 L^VNJ  the  Senfe,  by  what  follows.  Which  our  Mr.  Mede 
 carries  fomcthing  further,  in  his  obfervations  concern- 
 ing the  appropriation  of  fome  place  for  the  worfhip 
 of  God.  Which  fo  univerfally  prevailed,  from  the 
 beginning  that  it  was  believed,  in  thofe  elder  times, 
 thatihoie  Countries  and  Territories,  wherein  noplace 
 was  fet  apart  for  Gods  worfhip,  were  unhallowed  and 
 unclean.  This  he  thinks  may  be  rightly  gathered 
 from  thefe  words.  See  Book  II.  upon  VEcclef.j. 
 P.  433. 
 
 Then  pafs  ye  over  to  the  land  of  the  pejjeffion  of  the 
 LORD,  wherein  the  LORDS  Tabernacle  dweUeth,  and 
 take  pofejjion  among  m7\  This  exprefles  a  wonderful 
 zeal  for  "God,  and  the  common  good  5  wherewith 
 they  were  at  prefect  poffefled.  Which  made  them 
 defire  rather  to  give  up  fome  of  their  own  Land  to 
 them,  than  have  them  fall  from  their  Religion. 
 
 But  rebel  not  againji  the  LORD,  nor  rebel  againji 
 us."]  They  defire  them  not  to  break  the  common 
 bond  that  tied  them  to  each  other,  as  well  as  unto 
 God  :  which  was  the  fame  Religion. 
 
 In  budding  an  Altar,  be  fide  the  Altar  of  the  LORD 
 our  God.]  Which  was,  in  effett,  to  forfake  the 
 LORD. 
 
 e  20.      ^er-  20,  ^^  not  -^c^an  t^,e  Son  of  Zerah.]     De- 
 fended from  Zerah,  VIL  17.  18. 
 
 Commit  a  trefpafs  in  an  accurfed  thing.]  This  was 
 a  freftier  inftance  than  that  of  Baal-Peor,  v.  17. 
 
 And  wrath  fell  upon  all  the  Congregation  of  Jfrael  } 
 and  that  Man  periled  not  alone  in  his  iniquit).]  VII. 
 r,  2,  &c.  In  this  he  explains  what  he  faid, 
 v.  18.   that  the  whole  Congregation  was  in  danger 
 
 to 
 
upon  JOSH  II  A.  277 
 
 to  fall  under  the  Divine  difpleafure,    by  their  Apo  Chapter 
 
 facy.  ,  XX  ff. 
 
 Ver.    SI.  Then  the  Children  of  Reuben  and  the  Chil-  i_y^/-\j 
 dren  of  Gad,   and  the  half  tribe  of  Manaffeh^  anfwered  V.riz  21. 
 and  (aid    unto  the  heads  of  the  thou  finds  of  ljraci] 
 Some  of  the  heads  of  their   Tribes,  made  the   fol- 
 lowing reply,  in  the  name  of  all  the  red. 
 
 Ver.  22/ The  LORD  God  of  gods,  the  LORD  God  Vqv[q  22# 
 of  gods."]  In  the  Hebrew,  the  God  of  gods,  the  LORD  5 
 the  God  of  gods,  the  LORD.  Where  there  are  three 
 names  of  God,  £/,  Elohim,  and  Jehovah :  fignifying 
 that  they  owned  no  other  God,  but  him  whom  their 
 Fore-fathers  worfhipped,  by  what  name  foever  he 
 was  called.  That  God  who  is  infinitely  above  all 
 Creatures  $  the  fountain  of  all  other  beings.  And 
 they  double  the  expreffion  of  their  devotion  to  him, 
 that  they  might  fignifie  their  earneftnefs  and  vehe- 
 mency  to  purge  themfelves  from  the  crime  objected 
 to  them. 
 
 Some  of  the  ancient  Jews  thought  a  great  Myftery 
 is  contained  in  thefe  words.  For  the  Midrafch  Tillim 
 upon  the  Fiftieth  Pfalm  (quoted  by  Mart  a  Raymund. 
 in  his  Pugio  Fidei,  P.  III.  Diftinfr.  1.  Cap.  4.)  thus 
 difcourfes.  c  What  did  they  fee,  that  they  mention 
 '  thefe  words  twice,  El  Elohim  Jehovah,  El  Elohim 
 1  Jehovah.  They  faid,  God  God  Jehovah  the  firft: 
 c  time,  becaufe  by  thefe  the  World  was  created  :  and 
 c  they  faid,  God  God  Jehovah  the  fecond  time,  becaufe 
 c  by  thefe  the  Law  was  given.  Where  he  plainly 
 infinuates  a  Plurality  of  Perfons,  faying  Uehen  (by 
 thefe)  the  World  was  created,  &c.  and  refers  to  the 
 firft  words  of  Genefis,  where  it  is  faid  Elohim  created 
 in  the  beginning  the  Heaven  and  the  Earth.  No 
 wonder  then  that  Cbfiftians  have  been  of  the  fame 
 
 opinion, 
 
s73  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  opinion,  and  thought  thefe  three  Names,  denoted  the 
 
 XXII.    Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghoft:    As  the  Author  of  the 
 
 vyv\j  old  Nilzacon  (Three  Hundred  Years  before  that  of 
 
 R.  Lipmans)    acknowledges,    P.  59.     Unto  which 
 
 he  gives  no  anfwer,    but  only  this,    that  thefe  three 
 
 belong  to  one  God  5  which  we  alfo  acknowledge. 
 
 He  knoweth.~\     They  appeal  to  him  who  fearcheth 
 the  Hearts  of  Men,  and  their  moft  fecret  defigns. 
 
 And  Jfrael  they  JJ) all  know.']     By  feeing  their  con- 
 ftancy  in  the  Religion  of  their  Anceftors. 
 
 If  it  be  in  rebellion,  or  if  in  tranfgrejfion  againji  the 
 LORD  (fave  us  not  this  day).  They  turn  their 
 fpeech  on  a  fudden  (as  is  ufual  in  great  paffion)  unto 
 God  himfelf :  defiring  they  may  not  live,  but  be  im- 
 mediately deftroyed  by  him  :  if  they  intended  either 
 to  throw  ofFhis  Worlhipand  Service  3  or  to  worlhip 
 him  any  other  way,  than  according  to  his  appoint- 
 ment. 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  That  we  have  built  us  an  Altar  to  turn 
 from  following  the  LORD,  or  if  to  offer  burnt- offerings 
 thereon,  or  meat- offerings,  or  if  to  offer  peace-offerings 
 thereon^  let  the  LORD  himfelf requite  it, ,~]  That  is, 
 they  defire  God  to  punifh  it  (for  fo  that  Phrafe  re- 
 quite it  fignifies,  XVIII  Deut.  19.)  if  they  intended 
 to  offer  any  fort  of  Sacrifice  whatfoever,  upon  this 
 Altar :  which  they  acknowledge  had  been  to  turn 
 from  their  Religion. 
 Verfe  ia.  Ver.  24*  And  if  we  have  not  rather  done  it  for  fear 
 of  this  thing7\  The  Hebrew  word  deaga  (which  we 
 Tranflate  fear )  fignifies  fuch  an  anxiety  in  their 
 mind,  as  gave  them  much  trouble  5  till  they  thought 
 of  this  way  to  give  themfelves  eafe. 
 
 Saying,  In  time  to  come  your   Children  might  fpeak. 
 unto  our  Children,  faying,  1 1  hat  have  you  to  do  with 
 
 the 
 
upon  JOSH  II  A.  279 
 
 the  LORD    God  of  lfrad?~\      They   were   afraid  a    (  hapter 
 time  might  come,  when  they  fhould  be  looked  upon     XXII. 
 as  Aliens  ^  who  had  no  right  to  come  to  the  Taber-  L/"V^Vj 
 nacle,  and  the  Altar,    to  offer  Sacrifice  there.     The 
 Tgrgum  hath  it,  What  have  you  to  do  with  the  WORD 
 of  the  LORD  God  of  lfrael? 
 
 Ver.   25.   For  the  LORD  hath  made  Jordan  a  border  Verfe  2,5". 
 between  us  and  you,  ye  Children  of  Reuben,  &c.~]      Di- 
 vided us  from  you  by  the  River  Jordan. 
 
 Tc  have  no  part  in  the  LORD  :  fo  fh all your  Children 
 make  our  Children  ceafe  from  fearing  the  LORD  J] 
 Make  them  lofe  their  Religion  (which  is  called  the 
 fear  of  God)  by  pretending  they  are  none  of  the 
 LORDS  People.  It  was  not  likely,  one  would  think, 
 fuch  a  thing  fhould  happen.  But  they  did  not  know, 
 what  length  of  time,  and  their  diftance  from  them 
 might  do  5  to  make  them  forget  their  relation  unto 
 them  and  unto  God  :  their  Country  being  no  part  of 
 the  Land  of  promife,  as  Canaan  was.  Here  again 
 the  Targum  hath  it  3  ye  have  no  part  in  the.  UORD  of 
 the  LORD.  ^ 
 
 Ver.   26.  Therefore  we  f aid,    let  us  now  prepare  to  „    r      , 
 build  us  an  Altar,  not  for  burnt-offering,  or  for  facriffce."] 
 They  again  difclaim  that,  before  they  give  the  true 
 reafon  of  what  they  had  done. 
 
 Ver.  27.  But  it  may  be  a  witnefs  between  us  and  you,  yerfe  27 
 and  our  generations  after  us. ~\  For  it  had  been  an  an- 
 cient way  of  preferving  the  remembrance  of  things, 
 by  raifing  fuch  ftru&ures  to  teftifie  to  them,  XXX 
 Gen.  48.  and  ufed  afterward  by  Joflma  himfelf, 
 XXIV.  27. 
 
 That  we  might  do  the  fervice  of  the  LORD  before 
 him,  with  our  burnt- offerings,  Sccf]  Have  the  privi- 
 ledge  to  come  and  worlhip  God  at  the  Tabernacle, 
 
 by 
 
A  COM M EN  T  A K T 
 
 Chapter  by  offering  fuch  Sacrifices  as  the  reft  of  the  Ifradites 
 
 XXU.     did. 
 
 L/"V\J  Thai  your  Children  way  not  fay  unto  our  Children,  in 
 time  to  come,  ye  have  no  fart  in  the  LORD.~]  That 
 they  might  not  be  thruft  away  from  the  Altar,  when 
 they  brought  their  Sacrifices  5  under  a  pretence  that 
 they  were  none  of  Gods  People  5  becaufe  they  did 
 not  live  in  the  Land,  which  he  promifed  to  their  Fa- 
 thers. Here  the  Targum  ufes  the  fame  Language  again, 
 no  part  in  the  WORD  of  the  LORD. 
 
 Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  Therefore  faid  we,  that  ft  Jhatl  be,  rrJ.cn 
 they  ft all  fo  fay  to  us,  or  to  our  generations  in  time  to 
 come0  that  we  may  fay  again7\  Have  a  reply  ready  :,  if 
 fuch  a  thing  as  we  fear  (hould  happen. 
 
 Behold  the  patern  of  the  Altar  of  the  LORD  which 
 our  fathers  made.']  Which  they  could  not  have  ex- 
 actly imitated,  if  they  had  not  been  acquainted  with 
 it,  and  worlhipped  God  there,  with  their  Brethren. 
 
 Not  for  burnt  offering, nor  for  facriffce.']  They  thought 
 this  could  not  be  too  often  repeated  }  that  they  might 
 not  be  mifunderftood. 
 
 But  it  is  a  witnefs  between  us,  and  you7\  A  publick 
 teftimony  that  we  ought  not  to  be  excluded  from  the 
 worthip  of  God  among  you :  being  of  the  fame 
 communion  with  you. 
 
 Verfe  29.  Ver.  29.  God  forbid  that  we  Jfjould  rebel  againfl  the 
 LORD,  and  turn  this  day  from  following  the  LORD, 
 to  build  an  Altar  for  burnt-offerings ;,  Sec]  They  ut- 
 terly renounce  all  fuch  intentions,  as  they  were 
 fufpefted  to  have  :  protefting  again  mod  folemnly., 
 they  meant  not  to  rebel  again ft  the  WORD  of  the 
 LORD,  as  the  Targum  again  exprefles  it. 
 
 Verfe  20.      Ver.  30.  And    when  Phineas    the   Prieji,    and  the 
 Princes  of  the  Congregation,  and  heads  of  the  thonfands 
 
 of 
 
upon   JOS  H  U  A.  a8r 
 
 of  Ifracl  which  were  with  him,    heard  the  words  that  the  Chapter 
 Children  of  Reuben,  &C.  fpeal^,  it  pleafed  them.]     They     XXII. 
 not  only  acquieffed  in  their  anfwer  ,    but  were  very  l/~V~Yj 
 glad  to  hear  it. 
 
 Ver.   31.  And  Phineas  the  Son  of  Eleazar  the  Priefl,  Verfe   51. 
 faid  unto  the  Children  of  Reuben,  8CC.]     He  fpake  to  them 
 in  the  name  of  all  his  company. 
 
 This  day  we  perceive  that  the  LORD  is  among  us, 
 becaufe  ye  have  not  committed  this  trefpafs  againfi  the 
 LORD.~\  He  thankfully  acknowledges  the  gracious 
 prefence  of  God  with  them  3  in  preferving  the  Reu- 
 benites,  &c.  from  fo  great  a  Sin,  as  they  feared  they 
 had  committed  ^  and  all  the  People  of  Ifracl,  from 
 fuch  heavy  judgments,  as  it  would  have  deierved. 
 
 Now  yon  have  delivered  the  Children  of  Jfrael  out  of  the 
 hand  of  the  LORD.]  Who  would  have  punifhed  them 
 for  this  Schifm,  if  they  had  been  guilty  of  it,  and  not 
 cenfured  for  it.  This  whole  Verfe  runs  thus  in  the  Tar- 
 gum.  This  day  we  perceive  that  the  SCHECHINAH  (or 
 Divine  Majefty)  is  among  us,  becaufe  ye  have  not  com- 
 mitted this  trefpafs  againfi  the  WORD  of  the  LORD: 
 whereby  you  have  delivered  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  out  of 
 the  hand  of  the  WORD   of  the  LORD. 
 
 Ver.  32.  And  Phineas  the  Son  of  Eleazar  the  Priefi,  Verfe  32. 
 and  the  Princes,  returned  from  the  Children  of  Reuben,  and 
 from  the  Children  of  Gad,  out  of  the  land  ofGilead,  Scc.^j 
 Under  Reuben  and  Gad,  the  half  Tribe  of  Manajfeh  is 
 included,  both  here,  and  v.  25.  32,  33.  as  under  the 
 land  ofGHead  is  included  the  whole  Country  of  thefe 
 Tribes.  The  LXX.  thought  good  to  add  here  (and  in 
 all  thofe  Verfes)  expreily,  and  the  half  tribe  of  Manaffih: 
 though  not  in  the  Hebrew. 
 
 And  brought  them  word  again.']     Informed  them  how 
 they  found  things  among  their  Brethren. 
 
 Ver.  33.  And  the  thing  pleafed  the  Children  of  Jfrael.']  Verfe  33, 
 
 O  o  They 
 
aSi  A  CO  MMENT  AK  T 
 
 Chapter  They  were  fatisfied  in  the  account  they  gave  them  ;  and 
 XX If.    approved  of  what  their  Brethren  had  done. 
 L/*V"\J       And  they  lleffed  Godf]     As  Phineas  had  done  ^    that 
 their  Brethren  had  not  offended  the  Divine  Majefty,  as 
 they  fufpefred. 
 
 And  did  not  intend  to  go  up  again jl  them  in  battle.'] 
 Laid  afide  that  intention  (which  was  in  their  mind, 
 v.  12.)  and  purfued  it  no  further. 
 
 To  dejiroy  the  land  wherein  the  Children  of  Reuben,  and 
 the  Children  of  Gad?  dwelt.']  For  fo  they  thought  they 
 were  bound  to  do,  by  the  command,  XIII  Dent.  12,  &c. 
 which  extended  to  a  whole  Country,  as  well  as  a  City. 
 Verfe  3  4.  Ver.  34.  And  the  Children  of  Reuben,  and  the  Children 
 of  Gad,  called  the  Altar  ED7]  That  is,  a  witnefs .  for 
 the  reafon  following. 
 
 For  it  foall  be  a  witnefs  between  us%  that  the  LORD  is 
 God.']  that  we  own  no  other  God  but  JEHOVAH, 
 and  him  only  will  we  worfhip  as  he  hath  commanded. 
 So  the  LXX.  07i  Kvtt&>  0  Oik  tafrJT  &t,  that  the 
 LORD  is  their  God. 
 
 In  all  this  whole  relation  from  v.  10.  to  the  end  of 
 the  Chapter,  there  being  no  mention  of  Joffma  :  who 
 is  not  once  named,  either  as  fending  thefe  Embafladors, 
 or  receiving  the  report  which  they  brought  back  :  fome 
 have  thence  entertained  a  conceit  that  Jojlma  was  dead, 
 before  this  hapned  5  and  confequently  that  he  could 
 not  be  the  Author  of  this  Book.  But  it  is  manifeft  fuch 
 Perfons  have  a  great  defire  to  weaken  the  Authority  of 
 thefe  Holy  Books,  or  elfe  they  would  not  draw  fuch 
 confequences,  from  fuch  frivilous  Obfervations.  For  it 
 is  evident  that  all  this  came  to  pafs,  not  long  after  Jojhud 
 had  difroiffed  thefe  Tribes  with  good  Counfel  and  with 
 his  blefling.  For  tfaey  returning  immediately  after  this 
 to  their  own  Country,  went  no  further  than  Jordan 
 befo;e  they  erefted  this  Altar  :  upon  which  thole  great 
 
 Perfons 
 
upon  JOSHUA. 
 
 Perfons  went  to  expofrulatc  with  them,  and  heard  their 
 apology,  and  came  back,  and  reported  it.  All  this  is  XXII. 
 told  in  one  continued  and  coherent  Hiftory  jis  it  wer-j  t^W* 
 with  one  breath)  without  the  leaft  (unification,  of  any 
 confiderable  time  that  palfed  between  one  part  of  it,  and 
 the  other.  And  the  LXX.  were  lb  well  fatisfied  of  this, 
 that  they  took  the  anfwer  of  the  Rcuben/tci,  Qadites 
 and  Manajjites  to  have  been  brought  to  Jo/Iwa.  For 
 they  fay  he  impofed  the  name  of  E  D  upon  the  Altar. 
 So  their  words  are  in  the  Vatican  Edition,  which  is  mod 
 common  among  us,  Kl  ht<*AfJwrm  6  F*r&  t-  £^uJcv^ 
 &c. 
 
 Chapter 
 CHAP.     XXIII.  XXIII. 
 
 Verfe   I.     \  ND  it  came  to  pafs  a  long  time  after ■,  that  Verfe  i. 
 
 Xl  the  LORD  had  given  reji  to  Ifrael  fro/.-: 
 all  their  enemies  round  about.']  Some  take  it  to  have 
 been  fourteen  Years  after  their  conqueft  of  the  Coun- 
 try, XI.  23.  and  feven  Years  after  the  divition  of  it. 
 See  XIV.  ic. 
 
 That  Joflma  rcaxed  old  and  Jlricken  in  age.']  This  was 
 faid  of  him  before  the  Land  was  divided  (XIII.  1.) 
 and  a  portion  thereof  given  unto  him.  Where  he  built 
 a  City  }  which  took  up  fo  much  time,  that  probably 
 he  was  now  to  the  laft  Year  of  his  Life. 
 
 Ver.  2.  And  Joifata  called  for  ail  jfracl.]  Sent  out  a  Verfe  2. 
 Summons  to  them,  to  come  to  him,  at  Tixwah-Serah 
 where  he  lived,  as  the  Jews  will  have  it:  but  rnther 
 to  Shiloh  5  where  they  might  appear  before  God,  as 
 well  as  before  him  5  and  have  the  greater  regard  to  his 
 words. 
 
 And  for  their  Elders,  Sccf)  The  word  and  is  not 
 in  the  Hebrew  Text :    and  therefore  thefe  words  are  an 
 
 O  o  2  Explication 
 
284  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Explication  of  what  he  means  by  all  Jfrael :  Not  all  the 
 
 XXIII.  People  (who  could  not  without  great  inconvenience 
 i/W  come  thither,  and  could  not  all  hear  him.  if  they  did) 
 but  their  Elders-,  that  is,  the  great  Sanhedrim,  as  they 
 were  called  in  future  times  5  and  for  their  heads,  that  is 
 of  their  Tribes,  and  Families  5  and  for  their  Judges, 
 who  were  fetled  in  all  the  leffer  Cities  5  and  for 
 their  Officers,  who  attended  upon  the  Judges  to  execute 
 their  Sentence. 
 
 And  faid  unto  them,  I  am  old  and  Jiricken  in  age."]  He 
 would  make  them  fenfible,  that  this  might  be  the  laft 
 time,  he  (hould  be  able  to  fpeak  to  them:  which  might 
 move  them  to  give  greater  attention  unto  what  he 
 faid. 
 
 ¥erfe  3.  Ver.  3-  Andyehavefeen.']  Or  rather,  behold  ye  have 
 feen :  for  fo  the  particle  ve  (which  we  Tranflate  and) 
 fometimes  fignifies  XXIV  Gen.  31.  behold,  I  have  pre- 
 pared the  honfe,  &C. 
 
 All  that  the  LORD  hath  done  unto  all  thefe  nations, 
 becaufe  of  you7\  For  your  fake^  that  he  might  make 
 room  for  you  in  their  Country,  by  expelling  them  out 
 of  it. 
 
 For  the  LORD  your  God  is  he  that  hath  fought  for 
 you.~\  See  I.  9.  XL  8.  10.  42.  XL  6.  The  Targum  here 
 faith  (as  in  X.  42.)  The  LORD  jour  God,  his  WORD 
 fought  for  you.     See  XIV.  1 2. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  Behold,  I  have  divided  unto  you  by  lot,  thefe 
 Nations  that  remain,  to  be  an  inheritance  for  your  tribes, 
 from  Jordan,  withal  the  Nations  that  I  have  cut  off0  even 
 unto  the  great  SeaWe(lward.~]  The  meaning  is,  he  had 
 divided  among  them,  the  whole  Land  of  Canaan,  from 
 Jordan  in  theEaft,  to  the  Mediterranean  in  the  Weft : 
 as  well  that  part  of  the  Land  which  remained  ftill  un- 
 conquered,  as  that  out  of  which  they  had  expelled  the 
 ancient  Inhabitants. 
 
 Ver.  5, 
 
upon    JO  S  H  U  A.  2S5 
 
 Ver.  5.  And  the  LORD  your  God  be  /ball  txpelthem  Chapter 
 mrom  before  jou^  and  drive  them  from  of  yonr  fight,  Sec.-]    XXIII. 
 
 This  relates  unto  thole  who  remained  unlukiued   (men-   \jfsf\j 
 lioned  in  the  beginning  of  the  foregoing  Verfc)  whom  Verfe  5. 
 ttiey   fiiould    undoubtedly   conquer,    and   poffefs  their 
 Country:    if  they  adhered  to  God  in  faithful  Obedi- 
 
 !$    as  he  exhorts  them  in  the  following  pirt  of  this 
 Chapter. 
 
 Ver.   6.   Be  ye  therefore  very  courageous \  to  keep  and  to  yerre  g 
 do.~\     Or    fas  it  may  be  transited)    by  obferving.and 
 doing. 
 
 All  that  is  written  in  the  Bool^  of  the  Law  of  Mofes.~] 
 Which  was  the  condition  upon  which  God  promifed, 
 to  continue  them  in  the  pofleffion  of  this  Land.  By  this 
 it  is  evident  that  the  Book  of  the  Law  of  Mofis  was  ex- 
 tant in  thofedays^  and  that  the  People  read  it. 
 
 That  ye  turn  not  ajide  there  from,  to  the  right  hand  or 
 to  the  left."]     See  upon  V  Deut.  32. 
 
 Ver.   7.  That  ye  come  not  among  thefe  nations \    thefe  yerre  7 
 that  remain  amongjiyou.']    Have  no  familiarity  with  them, 
 efpecially  by  Marriage. 
 
 Neither  make  mention  of  the  name  of  their  gods.~] 
 With  any  fort  of  refpeft  to  them.  See  XXIII  Exod.  13. 
 and  XII  Deut.  3. 
 
 Nor  caufe  to  fwear  by  them.~]  Not  make  a  Gentile 
 fwear  by  the  name  of  his  god  5  which  was  utterly  un- 
 lawful as  Selden  obferves  out  of  Maimonides  in  Aboda 
 Zara.  See  Lib.  2.  de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent.  Cap.  XIII. 
 For  this  was  to  fuppofe  they  had  knowledge  of  mens 
 thoughts,  and  power  to  punifh  thofe  that  forfware 
 themfelves.  And  the  forbidding  this,  was  alfo  to  fecure 
 them  from  making  Leagues  and  Covenants  with  the 
 Gentiles,  which  they  would  not  look  upon  as  bindings 
 without  an  Oath. 
 
 Neither  ferve  them.']     By  offering  Sacrifices,  or  pray- 
 ing 
 
a86  A   C  QMMENT  A  KY 
 
 Chapter  ing,   or  making  vows  to  them;   though  never  To  fe- 
 
 XXIIL    cretly. 
 
 L/*\^NJ  Nor  bow  your  fclves  to  them.']  As  all  inward  reve- 
 rence, fo  all  outward  refpeft  likewife  was  forbidden  to 
 be  paid  to  them  :  efpeciaily  open  and  publick  ads  of 
 worfhip.  Interpreters  here  obfervc  a  gradation,  from 
 familiarity  with  them,  to  the  moft  grofs  Idolatry  :  in 
 which  their  friendfliip  with  thefe  People  concluded. 
 r    P  Ver.   8.  But  cleave  unto  ike  LORD  your  God,  as  you 
 
 verie  o.    ^ave  ^Qm  HntQ   tjy^  day.']     A  remarkable  inftance  of 
 
 which  they  had  all  lately  given  :  when  the  Nine  Tribes 
 and  half  were  fo  unanimously  refolved  to  punifh  Idola- 
 try, with  the  Extirpation  of  thofe  that  were  guilty  of  it 
 (XXII 33.)  and  the  other  alfo  moft  zealoufly  difciaimed 
 all  inclinations  to  it,  v.  22.  29. 
 
 Verfe  0.         ^er*  9*  ^or  ^Je   ^ORD  hath  driven  out  from  before 
 you  great  nations  and  ftrong.~\     The  VII.  Nations  of  Ca- 
 naan, who  dwelt  in  ftrong  Cities,  and  brought  mighty 
 Armies  againft  them,    with  Horfes  and  Chariots :    and 
 were  fome  of  them  Gigantick  Perfons,  XI.  4.  22. 
 
 But  as  for  you,  no  Man  hath  been  able  to  ft  and  before  you 
 unto  this  day  J]  None  that  gave  them  Battle  :  though 
 from  fome  of  their  ftrong  Cities  they  had  not  yet  driven 
 them.     See  XXI.  44. 
 
 Verfe  IO.  ^er#  IC#  One  Man  of  you  flmll  chafe  a  thoufand7\  He 
 gives  them  hope  of  as  good  fuccefs  for  the  future,  as 
 they  had  hitherto,  XXVI  Levit.  8. 
 
 For  the  LORD  your  God  if  he  that  fight eth  for  you,  as 
 he  hath  pron/lfed  you.~]  But  he  would  not  have  them 
 afcribe  it  to  their  own  Courage,  but  to  the  Divine  Power, 
 XXXII  Deut.  30.  Here  again  the  Tar  gum  hath  it,  the 
 WORD  of  the  LORD,  &c.  as  v.  3. 
 
 Verfe  11.  Ver.  11.  Take  good  heed  therefore  unto  your  felves,  that 
 ye  love  the  LORD  your  God.']  It  highly  therefore  con- 
 rerned  them  to  keep  clofe  to  the  worfhip  and  fervice 
 
 of 
 
upon  J  OS  H  II  A,  2%7 
 
 of  Goa*  alone,  with  fincere  love  to  him  :  fince  all  their  Chapter 
 happinefs  depended   upon   his  favour    to  them.     For    XXIII. 
 that  is  meant  by  loving  God,    it  appears  from  the  fol-  is>/~\j 
 lowing  Vcrfej    and  from    Ml  Dent.  4,  5.    X.  12.   XL 
 22. 
 
 Ver.  12.  Elfe  if  you  do  in  any  wife  go  back.']     From  yerfe  I2. 
 God,  and  fall  to  Idolatry. 
 
 And  cleave  unto  the  remnant  of  thefe  nations,  even 
 tbefe.  that  remain  among  you.]  Embrace  their  Errors, 
 as  the  Vulgar  Tranllates  it:  which  they  might  eafily  do 
 by  making  friend  (hip  with  them,  as  the  phrafe  properly 
 fignifies. 
 
 And  ]hall make  marriages  with  them.']  Which  was  the 
 effett  of  their  familiarity  with  them. 
 
 And  go  into  them,  and  they  to  yon.]  The  fame  thing 
 that  was  faid  before,  in  other  words:  which  only  fig- 
 nifie  the  confummation  of  Marriage.  Which  was 
 ftridly  forbidden  them,  XXIII  Exod.  32.  XXXIV.  12. 
 15.  16.   VII  Dent.  3. 
 
 Ver.   13.  Know  for  a   certainty  that   the  LORD  your  yerfe  j->t 
 God  will  no  more  drive  out  any  of  thefe  nations  from  before 
 you.]     As  he  had  hirherro  done,  and  promifed  Oill  to 
 do  5  if  they  would  be  obedient,  v.  8,  9.     The  Targum 
 faith,    the    WORD  of  the  LORD    will  no  more  drive, 
 
 fee. 
 
 But  they  fl) all  be  fn ares  and  traps  unto  you.]  Remain 
 in  the  Land  to  inveigle  and  feduce  them  into  further 
 impiety.     See  XXXIV  Exod.  12.   VII  Dent.  4.  16. 
 
 And  fcourges  in  your  J/dcs.]  Bring  fore  chaftifements 
 upon  them-  for  this  alludes  to  the  ladies  that  were 
 given  Offenders  upon  their  fides,  XXX  Ecckf.  12. 
 XLU.  5. 
 
 And  i  rJor-;s  in  your  c><es.]  Moft  grievioufly  iSRSt  them. 
 See  XXXUI  AW/>.  55. 
 
 Until  ye  perijl?  from  off  this  good  land,  which  the  LORD 
 
 your 
 
a88  A  C  OMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  your  God  hath  given  you7\    For  with  the  love  and  favour 
 XXIII.   of  God,  they  forfeited  alfo  their  Inheritance  which  he 
 
 L/"V\J  had  beftowed  on  them. 
 
 Verfe  14*  Ver.  *4-  Behold,  this  day  I  am  going  the  way  of  all 
 the  earthT]  Shall  die  (hortly,  as  all  Men  muft  one  time 
 or  other  :  therefore  hearken  to  the  words  of  a  dying 
 Man. 
 
 And  ye  know  in  all  your  hearts,  and  in  all  your  fouls  ^\ 
 Are  all  fully  convinced. 
 
 That  not  one  thing  hath  failed,  of  all  the  good  things, 
 which  the  LORD  your  God  fpake  concerning  you,  &c.~] 
 See  upon  XXI.  45.  And  God  was  as  good  as  his  word 
 ever  after,  as  Solomon  acknowledges,  1  Kings  VIII.  56. 
 
 Verfe  15.  Ver.  15.  Therefore  it  foall  come  topafsthat  as  all  good 
 things  are  come  upon  you  which  the  LORD  your  God  pro- 
 mifed you  :  fo  Jhall  the  LORD.']  When  he  ceafed  to  be 
 their  God. 
 
 Bring  upon  you  all  evil  things,  Sec.*]  According  to 
 what  Mojes  had  predi&ed  at  large,  XXVI  Levit.  and 
 XXVIII  Deutcr.  In  my  Annotations  upon  which  laft 
 Chapter,  I  have  demonferated  that  not  one  thing  hath 
 failed  of  all  the  threatnings  there  mentioned,  but  all 
 litterally  fulfilled  to  a  tittle.  For  Gods  faithfulnefs  is 
 no  lefs  vifible  in  fulfilling  his  threatnings,  than  his  pro- 
 mifes. 
 
 Verfe  16 •  ^er#  l^'  When  ye  have  tranfgreffed  the  Covenant  of 
 the  LORD  your  God^  which  he  commanded  you,  and  have 
 gone  andferved  other  gods,  &C.3  This  was  the  princi- 
 pal thing  in  the  Covenant,  that  they  fhould  have  no 
 other  gods  but  him  alone  :  as  I  have  obferved  from  a 
 great  number  of  places  in  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy. 
 
 Then  Jhall  the  anger  of  the  LORD  he  kindled  againfi 
 you,  and  ye  Jhall  peri  fo  quickly  from  off  the  good  land  which 
 he  hath  given  unto  you.]     See  XXVIII.  Deut.  20. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
upon   JOS  H  U  A.  289 
 
 Gbaptel 
 
 CHAP.     XXIV.  XXIV. 
 
 Verfe   1.     \ND  Jo/fwa    gathered    all    the    tribes    0/ Verfe   [. 
 
 ±\  Ifrael."]  It  is  likely  that  Jojhua  living 
 longer  than  he  expefted,  when  he  made  the  foregoing 
 Speech  to  them,  called  the  People  together  once  more, 
 to  give  them  good  advice  before  he  died.  As  Mofes 
 made  a  great  many  Speeches  to  them  (I  obferved  upon 
 the  Book  of  Deuteronomy)  before  his  departure  from 
 them.  Or,  perhaps,  it  was  the  ufual  cuftom  ofjojbua 
 to  take  occafion  often  to  call  them  together,  ani  put 
 them  in  mind  of  their  duty.  And  thefe  two  Exhorta- 
 tions which  he  made  to  them,  in  the  latter  end  of  his 
 Life,  he  thought  fit  to  Record. 
 
 To  Schechem.']  Some  will  have  this  place  to  be  the 
 fame  with  Shiloh  5  called  here  Schechem,  becaufe  it  was 
 in  the  Country  of  Schechem  and  not  far  from  it.  The 
 LXX.  alfo  called  it  2/iAa  both  here,  and  v.  25.  It  is 
 plain  alfo  by  the  latter  end  of  the  Verfe,  that  they  af- 
 fembled  there  where  God  dwelt :  which  was  in  Shiloh. 
 Yet  all  this  is  not  fufficient  to  make  us  think  they  were 
 not  fummoned  to  the  City  called  Schechem.  For  there 
 is  no  good  reafon  for  calling  Shiloh  by  this  name  :  it 
 being  (as  St.  Hierom  faith)  Ten  Miles  from  Schechem  : 
 and  all  other  Copies  of  the  LXX.  but  thzVatican  having 
 ^v^ijbt  not  2xiAaJ.  And  as  for  their  appearing  before 
 God  at  this  place,  I  (hall  give  an  account  of  it,  in  the 
 end  of  this  Verfe.  And  now  only  fay,  that  it  is  likely 
 JoJ/ma,  who  was  the  fupreme  Governor  of  Gods  People, 
 being  old  and  infirm,  caufed  the  Ark,  for  this  time,  to 
 be  brought  to  Schechem,  being  near  to  him  :  that  he 
 might  renew  the  Covenant  with  the  People  in  that  place, 
 where  Abraham  firft  fetled,  when  he  came  into  the 
 Land  of  Canaan,  and  where  he  built  an  Altar,  and  God 
 
 P  p  eftabliftaed 
 
i9o  A  CO  MMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  eftablifhed  his  Covenant  with  him  (XII  Gen.  6,  7.)  and 
 XXIV.  where  the  Patriarchs  were  buried  (VII  A3s  r5,  16.) 
 tyV^vJ  and  where  he  was  about  to  lay  the  Bones  of  Jofeph 
 (v.  32.  of  this  Chapter)  and  where  the  Ifraelites  at 
 their  firft  entrance  into  Canaan  renewed  their  Covenant 
 with  God,  VIII  JoJI).  30,  feV.  For  Ebal  and  Gerzim 
 were  hard  by  Schechem. 
 
 And  called  for  the  Elders  of  Ifrael,  and  far  their  heads, 
 and  for  their  Judges,  and  for  their  Officers.']  The  fame 
 Perfons  mentioned,  XXIII.  2.  Which  places  give  us  a 
 diftinft  account  of  the  Perfons  concerned  in  the  Go- 
 vernment of  the  Ifraelites  $  as  Conjl.  L  Empcreitr  obferves 
 in  his  Annotations  upon  Bertram  de  Repub.  Judaica,  P. 
 362.  395,  396. 
 
 And  they  prefented  themfelves  before  God.  At  his 
 Tabernacle,  which  was,  as  I  faid,  for  the  prefent  brought 
 hither.  For  it  is  plain,  as  Cornel.  Bertram  obferves, 
 (L.  de  RepM.  Judaica  Cap.  XV.  P.  249.)  the  Kings  or 
 chief  Rulers  of  Ifrael  had  a  power  to  carry  the  Ark  from 
 the  place  of  its  conftant  relidence,  when  there  was  a 
 great  occafion  for  it,  1  Sam.  IV.  3.4.  2.  XV.  24.  And 
 now  at  this  great  aflembly  of  the  whole  Nation  by  their 
 Reprefentatives,  there  was  a  jnft  reafon  for  its  being 
 brought  hither  (feeing  Jofhua  could  not  conveniently 
 by  reafon  of  his  great  old  age,  go  to  Shiloh)  that  it  might 
 be  a  more  folemn  meeting,  being  held  in  the  prefence 
 of  God.  Mr.  Mede  hath  another  notion  of  this  matter, 
 for  he  thinks  that  there  was  a  Profeuch.t,  or  praying 
 place,  erefred  by  the  Ifraelites  (atleaft  by  the  Ephramites 
 in  whofe  Lot  Schechem  was)  after  they  had  fubdued 
 the  Country  :  that  they  might  refort  hither  to  call  upon 
 God,  when  they  were  not  able  to  go  as  far  as  the  Ta- 
 bernacle. Many  fuch  places  he  makes  account  there 
 were  $  of  which  fee  more  on  v.  26. 
 Verfe  2.         Ver.  2.  A.nd  JoJIwa  [aid  unto-  all  the  People."]     That 
 
 were 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  391 
 
 were  there  prefent,  viz.  the  Elders,  Heads,  Judges  and  Chaptei 
 Officers,  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  Verfe  :  who  were  XXIV. 
 to  report  his  words  to  all  the  People.  L/0m\T\j 
 
 Thus  faith  the  LORD  God  of  Ifrael.']  This  is  an  ar- 
 gument that  Jojlma  fpake  all  that  follows  by  a  Divine 
 impulfe:  for  he  begins  his  Speech  in  the  Solemn  form 
 ufed  by  the  Prophets  (tkm  faith  the  LORD)  and  intro- 
 duces God  himfelf  fpeaking  in  his  own  perfon.  From 
 whence  it  may  be  inferred,  he  was  a  Prophet,  as  well  as 
 the  Ruler  of  Gods  People. 
 
 Tour  fathers  dwelt  on  the  other  fide  of  the  flood.']  That 
 is,  Of  the  River  Euphrates. 
 
 In  old  time.]  A  long  time  before  they  came  from  Vr 
 of  the  Chaldees,  into  Har an,  XI  Gen.  28.  31. 
 
 Even  Terah,  the  father  of  Abraham,  and  the  father  of 
 Nahor.~]     Thefe  were  Terah's  two  Eldeft  Sons,  XI  Gen. 
 26. 
 
 And  they  ferved  other  gods 7]  All  agree  that  Terah 
 was  an  Idolater,  living  in  that  Country  from  whence, 
 as  many  think,  Idolatry  fir  A:  came,  XXXI  Gen.  19. 
 The  Jews  in  Schalfch.  Hal&abaUfay  he  was  a  Priefl,  fee 
 Hottinger  in  his  Smegma  Orientate,  Cap.  VIII.  P.  290* 
 Others  of  them  fay,  he  was  a  Statuary,  who  made 
 Images  of  feveral  materials  Ae'ywv  rata;  ISnty  3*a;5  fa^gi 
 thefe  were  gods,  as  Suidas  fpeaks,  who  together  with 
 Epifhanius  is  of  this  opinion.  See  Bochart.  in  his  Phaleg. 
 Lib.  2.  Cap.  V.  Abraham  himfelf  alfo,  mo  ft  agree,  was 
 bred  up  in  the  fame  Idolatry  $  though  fome  few  deny 
 it  5  as  Hottinger  obferves  in  the  fame  place.  Where  he 
 alledges  the  words  of  Maimonides,  who  faith,  he  was 
 converted  to  the  worfhip  of  the  Creator  of  all  in  the 
 Fortieth  and  Eight  Year  of  his  Age :  and  that  his  Father 
 Terah  alfo  repented  and  worfhipped  the  true  and  only 
 God.     See  upon  XI  Genefis  3 1 . 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  Itoo^  your  father  Abraham  from  the  other  Verfe  3, 
 
 Pp  2  fide 
 
292  A  CO  MMENTARr 
 
 Chapter  fide  of  the  flood.']  From  that  Idolatrous  Country  where 
 XXIV.  he  was  born  and  educated.  Which  is  mentioned  as  a 
 U^V%i  fingular  obligation  upon  the  Ifraelites  to  adhere  unto 
 God  :  who  fingled  out  the  Father  of  their  Families,  fo 
 many  Ages  ago,  to  be  his  Worfhipper.  This  Maimo- 
 nides,  having  occafion  to  mention  thefe  words  of  Jofhua, 
 reprefents  in  very  Pathetical  expreffions.  c  How  great 
 *  is  the  benefit,  faith  he,  that  we  receive  by  thefe  pre- 
 c  cepts,  which  have  freed  us  from  fuch  a  grand  Error 
 '  in  which  our  Father  was  educated  $  and  converted  us 
 c  to  the  true  belief  of  God  }  by  teaching  us  that  he 
 c  created  all  things  5  and  that  he  is  to  be  worfhipped, 
 c  and  loved,  and  feared,  and  he  only  5  and  that  there 
 c  is  no  great  labour  required  to  do  his  will,  but  only 
 c  the  love  and  fear  of  him :  in  which  two  all  his  wor- 
 c  (hip  is  perfe&ed,  &c.  More  Nevochim,  P.  III.  Cap* 
 XXIX. 
 
 And  led  him.  3  From  Charran,  after  his  Fathers 
 Death. 
 
 Throughout  all  the  land  of  Canaan."]  Tell  he  came  to 
 Sichem  (where  the  Ifraelites  now  were  affembled)  and 
 fo  to  Bethel  $  and  fo  on  ftill  toward  the  South  of  the 
 Land  of  Canaan,  XII  Gen.  6.  8.  9. 
 
 And  multiplied  his  feed,  and  gave  him  IfaacT]  In  order 
 to  the  fulfilling  of  his  promife,  XV  Gen.  5.  he  beftow- 
 ed  a  Son  upon  him,  when  he  was  an  Hundred  Years 
 old,  XXI  Gen.  1,  2,  &c. 
 Verfe  4.  ^en  4-  And  I  gave  unto  Ifaac,  Jacob  and  Efau. ]'■ 
 Who  had  a  very  numerous  IfTue,  XXV  Gen.  24,  &c. 
 
 And  I  gave  unto  Efau  mount  Seir  to  poffefs  it.~]  He 
 and  his  Brother  being  grown  fo  rich,  and  their  Cattle 
 fo  increafed,  that  there  was  not  room  for  them  both  in 
 the  Land  of  Canaan,  where  they  fojourned,  XXXVI 
 Gen.  6,  7,  8. 
 
 And  Jacob  and  his  Children  went  down  into  Egypt.] 
 
 Though 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  293 
 
 Though  Efatt  left  the  Land  of  Canaan  intirely  to  him,   Chapter 
 yet  the  time  was  not  come  when  God  intended  to  plant    XXIV. 
 his  Pofterity  in  it:    but  they  were  forced  to  go  down  l/~V^ 
 into  Egypt^  where  they  differed  a  cruel  Bondage,  XLVI 
 Get*.  6.  I  Exod.  11,  SSfc.     So  the  LXX.  explain  it. 
 
 Ver.   5.  1  ftnt  Moles  alfo  and  Aaron.]     And   when  Verfe  5 
 they  were  multiplied  exceedingly  (lExod.  7.  14.  20.) 
 thefe  two  great  Perfc  is  were  fent  to  deliver  them  from 
 that  Bondage,   III  Exod.  10.  IV.  14* 
 
 And  I  plagued  Egjpt,  according  to  that  I  did  amongft 
 them."]  Smote  it  with  thofe  figns  (as  the  LXX.  explain 
 it)  which  are  related  in  that  Book  of  Exodus. 
 
 And  afterward  I  brought  you  out.~]  By  thofe  wonder- 
 ful plagues  they  were  at  laft  conftrained  to  let  the 
 Ifraelttes  depart,  as  they  defired,  XII  Exod.  31,  &c. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  I  brought  your  fathers  out  of  Egypt ,  and  Verfe  6> 
 you  came  unto  the  Sea.]  When  he  had  brought  them 
 out  (as  is  related,  XII  Exod.  40.)  they  were  led  by 
 God  through  the  way  of  the  Wildernefs  of  the  Red 
 Sea,  XIII  Exod.  18.  by  which  they  encamped,  and  were 
 in  very  great  ftraits,  XIV.  9. 
 
 And  the  Egyptians  pur fued  after  your  fathers  with  chariots 
 and  horfemen  unto  the  red  Sea.]  Imagining  them  to  be 
 in  fuch  difficulties,  that  they  could  not  efcape  out  of 
 their  hand,  XIV  Exod.  3. 
 
 Ver,  7.  And  when  they,  cried  unto  the  LORD,  he  p^yerfe  T 
 darknefs  between  you  and  the  Egyptians.]     So  that  when 
 they  had  overtaken  thetn,  they  could  not  fee  where  they 
 were,  XIV  Exod.  10.  19,  20. 
 
 And  brought  the  Sea  upon  them,  and  covered  \hem7]  In 
 fo  much  that  they  marched  after  them  into  the  Sea, 
 where  they  were  overwhelmed,  XIV  Exod.  27.  28. 
 
 And  your  eyes  have  feen  what  Ihaie  done  in  Egypt 7\ 
 Or,  upon  the  Egyptians.]  He  appeals  to  them  for  the 
 truth  of  this:  who.  had  feen  them  lye  dtad  upon  the 
 
 Sea; 
 
icj4  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  Sea  (hore,  XIV  Exod.  30,    31.     For    their  Elders,   to 
 XXIV.    whom  he  now  fpeaks  (v.  t.)  were  all  then  there:  and 
 L/"VNJ  now  not  only  Men  of  great  dignity,  but  (many  of  them 
 at  leaft)  of  great  Age. 
 
 And  ye  dwelt  in  the  wildernefs  a  long  feafon.]  Forty 
 Years,  XIV  Numb.  33.  where  he  gave  them  a  Law$ 
 and  fed  them  miraculoufly,  &c. 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  I  brought  yon  into  the  land  of  the  Amo- 
 rites,  which  dwelt  on  thi  other  fide  Jordan."]  Towards 
 the  latter  end  of  that  tftne,  XXI  Numb.  20,  21. 
 
 And  they  fought  with  you,  and  I  gave  them  into  your 
 hand,  &c/]  See  there  v.  23,  24.  33,  &c. 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  Then  Balak^the  Son  of  Zipper  King  ofMoab, 
 arofe  and  warred  againji  IfraeL]  He  did  not  a&Ually 
 draw  out  his  Forces,  and  fall  upon  them  :  but  he  pre- 
 pared them  and  made  them  ready,  with  an  intention  to 
 drive  them  from  his  Coafts  5  if  Balaam  could  have  dif- 
 abled  them  by  his  Curfes.  Which  fufficiently  appears  from 
 XXII  Numb.  11.  David  Cam  jus  therefore  notes  perti- 
 nently, the  defign  or  contrivance,   is  reputed  the  work,  it 
 
 m 
 
 Andfent  and  called  Balaam  the  Son  ofBeor  to  curfeyouT] 
 See  XXII  Numb.  5,  6,  &c. 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  IO#  But  the  LORD  would  not  hearken  untoBa- 
 '  laamT]  Who  had  a  great  inclination  to  do  what  Bala\ 
 defired  :  and  one  would  think,  by  this,  beg'd  of  God 
 to  give  him  leave  to  ufe  his  Arts,  to  do  the  Ifraelites 
 mifchief.  And  when  this  was  denied  him  $  yet  obtain- 
 ing licenfe  to  go  to  the  King  of  Moab,  he  went  with 
 thefe  intentions,  and  with  hope  he  might  prevail  with 
 God  to  fuffer  him,  to  profecute  his  defign,  XXII  Numb. 
 
 32- 
 
 Therefore  he  bleffed  you  fiill :  fo  I  delivered  you  out  of 
 
 his  hand.']     He  all  along  pronounced  nothing  but  Blef- 
 fings  on  them,  inftead  of  Curfes :   notwithftanding  all 
 
 the 
 
upon  JOSH  LI  A.  2P5 
 
 the  attempts  that  were  made  to  the  contrary,    XXIIT,  Chapter 
 :  and  XXIV  Numb.     Which  was  to  be  afcribed  to   the    XXIV. 
 overuling  Power  of  God,  who  hindred  him  from  hurt-  l/"V"NJ 
 ing  them. 
 
 Ver.   ii.  And  ye  went  over  Jordan^]     Having  van-  v    r 
 quitted  the  two  Kings  of  the  Amorites  on  the  other  fide         c  l  * 
 of  it,  and  got  quit  of  all  other  Enemies  (the  Moabites 
 and  Midianites)  God  in  a  wonderful  manner  brought 
 them  into  Canaan  5  by  drying  up  the  River  Jordan,  to 
 give  them  a  paflage  over  it. 
 
 And  came  unto  Jericho. ~]  Which  was  the  fir  ft  place 
 they  befieged,  being  the  neareft  City  to  Jordan. 
 
 And  the  men  of  Jericho  fought  againjl  you."]  We  do 
 not  read  of  any  Sallies  they  made  upon  the  Ifraelites  : 
 but  they  (hutting  their  Gates,  to  defend  the  City  againffc 
 them,  it  is  likely  flung  Stones  from  their  Wall  upon 
 them. 
 
 The  Amorites,  and  the  Perizzitcs,  and  the  Canaan  iter, 
 and  the  Hittites,  and  the  Gergaftites,  and  the  Hivitesr 
 and  the  Jebufites7\  After  which,  it  appears  by  this  Book 
 that,  they  fought  with  all  the  Seven  Nations  of  Canaan: 
 Who  engaged  them  in  fevcral  bodies,  and  at  feveral 
 times.  Which  was  done  fo  lately,  that  there  was  no 
 need  he  (hould  repeat  all  the  particulars  mentioned  in 
 the  X.  XI.  and  XIIth-  Chapters.  But  by  the  divifion 
 of  their  Land  among  the  Ifraelites,  it  was  very  well 
 known  to  them  that  (as  this  Verfe  concludes)  God  had 
 delivered  them  into  their  hand.  It  is  obfervable  that  the 
 Gcrgafiites  are  here  particularly  mentioned,  as  fighting 
 againft  tfrael  with  the  reft  of  the  VII.  Nations :  which 
 makes  Grotius  his  Obfervation  doubtful, of  their  furrender 
 ztjojhuas  fir  ft  fummons  (fee  XVI.  10.)  But  if  that  be  not 
 true,  it  is  manifeft  fome  of  them  remained  imfubdued, 
 and  had  a  fettlement  in  Canaan  in  our  Saviours  days. 
 When  we  read  of  the  Country  of  the  Gergefens :    the 
 
 Inhabitants 
 
<z96  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter   Inhabitants  of  which  were  not  Jews,  as  appears  by  their 
 XXIV.    breeding  Swine.     See  Conjlant.  L  Empereur  in  his  An- 
 
 L/^'VNJ  notations  on  Bava  Kama,  P.  1 80. 
 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  Ifent  the  hornet  before  you,  which  drave 
 them  out  from  before  you.]  This  may  (ignifie  either, 
 that  before  the  Israelites  came  into  thofe  parts,  God  fent 
 Hornets  which  fo  infefted  them,  that  many  of  them 
 were  forced  to  leave  their  Country,  and  flee  into  other 
 places :  or,  that  when  they  came  to  give  them  Battle, 
 thefe  Hornets  made  fuch  aflaults  upon  them,  as  facili- 
 tated the  Vi&ory.  This  God  promifed  in  XXIII  Exod. 
 27,  28.  VII  Dent.  20.  and  here  Jofhna  remembers  how 
 true  he  was  to  his  word.  The  Book  of  Wifdom  calls 
 them  ir^zjfAvs  the  forerunners  of  Gods  hofts:  and 
 Kimchi  faith,  they  flew  in  the  eyes  of  thzCanaanites  5  and 
 made  them  fo  blind,  that  they  could  not  fee  to  fight. 
 
 Even  the  two  Kings  of  the  Amorrtes.]  Sihon  and  Og 
 whofe  Country  wasfirft  infefted  with  them :  and  after- 
 ward the  Kings  of  Canaan  and  their  People  felt  their 
 fury.  For  this  is  a  Qiort  expreffion,  like  that  which  I 
 obferved,  XXII.  10. 
 
 But  not  with  thy  /word,  or  with  thy  bow.']  Thefe 
 fwarms  of  Hornets,  it  feems,  did  greater  execution  than 
 the  Armies  of  the  Ifraelites.  We  do  not  read  of  their 
 aflaulting  the  Canaanites  in  any  of  the  Battles,  that 
 Jo/bua  fought  with  them :  For  he  did  not  think  fit  to 
 mention  it  particularly  in  the  foregoing  account  of  his 
 Viftory }  but  now  in  general,  when  he  was  to  fum  up 
 all  the  mercies  of  God  to  them. 
 
 Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  And  I  have  given  you  a  land  for  which  you 
 did  not  labour,  and  Cities  which  ye  built  not,  and  ye  dwell 
 in  them.]     As  Jofiua  had  obferved  before,  XI.  13. 
 
 Of  the  Vineyards  and  Olive-yards  which  ye  planted  not, 
 do  ye  eat.]     According  to  his  promife,  VI  Deut.  10. 1 1. 
 
 Verfe  14.      Ver.  14.  Now  therefore  fear  the  LORD.']     The  fear  of 
 
 God 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  y; 
 
 God  commonly  figQifies  his  Worfhip and  Service:  unto  Gh 
 which  he  exhorts  them  in  the  following  words.  Which    XXIV. 
 feem  to  relate  to  all  outward  afts  of  V  is  this  .^~V~vJ 
 
 to  the  inward  reverence  they  owed  to  him  in  their  minds, 
 
 as  the  only  Go  J. 
 
 And  fcrve  hint  in  fncerity  and  truth.']  Worfhip  no 
 other  God  together  with  him  5  nor  mix  any  Idolatrous 
 rites  with  thole  prefcribed  by  him:  but  ferve  him  cofl- 
 ftantly  and  purely  according  to  his  Law,  which  is  the 
 truth,  CXIX  Pfal.  141. 
 
 And  put  away  the  gods  which  ycitr  fathers  fcrved  on 
 the  other  fide  the  food']  See  v.  2.  This  intimates  that 
 there  were  now  fome  Idolatry  among  them,  though  fe- 
 cretly  in  private,  and  not  openly.  For  they  had  lately 
 expreiTed  fo  unanimoufly  fuch  a  zeal  againft  any  appear- 
 ance of  Idolatry  5  that  one  cannot  think  there  was  any 
 known  worfhipper  of  other  gods,  now  in  the  Nation. 
 
 And  in  Egypt.]  Where  they  began  to  be  corrupted 
 in  their  Religion :  as  is  often  fuggefted  by  the  Prophet 
 Ezekicl,  XX.  6,  7,  8.  18.  XXIII.  3.  8.  19.  21.  27. 
 
 \nd  fcrve  ye  the  LORD.~]  He  repeats  it  again  as  a 
 thing  of  the  greateft  moment  5  that  they  fhould  wor- 
 ship the  LORD  alone. 
 
 Ver.  15.  And  if  it  feem  evil  unto  you  to  ferve  the  yerre 
 LORD,  chufe  you  this  day  whom  you  will  ferve 7]  He 
 could  not  think  they  would  turn  Atheifts,  and  have  no 
 God  at  all  :  and  he  was  unwilling  to  fuppofe,  that  they 
 would  prefer  any  other  God  to  Him,  who  had  obliged 
 them  by  fuch  benefits,  as  are  before  mentioned.  Which 
 he  expreffes  in  this  Rhetorical  form  of  Speech  5  which  is 
 as  much  as  if  he  had  faid  :  If  you  like  not  the  LORDS 
 Service,  tell  me  whom  ye  will  ferve  >  Where  do  you 
 hope  to  find  a  God  comparable  to  Him  ? 
 
 \\  hether  the  Gods  that  your  fathers  fcrved,  that  were  on 
 the  other  fide  of  the  flood.']     That  had  fome  colour  for  it-, 
 
 Q_q  becaufe 
 
2p8  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  becaufe  of  its  antiquity.     But  was  condemned  by  Abra- 
 XXIV.    ham  their  Father  :  who  forfook  that  Religion,  and  was 
 
 L/Wi  blefled  for  it  by  God,  with  the  Inheritance  he  had  now 
 given  them  in  the  Land  of  Canaan. 
 
 Or  the  gods  of  the  Amorites,  in  whofe  land  ye  dwell."] 
 That  was  fo  abfurd  as  to  need  no  confutation  :  for 
 thofe  gods  could  not  defend  their  Servants  chat  wor- 
 (hipped  them. 
 
 But  as  former  1  and  my  houfe,  we  will ferve  the  LORD.] 
 He  declares  his  firm  refolution  (let  rhem  take  what 
 courfe  they  pleafed)  together  with  his  whole  Family 
 (as  far  as  he  could  oblige  them)  to  worfhip  the  LORD 
 alone. 
 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  And  the  people  anfwered  and  /aid.]  All  the 
 Elders  and  others  there  prefent ;  and  all  thofe  to  whom 
 they  reported  what  Jojhua  had  faid,  made  this  Anfwen 
 God  forbid  that  we  pould  forfake  the  LORD."]  The 
 Hebrew  word  Chalila  (which  we  Tranflate  God  forbid) 
 imports  a  great  abhorrence  and  abomination  of  that 
 which  is  mentioned  with  it. 
 
 Toferve  other  gods.]  Which  they  now  looked  upon 
 as  the  greateft  madnefs. 
 
 Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  For  the  LORD  our  God,  he  it  is  that  brougfjf 
 us  up  and  our  fathers  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  from  the 
 houfe  of  bondage,  and  which  did  thofe  great  figns  in  our 
 fight,  &c]  They  gave  fuch  powerful  reafons  why  they 
 fhould  ferve  none  but  the  LORD  alone,  that  if  they 
 had  always  preferved  them  as  frefh  in  their  minds,  as 
 they  were  now,  they  could  never  have  gone  after  other 
 gods. 
 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  And  the  LORD  drave  out  from  before  us  all 
 the  People.]     That  is,  of  Canaan. 
 
 Even  the  Amorites  which  dwelt  in  the  land-  ]  In 
 the  Hebrew,  and  the  Amorites  5  that  is,  together 
 with  the  two  Kings  of  the  Amorites,  whom  they  had 
 
 driven 
 
upon    JOSHUA.  299 
 
 driven  before,    out  of  the   Land  on  the  other  fide  of  Chapter 
 Jordan.  XXI V. 
 
 Therefore  will  m  alfoferve  the  LORD.]     Follow  the  L/"V\J 
 example  oijoflma,  their  leader,  v.  15. 
 
 For  he  is  onr  God.']  As  they  were  convinced  by  their 
 wonderful  deliverance  out  of  Egypt;  and  all  the  great 
 figns  he  wrought  there,  and  after  they  came  from  thence  5 
 and  the  care  he  took  of  them  in  the  Wildernefs  and 
 all  other  places  5  and  now  by  their  late  Vi&ories  over 
 moft  potent  Enemies !  whom  he  had  driven  out  of 
 their  Country,  and  put  the  Israelites  in  poffeliion 
 of  it. 
 
 Ver.  19.  And  Joflma  faid  unto  the  People,  Te  cannot  Verfe  19. 
 ferve  the  LORD.]  This  is  far  from  fignifying  an  utter 
 impoflibility  of  it  (for  that  would  have  contradi&ed 
 his  Exhortation,  v.  14.)  but  that  they  were  fo  very 
 prone  to  Idolatry,  that  they  would  not  be  able  to  per- 
 fevere  ftedfaft  in  their  refolution  :  unlefs  they  took 
 care  conftantly  to  refleft  upon  and  lay  to  heart,  what 
 they  had,  now  acknowledged  (^.17,18.)  which  he 
 was  afraid  they  would  not  do. 
 
 For  he  is  an  holy  God,  he  is  a  jetlous  God.]  Who 
 having  no  equal  (that's  meant  by  holy)  will  endure  no 
 rival.  And  therefore  they  who  communicated  the  wor- 
 fhip  proper  to  him,  unto  any  other  befides  him,  or  with 
 him  5  were  deemed  to  deny  his  incomparable  fanftity, 
 and  faid  in  Scripture  to  prophane  his  Holy  Name,  as 
 Mr.  Mede  obferves,  fee  Book  1.  Difcourfe  2.  It  is  a 
 juft  remark  which  Mr.  Alix  here  makes  in  his  excellent 
 Book  of  (the  Judgment  of  the  Jervifl)  Church  againji  the 
 Unitarians,  Chap.  IX.)  that  here  is  a  plain  Idea  of  a 
 plurality  of  Perfons  in  the  Godhead,  the  words  in  the 
 Hebrew  being,  He  is  the  Holy  Gods;  like  that  XII 
 Ecclef.  1.  Remember  thy  Creators.  And  indeed  this  is  a 
 place  anciently  noted  by  the  Chriftian  Do&ors  (whom 
 
 Qq  2  the 
 
5oo  A  C  0  MMENT  AK  Y 
 
 Chapter  the  Jews  call  Hereticks)  who  askt  R.  Samlai,  asthejfarj 
 XXIV.    themlelves  tell  us,    what  he  had  to  anfwer  unto  thefe 
 LS~V~\J  words,  ye  cannot  ferve  the  LOR.D,    Ki  Elohim  Kedo- 
 fhim  Hu,  becaufe  he  is  the  Holy  Gods.     Who  had  no- 
 thing to  reply,  but  that  Jojhua  doth  not  fay,  they  are  the 
 holy  Gods,  but  He  is  the  Holy  Gods.     Which  is  the  very 
 fame  that  we  affirm :  that  he  is  three  in  one.     This  is  in 
 Berefchith  Rabba  mentioned  by  Raymund  in  his   Pugio 
 Fidel,  and  by  J.  Wagenfeil  in  his  Confutation  of  Lip- 
 mans  Carmen  Mem  or  i  ale,   P.  129. 
 
 He  will  not  forgive  your  tranfgreffions,  nor  your  Jin7\ 
 But  make  thofe  who  affume  any  other  Deity  into  fel- 
 lowlbip  with  him,  in  worfhip  \  feel  how  he  refents 
 fuch  dilhonour  done  to  his  Divine  Majefty. 
 
 Verfe  20        ^e1,  2°*  If  ym  forfake  the  LORD  and  ferve  Jlrange* 
 '  gods.]     Either  the  gods  of  the  Amorites  before  men- 
 tioned 5  or  thofe  that  their  Fathers  anciently  ferved. 
 
 Then  he  will  turn^  and  do  you  hurt,  and  confume  you, 
 after  that  he  hath  done  you  good.]  Alter  the  courfe  of  his 
 providence  towards  you,  and  fend  as  many  curfes  upon 
 you,  as  he  hath  done  bleffinsjs:  according  to  the  pre- 
 diction of  Mofes  in  the  XXVIII  Dent.  63. 
 
 Verfe  21.  ^er*  2 1  •  ^n^  f^e  ^eo^e  fa^  nni0  J°foua,  nay  but  we 
 will  ferve  the  L0RD7]  They  defire  him  to  entertain  a 
 better  opinion  of  them  :  for  they  perfift  in  their  well 
 grounded  refolution,  v.  16,  17,  18. 
 Verre  2X  ^er  ^2*  And  Jofoua  faid  unto  the  People,  ye  are  wit- 
 neffes  againji  your  felves,  that  ye  have  chofcn  the  LORD 
 to  ferve  him.~]  This  folemn  profeffion,  which  they  had 
 thus  deliberately  and  publickly  made,  he  tells  them 
 would  teftifie  againft  them,  and  condemn  them  5  if 
 *    they  proved  falfetoGod. 
 
 And  they  faid  we  are  witneffes."]  Here  they  renew  that 
 choice  of  God  for  their  King,  which  their  fore  fathers 
 made  when  they  came  out  of  Egypt  (in  the  XIXth-  and 
 
 XXIV 
 
upon  JOSHU  A.  , 
 
 XXIV  Chap,  of  Exodus)  and  acknowledge  they  fliouki  Chapter 
 be  felf-condemned,  if  they  did  not  make  it  good.  .IV. 
 
 Ver.    23.  Now  therefore  put  away  Quid  he)  the  ftrtnge  t^VNj 
 that  are  among  you  ~]     See  v.  14.     This  is  an  argu-  Verfe  23. 
 ment,  that  he  was  a  Prophet,  as  I  faid  upon  v.  2.  that 
 he  law  their  inward  difpofition,  and  the  fecrei  ion 
 
 they  had  to  Idols.  For  though  there  was  no  publick 
 Idol  worfhipped  :  yet  he  knc.v  by  the  Spirit  of  Pr  >- 
 phefie,  that  they  had  their  Pontes  (as  the  Rowans  called 
 them)  houfhold  gods ■$  or  rather,  gods  which  they  wor- 
 fhipped fecretly  in  their  Clofets^  as  our  Dr.  Spencer  ob- 
 ferves,  Lib.  III.  Dijfert.  1.  Cap.  3.  Thefe  being  the 
 very  fame  words  which  Jacob  ufed  to  his  houfhold, 
 when  he  fufpe&ed  them  of  the  fame  crime,  though  there 
 was  no  open  Idolatry  praftifed  among  them,  XXXV 
 Gen.  2. 
 
 And  incline  your  heart  unto  the  LORD  God  of  Ifracl."] 
 Settle  your  affection  upon  the  LOR.D  alone :  who 
 you  profefs  is  your  Soveraign,  to  whom  the  whole 
 Nation  hath  infinite  obligations,  v.  16,  17,  18. 
 
 Ver.   24.   And  the  People  faid  untojoflma,  the  LORD  Verfe  24 
 our  God  will  ive  fttve,  and  his  voice  we  will  obey. ~\  Thev 
 repeat  their  profeffed  refolution  a  third  time  :    which 
 made  it  more  binding  ,   and  a  ftronger  witnefs  again  ft 
 them,  if  they  forfook  the  LORD. 
 
 Ver.  25.  So  J  of  ma  made  a  covenant  with  the  People  Verfe  2* 
 that  day7\  Engaged  them  to  make  good  this  Solemn 
 profefiion,  by  renewing  the  Covenant,  they  h  id  for- 
 merly entred  into,  both  in  the  time  of  Mofes,  and  in  his 
 time.  Wherein  rhey  promifed  to  worihip  him  alone, 
 and  be  obedient  to  him  :  and  he  promifed  to  do  for 
 them  as  he  had  formerly  done^  that  is,  be  their  con- 
 ftant  protector  and  benefaftor.  There  are  thofe  who 
 think  this  Covenant  was  now  eftabli(hed  by  Sacrifice,  as 
 ir  was  when  they  came  out  of  Egypt,  XXIV  Exod.  4,  5. 
 
 and 
 
3o2  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  and  when  they  came  into  Canaan,  VIII  Jofi.  31.  But  as 
 XXIV.  there  is  no  mention  of  an  Altar,  or  any  offering :  fo  it 
 L/Y\j  is  not  likely  that  Jofhtta  would  offer  any  Sacrifice  but  in 
 the  place  which  God  had  chofen,  which  was  Shiloh.  For 
 though  we  fuppofe  the  Sanftuary  to  have  been  brought 
 hither  for  a  little  time  5  yet  it  was  not  the  fetled  place 
 of  the  Divine  refidence. 
 
 And  fet  them  a  ftatute  and  an  ordinance?]  It  is  com- 
 monly interpreted  that  he  propounded  to  them  in  brief 
 the  precepts  of  the  Law  5  which  are  the  conditions  of 
 the  Covenant.  But  it  may  be  expounded,  that  he  en- 
 a&ed  this  Covenant  to  have  the  force  of  a  Statute,  and 
 Ordinance,  or  'judgment,  as  it  is  in  the  Hebrew. 
 
 In  SchechemT]  So  that  it  was  called  hereafter,  the 
 Covenant,  or  Statute  in  Schechem :  where  they  all  made 
 repeated  profeffions  of  love  to  God. 
 Verfe  26.  Ver.  26.  And  jofhua  wrote  thefe  words."]  From  whence, 
 as  I  obferved  in  the  Preface,  the  Talmudifis  gather  Jojkna 
 to  have  been  the  Author  of  this  Book.  As  if  thefe  words 
 fignified  that  he,  after  the  example  of  Mofes  committed 
 to  writing  all  that  we  read  in  this  Book  :  and  added  it 
 at  the  end  of  the  five  Books  written  by  Mofes  $  as  it  is 
 now  annexed  to  them.  But  it  muft  be  confeffed,  that 
 one  cannot  certainly  infer  more  from  thofe  words,  than 
 that  he  wrote  the  words  of  the  foregoing  Covenant: 
 and  this  he  did,  as  it  here  follows,  in  the  very  Book  of 
 the  Law  of  God,  that  it  might  be  preferved  in  ever- 
 lafting  remembrance. 
 
 In  the  book^  of  the  law  of  God."}  Which  was  laid  up, 
 by  Mofes  his  order,  in  the  fide  of  the  Ark,  XXXI  Dent. 
 24,  25,  26.  From  whence  he  took  it,  and  wrote  in  it 
 all  that  had  paffed  between  him  and  the  People :  that 
 they  might  look  upon  this  as  a  facred  tranfa&ion,  as 
 indeed  it  was  5  and  moft  carefully  obferve  it.  And  per- 
 haps he  wrote  it  alfo  in  that  Copy  of  the  Law  of  God, 
 
 which 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  303 
 
 which  the  Princes  had  for  the  ufe  of  every  Tribe.    See  Chapter 
 upon  XXXI  Daft.  9.  XXIV. 
 
 And  took  A  great  Stone  and  fit  it  up  there."]  As  a  ^\T\^ 
 monument  of  the  Covenant  now  made.  Which  was  an 
 ancient  way  of  preferving  the  memoir  of  things  paft  5 
 as  appears  by  what  Jacob  did,  XWlllGcn.  i3.  and 
 they  themfelves  had  lately  done,  IV.  3.  20,  21,  dv. 
 Upon  this  Stone  it  is  probable  there  was  an  Inscription, 
 fignifying  what  it  meant. 
 
 Under  an  Oak,  that  was  by  the  Sanctuary  of  the  LORD.'} 
 This  is  one  argument  Mr.  Mede  ufes  (in  the  place  I 
 mentioned  upon  v.  1.)  to  prove  that  the  San&uary 
 properly  fo  called  cannot  be  here  meant,  becaufe  it  was 
 unlawful  to  plant  any  Trees  near  it,  XVI  Deut.  21,22. 
 and  therefore  he  understands  hereby  a  Profeucha,  or 
 praying  place^  which  in  memory  of  Jacob  was  here  at 
 Schcchem.  And  he  doth  plainly  fhow  there  were  both 
 fuch  places,  and  alio  Synagogues,  in  feveral  parts  of  the 
 Country  :  the  former  being  in  the  Fields,  open  on  the 
 top,  the  latter  in  Cities,  covered  as  our  Houfes  are.  And 
 I  may  add  that  we  do  read  of  Sanctuaries  in  the  Plural 
 Number,  that  were  among  them  in  after  times,  VII 
 Amos  9.  Yet  it  mud  be  acknowledged  that  the  argu- 
 ment he  ufes  from  the  place  I  mentioned  in  Deuteronomy 
 is  not  cogent.  For  though  they  be  prohibited  there  to 
 plant  a  Grove  of  any  Trees  near  Gods  Altar,  after  the 
 manner  of  the  Gentiles :  this  did  not  make  ic  unlawful 
 to  fet  up  the  Sanftuary  under  a  Tree  that  had  been 
 planted  before.  Efpecially  when  it  was  done  only  for 
 a  fhort  time,  and  not  to  make  it  the  fetled  place,  for  its 
 conftant  abode. 
 
 But  there  are  thofe  who  avoid  th:,s  feeming  difficulty, 
 by  referring  thefe  weds  in  the  Santluary  of  the  LORD 
 (as  they  may  be  translated)  not  to  the  Oak ,  but  to  the 
 words  going  before,  the  booh^  of  the  laiv  of  God:  which 
 
 was 
 
30+  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  was  in  the  San&uary.     And  thus,  it  is  certain,  words 
 XXIV.    are  fometimes  to  be  connected  not  with  thofe  immedi- 
 L^V"\J  ately  preceding  ^  but  with  thofe  which  are  more  remote. 
 A  notable  inftance  of  which  we  have  in  XIII  Gen.  10. 
 where    thofe  words  in  the  end  of  the  Verfe,    as  thou 
 come(i  unto  Zoar  cannot  be  joined  10  the  land  of  Egypt 
 juft  before  mentioned  5  but  to  the  flam  of  Jordan,    in 
 the  very  beginning  of  the  Verfe. 
 Verfe  27.       ^er.  z7-  And    Jojloua  faid  unto  all  the  People,    This 
 Stone  flail  he  a  witnefs  unto  us.]     As  Lab  an  faid  concern- 
 ing the  heap  of  Stones  which  he  and  Jacob  raifed,  XXXI 
 Gen.  48.  51.  52. 
 
 For  it  hath  heard  all  the  words  of  the  LORD  which 
 he  fpake  unto  usT]  All  thofe  Speeches  which  had  been 
 delivered  by  Jojhua  in  the  name  of  God  (v.  2,  3,  dv.) 
 and  all  that  the  Ifraelites  had  anfwered  to  him.  That 
 is,  the  Covenant  between  God  and  them  :  which  being 
 renewed  before  this  Stone,  it  is  faid  by  an  elegant  figure 
 to  have  heard  what  was  fpoken :  becaufe  it  would  re- 
 main to  teftifie  and  declare  to  all  pofterity  the  engage- 
 ments that  lay  upon  them.  Thus  the  Prophet  calls  to 
 all  Creatures,  Hear  0  Heaven ,  &c. 
 
 It  flail  be  therefore  a  witnefs  unto  you,  left  ye  deny  your 
 God.']  To  accufe  them,  as  much  as  if  it  had  heard 
 what  they  faid,  and  could  fpeak,  again  ft  them. 
 Verfe  28.  ^er.  2^'  Andfo  Joflua  let  the  People  depart,  everyone 
 unto  his  inheritance.*]  And  the  San&uary  of  the  LOR.D 
 returned  to  its  fetled  place,  which  was  in  Shiloh. 
 Verfe  29.  Ver.  29*  And  it  came  to  pafs0  that  after  thefe  things.*] 
 Not  long  after,  in  all  probability. 
 
 Jofhua  the  Son  of  Nun,  the  Servant  of  the  LORD, 
 died."]  Leaving  this  honourable  Chara&er  behind  him, 
 which  Mofes  alfo  had,  that  he  had  ferved  the  LORD 
 faithfully. 
 
 Being  an  hundred  and  ten  years  old.]     Of  the  fame 
 
 Age 
 
upon    JOSHUA. 
 
 Age  with  Jofepb.  How  many  of  thefe  Years  be  fpent 
 in  Canaan  as  the  phtei  Ruler  of  Gods   Peop       Meas 
 
 opinion  arc  very  widely  different.  For  io.r.e  lie 
 he  lived  twenty  and  eight  Years  after  they  came  over 
 Jordan  (^which  is  the  opinion  of  the  Jews  in  Seder  Olam) 
 though  others  will  not  allow  fo  much  as  the  odd  tight 
 Years,  but  lay  it  was  only  feven.  There  is  a  middle 
 opinion  maintained  by  others,  that  he  was  their  Go- 
 x^rnovw  Jcventten  Years.     See  Bonfrcrius. 
 
 VTer.  9c.  And  they  buried  him  in  the  border  of  his  it?-  Vcrie  20. 
 hcritame  in  Tim  at h-Scruh.]  Called  in  the  II  Judges  9. 
 Timnath-heres :  becaufe  of  the  Image  of  the  Sun  engraven 
 on  his  Sepulchre,  in  memory  of  that  famous  day,  when 
 the  Sun  ftood  (kill,  till  he  had  compleated  his  Victory 
 (Chap.  X.)  So  (everal  of  the  Jewifi  Authors  (ay  5  par- 
 ticularly he  who  wrote  the  Book  put  out  by  Hottingcr 
 under  the  title  of  Cippi  Hebraici,  P.  32.  where  he  faith 
 his  Father  Nhb  was  buried  here,  and  Caleb  the  Son  of 
 Jcphtinneh.  See  alfo  his  Smegma  Orientate,  Cap.  VIII. 
 P.  523.  And  thus  Tully  faith,  a Shpxre  and  a  Cylinder, 
 were  put  upon  the  Tomb  of  Archimedes. 
 
 On  the  North  Jide  of  the  h/I/Gaaflj.]  So  called,  as  the 
 Jews  Fable,  becaufe  it  trembled  and  quaked  at  the  burial 
 of  Joffjua  :  whofe  death  the  People  did  not  enough  be- 
 wail. Which  fancv,  it  is  likely,  came  into  their  head  5 
 becaufe  there  is  no  mention  here  of  any  days  of  mourn- 
 ing for  him,  as  there  were  for  Aaron  and  Mofes.  In 
 which  St.  Hierom  and  other  of  the  Fathers,  think  there 
 is  a  Myfterv,  viz.  that  under  the  Law,  when  the  King- 
 dom of  Heaven  was  not  yet  opened,  they  had  reafon 
 to  mourn  and  weep,  for  the  Death  of  their  Friends: 
 but  under  the  Gofpel,  wherein  is  revealed  by  the  Lord 
 Jcfus  (of  whom  Joflma  was  a  figure)  the  wonderful  love 
 of  God  to  Men,  &c.  there  is  no  reafon  for  mourning 
 and  lamentation,  but  rather  for  rejovcins;. 
 
 R  r  Or 
 
3o6  ACOMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Of  this  Hill  fee  Confl.  L  Empereur  upon  Benjamins 
 XXIV.    his  Itineranum  :  who  calls  Montpellier  by  this  name  of 
 
 L/*V%i  Har-Gaafi  the  trembling  Hill,  P.  142,14]. 
 
 Verfe  31,  Ver.  31.  And  Ifraelferved  the  LORD  all  the  days  of 
 Jofi)na.~]  No  Idolatry  appeared  among  them  publickly, 
 while  he  lived  (whatsoever  private  Superftition  might 
 be  pra&ifed,  v.  14.  23.)  for  all  that  wicked  Generation 
 which  came  out  of  Egypt  (except  the  younger  fort) 
 were  confumed  in  the  Wilderncfs,  before  Jojfma  took 
 the  conduft  of  them.  And  God  kept  them  there  fo 
 many  Years,  as  wafted  them  alfo,  for  this  reafon  among 
 others  5  that  they  might  forget  the  Idolatrous  cuftom  of 
 Egypt  5  unto  which  it  early  appeared,  by  their  making 
 the  Golden  Calf,  they  were  ftrongly  inclined.  Thus 
 St.  Chryfoftom  difcourfes,  Lib,  I.  adverf.  vit£  Monaft. 
 Vituper.  God,  faith  he,  that  the  Children  of  Jfrael 
 might  unlearn  the  Evil  cuftoms  of  Egypt,  brought  them 
 rjfl&  (uubvas  hn  7%  ipYifjuauf,  to  lead  a  Solitary  Life  in  the 
 Wildernefs :  forming  their  Minds,  asm  a Monaftery,  far 
 from  thofe  who  had  corrupted  them.  And  he  deftroyed 
 there  all  the  Elder  fort,  that  none  might  enter  into 
 PaUJiine,  but  they  who  had  not  feen  the  Superftitious 
 impieties  of  the  Egyptians,  /£  jmdivx  h^da^Xov  fytiv  ttJs 
 to  gchutk  vrzv'/izia,^  and  that  they  might  have  noMafter 
 left  among  them,  to  teach  them  fuch  kind  of  wicked- 
 nefs. 
 
 And  all  the  days  of  the  Elders  that  outlived  Joflwa,  and 
 which  had  feen  all  the  works  of  the  LO  RD  that  he  had 
 done  for  Jfrael."]  Thefe  Elders  had  been  chofen  by 
 Mofcs,  who  knew  them  to  be  Men  of  great  Piety  5  that 
 had  not  only  feen  but  obferved  and  kept  in  mind  all 
 Gods  wonderful  works  5  and  would  put  others  in  mind 
 of  them,  and  teach  them  toferve  and  obey  the  LORD. 
 From  this  place  the  Jews  labour  to  Eftablifh  all  their 
 Oral  Traditions:    which  Mofes  fay  they  delivered  to 
 
 Jofitu, 
 
upon   JOSHUA.  7 
 
 Jof)ua,  and  he  to  thefe  Elders,  and  they  to  the  Prophets,  Chaptei 
 and  they  to  others  (fee  Maimonides  in  Seder  Zeraim,    XXI V. 
 fet  for  by  our  mod:  learned   Dr.  PococJ^,    P.  54.)    for  lv~W 
 which  there  is  no  foundation. 
 
 Ver.  32.  And  the  hones  of  Jofcph  which  the  Children  V 
 of  Ifrael  brought:  out  of  EgjfpiS]  It  is  a  needlels  pains 
 which  the  Jews  bellow,  in  reconciling  this  place  with 
 the  XIII  Exod.  19.  where  it  isfaid,  Mofes  took,  the  bones 
 of  Jofeph  with  him.  For  there  is  no  contradiction  be- 
 tween thefe  two  places,  the  Children  of  Ifrael  doing 
 what  Mofes  required  him  to  do  :  who  could  not  carry 
 them  away  himfelf  3  but  faw  them  brought  out  of  Egypt, 
 Yet  thus  they  gravely  difcourfe  about  this  matter  in  the 
 Talmud.  Tit.  Sota  Cap.  1.  Seft.  XLVII.  When  any  one 
 begins  a  thing,  but  doth  not  bring  it  to  perfection,  and 
 another  comes  and  finifjes  it  5  the  Scripture  fpeal^s  of  hiw* 
 who  compleats  it,  as  if  he  alone  had  done  it. 
 
 Buried  they  in  Schechem7\  Which  was  one  reafon, 
 perhaps,  for  gathering  the  great  Affembly  above  men- 
 tioned 3  that  they  might  the  more  folemnly  depofite 
 the  Bones  of  this  great  Man,  in  that  portion  of  Land, 
 which  his  Father  Jacob  had  given  him  (fee  XLVIII 
 Gen.  22.)  Where  it  feems  they  thought  it  moft  agreeable 
 to  lay  him,  rather  than  in  the  Cave  of  Macpelah.  It 
 may  be  reafonably  thought  alfo,  that  the  bodies  of  the 
 reft  of  the  Sons  of  Jacob,  from  whom  the  XII.  Tribes 
 defcended,  were  brought  into  Canaan,  to  be  there  in- 
 terred, as  Jofephus  relates  from  ancient  Tradition,  L.  2. 
 Antiq.  Cap.  IV.  And  St.  Steven  confirms  it  VII  Ms  1 6. 
 For  though  Jofeph  excelled  them  all  in  dignity,  and 
 gave  this  fpecial  charge  about  his  Body  5  yet  no  doubt 
 every  Tribe  had  as  great  a  regard  to  the  Head  of  it, 
 and  would  be  inclined  to  do  the  fame  for  their  Fathers, 
 that  Jofeph  defired  for  himfelf.  But  whether  they  buried 
 them  in  the  Sepulchre  at  Macpelah,  or  in  fome  eminent 
 
 Rr  2  place 
 
5o8  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  place  in  their  own  Tribe,  as  Jofeph  was,  there  is  none 
 XXIV.    that  gives  us  any  account. 
 
 L/^V*SJ  ^n  a  pdrcet  °f  ground  which  Jacob  bought  of  the  Sons  of 
 H ramor \  the  Father  of  Schechem,  for  an  hundred  pieces  of 
 Silver.)  See  XXXIII  Gen.  18,  19.  This  (hows  they 
 did  not  bury  him  in  the  City  of  Schechem  5  but  in  a 
 Field  near  it,  which  was  his  own  ground.  For  fo  the 
 ancient  manner  was,  not  to  bury  in  Crties  and  Towns, 
 but  in  the  adjacent  Fields  or  Gardens. 
 
 And  H  became  the  inheritance  of  the  Children  of  Jofeph. ~\ 
 Of  the  Ephra/ mites ,  who  gave  Schechem  to  the  Levites^ 
 for  a  City  of  refuge,  XXI.  20,  21. 
 Verfe  33,  Ver.  3  3-  -£W  Eleazar  the  Son  of  Aaron  dicd.~]  Who 
 imitated  JoJIwa  (if  we  we  may  believe  the  Samaritan 
 Chronicle)  in  calling  all  the  Elders  and  Princes  of  the 
 Tribes  to  him  before  he  died :  charging  them  ftri&ly  to 
 obey  all  the  commands  of  God.  After  which  he  put  off  his 
 facred  Garments,  and  clothed  his  Son  Phineas  with  them. 
 This  is  fo  far  from  being  improbable,  that  it  is  likely  all 
 the  Elders  did  the  fame,  as  far  as  their  authority  could 
 reach :  being  very  defirous  their  pofterity  might  con- 
 tinue firm  and  ftedfaft  in  the  Worfhip  of  God  alone. 
 
 And  they  buried  him  in  an  hill  that  pertained  to  Phineas 
 his  SonT]     In  the  Hebrew  the  words  are,    in  the  hill  of 
 Phineas  5  that  is,  a  Hill  called  by  his  name.     It  being 
 the  manner,  as  I  have  noted  elfewhere,  to  call  places, 
 by  the  name  of  their  Eldeft  Son. 
 
 Which  was  given  him  in  mount  Ephraim.']  It  is  a 
 queftion  to  whom  this  Hill  was  given.  Moft  probably 
 to  Eleazar^  who  being  the  High  Prieft  at  the  time  of  the 
 divifion  of  the  Land,  they  thought  fit  to  give  him  a 
 peculiar  portion,  diftinft  from  all  the  Cities  of  the 
 Priefts.  None  of  which  were  in  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim, 
 but  all  in  the  Tribes  of  of  Judah,  Benjamin  and  Simeon, 
 39  we  read,  XXI.  9.  17.  19.     And  they  gave  it  Eleazar 
 
 in 
 
upon  JOSHUA.  %oy 
 
 in  this  Country,  that  he  might  be  near  to  the  Taber-  Chapter 
 nacle  (which  was  in  Shiloh)  and  near  to  Jojhna  5  to  be  XXIV. 
 ready  on  all  occafions  to  advife  him,    and  confult  the 
 
 Oracle  for  him.  But  againlt  this  there  lies  a  great  ob- 
 jection ^  that  no  Leviteor  Prieft  was  to  have  any  portion 
 in  the  divillon  of  the  Land.  And  therefore  it  is  the 
 molt  received  opinion  among  the  Jews,  that  either 
 F.leazar  or  Phineas  had  this  inheritance,  in  the  right  of 
 his  Wife.  So  the  Qemara  Babylon] c a  on  Bava  Bathra^ 
 and  a  great  many  others,  mentioned  by  Mr.  Selden  in 
 his  Book  de  Succc[fionJbus  ad  Leges  Hcbr.  Cap.  XVIII. 
 Where  he  obferves  another  example  of  this  Marital 
 Succcjfion,  as  he  calls  it}  that  is,  the  Husband  fucceed- 
 ing  his  Wife  in  her  Eftate  after  her  death,  in  1  Chron.  II. 
 21.  where  the  XXIII.  Cities  which  Jair  poflefled,  IQm- 
 chi  faith  he  had  by  his  Wife. 
 
 Thefe  five  laft  Verfes,  it  is  evident  were  not  written 
 by  Joffma.  But  this  is  no  argument  he  did  not  write 
 this  Book  :  no  more  than  that  Mofes  did  not  write  the 
 Pentateuch,  becaufe  there  is  the  like  account  given  of  his 
 death  and  burial  in  the  conclufion  of  it,  by  fome  other 
 Author.  See  XXXIV  Dent.  1.  The  Talmndijls,  I  ob- 
 ferved,  fay  in  Bava  Bathra  that  Jaf/jua  wrote  his  own 
 Book,  and  the  eight  laft  Verfes  of  the  Pentateuch.  And 
 they  fay  in  the  lame  pi  ice  (Cap.  1.)  as  to  what  is  written 
 here.,  v.  29.  it  was  done  by  Eleazar  ^  and  what  is  faid 
 v.  33.  it  was  wrote  by  Phineas.  Or  rather,  thefe  five 
 Verfes  from  29.  to  the  end,  were  written  by  Samuel, 
 who  being  a  Prophet,  was  moved  and  directed  by  God 
 to  continue  the  Hiftory  of  this  People,  from  the  Death 
 of  Joftua,  to  his  own  time. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
Can) 
 
 COMMENTARY 
 
 UPON    THE 
 
 Book  of  JUDGES. 
 
 THIS  Book  is  called  by  the  name  of  SHO- 
 PHETIM  or  JUDGES,  becaufe  it  treats 
 principally  of  the  great  things  done  by  thofe 
 Illuftrioiis  Perfons,  who  were  raifed  up  by  God5  upon 
 fpecial  occafions,  after  the  Death  of  JoJJjua  till  the  time 
 of  making  a  King,  to  Judge,  that  is,  to  Rule,  the 
 People  of  Ifrael,  and  to  deliver  them  from  their  op- 
 pressions. It  confifts  of  two  Parts:  the  one  containing 
 the  Hiftory  of  the  Judges,  from  Othnid  to  Samfon  3 
 which  ends  with  the  XVIth-  Chapter  (the  Hiftory  of 
 the  two  laft  Judges,  Ely  and  Sawuel,  being  not  record- 
 ed here,  but  in  the  following  Book)  The  other  con- 
 taining feveral  memorable  Actions,  which  were  per- 
 formed, in  or  about  the  time  of  the  Judges  ;  with  which 
 the  Holy  writer  would  not  interrupt  their  Hiftory  $ 
 but  referved  them  to  be  related  by  themfelves  in  the 
 Conclufion,  viz.  in  the  XVIIth-  and  the  following 
 Chapters,  unto  the  end  of  the  Book. 
 
 It  is  but  conjeftured  who  was  the  Writer  of  it, 
 Some  think  Ezra  :  but  it  is  mere  probable  the  Prophet 
 Suvuiel,  who  was  the  laft  of  the  Judges  5  and  by  the 
 /iireftionof  God  brought  down  their  Hiftory,  unto  his 
 
 owe 
 
2I2  A    C  0  MM  E  NT  ART 
 
 o 
 
 own  days  }  when  they  defired  a  King  to  be  fet  over 
 them.  The  Talmudifts  in  Bava  Bathra  (Cap.  i.)  are  of 
 this  Opinion :  which  Kimchi,  Abarbinzl,  and  other 
 great  Authors  follow.  And  indeed  there  is  reaion 
 to  think,  that  he  who  wrote  the  Conclusion  of  the  Book 
 of  Joflma,  was  the  Writer  of  this  Book  alio :  in  the 
 fecond  Chapter  of  which  he  inferts  part  of  that  which 
 is  written  there.  And  it  is  manifeft  it  was  written  be- 
 fore the  fecond  Book  of  Samuel:  where  mention  is 
 made  of  a  paflage  in  this  Book}  which  would  nor  have 
 been  fo  commonly  known,  if  it  had  not  been  publifhed 
 here,  2  Sam.  XI.  21.  out  of  IX  Jndg.  53.  David  alfo 
 in  LXVIII  Pfal.  7,  8.  feems  toalude  unto  what  we  read 
 ifl  the  Song  of  Dehorahy  V.  4.  See  Du  Pin.  Certain  it 
 is,  it  was  written  before  Davids  Reign  5  for  the  Jehu- 
 fites  were  poffefled  of  Jernfalem.  when  this  Author 
 lived  {v.  21.  of  this  firft  Chapter)  who  were  driven 
 out  of  it  by  David,  1  Sam.  V.  6.  and  therefore  this 
 Book  was  written  before  that.  And  is  of  wonderful 
 life,  as  Procopius  Gaz£us  obferves,  to  reprefent  unto  us 
 the  mighty  power  of  true  Religion  to  make  a  Nation 
 happy  5  and  the  difmal  Calamities  which  Impiety  brings 
 upon  it.  And  therefore,  faith  he,  St.  Paul  thought  fit 
 to  propound  a  great  many  Examples  to  us,  out  of  this 
 very  Book  :  fuch  as  Gideon,  and  Baral^,  and  Samfon, 
 and  Jephte,  who  did  marvellous  things  by  the  power 
 of  Faith. 
 
 Chapter  '  !  "r""™ 
 
 I*  CHAP.     L 
 
 Verie  1.    Verfe  1.  "^10 IV  after  the  death  of  Jofiua.~]     And  of 
 
 l\l   Eleazar  it  is  probable    (for  this  Book 
 
 gives  an  account  of  what  followed  after  tbofe  things 
 
 that  are  mentioned  in  the  foregoing)  but  how  long  after 
 
 cannot 
 
upon   JUDGES.  313 
 
 cannot  be  certainly  determined.     But  we  have  reafon  to  Chapter 
 think,  it  was  not  till  they  were  multiplied  fo  much,  as        f. 
 to  be  able  ro  People  more  ot  the  Country,  than  tliey 
 
 had  yet  in  pofieilion. 
 
 //  cawe  to  pafs  that  the  Children  of  lfrael.*]  There  u  as 
 no  Perfon  appointed  by  Jofbua  to  lucceed  him,  in  the 
 Government  3  as  he  was  appointed  by  Mofcs  to  be  his 
 SucceiTor :  but  the  Government  was  left  in  the  hand  of 
 the  Elders.  For  it  is  a  mere  Fiction,  which  we  meer. 
 withal  in  the Samaritan  Chronicle  $  thatat  the  la  ft  affembly 
 (mentioned  XXIV  Joflma)  he  chole  Twelve  of  the  chief 
 of  the  Tribes  and  caft  Lots,  which  of  them  (hotild  hold 
 his  place  when  he  died.  And  that  the  Lot  fell  upon 
 one  whofe  Name  was  Abel^  and  his  Nephew  :  to  whom 
 he  affigned  his  Authority,  and  fet  a  Crown  upon  his 
 head.  See  Hot  finger  in  his  Smegma  Orient  ale,  Cap.  VIII. 
 P. 522. 
 
 Asked  the  LORD,  fafwg.~]  Enquired  of  him  by  Vrim 
 znAThummim,  as  the  manner  was  in  all  Cafes  that  con- 
 cerned the  whole  Congregation  of  Jfracl.  For  which 
 end,  it  is  to  be  fuppoied  that,  ibme  who  reprefented 
 the  bod  v  of  the  People  (their  Elders,  perhaps,  ox  heads 
 of  their  Tribes)  were  fent  to  Shiloh,  where  the  San&u- 
 ary  was :  and  defired  Phincas  the  High  Prieft  to  repre- 
 fent  their  Cafe  to  God,  and  befeech  his  directions. 
 Here  the  Jews  raife  a  Queftion,  Why  we  never  read  that 
 Joflua  in  all  his  Wars  confulted  God  by  the  Oracle: 
 but  the  Elders  immediately  after  his  death  did  >  To 
 this  they  give  feveral  Anfwers.     See  XXVII  Numb.  21. 
 
 Who  fl) all  go  up  for  us  again ft  the  Canaan/ tes  firfl,  to 
 fight  againjl  them  .<?]  They  being  increafed,  as  I  faid, 
 to  fuch  a  number,  that  they  were  able  to  People  more 
 of  the  Country,  and  beginning  to  be  ftraitned  for  want 
 of  room  5  thought  of  enlarging  their  poffefiions :  but 
 would  not  adventure  without  Gods  approbation  and  di- 
 
 S  f  reftion 
 
ji4  ^  CO  MMENT  AR  Y 
 
 Chapter  reftion  to  any  thing.     And  therefore  defired  he  would 
 
 I.        tell  them,  who  (hould  make  the  firft  attempt  :>  that  the 
 
 L/*V^vJ  reft  being  encouraged  by  their  fuccefs    (of  which  they 
 
 did  not  doubt,  if  they  had  his  warrant  for  what  they 
 
 did)  might  make  the  like.     For  it  is  evident  by  thefe 
 
 words,  go  up  for  us  5    that  all  the  Tribes  on  this  fide 
 
 Jordan  were  concerned  in  this  matter. 
 
 Verfe  2.        Ver.  2-  And  the  LORD  faid,    Judah.']     i.e.    The 
 
 Tribe  of  Judah  :  who  were  very  populous,  and  no  lefs 
 
 valiant. 
 
 Shall  go  up.']  And  afiault  the  Mountainous  Coun- 
 try, which  was  the  Lot  of  this  Tribe.  According  to 
 the  Prophefieof  Jacob,  XLIXGe«.  8.  where  comparing 
 Judah  to  a  Lyons  Whelp,  he  faith,  from  the  Prey,  my 
 Son,  thou  art  gone  up. 
 
 Behold,  I  have  delivered  the  land  into  his  hand."]  That 
 is,  all  the  Land  belonging  to  their  Lot.     By  this  it  feems 
 plain  that  the  anfwer  by  TJrim  and  Thummim^    was 
 given  by  a  Voice,    which  uttered   thefe  words.     Here 
 Abarbinel  endeavours  to  give  fatisfa&ion  to  the  Quefti- 
 on  before  mentioned,  Why  Joflma  did  not  enquire  in 
 this  manner,  though  ic  be  expreily  faid,  XXVII  Numb. 
 21.  that  he  fiall  (land  before  Eleazar  the  Priefi,   and  ask, 
 counfel  of  the  LORD  after  the  judgment  of  Vrim.     He 
 thinks  he  did  fo,  all  the  time  after  that,  till  Mofes  his 
 death  5  to  fhow  he  was  made  the  leader  of  Gods  Peo- 
 ple 5  for  none  but  fuch  cculd  enquire  by  TJrim.    But 
 after  his  death,  he  was  endued  with  the  Spirit  of  Pro- 
 phefie,  as  Mofes  was,  and  fo  had  no  need  to  enquire  in 
 that  manner  $  being  immediately  direfted  by  God  in  his 
 proceedings.     But  after  his  death,  there  being  none  en- 
 dued with  the  Prophetical  Spirit,  the  Children  of  If 
 rael  were  con  ft  rained  to   have  refort  to  this  Oracle. 
 Which  is  an  account  very  much  below  the  judgment  of 
 fo  great  a  Man,     For  Mofes  being  a  Prophet  did  fre- 
 quently 
 
upon  JUDGES.  315 
 
 qucntly  ask  Counfel  of  God  at  the  Sanftuiry  5    which  Chapter! 
 was  the  lame  as  it  he  had  enquired   by  TJtinii     There-         I. 
 fore  the  true  anfwer  is,   that  Joflwa  did  thus  enquire  of  L/^V\J 
 the  LORD  in  the  Cafe  of  Ac  hurt :    and  it   is  highly 
 probable  he  did  the  lame  in  the  management  of  his  War, 
 and  other  great  occafions  5    though  it  be  not  exprelly 
 mentioned  in  fo  many  words. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  Jttdah  f aid  to  Simeon  hk  Brother.']  They  Verfe  3. 
 were  Brethren  by  the  fame  Father  and  Mother  5  and  alfo 
 nearly  joined  in  their  (ituation  :  the  Lot  of  the  Tribe 
 of  Simeon  being  taking  out  of  that  of  Jndah,    XIX 
 Jojb.  9. 
 
 Lome  up  with  me  into  my  loty  that  we  may  fight  again fl 
 the  Canaanites.~]  Which  People,  with  the  Pcrizzites 
 (as  is  farther  declared  in  the  next  Verfe)  ftill  potfeffed 
 a  confiderable  part  of  the  Lot  which  fell  to  Judah. 
 
 And  I  likeivife  will  go  with  thee  into  thy  lot.']  To 
 drive  them  out  of  that  part  of  the  Country,  which  was 
 the  portion  of  Simeon. 
 
 So  Simeon  went  with  him.']  They  joined  their  Forces 
 together  in  this  Expedition  5  under  the  conduct,  no 
 doubt,  of  fome  eminent  Leader.  And  who  fo  fit  as  Caleb  f 
 who  though  an  old  Man,  was  full  of  vigour,  and  fit 
 for  War  (as  he  himfelf  declared  not  long  ago,  XIV 
 Joffj.  10,  ir.)  and  had  not  yet  got  pofleflion  (as  ap- 
 pears by  the  fequel)  of  the  portion  which  by  Gods 
 Commandment  was  affigned  him. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  Jttdah  went  up.]     They  were  the  prin-  Verfe  4. 
 cipal  Perfons  concerned  in  this  Expedition,  and  there- 
 fore only  mentioned :  though  the  Children  of  Simeon 
 alfo  went  up  with  them. 
 
 And  the  LORD  delivered.']  We  meet  with  no  fuch 
 Religious  expreffion  (which  occurs  often  here  in  thefe 
 Holy  Books)  in  any  Heathen  Writer. 
 
 The    Canaanites    and    Perizzites    into    their    hand.'] 
 
 S  f  2  Though 
 
3i6  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  Though  moft  of  the  People  properly  called  Canaanites, 
 I.        dwelt  by   the  Mediterranean  Sea,    yet  many  of  them 
 
 L/"V"\J  were  fcattered  up  and  down  in  other  parts  of  the  Coun- 
 try (as  I  obfervcd  upon  XIV  Numb,  ult.)  and  particu- 
 larly in  thefe  Mountains  and  woody  places,  where  the 
 PerizzHes  dwelt.     See  XVttJofh.  15,  16. 
 
 And  they  flew  of  them  in  Bczel^  ten  thoufand  Men."] 
 In  the  Country  near  to  Bezek,  which  was  a  City  in  the 
 Tribe  of  Judah  3  not  far,  fome  think,  from  Bethlehem. 
 Here  they  chofe  to  make  their  rendevouz  (as  we  now 
 fpeak)  of  their  Forces  5  and  wait  to  receive  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Judah $  that  if  they  were  worfted,  they  might 
 eafily  find  a  ftrong  place  of  retreat. 
 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  And  they  found  Adonibezel^  in  Bezekf]  He 
 was  the  King,  or  Lord  of  this  place,  as  his  name  im- 
 ports :  whom  they  furprized,  as  the  word  found  Signifies 
 (fee  Bochart  Hhroz.  P.  1.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  XXI.)  by  a 
 iudden  affault  upon  this  City  :  whether  he  feems  to  have 
 fled,  when  he  had  loft  the  Field.  Theodoret  makes  this 
 Ring  the  fame  with  Adonizedel^  (mentioned  in  the  X. 
 of  Jojhua)  but  as  their  names  are  different  $  fo  he  was 
 King  of  Jerufalem,  and  this  of  Bezels  Where  he  was 
 overcome,  but  the  former  in  Gibeon  :  who  was  killed 
 alfo  with  the  Sword,  and  then  hanged  on  a  Tree  :  but 
 this  had  only  his  Thumbs  and  Toes  cut  off,  and  fo 
 brought  to  Jerufalem  where  he  died. 
 
 And  they  fought  againft  him.]  Took  the  City  wherein 
 he  thought  to  have  defended  himfelf  and  the  remainder 
 of  his  Army  }  which  efcaped  hither. 
 
 And  theyjlew  the  Canaanites  and  PerizzHes.']  Put  all 
 the  People  of  thofe  two  Nations*  whom  they  found 
 there,  to  the  Sword. 
 
 Verfe  6.        Ver-  6-  But  Adonibezek,  fled.~]     He  made  his  efcape. 
 
 And  they  purfued  him,  and  caught  him.']     They  found 
 
 which  way  he  went,   and  purfued  him  fo  clofe  ^  that 
 
 they 
 
«;^  JUDGES.  3  1 7 
 
 they  overtook  him  before  he  could  get  to  the  ftrong   Chapter 
 Fortrefs  of  the  Jebujites  :  where,  it  is  likely,  he  hoped        I. 
 to  fecure  himfelt.  ~/"V"\J 
 
 And  cut  off  his  Thumbs  and  his  great  Toes.~\  That  he 
 might  be  made  UIKapable  of  War  hereafter:  being  un- 
 able to  handle  Arms  by  realbn  of  the  lofs  of  his  Thumbs  , 
 or  to  run  fwiftly  (which  was  a  noble  quality  in  a  War- 
 riour)  by  the  lofs  of  his  Great  Toes:  This  had  been 
 his  own  pra&ice,  it  appears  by  his  Confelfion  in  the 
 next  Verfe  ^  which  made  them  think  it  reafonable  to 
 ferve  him  in  his  kind. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  Adonibczek  /aid,  three/core  and  ten  yerfe  _. 
 Kings  f]  In  thofe  days  the  chief  Perfon  in  every  City, 
 had  a  Kingly  power 5  as  we  learn  from  the  Hiftory  of 
 Jojliua,  who  found  many  Kings  in  Canaan  when  he 
 conquered  it.  Ami  Seventy  fuch  petty  Princes  Adoni- 
 z^-^had  fubdued:  who  were  not  Kings  of  fo  many 
 feveral  Cities:  but  fome  of  them,  it  is  likely  Kings  of 
 the  fame  place  :  who  fucceffively  oppofed  him,  and 
 were  dethroned  by  him. 
 
 Having  their  thumbs  and  great  toes  cut  off,  gathered 
 their  meat  under  my  tabled]  He  was  proud  and  inlblent, 
 as  well  as  cruel :  treating  thofe  Kings,  whom  he  con- 
 quered, as  if  they  had  been  Dogs. 
 
 As  I  have  done,  fo  hath  God  requited  me  f]  Juftice  was 
 defined  by  the  Pythagor£ans  to  be  to  clvTnmmvSi^  to  make 
 others  feel  the  hurt  they  had  done,  by  their-rfuffcring 
 the  like  punifhment.  Which  Hartxenopulu*  calls  tzl^z- 
 7ri^ix,  fuffering  the  very  fame,  as  Grot'ws  notes,  Lib.  2. 
 de  Jure  Belli  &  Pacts*  C  XX.  N.  XXXII.  Now,  Ado- 
 nibezekj  acknowledgment  of  Gods  Juftice  in  this  punifh- 
 ment, hath  made  fome  think  he  was  a  Penitent,  and 
 became  a  Convert  to  the  true  Religion.  For  he  fpeaks 
 of  God  in  the  lingular  number,  and  not  of  the  gods, 
 as  the  Heathen  manner  was.     Which  might  poilibly  be 
 
 the: 
 
3i8  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  the  reafon  why  they  fpared  his  Life,  and  did  not  kill 
 
 I.        him.     Certain  it  is,  his  pride  and  arrogance  was  very 
 
 L/"V"\J  much  humbled  by  his  punifhment,  which  extorted  this 
 
 Confeffion  from  him.     For  it  carried  in  it  (as  Mr.  Mede 
 
 obferves  on  thefe  words)  the  very  Stamp  and  Print  of 
 
 the  Sin,  for  which  it  was  inflitted. 
 
 And  they  brought  him  to  Jerusalem  7]  Which,  as  it 
 follows  in  the  next  Verfe,  was  now  in  the  pofleflion  of 
 the  Children  of  Judah.  Though  the  Jews  think  they 
 had  not  yet  taken  the  City  ^  but  having  begirt  it,  they 
 brought  him  Prifoner  thither :  and  he  died  in  the  time 
 of  the  Seige. 
 
 And  there  he  died.]  After  he  had  lived  fome  time, 
 perhaps,  to  perfeft  his  Repentance. 
 Verle  8.  ^er  8.  Now  the  Children  of  Judah  had  fought  againfl 
 Jerufalem  and  taken  it.]  We  do  not  read  of  its  being 
 taken  by  Joflma,  though  it  feems  to  me  highly  probable, 
 that  when  he  took  the  King  of  Jerufalem,  he  alio  took 
 his  City  5  and  did  to  it  as  he  did  to  the  reft  of  the 
 Cities  of  thofe  Kings  mentioned,  XJofh.  3.23.  But, 
 when  he  was  gone  to  Conquer  other  parts  of  the  Coun- 
 try, it  is  likely  the  old  Inhabitants  returned  again,  and 
 took  pofleflion  of  it.  For  the  Land  was  not  then  di- 
 vided among  the  IfraelHes :  After  which  this  City  fall- 
 ing in  part  to  the  (hare  of  Judah,  they  difpoflefled  the 
 Jebufites  that  dwelt  there  of  all,  but  the  ftrong  fortrefs 
 on  the  top  of  Mount  Sion }  which  held  out  till  the 
 days  of  David      See  upon  X  Jofh.  1.  and  XV.  63. 
 
 And  burnt  it  with  fire 7\  As  Joflma  had  done  to  Jeri- 
 cho, Ai,  and  Hazor  :  This  being  a  City,  it  is  probable, 
 deeply  infe&ed  with  Idolatry }  from  which  they 
 thought  fit  intirely  to  purge  it,  before  they  rebuilt  it. 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  Afterward  the  Children  of  Judah  went  down.'] 
 From  Jerufalem  (I  fuppofe)  which  ftood  high. 
 
 To  fight  againfl  the  Canaanites  that  dwelt  in  the  Moun- 
 tain."] 
 
upon  JUDGES,  g,9 
 
 tain.']     There  were  feveral  Mountains  round  about  Jew-  Chapter 
 falcm  (CXXV  Pfal.  2.)  and  wc  often  read  of  the  Motlfl  J. 
 
 tains  of  Judah:    which  were  poflefled,  it  (eems,  by  the  U^V^w 
 old  Inhabitants,  till  after  the  Death  of  Jofbn*. 
 
 And  the  South.']     Towards  the  Wildernefs  of  Para*?. 
 
 And  the  Valley.']  Or,  the  Hat  Country  about  thole 
 Mountains,  ibme  of  which  are  mentioned  in  the  fol- 
 lowing Verfes. 
 
 Ver.    10.   And   Judah  went  up   again  ft   the  CanaanHcs  Verfe    \q% 
 that  dwelt  in  Hel>ron.~]     This  (hows  the  old  Inhabitants 
 of  the  Country  had  returned  to  this  place,  after  it  had 
 been  deftroyed  by  Jofliua,  as  we  read  it  was  X  Jofi.  36, 
 
 37.  Who  w^re  now  again  expelled  by  the  Children  of 
 Judah,  after  his  Death}  this  City  being  in  their  Lot. 
 
 Now  the  name  of  Hebron  before  time  was  K/rjath  ArbaT] 
 As  much  as  as  to  fay,  the  City  of  Arba,  who  was  the 
 Father  of  Auak.     See  XIV  Joftj.  ult.  XV.15, 
 
 And  they  flew  She 'fiat,  Ah  f  man  and  Talmai]  Thefe 
 were  the  three  Sons  of  Anak,  as  we  read  there,  XV 
 Jofly.  14.  where  it  is  faid  that  Caleb  drove  them  out  from 
 thence.  For  he  was  the  coiduftor  of  the  Children  of 
 Ifrael'm  this  expedition  (as  I  obferved  upon  v.  3.)  and 
 had  great  reafon  to  go  up  againft  this  City,  becaufe  this 
 part  of  the  Country  was  given  to  him,  by  a  particular 
 direftion  of  God,  XlVJofi.  13,  14.  XV.  13.  But  he 
 did  not  Conquer  it,  till  after  the  Death  of  Joftjua^  as 
 this  place  (hows  us. 
 
 Ver.   1 1.   And  from  thence  he  went  againft  the  inhabi-  Verfe  I  x, 
 tants  of  Dcb/r,  Scc.1      Another  City  which  had   been 
 taken  by  Joflma  in  the  beginning  of  the  War  (\Joftj. 
 
 38,  39.)  but  while  he  was  gone  to  bring  under  other 
 parts  of  the  Country,  was  reinhabited  by  the  CanaanHes^ 
 who  were  not  expelled,  till  after  Joflma  s  Death.  When 
 Caleb  (to  whom  it  was  given,  together  with  Hebron,  for 
 his  portion,  XV  Joflj.  1  5.)  drove  them  out  again,  and 
 poflefled  himfelf  of  it,  Ver.  1 2 . 
 
A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  Caleb  faidT]  Hence  it  ftill  appears, 
 that  the  Children  of  Judah  fought  under  the  conduct  of 
 Caleb,  as  their  General. 
 
 Verfe  12.  HethatfmitcthKirjath-Sepher,  and  taketh  it,  to  him 
 will  I  gave  Achfah  my  Daughter  to  11  ife.~]  This,  and 
 the  three  following  Verfcs,  13,  14,  15.  have  been  ex- 
 plained upon  XV  Jofh.  16,  Sfc.  Where  the  portion  of 
 Judah  being  defcribed,  there  is  a  particular  mention  of 
 what  was  given  to  Caleb,  and  how  he*  dilpofed  of  it. 
 Which  relation  feems  to  have  been  t*ken  out  of  this 
 Book,  and  inferted  there,  by  the  Authority  of  Ezra, 
 for  the  fuller  illuftration  of  all  that  belonged  to  that 
 Tribe,  whether  by  Lot,  or  peculiar  donation  before 
 the  divifion  of  the  Land.  For  any  one  may  fee  that 
 the  defcription  of  Judah's  Lot  is  intirely  coherent  (as 
 Hucthts  truly  obferves)  if  all  between  the  twelfth  and 
 the  twentieth  Verfe  were  left  out.  And  that  all  things 
 here  mentioned  were  not  done  till  after  the  Death  of 
 Jtfkua,  is  fo  evident  by  the  narration  which  is  here 
 made  of  all  that  fell  out  after  that  time,  as  to  leave  no 
 doubt  of  it. 
 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  And  the  Children  of  the  Kenite  Mofes*  his 
 Father  in-law.']  See  X  Numb.  29.  where  Hobab  the  Son 
 of  Jethro  was  invited  by  Mofes  to  accompany  him  into 
 the  Land  of  Canaan:  and  in  allpropability  accepted  the 
 invitation,  as  I  there  obferved. 
 
 Went  up  out  of  the  City  of  Palm-trees.  ]  That  is, 
 Jericho:  which  was  rn  a  flat  Country.  See  XXXIV 
 Deut.  3.  Here  it  feems  they  were  pleafed  to  fettle  them- 
 felves  at  their  firfl:  coming  into  Canaan  :  where  Mofes 
 promifed  that  whatfoever  goodnefs  God  fhould  (how 
 to  the  Ifraelites,  they  fhould  have  their  (hare  in  it.  And 
 there  was  no  fweeter  place  in  that  Country,  than  this 
 about  Jericho:  in  the  territory  of  which  they  dwelt, 
 for  the  City  it  felf  was  deftroyed. 
 
 With 
 
upon  JUDGES.  jxi 
 
 With  the  Children  of  Judah.]     Admiring  the  courage  Chapter 
 and  fuccefs  of  this  Tribe,  they  feem  to  have  contracted         I. 
 a  particular  friendfhip  with  them  5  and  to  have  acorn-  U 
 panied  them  in  this  Expedition  into  the  high  Country. 
 
 Into  the  Wilder  nejs  of  Judah  which  lieth  in  the  South 
 of  Arad.]  In  the  Southern  part  of  the  Land  of  Canaan  ^ 
 where  Artd  was,  XXI  Numb.  1.  which,  as  Procofim 
 Gaz<eu<s  here  obferves  was  a  City  of  the  Amoritcs  5  near 
 to  the  Wildernefs  of  Kadefo,  which  is  Paran  :  In  hi^ 
 time  it  was  a  Village  four  Miles  from  Malaathon  5  but 
 twenty  from  Hebron. 
 
 And  dwelt  among  the  People."]  They  removed  from 
 the  City  of  Palm-trees,  which  was  in  the  Tribe  of  Ben- 
 jamin 5  and  fetled  themfelves  among  the  People  of  Judah. 
 Yet  not  all  of  them  ;  for  fome  went  into  the  Northern 
 parts  among  the  Tribe  of  Naphtali,  as  appears  from  IV. 
 10.  11.  what  fhould  be  the  reafon  of  their  forfaking  fo 
 pleafant  a  place,  as  that  where  they  were  at  firfl:  fetled, 
 is  but  conjettured.  Some  think  it  was  the  love  of  foli- 
 tarinefs  and  retirement :  which  they  gather  from  XXXV 
 Jerem.  6^&c.  Or,  aslfaid,  out  of  their  great  affeftion 
 to  the  Children  of  Judah  5  under  whofe  protection  they 
 hoped  for  greater  fafety,  than  in  other  places. 
 
 Ver.    17.  And  Judah  went  with  Simeon  his  Brother.]  ycr>r 
 Having  finifhed,  as  far  as  they  were  able,  the  conqueft 
 of  what  belonged  to  the  Tribe  of  Judah  5    they  went 
 to  affift  the  Simeonites :   according  to  their  mutual  en- 
 gagement, v.  5. 
 
 And  they  flew  the  Canaanites  that  inhabited  Zephath* 
 and  utterly  deflroyed  it.]  Some  think  this  was  the  name 
 both  of  a  City,  and  of  a  fmall  Region  :  but  whereabouts 
 it  was  fituated,  is  not  known. 
 
 And  the  name  of  the  City  was  called  Hormah.]  From 
 the  utter  deftru&ion  before  mentioned.  Some  think 
 this  was  the  fame  place  with  that  mentioned,   XXI 
 
 T  t  mb. 
 
A  CO MMENT A KX 
 
 Chapter  Numb.  2,  3.     But  there  he  fpeaks  of  more  Cities  that 
 ].        were  laid  wafte  :  here  but  of  one. 
 
 L/"W>        Ver.   18.  And  judah  tooI^Gaza  with  the  coafl  thereof \ 
 
 Verfe  18.  and  Askelon  with  the  coaft  thereof,  and  Ekron  with  the 
 coaft  thereof^]  Thefe  three  Cities,  were  in  the  Land  of 
 the  Philifiines  upon  the  Sea  Coaft:  which  the  Ifraelites 
 did  not  hold  long,  before  the  Philifiines  recovered 
 them  again.  For  the  Ifraelites  contenting  themfelves 
 with  taking  thefe  Cities,  without  deftroying  the  People 
 (as  they  did  in  orher  places,  and  ought  to  have  done 
 here)  and  only  making  them  tributaries  5  it  was  not 
 hard  for  them  to  regain  their  liberty. 
 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  And  the  LORD  was  with  Judah^]  The 
 Targum  here  ufes  the  fame  Language,  which  we  find  all 
 along  in  the  Book  of  Jofiua,  when  he  fpeaks  of  Gods 
 prefence  with  him  (fee  XIV  Jofh.  12.)  and  the  WORD 
 of  the  LORD  helped  the  houfe  of 'judah. 
 
 And  they  drave  out  the  inhabitants  of  the  mountain7\ 
 God  gave  them  fuch  fuccefs  wherefoever  they  went, 
 that  it  ought  to  have  encouraged  them  to  go  on  with 
 their  enterprife  :  which  they  did  not,  as  the  following 
 words  tell  us.  This  Mountain,  it  is  very  likely,  was 
 Mons  Caf/us  :  which  was  near  to  Gaza. 
 
 But  could  not  drive  out  the  inhabitants  of  the  valley, 
 becaufe  they  had  Chariots  of  Iron.]  Here  now  the  foun- 
 tain of  all  the  enfuing  Evils  which  befel  the  Ifraelites, 
 begins  to  be  opened.  In  that,  either  through  (loth,  or 
 covetoufnefs,  or  diftruft  of  Gods  Power,  or  more  lenity 
 than  the  Law  of  Mofes  allowed,  they  did  not  attempt 
 thofe  People  that  were  ftronger  than  ordinary  5  or  being 
 unfaithful  to  God,  failed  in  their  attempt,  or  having 
 fome  fuccefs  only  brought  them  under  Tribute.  And 
 it  is  moil:  likely,  they  were  fo  affrighted  at  the  Iron 
 Chariots  (which  were  in  ufe,  in  the  Plain  Country, 
 though  not  in  the  Mountains)   that  they   were  quite 
 
 dilheartned. 
 
upon    JUDGES.  3  :  ; 
 
 difheartned.     And  did   not   remember  what  Cod  had   ( 
 promifed  them    (v.  2.  of  this  Chapter)    and  how  nn-         J. 
 dauntedly  Joflwu  let  upon  tbofe  that  came  thus  dread-  w^T\^> 
 fully    appointed,    XI  J  oft.  4.  6.     Concerning    1 
 Chariots,  fee  XVHjoft).  16.  18.  where  I  ba/ve obferv 
 they  are  frequently   mentioned  in  Prophane  A  a  the 
 And  fee  Dilbernu,  Tom.  1.  Difput.  Acadew.  P.  1 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  they  gave  Hebron  unto  Caleb  as  Aloft  c  y 
 laid,  and  he  expelled  thence  the  three  Sons  of  AnaH{  \ 
 Thus  ends  the  account  of  the  Wars  of  the  Tribe  of 
 Jitdah.  Which  concludes  with  a  repetition  of  what 
 put  in  their  Country  was  given  to  Caleb :  becaule  he 
 was  their  Leader  (as  I  have  often  faid)  and  this  was 
 his  reward,  viz.  the  Country  about  Hebron  $  the  City 
 it  felf  belonging  to  the  Levites. 
 
 Ver.  21.  And  the  Children  of  Benjamin  did  not  drive  Veffe  2  1. 
 out  the  Jebufites^  that  inhabited  Jerujalen/.~]  This  Tribe 
 and  that  of  Judah,  had  an  intereft  in  Jerufalem  :  But 
 though  both  of  them  joined  together,  they  could  not 
 drive  the  Jebufites  out  of  the  South  part  of  it  5  where 
 they  had  a  ftrong  fortrefs  upon  Mount  Sion.  See  XV 
 J  op).  63.  Nay  of  that  part  of  the  City  which  belonged 
 to  Judah  they  were  not  difpoffeffed,  till  the  fore  named 
 expedition. 
 
 But  the  Jebufites  dwelt  with  the  Children  of  Benjamin 
 to  this  day.~\  That  is,  they  kept  poffeilion  of  that 
 fortrefs  from  which  they  were  not  able  to  drive  them  : 
 but  they  dwelt  there  in  the  days  when  Samuel  wrote  this 
 Book}  being  not  expelled  till  the  Reign  of  David. 
 And  they  feem  alfo  to  have  dwelt  with  the  Benjamites 
 in  that  part  of  the  City  belonging  to  them:  which 
 though  conquered,  yet  the  Inhabitants  were  not  de- 
 stroyed, but  only  brought  under  Tribute.  For  this 
 was  very  agreeable  to  the  Lazy,  and  Covetous  humour, 
 which  now  began  to  prevail  in  IfraeL 
 
 T  t  2  Ver.  22. 
 
32+  A  CO  MMENT  AKY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  22.  And  the  houfe  of  Jofeph.]     Viz.  The  Tribe 
 I.     •    of  Ephraim,  XVI  Jo//).  1. 
 
 IS~\T\J       Lhey  alfo  went  up  againft  Bethel.]     They  following  the 
 
 Verfe  22.  example  of  Judah,  Simeon  and  Benjamin ,  endeavoured 
 to  enlarge  their  border,  by  taking  Bethel 
 
 And  the  LORD  was  with  them.]  As  the  fuccefs  de- 
 monflrated.  The  Targum  hath  it  (as  before  v.  19.)  the 
 WORD  of  the   LORD  was  their  helper. 
 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  And  the  houfe  of  Jofeph  fent  to  defer y  Bethel:'] 
 They  proceeded  very  cautioully  :  fending  Spies  (as  we 
 read  in  the  next  Verfe)  to  view  the  ftrength  of  the 
 place  5  and  to  difcover  how  it  might  be  beft  approa- 
 ched. 
 
 Now  the  name  of  the  City  before  was  Luz.]  See  XXVIII 
 Gen.  19.  XVlJofi.  2.  ' 
 pfe  24.  Ver.  24.  And  the  Spies  faw  a  Man  come  forth' out  of 
 the  Qty.']  Whom  they  apprehended  as  he  pafled  by 
 the  place  where  they  lay,  to  make  their  Obfervations, 
 and  get  Intelligence. 
 
 And  they  faid  unto  him,  flow  tts  we  pray  thee,  the  en- 
 trance into  the  City.]  Where  it  may  be  mod  eafily  en- 
 tred.  For  they  did  not  enquire  the  way  to  the  Gate  5 
 which  was  common  and  plain  enough:  but  for  the- 
 weakefl  part,  where  the  Walls  were  loweft,  or  mod: 
 out  of  repair,  or  had  .the  leaft  guard.  Or,  theydefired 
 him,  perhaps,  to  fhow  them  fome  private  way  to  get.in* 
 to  it  5  which  none  knew  but  the  Inhabitants. 
 
 And  we  will  f hew  thee  mercy.]  .  As  they  fpake  civilly 
 and  gently  to  him,  when  they  apprehended  him  :  fo 
 they  make  him  a  promife  of  kind  ufage,  when  they 
 got  into  the  City,  by  fparing  his  Life,  and  all  belong- 
 ing to  him  5  as  they  did  Rahab  and  her  Family.  Which, 
 it  is  highly  probable  he  beg'd  of  them,  being  fain  into 
 their  hands  5  and  it  was  not  unlawful  for  them  to  grant, 
 if  he  changed  his  Religion.,  or  left  the  Country,  as  we 
 find  he  afterwards  did.  Ver.  25^ 
 
upon  .]  U  DGES,  325 
 
 Ver.    25.   And  when  he  flowed  them  the  entrance  into  Chapter 
 the  Gty.~]     Notice  I  fuppofe  was  immediately   lent    to         I. 
 the  Army,  which  lay  not  far  off.  L^V^sJ 
 
 They  fmotc  the  City  with  the  edge  of  the  Sword.]    Came  Verfe  15  . 
 upon  them  on  a  fudden,  and  afiaulted  them  where  they 
 lea  ft  expected  it :    fo  that  they  found  little  refiftance. 
 
 But  they  let  go  the  Man,  and  all  his  Family.]  Did 
 them  no  harm:  but  gave  them  their  Liberty,  as  well  as 
 Life  3  to  go  whether  they  pleafed. 
 
 Ver.  26.  And  the  Man  went  into  the  land  of  the  Hit-  Verfe  26. 
 tites.]  A  Colony  of  this. Nation,  I  fuppofe,  had 
 planted  themfelves  heretofore,  in  fome  of  the  neigh- 
 bouring Countries,  Syria,  or  Arabia,  or  fome  of  thofe 
 that  fled  upon  JoJ/juas  invading  the  Land,  fetled  them- 
 felves there.  To  whom  this  Man  thought  good  to  go 
 with  Ms  Family  :  being  perhaps  of  the  fame  Nation. 
 
 And  built  a  City.']  Which  is  an  argument  that  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Ephraim  were  fo  kind0  as  to  difmifs  him  and 
 his  Family,  with  all  their  Goods  and  Eftate. 
 
 And  called  the  name  of  it  Luz.~]  To  preferv'e  the 
 memory  of  the  place  from  whence  he  came.  The  foun- 
 ders of  Cities  are  mentioned  with  honour,  by  all  Au- 
 thors :  and  this  feems  to  be  fo  intended. 
 
 U  hich  k  the  name  thereof  unto  this  day~]  It  kept  this 
 Name,  to  the  time  of  the  writing  of  this  Book  ^and  long 
 after.  For'  it  feems  to  be  the  fame  City  mentioned  by 
 Jofephus  in  Arabia  (not  far  from  Jtutda)  which  he  calls 
 K&osx.  L.  XIV.  Antiq.  Cap,  2.  And  Bochartus  obferves 
 that  this  place  had  its  name  originally,  from  the  great 
 plenty  of  Almonds  growing  there  :  from  whence  alfo 
 it  may  be  Lufttania  had  its  name,  Lib.  1.  Canaan,  Cap. 
 XXXV. 
 
 Ver.  27.  Neither  did  Manaffeh."]     He  fpeaks  of  that  Verfe  27, 
 part  of  this  Tribe?    which  was  feated    on    this  fide 
 Jordan. 
 
 Drive 
 
276  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter        Drive  out  the  inhabitants  of  Beth-Jljean  and  her  towns  y 
 I.        &c.J     Hitherto  feveral  of  the  Israelites  had    (hovved 
 
 tyWI  fome  valour,  and  expelled  fame  of  the  Canaanites. 
 But  now  he  begins  to  (how  how  cowardly  others  of 
 them  were  :  for  thefe  do  net  feem  to  have  attempted 
 any  thing,  againft  the  places  here  mentioned,  or  any 
 where  elie.  Beth-Shean  was  a  City  not  far  from  Jordan. 
 See  XVII  Jo(I).  n.  where  the  reft  of  the  Cities  here 
 named  in  this  Verfe,  are  mentioned. 
 
 But  the  Canaanites  would  dwell  in  that  land.\  Not 
 on)y  in  the  Cities,  where  they  might  have  been  ftrait- 
 ned  and  kept  under:  but  in  the  Towns  and  Villages, 
 where  they  had  the  fame  liberties  with  the  Ifraelites: 
 and  perhaps  held  fome  of  the  ground  belonging  to  them. 
 For  fo  fome  think  the  word  dwell  fignines  5  that  they 
 enjoyed  all  the  benefits  that  any  others  had.  And  this 
 they  demanded  as  their  right  5  which  the  Hebrew  word 
 Jaal  imports  :  a  fetled  refolution  not  to  quit  that  Land. 
 See  XVII  jofi.  12. 
 
 Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  And  it  came  to  pafs,  when  the  Ifraelites  mere 
 ftrong,  that  they  put  the  Canaanites  to  tribute,  and  did  not 
 utterly  drive  them  out.~]  Herein  they  a&ed  contrary  to  the 
 Law,  whereby  they  were  enjoined  todeftroy  them, when 
 they  were.  able.  And  being  ftrong  enough  to  make 
 them  tributaries  5  they  might  no  doubt  have  utterly  ex- 
 pelled them  out,  of  the  Land.  But  they  found  more 
 profit  in  making  them  pay  Tribute,  and  it  coft  them 
 lefs  pains  to  bring  them  into  fome  fubjtcHon,  than  to 
 deftroy  them.  And  this  feems  to  be  here  noted,  as  the 
 common  fault  of  all  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  that  when 
 they  grew  ftrong,  they  did  not  ufe  their  power  to  de- 
 ftroy or  expel  the  Canaanites  5  but  let  them  live  quietly 
 under  them,  upon  payment  of  Tribute. 
 
 Verfe  29.      Ver.   29.  Neither  did  Ephraim  drive  out  the  Canaanites 
 that  dwelt  in  Gezer.']     XVI  Jofi.  10.     It  is  very  pro- 
 bable ; 
 
upon   JUDGES.  527 
 
 bable  5  they  did  not  fo  much  as  exaft  a  Tribute  from  Chapter 
 them  (which  is  not  here  mentioned)  but  ma  le  a  Cove-         1. 
 nant  of  friend  (hip  with  them  :  which  was  hill  an  higher  L/'"V\J 
 crime.     And  this  the  next  words  feem  to  import. 
 
 lint  the  (  ana  miles  dwelt  in  Gczcr  among  them7\  Which 
 is  a  form  of  fpeech  not  u fed  in  the  foregoing  exceptions. 
 And  to  dwell  imong  a  People  fignifies  a  quiet  fettlement, 
 with  the  enjoyment  of  all  their  rights.  As  in  the 
 2  Kings  IV.  13.  when  Eli/ha  offered  the  Shunamitt  to 
 do  her  any  kindnefs  at  Court,  (he  expreffes  her  felf 
 fatisfied  with  her  condition,  in  thefe  words,  /  dwell 
 am 0)7 g  my  own  People. 
 
 Ver.  go.  Neither  did  Zebulun  drive  out  the  inhabitants  y^fe  -,0 
 of  Kit r on,  nor  the  inhabitants  of  Nahalol.~]  Which  was 
 the  greater  crime,  becaufe  this  laft  City  was  d$o*zjffM 
 Autrcy;.  One  of  thofe  that  were  feperated  for  the  Le- 
 vites,  as  Eufebius  fpeaks.  See  XXI  Jofl).  35.  yet  they 
 did  more  than  the  Ephraimites  :  for  though  they  let 
 them  dwell  among  them^  they  made  them  pay  Tri- 
 bute. 
 
 But  the  Canaanites  dwelt  among  them,  and  became 
 Tributaries.']  They  troubled  themfelves  no  further, 
 than  to  make  them  pay  a  Tribute  to  them  5  when  they 
 might  with  a  little  more  pains  have  expelled  them. 
 This  lazinefs,  or  covetoufnefs,  or,  whatsoever  it  was 
 that  made  them  aft  on  this  manner,  brought  them  into 
 a  dangerous  Snare. 
 
 Ver.  31.  Neither  did  After  drive  out  the  inhabitants  Verfe  31- 
 of  AcchoT]  A  City  near  the  Mediterranean  Sea  5  called 
 by  Strabo  and  others  Ace  :  and  afterward  Ptolomais  as 
 Eufebius  faith,  who  obferves  that  the  Af/jcritcs  did  not 
 drive  out  the  aTftopiJte;  from  hence.  Procopius  faith  the 
 fame. 
 
 Nor  the  inhabitants  of  Sidon..~]  Which  every  one 
 knows,  was  another  great  City,  upon  the  fame  Sea. 
 
 Nor 
 
3a8  A  C  OMMENT  A  KT 
 
 Chapter       Nor  of  Ahlah,    nor  of  Achzib.l     We    find  no  men 
 I.        tion  of  the  former  of  thefe  elfewhere:  but  the  latter  is 
 
 U'W)  in  XIX  Jofi.  29.  and  was  called  in  after  times  Ecdippa 
 as  Eufebrus  relates. 
 
 Nor  Helbatb,  nor  Aphil^,  nor  of  Rehob.~]  The  two 
 latter  of  thefe  we  read  of  in  XIX  JoJ/j.  28.  30.  but 
 nothing  of  the  former,  unlefs  it  be  the  fame  with  Hcl- 
 kath,  mentioned  there,  v.  2$. 
 
 Verfe  32.  Ver.  32.  But  the  Afierites  dwelt  among  the  Canaanites 
 the  inhabitants  of  the  land  :  for  they  did  not  drive  them 
 out.']  They  feem  to  have  entred  into  a  league  of  friend- 
 fhip  with  the  Canaanites  5  fo  that  they  wTere  mixed  with 
 them,  as  if  they  had  been  the  fame  Nation :  which  was 
 mod  ftri&ly  forbidden  by  the  Law  of  Mofes.  For 
 they  did  not  fo  much  as  make  them  Tributaries :  but  the 
 Affjerites  feem  to  have  fubmitted  to  the  bafeft  condition 
 of  all  the  other  Tribes.  For  it  is  not  faid,  as  of  the 
 other  Tribes,  that  the  People  dwelt  among  the  Afierites  -0 
 but  that  the  Afierites  dwelt  among  them.  As  if  the 
 Canaanites  remained  ftill  the  Lords  of  that  Country  -y 
 and  the  Afierites  were  only  permitted  to  live  among 
 them. 
 
 Verfe  33.  Ver.  33.  Neither  did  Naphtali  drive  out  the  inhabi- 
 tants of  Beth-She mefld,  nor  the  inhabitants  of  Beth- An  at  h.~] 
 Both  thefe  Cities  are  mentioned  as  in  the  Lot  of  Naph- 
 tali, XIX  Jojb.  38. 
 
 But  they  dwelt  among  the  Canaanites  the  inhabitants  of 
 the  land"}  Imitating  the  Afierites,  in  letting  the  old  In- 
 habitants live  promifcuoufly  with  them:  or  rather,  con- 
 tenting themfelves  with  the  liberty  to  live  quietly  among 
 the  Canaanites. 
 
 Neverthelefs  the  inhabitants  of  Beth-Shemejh,  and  Beth- 
 anath  became  tributaries  to  them.  ]  In  this  they  were 
 more  valiant  than  the  Afherites,  that  they  brought  thefe 
 two  Cities  under  Contribution  5  and  made  them  acknow- 
 ledge them  for  their  Lords.  Ver.. 34. 
 
upon   JUDGES.  329 
 
 Ver.   34.  And  the  Amorites  forced  the  Children  of  Dan   Chapter 
 into  the  mountain."]     The  condition  of  the  Danites  was  I. 
 
 the  worft  of  all  the  Tribes.  For  they  could  neither  L/*V^> 
 expel  the  old  Inhabitants  of  their  Country,  nor  make  Verfe  j  | 
 them  Tributaries,  nor  fo  much  as  poflefs  it  together  with 
 them.  But  the  Amorites  diftrefled  them  forely  by  pen- 
 ning them  up  in  the  Cities  that  were  in  the  Mountainous 
 parts  of  their  Country  :  not  fuffering  them  to  dwell 
 below  in  the  Plain. 
 
 For  they  would  not  fuffcr  them  to  come  down  into  the 
 valley.]  Being  very  ftrong  it  is  likely,  in  Chariots  of 
 Iron  (which  were  of  ufe,  I  obferved,  in  the  flat  Coun- 
 try, though  they  could  do  no  fervice  in  the  Mountains) 
 which  the  Danites  fo  dreaded,  that  they  durft  not  ven- 
 ture to  incounter  them. 
 
 Ver.  35.  But  the  Amorites  would  dwell  in  mount  Heres,  Verfe  35. 
 in  Aijalon,  and  ShaalbimT]  And  to  add  to  their  af- 
 fliction would  not  let  them  enjoy  all  the  Mountainous 
 Country  :  but  poffeffed  thefe  three  Cities  there.  Which 
 conftrained  the  Danites  to  feek  for  larger  quarters  in 
 other  parts :  and  feems  to  have  been  the  occafion  of 
 that  expedition  mentioned  XIX  JoJIj*  47.  where  z/.  41. 
 we  read  of  the  two  laft  mentioned  Cities.  See  my 
 Notes  there. 
 
 Tct  the  hand  of  the  houfe  of  Jofeph.~]  That  IS,  the 
 Ephramites  who  were  next  Neighbours  to  the  Danites, 
 in  one  part  of  their  Country. 
 
 Prevailed.']  Againft  the  Amorites,  as  the  LXX.  ex- 
 pound it,  iSctpvvSvi  i\  XJelp  oT*&  lamp  tin  T  A^toppa&or, 
 The  hand  of  the  houfe  of  Jofeph  was  heavy  upon  the  Amo- 
 rite  :  for  they  came  to  the  affiftance  of  their  Brethren, 
 when  they  were  grievioufly  diftreffed. 
 
 So  that  they  became  tributaries."]  they  brought  the 
 Amorites  fo  much  under,  that  they  made  thole  three 
 Cities  before  mentioned  pay  Tribute  to  the  Danites  : 
 
 U  u  If 
 
33o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  If  not  all  the  Low  Countries  which  they  inhabited  5 
 I.        for  he  faith  in  general,  they  became  tributaries,  fpeaking 
 
 L^V^vJ  of  all  the  Amorites  thereabouts. 
 
 Verfe  36.  Ver.  36.  And  the  coafi  of  the  Amorites,  was  from  the 
 going  up  to  Akrabbim,  from  the  rock^  and  upward.']  We 
 find  mention  of  the  going  up  to  Akrabbim  in  XVJoflj. 
 3.  See  my  notes  there.  And  the  Vulgar  by  the  Rock, 
 (in  Hebrew  Selah)  underftand  the  City  called  Petra, 
 which  was  upon  the  borders  of  Edom,  and  by  Ama- 
 ziah  called  Jockteel  in  2  Kings  XIV.  7.  Some  take 
 thefe  words  to  fignifie  the  large  extent  of  the  Country, 
 which  the  Amorites  inhabited.  But  I  take  them  rather 
 to  denote,  that  Children  of  Ephraim  gave  fuch  a  check 
 to  their  infolence,  that  they  were  confined  to  this  Coun- 
 try $  which  reached  from  Akrabbim,  and  Selah,  to  the 
 Mountains  here  mentioned.  By  this  it  appears  the  If- 
 raelites  let  fo  many  of  the  old  Inhabitants  remain  in  C*- 
 naan,  that  they  fetled  themfelves  among  them.  Infcn 
 much  that  in  the  Days  oi  Solomon  we  read  of  a  remnant 
 of  the  Amorites,  Hitt He s,  Perizzites,  Hivites  and  Je- 
 bufites,  1  Kings  IX.  20,  21.  and  irvfar  later  ages,  as  I 
 have  often  obferved,  the  Gergafens  remained,  in  the 
 Days  of  our  Saviour,  VIII  Math.  28.  though  it  is  like- 
 ly they  were  all  become  Profelites  fo  far,  as  to  worfhip 
 the  God  of  Ifrael,  though  not  intirely  of  their  Re- 
 ligion* 
 
 Chapter 
 
 II.  C  H  A  P.     II. 
 
 Verfe  1.   Verfe  1.     AND   an  Angel  of  the    LORD.']    The 
 
 Ji\  Jews   by  an  Angel  here  underftand  a 
 
 Prophet  :    who    was  fent  by  God   as  his  Mejfenger  : 
 
 which  the  word  Angel  imports.     And  they  commonly 
 
 take  it  to  have  been  Phineas,   who  was  imployed  on 
 
 this 
 
upon   JUDGES.  33 1 
 
 this  Menage.     But  I  ice  no  reafon  to  depart  from  the  Chapter 
 natural    (ignification  of  the  word  5    when  there  is  no        If. 
 abfurdity  in  it  5  and  it  is  not  ufual  to  fpeak  in  this  Me-  iyy\j 
 taphorical  ftile.     For  there  can  no   inltance  be  given, 
 that  I  remember,    of  a  Prophet,    called  an  Angel  of  the 
 LORD.     Which  I  take  to  fignifie  more  than  an  Angel, 
 which  appeared  from  Heaven,  on  this  occaiion  5  that 
 is,  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant. 
 
 Came  up  from  Gilgal.~]  Angels  are  not  commonly 
 faid  to  come  up  but  to  comedown:  which  is  one  reafon 
 I  fuppofe  why  this  Angel  hath  been  taken  for  a  Pro- 
 phet. But  if  we  confider  whence  he  was  feen  to  come, 
 and  why  from  Gilgal,  this  Phrafe  will  appear  to  be 
 mod  proper :  of  which  I  (hall  give  an  account  pre- 
 fently. 
 
 To  BochimT]  This  was  not  the  name  of  the  place 
 before,  but  was  given  it  on  this  occafion,  v.  5.  In  all 
 probability  it  was  Shiloh  :  for  there  was  no  other  place 
 where  all  the  People  of  Ifrael  were  wont  to  aflemble, 
 as  they  were  now  when  this  Angel  appeared  to  them, 
 v.  4. 
 
 And  faid,  I  made  you  to  go  out  of  Egypt."]  Thefe 
 words  evidently  (how,  this  was  not  a  created  Angel, 
 but  an  uncreated  :  even  that  very  Perfon  who  appeared 
 to  Joffjua  hard  by  Jericho,  V  J  oft.  IJ,  14.  which  I  have 
 fhown  there,  was  God  himfelf.  For  who  but  God  could 
 fpeak  in  this  Stile,  /  made  you  to  go  out  of  Egypt  ?  No 
 Prophet,  nor  any  created  Angel  durft  have  been  fo  bold : 
 but  would  have  prefaced  to  this  Speech  in  fome  fuch 
 words  as  thefe,  Thus  faith  the  LORD,  I  have  made  you  to 
 go,  &c.  Suppofing  then  this  Angel  to  be  the  fame  with 
 him  that  then  appeared,  it  was  fit  for  him  to  appear  now 
 as  coming  from  Gilgal ;  to  put  them  in  mind  of  that  II- 
 luftrious  appearance  of  God  near  that  place  }  and  the 
 aflurance  he  then  gave  them  of  his  prefence  with  them. 
 
 U  u  2  in 
 
332  A  CO  MMENTAKY 
 
 Chapter  in  the  Conqueft  of  the  Land  $  and  the  folemn  Cove- 
 
 II.       nant  they  made  with  him,  by  the  renewing  of  Circum- 
 
 {S*\TSJ  ciffion  in  that  place.     Which  upbraided   them    with 
 
 their  bafe  ingratitude  to  God  $   and  their  floth  in  not 
 
 endeavouring  to  expel  the  Canaanites. 
 
 And  have  brought  you  into  the  land  which  I  fware  to 
 your  fathers.']     Of  which  he  had  given  them  pofleflion. 
 
 And  lfaidx  I  will  never  breaks  my  Covenant  with  you.] 
 If  they  proved  not  falfe  to  him,  he  affured  them  they 
 ftiould  always  find  him  prefent  with  them,  to  make  good 
 his  promifes  to  them.  This  Jof/wa  told  them  they  knew 
 very  well,  that  not  one  good  thing  had  failed,  which 
 he  promifed  ^  and  bad  them  be  confident  he  would  (till 
 continue  the  fame  faithful  God.  See  XXI  Jojh.  45. 
 XXIII.  14. 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  And  ye  jhall  make  no  league  with  the  inhabi- 
 tants of  this  land.]  Or  rather,  but  ye  (hall  make  no 
 League,  &c.  For  this  was  the  condition  of  the  Cove- 
 nant on  their  part,  VII  Deut.  2.  and  long  before  that, 
 XXIII  Exod.  3Z.  XXXIV.  12.  and  again  more  lately, 
 XXIII  Jojh.  12. 
 
 Te  (hall  throw  down  their  Altars.']     XXXIV  Exod. 
 13.  VII  Deut.  5.  XII.  3. 
 
 But  ye  have  not  obeyed  my  voice,  why  have  you  done 
 this  .<?]  That  is,  you  can  give  no  account  of  your  dif- 
 obedience,  to  fuch  plain,  and  exprefs,  and  repeated 
 commands, 
 ^erfe  3.  Ver.  3.  Wherefore  I  alfo  faid,  J  will  not  drive  them  out 
 from  before  youT]  God  therefore  refolved  to  make  good 
 the  threatnings  pronounced  in  his  Covenant  $  as  hither- 
 to he  had  performed  his  promife.     See  XXIII  Jojh.  13. 
 
 But  they  Jhall  be  thorns  in  your  fides 7]     To  vex  and 
 gall  them,  as  Jojbua  there  told  them. 
 
 And  their  gods  fh all  be  a  fnare  unto  you]     As  Mofes 
 had  foretold  them,  XXIII  Exod.  33.   XXXIV.  12.  For 
 
 they 
 
upon    JUDGES.  333 
 
 they  were  taken,  by  their  converfation  with   Idolaters,  Chapter 
 as  Beafts  are  in  a  Toil  :  and  drawn  to  the  worfhip  of        If. 
 their  gods,  which  was  their  ruin.  LS~v~\j 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  it  came  to  pafs  when  the  Angel  of  the  Verfe  ± 
 LORD  fpiike  all  thefe  words  unto  all  the  Children  of  Jfrael'} 
 By  this  it  appears  they  were  all  met  at  fome  folemn 
 Fellival,  as  they  were  bound  to  do  three  times  every 
 Year  (tor  otherwife  it  cannot  be  conceived  what  (hould 
 occadon  fuch  an  aflembly  of  the  whole  Congregation) 
 and  confequently,  the  place  where  thefe  words  were 
 fpoken  to  them,  was  Shiloh. 
 
 J  hat  the  People  lift  up  their  voice,  and  wept~\  They 
 made  doleful  lamentations }  fome,  it  is  likely,  when 
 they  refle&ed  on  their  Sin  5  others,  when  they  thought 
 of  their  danger. 
 
 Ver.  5 .  And  they  called  the  name  of  that  place  Bo-  yerre 
 cbimJ]  Which  fignifies  Weepers.  Its  poffible  the  place, 
 where  the  Angel,  or  where  they  ftood,  was,  called  by 
 this  name:  in  memory  of  this  great  goodnefs  of  God  } 
 which  for  the  prefent  mightily  wrought  upon  their 
 Hearts,  as  appears  by  what  follows. 
 
 And  they  facrificed  there  unto  the  LORD.  ~]  This 
 (hows  it  was  the  place  of  publick  worfhip  where  they 
 now  were,  and  offered  upon  this  occafion  whole  Burnt- 
 offering  unto  God  :  by  way  of  Supplication  and  Prayer 
 to  him,  with  Thankfgiving  for  his  goodnefs  in  calling 
 them  to  repentance.  Some  think  indeed  that  they 
 offered  expiatory  Sacrifices,  to  make  atonement  for  their 
 Sin.  But  they  would  not  have  been  called  fimply 
 Sacrifices  ;  which  commonly  are  meant  of  whole  Burnt- 
 offerings,  or  Peace-offerings:  by  which  they  acknow- 
 ledged him  to  be  the  LORD  5  and  promifed  to  ferve 
 no  other  God. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  when  Jo/fjua  had  let  the  People  go."]     Or,  Verfe  60 
 now  when  Jof/wa  had  broke  up  that  laft  great  aflembly 
 
 which 
 
334  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  which  he  held  before  his  Death,  XXIV.  28.     So  fome 
 IJ.       expound  it.     But  the  next  words  feem  to  direft  us  rather 
 
 l/V\  to  underftand  it  of  his  difmiffion  of  them,  after  he  had 
 caft  Lots  and  divided  the  Land  among  them,  XIX 
 Jojb.  51.XXI.43. 
 
 The  Children  of  Ifrael  went  every  Man  unto  hk  inheri- 
 tance, to  poffefs  the  land.']  To  take  pofieilion  of  that 
 Land  which  fell  to  their  (hare,  and  fettle  themfelves  in 
 it.  And  they  went  with  a  refolution,  no  doubt,  to  ferve 
 the  LORD  only  5  as,  we  cannot  but  think,  he  ex- 
 horted  them  before  they  parted.  For  the  Lots  were 
 caft  in  Shiloh  before  the  LORD,  as  we  are  often  told  in 
 the  Book  of  Jofbaa,  XVIII.  6.  8.  10.  XIX.  5r.  From 
 whence  they  going  to  take  pofieilion  of  their  Lot,  it  is 
 reafonable  to  think  he  did  not  difmifs  them  without  his 
 bleffing,  and  with  a  folemn  charge  to  obferve  the  Laws 
 of  God  :  fuch  as  he  gave  to  the  two  Tribes  and  half, 
 XXII.  5,  &c.  And  this  is  the  reafon  why  the  Author 
 of  this  Book  repeats  this  out  of  the  Book  of  Jofhua  5 
 to  (how  when  their  Apoftacy  began,  and  how  it  came 
 about.  For  though  they  went  to  their  pofieflions  well 
 difpofed  5  yet  their  love  of  the  World,  and  ftudy  of 
 their  own  private  advantages  fo  increafed,  that  they 
 made  them  forget  the  publick  good,  and  take  little  care 
 of  their  Religion. 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  the  People  ferved  the  LORD  all  the  days 
 of  JoJIma."]  According  to  his  exhortation,  and  their 
 .  folemn  promifes  a  little  before  he  died,  XXIV  Jo(h.  14, 
 15,  16,  &c. 
 
 And  all  the  days  of  the  Elders  that  out  lived  JoJIwa.'] 
 Such  as  Eleazar  and  the  reft  mentioned,  XIX  Jofi.  51. 
 who  were  Men  of  great  Authority,  as  well  as  Piety  : 
 and  often  no  doubt  admonifhed  them  of  their  duty, 
 and  put  them  in  mind  of  their  promifes  made  to  Jofhua 
 in  Schechem  3   where  he  made  a  Covenant  between  God 
 
 and 
 
upon  J  II  DGES.  ^35 
 
 and  them,    and  wrote  it  in  the  Book  of  the  Law  of  Chapter 
 God,  XXIV.  25,  26,  &c.  If. 
 
 }\ho  h dd  fee n  all  the  great  rvorkj  of  the  LORD  that  ^\^\J 
 he  did  for  Ifracll]  Both  among  the  Egyptians^  and  in  the 
 W'ddcrnefs,  and  in  Canaan :  which  Jojbua  had  reprefent- 
 ed  to  them  as  a  motive  to  fear  the  LORD  and  ferve 
 him  in  iincerity,  XXIV  Jofb.  5,  6,  &c.  14,  15.  Of 
 thefe  things  the  Elders  we  may  reasonably  fuppole,  fre- 
 quently reminded  them,  and  thereby  kept  them  ftedfaft 
 in  their  Religion.  See  XXIV  JoJ/j.  21.  For  whatfo- 
 ever  bad  inclinations  they  had  in  them,  they  were  re- 
 trained by  the  reverence  they  bare  to  thefe  great  Men, 
 from  breaking  loofe  from  God  while  they  lived. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  Joflma  the  Son  of  Nun,    the  fervant  ^/Verfe  3. 
 the  LORD  died,  &o]     After  he  had  made  that  excel- 
 lent Speech  to  them  before  mentioned,    and  engaged 
 them  in  a  folemn  Covenant  to  be  Gods  People.     See 
 XXIV  Jojh.  29. 
 
 Ver.  9.   And  they  buried  him  in  the  border  of  his  in-  Verfe  9. 
 heritance  in  Timnath-Heres,  &cc.j      This  is  mentioned 
 only  to  fhow  that  they  honoured  him  after  his  Death, 
 by  attending  his  Funeral,  as  they  had  done  in  his  Life. 
 See  XXIV  Jojh.  30. 
 
 Ver.  1  o.  And  alfo  all  that  generation  were  gathered  unto  yerfe  x  0 
 their  Fathers."]  I  fuppofe  he  means,  not  only  all  thofe 
 who  had  feen  the  works  of  God  in  Egypt  and  the  Wil- 
 der nefs  5  but  thofe  alfo  who  had  feen  Jordan  dried  up, 
 the  Walls  of  Jericho  fall  down,  and  the  Sun  ftand  ftill 
 at  j^/7Ws  word,  and  their  Enemies  fmitten  down  with 
 Hailftone,  &c.  Which  had  made  fuch  impreffions  on 
 their  Heart,  that  they  generally  continued  in  the  Ser- 
 vice of  God  while  they  lived  5  and  kept  others  in  obe- 
 dience to  him. 
 
 And  there  arofe  another  generation  after  then?,    which 
 kpcvp  not  the  LORD.~]     But  the  next  Generation  did 
 
 not 
 
336  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  *iot  regard  the  LORD,  nor  mind  their  Religion  :  but 
 II.       only  ftudied  to  fettle  themfelves,  on  any  terms  in  their 
 
 C/*V"\J  pofleffions^     by    making    Peace   with  the  Canaanites^ 
 whom  they  (hould  have  driven  out. 
 
 Nor  yet  the  works  which  he  had  done  for  IfraeL"]  Which 
 they  did  not  keep  in  mind,  as  they  ought  to  have  done  : 
 being  wholly  intent  to  their  earthly  concerns,  in  build- 
 ing Houles,  planting  Vineyards,  and  improving  their 
 Lands.  Unto  which  they  were  invited  by  the  Peace 
 they  enjoyed  :  by  which  Mens  minds  are  wont  to  be 
 corrupted  \  as  the  Greeks  and  Romans  were  in  future 
 Ages.  According  to  thofe  known  words  of  the  Roman 
 Satyrift, 
 
 Nunc  patimur  long£  pads  mala*—- 
 
 Verfe  n.  Ver.  n.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  did  evil  in  the 
 fight  of  the  LORD.']  By  this  forgetfulnefs  of  God, 
 and- of  his  Works,  and  by  their  familiarity  with  the 
 People  of  Canaan,  they  foon  learnt  to  do  as  they  did  : 
 and  that  openly  and  publickly  not  fearing  the  dreadful 
 fentence  of  God  againft  fuch  evil  doers  $  who  were 
 moft  odious  to  him,  whatfoever  excufes  Men  make  for 
 them.  So  that  Phrafe,  in  the  fight  of  the  LORD  may 
 be  interpreted. 
 
 And  ferved  Baalim.  "\  The  gods  of  the  Nations, 
 whofe  Land  they  poflefled :  who  were  called  by  this 
 general  name,  which  fignifies  LORDS.  For  among  the 
 Heathen,  as  St.  Paul  obferves,  there  were  gods  many,  and 
 lords  many.  In  Hebrew  he  would  have  faid  many  Baalim 
 who  were  their  deified  great  Men,  as  Mr.  Mede  hath 
 ihown  (P.  776.  of  his  works)  For  Baal  (in  Chaldee 
 Bel  J  the  King  of  Babel  next  after  Nimrod,  was  the  firft 
 that  was  deified  and  reputed  a  god  after  his  Death  : 
 .*from  whence  they  called  all  other  Daemons  by  the  name 
 
 of 
 
upon  Judges.  337 
 
 of  Baalim :  as  from  the  firtt  Roman  Emperor  who  was  Chapter 
 called  Cccfar,  all  that  followed  him  were   ftilcd  Ccefars.       II. 
 Baalim  therefore  being  the  general  name  of  the  gods  of  L/"V^ 
 Syria,  PaLvjlim,  and  the  neighbouring  Countries  th 
 was  as  many  Baals  as  there  were  Nations :  For  example, 
 Baal  of  the  Sidonians  3    and   Baal  of  the  Amoritcs,  of 
 the  Moabitcs,  and  Ammonites,  and  the  reft  of  the  People 
 thereabouts:    who  had  their  Baalim.     See  alio  Selden, 
 de  Diis  Syr  is.  Syntagm.   2.  C.   I. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  they  forfook  the  LORD  God  of  their  Verfe  12. 
 fathers,  which  brought  them  out  cf  the  land  of  Egypt,  and 
 followed  other  gods,  of  the  People  that  were  round  about 
 thcm.~]  By  other  gods  may  be  meant  the  gods  of  the 
 People  of  Canaan  :  which  did  not  content  them,  bur 
 they  worfhipped  alio  the  gods  of  other  neighbouring 
 Nations  5  none  of  which  had  beftowed  any  benefit  up- 
 on them.  This  was  a  very  high  aggravation  of  their 
 Sin  5  that  when  all  other  Nations  made  to  themfelves 
 fuch  gods,  as  they  thought  had  done  them  good,  or 
 could  be  helpful  to  them  :  they  forfook  the  greateft 
 benefaftor  to  their  Nation,  who  had  made  them  a  free 
 People  5  and  worfhipped  fuch  gods,  as  had  done  no- 
 thing for  them,  nor  had  been  able  to  preferve  thofe 
 that  worfhipped  them  from  deftru&ion. 
 
 And  bowed  themfelves  unto  them7\  They  did  not  only 
 own  them  for  gods  5  but  publickly  adored  them. 
 
 And  provoked  the  LORD  to  anger."]  Who  had  told 
 them  he  was  a  jealous  God,  and  could  not  bear  any 
 rival,  XXExod.  1,  2.  It  is  not  eafie  to  give  an  ac- 
 count what  moved  them  to  forfake  their  God,  after 
 fuch  wonderful  things  as  he  had  done  for  them  :,  and 
 their  mod  folemn  engagements  to  him.  It  is  not  un- 
 likely that  one  reafon  was,  the  unufual  rites  prefcribed 
 in  his  Divine  Service,  much  different  from  all  other 
 Nations  5  and  feveral  Laws  that  made  them  unlike  all 
 
 Xx  the 
 
338  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  the  reft  of  the  World  :    who  hated  them  upon  this  ac- 
 II.        count.     This  they  could  not  bear,  defiring  to  be  con- 
 
 iyV\j  formable  to  other  People,  and  to  gain  their  friendfhip. 
 For  Hofea  faith,  VIII.  12.  they  lookt  upon  the  great 
 things  of  the  Law,  as  a  fir  an ge  thing. 
 
 Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  And  they  forfool^  the  LORD,  and  ferved 
 Baal  and  Afhieroth."]  Efpecially  they  worfhipped  the 
 Sun^  and  the  Moon,  or  Venus  :  which  fome  underftand 
 by  Ajlarte.  In  the  next  Chapter  it  is  faid  they  worfhip- 
 ped Baalim  and  the  groves^  III.  7.  For  in  thofe  Groves 
 ieveral  GoddefTes  under  the  name  of  AfJjtaroth  were  wor- 
 fhipped, as  Mr.  Selden  conjectures  in  his  Syntag.  2.  de 
 Diis  Syris,  Cap,  2.  Where  he  (hows  there  were  many 
 Ajiartes  among  the  Heathen,  as  there  were  Baals:  and 
 therefore  the  Scripture  fpeaks  of  them  in  the  plural 
 number  (as  the  LXX.  here  doth  m?$  A<srJgr<q$)  becaufe 
 of  the  multitude  of  Images  reprefenting,  Juno,  or  Ve- 
 mis,  or  Diana  5  which  had  the  name  of  Aflrtoreth,  figni- 
 fying  (as  fome  think)  as  much  as  Beatas,  blefled. 
 
 Verfe  14.       ^er*   J4-  And  the  anger  of  the  LORD  was  hot  againft 
 
 IfraeL]     Brake  out  in  very  dreadful  effects  upon  them. 
 
 And  he  delivered  then}  into  the  hands  of  the  Spoilers 
 
 that /polled  them.']     Carried  away  their  Cattle  and  their 
 
 Goods. 
 
 And  he  fold  them  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies  round 
 about.']  Who  carried  away  their  Perfons,  as  well  as 
 their  Goods,  and  made  them  Slaves.  For  that  feems 
 to  be  the  meaning  of  felling  them,  which  is  a  Phrafe 
 often  ufed  in  this  Book,  III.  8.  IV.  2.  and  in  other 
 places,  XXXII  Dent.  30.  XLW  Pfal.  12,  &c.  This  was 
 a  juft  punilhment  of  God  upon  them,*  that  as  they  fer- 
 ved the  gods  of  the  People  round  about  them,  v.  12.  fo 
 they  (hould  be  Slaves  to  all  thofe  Nations  round  about 
 them. 
 
 So  that  they  could  not  any  longer  Ji and  before  their  ene- 
 mies!^ 
 
itpm    J  IT  D  O  E  S.  3; 
 
 mhsJ]     Being  fo  far  from  being  able  to  piake  any  fur-  Ch 
 ther  Conquefts,  thatthey  could  ppt  defend  til  ve$.        If. 
 
 Ver.    15.  Whetherfoever  they  went   out,    the   h*nd   ^/''^/Wi 
 //a'  LORD  was  againji  them  for  evil'}     They  had  ill  Verfe  15. 
 fuceefs  in  all  their  affairs  5    whether  private  or  publi^k 
 buiinefs. 
 
 As   the  LORD    had  faid,     and   as  the    LORD    had 
 fop/n  unto  them.'}    XXVIli  Dent.  XXX.  17,  18.  XXXI. 
 16,  17.  and  many  other  places. 
 
 /  they  were  greatly  dijirejfed.']  As  foot!  as  they 
 flackned  their  endeavours  to  drive  out  the  Canaaniics, 
 and  made  Leagues  with  them  (as  we  read  in  the  fore- 
 going part  of  this  Chapter)  God  began  to  withdraw 
 himfeli-  from  them,  and  would  not  drive  out  their  Ene- 
 mies from  before  them,  v.  3.  But,  when  by  this  means 
 they  were  enfnared  to  worfhip  their  gods  (as  he  fore- 
 fa  w  they  would,  v.  4.)  then  he  gave  them  up  into  the 
 hands  of  thofe  Enemies,  with  whom  they  had  made 
 friend  (hip  ^  and  fuffered  them  to  tyrannize  over  them, 
 and  life  them  cruelly. 
 
 Ver.  16.  Nevertheless,  the  LORD  rat  fed  up  Judges,  Verfe  16 
 Sec]  Extraordinary  Rulers  and  Governours^  whole 
 Authority,  I  take,  to  have  been  chiefly  in  time  of  War  5 
 they  being  raifed  up  (by  a  particular  infpiration  and 
 excitation  from  God)  as  it  here  follows,  to  deliver  them 
 out  of  the  hands  of  thofe  that  f foiled  them.  So  that  com- 
 monly, when  they  had  wrought  deliverance  for  the 
 People,  and  their  Army  was  difmifled,  they  became 
 private  Men  again  :  as  appears  by  the  ftory  of  Jephthah, 
 who  would  not  undertake  to  lead  them  againft  the 
 Ammonites,  unlets  he  might  be  their  Governour  when 
 the  War  was  done,  Xljudg.  9.  And  of  Gideon  who 
 refufed  to  rule  over  them,  when  they  offered  the  Go- 
 vernment to  him,  after  the  Conqueft  of  the  Midianites, 
 VIII.  22,  23.     Their  bufinefs  therefore  principally  was 
 
 X  x  2  to 
 
34o  A  C  0  MMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  to  preferve   the  Peoples  Liberties,  or  to  reftore  them 
 II.       together  with  Gods  true  Religion  5    and  to  prefcribe 
 L/*VSJ  what  was  to  be  done  in  fucb  cafes.     Being  a  kind  of 
 Diftators,  whofe  power  continued,  as  long  as  there  was 
 occafion  for  it.     Yet  it  muft  be  acknowledged  char  forne 
 of  them  had  an  eftablifhed  Authority  for  their  V^\ 
 over  thofe  whom  they  had  refcued  from  flavery  (not 
 over  the  whole  commonwealth  of  Ifrael,  pare  of  which 
 was  fometimein  Peace  when  another  p^rt  was  oppreffed) 
 and   managed  political  matters,    when  they  were  too 
 hard  for  the  ordinary  Judges  to  divide  them.  (See  XVII 
 Dent.  9.)    Thus  we  read  that  Deborah  a    Prophetefs 
 judged  Jfrael,  and  that  the  People  came  to  her  for  judg- 
 ment :  before  (he  excited  Barak,  to  vindicate  their  Liber- 
 ties.    But  commonly  they  feem  to  have  contentecfrhem- 
 felves  with  this  5  not  minding  Judgment :  as  Samuel  thfc 
 laft  of  them  chiefly  exercifed  his  Authority  in  matters 
 of  Juftice,    1  Sam.  VII.  15,  &c.  where  he  is  faid,  in 
 his  Houfe  at  Ramah  to  have  judged  Ifrael,  and  ended 
 their  Controverfies  and  done  right  to  every  Man.    And 
 when,  by  reafon  of  Age,    he  could  do  this  no  longer, 
 he  committed  it  to  his  Sons.  See  Corn.  Betram.  de  Repub. 
 Judaica,  Cap.  IX,  P.   109,  &c. 
 Verfe  17       Ver.  17.  And  yet  they  would  not  hearken  to  their  judges."] 
 '  Not  conftantly  5  but  revolted  again,  v.  18,  19. 
 
 But  they  went  a  whoring  after  other  gods,  and  bowed 
 themfehes  unto  them.  ~]  Worlhipped  them  publickly  : 
 which  is  commonly  called  going  a  Whoring  from  God  3 
 who  had  efpoufed  them  to  himfelf. 
 
 They  turned  quickly  out  of  the  way7\  As  foon  as  the 
 Judge  was  dead,  who  had  wrought  deliverance  for 
 them. 
 
 Which  their  fathers  walked  in,  obeying  the  command- 
 ments  of  the  LORD.~]  In  the  Days  of  Jofiua,  and  the 
 Elders,  which  furvived  him,  v.  7. 
 
 But 
 
upon    JUDGE  &  541 
 
 But  tl.cy   did  not  fo.~]     Whom  the  next  Generation   Chapter 
 would  not  imitate.  \\ 
 
 Ver.  1 3.  And  when  t  ht  I  ORD  raffed  them  up  Judges.]  is~\/~\j 
 This  is  theconflant  Phrafe  wherein  he  (peaks  of  thele  Verfe  1 
 grc.it  Men  :    whofe  Spirit  was  ftirred  up  by  an  extraor- 
 dinary motion  irom  God,  to  undertake  things  beyond 
 lbe  reach  of  humne  Wiidorn  or  Power. 
 
 Then  the  LORD  w as  with  the  judge, ,~]  Endued  him 
 with  Heroical  courage 5  and  gave  him  wonderful  fuc- 
 cefs.  Here  the  Targum  continues  the  fame  Language, 
 The  WORD  of  the  XORD  was  the  helper  of  the  Judge. 
 See  Chap:.  I.  19.  22. 
 
 And  delivered  them  out  of  the  hand  of  their  enemies,  all 
 the  days  of  the  judge.  ]  As  Jong  as  he  ruled  over 
 them,  and  kept  them  in  obedience  to  him.  This  fig- 
 nifies  that  if  they  did  not  exercife  their  Authority,  yet 
 the  effects  of  it  remained,  all  the  Days  of  their  Life. 
 
 Tor  it  repented  the  LORD  lecaufe  of  their  groan ings, 
 by  reafon  of  them  that  opprejfed,  and  vexed  the/;/.~]  He 
 altered  the  courfe  of  his  Providence,  when  they  not 
 only  fighed  and  groaned  under  their  oppreflions :  but  ' 
 cried  unto  him  for  help,  and  promiied  amendment  > 
 as  we  find  they  did,  III.  9.  15.  VI.  7,  8,  &c. 
 
 Ver.  19.  And  it  came  topafs,  when  the  judge  was  dead,  Verfe   io„ 
 they  returned.']     To  their  former  Idolatry. 
 
 And  corrupted  the mf elves  more  than  their  fathers.  ~] 
 Who  lived  in  the  former  Judge  his  time,  and  had  forely 
 fmarted  for  this  Sin :  till  God,  upon  their  Repentance, 
 fent  them  Delive.  :nce. 
 
 In  following  other  gods,  to  ferve  them,  and  bow  down 
 to  them.~]  They  either  multiplied  more  ftrange  gods  5 
 or  devifed  (till  new  rites  of  Worfhip  contrary  to  Gods 
 Law.  The  common  Service  they  paid  to  every  one  of 
 them,  was  building  Temples  to  their  honour,  fetting  up 
 Altars,  planting  Groves,  burning  Incenfe,  and  fieri fice- 
 ing  Beafts.  TL 
 
342  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       They  ceafed  not  from  their  evil  doings. ~\     In  the  He- 
 ll,      brew,  would  not  let  full  their  own  inventions  :  but  retain- 
 
 tWV,  ed  them,  notwithftanding  all  that  God  had  done,    to 
 bring  them  off  from  their  Idolatry. 
 
 Nor  from  their  jiubborn  way.~]  But  obftinately  per- 
 mitted in  their  Evil  courfes  $  as  it  nothing  had  been  done 
 to  reclaim  them. 
 Verfe  2C.  Ver.  20.  And  the  anger  of  the  LORD  was  hot  againjl 
 Ifrael.~]  This  highly  incenfed  the  Divine  difpleafure, 
 and  provoked  him  to  punifh  them  more  grievoufly. 
 
 And  he  faid,  hecaufe  the  People  hath  tranfgreffed  my  Co- 
 venant which  1  commanded  their  fathers,  &C.  By  making 
 Leagues  with  the  Canaanites,  and  not  throwing  down 
 their  Altars,  &c.  Arias  Montana  very  well  obferves  that 
 this  Verfe  expreffes  what  great  reafon  there  was  for  Gods 
 being  exceeding  angry  with  them.  Fh'ft,  Becaufe  they 
 had  forfaken  him,  to  whom  they  owed  their  being  a 
 Nation.  Secondly,  Becaufe  they  had  violated  that  Co- 
 venant, which  was  not  a  new  or  obfeure  thing,  but 
 made  long  ago  with  their  Fathers  5  who  it  was  very 
 well  known  had  reaped  the  benefit  thereof.  And 
 Thirdly,  Becaufe  (as  this  Verfe  concludes)  they  had  not 
 hearkened  unto  Gods  voice,  i.  e.  though  he  had  often  ad- 
 monilhed  them  by  his  Prophets  of  their  duty,  and 
 chidden  and  threatned  them  5  yet  they  would  not 
 mind  what  he  faid:  but  in  a  moft  rebellious  manner 
 gave  themfelves  up  to  the  impieties  of  other  Nations. 
 Verfe  2 1.  ^er#  2I#  I alf°  W*M  no*  henceforth  drive  out  any  from 
 before  them."]  That  is,  not  prefently,  or  fo  foon  as  he 
 intended  5  if  they  had  pleafed  him.     See  v.  23. 
 
 Of  the  nations  which  Jojhua  left  when  he  died."]  For 
 God  never  intended  they  (hould  be  all  rooted  out  at 
 once,  as  hath  been  often  noted  from,  XXIII  Exod.  29, 
 30.  yet  their  expulfion  had  been  more  fpeedy,  if  they 
 had  obeyed  him,   than  now  he  refolved  it  fhould  be. 
 
 Nor 
 
upon  JUDGE  S.  343 
 
 Nor  could  it  well  be  dtherwifc:  for  by  being  delivered   Chapter 
 into  their  Enemies  hands,  to  fpoil  and  to  enflave  them,        if. 
 their  increafe   was  hereby  hind  red  5    fo  that  they   were  ^\T\j 
 not  able  to  People  all  the  Land,   fo  toon  as  they  might 
 
 have  clone,  it  they  had  been  obedient.  For  then  God 
 promifed  to  multiply  them  exceedingly,  VII  Dent.  13, 
 14,  &V. 
 
 Ver.  22.  That  by  them  I  may  prove  Ifrael,  whether  they  Wife  2:. 
 will  keep  the  way  of  the  LORD  to  walk,  therein,  as  their 
 fathers  did  keep  it,  or  not.~]  That  it  might  appear  whe- 
 ther they  would  continue  firm,  as  their  Fathers  refolved 
 in  the  lervice  of  God  (XXIV  Jojh.  16.24.)  or  revolt 
 from  him  to  ferve  other  gods. 
 
 Ver.  23.  Therefore  the  LORD  left  thefe nations,  with-  yerfe  Z2 
 out  driving  them  out  haflily,  neither  delivered  he  them  into 
 the  hand  of  Jofiua.~]  This  was  one  reafon,  they  were 
 not  all  caft  out  at  once,  by  the  victorious  hand  ofjoflwa :. 
 for  \i  none  of  them  had  been  left  remaining,  there  would 
 have  been  no  temptation  to  worftiip  their  gods:, 
 whic'i  would  have  been  all  abolifhed  with  them.  Ano- 
 ther reafon  is  given  of  this,  in  the  place  before  menti- 
 oned, XXIII  Exod.  29,  30.  and  VII  Dcut.  22. 
 
 Chapter 
 CHAP.     III.  III. 
 
 left,    to  prove  Ifrael  by  them.']      Having 
 
 Verfe  1.  IVJOfF  thefe  are  the  nations  which  the  LORD  Verfe  1 
 
 i_\l    left,    to  prove  Ifrael  by 
 faid  in  general,   that  God  thought  fit  not  to  drive  out 
 all  the  Canaanites,  that  he  might  try  the  care  and  fidelity 
 of  his  People  in  his  fervice  (  II.  22.)  he  now  names  the 
 particular  Nations,  that  remained  unfubdued. 
 
 Even  as  many  of  Ifrael  as  had  not  known  all  the  wars  of 
 Canaan.~]     Such  as  were  born  fince  the  War  was  ended  ^ 
 and  had  feen  none  of  the  wonderful  works  of  God  in 
 
 the 
 
344  ^    COMMENT  A  KY 
 
 Chapter  the  Conqueft  of  the   Land:    God  intended  to  prove 
 III.       them  whether  they    would  worfhip  him,    when  they 
 
 i/V\J  faw  what  they  mull:  expeft,  if  they  did  not  \  viz,  that 
 he  would  let  the  Canaanites^  their  mortal  Enemies,  loofe 
 upon  them. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  Only  that  the  generation  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael 
 might  know  to  teach  them  war.']  There  was  another  reafon 
 why  they  were  left  remaining,  as  was  obferved  before 
 in  the  laft  Verfe  of  the  foregoing  Chapter :  but  this  had 
 .  been  fufficient,  if  there  had  been  no  other  5  that  the 
 ■  Israelites  might  not  grow  ilnggiih  for  want  of  fome  to 
 awaken  and  exercife  their  Courage,  and  to  keep  up  Mar- 
 tial difcipline  among  them  ^  and  that  they  might,  by 
 having  powerful  enemies  fo  near  them,  betake  them- 
 felves  to  God  conftantly,  and  depend  upon  his  help 
 and  fuccour,  by  whofe  power  their  Fathers  had  brought 
 them  under.  ^ 
 
 At  the  leajifuch  as  before  knew  nothing  thereof ^\  If  this 
 was  not  needful  for  all,  it  was  at  leaft  for  iuch  as  had 
 never  handled  Arms  $  that  they  might  be  trained  up  to 
 be  ready  upon  occafion  to  fight  with  their  Enemies. 
 For  they  being  wholly  bred  to  Husbandry  and  feeding 
 of  Cattle,  would  have  had  no  Military  Difcipline 
 among  them  3  if  they  had  not  had  the  Canaanites  fo 
 near  to  them. 
 
 Or  this  may  be  the  meaning  of  this  Verfe,  they  fid  all 
 
 know  what  it  4s  to  be  left  to  themfelves  :  for  their  Fathers 
 
 fought  by  a  Divine  Power  5  but  now  they  (hall  learn 
 
 ♦        what  it  is  to  fight  like  other  Men,  without  God  to  go 
 
 along  with  them. 
 
 Verfe  2.  ^er'  ?•  Namely,  the  five  lords  of  the  Philifiines."]  See 
 upon  XIII  Joflj.  2,  3.  and  ljudg.  18.  where  it  appears, 
 that  three  of  them  had  been  in  fome  meafure  conquered  3 
 but  it  feems  had  recovered  their  Country  again,  by  the 
 Uoth  of  the  Ifraelites* 
 
 And 
 
upon  JUDGES.  3  4  5 
 
 And  all  the   Canaanites.~]      Thefe  were  a   particular  Chapter 
 People  of  that  Country  (as  hath  been  often  bid)  n  ID. 
 
 to  the  midland  Sea:  many  of  which  ftill  remained  feat-  L^VXj 
 tered  up  and  down  the  Land. 
 
 And  the  Sidonians.~]  Who  lived  in  the  Territory  be- 
 longing to  the  famous  City  of  Sidon^  who  was  one  of 
 the  Sons  of  Canaan,  XGen.  15. 
 
 And  the  Hivites  that  dwelt  in  mount  Lebanon. ~]  A  fa- 
 mous Mountain  in  the  North  part  of  Canaan. 
 
 From  Baal-Hermon,  unto  the  entring  in  cf  Haw  at  h.] 
 See  in  XI  Je/b.  3.  XIII.  5. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  they  were  to  prove  Ifrael  by  them,   to  know  y  rr 
 whether  they  would   hearken  to  the  commandments  of  the 
 LORD,  &c]     That  their  vertue  might  appear,  if  they 
 did  not  imitate  thefe  People  5  or  their  baienefs.,  if  they 
 did. 
 
 Ver.  5.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  dwelt  among  the  Verfe  5 
 Canaanites,  Hittites,  and  Am  or  it  es,  and  PcrizzHes,  and 
 Hivites,  and  Jebufites.']  The  Ifraelites  foon  difcovered 
 their  bad  difpofition,  in  fuflfering  all  forts  of  the  wick- 
 ed People  of  this  Land  to  remain,  and  dwell  with  them  : 
 as  if  they  were  ftill  the  pofleflbrs  of  this  Country  $ 
 and  the  Children  of  Ifrael  but  intruders  among 
 them. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  they  too^heir  Daughters  to  be  tbeir.Wives^txit  6. 
 and  gave  their  Daughters   to   their  Sons."]     Which  was 
 not  only  dire&ly  contrary  to  the  Law  of  God    (VII 
 Deut.  3.)  but  an  higher  breach  of  their  Covenant  with 
 him,  than  the  mere  making  Leagues  with  them. 
 
 And  ferved  their  gods 7\  As  Mofes  in  the  fame  place 
 foretold  they  would  (VII  Deut.  4.)  if  they  contracted 
 fuch  Marriages  with  them. 
 
 Ver.   7.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  did  evil  in  the  fight  Verfe  ?. 
 of  the  LORD,  and  forgat  the  LORD  their  God.]    They 
 grew  in  time  fo  very  wicked,  that  they  not  only  wor- 
 
 Y  y  fhipped 
 
346  A  CO  MMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  (hipped  other  gods  together  with   the  LORDy  but 
 
 III.  quite  forgot  him,  and  worfhipped  them  alone. 
 L/'VAJ  Andferved  Baalim  and  the  Groves^  Some  here  take 
 Groves  literally,  for  the  Trees  themfelves  that  compofed 
 thofe  (hady  places,  which  were  anciently  confecrated  to 
 Heroes :  being,  fometime,  the  place  of  their  Sepulchre  : 
 where  their  Manes  were  fuppofed  to  haunt.  For  Baalim 
 were  the  fame  with  Heroes^  and  Trees  were  accounted 
 facred  things,  by  the  ancient  Heathen,  who  confecrated 
 them  to  this  or  that  Deity  :  and  trimmed  them  up  with 
 Ribbonds,  and  adorned  them  with  lights,  and  made 
 Vows  to  them,  and  hung  their  Spoils  of  their  Enemies 
 upon  them.  Infomuch  that  Travellers  were  wont  to 
 ftop  when  they  were  to  pafs  by  them  $  as  if  they  had 
 been  the  habitation  of  fome  god.  But  Mr.  Selden  thinks 
 that  by  Groves  are  to  be  here  underftood  the  Images 
 of  their  gods  in  the  Groves:  as  it  is  certain  they  muft 
 fignifie  in  fome  places.  See  upon  Chapter  VI.  25.  And 
 he  probably  con/eftures,  that  there  were  feveral  God- 
 deffes,  under  the  name  of  Afitaroth  worfhipped  in  them. 
 See  the  place  mentioned  above  in  his  de  Diis  Sj/ris.  Syntag, 
 2.    Cap.  2. 
 
 And  it  is  evident  that  thefe  Deities,  whatfoever  they, 
 were,  were  different  from  Baalim :  for  the  Prophets  of 
 Baal,  and  the  Prophets  of  the  Groves  were  diftinft  Per- 
 form :  in  the  1  Kings  XVIII.  19. 
 ferfe  8.  Ver.  8.  Therefore  the  anger  of  the  LORD  was  hot 
 againfi  IfraeW]  This  exprefBon  we  had  twice  before. 
 See  Chapter  II.  14.  20. 
 
 And  he  fold  them,']     See  in  the  fame  place. 
 
 Into  the  hand  of  Cu(han~rijhathaim  King,  of  Mefopota- 
 $*/>."]  Of  that  Country,  which  lay  between  the  two 
 great  Rivers  of  Euphrates  and  Tigris.  So  the  firft  Ene- 
 my that  oppreffed  them  were  the  Syrians:,  who  either 
 out  of  hatred,  or  defire  to  enlarge  their  Dominions, 
 came  over  Euphrates  and  invaded  them. .  And, 
 
upon  JUDGES-  347 
 
 And    the   Children   of  Ifrael  fcrved   Cu/fsan-r/fiathain;  Chapter 
 eight  years. ~]     He  forced  them  to  buy  their  Peace  upon        lif. 
 hard  terms,    and  brought  them  under  tribute  to  him :   L/~Y"\J 
 but  did  not  impofe  Garrifons  upon  them  5  fo  that  they 
 more  eafily  recovered  their  liberty,  when  one  appeared 
 to  head  them.     When  thefe  eight  Years  began  (that  ig, 
 how  long  after  the  death  of  Jojhua)  is  varioully  dif- 
 puted  :  but  it  is  certain  it  was  in  the  next  Age  (which 
 in  Scripture  fignifies  about  three  and  Thirty  Years)  after 
 JoJ/waznd  the  Elders  that  furvived  him  (during  whofe 
 time  they  ferved  God  and  lived  in  freedom.)    For  Calebs 
 younger  Brother,  as  it  here  follows,  was  the  firft  Judge 
 whom  God  raifed  up  to  them. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  when  the  Children  of  Ifrael  cried  unto  the  Verfe  0 
 LORD.']  Returned  to  him  and  acknowledged  him  to 
 be  their  only  God  5  of  whom  they  earneftly  begged 
 pardon,  and  implored  help  with  fervent  Prayer:  be- 
 feeching  him  to  deliver  them  from  this  cruel  fervitude^ 
 as  he  did  Jacob  their  Fore-father  from  the  bondage  of: 
 Laban  the  Syrian. 
 
 He  raifed  a  deliverer  to  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  who  de- 
 livered them.]  All  the  Judges  are  called  by  the  name 
 of  Saviours^  or  Deliverers ,  in  the  IXNchew.  27.  be- 
 caufe  they  refcued  them  from  the  oppreffion  of  their 
 Enemies,  when  they  could  not  help  themfelves. 
 
 Even  Othinel  the  Son  of  Kenez,  Calebs  younger  Bro- 
 ther.'] So  he  is  called  I.  13.  concerning  which  See, 
 XVJo/h.  17. 
 
 Ver.  10.  And  the  Spirit  of  tlx  LORD  came  upon  hint.]  Verfe  re. 
 He  had  an  extraordinary  motion  from  God  to  take  upon 
 him  the  Government  of  the  People:  which  none  durft 
 prefume  to  do,  but  fuch  as  were  appointed  by  God,  who 
 was  their  King.  Jofephta  thinks  that  God  appeared  to 
 them,  or  fome  way  revealed  his  will  to  them  in  thefe 
 matters :    fo  that  they  were  fure  they  atted  by  his  Au- 
 
 Yy  2  thority. 
 
348  ACOMMENTAKT 
 
 Chapter  thority.     The  Chaldee  Paraphraft  feems  to  favour  the 
 \\\%      latter  opinion,  who  calls  this  Spirit,   the  Spirit  of  Pro- 
 
 t/"Y"NJ  phefie.  Certain  it  is  that  they  had  not  only  an  inward 
 incitement  to  undertake  the  deliverance  of  Gods  People } 
 but  were  endowed  with  extraordinary  Courage  and 
 Conduct :  and  it  is  likely  with  a  fingular  gift  of  Divine 
 Eloquence,  to  perfwade  the  People  to  forfake  their 
 Idolatry,  and  vindicate  their  liberty. 
 
 And  he  judged  Ifrael,  and  went  out  to  War."]  This  was 
 the  firfk  part  of  the  Office  of  a  Judge  to  plead  their 
 Caufe,  and  avenge  them  of  their  oppreflbrs:  as  this 
 Phrafe  of  Judging  is  ufed,  XXXII  Dent.  35,  36.  and 
 other  places.  Though  here  being  fet  before  going  to 
 War,  it  may  be  thought  that  he  firft  re&ified  what  was 
 amifs  among  them,  and  efpecially  reduced  them  to  the 
 worfhip  of  the  LOUD  alone  5  and  then  went  to  fight 
 againft  their  Enemies. 
 
 And  the  LORD  delivered  Cufian-rijhathaim  King  of 
 Mesopotamia  into  his  hand.']  They  overthrew  and  in- 
 tirely  routed  all  his  Forces,  and  as  the  words  feem  to 
 import,  took  or  flew  the  King  himfelf. 
 
 And  his  hand  prevailed  againft  Cujhan-rijhathaimT]  So 
 that  he  could  not  recover  his  ftrength  to  opprefs  them 
 any  more. 
 
 Verfe  11.  Ver.  11.  And  the  land  had  reft  forty  year  s7]  It  doth 
 not  fute  with  my  defign  to  enter  into  Chronological 
 Difputes :  and  therefore  I  remit  the  learned  Reader  to 
 the  Canon  Chronicus  of  Sir  J.  Marfoam.  Lib.  2.  where  he 
 fuppofes  the  Idolatrous  Generation  to  have  rifeninthe 
 thirty  fourth  Year  after  the  Death  of  Joflma  -y  who  loft 
 their  Liberty  and  fell  under  the  oppreflion  of  Cufian  for 
 the  fpace  of  eight  years,  and  after  their  deliverance 
 from  it,  lived  happily  forty  years.  Which  will  appear 
 in  the  fequel  to  be  more  reasonable  than  to  interpret  thefe 
 words  as  if  they  fignified,  the  land  refted  in  the  fortieth 
 
 year, 
 
upon  JUDGES.  -49 
 
 yeu>\  after  Jofljua  fir fi  felled  them  in  peace  and  quiet.     So    Chapter 
 our  great  tJrimatc  ot  Ireland,  vid.  A.M.  25^9.  ill. 
 
 And  Othniel  the  Son  of  Kenaz,  died.]      It  is  not  certain  \^\^\j 
 in  what  part  of  thefe  Forty  Years  of  reft  he  died  j  nor 
 is  it  material,    whether  in  the  beginning,    middle,  or 
 end  of  it. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  did  evil  again  Verfe  12. 
 in  the  fight  of  the  LORD.']     Fell  into  the  Sin   of  ido- 
 latry, after  Othniel  was  dead. 
 
 And  the  LORD  flrengthncd  Eglon  the  King  of  Moab 
 again ji  them,  becaufe  they  had  done  evil  in  the  fight  of  the 
 LORD."]  As  he  raifed  up  deliverers  to  Ifrael,  when 
 they  were  penitent  ^  fo  he  fkirred  up  Enemies  to  them, 
 and  gave  them  power  alfo  to  opprefs  them,  when  they 
 revolted  from  him,  And  the  next  Enemy  to  the  Syrians 
 were  the  Moabites :  for  fince  they  worftiipped  the  gods 
 of  the  People  round  about  them  (Chap.  II.  12.)  it  was 
 fit  they  fhould  be  punifhed  by  thofe  very  People. 
 
 Ver,  13.  And  he  gathered  unto  him  the  Children  of  Verfe  1*3, 
 Ammon  and  AmalehJ]  Perfwaded  thefe  two  Nations 
 who  were  his  near  Neighbours  (Moab  lying  between 
 them)  to  affociate  themfelves  with  him  in  this  War. 
 Unto  which  they  were  eafily  inclined  5  efpecially  Amakh, 
 who  had  an  old  grudge  to  the  Ifraelites. 
 
 And  -went  and  f mote  Ifrael.']  Either  by  a  fudden  In- 
 vafion,  or  in  a  pitch'd  Battle. 
 
 And  pojfejfed  themfelves  of  the  City  of  Palm-trees.  ] 
 That  is,  Jericho  as  appears  from  XXXIV  Deut.  3.  I  Judg. 
 16.  Which  though  it  was  deftroyed  by  Jojlma,  yet 
 the  place  where  it  flood  remaining,  it  is  likely  they 
 made  Fortifications,  and  placed  a  ftrong  Garrifon  there  : 
 that  they  might  the  better  keep  the  whole  Country  in 
 fubje&ion.  For,  as  the  the  Country  thereabouts  was 
 very  fertile  (of  which  they  deprived  the  Ifraelites,  and 
 fent  the  riches  of  it  to  their  own  Country,   which  was 
 
 not 
 
35o  A  COMMENT  A RY 
 
 Chapter  not  far  off)  fo  they  hindred  all  communication  between 
 III.      thofe  on  this  fide  Jordan,  and  thofe  on  the  other  fide  $ 
 
 KSV\J  but  what  they  pleafed  to  allow  :  and  maintained  a  cor- 
 refpondence  with  their  own  People,  from  whom  they 
 could  receive  more  Forces,  if  there  were  need,  by  ha- 
 ving the  command  of  the  parages  over  Jordan.  By 
 which  means  alfo  they  thought  to  fecure  their  retreat, 
 if  there  (hould  be  occafion,  to  their  own  Country. 
 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  So  the  Children  of  Ifrael  fervcd  Eglon  the 
 King  of  Moab  eighteen  Tears.']  He  ruled  all  this  time 
 as  an  abfolute  Matter  over  them,  and  impofed  what 
 burdens  he  pleafed  upon  them  :  of  which,  it  is  likely, 
 the  Ammonites  and  Amakkjtes  had  a  (hare  5  as  a  reward 
 of  their  help  and  ailiftance. 
 
 ir    r       ^        Ver.   15.  But  when  the  Children  of  Jfrael  cried  unto 
 
 ■v  5'the  LORD.']     Humbled   themfelves  before  him,    ac- 
 
 knowledged their  offence,  begged  his  Pardon,  and  be- 
 feeched  his  help^  as  before,  v.  9, 
 
 The  LORD  raifed  them  up  a  deliverer.]  As  he  had 
 done  before.     See  v.  9. 
 
 Ehud  the  Son  of  G era  a  Benjamite."]  Which  Tribe 
 was  the  moft  immediately  oppreffed  (the  Country  of 
 Jericho  being  in  it)  and  therefore  one  of  them  was  very 
 proper  to  be  their  deliverer. 
 
 A  Man  left  handed."]  T 'he  Hebrew  words  itter  jad 
 jemini  are  very  obfcure:  being  ufed  no  where  elfe  but 
 here,  and  XX.  16.  In  both  places  the  LXX.  Tranflate 
 them  djut,pm£p2i%i@oi  whom  the  Vulgar  follows,  qui 
 utraque  wamt  pro  dextra  utebatur,  who  cculd  ufe  both 
 Hands,  as  we  do  our  Right.  This  the  Hebrew  Phrafe 
 will  bear,  which  laterally  fignifies,  as  we  Tranflate  it 
 in  the  Margin,  flmt  of  his  riglit  hand  :  i.  e.  who  did  no- 
 thing with  it,  but  ufed  his  Left  5  though  he  could  ufe 
 both  alike.  Of,  as  Jofiphus  will  have  it,  tf$  Z&p*>- 
 thjo  dejZiogLv  £fA,&vw>  who  of  the  two  could  ufe  his  left- 
 hand  befi.  And 
 
upon  JUDGES.  351 
 
 And  by  him  the  Children  of  Ifrael  fent   a  prefent  unto   Chapter 
 Eglon  King  of  Moab.]     Some  understand  by  this,   the        III. 
 Tribute  that  vras  laid  upon  them.    But  it  rather  Ggnifies  L/'WJ 
 a   voluntary   prefent,   above  their  ordinary  payments: 
 whereby  they  hoped  to  mollifie  him,    and   make  him 
 favourable  to  his  loving  Subjects.     For  Mincba  is  ufed 
 for  fuch  offerings  as  were  presented  to  God,  to  obtain 
 his  favours. 
 
 Ver.   16.   But  Ehud  made  him  a  dagger."]     Privately  \\rfe  i£, 
 prepared  this  weapon  :    intending  to  make  ufe  of  this 
 opportunity  for  their  deliverance. 
 
 Which  had  two  edges,  of  a  Cubit  length,"]  Therefore 
 Jofephzts  calls  it  fyp&ov  a  little  Sword:  which  was  long 
 enough  to  do  execution  5  but  fo  fhort  as  to  be  eafily 
 concealed. 
 
 And  he  did  gird  it  under  his  raiment.]  Which  the  LXX. 
 and  the  Vulgar  take  to  have  been  a  Military  Garment  : 
 but  the  Hebrew  word  Mad  lignifies  any  fort  of  Rai- 
 ment. 
 
 Upon  hk  right  thigh."]  To  avoid  all  fufpicion  (for 
 Men  nfe  to  wear  their  Swords  on  their  left  fide)  and 
 that  he  might  more  readily  draw  it  out,  and  ufe  it  .with 
 his  Left-hand,  when  he  fhould  find  occaHon. 
 
 Ver.    17.  And  he  brought  the  prefent  to  Eglov  KingefV^fe  \j* 
 Moab.~]     Was  admitted  into  his  prefence,  and  delivered 
 the  prefent  with  his  Right  Hand,    as  Men  ufually  do: 
 which  he  could  ufe,  I  fuppofe,  as  well  as  his  left,  though 
 not,  perhaps,  with  fo  much  ftrength. 
 
 And  Elglon  was  a  very  fat  Man!]  Which  made  him 
 unvveildy,  and  lefs  able  and  ready  to  rife  up,  and  avoid 
 or  defend  himfelffrom,  a  fudden  ftroke.  The  LXX. 
 Tnnflate  it  dime  Yis£t&>  a?&zz.y  an  exceeding  civil,  01 
 courteous  Man  :  which  made  it  the  more  eafie  for  Ehud 
 to  give  the  blow  :  when  he  embraced  him  perhaps,  or  - 
 ftooped  when  he  rofe  out  of  his  feat  to  receive  his 
 Meffage,  in  an  obliging  man?"  Ver.  1 
 
A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Vet.  1 8.  And  when  he  had  made  an  end  to  offer  the 
 prefentS]  Which  was  done  (as  appears  by  this)  with 
 luch  ceremony  as  was  in  ufe  in  thofe  days. 
 
 Verfe  18.  He  fint  axyay  the  People  that  bare  the  prcfent.~]  It  was 
 brought  by  iome  of  his  Retinue  (confifting,  it  is  likely, 
 of  feverai  things)  who  being  all  withdrawn,  and  gone 
 iome  part  of  their  way  homeward  with  him  5  he  bad 
 them  go  forward,  and  leave  him  to  difpatch  fome  pri- 
 vate bufinefs  which  he  pretended,  For  fuch  defigns,  as 
 he  had  in  his  mind,  feldom  fucceed  where  many  are 
 engaged  in  them. 
 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  And  he  htmfelf  turned  again."]  As  if  he  had 
 forgotten  fomething  ,  or  had  met  with  fome  new  in- 
 ftru&ions  by  the  way. 
 
 From  the  quarries  that  were  by  Gtlgal.*]  Some  under- 
 ftand  by  the  word  we  Tranflate  Quarries,  a  place  where 
 they  digged  or  hewed  Stones :  others  the  XII.  Stones 
 which  Jojlma  placed  in  Gilgal.  But  the  LXX.  and  the 
 Vulgar  take  it  for  Graven  Images  ;  for  fo  indeed  the 
 word  Pe/tl  commonly  fignifies  in  Scripture }  and  fowe 
 Tranflate  it  in  the  Margin  of  our  Bible.  Which  when 
 Ehud  beheld  his  Spirit  was  mightily  ftirred  within  him 
 (as  Conradus  Pellkanus  explains  this  paffage)  and  he 
 proceeded  no  further,  in  his  return  home  :  but  went 
 back  with  a  refolution  to  revenge  this  affront  to  God, 
 as  well  as  the  oppreffion  of  his  People.  For  it  is  to  be 
 fuppofed,  the  Moahites  had  fet  up  thefe  Graven  Images 
 in  this  place,  rather  than  any  other :  which  had  been 
 famous  for  the  prefence  of  God,  for  a  long  time 
 in  it. 
 
 And  fa/d,  I  have  a  fecret  errand  unto  thee,  0  King.~] 
 Being  admitted  again  into  the  Kings  prefence,  hedefired 
 a  private  audience  of  him. 
 
 Who  [aid,  Keep  fdence7\  He  bad  Ehud  fay  no  more, 
 till  all  his  attendants  were  withdrawn :  whom  he  would 
 not  have  to  hear  the  Meflage.  And 
 
upon  JUDGES.  %$$ 
 
 And  all  that  ft oo d  by  him  went  out  from  him.']      It  may    Chapter 
 feem  ft  range   that  a  Prince  fhould  truft  himlelf  alone,       III. 
 with  one  of  that  Nation,  who  he  knew  groaned  under  L^\^\j 
 his  Yoke.     But  his  Mind  was  blinded  by  the  Prefect, 
 and  by  the  Complements  wherewith  it  was  delivered  : 
 and  God  deprived  him  at  this  time  of  his  wonted  pru- 
 dence.    For  as  Solomon  obferves,  there  is  no  wifdom,  nor 
 underftandin?^    nor  counfel  againfi  the   LORD.~]      Who 
 intended  he  (hould  be  deftroyed,  XXI  Prov.  30. 
 
 Ver.  20.   And  Ehud  came  unto  him.']     Approached  v'erfe  20. 
 nearer  to  his  Perfon. 
 
 And  he  was  fitting  in  a  fnmmer  Parlor. ~]  In  a  cool 
 Room  (as  the  Hebrew  word  imports)  where  he  was  de- 
 fended from  the  heat  of  the  Sun,  and  enjoyed  the  frelh 
 Air. 
 
 Which  he  had  made  for  himfelf  alone. ~]  Where  he 
 was  wont  to  retire  from  all  Company  :  when  he  had  a 
 mind  to  deep,  perhaps,  in  the  heat  of  the  Day  ,  or  to 
 difpatch  bufinefs  with  which  he  intrufted  no  body. 
 
 And  Ehudfaid,  I  have  a  meffage  from  God  unto  thee.] 
 Which  in  fome  fenfe  was  true  ^  but  not  in  that  wherein 
 the  King  underftood  it.  Who  thought  he  had  met 
 with  fome  Divine  Apparition  in  the  way,  or  been  at 
 Ibme  Oracle :  for  he  doth  not  fay  he  had  a  Meffage 
 from  Jehovah  the  God  of  Jfrael  (whom  he  would  have 
 defpiied,  perhaps,  as  Pharaoh  did)  but  from  Elohim, 
 which  was  a  common   name  to  all   gods,    XXIV.  2. 
 
 And  he  rofe  out  of  his  feat.]  Out  of  reverence  as  to 
 God,  whofe  words,  he  fuppofed,  he  was  to  hear.  A 
 remarkable  inftance  of  the  ancient  veneration  Men  paid 
 to  whatfoever,  carried  the  name  and  authority  of  God 
 in  it:  and  reproaches  thofe  who  now  behave  them- 
 felves  irreverently,  even  in  his  Wcrfhip  and  Service. 
 See  XXIII  Xumb.  18.  z  Kings  XXIII.  ^ 
 
 Zz  Ver.  21. 
 
354  AGO  MMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  2 1 .  And  Ehud  put  forth  hk  left  hand,  and  tooh^ 
 
 HI.        the  dagger  from  his'  right  thigh.]     If  the   King  had  his 
 
 ^^V%j  Eye  upon  his  Hands,  it  was  upon  the  Right,  and  not 
 
 Verfe  21.  the  Left :  fo  that  he  might  more  unobfervedly  imploy 
 
 it,  as  he  defigned. 
 
 And  thrufi  it  into  his  belly?]  So  that  it  peirced  hh 
 Heart  (as  Jofephus  underftands  itj)  or  fome  other  vital 
 part :  upon  which  he  immediately  died  :  without  fpeak- 
 ing  a  word,  or  making  a  noile  to  alarm  his  Servants 
 who  were  without.  Nothing  can  juftifie  this  Fad  5  but 
 an  order  from  the  LORD :  which  he  not  only  pre- 
 tended, but  really  had.  See  v.  26. 
 Verfe  22.  Ver.  22.  And  the  haft  alfo  went  in  after  the  blade."] 
 The  thrufi:  he  made  was  io  violent  5  that  not  only  the 
 blade  of  the  Dagger,  but  the  handle  alfo  went  into  his 
 Bowels, 
 
 And  the  fat  clofed  up  the  blade?]  And  the  haft :  fo 
 that  they  could  not  be  feen. 
 
 So  that  he  could  not  drarc  the  dagger  out  of  his  belly.'] 
 But  left  it  there  3  becaufe  he  could  take  no  hold 
 of  it. 
 
 And  the  dirt  came  out.']  All  agree  that  the  word 
 Parfchedona,  which  is  no  where  found  but  here,  fig- 
 nifies  the  Dung,  or  Excrements.  Which  came  not  out 
 at  the  wound  (for  that  was  clofed)  but  at  the  ufual 
 place.  It  being  common  for  bodies  to  purge  after  they 
 are  dead  5  efpecially  fuch  corpulent  ones  as  his  was :  in 
 whofe  Bowels  no  doubt,  there  were  violent  Convul- 
 fions  made,  by  this  fudden  ftroke. 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  And  Ehud  went  forth  through  the  porch.]  It 
 is  very  uncertain,  what  the  Hebrew  word  Mifrcdona 
 fignifies,  which  we  Tranflate  Porch.  Some  take  it  for 
 the  Guard  Chamber  (as  the  L XX.  feem  to  underfiand  it) 
 or  a  place  where  the  Kings  Servants  fat :  through  which 
 he  paffed  boldly  5  that  he  might  give  no  fufpition  of 
 
 any 
 
upon   JUDGES.  555 
 
 any  mtfchief  he  had  done.     Or,  as  Kimchi  explains  it,   Chapter 
 the  place  where  the  People  fat,    who  waited  for  Au-        HJ. 
 dience.  L^V%j 
 
 And  flmt  the  doors  of  the  Parlor  upon  him,    and  lock 
 them7\     As  he  came  out  of  the  Parlor,  he  not  only  (hut 
 the  doors  after  him,  and  locked  them  :  but,  it  is  likely, 
 took  the  Key  away  with  him.     There  feem  to  have  been 
 double  doors,  an  inward  and  an  outward,  a^  is  ufual, 
 
 Ver.    z\.  And  when  he   was  gone   out,    his   Servants  Ve rfe  24. 
 came.']     Seeing  Ehud  was  gone  from  the  King,  his  At- 
 tendants came  into  the  Antichamber  (as  we  fpeak)  to 
 be  ready  at  the  Kings  call,  to  wait  his  pleafure. 
 
 And  when  they  fair •,  that  behold,  the  doors  of  the  parlor 
 were  locked,  they  faidy  Surely  he  covereth  his  feet  in  the 
 fummer  parlor.~\  They  concluded  he  was  eafing  Nature, 
 as  this  Phrafe  is  commonly  underftood  here,  and  in 
 1  Sam.  XXIV.  5.  For  when  they  were  about  that 
 bulinefs,  the  long  Garments,  which  they  wore  in  thofe 
 Countries,  were  fo  difpofed,  as  to  cover  their  Feet 
 See  Gataker  in  his  Clnnus  Lib.  2.  Cap.  III.  But  it  may 
 be  underftood,  I  think,  of  laying  himfelf  down  to 
 fleep,  which  they  were  wont  to  do  in  thofe  Countries, 
 in  the  heat  of  the  day  (2  Sam.  IV.  5.)  and  then  lying 
 down  in  their  Cloaths,  it  was  neceflary  to  cover  their 
 Feet,  for  decencies  fake:  to  keep  their  Garments  from 
 (lipping  up,  and  expofing  thofe  parts,  which  fhould 
 not  be  feen.  And  this  futes  better  with  the  ftory  than 
 the  other  :  for  they  thought  fit  to  wait  a  great  while  be- 
 fore they  entred  the  Chamber,  that  they  might  not  di- 
 fturb  his  reft  s  whereas  the  other  bufinefs  being  foon 
 difpatched,  would  not  have  occafioned  their  waiting  fo 
 long.  See  the  Arabic!^  and  Syriac  Verfton  both  here, 
 and  upon  1  Sam.  XXIV.  3. 
 
 Ver.  2-5.  And  the)  ]     Waiting  in  the  Ami-  Verfe  :> 
 
 chamber. 
 
 Z  1  Till 
 
356  A  CO  MM  EN  f  ART 
 
 Chapter        Till  they  were  ajloamed!]     Till  they  were  in  a  great 
 III.      confufion  -y    not  knowing  what  to  think  (hould  be  the 
 
 L/"V~Sj  caufe  that  he  flept  longer  than  ordinary. 
 
 And  behold^  he  opened  not  the  door  of  the  parlor.]  At 
 which  it  is  likely,  after  tedious  expectation  ,  they 
 knocked,  and  had  no  anfwer. 
 
 Therefore  they,  tooh^  a  Key  and  opened,  them."]  For  in 
 Kings  Courts,  there  were  more  than  one,  who  had 
 Keys  to  the  fame  Room. 
 
 And  behold^  their  lord  was  fain  down  dead  on  the 
 Earth.]  Perhaps  they  did  not  at  firfl:  perceive  that  he 
 was  killed  :  which  might  fomething  retard  their  purfuit 
 of  Ehud. 
 
 Verfe  26.  Ver.  26.  And  Ehud  efcaped  while  they  tarried.'].  Their 
 long  expectance  of  the  Kings  awaking  out  of  deep, 
 gave  him  the  advantage  of  making  his  efcape. 
 
 And  paffed  beyond  the  quarries.]  From  whence  he  re- 
 turned to  do  this  exploit,  v.  19.  Which  had  been 
 Murder,  if  he  had  not  had  a  Divine  Warrant  for  what 
 he  did.  Unto  which  none  can  pretend  now,  without 
 blafpheming  God,  as  the  Author  of  Sin  :  but  then  was 
 evident  by  the  wonderful  gifts  of  Wifdom,and  Courage, 
 and  Might,  wherewith  fuch  Men  were  divinely  infpired. 
 See  Grotim  de  Jure  Belli  &  Paris,  Lib.  1.  Cap.  IV. 
 Seft.  XIX.  N.  4. 
 
 And  efcaped  unto  Seirath.']  Gilgal  was  fo  near  to  the 
 Garrifon  which  the  Moabites  had  in  thofe  Territories, 
 that  he  did  not  think  himfelf  fafe  till  he  was  got  out  of 
 the  Tribe  of  Benjamin  into  the  Mountainous  Country 
 of  Ephraim :  where  this  Town  was,  upon  the  confines 
 of  the  Tribe  of  Benjamin. 
 
 Verfe  27.      ^er*  27"  ^n<^  '*  came  *°  Pafs>    when  he  was   come."] 
 To  Seirath. 
 
 That  he  blew  a  trumpet  in  the  mountain  of  Ephraim.] 
 To  fummon  thofe  who  were  difpofed  to  recover  their 
 Liberties,  to  take  Arms  and  follow  him.  And 
 
upon  J  U  DOES  ^? 
 
 And  the  Children  $f  IJrael  won  down  with  him)  from  Chai 
 the  mount.']     A  eoufiderabje  body  of  Men,  no  doubt,        III. 
 prefentJy  met  together   (being   before  prepared,    it  is  l/^V^Vj 
 likely,  by  his  Kmillaries)    and  marched  after  him  into 
 the  Country   ot  Benjamin,    where  the   Moabites   were 
 fetled. 
 
 And  he  before  then/.]  He  led  them  on  as  their  Cap- 
 tain :  and  had  many  more,  in  all  probability,  joined 
 him,  as  he  marched  further  into  the  Country. 
 
 Ver.   28.  And  he  faid  unto  them,  Follow  after  me \]  Be  Verfe  28 
 not  afraid  to  venture  your  Lives,    as  I  will  do,  for  the 
 Liberty  of  your  Country. 
 
 tor  the  LORD  hath  delivered  your  Enemies  the  Moa^ 
 I?}tes  into  your  hand.]  He  was  allured  that  God  who 
 had  lucceeded  his  enterprize,  and  deprived  the  Moabites 
 of  their  fupreme  head  (whereby  no  doubt  they  were  in 
 great  confulion)  would  accomplifh  what  he  had  begun, 
 and  give  them  a  perfect  deliverance.  With  this  belief  he 
 endeavoured  to  pofTefs  their  Souls,  as  if  the  thing  was 
 already  done  :  which  he  knew  would  infpire  them  with 
 fuch  courage,  as  could  not  be  withftood. 
 
 And  they  went  down  after  him,  and  took  the  fords  of 
 Jordan.-]  He  proceeded  prudently,  as  well  as  coura- 
 gioufly^  and  therefore  led  them  direttly  to  the  Fords 
 of  Jordan,  of  which  they  poflefled  themfelves.  That 
 the  Moabites  who  had  fetled  themfelves  in  that  part  of 
 Judaea  (v.  1 3. )  might  not  be  able  to  fave  themfelves, 
 by  retreating  into  their  own  Country  5  nor  they  in 
 Moab  be  able  to  come  to  their  affiftance. 
 
 And  fuffered  not  a  Man  to  pafs  over  7]  To  carry,  or 
 bring  any  Intelligence. 
 
 Ver.   29.  And  they  few  of  the  Moabites    at  that  time  Verfe 
 about  ten  thoufand  Men.']     Who  had  taken  pofteffion  of 
 the  City  of  Palm-trees  (v.  15J  and  ported  themfelves 
 thereabouts,  to  keep  the  lfraclitcs  in  fubjeftion, 
 
^  A    COUMEN T  ART 
 
 Chapter        All  lufty  Men!]     In  the  Hebrew  it  is,    all  fat  Men  $ 
 HI.       that  is,   (as  feme  understand  it)   Men  of  Eftates,    or 
 
 U"V\J  very  wealthy  Perfons.  Men  of  Quality.,  or  of  the  bet- 
 ter fort  (as  others  expound  it)  who  chofe  to  tranfplant 
 themlelves  hither,  becaufe  of  the  richnefs  and  deliciouf- 
 nefs  of  this  Country.  But  it  may  be  interpreted  firong 
 Me*i  as  our  Tranflation  imports :  who  were  culled  out 
 from  among  the  Moabites,  to  keep  the  lfraelites  in 
 greater  awe. 
 
 And  all  Men  of  valour."]  Who  had  given  proof  of 
 their  undaunted  fpirit  in  War. 
 
 And  there  efcaped  not  a  Man,]  But  they  were  all  cut 
 off,  either  by  thofe  that  guarded  the  Fords,  and  inter- 
 cepted their  paflage  into  their  own  Country  5  or  by  the 
 other  part  of  the  Army  of  Ifrael  who  fell  upon  them, 
 and  drove  them  thither. 
 
 Verie  30.  Ver.  30.  SoMoab  was  fnbdued  that  day  under  the  hand 
 of  Ifrael,~]  This  doth  not  fignifie  that  they  brought  the 
 Country  of  Moab  under  their  fubje&ion,  as  the  Moabites 
 had  brought  theirs:  but  that  they  freed  themfelves  from 
 the  Yoke  they  had  laid  upon  them,  and  ferved  them  no 
 longer.     See  v.  14. 
 
 And  the  land  had  reji  fourfcore  years."]  Which  the 
 fame  great  Man,  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  Chapter, 
 thus  interprets  add  A.M.  2679,  Et  quievit  terra  anno 
 o&uagefimo^  pojl  quiet  em  prior  em  ah  Othinele  reji it it tarn. 
 And  the  Land  "had  reft  in  the  Eightieth  Year,  after  the 
 former  reftored  to  it  by  OthnieL  But  there  is  another 
 way  which  fome  learned  Writers  among  the  Jews  fug- 
 geft,  of  bringing  the  Years  of  Servitude  and  of  Peace 
 mentioned  in  this  Book,  into  fuch  a  compafs,  as  may 
 agree  with  what  is  faid  in  i  Kings  VI.  2.  concerning 
 the  number  of  Years  that  pafled  from  the  deliverance 
 out  of  Egypt  to  the  building  of  Solomons  Temple. 
 For  they  fuppofe  that  there  was  fcarce  any  of  the  Judges 
 
 who 
 
upon    JUDGES.  5S? 
 
 who  ruled  over  the  whole  Country  of  Ifi-ad,  but  fome  Chai 
 in  one  parr,  and  fame  in  another:    fo  that  at  the  fame       III. 
 time  there   -  veral  Judges  in  fcveral  parts  of  the  i/*\^\j 
 
 Land  ^  and  Peace  in  one  part,  when  there  was  War  in 
 another.  Accordingly  our  learned  Chronologer  Sir 
 J.  Mar/bam  (who  follow  this  opinion)  under ftands  here 
 by  the  land  which  had  reft  fourfcore  Years,  not  the 
 whole  Land  of  Ifrael,  but  the  Eaftcm  part  of  it:  which 
 had  fhaken  of  the  Yoke  of  Moal?.  But  in  the  mean 
 time  the  Philiftines  invaded  the  Weftern  parts,  as  it  here 
 follows,  and  were  repulied  by  Shamgar*  while  the 
 Eaftern  Countries  enjoyed  perfect  Peace.  This  I  take 
 to  be  the  cleareft  account  of  thefe  words  the  land  had 
 reft  forty  years  5  that  is  the  Eaftern  part  of  the  Country, 
 which  had  fhaken  off  the  Yoke  of  Moab:  not  the  whole 
 Land  of  Ifrael.  For  as  the  Philiftines  invaded  the 
 Weftern  parts  3  fo  Jahin  affli&ed  the  Northern  (as  it 
 follows  in  the  next  Chapter)  while  the  Oriental  Tribes 
 remained  in  Peace. 
 
 Ver.  3 1 .  And  after  him  was  Shamgar  the  Son  of  An  at  h.]  Verfe  3  1 
 It  is  not  faid  of  what  Tribe  he  was,  and  it  is  in  vain  to 
 enquire  about  it :  but  it  is  probable  he  was  one  of  thofe 
 Tribes  that  bordered  upon  the  Philiftines  \  becaufe  what 
 he  did  was  againft  them:  and  thofe  were  Judah^  Da?: 
 and  Ephra/nj.  Nor  is  there  the  leaft  fignification  how 
 long  he  judged  them:  but  he  fucceeding  Ehud,  his  Go- 
 vernment w7as  in  fome  part  of  the  fourfcore  Years  before 
 mentioned.  And  perhaps  it  was  not  long  before  that 
 time,  wherein  Jabin  oppreffed  Ifrael  in  the  Northern 
 parts :  as  may  be  probably  gathered  from  V.  6. 
 
 Which  flew  of  the  P hill ftincs  fix  hundred  Men.']     No 
 fome  of  the  People  of  Canaan  made  an  attempt  upon  th : 
 Ifraelites  in  the  Weftern  parts,    to  bring  them  under 
 their  Power.     And  thefe  words  found  as  if  Shan 
 alone  made  oppofition  to  them,  and  flew  the  numb 
 
 mentioned 
 
,60  A   CO  MME  NT  A  KY 
 
 Chapter  mentioned  :  Being  excited  by  the  mighty  Power  of  God, 
 HI.      which  gave  him  unwonted  courage  and  Strength.     For 
 
 ^V"\J  he  was  raifed  up  as  the  two  foregoing  great  Men  had 
 been,  by  a  Divine  infpiration  to  be  their  Judge  5  as  ap- 
 pears by  the  laft  words  of  this  Verfe. 
 
 With  an  Ox  goadT]  The  Vulgar  takes  the  Hebrew 
 word  Malmad  for  a  Plough  (hare :  and  the  LXX.  fa- 
 vour this  interpretation.  But  if  we  may  judge  by  the 
 derivation  of  the  word,  our  Tranflation  is  more  prob- 
 able :  wherein  we  follow  Kimchi,  and  other  learned 
 Jewsy  who  take  it  for  the  inftrument  whereby  Oxen  are 
 provoked  (and  as  it  were  put  in  mind  of  their  duty) 
 when  they  draw  the  Plough  lazily.  And  thus  Lycurgus 
 is  faid  to  have  overthrown  the  Forces  of  Bacchus  with- 
 out any  other  Arms,  but  fanXr^  an  Ox  goad.  So 
 Homer  defcribes  the  Bacch<e  as  put  to  flight  cLv$e_p$ivois 
 AwebQ/a  jSa7rAy^.  See  Bochartus,  L.  1.  Canaan,  Cap. 
 XVIII. 
 
 Aid  he  alfo  delivered  Ifrael."]  From  hence  it  appears 
 that  he  was  a  Judge,  as  well  as  the  two  former,  though 
 fome  both  Ancient  and  Modern  have  queftioned  it:  for 
 this  is  the  very  Phrafe  whereby  they  are  defcribed,  II.  9. 
 1 5.  And  the  firft  words  of  this  Verfe  fignifies  as  much  5 
 which  fay,  that  after  him  (i.e.  Ehud)  was  Shamgar.: 
 who  fucceeded  him,  that  is,  in  the  office  of  a  Judge  :  as 
 the  words  naturally  fignifie.  And  the  great  ilaughter 
 he  made  of  the  Philifiines  argues  the  fame  :  for  itmani- 
 feftly  was  an  Heroical  aft,  like  that  oiSamfon  who  flew 
 a  Thoufand  with  the  Jaw-bone  of  an  Afs.  Neither  of 
 which,  could  have  been  performed,  but  by  a  Divine 
 Power,  wherewith  they  were  pofTefled.  It  is  not  faid 
 here  indeed  how  long  he  continued  to  judge  them,  nor 
 from  what  oppreftkms  he  delivered  them.  But  he  is  a 
 deliverer  who  preferves  a  Nation  from  being  opprefled, 
 as  well  as  he  who  refcues  them  from  oppreffion  when 
 
 they 
 
upon   JUDGES  3«, 
 
 they  groan  under  it.  And  that  it  is  likely,  was  the  czlz  ( 
 of  Shamgar:  who  when  the  Phil/Jiines  came  to  invade  III. 
 his  Country, gave  them  a  repulie  with  the  lofsof  fix  hun-  L/~V~\J 
 dred  of  their  Men:  which  it  is  probable  difcou raged 
 them  from  further  attempts.  And  this  being  done 
 without  any  weapon  but  an  Ox  goad,  it  is  likely  he  was 
 at  Plough  when  the  Philiflines  made  this  inrode  to  plun- 
 der and  lpoil  the  Country:  feeling  a  (hong  impulfe 
 upon  him  to  oppofe  them,  though  he  had  no  other 
 Arms:,  nor  any  to  aflift  him,  but  fuch  of  his  Servants 
 as  were  perhaps  at  Plough  with  him.  Thus  fome  great 
 Men  among  the  ancient  Romans  were  called  from  the 
 Plough  to  be  their  Dictators.  But  I  will  only  add  a 
 ftrange  paflage  out  of  the  Midraffj  upon  XVII  I  evit.  <,, 
 who  mentioning  thefe  words,  and  he  alfo  delivered 
 Ifracl,  faith,  Thus  he  faved  them  by  the  hand  of  other 
 Judges:  who  being  but  flef/j  and  blood,  ye  fell  into  flavery 
 again  $  but  in  the  age  to  come  (\.  e.  of  the  Mcljiah)  I 
 in  my  own  f ub fiance  will  redeem  you,  and  ye  fiall  not  be  re- 
 duced into  Servitude  any  more.  According  to  what  Jfaiah 
 faith,  XLV.  17.  But  Ifrael  flail  be  faved  by  the  LORD 
 with  an  cvcrlafiing  Salvation,  &C  See  Raymund'm  his 
 Pugio  Fide/.  P.   510. 
 
 Chapter 
 CHAP.     IV.  IV. 
 
 Verfe  1.  A  N  D  the  Children  of  Ifrael  again  did  evil Verfe  1. 
 l\  in  the  fight  of  the  LORD.~]  See  III.  12. 
 After  the  death  of  Ehud.']  And  of  Shamgar.  Con- 
 cerning whom  there  is  no  further  mention  made  ^  be- 
 caufe  he  did  nothing  more  than  this  one  memorable  act: 
 Religion  being  reformed  by  Ehud,  who  left  it  fo  at  the 
 time  of  his  Death.  When,  it  is  likely,  the  Philifiines 
 feeing  their  Chieftain  gone,  made  the  forenamed  inrode 
 
 Aaa  upon 
 
362.  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  upon  the  Ifraclites.     But  they  being  not  yet  openly  fain 
 IV.      into  Idolatry,  God  was  pleated  to  raife  up  Shamgar,  to 
 
 L^VNJ  give  them  a  repulfe,  before  they  could  poffefs  them- 
 felves  of  any  part  of  the  Country,  as  the  Moabites  had 
 done.  After  which  blow  given  them  by  this  fingle 
 Champion,  it  was  a  long  time  before  we  read  of  any 
 difturbance  they  gave  them :  though  Shamgar,  it  is 
 probable,  lived  but  a  fhort  time  after  this  noble  atchieve- 
 ment.  And  then,  when  Ehud  and  he  had  been  fome 
 time  dead,  the  Israelites  forgot  the  wonderful  works  of 
 God,  and  returned  to  their  old  Sin.  For  fo  the  words 
 in  the  Hebrew  are  to  be  underftood,  which  run  thus> 
 and  Ehud  roas  dead.  For  that  Particle  ve,  which  we 
 Tranflate  and,  oftimes  (ignifies  becaufe:  and  here  makes 
 thefe  words  the  reafon  of  their  relapfe,  becaufe  Ehud 
 was  dead :  who  had  been  the  great  inftrument  of  bring- 
 ing them  back  to  God,  and  keeping  them,  while  he 
 lived,  in  his  Service. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  And  the  LORD  fold  them.'}  Delivered  them 
 up  to  be  made  Slaves.    See  III.  8. 
 
 Inta  the  hands  of  Jabin  King  of  Canaan."]  Of  that 
 part  of  the  Country,  where  the  People  properly  Ca- 
 naanites  now  dwelt  under  his  Government, 
 
 Who  reigned  in  Hazor7\  In  the  region  belonging  un- 
 to Hazory  for  the  City  it  felf  was  burnt  by  Jofiua,  XI 
 JoJ/j.  10.  and  the  King  of  it  alfo  ilain,  as  we  read  there, 
 XII.  9.  Whofe  name  alfo  was  Jabin,  Xljoft.  1.  of 
 whofe  pofterity  it  is  probable  this  Jabin  was :  whofe 
 name  was  common  to  all  the  Kings  of  that  Country,  as 
 Pharaoh  was  to  the  Kings  of  Egypt.  It  is  poffible  indeed 
 that  Hazor  might  be  rebuilt,  as  fome  other  Cities  were, 
 and  poffefTed  by  the  ancient  Inhabitants:  but  there  is 
 no  need  to  fuppofe  that  5  for  he  might  reign  in  Hazory 
 juft  as  the  Moabites  polTefled  Jericho:  that  is,  the  region 
 appertaining  to.it.     And  according  to  the  opinion  I 
 
 mentioned 
 
upon   JUDGES.  36- 
 
 mentioned  in  the  foregoing  Chapter,  v.  30.  Jab/n  is  c 
 fuppofed  to  have  invaded  and  brought  under  only  the  |v\ 
 Northern  Tribes  5  thofe  in  the  Eaft  remaining  at  the  _/-v\j 
 lame  time  in  Peace,  after  the  Expullion  of  the  Ktoabites. 
 Twenty  Years  after  which  (Sir  John  Marfbdm,  makes 
 account)  Jabins  Dominion  over  the  Northern  Tribes 
 began.  The  Text  indeed  makes  no  Ibch  diftin&ion, 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael'm  general  being  reprefented  as  fold 
 under  Jtbin  for  their  Sins :  yet  is  faid,  v.  10.  that/fa" 
 ral{  gathered  his  Army  out  of  the  Tribes  of  Zebulon 
 and  Naphtali,  which  are  the  Tribes  fuppofed  to  be 
 alone  opprelfed  by  Jabin.  Other  Tribes  indeed  joined 
 with  them,  and  they  that  did  not  are  very  much  blamed 
 for  it  by  Deborah  in  her  Song  (even  the  RcubenUes  and 
 they  beyond  Jordan,  V.  14,  15,  16.)  for  it  might  very 
 well  be  expected  that  they  who  lived  in  Peace  and  Eafe, 
 {hould  be  ready  to  affift  their  Brethren,  who  were 
 heavily  oppreffed. 
 
 The  Captain  of  whofe  hoji  was  Sifera,  who  dwelt  in  Ha- 
 rofteth  of  the  Gentiles.']  If  we  fuppofe  that  Hazor  lay 
 in  its  Ruins,  than  Harofeth  was  the  Koyal  City  wherein 
 Jabin  dwelt,  as  well  as  Sifera.  Which  is  called  Haro- 
 feth of  the  Gentile :  becaufe  People  of  feveral  Nations 
 fled  hither,  to  be  under  his  protection  $  when  they  heard 
 that  he  had  poffefled  himfelf  of  that  Country,  and  kept 
 the  Ifraelites  out  of  it. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  cried  unto  the  yerfe  ^ 
 LORD;  for  he  had  nine  hundred  Chariots  of  Iron.]  His 
 power  was  fo  increafed,  that  they  had  no  hope  to  re- 
 deem their  Liberty,  but  by  the  help  of  the  LORD.  It 
 may  feem  ftrange,  that  in  this  petty  Kingdom,  they 
 (hould  be  fo  ftrong  in  Chariots  5  when  Mithri  dates  had 
 but  an  Hundred  in  his  Army  5  and  Darin*  no  more  than 
 two  Hundred,  as  good  Authors  inform  us.  See  Bo- 
 chartus  in  his  Hicrozoicon,  P.  1.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  IX.  P,  1 
 
 A  a  a  2  I 
 
3^4 
 
 A  CO MMENT  AKY 
 
 Chapter  I  fuppofe  they  placed  their  chiefeft  ftrength  in  thefe^ 
 IV,        being  not  able  to  fet  out  a  great  number  of  Horfemen. 
 
 LyW->  And  twenty  years  they  mightily  oppreffed  the  Children  of 
 Ifrael.~]  Who  groaned  under  a  long  fervitude  ^  during 
 which  time,  Jab'm  fqueezed  them,  I  fuppofe  by  heavy 
 exa&ions :  which  enabled  him  to  raife  greater  Forces, 
 than  he  had  at  firft  when  he  brought  them  under  his 
 Power.  For  Gods  Anger  increafed  by  their  frequent 
 revolts  from  him  ,  and  he  punifhed  them  more  feverely 
 than  he  had  done  before  by  the  Moabites :  the  Canaanites 
 being  the  old  Inhabitants  of  the  Land,  who  hated  them 
 mortally  5  and  kept  them  under  a  forer  as  well  as  a  longer 
 opprelfion,  than  the  Moabites  had  done. 
 
 Verfe  4.  ^er-  4«  And  Deborah  the  Prophet  efs.~)  Such  an  one 
 as  Miriam,  endued  with  Divine  gifts  of  Wifdom  to  in- 
 ftruft,  direft,  and  govern  others.  For  (he  was  not  only 
 inftru&ed  with  the  knowledge  of  Divine  things:  but 
 alfo  was  excited  by  the  Holy  Spirit  (as  Kimchi  here 
 notes)  to  declare  the  will  of  God  to  the  People  (which 
 was  the  proper  Office  of  a  Prophet)  as  appears  by  the  fol- 
 lowing part  of  this  Hiftory.  Her  name  in  Hebrew  fig- 
 nifies  a  Bee:  which  hath  been  given  (as  learned  Men 
 have  obferved)  by  other  Nations,  to  Uluftrious  Women. 
 As  among  the  Greeks,  the  Nymph,  faid  to  be  the  Nurfe 
 of  Jove,  is  called  Melijfa:  and  the  Wife  of  Periander 
 King  of  Corinth  had  the  fame  Name. 
 
 The  Wife  of  LapidothT]  Or  as  others  Tranftate  it, 
 a  Woman  of  Lapidoth :  taking  this  word  to  fignifie  a 
 place,  not  a  Perfon.  But  our  Tranflation  feems  the 
 moil  natural  5  and  is  to  be  preferred  to  that  of  R.  Solo- 
 mon and  others,  who  Tranflate  it  a  Woman  of  Splendors  5 
 that  is,  an  Uluftrious  Woman. 
 
 She  judged  Ifracl  at  that  time."]  Had  the  fupreme  Au- 
 thority over  them  :  being  fo  well  known  to  be  divinely 
 infpired  5  that  it  procured  heruniverfal  reverence,  and 
 fubmiffion  to  her  judgment.  Ver.  5. 
 
upon    JUDGES.  o^ 
 
 Ver.  5.  And  fie  dwelt  under  the  Palm-tree  of  Deborah.']  Chapter 
 Or  as  the  LXX.  and  the  Vulgar  underftapd  it,  fie  fat       \y 
 
 under  the  Palm-tree,  when  (lie  adminiltred  judgment.  l^V^vj 
 Whence  the  Tree  was  called  by  her  Name:    becaufe  it  Veiie  5. 
 was  the  place  where  all  reforted  to  her. 
 
 Between  Ran/ah  and  Bethel.']  That  is,  in  the  confines 
 of  the  Tribes  of  Benjamin  and  Efhraim.  For  Ram  ah 
 was  a  City  in  the  Tribe  of  Benjamin  :  and  Bethel  in  the 
 Tribe  of  Fphraim. 
 
 In  mount  Efhraim 7]  In  one  of  the  Mountains  in  the 
 borders  of  that  Country  :  for  though  the  Tree  was  near 
 both  Tribes,  yet  it  ftood  in  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim.  The 
 Jews  (as  appears  by  the  Chaldce  Paraphrafe)  from  hence 
 conclude,  (he  was  a  very  great  Woman :  who  had  noble 
 Plantations  in  Jericho,  Ran/ah,  Bethel,  and  other  places. 
 That  is,  of  Palms,  faith  R.  Solon/on  in  Jericho,  of  Vine- 
 yards in  Ran/ah,  and  of  Oliveyards  in  the  Plain  of  Be- 
 thel. And  from  her  dwelling  in  a  Mount,  and  being 
 a  Prophetefs,  and  a  Governefs,  and  other  things  ^  fome 
 learned  Men  imagin  the  Story  of  the  Theban  Sphinx  was 
 invented  by  the  Greek*.  See  Bochartus,  Lib.  1.  Canaan, 
 Cap.  XVI. 
 
 And  the  Children  of Jfrael  came  tip  to  her  for  judgment.] 
 For  direction,  and  the  ending  of  diiferences,  by  deciding 
 Caufes:  which  none  could  do  with  fuch  fatisfa&ion  as 
 fhe  did.  By  which  it  appears  that  though  Jabin  oppreffed 
 them  forely  ^  yet  it  was  rather  by  rigorous  taxations, 
 than  infringing  all  their  Laws:  the  courfe  of  which  he 
 did  not  ftop  ^  but  fuflered  to  be  adminiftred  by  their 
 own  Officers.  And  he  took  the  leis  notice  of  it,  per- 
 haps, becaufe  the  fupreme  judicature  was  exercifed  by  a 
 Woman  ,  from  whofe  Power  and  Authority  he  thought 
 there  was  no  reafon  to  apprehend  any  danger.  It  may 
 be  probably  hence  gathered,  that  there  was  no  fuch 
 &inhedrim  in  thefe   Days,    as  the  Jews  conceive  there 
 
 always 
 
366  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  always  was  in  the  mod  early  times :   for  why  fhould 
 IV.       they  go  to  her  for  judgment,  if  there  were  a  Court  of 
 L/'VNj  LXX.  Eminent  Perfons,  then  fitting  at  Shiloh  f 
 Verfe  6.        Ver.  6.  And  foe  fent  and  calledT]     A  plain  aft  of  Au- 
 thority, which  was  owned  by  the  whole  Nation. 
 
 Barak,  the  Son  of  AblnoamT]  Concerning  whom  we 
 know  no  more  (for  that  he  was  Deborah's  Husband, 
 or,  as  others  fay,  her  Son,  are  ungrounded  conceits  of 
 fome  of  the  Jews)  but  that  he  was  born,  or  dwelt  in  a 
 famous  City  in  the  Tribe  of  Naphtalz,  as  it  follows  in 
 the  next  words. 
 
 Out  of  Kedefli  Naphtalz.]  There  were  feveral  Cities 
 of  this  Name.  One  in  the  Tribe  of  Ifachar,  i  Ckron. 
 VI.  72.  another  in  the  Tribe  of  Jndah,  XV  Jofi.  23. 
 and  therefore  for  diftin&ion  fake,  this  is  called  Kadefk 
 Naphtalz :  which  was  a  City  of  great  note,  in  the  upper 
 Galilee  ^  belonging  to  the  Levites,  and  a  City  of  re- 
 fuge. 
 
 And  fazd  unto  him,  hath  not  the  LORD  God  of  Ifrael 
 commanded,  faying."]  She  could  not  think  he  doubted 
 of  theCommiffion  (he  now  gave  him  from  God  :  which 
 he  received  as  an  Oracle. 
 
 Go,  and  draw."]  The  Vulgar  take  the  word  draw  to 
 fignifie  gathering  Forces  together.  But  the  LXX.  take 
 it  to  be  of  the  fame  import  with  the  foregoing  word  5 
 fignifying  that  he  (hould  go  till  he  drew  near  to  Mount 
 Tabor. 
 
 Towards  mount  Tabor.']  A  noble  Mountain  in  Gal/lee, 
 not  far  from  Kadefh  5  in  the  Tribe  of  Zebulun-0  and  in 
 the  confines  of  Ijjachar  and  Manaffeh.  Which  had  a 
 very  large  Plain  at  the  top  of  it  (as  Jofephus  tells  us, 
 who  calls  it  Staburinm,  L.  IV.  de  hello  Jud.  C.  2.) 
 where  he  might  draw  up  an  Army,  and  Exercife  them 
 very  conveniently. 
 
 And  take  with  thee  ten  thoufand  Men. "]     Who  were 
 
 moved 
 
upon  JUDGES.  ji 
 
 moved  to  Lift  themfelves  under  him,    by  the  Procla-   Ch 
 mationof  this  Commiffion,  which  he  brought  with  him       IV. 
 from  Gi  d.  L/*V\J 
 
 Of  the  Children    of  Naphtali,     and  of  the   Children  of 
 Zebulun.~]     She  thought  he  need  go  no  further  than 
 thefe  two  Tribes,  which  were  neareft  to  him  :  but  others 
 alfo  offered  their  Service  out  of  Manajfeh  and  Ijfachar, 
 as  appears  from,  V.  14,  15. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  I  will  draw  unto  thee."]  Thefe  are  the  Verfe  7. 
 words  of  God  (  which  Deborah  pronounced  in  his 
 Name)  fignifying,  as  Arras  Montanus  underftands  the 
 word  draw,  that  he  would  by  his  fecret  Providence  in- 
 cline S/fera  to  come  within  his  Power  to  deftroy  him  : 
 as  Hunters  (unto  whom  Warriours  are  compared)  intice 
 Wild-beafts  to  fall  into  their  Toils. 
 
 To  the  River  Kiflwn.]  Which  was  near  Mount  Tabor  5 
 having  its  beginning  at  the  foot  of  it. 
 
 Sifera  the  Captain  of  Jabins  Army,  with  his  Chariots 
 and  his  Multitude.']  Wherewith  he  intended  to  incom- 
 pafs  this  Mountain  5  and  block  up  Baral^  till  he  forced 
 him  to  yield  up  himfelf  unto  him. 
 
 And  I  will  deliver  him  into  thy  hand.~]  This  fhows 
 Deborah  to  have  been  indued  with  the  higheft  gift  of 
 Prophefie  :  which  was  to  foretel  certainly  things  to 
 come. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  Barak  faid  unto  her,  If  thou  wilt  go  with  Verf 
 me,  then  I  will  go  }  but  if  thou  wilt  not  go  with  me,  then 
 I  will  not  go."]  He  is  commended  for  his  Faith  in  God 
 by  the  Apoftle,  WHebr.  32.  as  well  as  other  great 
 worthies  in  ancient  time  :  though  it  was  fo  weak  and 
 imperfeft  that  he  made  conditions  with  Gods  Meflenger  5 
 and  abfolutely  refufed  to  obey,  unlefs  they  were  granted. 
 He  had  great  reafon,  he  thought  for  it  5  becaufe  he 
 might  want  her  advice  in  doubtful  matters,  and  her 
 Authority  alfo,  both  to  gather  Soldiers,    and  to  keep 
 
 them 
 
3^8  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  them  together  in  good  order,  and  toinfpire  them  with 
 
 IV.      Courage.     The  LXX.  here  add  a  great  many    words, 
 
 L/W*  which  make  this  the  reafon  of  his  backwardnefs  ^  that 
 
 without  her  he  {hould  not  be  able  to  know  the  bed  time 
 
 of  giving  Sifera  Battle. 
 
 Verfe  9.         Ver.  9.  Andjhefaid,  I  will  furely  go  with  thee.~]     She 
 
 faw  he  had  Faith  enough  to  undertake  the  enterprife  : 
 
 and  therefore  confented  to  his  Propofal. 
 
 Nolw'ithftand'mg  the  journey  that  thou  takeft^\  In  the 
 Hebrew  it  is,  the  way  that  thou  tal{ejl.  Which  may  fig- 
 nifie  the  courfe  which  he  had  refclved  upon  5  not  to  go 
 without  her. 
 
 Shall  not  be  for  thy  honour.']  Though  his  Faith  was 
 accepted  5  yet  the  weaknefs  of  it,  fomething  eclipfed 
 his  Glory. 
 
 For  the  LORD  flull  fell  Sifera  into  the  hand  of  a  Wo- 
 pian7\  It  is  a  great  part  of  the  Glory  of  a  Conqueror, 
 to  take  the  General  of  the  Enemies  Army,  or  to  kill 
 him  with  his  own  Hand:  which  (lie  tells  him  (hould 
 be  denied  him,  as  a  fmall  punifhment  of  his  backward- 
 nefs to  do  as  he  was  bidden  :  And  as  he  would  ntft  go 
 without  a  Woman  }  fo  a  Woman  (hould  take  away  this 
 honour  from  him. 
 
 And  Deborah  arofe  and  went  with  Baraks  to  Kadefh.~] 
 She  made  no  delay,  but  immediately  accompanied  him 
 to  his  own  City  :  where  he  began,  I  fuppofe,  his  levy 
 of  Men. 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  Baraks  called  Zebulon  and  Naphtali  to 
 Kadefi.~]  He  caufed  Proclamation  to  be  made  of  Gods 
 command  and  his  own  intentions,  in  thefe  two  Tribes : 
 who  reforted  to  him  in  great  numbers. 
 
 And  went  up  with  ten  thoufand  Men.~]     He   pickt,     I 
 fuppofe,  Ten  Thoufand  Men^out  of  thofe  who  flock'd 
 to  him  5  and  went  up  with  them  to  Mount  Tabor. 
 At  his  feet."]     That  is,  they  followed  him,   as  their 
 
 Leader. 
 
upon   JUDGES.  ^69 
 
 Leader.     Though  it  may  fignifie  that  they  were  all  foot  Chapter 
 men:    there  being   no  Hories  in   Judaa,    which  they      IV. 
 brought  out  of  other  Countries.    This  made  the  Victory  l/"V*\j 
 the  more  glorious,  by  the  overthrow  of  a  gKeat  many 
 Chariots  and  Hories,  in  the  oppofite  Army. 
 
 And  Deborah  went  up  with  him.']  To  encourage  him 
 and  his  Forces,  now  they  were  gathered. 
 
 Ver.  ii.  Now  Hcbcr  the  Kcnite,  who  was  of  the  Chil-  Verfe  1 1. 
 dren  of  Hobab,  the  father-in-law  of  Mofes.~]  See  X  Numb. 
 29.     This  is  interpofed  to  explain  what  follows,  con- 
 cerning Jael  who   was  Hebers  Wife. 
 
 Had  fevered  the  mf elves  from  the  Kcnites."]  Who  went 
 along  with  the  Children  of  Judah  to  fettle  among 
 them,  I  Judg.  16.  what  the  reafon  was  of  Hebers  lea- 
 ving them,  as  they  all  left  the  Plain  of  Jericho  is  not 
 known  :  But  there  was  a  fpecial  Providence  of  God 
 in  it. 
 
 And  pitched  his  tent."]  The  Kcnites  lived  after  the 
 manner  of  the  Midianites  (from  whom  they  defcended) 
 in  Tents,  not  in  Houfes. 
 
 Unto  the  Plain  of  Zaanaimi]  A  place  in  the  Tribe  of 
 Napbtali,  XIXJoJJj.  33.  Where  there  was  a  Plain,  or 
 (as  the  LXX.  expounds  the  Hebrew  word  Alon)  a  Grove 
 of  Oaks:  under  the  (haddow  of  which  their  Tents 
 were  pitched. 
 
 Which  was  by  Kadefj."]    Though  they  loved  to  HyeVer(e  1:. 
 in  the  open  Fields  5  yet  not  far  from  a  City. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  they  fiewed  Sifera  that  Baral^  the  Son  of 
 Abinoam  was  gone  up  to  mount  Tabor.]  They  could  not 
 want  intelligence  of  a  thing  done  fo  publickly  as  this 
 was :  and  the  words  feem  to  import  that  Sifera  had  ?nany 
 who  informed  him  of  all  that  parted. 
 
 Ver.    1  3.   And  Sifera  gathered  together  all  his  Chariots^  V  . 
 even   nine  hundred  Chariots   of  Iron.~]     In   which   (as  I 
 faid,  v.  3  J    their  main  Strength  confifted.     But  they 
 
 B  b  b  being 
 
37<?  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  being  unfit  for  Service  in  Mountainous  Countries,  as  I 
 
 IV.      have  often  obferved  5  it  is  probable  they  placed  them  fo 
 
 Ur^W  below  the  Mountain,  as  to  coop  up  Barak,  there  :  by 
 
 feizing  all  the  Avenues,   and  hindring  all  Provifions 
 
 from  being  brought  to  him. 
 
 And  all  the  People  that  were  with  him.]  As  great  a 
 number  of  Footmen  $  as  came  to  him  upon  the  Summons 
 he  fent  forth,  to  require  them  to  appear  on  thisoccafion. 
 For  fo  the  word  gathered  together  fignifies  in  the  Hebrew 
 (as  we  obferve  in  the  Margin  of  our  Bibles)  gathered  by 
 cry,  or  Proclamation. 
 
 From  Harofeeth  of  the  Gentiles,  unto  the  River  Kifion."] 
 With  whom  he  marched  from  that  City  to  this  River: 
 which  defcended,  as  I  faid5  from  the  foot  of  Mount 
 Tabor. 
 ¥erfe  14.  ^er#  M*  And  Deborah  faid  unto  Baraks  Vp."]  Make 
 no  delay. 
 
 For  this  is  the  day,  intphichthe  LORD  hath  delivered 
 Sifera  into  thy  hand.']  She  fpeaks  of  the  Vi&ory  a$  tff 
 ready  gained,  that  (he  might  work  in  him,  a  full  aflu- 
 rance  thereof.  This  doth  not  contradict  what  was  faid, 
 v.  9.  that  God  would  fell  Sifera  into  the  hand  of  a  Wo~ 
 man.  For  both  were  true :  he  and  his  Army  were  de- 
 livered into  the  hand  of  Barak  to  be  routed  by  him; 
 bwt  he,  in  his  flight,  fell  into  her  hands  to  be  killed. 
 How  long  this  was  after  Sifera  encamped  at  .the  River, 
 Kipon  we  have  no  means  to  know  :  but.it  was  upon 
 feme  Day,  when  Deborah  knew  the  Army  of  Sifera  lay 
 fecure  in  their  Quarters,  or  were  about  fortifying  the 
 paflages  more  ftrongly  5  or  were  to  be  joined  with 
 greater  Forces  5  or  feme  other  way  might  be  taken  at 
 advantage* 
 
 Is  not  the  LORD  gone  out  before  thee!}  As  a  General 
 doth  before  his  Army  5  to  animate,  and  faife  their 
 Qourage, 
 
 So 
 
upon  JUDGES.  3;i 
 
 So  Barat{  went  down  front  mount  labor,  and  ten  thousand   Cil  ipt*r 
 Men  after  him.]      It  is  not  faid  that  Deborah  went  with        I  V\ 
 him  any  further,  than  to  Mount   Tabor.     Where  it  is  L^V*\j 
 likely,  his  Faith  was  grown  (o  ftrong,    that  he  durft 
 undertake  any  thing,    without  her  prefence  with  him. 
 
 Ver.  15.  And  the  LORD.']     Who  conduced  B*ra\\  Verfe   15. 
 as  he  did  his  Army,  v.  14. 
 
 Difcomfited  Sifera,  and  all  his  Chariots,  and  all  his  hojt.~] 
 They  did  not  expeft  fuch  a  bold  Sally  as  this,  which 
 (truck  a  fudden  terror  into  them  :  for  he  fell  upon  them, 
 it  is  likely,  before  they  were  aware,  which  put  them  in- 
 to the  greater  confufion.  The  LORD  alfo  frruck  a 
 terror  into  them  (as  the  word  Han/am  imports)  by  a 
 noife  of  Thunder  and  Lightning  :  as  the  word  is  ufed. 
 1  Sam.  VII.  10.  and  alfo  in  the  X  Jofh.  10.  where  we 
 read  the  Canaunitcs  were  difcomfited  by  great  Hailftones., 
 falling  down  upon  them.  Or  he  made  a  terrible  found 
 of  Horfes  and  Chariots  ratling  in  their  Ears,  by  the 
 Miniftry  of  his  Angels,  in  the  Clouds  ^  as  he  did  in  the 
 Days  of  Elrfia,  2  Kings  VII.  6.  Which  feems  to  be  ac- 
 knowledged by  Deborah,  in  her  Song  in  the  next  Chap- 
 ter, v.  20. 
 
 With  the  edge  of  the  Sword."]  This  terror  and  con- 
 fufion  wherein  they  were,  expofed  them  to  be  (lain 
 eafily. 
 
 So  that  Sifera  lighted  down  off  his  Chariot."]  Which  he 
 thought  did  not  make  hafte  enough  to  carry  him  out  of 
 Danger :  and  befides,  made  it  known  where  he  was. 
 
 And  fled  away  on  his  feet."]  As  a  common  Soldiery 
 that  he  might  not  be  difcovered :  and  that  he  might  like- 
 wife  fecure  himfelf,  by  his  fpeedy  running.  For  anci- 
 ently Valiant  Men  were  wonderful  fwift  of  foot.,  as  it 
 is  noted  of  Afihcl,  2  Sam.  II.  18.  and  every  one  knows 
 it  was  the  Character  of  the  famous  Achilles  among  the 
 
 Greeks 
 
 Bbb  2  Ver.  16. 
 
372  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.    1 6.   But   Baraks  purfued  after  the  Chariots^    and 
 IV.       after    tfje    h°fi    unt°  Harofieth  of  the  Gentiles.~]     He  fe- 
 
 \^f\r\j  folved  to  follow  his  blow,  to  the  very  Gates  of  their 
 
 Verfe  16.  own  City. 
 
 And  all  the  hofl  of  'Si 'fer a  fell  upon  the  edge  of  the  Sword,"] 
 In  the  purfuit,  he  and  his  Men  cut  off  all  they  over- 
 took. 
 
 And  there  was  not  one  of  them  left .J     Which  was  their 
 whole  Army  :    not  one  efcaping  to  carry  the  news  of 
 v  their  defeat  to  Jabin.     Or,  there  was  not  one  Man  to 
 be  feen,  in  the  way  to  Harofieth  5  but  they  were  all  Mat- 
 tered to  Qiift  where  they  could  for  themfelves. 
 
 Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  Howbeit  Sifera  fled  away  on  his  feet  to  the 
 tent  of  Jael  Wife  of  Heber  the  Kenite."]  Only  Sifera  by 
 his  iwift  running,  got  as  he  thought,  into  a  place  of 
 fafety,  in  the  Tent  of  Jael:  her  Husband,  perhaps,  be- 
 ing abroad  in  the  Field,  and  (he  only  at  home.  Wo- 
 men alfo  had  their  appartment  by  themfelves,  in  a  Tent 
 of  their  own,  as  appears  by  XXIV  Gen.  6j.  (fee  there 
 and  XXXI  Ge#.  33.)  where  he  imagined  no  fearch 
 would  be  made  for  him. 
 
 And  there  was  Peace  between  Jabin  King  ofHazor,  and 
 the  Houfe  of  Heber  the  Kenite."]  It  feems  Heber  was  a 
 considerable  Perfon,  who  had  a  great  Family,  and  many 
 dependants:  like  that  of  Abraham,  XIV  Gen.  14.  How 
 he  came  to  efcape  the  fore  oppreffion  under  which  the 
 Ifraelites  groaned  (being  incorporated  into  their  Nation 
 and  Religion)  and  to  live  at  eafe  in  a  time  of  great  di- 
 ftrefs,  we  can  but  conjefture.  Perhaps  their  manner  of 
 Life,  retired  from  Towns  and  Company,  made  Jabin 
 not  fear  any  danger  from  them:  and  if  they  ftill  kept 
 clofe  to  their  Religion, when  the  Ifraelites  were  Apoftates, 
 God  inclined  the  Heart  of  Jabin  to  be  favourable  to 
 them,  and  give  no  moleftation  to  his  harmlefs  Neigh- 
 bours. Who,  perhaps,  purchafed  their  freedom  from 
 vexation,  by  their  frequent  incurfions.  Ver.  18. 
 
upon  JUDGES.  3;. 
 
 Ver.    1 8.  And  Jael  went  out  to    meet   Sifera.  ~]     She   Chapter 
 watched,    it  is  likely,  to  hear  the  event  of  Si/era's  ex-        iv. 
 pedition  :  and  feeing  him  come  with  great  ipeed  towards  L/'Wj 
 her  Houle,  went  out,  to  invite  him  there  to  repofe  him-  Verfe   i3. 
 fclf- 
 
 And  faid  unto  him,  turn  in  my  lord,  turn  in,  fear  not.'] 
 She  aflured  him  there  was  no  body  in  the  Tent  to  do 
 him  any  hurt.  Which  was  true  5  and  it  is  not  certain 
 that  (he  now  intended  to  do,  what  afterward  fhe  did. 
 
 And  when  he  had  turned  in  unto  her  into  the  lent,  flie 
 covered  him  with  a  mantle.']  Being  weary,  he  defired 
 to  take  fome  reft  :  when  it  was  proper  to  throw  a  co- 
 vering over  him,  to  preferve  him,  being  very  hot, 
 from  taking  cold.  What  kind  of  covering  this  was, 
 which  the  Hebrews  call  Semicha,  (and  we  Tranflate 
 Mantle)  is  not  very  material.  They  fay  it  was  a  thick 
 covering,  which  hath  Flocks  of  Wool  on  both  fides  : 
 fuch  as  our  double  Ruggs.  See  Bochart,  Lib.  1.  Canaan, 
 Cap.  XLII. 
 
 Ver.    19.  And  he  faid  unto  her,  Give  me  I  fray  thee,  yerfe  IC 
 a  little  Water  to  drinh^,  for  I  am  thirjly.]     By   the  heat 
 of  the  Fight,  and  his  long  running. 
 
 And  f/je  opened  a  bottle  of  Milk/]  Out  of  refpect  to 
 him,  fhe  brought  him  the  be  ft  Liquor  fhe  had,  and  of 
 the  beft  fort :  for  it  appears  by  v.  25.  of  the  next  Chap- 
 ter, that  the  Cream  was  not  taken  off  from  it.  It  is 
 poffible  alfo  (he  might  defign,  by  this  draught,  to  throw 
 him  into  a  founder  fleep :  for  Milk,  when  largely  drunk, 
 flies  up  into  the  head,  and  caufes  drowfinefs.  But,  how- 
 ever that  be,  it  is  certain  Milk  was  anciently  accounted 
 the  moft  agreeable  nourifhment,  which  Hippocrates  calls 
 £h\$v  %  wyyivk  to  h  limine  bodies.  And  therefore 
 the  moft  Warlike  Nations  lived  upon  it,  more  than 
 any  other  food  :  as  Hermannus  Conringuus  hath  fhown  at 
 large  in  his  Book,  de  Habitus  Qermanorum  Cor  forum  caufis. 
 
 And 
 
374  A  COMMENT  A  RY 
 
 Chapter        And  gave  him  drink^,  and  covered  Um.  ]     He  rofe  up 
 IV.      to  drink  \  and  then  lying  down  again,  <he  covered  him 
 
 V^VYJ  as  before. 
 
 Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  Again  he  fud  unit  her,  Stand  in  the  door  of 
 the  Tent.~\  Becaufe  he  doth  not  fay,  Stand  /  fray  thee 
 (as  he  did  before  when  he  askt  for  drink)  fome  fancy 
 (particularly  Arm  Montanvs)  that  he  fpake  this  impe- 
 rioufly ,  laying  his  Commands  upon  her,  as  a  Con- 
 federate of  his  Matter.  But  I  fee  no  ground  to  think, 
 that,  when  he  was  in  fuch  need  of  her  friendfhip,  he 
 would  take  upon  tiimfo  much  as  to  give  her  a  charge 
 to  do  any  thing,  but  rather  intreat  it  of  her. 
 
 And  it  [hall  be,  when  any  Man  doth  come,  and  enquire 
 of  thee,  and  fay,  Is  there  any  Man  here  f^  Who  was 
 not  of  their  own  Family. 
 
 That  thou  jJdalt  fay,  No.]  They  imagined  there  was 
 no  harm  in  telling  m  officious  lye,  to  deceive  an  Ene- 
 my: that  they  might  prefer ve  a  Friend,  or  Ally,  as  he 
 was. 
 
 Verfe  21.  Ver.  21.  Then  Jael  Hebers  Wife  took,  a  Nail  of  the 
 Tent."]  Or,  one  of  the  great  Pins  wherewith  the  Tent 
 was  faftned  to  the  ground.  For  fhe  had  no  better  in- 
 ftrument  at  hand  (Sword,  or  fuch  like  weapon  being 
 not  ufually  kept  in  Womens  Tents)  and  this  (he  knew 
 how  to  ufe  more  readily  than  any  other:  being  ac- 
 cuftomed  it  is  likely,  when  they  removed  from  one 
 place  to  another,  to  take  up  her  Tent,  and  to  fatten 
 it  again  by  ftriking  fuch  Nails  into  the  Earth. 
 
 And  tool^  an  Hammer  in  her  hand,  and  went  foftly  unto 
 him,  and  fmote  the  Nail  into  his  Temples.']  Where  it 
 would  moft  eafily  enter  (being  the  thinneft  part  of  the 
 Skull)  and  moft  fpeedily  difpatch  him. 
 
 And  faftned  it  into  the  ground.-]  Upon  which  be  lay 
 (not  on  a  Bed)  with  a  Carpet,  or  fome  fuch  thing  un- 
 derhim:  as  the  manner  was  in  thofe  Countries. 
 
 For 
 
upon  JUDGES,  375 
 
 For  he  was  f aft  ajlcep  and  weary.']     His  wearinefs  made   Chapter 
 him  lleep  foundly.  IV. 
 
 So  he  died."]  She  might  as  well  have  let  him  lye  in  L/*V"\J 
 his  profound  deep,  till  Barak  came,  and  took  him  :  if 
 (he  had  not  felt  a  Divine  Power  moving  her  to  this, 
 that  the  Prophelie  of  Deborah  might  be  fulfilled.  No- 
 thing but  this  Authority  from  God,  of  which  fhe  was 
 certain,  could  warrant  fuch  a  fade  as  this.  Which 
 feemed  a  breach  of  Hofpitality,  and  to  be  attended 
 with  feveral  other  Crimes :  but  was  not  fo,  When  God, 
 the  LOKD  of  all  Mens  lives,  ordered  her  to  execute 
 his  fentence  upon  him. 
 
 Ver.  xx.  And  behold ,   as  Barak  pnrfued  Sifera  x,    JaelVerk  22. 
 came  out  to  meet  him*]     As  fhe  had  done  Sifera,  v.  1 8. 
 
 And  J aid  unto  him,  Come  and  I  will  {hew  the  Man  whom 
 thou  fee keji.']  Before  he  made  any  enquiry,  the  knew 
 he  was  delirous  above  all  Men  to  take  Sifera  :  and  per- 
 haps (he  knew,  by  an  Infpiration,  that  he  W3S  id  queft 
 of  him. 
 
 And  when  he  came  into  the  Tent,  behold,  Sifera  lay 
 dead,  and  the  Nail  was  in  his  Temples.']  He  lay  in  the 
 place  and  pofture  wherein  he  wa9  killed  :  that  Barak 
 might  fee  the  Prophefie  of  Deborah  made  good. 
 
 Ver.   23.  So  God  fnbdued  on  that  day  Jabin  the  King  Verfe  2  2. 
 of  Canaan,  before  the  Children  of  Ifrael.']     So  that  be  was 
 notable  to  opprefs  them  any  longer  5  but  they  were  re- 
 ftored  to  perfett  liberty. 
 
 Ver.   24.  And  the  hand  of  the  Children  of  Ifratl  Prof  Verfe  24^ 
 pered    and  prevailed    againji    Jabin   King  of   Canaan.  J 
 They  profecuted  this  day  Viftory,  with  new  fuccefles  * 
 wherein  his  Forces  were  overthrown,  in  other  Battles, 
 and  his  Cities  taken. 
 
 Until  they  had  deftroyed  Jabin  King  of  Canaan.]  To 
 the  utter  ruin  of  this  Kingdom  of  the  Canaanitcs  in 
 Ha&or.     For  Jabin  himfelf,    as  Arias  Mont  onus  thinks, 
 
 as 
 
376  A    C  OMME  NT  ART 
 
 Chapter  was  (lain  at  the  Brook  Kifion,  LXXXIII  Pfalw  9. 
 IV.       (though  it  muft  be  confeffed,  that  may  be  meant  only 
 
 U"V%J  of  his  Forces)  fo  that  we  hear  of  none  of  his  name,  in 
 future  times.  And  herein  the  Ifraelites,  feem  to  me  to 
 have  begun  to  be  fenfible  of  their  duty  :  which  was  to 
 extirpate  the  People  of  Canaan,  and  not  merely  to  bring 
 them  under  tribute,  VII  Dent.  2,3,4. 
 
 Chapter 
 
 V.  C  H  A  P.     V. 
 
 Verfe  1.    Verfe.   1.  '   I   N  H E  N   fang    Deborah,     and    Baral^ 
 
 I  the  Son  of  Abinoam  in  that  day,  this 
 Song.  ~J  It  was  compofed  by  Deborah  (v.  7.)  being 
 a  Prophetefs,  one  of  whofe  fpecial  gifts  was  to  fing  Gods 
 Praifes  (1  Chron.  XXV.  1,  2,  3  )  and  commanded  to  be 
 fung  by  the  Authority  of  Baral^:  who  was  now,  I  fup- 
 pofe,  become  a  Judge,  upon  this  great  deliverance,  God 
 had  wrought  by  him.  For  it  is  not  to  be  thought,  that 
 thefe  two  Perfons  alone  fang  this  Song :  but  all  the 
 Elders  of  the  People  werecalled  together  in  one  Affembly, 
 to  fing  it  with  them  5  and  they  afterward  delivered  it 
 to  all  the  People.  It  is  likely  it  was  compofed  and 
 fung  after  they  had  compleated  their  Vi&ory  by  the  de- 
 ftru&ion  of  Jabins  Kingdom.  For  the  Prophets  were 
 taught  fuch  fublimity  of  Thought  and  Speech,  as  are 
 ufed  in  thefe  Songs,  by  their  admiration  of  fuch  won- 
 derful events  as  they  obferved. 
 
 Verfe  2.  ^en  2'  Pra'fe  f^e  LORD  for  the  avenging  of  Ifrael, 
 when  the  People  willingly  offered  themfelves."]  It  is  evident 
 to  all,  that  this  Hymn  is  expreffed  in  another  kind  of 
 Language,  than  the  Hiftorical  part  of  this  Book.  And 
 in  a  Language  fo  majeftick,  in  fuch  variety  of  Elegant 
 figures,  and  fuch  native  expreffions  of  thofe  affe&ions, 
 which  the  occafion  required  5  that  none  of  the  ancient 
 
 Greek 
 
upon  JUDGES.  };; 
 
 Greek,  or  Latin  Poets  have  equalled.     At  leftft,    it  n;>   Chapter 
 pears,  there  was  a  mo  ft  excellent  ipirit  of  Poetry  among       V. 
 the  Hebrews,  especially  fuch  of  them  as  were  tlivi  L/*V~\J 
 
 moved  5  when  the  Greeks  lay  in  dark  ignorance. 
 
 And  firft  (lie  excites  all  the  People  to  give  thanks  un- 
 to God,  and  acknowledge  his  Wiidom  and  Power,  in 
 taking  vengance  of  their  opprefTors :  and  in  moving 
 the  hearts  of  fo  many,  efpecially  in  Naphtdli  and  Z 
 bulun,  voluntarily  to  lift  themfelves  to  fight  againft  the 
 LORDS  Enemies.  Where  it  is  to  be  noted,  that  (he 
 very  wifely  excites  them  fo  to  afcribe  the  Viftory  unto 
 God,  as  not  to  forget  the  Inftruments  he  ufed  to  obtain 
 it.  For  that  fhe  knew  would  be  a  great  incouragement 
 to  others  in  time  to  come,  to  engage  themfelves  in  fuch 
 enterprizes  $  when  they  faw  thefe  Men  fo  highly  praifed, 
 and  lookt  upon  as  employed  by  God  in  his  Service. 
 
 Ver.  3.  Hear,  0  ye  King,  give  ear,  0  ye  Princes."]  Verfe  3. 
 Next,  (he  calls  upon  all  the  Neighbouring  Potentates, 
 to  give  attentive  heed  unto  her  Song.  Whereby  they 
 might  underftand  what  God  had  done  for  Ifracl -^  and 
 learn  from  thence  not  to  opprefs  them,  when  it  was  in 
 their  Power:  for  fear  of  the  fame  vengeance,  which 
 God  had  taken  upon  Jabin. 
 
 I,  even  I  mil  fin g  unto  the  LORD,  I  xv  ill  fin*  praifes 
 to  the  LORD  God  oflfrael.*]  Who  (lie  would  have 
 the  World  know,  was  fuperiour  to  all  in  Power  5  and 
 would  defend  his  People,  while  they  depended  on  him 
 alone. 
 
 Ver.  4.  LORD,  when  thou  went  eft  out  of  Seir,  when  yeffe  1 
 thou  marchedji  out  of  Edom7\  This  is  but  a  repetition 
 of  the  fame  thing:  Edom  and  Seir,  fignifying  the  Coun- 
 try where  the  pofterity  of  Efau  dwelt  5  who  refufed  to 
 give  ljrael  a  paflfage  through  their  Land,  as  the  LOR.D 
 led  them  unto  Canaan.  And  therefore  he  condu&fJ 
 them  from  thence  another  way,  and  made  them  incom- 
 
 C  c  c  pafs 
 
378  A  C  0  MMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  pafs  that  Land  (XXI  Numb.  4.  WDeut.  1.)    And  when 
 v.        they  had  left  it  behind  them  (which  is  here  called  march- 
 
 L/"V"V->  ing  out  ofEdom)  then  he  wrought  for  them  aftonifhing 
 things,  as  it  follows  in  the  next  words. 
 
 The  Earth  trembled,  and  the  Heavens  dropped,  the 
 Clouds  alfo  dropped  Water.']  Thefe  are  Poetical 
 Phrafes  to  exprefs  the  great  Confternation  in  which  all 
 thofe  Countries  were  ^  when  they  faw  Sihon  King  of  the 
 AmorHcs,  and  Og  the  King  of  Bafoan  overthrown  on  a 
 fudden,  by  the  Ifraelites,  and  utterly  deftroyed.  See 
 XXI  Numb.  21,  &c. 
 
 Verfe  3.         Ver.    5.  The  Mountains  melted  from  before  the  LORD.} 
 All  the  Inhabitants  of  thofe  Mountains. 
 
 Even  that  Sinai,  from  before  the  LORD  Godoflfracl.'] 
 Juft  as  Sinai  trembled  and  quaked  at  the  giving  of  the 
 Law. 
 
 In  thefe  two  Verfes  (he  turns  her  Speech  unto  God, 
 and  commemorates  his  wonderful  afts  in  former  times: 
 with  which  fhe  compares  the  glorious  deliverance  he  had 
 given  them  now.  As  much  as  to  fay,  his  Power  was 
 nor  at  all  decayed  :  but  he  was  as  terrible  to  his  Enemies 
 in  her  Days,  as  he  had  been  in  former  times. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver*  6.  In  the  day  of  Sham  gar  the  Son  of  Anath,  in 
 the  days  ofjael."]  The  fenfe  of  this  Verfe  will  be  very 
 plain,  if  we  Tranflate  thefe  words,  as  I  think  the  He- 
 brew will  bear  5  jro?n  the  days  of  Shamgar^  &C  After 
 his  Death  they  fell  into  Sin,  and  great  Mifery.  And 
 Jacl  is  here  mentioned,  not  as  a  Judge  (as  Rafi  and 
 Ralbag  fancy)  but  as  a  great  Woman  of  a  Mafculine 
 and  Valiant  Spirit  x,  who  yet  could  do  nothing  to  hinder 
 thofe  Spoils  that  were  committed. 
 
 The  high  ways  were  unoccupied.]  The  People  being 
 corrupted  in  their  Religion,  broke  out  into  all  manner 
 of  Violence  and  turned  High  way  Robbers.  So  that 
 Men  durft  not  Travel  in  the  common  Rode  upon  their 
 
 occafions  j 
 
upon   JUDGES.  37p 
 
 occafions  ,  but  were  fain  to  feck  for  by  Paths :    becaufe   Chapter 
 the  High  ways  were  infeiled  by  Thieves.     Or,  this  may        V. 
 be  meant  of  Robberies,    which    "jal/ms  Soldiers  corn-  1>^/"\J 
 mitted,  after  he  had  brought  them  in  iiibje&ion  to  him. 
 Who  took  no  care  to  proteft  the  Ifraclitcs,  but  fuffered 
 their  Country  to  be  ravaged  by  his  Troops. 
 
 The  travellers  walked  through  by  ways."]  In  the  Hebrew 
 (as  in  the  Margin  of  our  Bibles  is  obferved)  the  word- 
 are  the  ivalkers  of  Paths.  By  which  we  may  underfhnd 
 Men  accuftomed  to  Travel,  who  though  they  went  in 
 great  companies  together }  yet  durft  not  venture  in  the 
 dire&Rode,-  but  went  about  through  crooked  ways  (as 
 the  Hebrew  word  signifies  which  we  Tranflate  by  reap  j 
 by  which  means  commerce  was  very  much  obftrucled. 
 
 Ver.   7.  The   inhabitants   of  the   villages  ceafed,    they  Verfe  7. 
 ceafed  in  Ifrael.']     Men  were    not  file  in    their  own 
 Houfes:    which   were  broken   open,    if  they  lived  in 
 Villages:  and  therefore  they  forfook  them,  and  fled  to 
 walled  Towns,  and  fortified  places. 
 
 Until  that  I  Deborah  arofe.~]  This  feme  o£  the  Jews 
 take  to  be  a  proud  and  arrogant  exprefiion^  for  which 
 the  Holy  Spirit  was  taken  from  her.  But  Raji  ("who 
 reports  this  conceit)  foberly  acknowledges,  that  they 
 are  not  words  of  boafting,  but  of  joy  and  gladnefs. 
 
 That  I  arofe  a  Mother  in  Ifrael.']  A  Judge  or  Ruler 
 of  Gods  People.  For  as  Men  that  governed  were  called 
 Fathers  of  their  Country  :  fo  it  was  proper  for  her,  be- 
 ing a  Woman,  to  call  her  felf  a  Mother  in  Ifrael  $  among 
 whom  (he  did  fuch  great  things,  and  governed  with 
 fo  much  Prudence,  that  it  made  her  famous  in  other 
 Countries.  For  very  learned  Men  think  (as  I  noted 
 abovej  that  the  ftory  of  Sphinx  among  the  Greeks  was 
 made  out  of  the  Hiftory  of  Deborah,  (he  being  a  Judge 
 among  the  Boeotians,  as  Deborah  was  in  Ifrael.  See  Bo- 
 chart  in  the  Book  before  named  ^  and  Herm annus  Wit' 
 
 C  cc  2  zJtM 
 
5So  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  %iif*   vaoxt  lately,    in  his  Mifcellanea    Sacra,     Lib.  I. 
 V.        Cap.  XXIII. 
 
 iyV\J       Ver.  8.  They  chofe  new  gods."]     That  is,  the  Ifraelites 
 
 Verle  8.  after  the  Death  of  Ehud  forfook  the  LORD,  and  fer- 
 ved  Baalim,  and  AJhtaroth  (as  they  had  done  formerly, 
 II.  13.  III.  7.)  or  perhaps,  they  introduced  the  wor- 
 (hip  of  fome  other  gods,  whom  they  had  not  ferved 
 beiore:  fancying  they  might  be  more  powerful,  than 
 their  former  had  proved. 
 
 Then  was  War  in  the  gatesT]  This  was  the  fountain  of 
 all  their  Calamities.  For  God  immediately  delivered 
 them  into  the  hand  of  fome  Enemy  or  other  5  who 
 poflefled  themfelves  of  their  Cities  and  ftrong  holds. 
 For  that's  the  meaning  of  War  "In  the  Gates  ;  Their 
 Enemies  feized  on  their  Cities,  and  FortrefTes  5  for  their 
 ftrength  was  in  their  Gates  :  where  fat  alfo  the  Courts  of 
 Juftice. 
 
 Was  there  Spear  or  Shield  feen  among  forty  thoufand  in 
 lfrael?~]  They  were  generally  difarmed  5  for  the  fe- 
 curing  their  fubjeftion  to  the  Canaanites  :  as  afterwards 
 the  Phil/flines  took  the  fame  courfe  with  them,  1  Sam. 
 XIII.  19.  Here  the  Targum  makes  a  ftrange  excurfion 
 in  mufteringup  the  many  Thoufand  Commanders,  and 
 Sword-men,  and  Spear-men,  and  Archers,  &c.  that 
 were  in  the  Army  of  Sifera. 
 
 Verfe  o.  ^er#  9'  My  heart  is  towards  the  governours  of  Ifrael, 
 that  offered  themfelves  willingly  among  the  People.^  It 
 feems  there  were  fome  of  the  greateft  Men  in  the  Tribes 
 of  Nap ht ali  and  Zebulun,  who  of  their  own  accord, 
 hazarded  their  Lives,  among  the  common  People,  in 
 this  Service.  Towards  whom  (he  expreffes  a  fingular 
 affe&ion  :  and  with  the  Praifes  of  God,  mixes  the  com- 
 mendation of  thofe  5  who  were  his  instruments  in  this 
 deliverance. 
 Bkfs  ye  the  LORD.']    This  is  added,  like  a  Prophe- 
 
 tefs : 
 
upon  JUDGES  3bi 
 
 tefs  :  who  when  (he  commends  the  mo  ft  deferring  Men:,  Chapter 
 carries  their  Thoughts  up  to  God,  ive  them  -hat        V. 
 
 Courage,  and  good  fuccefs.  Abarbhtel  had  a  conceit  came  iW~NJ 
 into  his  head,  as  he  tells  us,  when  he  was  commenting  o;i 
 thefe  words,thatby  Chokk^e  IJract  (which  Kimcbl  inter- 
 pretsas  \vc  (\ojhe  great  Men  of  Ifrad)  <\xz  meant  l  --'/} 
 
 whofe  Office  it  was  to  regifter  all  notable  paflages, 
 particularly  the  caufes  of  Wars,  and  their  events. 
 Whom  Deborah  exhorts  to  blefs  the  LOUD,  and  when 
 they  wrote  the  Hiftory  of  this  War,  to  afcribe  the  fu 
 eels  to  the  Divine  favour.  But  it  is  not  likely  they  b 
 fuch  Scribes  in  thefe  Ages  }  as  its  likely  they  had  in  future 
 times  :  much  lefs  fuch  plenty  of  them  now  in  thefe  con- 
 fufed  days,  that  Deborah  (hould  make  a  particular  ad- 
 drefs  to  them,  to  do  their  duty. 
 
 Ver.  10.  Speak.']    *•*•  Give  thanks  to  God.  Verfe  ic. 
 
 Te  that  ride  on  white  Affes.~\  She  calls  upon  iixh  Men 
 as  the  Governors  before  mentioned,  to  proclaim  aloud 
 the  praifes  of  God.  There  were  no  Horfes  in  Judag9 
 but  what  were  brought  out  of  other  Countries :  fo  that 
 the  greateft  Perfons  rode  on  Afles,  as  appears  by  the 
 Scripture  ftory.  But  in  this  Country  they  were  com- 
 monly of  a  red  colour  (whence  an  Afs  hath  the  name 
 of  Chamor  as  Bochart  obferves,  L.  2.  Hieroz.  Cap.  XII.) 
 and  therefore  white  Afles  (or as  he  Translates  this  word, 
 Tchitifh\  or  that  were  of  a  colour  inclining  to  white) 
 were  highly  efteemed  for  their  rarity,  and  ufed  only 
 by  honourable  Perfons.  Who  could  not  appear  in  any 
 fplendor,  during  their  fervitude  under  Jabin  $  but  now 
 were  reftored  to  their  dignity:  for  which  fhe  would 
 have  them,  praife  the  LOKD. 
 
 Te  that  fit  in  judgment."]     With  whom  fhe  exhorts  the 
 Judges  to  join  5    who  now  fat  in  the   Gates,   as  they 
 were  wont  to  do  :    which  were  not  pofleffed  by  their 
 Enemies,  v.  8.     Or  perhaps  this  belongs  to  the  fore- 
 going 
 
33 
 
 2  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  going  chufe  :   it  being  probable  that  thefe  Judges  rode 
 V.       about  the  Country  on  white  Affes,  to  do  Juftice.     See 
 
 L/"V\J  upon  X.  4. 
 
 And  wallaby  the  way.']  All  the  Merchants,  who  how 
 travelled  iaieiy  about  their  bufinefs:  which  they  durft 
 not  do  before  this  deliverance,  v.  6.  \  For  which  there- 
 tore,  they  were  bound  to  praife  the  LORD. 
 
 Verfe  11.  ^er*  II#  ^^cy  f^nt  are  delivered  from  the  noife  of 
 Archers  in  the  places  of  drawing  water. ~]  Together  with 
 the  Princes,  Judges,  and  Merchants,  (he  would  have 
 the  Shepherds  praife  the  LORD}  every  time  they  came 
 to  water  their  Flocks :  remembring  how  they  were  di- 
 fturbed  formerly  by  the  Archers,  that  lurked  in  Woods 
 or  Thickets,  and  (hot  whole  Quivers  of  Arrows  at  them 
 and  at  their  Cattle  5  which  now  they  brought  fafely  to 
 the  Springs  of  Water. 
 
 There  fiall they  rehearfe  the  righteous  acis  of  the  LORD.] 
 Who  had  taken  a  juft  vengeance  on  their  oppreffors, 
 and  mod  gracioufly  delivered  them  from  their  Tyranny. 
 For  Ri^hteoufnefs  frequently  fignifies  the  great  goodnefs 
 of  God. 
 
 Even  the  righteous  alls  towards  the  inhabitants  of  hk 
 villages  in  Ifrael.~]  She  would  have  the  meaneft  Pea- 
 fants  (as  we  fpeak)  bear  them  company  in  the  praifes 
 of  God:  for  now  they  lived  as  quietly  in  their  open 
 Villages,  as  if  they  had  been  in  the  ftrongeft  Cities. 
 
 -Then  fiall  the  People  of  the  LORD  go  down  to  the 
 gates."]  She  fums  up  all  in  thefe  words  ^  that  the 
 whole  Country  was  bound  to  praife  the  LORD  5  who 
 had  given  the  Law  its  free  courfe:  every  Man  having 
 liberty  to  go  down  fafely  to  the  Gate  of  his  own  City  5 
 where  judgment  was  adminiftred. 
 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  Awake,  awake  Deborah ,  awake ',  awake  utter 
 a  Song.']  Having  called  upon  all  others  to  praife  the 
 LORD,  fhe  now  excites  her  felf,  with  the  moft  earned 
 
 and 
 
upon    JUDGI'S.  383 
 
 and  zealous  affeftion  (exprefled  by  the  repetition  of  the  Chapter 
 fame  thing  four  times)  to  celebrate  his  wonderful  work*,         y 
 by  compoling  a  Song  in  his  praife.  Ly^V^vj 
 
 Arifc  Baraks  and  lead  thy  captivity  captive  thou  Son  of 
 Abinoam.']  She  calls  upon  Barak,  to  go  in  triumph, 
 carrying  (as  the  manner  was  in  ancient  times)  his  prio 
 cipal  Captives  and  Spoils  along  with  him,  unto  the 
 Houfe  of  God  !  For  one  cannot  think  (lie  meant  mere- 
 ly a  fecular  pompous  ihow  5  fince  the  Romans  them- 
 felves  in  their  Triumphs  marched  to  the  Capitol^  and 
 there  ottered  Sacrifice  to  Jupiter.  Some  ask  what  Cap- 
 tives he  had  to  lead,  when  the  whole  Army  of  Sifcra 
 was  cut  off,  IV.  16.  To  which  the  anfwer  is  eafie, 
 that  when  Bara^  after  he  had  routed  their  Army,  pur- 
 fued  his  Vi&ory,  as  far  as  Harofieth,  he  brought  feveral 
 Perfons,  and  perhaps  of  the  befk  Quality,  Captive  with 
 him,  out  of  that  Country. 
 
 Ver.  13.  Then  he  made  him  that  rem aineth  have  do-  Verfe  12 
 minion  over  the  nobles  among  the  People. ~]  Or,  then  he 
 fiatt  make  him  that  rcmainethy  Sec.  that  is,  when  Baraks 
 triumphed,  that  fmall  remnant  of  Ifrael  (as  the  belt  ot 
 the  Jews  interpret  him  that  remaincth)  who  were  not 
 utterly  difpirited  by  the  oppreffion  of  Jabin,  but  had 
 fome  courage  left  in  them,  triumphed  together  with 
 him,  over  the  Nobles  of  Canaan. 
 
 The  LORD  made  me  have  dominion  over  the  mighty.~] 
 She,  who  was  but  a  weak  Woman,  triumphed  alio  over 
 the  mod  powerful  Enemies. 
 
 Ver.  14.  Out  ofEphraim  was  there  a  root  of  them  againjl  Verfe  14. 
 Awakk>~]  Now  (he  makes  a  Catalogue  of  thofe  who 
 any  way  affifted  in  this  War:  as  Homer  doth  of  thofe 
 People,  who  equipped  Ships  for  the  War  againft  Toy  : 
 And  I  find  no  fenfe  of  thefe  words  fo  plain,  as  this. 
 That  the  Awalekites  coming  to  aifift  Sifera,  as  they  h  ul 
 done   the   Moabites    (III.   13.)    a  fmall  party  of   tie 
 
 Pphramittf 
 
3"84 
 
 A  COMMENT  A RI 
 
 Chapter  Ephraimites  (called  here  a  root)  oppofed  their  paffage, 
 V.  and  hindred  thetn  from  joining  their  Forces  with  the 
 ^/-V\j  Canaanhes.  Peter  Martyr  by  a  root  underftands  a  great 
 Captain  among  them,  as  in  XI.  7/i.  10.  the  word  is 
 thought  to  be  ufed.  But  a  mod  learned  Friend  of  mine 
 Dr.  Alix  admonifhes  me  that  Amalel^  doth  not  only  fig- 
 nifie  the  People  deicended  from  Ama/c\,  but  a  Moun- 
 tain in  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim,  mentioned  XII.  15.  And 
 if  we  underftand  it  fo  in  this  place,  it  makes  this  clear 
 fenfe,  far  eafier  and  more  natural  than  the  other,  out  of 
 Ephraim  was  their  beginning  (To  the  word  root  may  be 
 interpreted)  about  Amale\  That  is,  the  Ephramites 
 who  came  to  the  afliftance  of  Barak,,  began  their  lift- 
 ing of  Men,  near  to  this  Mountain.  And  fo  the  Par- 
 ticle beth  (I  obferved  upon  XJoflj.  10.)  fignifies  as  well 
 near  or  about,  as  in  or  againjl. 
 
 After  thee  Benjamin  among  thy  People.']  Following 
 the  example  of  the  Tribe  of  Benjamin :  who  feem  to 
 have  all  of  them  engaged  in  this  quarrel  5  with  whom 
 a  few  of  the  Ephraimites  joined. 
 
 Out  of  MachirT]  An  eminent  family  in  Manaffeh  : 
 which  is  put  here  for  all  that  Tribe  on  the  other  fide 
 Jordan,  where  Machir  was  fetled,  XXXII  Numb.  39. 
 XIII  Jojh.  31.  which  made  their  Zeal  the  more  remark- 
 able, in  coming  fo  far  to  the  aid  of  their  Brethren  ^ 
 when  they  heard  they  were  engaged  in  this  enterprize. 
 Came  down  Govemours.~]  Some  of  the  principal  Per- 
 fons  of  that  Country :  who  no  doubt  had  their  fol- 
 lowers, that  accompanied  them  in  this  expedition. 
 
 And  out  of  Zebulon  they  that  handle  the  Pen  of  the 
 ready  writer.']  They  were  nearer  to  Mount  Tabor,  than 
 any  of  the  forenamed :  but  are  therefore  highly  com- 
 mended, that  though  they  were  better  skilled  in  Books, 
 than  in  Arms,  yet  offered  their  Service  to  B^r^onthis 
 occafion.  For  Scribes  in  Scripture  fignific  Men  of  Letters  ^ 
 that  ftudied  the  Law,  and  expounded  it.  Ver.  18. 
 
upon  JUDGES.  3S5 
 
 Ver.    15.   And  the    Princes  of Iffkci  -   De-    Chapter 
 
 borah.~)     Came  and   offered    their  v  :     when  they        V. 
 
 heard  that  Bar*k  by  her  order  had  iummon  d  their  L/~v~\J 
 Neighbours,  Zebulon  and  Naphtali  to  come  to  him  Vei  e  15 
 IV.  10. 
 
 Even  Jjfachar?]  And  the  People  of  that  Tribe,  fol- 
 lowed the  Example  of  their  Princes. 
 
 And  alfo  Baraks]  The  Hebrew  chen  (tranflated  here 
 and  alfo)  fignifies,  as  ^  ox  like  un^o.  That  is,  they  were 
 as  forward  as  Baral^  to  march  into  the  Field  5  though 
 they  had  no  fummons. 
 
 He  was  fent  on  foot  into  the  ValleyP^  That  is,  when 
 he  was  fent  down  from  Mount  Tabor  by  the  order  of 
 Deborah  (IV.  14.)  to  fall  upon  Sifera  in  the  Valley: 
 whether  he  went  on  foot,  again!!:  his  Chariots  and 
 Horfemen.  Or,  he  went  with  his  Footmen  (as  the  LXX. 
 Tranflate  it)  and  engaged  that  vaft  number  of  Chariots, 
 which  were  of  greateft  ufe  in  the  Valley. 
 
 For  the  divifions  of  Reuben  there  were  great  thoughts  of 
 heart.']  But  the  Reubenites  were  fo  divided  in  their 
 Counfels,  that  they  ftaid  at  home  (as  if  they  were 
 feperated  from  their  Brethren  in  their  affe&ions,  as  they 
 were  in  their  fituation,  beyond  Jordan)  which  begat 
 many  fad  thoughts,  in  the  hearts  of  the  reft  of  the 
 Ifraelites  5  who  could  not  underftand  the  reafon  of  it. 
 
 Ver.   1 6.  Why  abodeji  thou  among  the  fliecpf vlds ,  to  hear  ytrf:.    1  6 
 the  bleatings  of  the  flocks  ?  "]     It  was  a  (hameful,  and  an 
 unaccountable  thing,    that  they  fhould  wholly  mind 
 their  private  bufinefs  (which  was  feeding  Cattle  XXXII 
 Numb.  1.)  and  negleft  the  publick  good. 
 
 For  the  divifions  of  Reuben,  there  were  great  ft  arch 
 oj  hearts^]     And  therefore  (he  could  not  fufficiently  be- 
 wail it.     Which  (he  doth,   by  repeating  what  a  great 
 trouble  it  was  to  all  their  Brethren :  who  were  not  able 
 to  difcover  the  reafon,  and  give  any  account;  of  their . 
 
 D  d  d  being 
 
386 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  being  no  more  concerned  than  their  Beads,  for  their 
 
 V.  common  Religion  and  Liberties. 
 L/^VVJ  Ver.  17.  Gilead  abode  beyond  Jordan7\  She  com- 
 Verfe  17.  plains  alfo  of  theGileadites,  who  were  Men  of  valour 5 
 and  notwithftanding  fat  ftill,  and  would  not  ftep  over 
 Jordan  to  help  their  Brethren.  Under  the  name  of 
 Gilead^  are  comprehended  the  Gadites  who  had  half 
 of  Gilead  (XIII  jofk.)  as  the  other  half  was  given  to 
 the  Children  of  Machir.  Who  did  come  to  the  aid  of 
 their  Brethren  }  at  leaft  their  Governours  engaged  with 
 them,  v.  14.  Which  hath  moved  fome  to  read  thefe 
 words  Interrogatively,  Did  GUead  abide  beyond  Jordan  .<? 
 as  if  (he  ftili  upbraided  the  Reubenites  5  who  had  not 
 this  to  alledge  for  themfelves,  that  they  were  far  off, 
 beyond  Jordan:  for  fo  were  the  Gileadites  (that  is, 
 thofe  defcended  from  Machir^  who  they  fuppofe  com- 
 prehend the  reft)  and  yet  the  beft  and  mod  worthy 
 of  them,  came  to  join  with  their  Brethren,  in  the  com- 
 mon  caufe  of  the  Nation. 
 
 And  why  did  Dan  remain  in  Ships  .<?  ~]  She  reproves 
 this  Tribe  which  was  near  the  Sea  (the  famous  Port  of 
 Joppa  belonging  to  it)  that  they  minded  nothing  but 
 their  Merchandize  5  while  their  Brethren  hazarded  their 
 lives  in  the  Field. 
 
 Ajher  continued  on  the  Sea-fhore."]  This  Tribe  alfo 
 bordered  upon  the  Mediterranean  :  Tyre  and  Sidon  be- 
 ing part  of  their  Portion.  Which  they  did  not  poflefs, 
 yet  no  doubt  they  held  feveral  other  leffer  places,  upon 
 that  Sea  :  from  which  they  would  not  ftir  in  this  com- 
 mon danger. 
 
 And  abode  in  hk  breaches,"]  Or,  in  his  creeps,  as  it 
 is  in  the  Margin  5  and  as  the  LXX.  take  it :  who  ex- 
 pound the  Hebrew  word  Miphratjim  (fra3nres)  by 
 UfSj&o*  ottt-lets ,  or  fmall  Havens  5  where  Veflels 
 lay,  to  go  out  to  Sea.     Some  take  the  words  to  fignifie, 
 
 that 
 
upon    JUDGES.  387 
 
 that  they  were  bufie,    in   repairing  the  breaches  made  Chapter 
 in  their  walled  Towns,    by  length  of  time,  or  other        V. 
 ways.  ^  \j^T\j 
 
 Ver.  18.  Zebulon  and  Naphtali  were  a  People  ftbctVerfe  1 8. 
 jeoparded  their  lives  unto  the  death 7]  They  were  the 
 only  People  (which  was  much  for  their  honour)  who 
 unanimoully  defpifed  Life,  in  comparifon  with  the  Li- 
 berty of  their  Country  and  Religion,  lor  the  Hebrew 
 word  Charaph  doth  not  fignifie  merely  to  expcfeone 
 felf  to  danger:  but  to  expofe  ones  felf  to  reproach,  as 
 we  obferve  in  the  Margin  of  our  Bibles.  And  here  de- 
 notes that  they  made  no  account  of  their  lives,  £>v. 
 
 In  the  high  places  of  the  field.  ]  They  went  down 
 from  Mount  Tabor  (where  they  were  drawn  up  in  a 
 large  Plain,  as  I  obferved  on  IV.  6.)  with  a  refolution 
 to  Conquer,  or  to  Die. 
 
 It  is  obfervable,  that  in  this  narration,  there  is  not  a 
 word  faid  of  Judah  or  Simeon,  or  Gad  (unlefs  com- 
 prehended under  Gilead,  as  I  faid  before)  and  that  as 
 Reuben,  Dan,  and  After  are  taxed  for  their  Cowardly 
 carelefnefs  in  this  cafe,  fo  Ephraim,  Benjamin,  part  of 
 Manajfeh  and  Ijfachar  did  afford  fome  affiftance.  But 
 nothing  comparable  to  what  Zebulon  and  Naphtali  did  : 
 who  as  one  Man  engaged  to  hazard  their  Lives  and  For- 
 tunes (as  we  now  fpeak)  for  the  regaining  of  their  Li- 
 berty. Which  was  the  more  highly  commendable  5  be- 
 caufe  they  were  but  an  handful  of  Men,  when  they 
 firft  engaged,  in  comparifon  with  the  vaft  Army,  which 
 they  undertook  to  affault. 
 
 Ver.  19.  The  Kings  came  and  fought."]  When  theyerfe  TJ 
 Ifraelites  conquered  Canaan,  Hazor  had  feveral  King- 
 doms fubjeft  to  it,  or  depending  on  it,  XlJoJI).  to. 
 And  now,  it  is  likely,  there  were  divers  Rings,  who 
 were,  at  leaft,  Jablns  confederates :  and  came  to  join 
 their  Forces  with  his,  to  reduce  the  Ifraelites  to  his  obe- 
 dience. D  d  d  2  Then 
 
3SS  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Then  fought  the  Kings   of  Canaan  in  Taanach  by  the 
 V.       waters  of  MeggiddoT]     Thefe  were  two  Cities  belonging 
 
 L/"V"\J  to  the  Manajfites  ^  but  in  the  Tribe  of  Iff  achat  XVII 
 JofI).  ii.  Between  which,  as  Raft  underftands  it,  the 
 Army  of  Sifera  lay  :  reaching  from  Taanach  to  Megiddo  5 
 by  which  the  River  Kifhon  ran. 
 
 They  took^  no  gain  of  Money."]  The  fimple  fenfe  feems 
 to  be,  that  they  were  Kings  of  fuch  bravery,  as  fought 
 not  for  Money  :  but  for  glory  and  dominion.  So  Raft 
 and  Ralbag  among  the  Jews  underftand  it.  They 
 fought  not  for  Pay,  but  came  gratis  (as  we  fpeak)  to 
 the  affiftance  ofjfbin.  But  the  Vulgar  takes  it  otherwife  : 
 they  got  nothing  but  blows  5  no  Spoil,  or  Prey  at  all, 
 as  they  expe&ed.  And  Kimchi  ftill  much  differently 
 (which  the  words  will  bear)  they  came  fo  inraged  againft 
 the  Israelites,  that  they  would  have  fpared  no  Mans 
 Life,  though  he  offered  great  Sums  of  Money  for  his 
 redemption :  becaufe  they  thirfted  only  after  their  Blood. 
 
 Vepfe  2©.  Ver.  20.  They  fought  from  Heaven.  Eut  on  the  other 
 fide,  God  fought  for  the  Ifraelites,  by  fending  Thunder, 
 and  Lightning,  and  Hailftones  from  Heaven  upon  the 
 Canaamtes  (as  he  did  in  the  days  of  Joflwa)  and  per- 
 haps, as  P.  Martyr  conje&ures,  raifing  a  great  duft> 
 which  a  ftormy  wind  blew  fo  violently  into  their  Eyes, 
 that  they  could  not  fee.  As  Livy  faith  it  fell  out  to  the 
 Romans,  in  the  great  Battle  at  Canna. 
 
 The  Stars  in  their  courfes  fought  againft  Sifera."]  Some 
 take  thefe  words  laterally,  and  render  the  words,  not 
 in  their  courfes,  but  in  their  exaltations,  i.  e.  with  all 
 their  Power,  and  ftrongeft  influences.  Whence  the 
 laying  of  Rafi,  on  this  place,  the  head,  or  beginning  of 
 the  Stars  is  in  Heaven  :  but  the  feet,  or  the  end  of  them  is 
 upon  the  Earth.  That  is,  hither  they  fend  their  influ- 
 ences. But  others  think  thefe  words  fignifie,  that  all 
 4.1ns  was  done  by  the  Miniftry  of  Angels,  who  are  here 
 
 called 
 
upon  JUDGES,  3  by 
 
 called  Stars    (as  in  the  Book  of  Job  XXXVII.  7  J  be-  Chapter 
 caufe  he  is  fpeaking  of  Heaven.     From  whence  they        V. 
 came  to  raife  this  terrible  tempeft,  and  by  other  means,  U^V~\J 
 which  we  are  ignorant  oi\  to  trouble  the  Molt  oijdbin^ 
 as  they  did  that  of  Pharaoh  in  the  Red-Sea.     And  this 
 they  did  in  fuxh  rank  and  order,  as  is  obferved  in  that 
 Heavenly  Hoft. 
 
 It  may  be  alfo  thought,  that  this  fight  lading  till 
 Night,  the  Stars  may  be  faid  to  fi^ht  again  ft  Sifera  5  be- 
 cause they  (hone  brightly  to  give  light  to  the  Israelites, 
 to  purfue  their  Vi&ory. 
 
 Ver.  21.  The  River  Krfhon  fivept  them  away.']  It  fo  Verfe  2.0. 
 fwelled  at  this  time,  that,  though  otherwife  it  was  very 
 (hallow,  many  of  them  were  drowned  in  it  5  being 
 carried  away  with  a  rapid  Stream.  For  fo  the  word  Je- 
 rapham  fignifies,  which  we  Tranfiate  fwept  them  away. 
 It  is  no  where  elfe  found  :  but  frequent  among  Arabic^ 
 Authors,  among  whom  it  is  commonly  ufed  in  thisfenfe: 
 as  Bochart  (hows,  Lib.  1.  Canaan,  Cap.  XVI,  and  XLII. 
 It  is  likely  there  was  a  great  Flood,  which  was  made  by 
 that  fudden  violent  Rain,  which  fell  in  the  forenamed 
 Tempeft. 
 
 That  ancient  River,  the  River  Kifion.~]  It  is  an  ele- 
 gancy ufed  by  Orators  themfelves  (as  we  find  in  Cicero) 
 to  repeat  the  fame  words,  when  there  is  great  occafion. 
 And  here  (lie  makes  an  addition  to  the  fame  word  $  by 
 calling  Kifion,  that  ancient  River:  becaufe  of  iome  o- 
 ther  great  exploit  performed  there  in  ancient  time  5  the 
 memory  of  which  is  now  loft.  But  Kcdumim  iome 
 take  to  be  a  proper  name,  and  another  name  of  the  fame 
 River  Kijlwn. 
 
 0  my  Soul  thou  huji  trodden  down  jlrength.']  This  is 
 an  elegant  Apojirophe  (or  turning  of  her  Speech)  to  her 
 felf  :  whofe  happinefs  (he  applauds,  in  beholding  the 
 moft  powerful  Enemies  quite  vanquiftied  s  by  herconi- 
 
 millioi: 
 
3po  A   COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  mifiion  which  (he  gave  from  God,and  by  her  Prayers  to 
 
 V*      him.  For  none  can  doubt,  that  ftie  implored  help  from 
 
 L^VNj  Heaven,  while  Baraks  fought  with  Srfera. 
 
 Verfe  22.      Ver.  22.  Then  were  the  Horfe-hoofs  broken.']     They 
 
 could  not  fave  themfelves  by  tiight,  their  Horfe-hoofs 
 
 being  broken  in  Stony  places,  when  they  ran  away  as 
 
 faft  as  they  were  able. 
 
 By  the  means  of  their  pranfings7\  The  more  hafke 
 they  made,  the  worfe  fpeed  (as  the  common  faying  is) 
 for  they  running  full  Gallop  (To  the  Jews  interpret  the 
 Hebrew  word  Dakar  (pranpngs)  to  fignifie  the  fwifteft 
 courfe)  they  trod  the  harder  on  the  ground,  and  were 
 in  the  more  danger  to  break  their  Hoofs. 
 
 The  pranfings.]  The  Hebrews  wanting  a  Superlative 
 Degree  in  their  Language,  are  wont  to  double  a  word 
 (as  Peter  Martyr  here  obferves)  and  therefore  pranfings^ 
 pranfings,  he  thinks  are  not  here  an  ornament  of  Speech, 
 but  fignifie  the  mod  vehement  motion  5  when  a  Horfe 
 is  in  his  full  fpeed. 
 
 Of  the  mighty  ones.']  Of  their  beft  and  ftrongeft 
 Horfes.  For  the  word  Abbirim  in  Hebrew,  as  Bochart 
 obferves,  fignifies  not  only  ftrong  Bulls,  but  Horfes  alfo. 
 See  Hierozoicon,  P.  1.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  VI. 
 
 Verfe  22.  ^er*  23'  ^utfe  ye  Meroz.']  Moft  interpreters,  both 
 Jewifh  and  Chriftian,  underftand  by  Meroz,  a  City  not 
 far  from  the  place  where  the  Fight  was.  Which  feems 
 to  be  proved  by  the  following  words,  where  he  fpeaks 
 of  the  inhabitants  thereof.  But  R.  Sol.  Jarchi  thinks 
 Meroz  fignifies  a  potent  Perfon  in  thofe  parts :  who  be- 
 ing able  to  give  great  affiftance  to  Baraks,  and  living 
 near  Mount  Tabor,  refufed  to  do  any  thing.  And  this 
 is  the  opinion  of  the  Talmndifis  (whom  Jarchi  is  wont 
 to  follow)  as  Mr.  Selden  (hows  out  of  theGemara  Babylov, 
 Lib.  1.  de  Synedriis,  Cap.  VI.  P.  123,  &c.  Where 
 they  fancy  that  this  great  Man  was  excommunicated  by 
 
 Deborah^ 
 
upon  JUDGES.  g  9 1 
 
 Deborah,  with  all  his  adherents :    and  hence  they  fetch  Chapter 
 the  ground  and  original  of  the  Excommunication  in  ufe         V. 
 among  them.     Which  is  an  idle  conceit  5  there  being  no  '-^VXi 
 fuch  thing  as  Excommunication  praftifed  among  them, 
 till  they  had  quite  loft  their  civil  Government,  and  it 
 was  in  the  hands  of  the  Heathen. 
 
 Salth  the  Angel  of  the  LORD.']  She  would  not  have 
 it  thought,  that  this  Curie  proceeded  from  her  Anger, 
 but  from  the  Authority  of  God  :  who  by  his  Angel, 
 which  (pake  to  her,  denounced  it  againft  Meroz.  And 
 who  (hould  this  Angel  be,  but  the  Captain  of  the 
 LORDS  Hoft  mentioned,  V  Jofi.  14.     See  there. 
 
 Citrfe  ye  bitterly  the  inhabitants  thereof]  They  that 
 take  Meroz  for  a  Perfon,  by  inhabitants  underftand  thofe 
 that  dwelt  near  him,  and  were  his  dependants  or  affo- 
 ciates :  which  is  very  forced. 
 
 Be c an fe  they  came  not  to  the  help  of  the  LORD."]  The 
 Battle  was  the  LORDS,  as  the  Scripture  elfewhere 
 fpeaks,  and  therefore  they  that  refufed  to  engage  in  it, 
 refufed  to  maintain  his  Caufe.  And  the  People  of  this 
 place  are  fo  heavily  curfed,  when  all  others  that  came 
 not  in  to  help  their  Brethren,  are  only  difcommended  , 
 becaufe  they  lived  fo  near,  that  they  might  cafily  have 
 joined  their  Forces  with  them :  whereas  fome  others 
 lived  a  great  way  off,  which  might  fomething  excufe 
 them. 
 
 To  the  help  of  the  LORD  againfi  the  mighty  7\  Ac- 
 cording to  this  Tranllation  of  the  laft  word,  (he  means 
 their  mod  powerful  Enemies.  But  the  Hebrew  may  as 
 well  be  tranflated  with  the  mighty.  That  is,  with  other 
 valiant  Men  who  freely  offered  their  Service  in  this  en- 
 terprize.  This  aggravated  their  guilt,  that  when  they 
 had  fuch  noble  examples  of  zeal  from  others,  who  were 
 lefs  able  to  help,  they  would  afford  no  affiftance. 
 
 Ver.  14. 
 
392  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  24.  Blejfed  above  Women  fhall  Jael  the  Wife  of 
 V.        Heber  the  Kemte  be7\     On  the  other  fide  (he  defires  Jael 
 KS*y\J  may  he  ever  praifed:  or  rather,  foretells  (he  (hall  alway 
 Verfe  24.  continue  famous,  and  her  Husband  too,  in  future  Ge- 
 nerations. 
 
 Blejfed  fojall  foe  be  above  Women  in  the  Tent.']  This  is 
 thought  to  be  a  wifhing,  or  promifing  her  all  happinefs, 
 in  her  Domeftick  affairs.  But  P.  Martyr  thinks,  it  may 
 be  interpreted,  blejfed  fo all  foe  be,  for  what  /he  did  in  her 
 Tent.  Which  was  no  lefs  glorious,  than  what  others 
 did  in  the  Field. 
 Verfe  25.  Ver.  25.  He  asked  water,  and  foe  brought  him  milhj\ 
 Her  prudence  is  firft  commended  5  in  treating  him  with 
 great  refped^  that  he  might  entertain  no  (ufpitiori  of 
 danger. 
 
 She  brought  forth  butter^  _Jvlilk  from  which  the  Cream 
 (of  which  Butter  is  made)  was  not  feparated. 
 
 In  a  lordly  d?fo.~]  The  Hebrew  word  Sephel  (which 
 we  Tranflate  difo)  is  no  where  elfe  found,  but  in  the 
 ftory  of  Gideon  in  the  next  Chapter,  VI.  38.  where  we 
 Tranflate  it  a  bowl.')  From  whence  Bochart  rightly  con- 
 cludes, it  fignifies  a  large,  and  wide  Veflei  (P.  1.  Hieroz. 
 Lib.  2.  Cap.  XLIX.)  which  explains  the  word  Lordly 
 or  Princely :  which  doth  not  fignifie  that  (he  had  any 
 Gold,  or  Silver  Veflei  in  her  Tent  (which  was  not 
 agreeable  to  their  manner  of  living)  but  that  (he 
 brought  him  Milk  in  the  beft  Veflei  (he  had,  and  that 
 very  capacious.  For  out  of  fuch  great  Men  were  wont 
 to  drink  $  as  Pet.  Martyr  obferves  out  of  Cicero  again  ft 
 M.  Antony. 
 Verfe  26.  Ver.  26.  She  put  her  hand  to  the  Nail.~\  Next  her 
 Courage  and  Fortitude  is  celebrated.  And  by  hand  is 
 to  be  tinderftood  her  left,  wherewith  (he  held  the  Nail  5 
 as  with  her  Right  Hand,  the  Hammer. 
 
 And 
 
upon    JUDGES. 
 
 And  her  right  hand  to  the  workman  s  hammer.]  A 
 lively  defcriptiori  how  (he  went  about  this  work  5  juft 
 as  if  (he  had  been  faftning  her  Tent. 
 
 And  with  her  hammer  /he  fmotc  Sifera. }  The  Hebrew 
 word  hilaw,  which  we  Tranflate [mote,  lignihes  fuch  a 
 blow  as  makes  a  contufion. 
 
 She  fmotc  off  his  head.']  The  word  Ma  hak^  which 
 is  commonly  tranflated  cut  off,  cannot  have  that  figJli- 
 fication  here  ^  becaufe  there  is  not  the  I  af  indication 
 in  this  flory  of  her  cutting  oif  his  head  from  the  body  : 
 but  only  of  Jinking  it  through,  as  here  it  mult  be  under  - 
 flood. 
 
 H  hen  fie  had  pierced  and Jbrich^n  through  his  temples  .j 
 Here  are  two  words  more,  Macbatz*  And  ChaUph  $  fig- 
 nifjing  penetrating  and  boring  quite  through.  And 
 the  place  is  fpecified  where  his  head  was  perforated, 
 which  was  in  his  Temples .  the  foftefl  part  of  it,  which 
 gave  the  eafieft  entrance  to  the  Nail. 
 
 Ver.  27.  At  her  feet  he  bowed,  he  fell,  he  lay  down.]\j^xct 
 In  the  Hebrew  between  her  feet,  8tc.  which  fome  of  the 
 Talmudifls  have  abufed  to  a  leud  leafe;  jultly  cenfured 
 by  Kimchi.  Who  obferves  that  this  is  according  to  the 
 (tile  of  the  Hebrew  Language,  which  reduplicates  words, 
 that  they  may  more  (trongly  affirm  what  is  faid :  and 
 thefe  words,  he  bowed,  he  fell,  fignifies  (he  thinks)  fuch 
 a  fall  that  he  never  rofe  up  again.  But  taking  all  thefe 
 expreffions  together  (he  bowed,  he  fell,  he  lay  down) 
 they  feem  to  me  to  import,  that  at  the  firft  (troke,  he 
 (tarted  and  lifted  up  his  body  ^  but  being  very  much 
 ftund,  he  foon  laid  down  again. 
 
 At  her  feet  he  bowed,  he  fell."]  Then  I  fuppofe  flic 
 repeated  her  ftroke^  which  perfectly  difabled  him  to 
 mo  ye. 
 
 Where  he  bowed  there  he  fell  down  dead.]  And  at  the 
 third  (troke,   it  is  likely,    (he  faftn^d  his  Head   to  the 
 
 E  e  e  Ground. 
 
39^  A I  COMMENT  A  RT 
 
 Chapter  Ground.    But  this  repetition  doth  not  certainly  argue, 
 V.       that  (he  gave  fo  many  blows  (though  it  may  pafs  tor  a 
 
 L/"W>  probable  conjecture)  for  it  is  an  ufual  Elegancy  in  jfuch 
 compofures :  wherein  (he  intended  to  fet  out  this  fadt 
 of  Jaeh  with  the  higheft  Encomiums.  Some  may  fancy 
 indeed  that  it  deferved  reprehenfion,  rather  than  com- 
 mendation 5  upon  many  accounts :.  Being  a  breach  of 
 the  Laws  of  Hofpitality  ^  and  of  the  Peace-,  which  was 
 between  her  Family  and  Jabtn,  &c.  But  this  faft  is 
 not  to  be  meafured  by  the  common  rules  which  are  ta 
 govern  us:  it  being  an  extraordinary,  Heroick  and  Di- 
 vine work  3  unto  which  (he  was  excited  by  God.  Whofe 
 People  Jabin  opprefled  with  a  cruel  fervitudej  from 
 which  God  ordered  Baraks  to  be  their  deliverer :  who 
 having  defeated  all  his  Forces  in  a  miraculous  manner, 
 Jacl  underftood  there  was  a  Divine  hand  in  this  Vidory  5 
 and  was  moved  by  the  fame  Spirit  which  ftirred  up  De- 
 borah and  Baraks,  to  help  by  this  aft  to  compleat  their 
 fhameful  overthrow.  For  nothing  cculd  be  more  dis- 
 honourable, than  for  a  great  Captain,  to  fall  thus  by 
 the  hand  of  a  Woman. 
 
 Yztk  2.8.  Ver.  i8*  The  mother  of  Sifera  looked  out  at  a  Window.'] 
 Was  in  earneft  longings  and  expectations  to  fee  him  re- 
 turn vi&orious. 
 
 And  cried  through  the  lattefs.  ]  Either  fear  of  fome 
 mifcarriage,  or  impatient  defire,  made  her  cry  out  with 
 a  lamentable  voice  y  as  the  word  Jabab  in  the  Hebrew 
 fignifies. 
 
 Why  is  his  Chariot  fo  long  in  cowing  <?  Why  tarry  the 
 Wheels  of  his  Chariots  ?  ~]  Having  fuch  numerous  Forces, 
 they  promifed  themfelves  an  eafie  and  fpeedy  Viftory 
 over  an  handful  of  the  Ifraelitesz,  and  therefore  won* 
 dered  what  retarded  his  coming  back,  with  all  his 
 Chariots,  in  Triumph. 
 
 Verfc  29..      Ver,  29.  Her  wife  Ladies  anfwered  her \j     The  Vulgar 
 
 takes 
 
 K 
 
upon   JUDGES.  3^5 
 
 takes  the  Hcbmv  words  tofignlfie,  one  >f  tie  rvifcftofhk   Chap:  I 
 Wives  (who  was  not  fo  apt  to  defpair  as  his  Mother)        V. 
 replied  to  her.     For  it  is  well  obf.rved  by  Terence  in  his  L/~V\J 
 Adelphi  (as  Pet.  Martyr  here  not  \nUo  fart  ea 
 
 evenire  nobis  qua  dc  tbfifttibvt  fufyl.dntur  nxores^  qnkm 
 ea  qnd>  parentes.     It   is   much   better   that  thofe  thin 
 fhc  uld  happen  to  their  abient   Husbands,    which  ti: 
 Wives  iui'peft,    than  thofe   which   their  Parents   fear. 
 But  I  fee  no  reafon  to  depart  from  our  Tfanflation, 
 which  is  the  fame  with  the  LXX.  ou  ovpal  ipywray,    tl 
 prudent  Noble  Women  that  attended  her,  Cv. 
 
 Tea,  jhe  returned  anfwer  to  her  filj~]  Upon  better 
 conlideration,  her  hopes  exceeded  her  fears. 
 
 Ver.  50.   Have  they  not  fped?~]     She  did  not  think  it  Verfe  20. 
 poflible  they  fhould  mifcarry. 
 
 Have  they  not  divided  the  prey  ?■*]  She  was  willing  to 
 be  confident  they  had  got  the  Vidory  5  and  therefore 
 imputed  their  ftay,  to  the  time  that  mu(t  needs  be  taken 
 up  in  making  an  equal  divifion  of  the  Spoil.  For  thofe 
 days  were  not  like  to  ours^  wherein  every  Man  keeps 
 to  himfelf,  what  he  can  lay  his  Hands  upon  :  but  after 
 the  Battle  they  were  obliged  to  bring  all  that  they  had 
 gotten,  to  the  General  of  the  Army  5  who  confidered 
 every  Mans  quality,  and  defert,  and  accordingly  diftri- 
 buted  the  Prey  among  them. 
 
 To  every  Man  a  damfel  or  two.']  Young  Virgins  are 
 by  all  Hiftorians  and  Poets,  reckoned  as  a  principal 
 part  of  the  Soldiers  Prey.  And  fhe  puts  here  an  un- 
 ufual  word  for  a  Damfel,  which  is  Kacham.  For  it 
 properly  fignifies  a  Womb  :  and  feems  here  to  befpoken 
 by  way  of  contempt :  as  if  they  were  good  for  nothing, 
 but  to  ferve  their  filthy  appetites. 
 
 To  Sifera  a  prey  of  divers  colours,  a  prey  cf  dijers 
 colours  of  needle  wor^  of  divers  colours  of  needle  vrof\ 
 on  both  fides.  ]      Thefe  were  the  richeft  part  of  the 
 
 Ee  e  2  Spoil. 
 
396  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  Spoil,  being  highly  efteemed  by  all  People,  as  Pliny 
 V.  observes,  Lib.  VIII.  Cap.  XLVIII.  where  he  mentions 
 lyy^i  great  variety  of  them  both  in  his  own,  and  in  ancient 
 time.  For  he  takes  notice  that  Homer  mentions  Picfas 
 Veftes^  as  he  calls  them,  Painted  Garments :  which 
 fhined  with  Flowers  and  Trees  in  beautiful  colours* 
 Which  the  Phrygians  afterwards  wrought  vvkh  Needles : 
 and  Attains  invented  the  interweaving  Gold  in  them. 
 But  for  divers  coloured  Garments,  Babylon  was  above 
 all  places  famous.  From  whence  they  had  the  name  of 
 Babylonijh  Garments  :  which  were  much  valued  even  m 
 thole  early  times }  as  appears  by  the  ftory  of  Achan, 
 VII  Joft.  7  j.  And  they  were  of  fuch  account  in  after 
 times,  that  every  one  was  not  permitted  to  wear  them  ^ 
 but  only  the  greater  fort  of  Perfons  (as  Pet.  Martyr  ob- 
 ferves out  of  the  Roman  Laws)  which  may  be  the  reafon 
 that  here  they  are.  appropriated  to  Sifcra,  as  his  part  of 
 the  Spoil. 
 
 Meet  for  the,  necks  of  them  that  take  the  fpoil.]  That 
 is,  of  the  chief  Commanders,  to  whom  the  Spoil,  asl 
 faid,  was  brought  to  be  divided.  In  the  Hebrew  the 
 words  are,  for  the  necks  of  the  fpoil:  which  Kimchi  ex- 
 pounds, the  head  of  the  prey.  As  if  (he  had  faid,  thefe 
 are  to  be  put  in  the  Head  of  the  Prey  5  and  therefore  fit 
 to  be  given  only  to  the  General  of  the  Army. 
 Verfe  31.  Ver.  3,1.  So-  let  all  thy  Enemies  periffj,  0  LORD."] 
 From  hence  (he  takes  occafion  to  convert  her  fpeech  to 
 God  :  befeeching  him,  that  all  his  Enemies  may  be  thus 
 difappointed  of  their  vain  hopes. 
 
 But  let  all  them  that  love  him,  he  as  the  Sun  when  he 
 goeth  forth  in  his  might.]  Increafe  in  Power  and  Forc&> 
 as  the  Sun  doth5  from  the  time  of  its  rifing,  till  it  come 
 to  its  Meridian  heighth. 
 
 And  the  land  had  reft  forty  years.]  Thefe  Forty  Years 
 are  to  be  cpmputed  from  the  time  of  Ehud,  as  our  great. 
 
 Primate 
 
upon  JUDGES.  397 
 
 Primate  thinks,  who  thus  Tranflates  thefe  words,    The  Chapter 
 landrefledin  the  fortieth  year,  after  the  former  reft  which        VI. 
 was  reftored  to  it  by  bhud.     See  him  ad  hi.  A,  2719.  U/'WJ 
 But  it  is  far  more  reafonable  to  compute  them  from  the 
 Conqueft  of  Jubin  by  the  Northern  Tribes  :  after  which 
 the  whole  Country  lived  in  Peace  for  the  fpacc  of  Forty 
 Years;    till   the  Slidiauitcs,    as  it  follows,  foreiy  <;p- 
 preffed  them.  ■ 
 
 I  conclude  this  Chapter,  as  Conrad  us  Pellicanus  doth, 
 Let  /owe  Homer  or  Virgil  go  now,  and  compare  his  Poetry, 
 if  he  be  able,  with  the  Song  of  this  Woman.  And  if  there 
 be  any  one  that  excels  in  bloquence  and  learning,  and  hath 
 more  hifure  than  I,  celebrate  the  Praifes  and  learning  of 
 this  Panegyric!^  more  cofioufly. 
 
 Chapter 
 C  H  A  P.     VI.  VI. 
 
 LT\T\J 
 Verfe   1.      A  ND  the  Children  of  Ifrael  did  evil  in  the  Verfe  i 
 
 l\  fight  of  the  LORD.)  After  the  Death 
 of  Deborah  and  Baral^  (who  kept  them,  I  fuppofe,  in 
 the  true  Religion)  they  relapfed  to  Idolatry. 
 
 And  the  LORD  delivered  them  into  the  hand  of 
 Midian  feven  years.']  Becaufe  it  is  not  faid  that  the 
 anger  of  the  LORD  was  hot  againft  Ifrael  (as  in  Chap. 
 II.  14.  III.  8,  &c.)  nor  that  he  fold  then*  into  thehand 
 of  Midian  (which  is  the  exprefiion,  IV.  2.  and  other 
 places)  Pet.  Martyr  thinks  they  were  not  altogether  fo 
 bad,  as  they  had  been  formerly  :  and  therefore  God 
 was  pleafed  to  fhorten  the  Tyranny  of  the  Midianites 
 over  them.  Who  being  their  old  Enemies,  as  they 
 came  through  the  Wildernefs,  and  having  been  in  a 
 manner  utterly  deftroyed  by  the  Ifraelites(XX\l  Numb.) 
 were  very  much  difpofed  to  take  a  (harp  Revenge.  For 
 that  thofe  Midianites  who  were  Neighbours  to  Moab, 
 
 are 
 
3j)S  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  are  here  meant,  is  evident  from  their  fituatfon,    which 
 VI.       was  beyond  Jordan  (VII.  24,  25.  VIII.  4.)  and  by  the 
 
 t/W  People  that  joined  with  them,  who  were  the  Children 
 of  the  Eafi,  v.  3.  Whereas  the  other  Midianites  where 
 Jethro  lived  were  in  the  South,  near  the  Red-Sea.  Some 
 fancy  indeed  that  the  Midianites,  Neighbours  to  Moab, 
 being  cut  off  by  Mofes,  there  was  no  fuch  Nation. 
 But  it  muft  be  confidered  that  fome  of  them  faved  them- 
 felves  by  flight  into  other  Countries,  and  after  the  If- 
 raelites  were  fetled  in  Canaan  returned  again:  and  in 
 near  two  Hundred  Years  time  may  well  be  thought  to 
 have  repeopled  their  Country.  Especially  by  the  help 
 of  other  People,  who  came  it  is  likely,  and  planted 
 among  them  :  and  being  feated  in  the  fame  Country  are 
 all  called  Midianites. 
 
 V«rfe  2.  Ver.  2.  And  the  hand  of  Midi  an  prevailed  againjl 
 Ifrael.~]  They  brought  the  Ifraelites  in  fubje&ion  to  them : 
 and  were  the  fourth  Nation  that  opprefled  them,  after 
 the  Mefopotamians,  Moabites,  and  Canaanites. 
 
 And  hecaufe  of  the  Midianites  the  Children  of  Ifrael 
 made  them  the  dens  that  are  in  the  Mountains,  and  Caves, 
 and  (Irong  holds. ~]  They  betook  themfelves  to  thefe 
 places  for  fafety,  for,  I  fuppofe,  they  did  not  now 
 make  them,  but  made  them  their  retreat.  And  by  the 
 firft  word  Minharoth  is  meant  thofe  hollow  places  in 
 the  Rocks  upon  the  Mountains :  where  Men  might  hide 
 themfelves,  and  make  them  their  Habitation  5  there  be- 
 ing Cracks,  and  Holes  in  them  here  and  there,  to  let  in 
 light,  as  the  Hebrew  word  fignifies.  And  the  fecond 
 word  Maharoth  denotes  fuch  Caves  as  were  in  the  Fields, 
 made  either  by  Nature,  or  by  Art  and  Labour :  which 
 being  dark,  were  fit  only  to  hide  their  Goods  and  Pro- 
 vifion  in  them.  And  the  third  word  Miizaroth  fignifies 
 fuch  FortrefTes,  as  fecured  themfelves,  and  Families  and 
 Cattle,  and  all  they  could  carry  thither.     But  this  (hows 
 
 their 
 
upon    JUDGES.  399 
 
 their  condition  was  very  lamentable  ^  in  that  they  were  Chapter 
 driven  from  their  Homes  in  the   Villages,    and  Cities       VI. 
 too:  at  lead  the  richeft  of  them  dqrft  not  trult  them-  L^VNJ 
 felves  there,  but  Hed  to  (Iron  g  holds  for  fafety. 
 
 Ver.    3.  And  fo  it  was  that  when    Ifracl   had  foccn7\  Verfe   2, 
 They  did  nor  dilhirb  them  in  Seed  time  :  but  let  them 
 be  quiet  till  they  had  ploughed  and  fowed  their  Land. 
 
 'Then  the  Midi  unites  came  up,  an  I  the  Amalcklics,  and 
 the  Children  of  the  eajl.]  This  (hows  that  fome  of  the 
 fame  People  joined  with  the  Midianites,  that  did  for- 
 merly with  the  Moabites,  when  they  oppreffed  Ifrael, 
 HI.  13.  For  by  the  Children  of  the  eaft  are  meant,  fome 
 of  the  People  of  Arabia,  as  Procopiou*  notes  :  who  ob- 
 ferves  Jofephn  to  be  of  the  fame  mind.  For  Arabia  lay 
 Eaft  of  Egypt :  where  the  IfraelUes  learnt  to  fpake  in 
 this  manner. 
 
 Even  they  came  up  againfl  then/.']  Entred  the  Land  of 
 Ifrael  with  fuch  Armies,  as  might  deftroy  the  Fruits  of 
 the  Earth  :  as  it  follows  in  the  next  Verfe. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  they  encamped  againflthem.']     The  Vul-  Verfe  4.. 
 gar  Tranllate  it,  they  pitched  their  Tents  among  them  : 
 which  fignifies  them  to  have  been  an  Arabian  People, 
 or  fuch  as  lived  after  their  manner. 
 
 And  dejlroyed  the  increafe  of  the  Earth.  ]  Having 
 formed  a  Camp,  they  fent  out  parties  from  thence  well 
 armed  5  to  deftroy  all  the  Corn,  and  the  reft  of  the 
 Fruits  of  the  Earth. 
 
 Until  thou  come  unto  Gaza.]  That  is,  they  made  an 
 univerfal  devaftation,  from  one  end  of  the  Country  to 
 the  other.  For  they  came  from  the  Eaft,  and  deftroyed 
 all  till  they  came  to  the  Weftern  Coaft,  where  Gaza  was. 
 
 And  left  no  fttftcnanct  for  Ifrael.']  Whom  they  in- 
 tended to  famifh. 
 
 Neither  Sheep,,  nor  Ox,  nor  Afs.l     Their  Camels  and 
 other  Cattle  which  they  brought  along  with  them,  ha- 
 ving 
 
4oo  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  ving  eaten  up  all.    For  they  were  fo  numerous,  as  we 
 VI.      are  told  in  the  following  Verfe,  that  they  overfpread 
 L/V\j  the  whole  Country. 
 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  For  they  came  up  with  their  Cattle.']  Not 
 merely  an  Army  of  Men,  but  of  Cattle  of  all  forts, 
 came  on  purpofe  to  make  this  deftru&ion. 
 
 And  their  Tents.]  With  their  whole  Families }  that 
 they  might  be  able  to  confume  the  more. 
 
 And  they  came  up  as  Grajhoppers  for  multitude."]  Or, 
 as  Locufts  (as  the  word  Arba  is  commonly  tranflated) 
 which  have  their  very  name  from  the  vaft  numbers, 
 wherein  they  were  wont  to  come  5  and  were  moft 
 devouring  Creatures. 
 
 For  both  they  and  their  Camels  were  without  number."] 
 No  Country  more  abounded  with  Camels  than  Midian 
 (as  I  obferved  before  out  of  Bochart  his'  Hierozoicon, 
 P.  1.  L.  2.  C.  2.)  and  they  are  only  peculiarly  men- 
 tioned $  becaufe  the  Midianites  were  more  famous  for 
 them,  than  for  Horfes,  or  other  Beads. 
 
 And  they  entred  into  the  land  to  dejlroy  it.]  Their 
 very  defign  was  to  depopulate  the  Country,  by  this 
 means. 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  Ifrael  was  greatly  impoverified  becaufe  of 
 the  Midianites.]  For  the  Fruits  of  their  Land  being 
 thus  deftroyed,  their  Money  was  drained  from  them  to 
 purchafe  Corn  from  other  Countries. 
 
 And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  cried  unto  the  LORD.] 
 Who  never  failed  to  help  them,  when  they  truly  turned 
 to  him. 
 Verfe  7,  Ver.  7.  And  it  cametopafs,  when  the  Children  of  Ifrael 
 cried  unto  the  LORD,  becaufe  of  the  Midianites.  ] 
 Though  the  Poverty  which  pinched  them,  was  that 
 which  moved  them  to  cry  unto  God  for  relief  5  yet  he 
 was  fo  gracious  as  to  fend  one  to  make  them  fenfible  of 
 their  Sin. 
 
 Ver.  8. 
 
upon   JUDGES.  401 
 
 Ver.   3.   That  the  LORD  fent  a  Prophet  unto  the  Chit-    Chapter 
 dren  ofIfrael.~]  Whom  the  Jews  fancy  to  have  been  Phi-       VI. 
 neas.     Which  is  not  probable ,    Men  not   commonly  L/v\J 
 then  living  to  the  Age  of  two  Hundred  Years  \  which  Vcrfc  8. 
 he  muft  be  of,  and  more  5  if  he  were  the  Prophet  now 
 fent  to  them.     It  is  far  more  likely,  that  God  frill  con- 
 tinued other  Prophets  among  them,    befnle  the  High 
 Prieft :  to  put  them  in  mind  of  their  duty,  and  to  call 
 them  to  Repentance,    when  they  foribok  him.     And 
 it  appears  by  the  foregoing  Story,    that  there  was  a 
 Woman,    who  had  the  Spirit  of  Prophelie.     Which 
 (hows  that,  at  lea  ft,   upon  fpecial  occalions,   he  raifed 
 up  fuch  perfons  among  them. 
 
 Which  faid  unto  them.~]  At  feme  great  feftival,  it  is 
 likely,  when  they  were  all  afTembled. 
 
 Thus  faith  the  LORD  God  of  Ifrael.~]  This  is  the 
 ftile,  in  which  the  Prophets  commonly  ipake. 
 
 /  brought  you  up  from  Egypt,  and  brought  you  forth  out 
 of  the  houfe  of  bondage^]  All  the  Prophets  put  them  in 
 mind  of  this,  as  the  greateft  obligation  upon  them,  to 
 be  intirely  devoted  to  Gods  Service.  SeeXlXExW. 
 4,  5;  6.  where  God  himfelf  tells  them,  tor  what  pur- 
 pofe  he  had  delivered  him  from  that  bondage.  And  fee 
 XXlVjoJ/j.  5,6. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  I  delivered  you-  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Verfe  9. 
 Egyptians.']     Who  when  they  purfued  them,  to  bring 
 them  back  into  flavery,  were  all  drowned  in  the  Red- 
 Sea. 
 
 And  out  of  the  hand  of  all  that  oppreffed  you7\  That 
 endeavoured  to  opprefs  them  :  fuch  as  the  Awalekjtes, 
 Sihon  and  Og  ;,   who  oppofed  their  paiTage  to  Canaan. 
 
 And  drave  them  out  from  before  you,  and  gave  you  their 
 land.~]  By  the  hand  of  Jofljua,  who  fetled  them  in  the 
 Land  which  God  promifed  to  them.  All  this  is  faid. 
 to  put  them  in  mind  how  faithfully  God  had  performed 
 
 F  f  f  his 
 
4o2  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  his  Covenant  with  them  }  and  to  upbraid  them  with 
 
 VI.       their  own  infidelity. 
 L/'V^O       Ver.   IO.  And  Ifaid  unto  you,   I  am  the  LORD  your 
 Verfe  10.  God.']     XXExod.  i.  V  Dent.  6.  VI.  4. 
 
 Fear  not  the  gods  of  the  Amorites,  in  whofe  land  ye 
 dwell."]  Donotworfhip  them  5  nor  imagine  they  can 
 do  you  any  harm,    VII  Dent.  12,  ij,  14.  XXIV  Jofh. 
 
 But  ye  have  not  obeyed  niy  voice7\  Which  was  the 
 caufe  of  all  the  evil  that  had  befaln  them  5  and  would 
 ftill  continue,  if  they  did  not  now  hearken  unto  him,  as 
 they  defired  him  to  hear  their  cry.  This  no  doubt  the 
 Prophet  prefled  upon  them,  in  more  words  than  are 
 here  kt  down  :  thefe  being  only  the  heads  of  his 
 Speech. 
 
 Verfe  1 1  ^er*  l  J  '  ^n^  f^re  camt  an  Angel  of  the  L0RD7\ 
 '  The  IfraelHes  laid  the  application  of  the  Prophets 
 Speech  to  their  Heart  fit  is  to  be  fuppofed)  and  be- 
 gan to  reform  their  ways:  which  moved  him  to  fend 
 an  Angel  to  appoint  them  a  deliverer.  For  he  is  called 
 an  Angel  of  the  LORD,  both  here  and  v.  12.  20,  21, 
 22. 
 
 And  fat  under  an  OakJ]  In  a  Grove  of  Trees  (as 
 Anas  Mont  anus  underftands  it)  where  there  was  one 
 great  well  fpread  Oak,  in  which  there  was  a  feat. 
 
 Which  was  in  Ohprah7\  The  City  where  Gideon  was 
 born  and  lived,  VIII.  27. 
 
 That  pertained  unto  Joaf/j  the  Abiezrite.~]  This  is  ad- 
 ded to  (bow  what  Ophrah  he  means.  For  there  was 
 another  in  the  Tribe  of  Benjamin,  XVIII  Jofh.  23. 
 whereas  the  Familv  of  Abiezer  belonged  to  the  Tribe 
 of  Manafeh,   XVII  Jofi.  2. 
 
 And  his  Son  Gideon  threjhed  wheat. "]  The  Hebrew 
 Chabat  in  this  place,  fignifies  to  threfb  out  with  a  Stick 
 or  Kod  5  as  Kivtchi  here  obferves.    And  fo  the  LXX. 
 
 s_ 
 
upon  JUDGES.  403 
 
 px0^(£v.     But  the  common  way  of  threfhing  Corn  out   Chapter 
 of  the  Ear,  was  by  treading  it  with  Oxen  :  which  rlu-y        VI. 
 called  dafh,    1  Chron.  XXI.  20.     This    Gideon   did  not  L^V^VJ 
 ufe  ^  partly  for  privacy  5  but  chiefly  becaufe  he  had  but 
 a  little  to  beat  out. 
 
 By  the  IVine-prcfs.]  Where  none  would  fufpeft  his 
 threading  of  Corn. 
 
 To  hide  it  front  the  Midianites.]  Who  watched  nar- 
 rowly all  the  threfhing  floors  of  the  Ifraditcs  :  who 
 might  have  bought  Sheaves  of  their  Neighbours,  or 
 perhaps  fown  and  reaped  a  little  Corn,  in  iome  private 
 fenced  places  ^  where  the  Cattle  of  the  Midianites  did 
 not  come  to  eat  it  up. 
 
 Ver.    12.   And  the  Angel  of  the  LORD  appeared  unto  Verfe   12. 
 him."]     Gideon,  I  fuppofe,    turning  his  face  that  way, 
 beheld  him  fitting  under  the  Oak. 
 
 And  [aid  unto  him,  the  LORD  U  with  thee.']  He  did 
 not  take  him  to  be  one  of  the  Midian'/tet,  by  his  pofture, 
 and  manner  of  appearance:  and  was  made  more  certain 
 of  ic  by  this  Salutation.  Wherein  he  doth  not  pray 
 God  to  be  with  him  ^  but  declares  him  to  be  with  him 
 (as  appears  by  Gideon's  anfwer)  that  is,  to  aflift  him  to 
 be  the  deliverance  of  his  People.  The  Targum  here 
 Tranilates  it,  the  WORD  of  the  LORD  if  thy  help. 
 Whereby  it  appears  the  ancient  Jews  did  not  look  upon 
 this  Angel  merely  as  an  Heavenly  MeflTenger  fent  from 
 God:  but  as  the  LORD  himfelf,  as  he  is  called 
 v.  14.  16.  23.  24,  25.  27.  Which  is  confirmed  by 
 the  following  Verfe,  as  the  fame  Targum  Tranilates  it. 
 
 Thou  mighty  Man  of  valour."]  He  was  naturally  cou- 
 ragious  3  but  made  more  fo,  by  a  Divine  infpiration  : 
 and  yet  did  not  difdain  to  mind  Husbandry  ^  as  the 
 greateft  perfons  did  in  ancient  time.  In  fo  much  that 
 Pliny  faith,  the  Earth  brought  forth  its  Fruit  more  hap- 
 pily and   abundantly,    cum    Impcratorum  dariifimorum. 
 
 F  f  f  2  mambus 
 
4o4  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  manibus  traUaretur,  when  it  was  cultivated  by  the  hands 
 VI.     of  the  moft  famous  Commanders.     For  they  had  more 
 L/V^w  skill,  and  induftry  in  their  management,  than  the  ordi- 
 nary People. 
 Verfe  13.       Ver.   l3*  And  Gideon  f aid  unto  him,    0  my  Lord.~] 
 The  Hebrew  word  bi  (which  we  Translate,  0,  or  /  be- 
 feech  thee)  may  litterally  be  tranflated,    with  me?    by 
 way  of  interrogation.     As  much  as  to  fay,  how  can  that 
 be  ?     It  appears  by  the  word  adonai  (Lord)  which  is 
 ufed  to  all  Great  Men  }    that  he  did  not  yet  think  him 
 to  bean  Angel,  butfome  Perfon  of  extraordinary  Quality, 
 who  wifnt  well  to  the  Ifraelites. 
 
 If  the  LORD  be  with  us,  Why  then  is  all  this  befaln 
 m  ?  And  where  are  all  the  miracles  which  our  fathers  told  us 
 of,  faying,  Did  not  the  LORD  bring  us  up  from  Egypt , 
 Sec]  He  thought  their  prefent  condition  fufficiently 
 fhowed,  that  their  whole  Nation,  was  forfaken  by  God, 
 Who  had  thrown  them  into  that  flavery,  out  of  which 
 he  delivered  their  Fathers:  and  did  not  appear  by  any 
 miraculous  works  to  be  prefent  among  them  as  he 
 was  in  Egypt ,  but  left  them  to  be  devoured  by  the 
 Midianites. 
 
 Here  the  Targum  makes  Gideons  anfwer  to  have  been 
 this,  is  the  SCHECHJNAH  of  the  LORD  our  help  .<? 
 whence  then  hath  all  this  hapned  unto  m.  Which  Para- 
 phrafe  fhows  that  they  took  the  WORD  of  the  LORD 
 to  be  the  fame  with  the  SCHECHINAH  of  the  LORD 
 who  had  moft  glorioufly  appear'd  for  their  help.  See 
 v.  16.  and  XWjoJh.  12. 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  And  the  LORD  looked  upon  him.']  This 
 (hows  it  was  not  a  mere  Angel,  but  the  fame  Jehovah, 
 who  appeared  to  Jofiua  (v.  13,  14.J  in  the  likenefs  of 
 an  Angel :  and  now  caft  a  gracious  afpeft  upon  him. 
 For  to  have  refpedt  unto  a  Man,  or  unto  his  Sacrifice, 
 is  gracioufly  to  accept  him,  and  to  be  favourable  to  hirn  : 
 
 AS 
 
 ;. 
 
upon    JUDGES.  405 
 
 as  the  LORD  now  declared  he  was,  by  his  very  coun-  Chapter 
 tenance,  which  had  great  kindnefs  in  it.  VI. 
 
 And  [aid,  Go  in  this  thy  might.']     This  feems  to  inti-  Is^TSJ 
 mate  that  Gideon  was  immediately  infpired,  with  a  great 
 courage  ^  by  that  gracious  afped:  of  the  LORD  upon 
 him. 
 
 And  thou  /halt  fave  Ifrael  from  the  hand  of  the  Midiu- 
 Kites.']  See  thefe  wonders  renewed,  which  appeared  in 
 the  deliverance  of  their  Fathers  out  of  Egypt  3  of  which 
 Gideon  faid  there  was  no  token,  v.  1  3. 
 
 Have  not  I  fent  thee  ?~]  Is  not  this  a  fufficient  au- 
 thority, that  thou  haft  a  commiffion  from  God?  Great 
 care  is  taken  throughout  all  this  Book,  to  (how  that 
 the  Judges  all  afted  by  a  Divine  Warrant. 
 
 Ver.   15.  And  he  faid  unto  him,    0  my  Lord."]     Still  V"erfe  i<* 
 he  took  him  to  be  only  fome  extraordinary  Man. 
 
 Wherewith  fial/  I  fave  Ifrael  ?~]  He  doth  not  rejeft 
 the  Commiffion,  but  modeftly  declines  it  (as  Theodoret 
 obferves)  confidering  his  own  meannefs,  in  comparifon 
 with  many  others. 
 
 Behold,  my  family  k  poor  in  Manajfeh."]  And  confe- 
 quently  of  little  power  to  raife  Forces,  to  oppofe  fa 
 potent  an  Enemy.  The  word  we  Translate,  my  family 
 is  in  Hebrew,  my  thoufand.  For  the  Jfraelitcs  were  di- 
 ftributed  by  Jethrds  advice  into  Hundreds  and  Thou 
 fands :  and  the  Thoufand  to  which  Gideon  belonged 
 was  the  meaneft  of  all  the  reft  in  that  Tribe.  The  Jem 
 will  have  it,  that  Gideon  was  the  Chiliarch,  cr  chief 
 Commander  of  this  Thoufand :  others  fay  his  Farher 
 Joafo$  who,  it  appears  by  the  ftory,  was  a  considerable 
 Perfon  :  but  it  is  uncertain  whether  he  had  fuch  a  Go- 
 vernment. 
 
 And  I  am  the  leajl  in  my  Fathers  Hoafe.  ~]  This 
 fhows  that  Gideon  had  no  fuch  command,  as  the  Jews 
 imagine. 
 
 Ver.  16. 
 
4o 6  ^  COMMENr/iRT 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  16.  And  the  LORD  [aid  unto  him,    Surely  I 
 
 VI.      will  be  with  thee.~]     Do  not  confider  thy  poverty,  but 
 
 iyW)  the  power  of  God,  which  (hall  accompany  thee.    Here 
 
 Verfe  16.  the  Targnm  thus  Paraphrafes,    My  WORD  Jfjall  be  thy 
 
 help.     Who  was  the  fame  that  appeared  to  JoJIma,  with 
 
 a  Sword  in  his  Hand. 
 
 And  thou  (halt  finite  the  Midianites   as  one   Man.  *] 
 
 Defeat  them  as  eafily,  as  if  he  had  but  one  Man  to  deal 
 
 withal. 
 
 Verfe  17.       ^er'   T7'  ^nd  he  faid,    If  now  I  have  found  grace  in 
 
 'thy  fight."]     Am  fo  highly  favoured,   as  to  have  this 
 
 honour. 
 
 Then  [how  me  a  fignT]  He  doth  not  fo  much  make  a 
 doubt,  as  defire  to  be  confirmed  in  his  belief. 
 
 That  thou  talkefi  with  me.]  That  thou  haft  brought 
 this  Commiflion  from  God  ^  and  that  I  fhall  be  able 
 to  deftroy  the  Midianites.  He  faid  this  (as  Conr.  Pelli- 
 canus  thinks)  not  becaufe  his  faith  wanted  confirmation  5 
 but  that  he  might  make  others  believe,  who  would  re- 
 quire a  fign  before  they  joined  with  him/ 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  Depart  not  hence  I  pay  thee,  until  I  come 
 unto  thee.]    Stay  here  till  I  go  home,  and  return. 
 
 And  bring  forth  my  prefent."]  So  we  rightly  interpret 
 the  Hebrew  word  Mincha.  Which  though  it  fignifie 
 a  meat  offering  (as  we  obferve  in  the  Margin)  yet  there 
 was  nothing  of  a  Sacrifice  intended  here,  nor  was  Gideon 
 a  Prieft ;  or  this  a  place  of  Sacrifice. 
 
 Andfet  it  before  thee."]  He  intended  to  entertain  him, 
 by  making  a  Feaft  for  him. 
 
 And  he  faid,  I  will  tarry  till  thou  come  again.]  It  was 
 a  great  thing  he  was  to  undertake  5  and  fo  God  graci- 
 oufly  condefcended  to  give  him  all  manner  of  fatisfa&ion 
 about  it. 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  And  Gideon  went  in,  and  made  ready  a  Kid, 
 and  unleavened  Cakes  of  an  Ep/wh  of  Flour.']  For  expe- 
 dition 
 
upon  JUDGES.  4o7 
 
 dition  fake  he  made  fuch  Cakes  \    they  being  fooneft  Chapter 
 prepared.     For  it  is  a  mere  fancy  of  the  'jews,  that  this      VI. 
 was  done  about  the  Paffover.  in  the  days  of  unleaven-  l/Y\J 
 ed  Bread. 
 
 The  flejl)  he  put  in  a  Basket,  and  he  put  tie  broth  in  a 
 Pot :  and  brought  H  unto  him  under  the  Oal^,  and  pre- 
 fented  it.']  Set  it  before  him  on  a  Table,  and  defired 
 he  would  be  pleafed  to  Eat.  In  which  lie  followed 
 the  example  of  Abraham  and  Lot :  and  feems  to  havc^ 
 entertained  him  nobly,  according  to  the  way  of  tea  ft- 
 ing  in  thofe  days.  For  a  whole  Kid  (part  of  which 
 was  boiled,  and  the  other  part,  perhaps,  otherwifc  pre- 
 pared) and  fo  many  Cakes,  as  an  Ephah  of  Flour  would 
 make,  was  enough  for  feveral  guefts :  and  therefore  (o 
 much  fet  before  one  Man,  was  to  (how  his  great  refpeft 
 to  him. 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  the  Angel  of  the  LORD  faid  unto  brm,  Vtrfc  10. 
 tak§  the  flefl),    and  the  unleavened  Cakes."}     He  did  not 
 tafte  of  them,    intending  to  turn  them  into  a  Sacrifice 
 unto  God. 
 
 And  lay  them  upon  this  rock."]  Which  was  near  the 
 Grove  of  Oaks,  in  the  higher  part  of  the  City  of  Opbrab ; 
 as  Betram  conjeftures,  in  his  Book  de  Rcpub.  Judaica, 
 C.  XV. 
 
 And  pour  out  the  broth.~]  As  Elijah^  in  after  times, 
 bad  them  pour  Water  upon  his  Sacrifice. 
 
 And  he  did  JbJ]  He  obeyed  him :  though,  its  likely, 
 he  thought  it  ftrange  he  fhould  command  him  thus  to 
 difpofe,  of  the  good  chear,  he  had  prepared  tor  him. 
 
 Ver.  21.  Then  the  Angel  of  the  LORD  fat  forth  //■*•  Vcrfc  21. 
 end  of  the  Staff  that  was   in  his    hand.  ~]      I  or  he  ap- 
 peared, I  fuppofe,    in  the  form  of  a  Traveller:    who 
 were  wont  to  walk  with  a  Staff  in  their  Hand. 
 
 And  touched  t Ik  flejl)  and  the  unleavened  Cakes,  and 
 there  rofe  up  fire  out  of  the  rock.']     He  did  not  finite  the 
 
 fco< 
 
4oS  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  Rock  with  his  Staff  (by  which  ftroke  the  fire  might 
 VI.      have  been  thought  to  be  ftirred  up)   but  only  gently 
 
 U'VNJ  touched  the  flefh  and  the  Cakes  with  it. 
 
 And  confumed  the  flejh  and  the  unleavened  cakesT]  To- 
 gether with  the  Broth,  that  was  poured  on  them. 
 Which  was  as  great  a  Miracle  (if  not  greater)  as  if  Fire 
 had  come  down  from  Heaven,  as  in  the  Sacrifices  which 
 Mofes  and  Elijah  and  others  offered.  By  which  the 
 Faith  of  Gideon  was  mightily  ftrengthned,  that  the 
 Miracles  done  in  ancient  times  (which  he  enquired  after, 
 f.  13.)  were  not  ceafed  5  and  that  God  would  be  as 
 good  as  his  word  to  him  :  for  this  was  a  token  of  Gods  - 
 acceptance  of  him. 
 
 And  the  Angel  of  the  LORD  departed  out  of  his  fight.'] 
 Went  up  into  Heaven,  as  the  Chaldee  Paraphrafe  in- 
 terprets it. 
 
 Verfe  22.  Ver.  22.  And  when  Gideon  perceived  that  he  was  an 
 Angel  of  the  LORD~]  He  was  convinced  by  this  won- 
 der, that  he  was  not  a  mere  Prophet,  that  appeared  to 
 him. 
 
 Alas,  0  Lord  GOD,  for  becaufe  I  have  feen  an  Angel 
 of  the  LORD  face  to  face. ~]  He  fpeaks  as  a  Man  in  a 
 fright,  and  cuts  off  part  of  his  words.  For  his  mean- 
 ing was,  I  Jljall  die.  Such  was  the  opinion  of  good 
 Men  in  thofe  days,  that  if  they  faw  apparently  an  In- 
 habitant of  the  other  World,  he  came  to  call  them  away 
 from  this.  As  appears  more  fully  in  the  (lory  of  Ma- 
 noah  and  his  Wife,  in  the  XIIIth-  Chapter  of  this  Book. 
 And  this  opinion  was  very  ancient,  as  may  be  gathered 
 from  the  words  of  Jacob,  XXXII  Gen.  30.  and  they 
 were  confirmed  in  it,  perhaps,  by  the  words  of  God 
 to  Mofes,  XXXIII  Exod.  20. 
 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  And  the  LORD  faid  unto  him.']  Though 
 the  Angel  difappeared,  and  nothing  was  to  be  feen  5 
 yet  the  LORD  .who  appeared  in  that  form  to  him : 
 
 made 
 
upon  JUDGES.  409 
 
 made  him  know  he  was  ftill  prefent  with  him !  by  fpeak-  Ch 
 ing  the  following  words,  in  an  audible  Voice.  VI. 
 
 Peace  be  unto  thee,  fear  not  \  thon  fault  not  die.l  He  L/^/~\J 
 bids  him  fear  no  harm,  bur  quite  contrary  cxp 
 manner  of  good  (which  is  comprehended  in  the  word 
 Peace)  and  that  in  this  World  :  where  he  (hould  lull 
 continue,  to  work  that  deliverance  which  he  prbmifed 
 by  him.  From  fuch  places  as  this  the  ancient  Chriltians 
 rightly  gathered,  that  the  Son  of  God  appeared  upon 
 fome  great  occalions,  in  old  time:  which  is  not  in- 
 credible, but  a  matter  of  eafie  belief;  if  we  be  perfwaded 
 that  he  did  really  appear  in  our  flefh,  which  he  took  of 
 the  Virgin  Maty,  and  dwelt  among  us  for  a  longtime, 
 'and  then  afcended  in  it  to  Heaven,  where  he  lives  for 
 ever.  For  why  (hould  we  think  it  ftrange  if  for  a  fhorc 
 time  he  appeared  fometime  in  Humane  fhape,  as  a  />,  -  - 
 lude  to  what  he  intended  in  the  fulnefs  of  time?  Fuh 
 fane  id  ma) its  quod  nobis  prajtitit*  &c.  (as  Peter  Martyr 
 fpeaks)  It  wTas  indeed  a  greater  thing  which  he  did  for 
 us  atlaft:  but  he  that  did  the  greater,  may  well  be 
 granted  to  have  done  the  lefs,  and  there  is  no  reafon  to 
 doubt  of  it. 
 
 Ver.  24,  And  Gideon  built  an  Altar  there  unto  the  Verft 
 LORD.']  Not  ior  Sacrifice  (which  had  been  direclly 
 contrary  to  the  Law  of  God)  but  as  a  Monument  of  that 
 Heavenly  Vifion,  and  of  the  Mercy  promifed  to  him, 
 in  that  place  where  he  built  the  Altar,  viz.  Where  the 
 Angel  (food  and  touched  the  Flefh  and  unleavened 
 Cakes,  and  confumed  them.  Such  an  Altar  the  R 
 benties  made,  XXUjofa.  10,  &Y. 
 
 And  called  it  Jchovah-SI:dbm.~]     That  is,   the  I  ORD 
 here  pronounced  Peace  to  me,  v.  2^.  or  (as  weunder- 
 ftand  it,  in  the  Margin)  the  LOUD  grant  Peace.  Which 
 he  had  the  greateft  reafon  to  expecf,    when  God  I 
 declared  it,  at  that  very  time,  when  he  look'd  for  death* 
 
 Ggg 
 
4ro  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       1) tit il  this  day  it  is  yet  in  Ophrah  of  the  Abiezites.'] 
 
 VI.       It  was  remaining  when  Samuel wrote  this  Book. 
 lyVSJ       Ver.  25.  And  it  came  to  pafs  the  fame  night.]     After 
 Verfe  25.  the  Angels  appearance. 
 
 That  the  LORD  /aid  unto  him7\  In  a  dream,  it  is 
 moft  likely,  became  it  was  in  the  Night. 
 
 Take  thy  Fathers  young  BulJockf]  In  the  Hebrew  the 
 words  are  two,  Par,  Shor  ;  fignifying  a  Bullock  full 
 grown  :  which  his  Father,  it  is  probable,  had  fatted  up 
 for  a  Sacrifice  to  Baal. 
 
 Even  the  fecond  Bul/ockf]  Our  Tranflation  fuppofes 
 there  was  but  one  Bullock,  which  he  was  ordered  to 
 take  (becaufe  we  read  in  the  next  Verfe,  that  this  alone 
 was  facrificed)  but  in  the  Hebrew,  and  the  LXX.  and 
 the  Vulgar  (and  our  Margin  alfo)  the  words  are,  and 
 the  fecond  Bulloch^:  which  was  next  to  the  firft  in  age. 
 
 Of  feven  years  eld.  ]  Which  was  calved,  as  Arias 
 Mont  an  us  obferves,  when  their  oppreffion  under  the 
 Mid/anites  began  ,  and  was  now  ordered  to  be  facri- 
 ficed, in  token  that  it  fhould  eftd  with  this  Bullocks 
 death. 
 
 And  throw  down  the  Altar  of  Baal  that  thy  Father 
 hath.']  Which  was  in  his  ground,  and  built  perhaps  at 
 his  charge :  but  was  for  publick  ufe,  as  appears  from 
 v.  28. 
 
 And  cut  down  the  grove  that  is  by  it.]  Or  rather, 
 upon  H :  for  fo  the  Hebrew  word  alau  fignifies  5  and  fo  the 
 LXX.  Tranflate  it  i  7r'  cu>t&  upon  the  Altar  before  men- 
 tioned. And  therefore  by  Aflyereh ,  which  we  Tran- 
 flate Grove,  muft  be  meant  the  Image  in  the  Grove, 
 which  flood  upon  the  Altar.  And  fo  the  word  is  ufed 
 in  other  places,  1  Kings  XXIII.  6.  Which  Mr.  Selden 
 probably  conjectures  was  the  Image  of  AfJjtaroth,  or 
 AJiarte :  for  fhe  was  worfhipped  together  with  Baal, 
 II.  13.    where  they  are  faid  to  have  worfhipped  Baal 
 
 and 
 
upm    JUDGES.  4 1  i 
 
 and  Afitaroth   (for  there  was  more  than  one  Aft  arte  s)  Chapter 
 which  is  the  (ame  with  III.  7.  where  its  faid  they  wor-        VI. 
 fhipped    Baalim  and  the  groves.     See  Syntag.  2.  cle  Diit  L^VNj 
 Syriit,  Cap.  1.     There  could  be  no  hope  of  deliverance 
 till  Religion  was  reformed  3  with  which  therefore  God 
 orders  him  to  begin. 
 
 Ver.    26.   And  build  an  Altar  unto  the   LORD  /^  GW,  Verfe  26. 
 upon  the  top  of  this  Rocl^]     Where  the  Angel  appeared 
 to  him  from  whence  Bertram  thinks  the  Ifraclites  learnt 
 to  Sacrifice  in  high  places  5  if  it  were  nut  rather  a  cultom 
 derived  from  the  Gentiles. 
 
 On  the  top  of  this  Rock  there  was  a  Fortrefs,  as  1 
 take  it :  which  it  is  likely  had  been  built  to  fecure  them 
 from  the  Midianites.  For  the  word  for  Roc\  is  not 
 the  ordinary  one,  viz.  tzor,  orfela  :  but  mahoz  5  which 
 fignifies  a  ftrong  hold. 
 
 //;  the  ordered  place."]  Which  St.  Hierom  took  to  be 
 the  place,  where  the  Flefh  and  unleavened  Cakes  were 
 laid  in  order  upon  the  Rock,  v.  20.  But  it  may  fignifie, 
 as  we  Tranilate  it  in  the  Margin,  in  an  orderly  manner. 
 
 And  take  the  fecond  BuUoel^^  and  offer  a  burnt  Sacrificed] 
 If  there  were  two  Bullocks  which  he  took,  it  is  hard 
 to  fay  what  became  of  the  fir  ft.  Ariat  Mont  an  us  fup- 
 pofes  it  was  offered  for  himtelf  and  for  his  Family  :  but 
 this  fecond  is  only  mentioned,  becaufe  it  was  the  Sacrifice 
 that  was  offered  for  the  whole  Nation,  to  implore  Gods 
 Mercy  to  them  5  for  Sacrifices  were  a  kind  of  Prayer  and 
 Supplication.  Gideon  was  no  Fried,  but  by  Gods  fpe- 
 cial  order  was  required  to  do  this  5  which  othenvife 
 would  have  been  a  prefumptuous  Sin. 
 
 With  the  JVood  of  the  Grove  which  thou  JIj  alt  cut  dotvn.l 
 This  was  alfo  an  extraordinary  command,  whereby 
 things  imployed  to  Idolatry,  were  converted  to  a  fa- 
 cred  ufe.  Otherwife,  God  had  ordered  them  all  to  be 
 utterly  deftroyed,  VII  Deut.  5.  XII.  3. 
 
 G  gg  2  Ver.  2" 
 
4,2  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.   z7*  The*  Gidco-n  tooh^  ten  Men  of  his  Servants.] 
 
 VI.       In  whom  he  could  confide.     And  this  number  was  as 
 
 L/~V"Nj  many  as  was  neceflary  to  make  a  Congregation  for  pub- 
 
 Verie  27.  lick  worfhip,    and   was  fufficient  alfo  to  execute  what 
 
 God  had  commanded. 
 
 And  did  as  the  LORD  had  faid  unto  him."]  Broke 
 down  the  Altar  of  Baal$  cut  down  the  Grove  5  and 
 built  an  Altar  unto  the  LORD  5  and  offered  the  burnt 
 Sacrifice. 
 
 And  fo  it  was,  becaufe  he  feared  his  Fathers  Houfhold 
 and  the  Men  of  the  City,  that  he  could  not  do  it  by  day.] 
 Without  indangering  a  tumult,  which  might  have  ended 
 in  a  fray. 
 
 That  he  did  it  by  night.]  When  he  was  likely  to 
 meet  with  no  oppofition.  In  this  he  gave  an  early 
 proof  of  his  Faith  in  God,  for  it  was  a  bold  under- 
 taking. But  prudence  is  not  excluded  in  the  execution 
 of  the  Divine  commands.  Yet  the  greater  fpeed  Men 
 make,  the  more  acceptable  it  is :  and  fome  think  his 
 zeal  moved  him  to  do  this,  the  very  fame  Night  where- 
 in God  appeared  to  him. 
 Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  And  when  the  Men  of  the  City  rofe  early  in 
 the  morning.']  And  came  to  worlhip  Baal  3  before 
 they  went  about  their  bufinefs. 
 
 Behold,  the  Altar  of  Baal  was  cajl  down,  and  the  grove 
 cut  down  that  was  by  it.]  They  were  very  much  fur- 
 prized,  to  fee  fuch  an  alteration. 
 
 And  the  fecond  bullock,  was  offered."]  Which  they 
 knew  was  defigned  for  a  Sacrifice  to  Baal. 
 
 Vpon  the  Altar  that  was  built.]  Not  upon  the  Altar 
 of  Baal,  which  was  thrown  down,  but  on  a  new  one, 
 which  was  built  in  another  place  :  upon  which  the  flefti 
 of  the  fecond  Bullock  was  ftill  flaming,  being  not  quite 
 confumed,  when  they  came  thither, 
 
 Ver.  29. 
 
upon  JUDGES.  413 
 
 Ver.    29.  And  they  faid  one  to  another,   who  hath  done   Chapter 
 this  thing  ?~]     Their   Superitition   nu.i  .*   them  \ery   fo-       VI. 
 licitous,  to  find  out  the  Author  of  this  Impiety,  as  they  l^\T\j 
 accounted  it.  Verfe  29. 
 
 And  when  they  enquired,  and  asked.~]  Here  are  two 
 words  in  the  Hebrew,  importing  that  they  made  a  dili- 
 gent lnquilition:  examining  many  Perfons  what  they 
 knew  or  it. 
 
 They  faid,  Gideon  the  Son  of  Joafh  hath  done  this 
 tl.ingT]  Who  gave  this  information,  we  are  not  told  5 
 nor  how  the  difcovery  was  made.  Perhaps,  fome  bad 
 feen  him  that  Morning,  (land  by  the  Sacrifice  :  which 
 it  is  likely  he  would  not  forfake,  as  long  as  he  durft  at- 
 tend it.  Or  fome  of  his  Servants  might  let  fall  fuch 
 words  as  gave  fufpition.  Or,  the  Altar  and  Image 
 ftanding  in  Joafi  his  ground,  and  his  Bullock  being 
 offered  5  they  thought  that  none,  without  the  know- 
 ledge of  his  Family,  could  come  to  attempt  it.  And 
 befides,  it  is  probable  that  Gideon  was  known  to  be  no 
 zealous  Servant  of  Baal  $  and  when  all  were  fo  very- 
 much  concerned  for  the  demolifhing  of  his  Altar,  he 
 exprefling  no  concern  at  all,  they  confidently  charged 
 him  with  the  faft. 
 
 Ver.    30.  Then  the  Men  of  the  City  f aid  to  Joaflj,  Bring  Verfe  30. 
 out  thy  Son^  that  he  may  die,  becaufe  he,   &c]     It  feems 
 they  were  all  zealous  Idolators:  and  thought  him  wor- 
 thy of  Death   who  difhonoured  thofe  who  were  ac- 
 counted Gods. 
 
 Ver.   3 1 .  And  Joafifaid  unto  all  that  flood  again/l  him7\  Verfe  2 1 , 
 That  is,  againft  his  Son  :    demanding  to  have  him  pro- 
 duced, and  punifhed. 
 
 Will  ye  plead  for  Baal  .<?  Will  ye  fave  him  .<?]  i.e.  Will 
 you  take  upon  you  to  avenge  his  Quarrel,  and  to  be  his 
 Patrons  >  Doth  it  belong  to  you  to  be  his  defenders  and 
 deliverers?     It  feems  to  have  been  a  popular  tumult, 
 
 which 
 
4*4  A   c  OMMENT AKY 
 
 Chapter  which  he  endeavours  to  reprcfs;    by  reprefenting  to 
 
 VI.      them  that  fuch  crimes  were  not  to  be  punifhed  by  them, 
 
 L/^V^V-  but  by  the  Magiftrates  of  the  City  :  And  that  they  would 
 
 bring  themfelves  in  danger  of  what  they  intended  to 
 
 do  to  Gideon,   if  they  did  not  defift,  as  it  follows  in 
 
 the  next  words. 
 
 He  that  will  plead  for  hint,  let  him  be  put  to  death,'] 
 That  is,  let  me  tell  yon,  he  that  thus  moves  Sedition, 
 in  this  caufe  5  by  my  content  (hall  be  put  to  Death 
 himfelf.  And  it  is  likely,  Joaflj  was  a  Magiftrate  in  the 
 City  :  who  terrified  them  by  declaring  what  his  opinion 
 would  be  5  if  they  came  to  be  tried  for  this  Rior. 
 
 While  it  k  yet  morning.']  That  is,  immediately.  For 
 it  was  early  in  the  Morning  (v.  28.)  when  they  came 
 in  this  manner  to  Joafi. 
 
 If  he  be  a  god,  let  him  plead  for  himfelf,  be  caufe  he 
 hath  caft  down  hk  Altar.]  If  the  Magiftrates  negleded  to 
 punifh  the  pretended  Crime  5  Baal,  he  tells  them,  in 
 cafe  he  were  a  real  god,  would  take  care  to  do  him- 
 felf right :  and  therefore  they  need  not  be  fo  much  con- 
 cerned about  it.  And  fo  fome  underftand  the  latter 
 part  of  this  Verfe,  He  deferves  to  die  prefently,  who  k  an 
 adverfary  to  Baal:  But  let  the  execution  be  done  then  by 
 Baal  himfelf.  For  if  he  be  a  god,  he  will  take  care  of  his 
 own  honour  $  and  you  need  not  trouble  your  felves  about  it. 
 It  is  likely  Joa/h  had  been  convinced  by  his  Son,  that 
 God  had  given  him  a  commiflion  to  deliver  his  People  5 
 and  to  begin  it  with  this  reformation.  Which  made 
 him  appear  thus  boldly  in  his  Sons  caufe  5  becaufe  he 
 knew  it  was  the  caufe  of  God. 
 Verfe  32.  Ver.  32.  Therefore  on  that  day  he  called  him  Jerub- 
 baal.]  In  the  2  Kings  XI.  21.  he  is  called  Jerub-befieth. 
 For  fo  fome  called  Baal,  in  contempt,  by  the  name  of 
 Befieth,  that  is  fhame  and  confufion:  which  well  ex- 
 prefles  the  nature  of  fuch  Idols. 
 
 Saying, 
 
upon  J  U  D  G  E  S.  415 
 
 Saying,    Let  Baal  plead   againjl  him,    becaufe  he  hath  Chapter 
 thrown  down  his  Altar. ~]     This  is  the  reaibn  why  he  gave        VI. 
 him  this  Name  :  which  is  as  much  as  to  fay,  the  Advert  L/'VNJ 
 firy  of  Baal :  OX,  him  whom  Baal  hath  a  quarrel  withal  : 
 upon    the  account    of  the  affront  put   upon  him,    in 
 throwing  down  his  Altar*     The  Vhanichns  called  him 
 Jerowbalvs,  as  appears  by  Sanchuniathon,   whom  Eufcbivs 
 often  quotes,   as  he  is  tranllated   by  Philo  Byblius  into 
 Greek-     And  Porphyry  faith,    he  received  certain  Com- 
 mentaries from  Jerombalus,  the  Pried  of  the  God  Jevo. 
 Which  can  be  nothing  but  the  Books  of  Mofs,  which 
 contain  the   Laws  delivered  by    Jehovah  :    As  Huetius 
 juftly   obferves  in   his    Dcmonflr.    Evangel.   Propof.  IV. 
 Cap.  II.  for  the  remains,  which  we  have  of  his  writings, 
 plainly  tafte  of  the  Doc>rine  of  Mofes. 
 
 Ver.   33.  Then  all  the  Midianites,  and  the  Am  alettes,  \f^xfe  22. 
 and  the  Children  of  the  Eaji  were  gathered  together."]     As 
 they  were  wont  to  do  every  Year,    to  wade  the  Coun- 
 try, v.  3,4,5. 
 
 And  went  over.]     The  River  Jordan. 
 
 And  pitched  in  the  valley  ofJezrecl.~]  Which  alarmed 
 Gideon,  agd  gave  him  occafion  to  execute  his  Com- 
 miffion  5  it  being  not  far  from  Ophrah.  For  Jezreel  in 
 the  Tribe  of  Judah  is  not  here  meant  (mentioned  XV 
 Jo(I).  36.)  but  Jezreel  in  the  Tribe  of  Manaffeh,  or 
 Iffachar,  which  is  frequently  fpoken  of  in  the  Book  of 
 the  Kings,  being  one  of  the  Royal  Seats  of  the  Kings 
 of  Ifrael.  Where  there  was  a  noble  Valley,  running 
 from  theEaft,  to  the  Weft,  mentioned  Wlljofi.  16. 
 I  Hofea  5. 
 
 Ver.  34.  But  the   Spirit   of  the    LORD    came   ttponVcrk  34. 
 Gideon.']     Or,  (as  the  words  are  in  the  Hebrew,  and  as 
 the  LXX.  Tranflate  it)    clothed  Gideon.     Which  is   a 
 Phrafe  St.  Paul  ufes  to  fignihe  a  Man  is  repleni(hed  with 
 that,  wherewith  he  is  faid  to  be  clothed  3    or  that  he  is 
 
 fully 
 
4i6  A  C  OMME  NT  ART 
 
 Chapter  fully  poffeffed  of  it.     So   was  Gideon  with   courage, 
 VI.      and  all  other  qualities  neceflary  in  a  great  Commander. 
 
 ^/"V^SJ  And  he  blew  a  Trumpet,  and  Abiezer  was  gathered  unto 
 him.']  Came  and  offered  their  fervice,  to  fight  under 
 his  banner.  This  was  a  wonderful  change,  if  the  City 
 of  Ophrah,  who  were  lately  fo  incenfed  againft  him, 
 that  they  would  have  killed  him  for  deftroying  their 
 Idol}  now  not  only  fubmitted  to  him,  but  were  ready 
 to  join  with  him  againft  all  his  Enemies.  But  though 
 this  be  not  incredible  that  they  were  converted  from  the 
 Idolatrous  worfhip  of  Baal,  when  they  (aw  no  hurt  be- 
 fal  Gideon  for  throwing  down  his  Altar,  &c.  yet,  this 
 may  be  meant  only  of  the  reft  of  the  Abiezrites,  and 
 efpecially  thofe  of  his  own  kindred  and  Family. 
 
 Verfe  35.  Ver.  35.  Andhefent  mejfengers  throughout  all ' Manajfeh, 
 who  alfo  were  gathered  after  him.]  That  is,  the  reft  of 
 his  Tribe:  whofe  hearts  God  moved  to  refort  unto 
 him. 
 
 And  he  fent  mejfengers  unto  After,  and  unto  Zebulon, 
 and  unto  Naphtali.]  After  his  own  Tribe  was  come  in, 
 he  invited  thefe  three  who  bordered  upon  the  Tribe  of 
 Manaffeh  Northward,  to  come  to  his  alfiftance.  But  he 
 did  not  fend  unto  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim,  who  were 
 Neighbours  to  the  Manajjites  on  the  South:  which 
 .afterward  begat  a  Quarrel,  as  we  read,  Chap.  VIII. 
 
 ■And  they  came  to  meet  them.']  One  of  the  Copies  of 
 the  LXX.  refers  this  to  Gideon,  that  he  went  up  to  meet 
 thofe  of  the  three  Tribes  before  mentioned  :  but  others 
 refer  it  to  them,  who  came  up  to  meet  Gideon;  and  fo 
 the  Hebrew  words  feem  to  import.  But  which  way  fo 
 ever  we  take  it,  they  all  joined  their  Forces  together. 
 And  from  hence  Sir  J.Marftam,  infers  that  the  op* 
 predion  fell  only  on  this  part  of  the  Country  :  though 
 the  whole  Story  reprefents  all  the  Ifraelites  as  in  a  mifer- 
 able  Condition  -,  and  as  fubmitting  to  his  Government 
 after  he  had  delivered  them.  Ver.  36. 
 
 • 
 
upm   JUDGES.  41 7 
 
 Ver.  36.  And  Gideon  faid  unto  God."]  In  a  Prayer,  Chapter 
 which,  I  iuppofe,  he  made  unto  him.  VI. 
 
 If  thou  wilt  five  lfrael  by  my  hand,  as  thou  baft J aid V]  L/'VNJ 
 He  did  not  doubt  of  God's  intentions,    who  had  pro-  Vei 
 
 miied  to  be  with  him:  For  in  purfuit  of  his  Commands 
 he  had  done  one  great  thing  already  in  throwing  down 
 Baals  Altar  5  and  had  alfo  blown  a  Trumpet  and  lifted 
 Soldiers:  and  had  likewife  feen  wonderful  eikv.rL->  of 
 Gods  power,  in  coniuming  the  Mefh  and  the  Cakes 
 that  were  laid  upon  the  Rock,  by  Fire  coming  out  of 
 it.  Therefore  he  defired  only  a  confirmation  of  his 
 Faith  :,  and  that,  perhaps,  for  the  lake  of  thole  who 
 were  to  go  with  him :  who  might  pollibly  be  timerous. 
 Or  he  might  defire  by  fome  fign  to  know,  whether  at 
 this  time,  he  would  make  him  victorious  over  the 
 Midianites,  or  he  was  to  w7ait  for  fome  other  oppor- 
 tunity. 
 
 Ver.  37.  Behold,    I  re'di  pit  a  fleece  of  wool  in   the  Verfe  37. 
 floor.']     Where  they  were  wont  to  threfh  Corn:  which 
 w.s  done  in  the  open  Air,  not  in  Barns  5    as  we  do 
 now. 
 
 And  if  the  dew  be  on  the  fleece  only,  and  it  be  dry  upon 
 all  the  earth  bej/de,  theft  fljall  I  lyiow  that  thou  wilt  five 
 Ifracl  by  my  hand,  as  thou  hajlfiid.~]  He  fuppofed  that 
 the  dew  which  diftilied  from  Heaven  was  a  Divine  gift 
 (as  the  Scripture  often  teftifies,  particularly  XXVIII 
 Gen.  28.)  which  he  defires  might  be  fo  governed  by 
 God,  that  though  it  commonly  tall  every  where,  it 
 might  now  by  his  extraordinary  Providence  water  only 
 his  Fleece. 
 
 Ver.  38.  And   it  was  fo,   for   he  rofc  up  early  in   theyQr^ 
 mornings    and  thruft  the  fleece  together,  and  winged  the 
 dew  out  of  the  fleece  a  bowl  full  of  water."]     When  there 
 was  not  a  drop  upon  the  Earth  round  about  it.    The 
 The  word  Scphel  which  here  vve  Tranllate  bowl,    was 
 
 H  h  h  ufed 
 
4IS  A  CO  MMtUT  A  R  Y 
 
 Chapter  ufeJ  in  the   foreg  ing  Chapter,    v.  25.     Where  fee. 
 VII.  Ver.   59.   And  Gideon  /aid  unto  God,    let  not    thine 
 
 W"VV>  anger  be  hot  again]}  me,  and  I  will  fpeal^  but  this  once  j 
 Verfe  39.  Though  God  did  not  chide  him  for  his  former  defire, 
 nor  charge  him  with  any  diftruft  of  his  power  and  will 
 to  do  what  he  promifed,  yet  Gideon  was  afraid  left  he 
 fhould  be  very  angry  at  his  renewing  the  fame  requeft  : 
 becaufe  it  lookt  like  a  diffidence  in  Gods  word.     But  if 
 we  confider  that  it  was  for  the  further  and  fuller  fatif- 
 fa&ion  of  thofe  that  were  to  go  with  him,    it  may  be 
 excufed  :   and  as  he  promifes  that  he  will  ask  no  more 
 figns,  fo  we  do  not  find  the  LOUD  took  it  ill  of  him 
 that  he  asked  this. 
 
 Let  me  prove  theey  J  pray  thee,  with  the  fleece."]  This 
 is  a  bad  word,  when  it  denotes  Mens  Infidelity,  that  no 
 fign  will  be  given  them  :  but  a  good  one,  when  it  fig- 
 nifies  an  humble  defire  to  have  fuch  a  fign  granted  them, 
 as  here  it  doth. 
 
 Let  it  be  dry  now  only  upon  the  fleece,  and  upon  all  the 
 ground  let  there  be  dew.]  Upon  thefe  words  Ralbag  hath 
 this  obfervation,  The  former  miracle  was  not  fuflflcient  for 
 his  conviction,  becauje  it  is  in  the  very  nature  of  wool  to 
 draw  moiflure  to  it ;  and  therefore  he  defires  this  fecond 
 miracle,  which  is  contrary  to  thefirjl. 
 Verfe  40.  Ver.  4°-  And  God  did  fo  that  night."]  For  fome  dew 
 drops  in  the  Morning,  other  in  the  Night.  And  here 
 God  was  pleafed  not  in  the  Morning,  but  in  that  very 
 Night  when  he  asked  this  fign  to  fprinkle  all  the  Floor 
 with  dew,  and  let  none  fall  upon  the  Fleece.  So  ready, 
 faith  Bochartus  is  God  to  hear  our  Prayers :  which  his 
 benefits  do  not  fo  much  follow,  as  go  before  them,  or 
 immediately  accompany  them. 
 
 For  it  was  dry  upon  the  fleece  only,  and  there  was  dew 
 on  all  the  ground.]  Not  upon  all  the  Country  oilfrael: 
 but  upon  all  the  floor,   or  the  Land  thereabout.     By 
 
 thefe 
 
upon   JUDGES  4,9 
 
 thefe  quite  contrary  Ggnt,  his  Faith  Wis  fully  confirmed  :  Chapter 
 
 an  J  perhaps  there  was  ionic  need  of  ir,    when  ht  faw      vi. 
 the  number  of  his  followers.  I  (mall  hand-  L/*V%j 
 
 tul  of  three  hundred  Men,  VII.  10.  There  arc  thole, 
 who  think  he  chofe  a  Fleece  of  Wool  for  this  purprfrfe 
 nor  only  becaufe  it  was  ready  at  hand  :  but  the  cat  r 
 to  exprefs  how  the  Earth  was  (horn  by  the  Mid?attrttr\ 
 as  the  Sheep  had  been  by  him.  And  when  he  begg'd 
 the  dew  (a  (ign  ot  the  Divine  favour}  might  fall  Up 
 the  Fleece,  it  was  to  reprefent  the  kindneis  of  God  to 
 him  :  and  when  hebegg'd  it  might  fall  upon  the  whole 
 ground,  it  reprefented  his  favour  to  all  the  People. 
 And,  laftlv,  that  thefe  two  Miracles  oppotite  one  to  the 
 other,  do  notably  let  forth  the  ftate  of  that  Nation  : 
 who  were  moiftned  with  the  dew  of  Heaven  (the  know- 
 ledge of  God)  when  the  reft  of  the  World  were  dry  ^ 
 and  now  are  dry,  when  the  reft  ot  the  Earth  are  filled 
 with  the  knowledge  of  the  LORD,  as  the  Waters  co- 
 ver the  Sea. 
 
 Chapter 
 CHAP.     VII.  VII. 
 
 Verfe   1.  /    I   ^H EN  Jerubbaal    (who  is  Gideon)    W  ycrfe   I# 
 
 I  all  the  People  that  were  with  him^  rofc 
 up  carl).~)  The  very  next  Morning,  I  fuppofe,  after 
 the  laft  Miracle. 
 
 And  pitched  bejide  the  well  of  Harod.]  It  is  but  con- 
 je&ured  where  this  Well  was,  viz.  not  far  from  Mount 
 Gilboa. 
 
 So  that  the  ho  ft  of  the  Midi wit es  irere  on  the  \orthfde 
 of  them,  by  the  hill  of  A'loreh.~]  The  Vulgar  takes  the 
 word  Moreh  to  fignifie  high  :  and  then  this  high  Hill 
 can  be  no  other  then  the  forenamed  Gilboa.  Here  Pel/i- 
 canus  obferves  that  Prudence,  and  diligent  forecaft  is  to 
 
 Hhh  2  be 
 
42o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  be  ufed,  even  when  we  are  under  the  Divine  conduit: 
 
 VII.      f°r  he  thinks  Gideon  a&ed  like  a  skilful  Commander, 
 
 l^yVN^j  when  he  quartered  his  Army  fo,  as  to  have  the  Enemy 
 
 on  the  North  of  him,    rather   than  the  Eaft  or  the 
 
 South. 
 
 In  the  valley."]  Of  Jczreel,  as  was  faid  before,  VI. 
 33.  which  had  Hermon  on  the  North,  and  Gilboa  on 
 the  South  of  it. 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  And  the  LORD  faid  unto  Gideon,  the  People 
 that  are  with  thee,  are  too  many  for  me  to  give  the  Midi  an  it  es 
 into  their  hand."]  They  were  but  thirty  two  Thoufand, 
 againft  an  innumerable  Army  of  the  Enemies,  v.  3.  12. 
 which  was  a  vaft  difproportion :  and  yet  God  would 
 not  ufe  the  fervice  of  fuch  a  Company,  left  it  (hould 
 obfcure  his  Glory  $  as  it  follows  in  the  next  words. 
 
 Left  Ifrael  vant  themfelves  againfi  me,  faying,  Mine 
 own  hand  hath  faved  me.~\  He  knew  their  humour,  and 
 forefaw  they  might  be  fo  vain,  as  to  afcribe  the  Vi&ory 
 to  their  own  power  and  prowefs,  and  not  to  him  : 
 who  intended  to  (how  to  all  the  World,  it  was  his 
 miraculous  work. 
 Verfe  2  ^er#  3'  Now  therefore  go  to,  proclaim  in  the  ears  of 
 the  People."]  According  to  the  command  of  Mo/is, 
 XX  Dent.  8. 
 
 Whofoever  is  fearful  and  afraid."]  The  word  which 
 we  Tranflate  afraid,  is  in  the  Hebrew  Harod.  From 
 whence  fome  have  conje&ured  the  Well  where  they 
 pitched  (v.  1.)  was  called  by  the  name  of  Harod:  be- 
 caufe  here  a  great  fear  came  upon  moft  of  Gideons 
 Army. 
 
 Let  him  return  and  depart  early 7]  As  foon  as  he  can. 
 Or,  as  a  great  many  underftand  it,  make  what  hafte  he 
 can  to  his  home  :  it  being  a. metaphor,,  they  think,  from 
 the  flying  of  a  Bird, 
 
 From 
 
upon  J  LI  DGES.  421 
 
 From  mount  GikaclT]     Not  that  Mountain  which   is  Chapter 
 fo  often  mentioned  in  Scripture  5  tor  that  was  on  the      vir. 
 other  fide  of  Jordan,   and  in  the  moft  Eaftern  part  of  s-^V^SJ 
 their  Country    (as  appears  from  the   Story   of  Jacob, 
 when  he  returned  I"  om  Padan  Aram)  but  another  Moun- 
 tain on  this  Weft  fide  of  Jordan  in  the  Tribe  of-  Ma- 
 naffch.     The  Name  of  whofe  Grandlon  Gilead    (from 
 whom  all  the  Tribe  defcended)  was  given,   it  is  prob- 
 able in  memory  of  him  to  fome  Mountain  in  this  Coun- 
 try.    Which  was  called  Mount  Gilead  ^  juft  as  another 
 Mountain  in  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim,  was  called   Mount 
 Ephraim.     This  teems  to  me  a  far  more  rational  account 
 of  thefe  words,  than  theirs  who  Tranfiate  them  towards 
 mount  Gtlead,  or  about  it ;    or  devife  fome  other  fuch 
 like  Explication  of  the  Particle  Mln  (which  we  rightly 
 Tnnihte  from)  as  m^y  confift  with  their  opinion  thu 
 the  Mount  on  the  other  fide  Jordan  is  here  intended. 
 Gatakcr  hath  colle&ed  many  interpretations  of  this  kind 
 in  his  Onnm,  Lib.  2.  Cap.  XVIII. 
 
 And  there  returned  of  the  People  twenty  and  two  thou- 
 fand.~]  As  God  thought  there  was  too  many,  fo  they 
 thought  there  were  too  few,  to  fight  with  fuch  an  Hoft 
 as  came  againft  them.  And  therefore,  though  they  were 
 at  the  firft  forward  to  lift  themfelves  under  Gideon, 
 yet  when  they  faw  no  greater  number  come  in,  as  they 
 expected,  their  Hearts  failed  them.  For  they  trufted 
 not  in  God,  but  in  their  own  ftrength. 
 
 And  there  remained  ten  thoufand.~]  Who  had  more 
 courage  5  and  were  refolved  to  venture  their  lives  in 
 thecaufe.  Ralbag  thinks  the  greater  number  that  went 
 away  were  Men  of  bad  lives  5  whofe  Conferences  made 
 them  afraid  :  and  that  thefe  who  remained  were  better 
 Men,  which  made  them  valiant,  and  undaunted.  And 
 they  were  juft  the  fame  number,  that  went  down  with 
 Baral^  from  Mount  Tabor,  in  their  laft  deliverance,  IV. 
 10.  Ver.  4. 
 
0A  A    CO  MMEHT  A  RY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  4.   And  the  LORD  faid  unto  Gideon,  the  People 
 VII.      are  yet  too  many']     The    more  valiant  they   were,    the 
 
 L/*V"*\J  more  they  might  be  apt  to  afcribe  to  themfclves. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Bring  them  down  unto  the  water!]  Which,  it  is  likely, 
 run  from  the  Well,  or  Fountain  of  Harod  5  and  made 
 a  Brook. 
 
 And  I  will  try  them  for  thee  there."]  Give  thee  a  proof, 
 who  are  fit  for  the  fervice.  The  Hebrew  word  Tzaraph 
 fignifies  to  fcour,  purge,  and  purifie,  as  Fullers  do 
 Cloth  from  its  filthinels^  or  as  Refiners  do  Gold  and 
 Silver  from  their  drofs.  So  God  intended  to  purge 
 Gideons  Army,  from  all  fuch  Perfons,  as  he  judged  un- 
 meet for  the  undertaking. 
 
 And  it  JJjaU  be  that  of  whom  I  fay  unto  thee,  Thk  fldall 
 go  with  thee,  the  fame  fliall  go  with  thee  :  and  of  whom- 
 foever  I  fay  unto  thee,  This  full  not  go  with  thee,  the 
 fame  fh all  not  go, ."]  He  intended  by  fuch  a  voice  as  now 
 fpake  unto  him  $  to  declare  who  (hould  go  with  him, 
 and  who  fhould  not. 
 
 Verfe  5.        Ver.   5.  So  he  brought  down  the  People  unto  the  water.'} 
 Where  it  was  proper  to  Purge  them. 
 
 And  the  LORD  faid  unto  Gideon,  Every  one  that  lap- 
 peth  of  the  water  with  hk  Tongue,  as  a  Dog  lappeth,  him 
 fialt  thou  fet  by  himfelf^  likewife  every  one  that  boweth 
 down  upon  hk  knees  to  drinhf]  They  were  thirfly,  we 
 may  well  fuppofe,  by  the  heat  of  the  weather,  and  by 
 their  march  :  which  made  them  greedily  betake  them- 
 felves  to  the  Water.  Where  he  bid  Gideon  obferve  the 
 different  poftures,  which  they  ufed  in  quenching  of 
 their  thirft.  The  LXX.  here  Translate  it  ttSs  0*  *v  A*-^ 
 Ty}y\oio3>i  avrS,  whofoever  licketh  up  the  Water  with 
 his  Tongue.  Which  is  the  very  word  the  great  Philo- 
 fopher  ufes  in  his  Hiftory  of  Animals  :  Lib.  VIII.  Cap. 
 VI.  where  he  faith  thofe  Creatures  whofe  Teeth  are  con- 
 tinued clofe  together,  fup  up  Water  as  Horfes  and  Oxen 
 
 do: 
 
 x 
 
upon    J  11  D  G  M  S.  4:^ 
 
 do:  but  fuch  as  he  calls  t^^^J^ovlx  that  have  Teeth  Chapter 
 like  a  Saw,  do  >Jnm»y    which  is  of  the  lame  figfrifica-       VII. 
 tion  with  our  Englifh  word  lap,  and  the  French,  Uper,  is~v~\j 
 as  Bochart  obferves. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  the  number  of  them  th.it  lapped  pitting  Verfe  6. 
 their  hand  to  their  month,  ivere  three  hundred  Men  :  but  all 
 the  rejl  oj  the  People  bowed  down  upon  the'ir  faee/,  to  drink 
 water.']  Some  alcribe  it  to  the  (loth  and  lazinefs  of  thele 
 three  Hundred  Men,  that  they  would  not  (loop  down 
 to  drink,  as  the  reft  did  :  others,  to  their  timeroufnefs, 
 and  the  great  fear  they  were  in  of  being  fuddenly  fur- 
 prifed  by  their  Enemies :  which  is  the  opinion  of  Jofe- 
 phus  and  Theodoret.  Both  which  great  Authors  think, 
 that  God  chofe  thefe  three  Hundred  Men,  on  purpofe, 
 becaufe  they  were  poor  fpirited  :  that  the  Vi&ory  might 
 be  acknowledged  to  be  entirely  owing  to  himfelf.  And 
 Groth/s  is  of  this  mind  :  who  thinks  they  lapp'd,juft  as 
 the  Dogs  do  of  the  River  N/7e,  as  they  run  for  fear  c  f 
 the  Crocodiles.  See  Sixtiri  Am  aw  a  his  Antil>arb«rvfy 
 Lib.  III.  P.  385.  But  it  is  evident  that  all  the  fearful 
 Perfons  were  difmiffed  before  ,  and  it  is  not  likely  that 
 couragious  Men  were  lazy  :  therefore  I  take  it,  as  others 
 do  (particularly  Procopiv*  (Jaztcw)  to  be  a  token  of 
 their  temperance,  and  of  the  noblenefs  of  their  Spirit  ^ 
 which  made  them  fo  defirous  to  engage  the  Enemy, 
 that  they  would  not  ftay  to  drink  5  but  though  they 
 were  very  thirfty  contented  themfelves  to  moiften  their 
 mouth  with  a  little  Water:  whereas  the  reft  indulged 
 themfelves  fo  far,  as  to  drink  their  belly-full.  And  it 
 is  the  opinion  of  Ralbag  3mong  the  Jews  5  that  their 
 lapping  (landing,  was  a  fign  of  their  alacrity  and  for- 
 titude. R.  Solomon  and  Kimchi  alfo  think,  that  the 
 reft  had  been  worfhippers  of  Baal  ^  and  by  bowing 
 their  knees  to  drink  were  difcovered  :  which  is  a  far 
 fetcfid  conceit, 
 
 Wr.  - 
 
4H  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter     'Ver.  7.  And  the    LORD  faid  unto  Gideon,    by  the 
 VII.       three  hundred  Men  that  lapped  xcill  I  fave  you,  and  deliver 
 
 L/~VV,  the  Midianites  into  thine  hand7\     It  was  fufficient  to  let 
 
 Verfe  7.  all  the  World  fee  God  faved  them  and  net  Men,  that  he 
 employed  only  three  Hundred  Perfons  in  this  Service. 
 Yet  it  was  neceffary  thefe  three  Hundred,  fhould  be 
 Men  of  extraordinary  Faith  and  Courage  (fuch  as 
 Gideon  had)  to  embolden  them  to  this  Enterprize. 
 
 And  let  all  the  other  People  go  every  Man  unto  his  place, ~\ 
 He  had  fent  a^ay  above  two  thirds  of  his  Army  before: 
 and  now  of  that  third  part  he  keeps  only  the  thi  tierh. 
 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  the  People  tool^  victuals  in  their  hands \~\ 
 They  that  returned  home,  left  fo  much  Provision,  as 
 would  ferve  to  maintain  three  Hundred  Men,  for  fome 
 time* 
 
 And  their  trumpets^  If  we  fuppofe  every  thoufand 
 Men,  to  have  had  Ten  Trumpeters,  belonging  to  them  ^ 
 it  was  eafie  to  iurnifh  three  Hundred  Men,  with  everv 
 one  a  Trumpet.  Which  we  read  (v.  16.)  they  had  5 
 that  they  might,  when  they  founded,  make  a  noife  as 
 if  they  were  a  greater  number,  than  really  they  were. 
 It  is  hard  to  fay,  how  Jofephus  came  to  fay  that  they 
 carried  in  their  Hand,  xpjlS  yJi^c,  a  Rams-horn,  which 
 they  ufed  <aVn  arl\7riyy@^  inltead  of  a  Trumpet  (Lib. 
 V.  Antiq.  Cap.  8.)  for  Rams  Horns  are  not  hollow: 
 and  the  LXX.  only  call  them  x^twas  not  faying  of 
 what  they  were  made.  It  may  be  fuppofed  indeed  that 
 Rams  Horns  were  made  hollow  for  this  ufe,  as  the  Jews 
 make  them  at  this  day. 
 
 And  he  fent  all  the  reft  of  Ifrael  every  Man  unto  his 
 Tent.']  Who  it  is  probable  did  not  go  fo  far,  but  that 
 they  were  ready  to  join  with  thofe  who  purfued  the 
 Midianites  after  their  defeat,  v.  23,  24. 
 
 And  retained  thofe  three  hundred  Men.~]  Kept  no  more 
 with  him  than  this  number  whom  God  had  chofen  to 
 accomplilli  his  promife.  A±nd 
 
upon    JUDGES.  4,5 
 
 And  the  hojl  of  Midi. in  was  bevcath  him  in  the    valley. ~)   ( 
 It  feems  his  imall  handful   of  Men  lay  encamped  upon      vif. 
 an  Hill.     Where  the  MidUnites  [it  it  nor  fafc  to  i/-\r\j 
 
 ailault  them:  not  knowing  wha  number  they  were, 
 nor  how  intrenched  5  and  therefore  they  lay  (till  in  the 
 Valley  of  Jezreel. 
 
 Ver.   9.  And  it  can/e  to  pafs  the  fume  night."]      Aftet  \'  >rf€  g 
 he  had  reduced  his  Forces  to  this  imall  number. 
 
 That  the  LORD  /aid  unto  him,  Arijl\  get  thee  down 
 unto  the  hojl  of  the  Alidianites.]  Who  lay  in  the  Valley 
 below  him. 
 
 For  I  have  delivered  it  into  thy  hwd.~]  There,  he 
 means,  he  fhould  underftand,  and  be  fully  fatisfied  by 
 what  he  fhould  hear,  that  his  Viftory  over  them  was  as 
 fure,  as  if  he  had  already  obtained  it. 
 
 Ver.   10.  But  if  thou  fear  to  go  down.']     As  he  had  Verfe  ic 
 fome  reafon.  having  now  fuch  a  (lender  company  with 
 him. 
 
 Go  thou  with  Phttrah  thy  fervant  down  to  the  hojl.'] 
 Every  Man  is  more  afraid  alone,  then  when  he  hath  a 
 trufty  Companion  with  him.  Yet  it  was  not  fit  to  carry 
 more  than  one,  whofe  fidelity  was  known  to  him  :  for 
 fecret  defigns  are  not  to  be  committed  to  many. 
 
 Ver.   11.  And  thou  [halt  hear   what   they  fay. ~]     Hear  Verfe  11. 
 the  Difcourfe  that  fome  of  them  would  have  with  ano- 
 ther. 
 
 And  afterward  full  thine  hand  be  jlrcngthned  to  go  down 
 unto  the  hojl."]  Whereby  he  (hould  be  encouraged  to 
 attack  that  great  Army,  with  fo  fmall  a  number  as  he 
 had  remaining  with  him.  This  (hows  how  exceeding 
 acceptable  his  Faith  and  Obedience  was  to  God,  in  fend- 
 ing away  as  many  of  his  Army  as  he  bad  him  difmifs  : 
 for  now  he  gives  him  a  further  confirmation  of  his  Faith, 
 without  asking. 
 
 I  i  i  7 hen 
 
426  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  Then  went  he  down  with  Phurah  his  fervant.']  Faith 
 VII.      had  quite  expelled  all  his  fear. 
 
 {S"sf\j  Unto  the  out  fide  of  the  armed  Men  that  were  in  the 
 hojl.~]  To  the  out-guards  as  we  now  fpeak  :  who  feem 
 to  have  confifted  of  fifty  Men,  as  the  LXX.  think  the 
 Hebrew  word  Ckamufchim  fignifies  5    for  they  Tranflate 
 
 It  7^  TTlVTr:KCv1z. 
 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  the  Midianites  and  Amalekjtes,  and  all 
 the  Children  of  the  Earth.']  Who  joined  with  them  in 
 this  Invafion. 
 
 Lay  along  in  the  Valley ."]  Of  Jezreel  before  mentioned  : 
 into  which  Gideon  now  went  down. 
 
 Like  Grafijoppers  for  multitude \]     See  VI.  5. 
 
 And  their  Camels  were  without  number.]  Both  Midian 
 and  Amalek^  and  the  Countries  about  them  abounded 
 with  Camels :  which  were  ferviceable  to  them  in  their 
 Wars,  as  well  as  in  carrying  burdens.  See  Bochart  in 
 his  Hierozoicon,  P.  1.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  2.  And  in  them 
 they  placed  their  principal  Riches,  as  he  obferves  out 
 of  Leo  Africanus :  who  faith  that  when  the  Arabians 
 would  exprefs  the  great  Wealth  of  their  Prince,  they 
 do  not  fay  he  hath  fo  many  Thonfand  Pounds  of  Gold 
 or  Silver,  but  fo  many  Thoufand  Camels. 
 
 As  the  fand  by  the  Sea  fide  for  multitude."]  So  the 
 Hebrews  are  wont  to  exprefs  a  vaftly  great  number.  The 
 certain  knowledge  of  their  number,  it  is  likely,  never 
 came  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Ifraelites  ;  but  we  read 
 of  an  Hundred  and  Twenty  Thoufand  Men  that  were 
 flain,  and  Fifteen  Thoufand  that  efcaped,  with  their 
 two  Princes,  VIII.  ic.  And  how  many  were  taken 
 Captive,  is  not  recorded. 
 Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  And  when  Gideon  was  come,  behold^  there 
 was  a  Alan  that  told  a  dream  unto  his  fellow."]  Which 
 troubled  his  thoughts,  I  fuppofe,  when  he  was  awake, 
 as  the  Dream  of  Pharaoh  and  his  Butler  and  Baker, 
 
 and 
 
upon  JUDGES.  427 
 
 and  of   Nebuchadnezzar  in  after  times  diflurbed  them.    Chapter 
 
 Arid  faicl,   behold,  I  dreamed  a  dream,     and  lo  a  cake       VI T. 
 of  Barley  bread.']     Or,  as  the  Vulgar  Tranflatc  it,   aloaftS^r\^, 
 baked  in  the  afhes,  which  was  the  meaneft  of  all  other 
 Bread,  and  haftily  prepared. 
 
 Tumbled.'}     Came  tumbling  down,  like  a  bowl  frc 
 the  Mountain. 
 
 Into  the  hofi  of  Midi  an. ~]  Through  all  the  Guards, 
 into  the  very  middle  of  the  Army.  Which  was  a  fign 
 that  Gideon  fhould  break  through  all  oppofition. 
 
 And  came  unto  a  tent.~]  The  principal  Tent,  which 
 was  pitched  for  their  Kings,  or  their  General,  in  the 
 midft  of  the  Hod:. 
 
 And/mote  it  that  it  fe//.]  This  feemed  ftrange  to  the 
 Man,  that  fo  fmall  a  thing  as  a  Cake,  or  a  Loaf  of 
 Bread  fhould  throw  down  a  Tent:  which  was  not 
 (haken  by  a  (trong  Wind. 
 
 And  overturn  d  it,  that  the  tent  lay  along.~]  It  not 
 only  fell,  but  was  fo  (hattered  that  it  could  not  be  reared 
 up  again.  Which  was  a  lively  Emblem  of  the  utter 
 overthrow  of  the  Midianites  and  their  numerous  Hoft, 
 by  Gideon  and  his  fmall  Company  :  as  his  fellow  Soldier 
 interpreted  it. 
 
 Ver.  14.  And  his  fellow  anfwered  and  faidT]  It  ap-  Verfe  14. 
 pears  by  the  Example  before  mentioned,  that  God 
 fometimes  fent  Dreams  into  the  Minds  of  Pagan  People  : 
 who  were  much  concerned  to  find  an  Interpreter  of  them. 
 But  here,  by  a  lingular  Providence,  one  of  his  Com- 
 rades was  infpired  to  tell  the  meaning  immediately. 
 
 Tim  is  nothing  elfe  fave  the  [word  of  Gideon,  the  Son 
 ofJoafl?.~\  The  Barley  Cake  was  a  fit  Emblem  of  Gideon 
 and  his  Soldiers :  who  were  a  fmall  number  5  as  a  Cake  is 
 made  of  a  little  Flour  kneaded  together.  And  was  mean 
 alfo  and  contemptible  in  companion  with  the  Midi- 
 tnites,  as  a  Barley  Cake  is  in  comparifon  with  Wheaten 
 
 I  i  i  2  Bread. 
 
4a8  ,A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Bread.     But  the  Man  could  not  have  underftood  this, 
 VII.      unlefs  God  had  fuggefted  it  to  him$   for  the  cc'nfirma- 
 t/"V~\J  tion  of  Gideons  Faith,  and  Refolution. 
 
 A  Man  of  Ifrael.~]  i.  e.  A  great  Commander  5  for  fo 
 the  Hebrews  truly  interpret  the  word  lfch :  who  (as 
 L  Empereur  obferves  out  of  R.  Schamaja)  called  the 
 Governour  or  chief  Commander  of  thoie  who  guarded 
 the  Temple,  ifch  har  habeth,  The  Man  of  the  Mountain 
 of  the  Temple.     Cod.  Middoth,  Cap.  1. 
 
 For  into  his  hand  hath  God  delivered  Midian,  and  all 
 the  hoJir\  All  their  Confederates.  Nothing  is  more 
 vain  than  our  common  Dreams :  yet  God  hath  fome- 
 times  admonifhed  Men  that  way  of  future  things  $  as 
 many  of  the  Heathens  themfelves  acknowledge  (and 
 thofe  the  wifeft  of  them,  fuch  as  Hippocrates ) 
 But  that  a  common  Soldier  fliould  give  fuch  an  exatt 
 interpretation  of  another  Soldier's  Dream,  and  that 
 againft  themfelves,  and  their  own  Nation,  is  very  ex- 
 traordinary. 
 Vcrfe  15.  Ver.  15.  And  it  was  fo  when  Gideon  heard  the  telling 
 of  the  dream,  and  the  interpretation  thereof"]  He  under- 
 ftood the  Midianitifh  Language,  it  is  likely,  having 
 been  long  a  fubjeft  to  that  Nation :  or  perhaps  it  did 
 not  differ  much  from  the  Hebrew. 
 
 That  he  worjfjipped.']  Gave  humble  thanks  to  God  for 
 his  goodnefs,  in  giving  him  new  encouragement  to 
 proceed  in  his  undertaking. 
 
 And  returned  to  the  hoft  of  Ifrael."]  So  he  calls  it 
 (though  it  fcarce  deferved  that  name)  becaufe  God  in- 
 tended to  do  the  fame  by  this  fmall  number,  as  if  they 
 had  been  a  great  Hoft. 
 
 And  faid,  Arife,  for  the  LORD  hath  delivered  into 
 your  hand  the  hoft  of  Midian.~\  He  bids  them  make  no 
 doubt,  nor  delay:  for  God  had  given  freGi  afiurance  of 
 fuccefs. 
 
 Ver.  1 6. 
 
upon   JUDGES.  429 
 
 Ver.    I  6.   And  he  divided  the  three  hundred  Men  into   Chapter 
 three  companies.]     Under  three  Commanders  in   chief:       Vlf. 
 as  the  Hebrew  Rafchim  imports,  which  fignifi.  If.  L/"V~\J 
 
 And  he  put  a  I  runt  pet  into  every  Mans   hind.]      Thai    •—  16. 
 they  might  nuke  a  found  of  a  great  Army. 
 
 With  empty  Pitchers.]  Earthen  Pitchers,  which  had 
 no  Water  in  them:  wherein  they  hid  their  Lamps,  till 
 they  mould  think  fit  to  light  them. 
 
 And  Limps  within  their  Pitchers.']  Or,  rather,  Torches  : 
 for  no  doubt  they  were  made  of  Pitch,  or  Wax  and 
 Rofin  3  and  fuch  like  things,  as  would  burn  long  5  and 
 not  be  blown  out  by  the  Wind  5  as  Lamps  made  of  Oil 
 only  are  apt  to  be. 
 
 Ver.   17.  And  he  f aid  unto  them,    Look,  on  me,   and  Verfe  17. 
 do  likewife.']     Follow  my  Example. 
 
 And  behold,  when  I  come  to  the  out  fide  of  the  Camp.'] 
 Where  he  began  the  afTault. 
 
 Itjhall  be,  that  as  I  do,  fo  foal/ ye  do.]  I  fuppofe  he 
 told  them  what  he  would  do,  viz.  After  they  heard 
 him  blow  the  Trumpet  (as  it  follows  in  the  next  Verfe) 
 they  (hould  do  the  fame,  and  then  break  their  Pitchers, 
 and  light  their  Torches,  &c. 
 
 Ver.    18.    When  1  blow  with  a  Trumpet,  J  and  all  that  Verfe  18. 
 arc  with  we.]     It  is  likely  he  commanded  one  of  the 
 three  Troops :  with  whom  he  began  the  attack ;    as  the 
 next  Verfe  imports. 
 
 Then  blow  ye  the  Trumpet  alfo,  on  every  fide  of  all  the 
 Camp.']  By  this  it  appears,  that  they  did  not  fall  upon 
 them,  all  in  one  place  5  but  fome  on  one  part  of  their 
 Camp,  fome  on  another :  that  they  might  (hike  the 
 greater  terror  into  them,  and  put  them  into  confufion. 
 
 And  fay,  The  Sword  of  the  LORD  and  of  Gideon.'] 
 The  word  Sword  is  not  here  in  the  Hebrew,  where  thefe 
 words  run  thus,  for  the  LORD  and  for  Gideon.  But 
 there  being  mention  of  the  Sword,  v.  20.  it  moved  our 
 
 Tranllators 
 
43o  A  COMMENT  A  R7 
 
 Chapter  Tranflators  to  add  it  here  alfo.     And  is  it  not  to  be 
 VII.      thought  contrary  to  the  defign  of  God    (who  would 
 
 \^ST\J  have  the  Victory  afcribed  to himfelf,  v.  2.)  that  Gideon 
 here  joins  his  own  name,  with  Gods,  when  they  went 
 to  Fight :  For,  as  he  puts  God  in  the  firft  place,  and 
 names  himfelf  only  as  his  Minifter:,  fo,  it  is  likely,  he 
 had  directions  from  God  for  it:  who  knew  the  name 
 of  Gideon,  of  whofe  extraordinary  courage,  no  doubt 
 the  Midianites  had  heard  would  be  very  formidable  to 
 them. 
 
 Verfe  IQ.  ^er*  I9*  ^°  G^eon  and  the  hundred  Men  that  were 
 with  him.'}  The  Vulgar  took  an  Hundred  to  be  put  for 
 the  whole  Hoft  of  Gideon,  and  therefore  faith,  the 
 three  hundred  Men  that  were  with  him.  But  the  LXX. 
 exprefly  follows  the  Hebrew  $  and  it  is  mod:  probable 
 that  he  led  only  an  Hundred  Men  himfelf  5  the  reft  be- 
 ing commanded  by  fome  other  valiant  Captains, 
 
 And  came  to  the  out  fide  of  the  Camp.'}  It  is  not  faid 
 on  what  quarter :  But  it  is  probable  on  the  Eaft  part  of 
 their  Camp,  as  the  fecond  Troop  fet  upon  them  on  the 
 North  Eaft  part,  and  the  third  on  the  South  Eaft.  For 
 this  way  they  knew  they  would  bend  their  flight  when 
 they  were  routed,  and  endeavoured  to  efcape :  their 
 own  Country,  and  the  Fords  ot  Jordan  lying  on  the 
 Eaft.  And  if  they  ran  Weft. vard,  there  were  Israelites 
 enough  to  purfue  them,  and  cut  them  off. 
 
 In  the  beginning  of  the  middle  watch,  and  they  had  but 
 newly  fet  the  watch."]  That  is,  a  little  after  midnight. 
 For  there  were  three  Watches  among  the  Hebrews  and 
 the  reft  of  the  Eaftern  Nations  5  as  Bochart  obferves  out 
 of  Kimchi,  R.  Solomon  and  others :  the  Night  being 
 divided  into  three  parts.  And  when  the  firft  third 
 part  was  ended,  they  that  had  watched  went  to  fleep  ^ 
 and  another  company  fucceeded  them,  till  the  Morning 
 Watch.     The  Romans  afterwards  divided  the  Night  into 
 
 four 
 
upon  JUDGES.  43i 
 
 tour  partS5    from  whence  we  read  in  the  Golpel  of  the  Chapter 
 fourth  watch.  VII. 
 
 And  they  blew  the  Trumpets,  and  bra\e  the  Piti  hers  that  L/^V>J 
 wire  in  the/r  hands. ~]  Though  Gideon  placed  his  hope 
 in  God  alone,  yet  he  did  not  negleft  fuch  prudent 
 Stratagems  as  are  ufed  in  War :  but  made  dn  appearance 
 or' a  greater  number  of  Men,  than  he  had  with  him. 
 For  hearing  three  Hundred  Trumpets  found,  the  Mfdra- 
 nites  could  not  but  apprehend  a  great  Army  was  come 
 to  affault  them.  The  breaking  of  the  Pitchers  alfo  made 
 a  clattering  noife^  and  the  Torches  then,  on  a  fudden, 
 flaring  in  their  Eyes,  was  very  amazing:  efpecially 
 when  they  heard  them  (hout,  for  the  LORD  and  for 
 Gideon.  He  chofe  alfo  to  make  his  attack  at  midnight, 
 when  they  were  in  a  dead  ileep  5  and  expefted  no  di- 
 fturbance. 
 
 Ver.   20.  And    the    three    companies.']      The    former  \r    r      ^ 
 words  were  concerning  Gideon  and  his  Men,  who  be- 
 gan the  attack  :    whofe  example  the  reft  of  the  three 
 Companies  followed,  as  he  required,  v.  17,  18. 
 
 Blew  the  Trumpets,  and  brake  the  Pitchers,  and  held 
 the  Lamps  in  their  left  hand,  and  the  Trumpets  in  thvJr 
 right  hand  to  blow  withal.~]  So  that  they  made  no  life  of 
 their  Swords,  in  the  firftonfet:  both  hands  being  full 
 of  iomething  elfe. 
 
 And  they  cried,  the  Sword  of  the  LORD  and  of  Gideon  7\ 
 But  this  Stratagem  had  been  of  no  efficacy,  if  God  had 
 not  (truck  fuch  a  terroe  into  them,  when  they  heard 
 thefe  words,  as  quite  confounded  them.  And  yet  th 
 words  do  not  import,  as  I  faid  before,  that  the  Vi&ory 
 was  divided  between  the  LORD  and  Gideon:  For  it 
 is  mod  likely  (as  Pet.  Martyr  obferves)  that  God  fug- 
 gefted  even  this  Strategem  to  Gideon,  and  made  it  fa 
 cefsful. 
 
 Ver   2 ; 
 
432  A  C  0  MMENT  A  KT 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  %i.  And  they  flood  every  Man  in  hk  place  round 
 VII.      about  the  Camp7\     Not  one  of  the  three  Hundred  Men 
 
 L/"W>  ftirred  a  foot  from  his  place,  but  flood  there  without 
 
 Verfe  21.  ftrikinga  ftroke:  as  if  they  had  been  only  Torch-bearers, 
 to  give  light  to  their  Army,  to  fee  their  way  to  the 
 Camp,  and  to  do  execution. 
 
 And  all  the  hoflran,  and  cried,  and  fled.~]  They  did 
 nqt  (land  in  their  ranks  to  repel  the  Ifraeliics  :  but  brake 
 up  their  Camp  (as  the  Hebrew  word  Jaratz  may  be 
 translated)  and  cried  out  with  a  lamentable  Voice,  fly- 
 ing as  faft  as  they  could  to  their  own  Country. 
 
 Verfe  12.      Ver.  2  2 ,  And  the  three  hundred  Men  blew  the  Trumpets.'] 
 That  is,  continued  to  blow  them,  without  ceafing. 
 
 And  the  LORD  fet  every  Mans  Sword  againfi  his  fel- 
 low, even  throughout  all  the  hofl7\  Being  fuddenly  awake- 
 ned out  of  their  fleep  in  the  middle  of  the  Night,  and 
 hearing  fuch  a  noife,  as  if  a  vaft  multitude  were  falling 
 upon  them,  they  were  in  fuch  diforder  (which  was  in- 
 creafed  by  the  clattering  of  the  Pitchers,  and  the  blaze 
 of  the  Torches)  that  they  could  not  diftinguidi  their 
 Friends  from  their  Enemies,  but  killed  one  another : 
 every  Man  falling  upon  him  that  was  next  to  him,  whom 
 he  fancied  to  be  one  of  Gideons  Army.  Thus  the 
 Philiftines  were  defeated  by  Jonathan,  1  Saw.  XIV.  16. 
 20.  and  the  Ammonites,  Moabites  and  Edomites  in  the 
 days  of  Jehofophat,  2  Chron.  XX  2  25  25. 
 
 And  the  hoji  fled  to  Beth-flnttah,  in  Zererath,  and  to 
 the  bolder  of  Abel-Meholah,  unto  Tabbath.']  We  find 
 none  of  thefe  places  mentioned  elfewhere  in  Scripture  5 
 but  only  Abel-Meholah,  in  the  1  Kings  IV.  12.  XIX. 
 16.  Which  being  in  the  Tribe  of  Manajfeh,  not  far 
 from  the  River  Jordan,  may  fupport  a  conjecture,  that 
 that  the  reft  of  the  places  were  in  the  way  thither. 
 
 Verfe  23.      Ver.  23.  And  the  Men  of  Ifrael gathered  them felves  to- 
 gether out  of  Naphtali,  and  out  of  Afier.']     He  had  fent 
 
 to 
 
upon    JUDGES.  433 
 
 to  thefe  Tribes  at  the  fir  ft  railing  of  his  Army  5    and  Chapter 
 alfo  to  Zcbulun:    who  being  Neighbours  came  to  join      VII. 
 him,  VI.  35.  lS\s-\j 
 
 And  out  of  all  Ma>iaffch7\  Who  were  the  forwarded 
 in  this  Enterprise,  being  his  own  Tribe. 
 
 And  purfucd  after  ihe  MidianiUsT]  Though  they  had 
 been  lately  disbanded  by  Gods  order:  yet  it  is  likely 
 they  lay  ready,  if  there  (hould  be  occafion,  to  help  to 
 compleat  the  Viftory. 
 
 Ver.  24.  And  Gideon  font  mejfengers  throughout  <?#Verfc 
 mount  Ephraim.']  He  was  defirous  that  others  (hould 
 have  fome  fhare  with  him,  in  finifhing  this  work  :  though 
 he  alone,  with  fome  few,  began  it,  and  were  expoied 
 to  all  the  danger.  Would  to  God  (faith  P.  Martyr 
 on  this  occafion)  that  we  were  of  this  Spirit  in  the 
 Church  of  Chrift  5  that  when  any  noble  work  is  begun, 
 we  would  call  in  all,  to  help  to  perfect  it.  But  alas ! 
 fuch  are  our  Sins,  we  oftimes  do  all  we  are  able  to  hin- 
 der one  another. 
 
 Sayings  Come  down  againft  the  MidianitesT]  He  in- 
 vites them  to  come  to  hisaiiiftance  againft  the  common 
 Enemy  :  which  his  fmall  handful  of  Men  were  not  fuf- 
 ficient  to  deftroy  5  though  they  had  entirely  routed 
 them. 
 
 And  tah  before  them  the  waters.']  He  would  have 
 them  make  fuch  hafte,  as  to  poffefs  themfelves  of  the 
 Fords  before  the  MldianHes  could  get  to  them. 
 
 Unto  Beth-barah,  and  Jordan.]  It  is  very  probable 
 that  Beth-barah,  is  the  fame  place  with  Bcth-abara  in 
 St.  Johns  Gofpel,  I.  28.  being  the  place,  where  the  If- 
 raelites  paffed  over  Jordan^  when  they  firft  entred  Canaan. 
 And  then  by  Jordan  muft  be  meant,  all  the  Fords  upon 
 this  River,  from  Beth-bar  ah  to  the  Lake  of  Genefuret. 
 
 Then  all  the  Men  of  Ephraim  gathered  themfelves  toge- 
 ther^ and  took  the  waters  unto  Beth-barah   and  Jordan."] 
 
 K  k  k  Ported 
 
434  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Potted  themfelves  all  along  the  River  from  the  Lake 
 
 VII.      before  mentioned,  unto  Beth-baraL 
 L/'VXJ       Ver.  25.  And  they  tool^  two  Princes  of  the  M/dianites."] 
 Verfe  25*  Two  great  Commanders,    as  the  word  Sarim  fignifies, 
 which  weTranllate  Princes. 
 
 Oreb  and  Zeeb.~]  From  hence  fome  gather  that  the 
 Midianitifi  Language  did  not  much  differ  from  the  He- 
 brew* In  which  Oreb  fignifies  a  Cm*?,  and  Zeeb  a  Wolf: 
 from  which  Creatures  and  fuch  like,  it  feems  very  an- 
 ciently great  Men  thought  fit  to  take  the  names  of  their 
 Families.  As  the  Romans  did  afterwards  (among  whom 
 we  read  of  the  Corvlni^  and  Gracchi,  and  Aquilini,  &c.J 
 either  as  omens,  or  as  monuments  of  their  undaunted 
 Courage,  and  dexterity  in  Military  Atchievements. 
 
 And  they  flew  Oreb  up on  the  rocl^Oreb.~]  It  is  likely 
 that  there  he  was  taken  hidden  in  fome  hole:  and  from 
 his  daughter  there,  the  Rock  had  its  name  in  future 
 times. 
 
 And  Zeeb  they  flew  at  the  Wine-prefs  of  Zeeb."]  Where 
 he  alfo  in  like  manner  being  taken  and  (lain,  gave  name 
 to  this  place. 
 
 And  purfued  Midian.~]  Did  not  content  themfelves 
 with  this,  but  purfued  them  to  the  other  fide  of  Jordan  : 
 whether  fome  of  them  had  efcaped,  before  they  would 
 obey  Gideons  fummons. 
 
 And  brought  the  heads  of  Oreb  and  Zeeb  to  Gideon .] 
 As  the  manner  was  in  after  times,  when  they  would 
 gratifie  a  great  Conqueror,  with  a  welcome  fpefracle. 
 For  thus  Pompeys  head  was  offered  to  Qefar ,  and  Cicero's 
 to  Mark  Antony. 
 
 On  the  other  fide  Jordan.']  Over  which  we  read 
 (VIII.  4.)  Gideon  paffed,  in  the  purfuit  of  the  Enemy, 
 
 CHAR 
 
upon  JUDGES.  435 
 
 chap.    viii.  **ffi* 
 
 Verfe  i.     \  N D  the  Alt;/  of  Ilphraiw  fird  unH  /.■ 
 
 ±\  When  they   prefented  the  heads  of  i he- 
 two  Princes  unto  him. 
 
 II  hy  haft  thou  ferved  us  thus  f]  They  thought  them- 
 felves  (lighted  by  their  Brethren  of  the  Tribe  of  Ma- 
 tt ajfeh :  which  they  took  the  more  heinou(]y,  becaufe 
 they  lookt  upon  themfelves  to  be  every  way  (uperiour 
 to  them  }  by  the  blefiing  of  Jacob. 
 
 That  thou  called  ft  us  not  when  thou  rventeft  to  fight  with 
 the  \lidianites.~]  As  he  had  done  other  meaner  Tribes 
 (VI.  35.)  who  were  not  fo  able  to  afii(t  him,  as  them- 
 felves. 
 
 And  they  did  chide  with  him  Jl)arply.~]  Spake  very 
 angry  words,  as  if  they  would  have  come  to  blows. 
 
 Ver.  2.   And  he  faid,    what  have  I  done  now  in  com-  Verfe  2, 
 parifon  with  you  .<?]     Proud  Men  love  to  be  praifed  :  and 
 therefore  he  magnifies  their  Service  as  far  furpaffing  his 
 own. 
 
 Is  not  the  gleaning  of  the  Grapes  ofEphraint,  better  than 
 the  vintage  of  Abiezer.']  A  common  Proverb,  I  fuppofe, 
 in  thofe  days  5  whereby  they  were  wont  to  commend 
 the  fmalleft  a&ion  of  one,  as  fuperiour  to  the  greateft 
 of  another.  And  here  it  is  moft  fitly  applied  ^  for  it  is 
 as  if  he  had  faid,  thefe  fcattered  parties  that  you  have 
 gleaned  and  pick'd  up  (as  we  now  fpeak)  at  the  Fords 
 of  Jordan,  are  far  more  than  thofe  which  I  and  my 
 whole  Hoft  (as  it  is  called,  VII.  15.)  have  deftroyed. 
 
 Ver.   3.  God  hath  delivered  into  your  hands  the  Princes  yer[t  - 
 of  Midian,   Oreb  and  Zceb.~]     Which  he  was  content 
 they  (hould  think  more  considerable,  than  all  the  com- 
 mon Men  that  he  had  vanquifhed. 
 
 K  k  k  2  And 
 
•       $  A    COMMENT  A  RT 
 
 Chanter       And  w^a*  was  Ja^e  t0  do  in  comparifon  with  you  .<?]  To 
 VIII.    yi^d  unto  °thers  the  glory  which  they  affect,  wonder- 
 \^\^\j  fully  appeafes  their  higheft  difpleafure. 
 
 J  hen  their  anger  was  abated  towards  him,    when  he  had 
 faid  that7\     According  to  that  of  Solomon,  XV.  Prov.  i. 
 This  is  an  argument  of  the  Angular   Modefty,    and 
 Prudence  of  Gideon,   and  no  lefs  Confpicuous  in  him 
 than  his  Courage.     Which  is  a  mixture  that  rarely  meets 
 together :    but  is  abfolutely  neceffary  to  make  a  truly 
 great  Man.     Who  never  appears  fo  great,   as  when  he 
 treats  Infolent  Men  with  Humility,  and  Angry  Men  with 
 Meeknefs. 
 Verfe  4.         Ver.  4-  And  Gideon  came  to  Jordan,  and  pajfed  over7\ 
 Or  rather,  had  pajfed  over  $  for  he  was  gone  over  Jordan 
 before  Oreb  and  Zeeb  were  taken  :    But  it  is  not  related 
 till  now  5  that   what  concerned  the  Ephramites  might 
 be  told  all  together,  without  interruption. 
 
 He  and  the  three  hundred  Men  that  were  with  him."]  Not 
 one  of  which  was  loft. 
 
 Faint,  yet  purfuing  them7\  Tired  with  a  long  march 
 and  eager  purfuit :  which  notwithftanding  they  con- 
 tinued, being  more  felicitous  for  the  publick  fafety  than 
 their  own. 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  And  he  faid  unto  the  Men  of 'Succoth.']  A  City 
 in  the  Tribe  of  Gad,  mentioned  in  the  XXXIII  Gen.  17. 
 and  other  places. 
 
 Give  I  pray  you,  loaves  of  bread  unto  the  People  that 
 follow  me f]  A  fmall  requeft,  confidering  their  great 
 Merits. 
 
 For  they  be  faint ,  and  I  am  purfuing  after  Zebah  and 
 Zalmunna7\  He  gives  two  reafons,  for  his  requeft :  be- 
 caufe  his  Men  were  faint  with  a  whole  Nights  labour, 
 for  the  publick  fafety  3  and  he  had  not  made  his  Victory 
 fo  compleat  as  he  hoped  to  do,  if  his  Men  were  re- 
 frefhed,  and  enabled  to  purfue  the  Enemy. 
 
 Kings 
 
upon   JUDGES. 
 
 Kings  ofMidian."]     It  is  no  wonJer  we  read  of  more 
 
 Kings  than  one  in  this  Country,  rhere  being //Yv  in 
 Mojes  his  time  (XXXI  Numb.  3.)  and  more  than  five 
 times  five  in  Canaan  which  was  divided  into  many  petty 
 Kingdoms.  And  therefore  if  we  tike  Oreb  an  I  Zeeb  alfo 
 to  have  been  Kings,  there  is  n  )  improbability  in  it. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  the  Princes  of  SuccothfaidJ]    The  Rulers  Verfe  6. 
 
 I  Governours  of  the  City  who  had  the  chief  Au- 
 thority among  them  5  as  Oreb  and  Zeeb  had  in  the 
 Army  of  Midi  an  ^  for  it  is  the  very  fame  word  in  the 
 Hebrew. 
 
 i  ofZebah  and  Zalmanna  now  in  thy  band, 
 thai    1  :ive  bread  unto  thy  army  ?~~\  They  bid  him 
 
 firft  take  thole  Kings  Captives,  and  bring  them  thither 
 with  their  Hands  bound  behind  them,  before  he  made 
 any  demands  of  them.  It  is  a  bitter  fort  of  taunt  or 
 derifion  ^  ariiing  from  irreligion:  which  made  them 
 think  there  was  nothing  of  God  in  this  Victory  5  and 
 that  he  would  not  be  able  to  perfeft  it. 
 
 Ver.   7.  And  Gideon  faid,   Therefore  when  the  LORD  Verfe  7. 
 hath  delivered  Zebah  and  ZaUnunna  into  my  ban  l.~]      As 
 he  was  confident  he  would. 
 
 Then  will  I  tear  your  flefl)  with  the  thorns  of  the  wilder  nefs 
 and  with  briers."]  This  City  was  near  to  a  Wildernefs,  in 
 which  there  were  plenty  of  Thorns  and  Briers :  with 
 which  he  threatens  to  threfi  their  Flefh  ^  as  the  word  is  in 
 the  Hebrew.  Which  fome  think  figniries,that  laying  Briers 
 and  Thorns  on  their  naked  bodies,  he  intended  to  bring 
 the  Cart- Wheel  over  them  (as  the  manner  was  of  threfh- 
 ing  out  their  Corn)  to  fatten  them  deep  into  their  Flefh, 
 and  then  crufli  them  to  Death  :  Such  a  kind  of  punnifh  - 
 ment  David  infltfted  on  the  Ammonites,  2  Sam.  XII.  ult. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  he  went  up  from  thence.']     He  would  not  Verfe  3. 
 ftay  to  avenge  this  repulfe  at  prefent  ;  but  facrificed  his 
 private  refentments,    to  the  publick  lervice:  and 
 fore  went  on  after  the  Enemy.  Unto 
 
45S  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Ditto  PenueL~]     Another  City  in  the  Tribe  of  Gad 
 VII U     not  far  from  Succoth :  unto  both  which  Jacob  gave  their 
 U'W,  Name,  XXXII  Gen.  50.  XXXIII.  17. 
 
 And  fpake  unto  themlikewifeT]  Defired  fome  Provifion 
 of  them,  for  the  fame  reafon. 
 
 And  the  Men  of  Penuel7\  /'.  e.  The  principal  Perfons 
 of  the  City. 
 
 Anfwcred  him  as  the  Men  of  Succoth  had  anfwered  btm7\ 
 It  is  very  likely,  they  were  Idolaters :  and  therefore 
 hated  Gideon,  who  began  to  reform  Religion.  And, 
 trading  to  the  (Vrength  of  their  Tower,  defpifed  the 
 fmall  Forces  he  had  with  him. 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  And  he  f pake  unto  the  Men  of  Penuel,  faj/ngy 
 When  I  come  again  in  peace,  I  will  break,  down  this  Tower.'] 
 In  which  they  confided :  and  perhaps  pointed  to  it" 
 when  they  gave  him  their  rude  anfwer. 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  Now  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  were  in  Karkar.'] 
 We  read  of  this  place  no  where  elfe  :  and  therefore  it 
 is  but  a  conjecture  that  it  was  in  the  confines  of  the 
 Tribe  of  Gad.  St.  Hierom  faith  there  was  a  Caftle  in  his 
 time  called  Carcaria,  about  a  days  journey  from  the 
 City  Petra  3  and  Eujebius  faith  the  fame. 
 
 And  all  their  hofis  with  them7\  That  is,  all  the  Troops, 
 or  Regiments,  as  we  now  fpeak,  tKat  fled  with  them. 
 
 About  fifteen  thoufand  Men,  all  that  were  left  of  all  the 
 hofts  of  the  Children  of  the  EaflT]  This  moved  thofe  of 
 Succoth  and  Penuel  to  mock  at  Gideon  3  that  he  fhould 
 think  with  three  hundred  Men,  and  they  fatigued  (as 
 we  now  fpeak)  to  vanquifh  fifteen  thoufand,  and  that 
 he  (hould  make  demands  to  them,  as  if  he  had  his  Ene- 
 mies already  in  his  power. 
 
 For  there  fell  an  hundred  and  twenty  thoufand  Men 
 that  drew  fword7\  Befides,  all  the  People  that  attend- 
 ed their  baggage. 
 
 Ver.  11. 
 
upon  JUDGES. 
 
 Ver.    II.   And  Gideon  went  up  by  the  way  of  them  that 
 dwelt  in  tent s7\     He  fetch'd  a  com  pa  is,   by  the  Country 
 of  the  Arabians  called  Scenitx',    becaiife  they   dwelt  in 
 Tents.     And  fo  he  came  upon  the  back  or  Zebah  and  Verfe  I  I  ■ 
 Zalmunna:  where  they  (iifpecled  no  danger. 
 
 On  the  Eaji  of  Nob  ah  and  JogbebahJ]  Two  Cities  ^ 
 the  laft  of  which  is  expreily  faid  to  be  in  the  Tribe  of 
 Gad,  XXXII  Numb.  35.  and  the  former  in  the  Tribe 
 of  Manajffch  on  the  borders  of  Gad,  as  may  be  gatnered 
 from  this  place. 
 
 And  f mote  the  hoft,  for  the  hojl  was  fecurc.~]  He  fell 
 upon  them  it  is  very  probable,  in  the  Night,  as  he  had 
 done  upon  their  main  Army,  at  the  firft.  And  they 
 having  ried  as  fa  ft  as  they  could  the  Day,  and  part  of 
 the  Night  before,  were  gone  to  take  their  reft:  fup- 
 pofing  they  had  been  out  of  all  danger  of  difturbance  5 
 now  they  were  got  fo  far  from  the  place  of  Battle. 
 
 Ver.    12.   And  when  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  fled,  he  pur-  Verfe   12. 
 fiied  after  themT]     We  read  of  no  refrefhment,    that  he 
 and  his  Men  had  all  this  time:  but  either  they  met  with 
 fome  by    the  way  3    or  God  miraculouily  fupported 
 them. 
 
 And  tool^  the  two  Kings  of  Midian,  Zebah  and  Zal- 
 munna, and  difcomfited  all  their  ho(i.~]  Having  routed 
 their  Army,  the  two  Kings  could  make  little  refiftance. 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  Gideon  the  Son  of  Joaflj  returned  from  Verfe  iz 
 the  battle  before  the  Sun  was  upA  The  Hebrew  words 
 Milmahaleh  Hachares  are  fo  varioudy  tranllated  by  very 
 learned  Men,  that  it  hath  made  it  uncertain,  whether 
 he  returned  after  Sun  rife,  or  a  little  before  it  fet  (as 
 Kimchi  among  the  Jews  and  Mercer  among  Chrifti- 
 ans  underftand  it)  or,  as  our  Tranilation,  before  Sun 
 rife.  So  the  Vulgar,  with  Junius  and  Tremelius  and  o- 
 thers.  And  then  it  (hows,  both  that  Gideon  had  fmote 
 the  Army  in  the  Night,  and  that  he  made  fuch  hafte  to 
 
 return, 
 
44o  A  CO  MMENT ART 
 
 Chapter  return,  that  he  came  to  Succoth  before  they  were  aware, 
 
 VIII.    by  break  of  Day. 
 L/"VSJ      Ver.   14.  And  caught  a  young  Man  of  the  Men  of  Sue- 
 Verfe  14.  coth,  and  enquired  of  him.']     Surprifed  him  in  the  Field, 
 and  examined  him  who  were  the  principal  Men  of  the 
 City. 
 
 And  he  defcribed  to  him  the  Princes  of  Succoth,  and 
 the  Riders  thereof,  even  threefcore  and  [event e en  Men.~] 
 He  wrote  down  (as  the  Hebrew  word  for  defcribe  fig- 
 nifies)  the  names,  and  perhaps  the  dwellings  of  the 
 great  Men  of  the  City,  and  of  the  Judges  :  who  were 
 the  Perfons  that  derided  him,  and  whom  alone  he  in- 
 tended to  punifh  5  not  all  the  People,  who  were  not 
 in  the  guilt. 
 Verfe  15.  Ver.  1 5.  And  he  came  unto  the  Men  of  Succoth."]  Got 
 into  the  City  very  early  5  and  called  thofe  Men  before 
 him,  who  had  put  the  late  affront  upon  him. 
 
 And  faid,    Behold  Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  with  whom 
 
 you  upbraided  me.]     He  kept  thefe  two  Kings  alive  on 
 
 purpofe,  that  the  Princes  of  Succoth  might  fee  the  LORD 
 
 had  delivered  them  into  his  hand  :  and  made  their  jeers 
 
 turn  to  their  own  (hame. 
 
 Saying,  are  the  hands  of  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  in  thy 
 hand,  that  we  fiould  give  bread  unto  thy  Men  that  are 
 weary  ?*]  He  repeats  their  own  words  to  them  (0.  6.) 
 that  he  might  reproach  them  with  their  Inhumane  ufage 
 of  him  3  when  he  was  in  diftrefs,  and  had  done  fuch 
 wonders  for  their  prefervation. 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  And  he  took^  the  Elders  of  the  City!]  Under 
 this  name  of  Elders,  all  their  great  Men  are  compre- 
 hended. 
 
 And  thorns  of  the  wildernefs,  and  briers."]     Which  he 
 had  ready  at  hand. 
 
 And  with  them  he  taught  the  Men  of  Succoth.  ~]     He 
 threftied  or  tare  them   (as  he  threatned,   v.  7.  and  as 
 
 fome 
 
upon   JUDGES.  44l 
 
 fome  Copies  here  have  it)  and  by  this  fevere  corre&ion  Qm 
 taught  them  better  Manners  and  more  Wifdom.     It  is      VIII. 
 n.  t  faid  that  he  tormented  them  till  they  expired    (as  l/"V^\j 
 fome  think  he  did.     See  v.  7.)  for  then  it  would  have 
 been  as  plainly  laid,    as  it  is  in  the  next  Verfe  of  the 
 Men  of  PenueL 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  he  beat  down  the  Tower  of  Pcnacl,  and  Verfe  \  7, 
 flew  the  Men  of  the  City^\  It  is  not  faid  the  Princes  and 
 Elders,  and  therefore  this  looks  as  if  the  whole  City 
 had  been  guilty  of  the  affront  put  upon  him,  and  con- 
 fequently  punifhed  by  him.  But  the  Men  of  the  City  in 
 this  ftory  hath  fignified  only  the  principal  Perfons  in  it, 
 as  I  interpreted,  v.  8.  See  v.  15,  16.  and  therefore  it 
 is  probable  no  other  Men  are  here  meant,  who  (led  into 
 the  Tower  perhaps,  forfafety  (knowing  their  own  guilt 
 and  the  danger  they  were  in  of  fuffering  for  it)  and 
 were  there  (lain. 
 
 Ver.  1 8.  Then  faid  he  unto  Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  what 
 manner  of  Men  were  they,  whom  ye  flew  at  Tabor  f]  Verfe  18 
 Where  Gideon  brought  them  before  him  to  be  judged, 
 is  uncertain.  And  when  it  was  that  they  (lew  fome  If 
 raelites  at  Tabor,  we  can  but  guefs.  It  is  probable  he 
 brought  them  out  to  receive  their  Sentence,  after  he 
 came  home  :  and  that  fome  who  hid  themfelves  in  Dens 
 and  Caves  which  were  in  the  Mountains  (VI.  2.)  being 
 found  out,  wereflain  by  thtMidianites.  And  Gideons 
 Brethren  being  miffing,  he  defired  to  find  out  whether 
 they  were  the  Perfons,  whom  they  Hew. 
 
 And  they  anfwered,  As  thou  art  fo  were  thcyT]  They 
 were  very  like  him,  and  perhaps  refembled  him  in  their 
 Countenance  ^  as  Brethren  frequent  do  one  another. 
 
 Every  one  refembled  the  Children  of  a  King.']  By  this 
 it  appears,  that  Gideon  was  of  a  goodly  prefence  :  car- 
 rying Greatnefs  and  Majefty  in  his  Afpect :  and  that 
 Kings  took  care  in  thofe  days  to  match  only  with  grace- 
 
 L 1  1  tul 
 
44i  A  CO  MMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  ful  Perfons  5  by  whom  they  might  hope  to  have  Chil- 
 VIII-     dren  like  to  themfelves. 
 
 L/~V~\J        Ver.    19.  And  he  J  aid,  They  were  my  Brethren,    even 
 
 Verle  19.  the  Sons  of  my  Mother."]  Though,  perhaps,  not  by  the 
 fame  Father. 
 
 As  the  LORD  liveth,  if  ye  had  /pared  them  alive.'] 
 As  generous  Men  are  wont  to  do  comely  and  graceful 
 Perfons:  who  look  like  Men  of  Quality  5  as  we  now 
 fpeak. 
 
 J  would  not  flay  you.]  For  not  being  of  the  Race  of 
 Canaan,  he  was  not  bound  by  the  Law  to  cut  them 
 off. 
 
 Verfe  2.0.  Ver.  20.  And  he  faid  unto  Jether  hk  firft  horn,  up 
 and  flay  themT]  It  was  not  unulual  for  great  Perfons  to 
 do  Execution  upon  Offenders,  in  ancient  times :  no 
 more  than  it  unbecame  them  to  Sentence  them  to  Death, 
 And  therefore  they  had  not,  as  now,  fuch  as  the  Ro- 
 mans called  Camifices,  publick  Executioners :  but  Saul 
 bad  fuch  as  waited  on  him  kill  the  Priefts  5  and  Doeg, 
 one  of  his  great  Officers,  did  it,  1  Sam.  XXII.  17,  18. 
 And  Samuel  himfelf  is  faid  to  have  hewed  Agag  to  pieces 
 in  GUgal^  and  Benajah  the  General  of  the  Army,  to 
 have  fain  upon  Joal?  at  the  Horns  of  the  Altar.  Ac- 
 cordingly Gideon  would  have  had  his  Son  do  this 
 Execution  ^  that  he  might  be  early  animated  againft 
 the  Enemies  of  Ifrael:  as  Hanibal\$  reported,  when  he 
 was  a  Boy,  to  have  been  incenfed  againft  the  Romans. 
 But  the  Touth  drew  not  his  Sword  $  for  he  feared  becaufe 
 he  was  yet  a  Touth.]  They  were  Men,  it  is  likely,  of 
 great  Stature  and  of  a  Fierce  and  Stern  Countenance, 
 who  (as  appears  by  the  Story)  feared  not  Death  :  which 
 made  the  Youth  afraid  even  to  look  upon  them. 
 
 Verfe  2  r .  Ver.  2 1 .  Then  Zehah  and  Zalmunna  faid,  Arife  thou 
 and  fall  upon  us,  far  as  the  Man  is  fo  is  hk  Jirength."] 
 They  thought  it  more  honourable  to  die  by  the  Hand 
 
 of 
 
upon  JUDGES.  445 
 
 of  Gideon;    who  was  a  Man  of  as  great  Strength,  as   Ch 
 Dignity  :  and  would  fooner  difpatch  them,  than  a  Strip- 
 ling could  do.  o" 
 
 And  Gideon  arofe,  and  flew  Zcbah  and  Zalmunna, 
 toll  air  ay  the  ornaments  that  were  about  their  Cam 
 nec^iJ]  As  well  as  all  the  Ornaments,  which  they  wore 
 themfelves.  The  word  Saharonim  is  found  no  where, 
 but  here  and  v.  26.  and  in  III  Ifa.  18.  where  we  Tran- 
 slate it  round  tires  like  the  Moon.  So  our  Margin  alio  in 
 this  place,  ornaments  like  the  Moon  5  following  the  LXX. 
 who  Tranflate  it  /uipunog,  little  Moons.  So  ancient 
 was  this  cuftom  of  wearing  Ornaments  of  this 
 figure :  which  was  fpread  afterward  over  many  Nations. 
 Huetius  thinks  it  came  originally  from  the  Phoenicians, 
 who  were  the  Worfhippers  of  Aft  art e^  i.  e.  the  Moon  : 
 and  went  from  them  to  the  Arabians,  who  were  very 
 anciently  devoted  to  the  Moon, who  propagated  it  to  the 
 Turks }  and  the  Brachmans  a!fo  are  wont  to  adorn  their 
 Heads,  in  the  fame  figure :  as  he  obferves  in  his  Demon(ir. 
 Evangel.  Propof.  IV.   P.  197. 
 
 Ver.   2  2.  Then  the  Men  of  Ifrael  faid  unto  Gideon,  Rule  Veife    ::. 
 thou  over  us,    both  thou,    and  thy  Son,  and  thy  Sons  Son 
 alfo7\  They  would  have  made  his  Dominion  over  them, 
 Hereditary. 
 
 For  thou  haft  delivered  us  from  the  hand  of  Midian.~] 
 They  pretended  to  make  this  offer  out  of  gratitude  to 
 him  :  but  in  truth,  they  were  difpofed  now  (as  their 
 Pofterity  were  afterward)  to  throw  off  the  Divine  Go- 
 vernment }  being  defirous  to  fet  a  King  over  themfelves, 
 like  the  reft  of  the  Nations  round  abrut  them.  And 
 now  they  thought  was  a  fit  opportunity  ^  when  fuch 
 an  extraordinary  Judge  was  railed  up,  as  had  done 
 wonders  beyond  all  his  Predectffors:  and  might,  they 
 thought,  be  ambitious  enough  to  eftablilli  the  fupreme 
 Authority  in  his  Family. 
 
 Lll  2  Ver.  23. 
 
444  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Ver.   23.  But  Gideon  faid,  I  -will  not  rule  over  you ,nei- 
 VIII.     ther  flail  my  Son  rule  over  you  .3     He  abiblutely  reje&ed 
 
 IW~SJ  their  offer  3  becaufe  he  look'd  upon  God  as  their  King.: 
 
 Verfe  23.  who  appointed  what  Deputy  he  pleafed  to  Rule  them. 
 And  therefore  he  accounted  this  to  be  an  attempt  to 
 alter  the  Government  of  God  5  without  asking  his 
 confent. 
 
 The  LORD  Jhall  rule  over  you."]  As  he  hath  done 
 hitherto.  This  (hows,  that  thefe  two  could  not  confift 
 together  5  a  fucceffive  Dominion  of  Kings,  and  fuch 
 Governors  as  they  now  had,  by  the  Divine  appointment. 
 Such  a  one  was  Gideon,  raifed  up  by  God  when  they 
 needed  a  deliverer  :  and  therefore  he  durft  not  accept  of 
 the  Authority  they  offered  him :  becaufe  it  was  a  thing 
 facred,  and  proper  only  to  the  Divine  Majefty,  to  order 
 who  fhould  Govern.  Whence  it  is  that  that  the  Judg- 
 ment which  was  adminiftred  among  that  People,  was 
 called  Gods  judgment,  I  Deut.  17.  and  Solomon  is  faid  to 
 fit  upon  the  throne  of  the  LORD,  1  Chron.  XXIX.  23. 
 and  the  Kingdom  of  his  Pofterity  is  called  the  kingdom 
 of  the  LORD,  2  Chron.  XIII.  8.  becaufe,  before  Kings 
 were  ferled  in  Jfrael,  the  LORD  was  their  King:  from 
 whom  the  Government  was  derived  to  the  Houfe  of 
 David,  by  a  fpecial  aft  of  God. 
 
 Verfe  24.  Ver.  24.  And  Gideon  faid  unto  them,  I  would  deftre 
 a  requefl  of  you ."]  Which  he  thought,  after  fuch  a  great 
 offer  from  them,  they  would  not  deny  him. 
 
 That  ye  would  give  me  every  Man  the  ear-rings  of  his 
 prey.]  He  doth  not  ask  all  the  Ear-rings  they  had  got  : 
 but  from  every  Man  one,  or  as  many  as  he  pleafed. 
 
 For  they  had  golden  ear-rings,  becaufe  they  were  I/fj- 
 maelites.]     The  Chaldee  Paraphraft  well  exprefles  it,  be- 
 caufe they  were  Arabians :  who  are  called  the  Children  of 
 the  Eafty    VI.  3.  and  generally  wore  fuch  Ornaments, 
 as  I  obferved   upon  XXXII  Exod.  2.     Ifomaelttes  alfo 
 
 and 
 
upon  JUDGE  S.  44.5 
 
 and  Midianitcs  were  fo  near  Neighbours,  and  fo  mixed   (Chapter 
 together,  that  the  Scriptures  fpeaks  of  them  ab  one  Peo-      VIII. 
 pie.     See  upon  X£XVII  Ge*.  a8.  ^v^vj 
 
 Ver.   2  5.   And  they  anfwered  we  will  willingly  give  them  :  Verle  :  5 . 
 and  they  fpread  a  garment,    and  did  cajl    therein   every 
 Man  the  ear-rings  of  his  prey.]  They  made  no  difficulty 
 to  grant  his  requeft:    but,  as  we  fpeak,   no  fooner  faid 
 than  done. 
 
 Ver.  26.  And  the  weight  of  the  golden  car-rings  that  Verfe  26. 
 he  requeued,  was  a  thoufand  and  feven  hundred  (l)ckcls  of 
 gold.']  It  is  eafie  to  compute  what  this  makes  of  our 
 Money,  by  confidering  the  value  of  a  Shekel,  and  the 
 proportion  that  Silver  holds  to  Gold.  Of  which  fee 
 the  very  learned  Treatife  of  the  prefent  Bifhop  of  Peter- 
 borough, concerning  Scripture  Weights  and  Meafures, 
 Chap.  IV. 
 
 Befide  ornament  si]     Of  which  fee  above,  v.  21. 
 
 And  the  collars 7\  The  Hebrew  word  Hanctiphoth  is 
 thought  to  fignifie  little  Pots  of  precious  Ointments. 
 For  Neteph  fignifies  a  drop  or  a  tear  5  the  mod  precious 
 of  which  is  Balfam.  Among  the  Spoils  of  Darius  (as 
 Anas  Mont  anus  obferves)  Hiftorians  mention  Boxes  of 
 Ointments  fet  with  precious  Stones  and  curioufly  wrought 
 with  elegant  Art. 
 
 And  purple  raiment  that  was  on  the  Kings  of  Midi  an!] 
 Who  were  diftinguifhed  from  other  Men,  as  Kings  are 
 now,  by  Robes  peculiar  to  them. 
 
 Andbejtde  the  Chains  that  were  upon  their  Camels  necl{s.] 
 All  thefe,  I  take  it,  fell  to  Gideons  (hare,  by  thecuftom 
 of  War  5  without  asking.  For  it  was  the  ancient  man- 
 ner as  Grotius  obferves,  to  give  to  the  Commander  in 
 chief,  the  bed  of  the  Spoils  they  had  taken. 
 
 Ver.   27.  And   Gideon  made  an  Ephod  thereof]     He  Verfe  27. 
 would  not  have  them  think  that  he  requefted  the  Ear- 
 rings, for  his  own  private  gain  :  but  to  employ  them 
 
 Religioully 
 
446  A  C  OMMENT  AR1 
 
 Chapter  Religioufly  in  the  Service  of  God,  by  making  a  Monu- 
 VIII.     mer.r  of  his  Vi&ory,  as  obtained  folely  by  the  Miracu- 
 
 L/*WJ  lous  mercy  of  God,  for  the  reftoring  of  his  true  Religion 
 among  them.  It  is  commonly  faid,  that  fo  much  Gold 
 could  not  belaid  out  upon  an  Ephod  ^  and  therefore 
 fome  take  this  for  a  ftiort  expreffion,  to  fignifie  the 
 Breft-Plate  with  the  Urim  andThumniim  :  that  he  (be- 
 ing now  fupreme  Governour)  might  confult  God  at 
 his  own  Houfe,  in  fuch  difficulties  as  might  occur.  And 
 they  think  it  probable  that  he  made  alfo  a  private  Ta- 
 bernacle with  Cherubims  5  for  how  elfe  could  he  em- 
 ploy fuch  a  quantity  of  Gold  ?  an  Ephod  being  only 
 fine  Linnen  Embroidered  with  it,  &c.  which  would 
 not  coft  much.  See  XXVIII  Exod.  6.  Theodoret  and 
 St.  Aujiin  feem  to  incline  to  this  Opinion  :  for  which  I 
 refer  the  Reader  to  our  Dr.  Spencer  in  his  mofc  learned 
 Work,  de  Leg.  &  Rit.  Hebr.  P.  88 1.  But  I  do  not  fee 
 how  Gideon  can  be  excufed  from  Apoftacy  from  God, 
 if  he  fet  up  an  Oracle  in  his  own  Houfe  -0  nor  was 
 there  any  need  of  it,  Shiloh  being  not  far  from  him, 
 in  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim :  which  adjoined  to  this  of 
 Manajfeh.  Therefore  I  take  this  Ephod  to  have  been 
 only  a  Monument  of  his  Viftory,  and  of  Gods  great 
 Mercy,  which  Conquerors  were  wont  to  ereft.  But 
 he  would  not  follow  the  common  Cuftom,  in  ere&ing 
 a  Pillar,  and  hanging  up  Trophies,  or  any  thing  of 
 that  nature  :  but  chofe  to  make  an  Ephod,  as  a  token 
 that  he  afcribed  his  Vi&ory  only  to  God  3  and  trium- 
 phed in  nothing  but  only  in  the  Reftauration  of  the 
 true  Religion  by  his  means.  As  for  the  Gold  that  was 
 laid  out  upon  it  5  the  Reader  may  obferve  that  it  is  faid 
 he  made  an  Ephod  thereof,  that  is,  out  of  this  offering: 
 but  not  that  it  was  all  fpent  in  this. 
 
 And  put  it  in  hk  City,    even  in  Ophrah^]     This  is  to 
 be  well  noted  :  becaufe  I  think  it  (hows  that  Gideon  did 
 
 not 
 
upon  JUDGES  447 
 
 not  make  this,  that  he  might  have  refort  to  God  there-  Chapter 
 by  on  all  occafions  at  home  :    for  he  went  and  dwelt  at      VIII. 
 another  place,  v.  29.      It  was  kept  here  therefore  as  a  l/V*\j 
 
 numonc  of  Cods  appearing  to  him,  and  ol  Sa- 
 
 crifice the  Angel  here  oifcred,  and  oi  all  the  Wonders 
 that  followed,  by  the  Power  of  God  who  dwelt  in  the 
 Sanctuary.  There  are  thole  who  think  that  becaufe 
 God  bad  Gideon  build  an  Altar  and  otter  his  Fathers 
 fecond  Bullock  \n()p!jrah,  VI.  26.  he  thence  concluded 
 he  might  take  up  >n  him  to  have  Priefkly  Garments 
 made,  and  the  High  Prieft  came  to  Minifter  at  Ophrah 
 upon  extra  rdinary  occafions.  But  he  underftood  [Re- 
 ligion better  than  to  make  (uch  conclufions:  unlefs  he 
 had  received  a  Divine  command  for  this,  as  he  did  for 
 the  building  of  an  Altar. 
 
 And  all  Ifrael  went  thither  a  whoring  after  it.~]  This, 
 I  fuppofe,  was  after  his  Death ;  when  the  People  began 
 to  return  to  Idolatry  :  and  had  this  fancy,  among  o- 
 thers,  that  God  would  anfwer  them  here  where  this 
 Ephod  was  5  as  well  as  at  his  Tabernacle  in  Shilohi  where 
 he  dwelt. 
 
 Which  thing  became  a  fnare  unto  Gideon  and  his  hoitfe."] 
 Occafioned  the  ruin  of  him,  and  of  his  Family.  For 
 though  they  perilhed  after  his  Death,  yet  he  may  be 
 faid  to  have  iuifered  with  them  5  becaufe  his  name  and 
 memory,  which  is  preferved  in  Mens  Pofterity,  was  in 
 a  manner  extinct  in  Ifracl. 
 
 Ver.  28.  Thus  was  Midi  an  fnbdued  before  the  Children  Verfe  28. 
 of  Ifrael,  fo  that  they  lifted  up  their  heads  no  tnorc.~]    To 
 opprefs  the  Ifraelites  ^    or,  perhaps,    to  difturb  any  of 
 their  Neighbours. 
 
 And  the  country  was  in  quictnefs  forty  years,  in  the  days 
 of  Gideon."]  The  Country  was  in  quiet  in  the  fortieth 
 Year  after  the  former  reft  reftored  to  it  by  Deborah  and 
 Barak  *$  our  Primate  ZJjher  underftands  it,  in  his  Annals 
 
 ad 
 
448 
 
 COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  &&>  A.  M.  2759.  and  in  his  Chronologia  Sacra,    Pars  1. 
 VIII.     Cap.  XIII.  where  in  more  words,  he  thus  interprets  it. 
 
 ISST\j  ln  the  fortieth  year  after  the  reji  refiored  by  Deborah  and 
 Baraks  the  land  began  to  rejl  again  in  the  days  of  Gideon, 
 after  he  had  fubdued  the  Midianites  :  who  had  opprejfed 
 them  feven years.  But  the  plaineft:  account  is,  that  after 
 feven  Years  oppreffion  by  the  Midianites,  the  Country 
 was  in  Peace  Forty  Years  in  the  days  of  Gideon,  who 
 was  their  deliverer :  and  died  as  we  read,  v.  32.  in  a 
 good  old  Age. 
 
 Ver.   29.  And  Jerubbaat  the  Son    of  Joa(h  went  and 
 
 Veile  29.  £weit  *n  ^  Qwn  h0Hfc^     Having  refufed  to  be  a  King 
 
 and  difmifTed  his  Army  he  went  from  Ophrah  (as  I  un- 
 derftand  it)  and  lived  not  fo  publickly  as  he  had  done, 
 but  in  a  private  Houfe  of  his  own  in  the  Country. 
 
 Verfe  30.  Ver.  30.  And  Gideon  had  three/core  and  ten  Sons^ 
 of  his  body  begotten!]  Thefe  laft  words  are  added  to 
 (how,  that  they  were  none  of  them  adopted  Sons. 
 
 For  he  had  many  Wives."]  According  to  the  manner 
 of  thofe  times.  And  this  is  faid  to  leflen  the  wonder, 
 of  having  fo  many  Children  :  many  Women  bringing 
 two  or  three  at  a  Birth  $  and  one  Woman  having  had 
 above  twenty  Children  by  one  Man. 
 
 Verfe  21.  ^er*  31"  And  his  ComubineT]  The  difference  between 
 '  a  Wife  and  a  Concubine  hath  been  often  noted.  Their 
 Wives  adminiftred  the  affairs  of  the  Family  5  the  Con- 
 cubines medled  not  with  them,  but  as  the  words  figni- 
 fies,  were  only  admitted  to  their  Beds.  And  their  Chil- 
 dren did  not  inherit  though  they  were  Married  to  them  : 
 for  they  were  not  Harlots,  but  a  fecondary  fort  of 
 Wives. 
 
 That  was  in  SchechemT]  A  famous  City  in  the  Tribe 
 ofEphraim,  adjoining  to  that  of  Manaffeh:  where  going 
 frequently  to  judge  the  People,  he  took  a  Wife  of  this 
 fort :  who  lived  conftantly  with  her  Father  in  this  City  3 
 and  not  in  Gideons  Family.  She 
 
upon  JUDGES.  4^ 
 
 She  alfo  bare  him  a  Son.']     Befide   the  LXX,  before  Chapter 
 mentioned,  asjofephus  undcrfhnds  it.  VII). 
 
 Who  ft  name  was  Ab)mel:ch.~]      His  mme  is  here   fet  L/"VXj 
 down,  when  nothing  is  faid  of  the  names  ol   I 
 becaufe  the  following  Story    depends   upon  it.     A 
 perhaps  his  Mother  gave  him  this  name    (fignifying, 
 My  bather  a  King)    out  of  Pride  and  Arrogance  5  that 
 fhc  might  be  look'd  upon  as  the  Wife  of  one  who  was 
 thjught  to  deferve  a  Kingdom,  though  he  did   not  ac- 
 cept it.     Which   afterwards,    its   likely,    inflamed    the 
 mind  of  this  Son,  to  affect  the  Royal  Dignity. 
 
 Ver.   32.  And  Gideon  the  Son  of  Jo  aft  died  in  a  good  yerre 
 old  age.']     This  is  a  Phrafe  often  ufed  in  Scripture  ^  to 
 fignitie  that  fuch  Perfons  lived  long,  and  in  great  prof- 
 perity  and  happinefs. 
 
 And  was  buried  in  the  Sepulchre  of  Jo  aft  his  Father  ^ 
 in  Ophrah  of  the  Abiezrites.']  Which  was  accounted  a 
 great  bleffing,  in  thofe  days. 
 
 Ver.   33.  And  it  came  to  pafs,  as  foon  as  Gideon  was  Vexfe  ^5, 
 dead,  that  the  Children  of  Ifracl  turned  again."]     He  pre- 
 ferved  them,  it  feems,    in  the  true  Religion  while  he 
 lived  :  but  they  had  no  great  affeftion  to  it,  it  appears, 
 by  their  revolting  from  it,  as  foon  as  he  was  dead. 
 
 And  went  a  whoring  after  Baalim.']  This  feems  to 
 have  been  a  general  name  of  all  the  Gods,  which  they 
 worfhipped.  Particularly  of  Demons  5  which  were  all 
 called  Baalim  from  the  firfl:  Damon,  or  deified  King  in 
 the  World,  Bclus  or  Baal:  as  Mr.  Mede  thinks,  Book 
 III.  P.  777- 
 
 And  made  BaaUberith  their  god.']  They  worfhipped 
 a  new  god,  which  was  not  known  to  them  before  :  nor 
 ever  mentioned  but  here,  and  in  the  next  Chapter. 
 Who  was  reputed,  as  fome  think,  the  god  that  punifhed 
 thofe  who  broke  their  Covenants,  and  Contracts :  or, 
 as  others,  was  fo  called,  becaufe  his  Servants  covenanted 
 
 Mmrn  to 
 
4$o  A    COMMENT  A  RY 
 
 Chapter  to  maintain  his  Worlhip  and  Service.     But  Bochartm, 
 VIII.    by  a  more  probable  conje&ure,    interprets  it,   Baal  of 
 
 {S*\T\J  Berith,  i.  e.  of  Berytus.  That  Baal  which  was  worfhip- 
 ped  in  that  famous  City,  which  had  its  name  from  Beroe 
 the  Daughter  of  Venus  and  Adonis :  who  was  there  wor- 
 (hipped  as  Nonnus  tells  us.  This  he  takes  to  be  the  Baal 
 here  mentioned,  for  Baal  is  of  the  Feminine  Gender, 
 as  well  as  of  the  Mafculine  :  as  appears  from  St.  Paul^ 
 XI  Rom.  4.  and  many  places  of  the  LXX.  which  Bo? 
 chartus  mentions  Lib.  II.  Canaan,  Cap.  XVII. 
 
 Verfe  34.  ^er'  34'  ^n^  ^Je  Children  of  Ifrael  remembred  not  the 
 LORD  their  God,  who  had  delivered  them  out  of  the 
 hands  of  all  their  enemies  on  every  ftde7\  Out  of  the 
 hand  of  the  King  of  Mefopotamia,  and  then  of  the  Moa- 
 bites^  and  after  that  of  the  Canaanites,  and  now  lately 
 of  the  Midianites  and  the  Children  of  the  Eaft. 
 
 Verfe  ?5»  ^er#  35*  Neither  fiewcd  they  kjndnefs  to  the  houfe  of 
 Jerubabal,  namely  Gideon."]  No  wonder  they  were  fo 
 ungrateful  to  his  Family  5  when  they  were  fo  forgetful 
 of  God  :  The  fear  of  whom,  is  the  foundation  of  all 
 Vertue. 
 
 According  to  all  the  goodnefs  wh'/ch  he  had  fhown  unto 
 Ifraeir\  In  hazzarding  his  Life  freely,  and  working 
 for  them  a  glorious  deliverance  5  and  in  leaving  them  in 
 their  Liberty,  by  refufing  the  defpotick  Power,  which 
 they  offered  to  put  into  his  hands  ^  and  in  governing 
 them  fo  prudently  many  Years,  that  he  left  them  in 
 Peace,  and  in  the  pofleffion  of  Gods  true  Religion, 
 when  he  died. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
upon    JUDGES.  45  , 
 
 CHAP.     IX.  C5g*Cf 
 
 Verfe  i.    A  ND  Abimekch  the  Son  of  Jcrubbaalwent.]  Verfe  x. 
 
 ii  From  his  Fathers  Houfe,  where  it  is  likely 
 he  was  educated. 
 
 Unto  Schechem.~]     The  place  of  his  Nativity. 
 
 Unto  his  Mothers  Brethren."]  Though  the  word  Bre- 
 thren have  many  times  a  large  fignification,  yet  it  is  rea- 
 sonable here  to  underftand  it  properly  $  of  his  Uncles 
 by  the  Mothers  fide.  For  his  other  near  kindred  are 
 mentioned  in  the  words  following. 
 
 And  communed  with  them,  and  with  all  the  family  of 
 the  houfe  of  his  Mothers  Father ,  faying.~]  Difcourfed 
 with  them,  and  with  all  the  reft  of  his  Coulins,  and 
 his  near  Kinfmen  defcended  from  his  Grandfather. 
 
 Ver.    2.  Speal^  I  pray  you  in  the  ears  of  all  the  Men  of  Verfe  2 
 Schechemr\     By  the  Men  of  this  City  are  to  be  under- 
 ftood,  the  chief  Perfons  of  Authority  in  it,  as  in  the 
 foregoing  Chapter  the  Men  ofSuccoth  fignifie  the  Princes 
 and  Elders  of  that  place. 
 
 Whether  is  better  for  you,  either  that  all  the  Sons  of 
 Jerubbaal  (which  are  threefcore  and  ten  perfons)  reign 
 over  you,  or  that  one  reign  over  you.~]  He  wickedly  fup- 
 pofed  that  the  Sons  ot  Jerubbaal  were  ambitious  of  the 
 Kingdom,  which  their  Father  refirfed:  and  therefore 
 prays  them  to  conilder,  what  horrible  divifionsandcon- 
 fufion  it  would  make,  if  fo  many  were  permitted  to 
 pretend  to  the  Government^  and  how  much  better  it 
 would  be  to  chufe  one  of  them  from  among  the  reft  5 
 pointing  then  (in  the  next  words)  to  himiclf.  He  ufes 
 the  argument  of  Homer,  mentioned  by  Arijlotle,  iy? 
 ezyzSzv  7rD\i»toi^.vi>,,  &c.  It  is  better  to  be  fubjedt  ro  the 
 Rule  of  one  Man,  than  of  many. 
 
 M  m  m  2  Remember 
 
45*  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chanter        Remember  alfo  that  I  am  your  bone,    and  your  fleftT] 
 IX.      Since  there  muft  be  a  Ring,  he  reprefents  himfelf,  as  the 
 
 L/YNJ  mod  defirable  to  them  of  all  other  (ingle  Perfons:  he 
 being  of  the  fame  Tribe,  and  their  fellow  Citizen. 
 
 Verfe  3.  Ver.  3«  An&  his  Mothers  Brethren  fpake  of  him  in  the 
 ears  of  the  Men  of  Schechem,  aS  thefc  words.']  They 
 were  ready  enough  to  promote  his  defign  :  hoping  for 
 preferment  under  him.  But  neither  he,  nor  they  con- 
 lidered,  that  it  did  not  belong  to  them  to  fet  a  Judge 
 over  the  People,  much  lefs  a  King  :  whictr  was  to  (hake 
 off  the  Government  of  God. 
 
 And  their  hearts  inclined  to  follow  Abimetech,  for  they 
 faid  he  is  our  Brother.']  This  confideration  of  tneir  in- 
 terest in  him,  prevailed  with  them,  againft  the  cleared 
 reafon.  For  if  it  had  been  in  any  Peribns  power  to  ap- 
 point a  King,  but  God  alone  ;  the  Men  oiSchechem  had 
 it  not  in  them,  but  all  the  Men  of  lfrael  ought  to  have 
 been  confulted. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  And  they  gave  him  threefcore  and  ten  pieces  of 
 fdver,  out  of  the  houfe  of  Baal-berithT]  Out  of  the  pub- 
 lick  Treafury  :  which  was  in  this  Temple.  It  is  uncer- 
 tain what  is  meant  by  pieces  of  Silver  5  but,  in  all  pro- 
 bability more  than  Shekels :  for  they  would  have  been 
 but  a  fmall  prefent  to  make  a  Man  a  Prince.  Therefore 
 the  Vulgar  Tranllate  it  fo  many  Pound  weight  of  Silver: 
 which  learned  Men  approve  of :,  particularly  Staniflaus 
 GrepjiHs,  in  his  Book  de  Siclo  &  Talento.  For  feventy 
 Shekels  was  too  little  for  his  occafions :,  and  fo  many 
 Talents  too  much  for  them  to  give.  And  thus  Jofephm 
 interprets,  XXXVII  Gen.  28.  where  it  is  faid  Jofeph 
 was  fold  to  the  Ifomaelites  for  twenty  pieces  of  Silver  3. 
 that  is  for  fo  many  pound  weight  of  it. 
 
 Wherewith  Abimd'ech  hired  vain  and  light  perfons.  ~] 
 The  Hebrew  word  Re/{im  which  we  Tranllate  vain  (ig* 
 nifies  empty :   that  is,    poor  and  needy  Perfons.     And 
 
 the 
 
upon  JlinC  E  9  i  53 
 
 the  other  word  PocLtzh;/y  Idle,  Vagabond  fellow:-,  that  Ch 
 could  (ettle  to  nobulinels,  but  wandivd  about  the  Oi::i-      IX*. 
 try:    who  being  commonly  Med   of  loofe   lives,    were  WV~\J 
 fitted:  for  his  pUrpofe.     Therefore  Kimtbi  underftands 
 by  them,  light  headed  pcrfons  (as  we  fpeak)    who   have 
 no  fetled  principles,  but  are  difpofed  to  do  any  thing, 
 though  never  lb  wicked.     Such  ZtphanUh  faith  the  Pro- 
 phets in  his  time  were,    III.  4.  light  and  treacherous. 
 
 Which  followed  hi/;/.]     As  a  conftant  guard  to  him. 
 
 Ver.  5.  And  he  xrent  unto  his  Fathers  houfe  at  Ophrah.l  Verfe  ft 
 With  this  wicked  Crew  toattend  him  j  who,  I  fuppote, 
 befet  the  Houfc,  that  none  might  efcape  out  of  it.  I 
 fuppolecl  that  he  had  a  Houfe  in  the  Country,  VIII.  29. 
 for  I  could  not  fee  with  what  propriety  he  could  be 
 faid  to  go  and  dwell  in  his  Houfe  at  Ophrah,  in  which 
 he  had  always  lived.  But  this  was  the  Houfe  of  the 
 Family,  where  all  his  Children  lived. 
 
 Andjlervhis  Brethren  the  Sons  ofjerubbaal,  hting  thrcc- 
 fcore  and  ten  pcrfons.~]  All  of  them  except  Jothav/. 
 Thus  Romulus  ilevv  his  Brother  Renins^  as  Tnlij  obfervts 
 (Lib.  III.  de  Officii  s)  Specie  quadam  utiiitatis,  under 
 the  fpecious  pretence  of  the  publick  good  5  that  the 
 Kingdom  would  be  governed  more  happily  by  one, 
 than  by  two  Perfons. 
 
 Upon  one  Stone.']     Some  underftand  this,  as  if  he  in- 
 tended to  make  them  a  great  viftim  to  Baal ;  for  a  57  k 
 was  fometime  uied  tor  an   Altar,    1  San/.  V\.  i.^  15. 
 And  fo  they  take  this  to  have  been  done  in  revenge  of 
 the  Sacrifice  of  the  Bullock  prepared  for  Baal  upon  the 
 Rock  (Vj.  25,  26.)  which  crime  of  Gidt**,    as  i: 
 Idolaters  accounted  it,  they  deiigned  to  expiate  by  tin 
 Sacrifice  of  all  his  Sons,  that  they  could  lay  hold  on. 
 For  that  the  Men  of  Schechem  joined  in  this  impious 
 (laughter  is  manifeft   from    v.    18.    and   24.    ©f  thi.c 
 Chapter. 
 
 Noturi 
 
454  /iCOMMENl^Rr 
 
 Chapter       Notwithftandrng,  yet  Jot  ham  theyoungejl  Son  of  Jerub* 
 IX.       kaal  was  left,  for  he  hid  himfelf]     Either  he  had  fome 
 
 iS~\T\J  notice  of  their  intention,  and  faved  himfelf  by  flight  5 
 or  when  they  came  to  feize  them,  got  into  fome  fecret 
 place  in  the  Houfe,  where  they  could  not  find  him  5  or 
 by  fome  that  pitied  his  Youth,  he  was  preferved  from 
 falling  into  their  hands.  So  the  LXX.  and  the  Vulgar 
 Tranflate  it,  he  was  hid, 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  all  the  Men  of  Schechem  gathered  them- 
 f elves  together,  and  all  the  houfe  of  Millo.']  None  feem 
 to  me  to  have  understood  thefe  words  better  than  Cornel. 
 Bertram,  in  his  little  Book  de  Republ.  Jud.  Cap.  IX. 
 Where  by  Col  baale  Schechem,hz  undzrttandszll  the  prin- 
 cipal men  or  Lords  of  that  City  5  Principes  Qvitatis,  the 
 Princes  of  the  City,by  whom  it  was  governed.  And 
 by  Col  beth  Millo  all  the  Citizens,who  in  a  full  afTembly 
 (for  Millo  (ignifies  fulnefs)  agreed  upon  what  follows. 
 And  fo  we  read  in  the  next  Chapter,  X.  18.  that  the 
 People  and  Princes  of  Gilead  confulted  together,  who 
 {hould  fight  for  them.  That  is,  all  the  Citizens  met  to- 
 gether with  their  Elders  (as  thefe  Princes  are  called,  XL 
 5.)  to  advife  about  this  matter.  For  when  the  Canaanites 
 and  other  People  ruled  over  the  Ifraelites  and  oppreffed 
 them,  they  contented  themfelves  with  fetting  fuch  a 
 power  over  them,  as  (hould  make  them  pay  what  Tri- 
 bute they  impofed,  and  other  Taxes :  but  left  them  to 
 their  own  Government  and  Laws,  as  appears  from  VIII. 
 14.  where  we  read  of  the  Elders  of  Succoth  in  the  time 
 of  the  Midianites. 
 
 And  went.]     To  the  place  where  they  were  wont  to 
 meet  for  publick  bufinefs. 
 
 And  made  Abimelech  King."]     Voted  him  their  Ring, 
 in  full  Senate. 
 
 In  the  plain  of  the  pillar  that  was  in  Schechem.]     Or 
 ><the  Oak,  (as  St.  Hierom  commonly  Tranihtes  this  word 
 
 Elon) 
 
upon   JUDGES.  4^ 
 
 Elm)  where  Jo/Iwa  fet  up  a  Pillar,  as  a  token  of  the  Ch 
 Covenant    between  God    and    them,    XXIV J$fb.  ;  !\. 
 
 That  is,  in  a  very  remarkable  place  5  as  the  manner  was  L/'vv^v^ 
 to  dofuch  things.  But  here  I  fuppofe  they  proclaimed 
 him  King  5  alter  they  had  chofen  him  in  the  common 
 Hall  of  the  City.  And  fome  think  they  intended  here- 
 by to  declare,  that  they  would  not  for  fake  the  wor  (hip 
 of  God,  to  which  they  were  engaged}  but  only  to  join 
 the  worfhip  of  Baal  with  him.  But  fee  what  I  have 
 noted  of  this  Pillar,  XXVII  Dent.  13.  And  after  all 
 it  muft  be  confefled  that  the  Hebrew  word  Mutzab  doth 
 not  certainly  fignifie  a  Pillar;  for  1  cannot  find  it  fo 
 ufed  in  any  other  place  of  Scripture.  And  therefore  Sr. 
 Hierom  Tranilates  this  paflage  thus,  by  the  Oak.  which 
 flood  in  Schechem :  and  the  LXX.  d*  &z\xvy  t*;  ?<&0k»^ 
 which  feems  to  fignifie  as  if  it  was  the  place  where  they 
 had  their  Stations,  or  folemn  Affemblies.  See  Mr.  Mede 
 Difcourfe,  XVIII.  Verfe  7> 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  when  they  told  it  to  Jothaw.~]  Who  had 
 fome  friends  among  them,  that  took  care  to  inform  him 
 of  what  paiTed.  But  it  is  an  amazing  thing,  that  in  all 
 Ifrael  there  ftiould  none  be  found,  to  revenge  the 
 Murder  of  this  noble  Family.  Of  which  no  account 
 can  be  given,  but  that  with  the  fenfe  of  God  and  Re- 
 ligion, they  had  loft  all  goodnefs  and  vertue.     See  VIII. 
 
 34-  35- 
 
 He  rcentT]     From  the  place  where  he  lay  hid. 
 
 And  flood  on  the  top  of  mount  Gerezim.  ~]  Which  over- 
 look'd  the  City    oiSchechem.Sze  XXVII  Dent.  12,  1 5. 
 
 A.nd  lift  up  his  voice ,  and  cried  and  j aid  unto  them7\ 
 This  was  not  on  the  fame  day  that  Abimekcb  was  in- 
 augurated ^  but  fome  time  after :  when  he,  it  is  probable 
 was  abfent,  and  all  the  People  met  (as  Jafeppm faith) 
 at  a  publick  Feftival  :  which  was  a  fit  opportunity  for 
 him  to  declare  his  mind  to  them. 
 
 Hark- 
 
4S<5 
 
 A  COMMENT  A K7 
 
 Chapter        Hearken  unto  me  ye  Men  of  Schcchew,  that  God  way 
 IX.       hearken  unto  you.']     It  is  a  form  of  adjuration  :  where- 
 
 \J^T\J  by  he  not  only  intreats,  but  obliges  them  to  be  as  at- 
 tentive ro  him,  as  they  dtfired  God  would  be  to  their 
 requcfts. 
 
 Verfe  8.  ^er-    &•   The  trees  went  forth  on  a  time.!     By  this  it 
 
 appears  that  fuch  Fifrions  as  thefe,  wherein  the  moft 
 ferious  Truths  are  reprefented,  were  in  ufe  among  the 
 Jews  (as  they  are  ftill  in  the  Eaftern  Countries)  long 
 before  the  time  of  JEfip,  or  any  other  Author  that  we 
 know  of.  And  they  made  choice  of  them  for  two  rea- 
 fons  5  becaufe  Men  would  fuffer  themfelves  to  be  repre- 
 hended this  way,  when  they  would  not  endure  plain 
 words:  and  they  heard  them  alfo  with  delight  and  plea- 
 fure,  and  more  eafily  remembred  them,  than  a  rational 
 Difcourfe.  So  A.  Gel/ius  obferves  of  Mfops  Fables,  that 
 they  Hid  into  the  mind  andaffe&ions  of  Men,  cum  audi- 
 endi  quadam  jlleabra,  with  a  certain  enticement  to  hear 
 them,  Lib.  2.  Cap.  XXIX.. 
 
 To  anoint  a  King  over  them.']  This  was  two  Hundred 
 Years  (as  Mr.  Selden  obferves,  in  his  Titles  of  Honour) 
 before  the  firft  Kings  of  Ifrael  (Saul  and  David)  were 
 anointed.  Which  fhows  the  great  antiquity  of  this 
 cuftom  5  and  that  it  was  the  fame  to  anoint  a  Perfon, 
 and  to  declare  him  King. 
 
 And  they  faid  unto  the  Olive-tree  ,  reign  thou  over 
 '  us.~]  By  this,  they  would  eafily  apprehend,  he 
 meant  his  Father  Gideon :  to  whom  all  the  Ifraelites 
 had  offered  the  Kingdom,  when  he  was  in  a  moft  flou- 
 ri(hing  condition,  and  had  newly  triumphed  over  their 
 Enemies. 
 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  But  the  Olive-tree  faid  unto  them.']  In  this 
 reply  he  *reprefents  his  refufal  of  the  offer,  and  the  rea- 
 fon  of  it. 
 
 Shalt 
 
upon  June  E  s.  457 
 
 Shall  I  leave  my  fitnefs,   wherewith  by  we  they  honour   Chapter 
 God  and  Man.~]     He  makes  the  Trees  fpeak  after  the      IX. 
 manner  of  Men  :  who  when  they  are  in  a  plentiful  con-  L/^v^Sj 
 dition   and  live  at  eafe,    are  not  willing  to  take  upon 
 themielves  a  great  deal  ot  care  and  trouble:  efpecially 
 when  they  think  themielves  to  have  honour  enough  al- 
 ready ^  as  Gideon  had,  in  being  fuch  a  glorious  Con- 
 queror over  mighty  Enemies.    God  and  Man  are  faid  to 
 be  honoured  by  Oil  ^  becaufe  it  was  offered  in  Sacrifice  to 
 God,   and  fed   the  Lamps  of  his  Houfe  :    and  Priefts 
 were  wont  to  be  anointed  with  it  among  Men.     See 
 II  Lcvit.  i.  4.  XV  Numb.  4.  6.  &c. 
 
 And  go  to  be  promoted  among  the  trees  i\\  This  is  a 
 moft  lively  reprefentation  of  the  duty  of  a  good  Man  : 
 who  for  the  publicfc  good  denies  his  own  quiet  and 
 tranquility.  For  the  Hebrew  word  we  Tranflate  Promote, 
 fignifies  (as  is  noted  in  the  Margin)  aftion  and  agitation 
 to  and  fro:  (bowing  how  a  Man  muft  beftir  himlelf, 
 who  executes  the  Kingly  Office :  and  what  folicitude 
 and  continual  careful nefs  is  the  Concomitant  of  Au- 
 thority, when  it  is  duly  adminiftred- 
 
 Ver.  IO.  And  the  trees  faid  unto  the  fig-tree,  Come  Verk  10. 
 thou  and  reign  over  vs.~]  He  intends  to  reprefent  the 
 fame  mind  to  be  in  all  Gideons  Sons,  that  was  in  their 
 Father.  For  as  Gideon  refufed  the  Kingdom  himfelf, 
 fo  he  did  for  his  pofterity  5  faying,  I  will  not  rule  over 
 you,  neither  ft  all  my  Sony  or  my  Sons  Son  (i.  e.  any  til 
 mine)  rule  over  yon,  VIII.  23.  Therefore  Abimelech 
 had  moft  vilely  (landred  them,  in  fuggeftingthat  they 
 afFe&ed  a  regal  power  over  the  People. 
 
 Ver.   1 1 .  But  the  fig-tree  faid  unto  them,  Shall  I  for  fake  \rerfe  1  r . 
 my  fweetnefs  and  my  good  fruit,  and  go  to  be  promoted  over 
 the  trees.~$     No  fruit  is  more  lufcious  than  a  Figg: 
 which  makes  this  an  apt  reprefentation  of  the  fweet  con- 
 tent, or  rather  full  pleafure,  that  may  be  enjoyed  in  a 
 
 Nnn  private 
 
45§ 
 
 A  CO MMENT AK T 
 
 Chapter  private  Life  :  which  it  would  be  folly,  to  exchange  for 
 IX.      the  Troubles  and  Cares  which  Men  meet  withal  in  the 
 
 U^V^sj  managery  of  publick  affairs }  if  they  be  not  drawn  to 
 it  purely  out  of  love  to  the  publick  good. 
 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  Then  /aid  the  trees  unto  the  vine,  Come  thou 
 and  reign  over  us.~]  All  thefe  are  noble  Trees  5  fetting 
 forth  the  fame  thing:  that  better  Men  than  Abimilech 
 had  refufed  that  of  which  he  was  ambitious. 
 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  l3*  And  the  vine  [aid  unto  them \  Shall  1  leave  my 
 wine,  which  cheereth  God  and  Mian  5  and  go  to  be  pro- 
 moted over  the  trees  f]  The  fame  thing  is  repeated,  for 
 the  fuller  Illuftration  of  the  thing  intended,  according 
 to  the  manner  of  all  fuch  ways  of  Speech.  For  A. 
 Gellius  in  the  place  before  named,  makes  the  Birds  among 
 the  Corn,  when  it  was  to  be  reaped,  fay  the  fame  thing 
 more  than  once  to  their  damm  \  before  (he  bad  them  be 
 gone.  As  for  Wine  cheering  God  and  Man,  it  is  a  form 
 of  Speech  imitated  by  the  Heathen  \  particularly  by 
 Virgil,  Lib.  2.  Georg.  v.  101.  where  fpeaking  of  noble 
 Vines,  or  Wine,  he  faith  they  were  ——  Menfis,  & 
 Diis  acceptafecundis.  For  Wine  as  the  Hebrew  Doftors 
 note,  was  not  only  ufed  in  their  Sacrifices,  asitwasalfo 
 among  the  Heathen :  but  Jarchi  faith  till  the  drink 
 offering  was  poured  out,  they  did  not  begin  the  Hymn, 
 that  was  then  fung  to  God.    See  upon  XV Numb.  5. 
 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  Then  /aid  all  the  trees  unto  the  bramble,  fkc.~) 
 The  meaneft  of  all  Trees  5  good  for  nothing  but  to  be 
 burnt :  aptly  reprefenting  Abimelechy  from  whom  they 
 could  receive  no  benefit  5  but  much  trouble  and  vexation 
 from  his  ambitious  cruelty. 
 
 Verfe  15.  Ver.  15.  And  the  bramble  faid  unto  them,  If  in  truth 
 je  anoint  me  King  over  you.'}  This  well  fets  forth  Abi- 
 melechs  diftruft  of  the  fincerity  of  the  Schecher  mites  : 
 for  which  he  had  greaj  reafon,  having  no  title  to  the 
 Kingdom,  but  the  great  atchievements  of  his  Father, 
 and  he  the  bafeft  cf  all  his  Sons.  Then 
 
upon  JUDGES. 
 
 Then  come  and  put  your  truft  in  my  fljaddow.]  Be  affured 
 of  my  prote&ion,  it  you  live  quietly  under  my  Govern- 
 ment. This  rcprefcntS  how  ridiculous  Abimelei  h  w^.,  in 
 imagining  that  he  fhould  be  able  to  maintain  the  Authority 
 of  a  King  :  for  a  Bramble  doth  not  fpread  it  fell  fo,  .  to 
 afford  any  fhelteror  fhaddow:  it  being  a  kind  ofaThorn. 
 which  the  Hebrews  call  At  ad.  From  whence,  as  Avenarius 
 obferves  came  the  word  Aphrk  among  the  Greeks,  and  in 
 Diofcoridcs  the  word  a-ra^.  And  from  hence  he  thinks 
 was  derived  the  word  8to»,  and  bto'^,  which  fignii 
 to  wound,  as  a  Thorn  doth  when  it  pricks. 
 
 And  if  not,  let  fire  conn  out  of  the  bramble.]  It  is  a 
 Wood  that  eafily  catches  Fire,  as  Forjierns  obferves  out 
 of  Jofcphus,  L.  V.  Antiq.   Cap.  i  \. 
 
 And  devour  the  cedars  of  Lebanon."]  This  reprefents 
 the  Vengeance  Abimelech  would  take  of  the  greateft  of 
 them,  if  they  proved  unfaithful  to  him. 
 
 Ver.  1 6.  Now  therefore.]  Here  followsjf^/^w'sApplica-  yerfe  ^  ^ 
 tionof  this  Apologue, as  the  Greekj  call  it,untohis  purpofe. 
 
 If  ye  have  done  truly  andfincercly  in  that  ye  have  made  A- 
 bimelech  King.~]  If  his.preferment  was  a  righteous  aft. 
 
 And  if  ye  have  dealt  well  with  Jcrubbaal  and  bis  houfe,  and 
 have  done  unto  him  according  to  the  deferving  of  his  hand.] 
 And  if  they  had  requited  Gideon  and  his  Family,  ac- 
 cording to  his  Merits,  which  were  exceeding  great. 
 
 Ver.    17.  For  my  Father  fought  for  you,  and  adventured  Verfe  22 
 his  life  far.]     Put  it  in  great  hazzard. 
 
 And  delivered  you  out  of  the  hand  of  Midi  an.]  When 
 they  were  forely  oppreffed  by  them,  and  could  not  help 
 themfelves. 
 
 Ver.    18.    And  ye  are  rifen  up  againji  my  tat  he is  houfe  yCI.t. 
 this  day.]     This  (hows  the  Men  of  Schcchcm  con  fen  ted 
 to  the  Murder,  and  affifted  Abimelech  in  it. 
 
 And  havejlain  his  Sons  threefcorc  and  ten  perfons.]  For 
 they  intended  the  (laughter  oijotham,  as  much  as  of  the 
 reft,if  he  could  have  been  found.  rjj  0  ;    : 
 
A6o  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Z)pon  one  Stone,  and  have  made  Abimelech  the  Son  of  his 
 IX.       Maid-fervant.~]     For  Concubines  were  often  put  to  do 
 
 U~V~\j  the  work  of  the  Houfe. 
 
 King  aver  the  Men  of  Schechem7\  Who  could  not 
 pretend  to  make  him  King  over  all  Ifrael :  no  nor  over 
 the  whole  Tribe  of  Ephraim  $  but  only  of  their  City 
 and  Territory. 
 
 Becaufe  he  is  your  Brother^  Without  any  Title  to  it  3 
 but  becaufe  he  was  a  Native  of  their  City. 
 
 Ver.  19.  If  you  have  done  truly  and  fine erely7\  Like 
 honeft  and  upright  Men. 
 
 With  Jerubbaal  and  his  houfe  this  day,  then  rejoyce  ye 
 in  Abimelech,  and  let  him  rejoyce  inyou7\  He  wifhes  they 
 may  be  happy  in  one  another. 
 
 Verfe  20.  Ver.  2°*  ^Ht  tf  no*->  let  fire  come  from  Abimelech  and 
 devour  the  Men  of  Schechem  and  the  houfe  of  Millo7\ 
 This  is  not  a  Prediction,  but  an  Execration  or  Curfe, 
 as  appears  from  the  oppofition  to  the  foregoing  wifb, 
 and  from  v.  57.  where  it  is  called  Jothams  Curfe. 
 Which  was  not  caufelefs,  but  like  that  of  Jofiuas  (VI 
 Jofh.  26.)  which  was  fulfilled,  as  this  was.  Not  by 
 fire  properly  fo  called,  breaking  forth  from  Abimelech: 
 but  by  his  rage  and  furious  revenge,  which  is  fitly 
 compared  to  Fire,  in  allufion  to  what  is  faid  of  the 
 Bramble,  ^.15. 
 
 And  let  fire  come  out  from  the  Men  of  Schechem, 
 and  from  the  houfe  of  Millo,  and  devour  Abimelech."] 
 He  wifhes  they  may  mutually  deftroy  each  other  .•  which 
 came  to  pafs  by  the  righteous  judgment  of  God,  who 
 hears  the  cries  of  the  oppreffed. 
 
 Verfe  21.  Ver.  21.  And  Jot  ham  ran  away,  and  fled.  ~\  Ashe 
 might  eafily  do,  I  have  fhown  upon  XXVII  Deut.  13. 
 The  firft  word  fignifies  he  made  what  hafte  he  could 
 away,  as  foon  as  he  had  done  (peaking  5  and  the  fecond, 
 that  he  ftopt  not,  till  he  had  got  to  a  place  of  fafety. 
 
 And 
 
upon  JUDGES.  461 
 
 And  went  to  Beer,  and  dwelt  there,  fur  fear  of  Abimckch  Ch  inter 
 his  Brother.*]     It  is  not  certain  where  this  pfitcc   was;      IX. 
 whether  in  the  Land  of  Jfravl  or  out  of  it.  It  is  probable  ^/~V^j 
 that  it  was  in  the  Tribe  of  fudtth  5    about  Eight  Miles 
 from Eleittheropolh^s  both Eufebim and  St  Hierom  affirm. 
 
 Ver.  22.  WhtH  Abimelech  had  Ttlgntd  three  years  over  Verfe  :i. 
 Ifrael.~]  It  is  not  laid  over  all  Ijrad :  who,  it  cannot 
 be  thought  would  fubmitto  the  Ambitious  Tyranny  of 
 fo  cruel  a  Man,  as  Abimelech  was.  And  if  Beer  was  in 
 the  Tribe  of  Judah,  we  may  be  fure  they  did  not  own 
 him  for  their  King  :  for  then  Jothaw  could  not  have 
 dwelt  in  fafety  there.  The  meaning  therefore  is,  that 
 he  called  himfelf  King  of  Ifrael,  and  reigned  over  a 
 great  part  of  them  :  who  were  fo  defirous  of  a  King 
 (it  appears  by  their  offer  made  to  Gideon)  that  they 
 were  content  with  him,  rather  than  have  none  at  all. 
 
 Ver.    25.   AndGod  fent  an  evil  fyirit  between  Abimelech.,  \  :\~- 
 and  the  Men  of  Schechem.~]     At  the  three  Years  end,  I 
 fuppofe,  God  ordered  things  fo  in  his  Providence,  that 
 they  grew  jealous  and  diftruftful  one  of  another,    and 
 fell  into  diflenfions  and  difcords. 
 
 And  the  Men  of  Schechem  dealt  treachcroufly  with  Abi- 
 n/c!cih.~]  Confpired  againft  him.  So  true  i3  the  ob- 
 fervation  of  Grotius  upon  thefe  words:  that  nothing  is 
 more  inftable  than  the  popular  breath,  which  is  wor. 
 Evil  arts  5  and  that  Men  hate  the  wickednefs  which  hath 
 done  them  fervice. 
 
 Ver.  z\.  That  the  cruelty  done  to  the  threefcore  and  ten  yej 
 Sons  ofjerubbaal  might  come,  and  their  blood  be  laid  upon 
 their  brother  Abimelech,whichjhvp  them?]  By  this  meansGod 
 intended  to  punifh  Abimelech  for  the  cruel  Murder  of  his 
 Brethren  5    whofe  Blood  cried  for  Vengeance   on  him. 
 
 And  upon  the  Men  of  Schechem  which  aided  him  in  th 
 hilling  of  his  brethren.']     And    to  punifh  the  Men   of 
 Schechem,  who  enabled  him  to  commit  tbit  wkfcfed 
 and  helpt  him  in  it.  Ver.  15. 
 
46i  A   C  OMMENT  AR7 
 
 Chapter        Ver.   25.  And  the  Men  of  Schechem  fet  Hers  in  wait 
 IX.      for  him,  on  the  top  of  the  mountains  7]     They  were  not 
 
 KS~sr\J  yet  broken  out  into  open  Hoftility  againft  him  :    but 
 
 Verfe  25.  there  being  a  mifunderftanding  between  them  $  A- 
 bimelech,  I  fuppofe,  left  the  City  in  Anger.  But  they 
 thought  he  would  return  again,  and  thereupon  let  Men 
 to  lie  fecretly,  on  the  top  of  the  Mountains  over  which 
 he  was  to  pafs,  to  feize  his  perfon. 
 
 And  they  robbed  all  that  came  that  way  by  them.']  That 
 the  report  coming  to  Abimelech  his  Ears  (as  Arias  Mon- 
 tana underftands  it)  how  infecure  his  Subje&s  were, 
 who  paffed  that  Rode,  he  might  make  the  more  fpeed, 
 as  good  Kings  are  bound  to  do,  to  clear  the  way  from 
 thofe  Thieves  which  infeOed  it:  and  thereby  give  them 
 an  opportunity  to  feize  him. 
 
 And  it  was  told  Abimelech.']  What  Robberies  were 
 committed  5  and  perhaps,  that  they  lay  in  wait  for 
 him. 
 
 Verfe  26.  Ver.  26.  And  Gad  the  Son  of  Ebed.]  We  have  no 
 means  to  know  who  this  Gael  was :  nor  whence  he  came. 
 R.  Solomon  thinks  he  was  a  Gentile,  and  not  one  of  the 
 Jewifh  Nation. 
 
 Came  with  his  brethren.']  He  paffed  accidently  that 
 way  (as  P.  Martyr  thinks)  with  his  Brethren,  and  his 
 Attendants  5  about  fome  bufinefs  they  had  in  that  Coun- 
 try. But  the  common  opinion  is,  that  he  was  a  known 
 Enemy  of  Abimekchs  5  who  hearing  the  Men  of  Sche- 
 chem were  at  defiance  with  him,  came  to  offer  them  his 
 fervice  againft  him. 
 
 And  the  Men  of  Schechem  put  their  confidence  in  him.  3 
 That  is,  put  themfelves  under  his  prote&ion. 
 
 Verfe  27.  Ver.  27«  And  they  went  out  into  the  fields,  and  ga- 
 thered their  vineyards,  and  trod  the  grapes.]  Their  firft 
 a&ion  under  this  new  Commander,  was  to  go  out  of 
 their  City,  into  their  Vineyards  which  were  in  the  Fields  ^ 
 
 and 
 
 Lx 
 
upon  ]  U  DGES  463 
 
 and  gather  their  Grapes  and  pre  Is  them  :    Which  they   Chapter 
 durlt  not  do  before,  though  the  Vintage  was  ripe,   for       IX. 
 fear  of  Abimclech.     Who  being  told  how  things   (rood  U^V^VJ 
 there,  had  raifed  Forces,   I  iuppofe,  ngainft  them:  but 
 durft  not  now  difturb  them  in  their  bulinefs  3  they  be- 
 ing defended  by  Gael. 
 
 And  made  merry."]  As  they  were  wont  to  do  in  time 
 of  Vintage:  and  now  efpecially,  when  they  were  full 
 of  joy  in  hope  to  be  rid  of  Ab\mdech\  Tyranny.  The 
 LXX.  of  the  Vatican  Edition,  retain  the  Hebrew  word, 
 and  Tranllate  it  they  made  EAAaA^  :  whereby  fome 
 understand  Songs,  as  others  Dances.  Both  are  expreffed 
 by  the  V*lg*r\  and  other  Copies  of  the  LXX.  h\ 
 y6f*&  For  their  merriment  confifted  very  much  in 
 Dances,  with  Mufick  and  Songs.  Which  as  Max.  Tjriu* 
 obferves,  were  among  the  Greek/  firft  ufed,  and  in  ho- 
 nour of  Bacchus,  when  they  preffed  out  their  Grapes. 
 See  Dr.  Spencer,  lib.  III.  Differt.   1.  Cap.  IX. 
 
 And  went  into  the  hoitfe  of  their  god.~]  It  is  mo  ft  likely 
 into  the  Temple  of  Baalberith:  there  to  offer  their  firft 
 fruits,  or  fuch  other  Sacrifices  as  were  cuftomary  at  that 
 Feftival. 
 
 And  did  eat  and  cirink^]  Upon  that  part  of  the  Sa- 
 crifices, which  fell  to  the  fhare  ot  the  People  :  who,  per- 
 haps, ingaged  in  a  Covenant  againft  Abimelech. 
 
 And  curfed  Abimelech.']  Some  think  they  only  fcoffed 
 at  him  with  Taunts,  and  Reproaches^  as  Men  ule  to  do 
 in  their  Cups.  But  the  LXX.  Tranilate  it  ^t»Wtt£v7s: 
 which  fignifies  curfing,  as  we  Tranllate  it.  That  is, 
 they  wifla'd  their  god  would  confound  him.  And  fo 
 we  Tranilate  this  word,  XX  Levit.  9.  XX  Prep*  20.  A 
 marvellous  change,  that  they  who  lately  gave  him  a  great 
 fum  of  Money,  to  advance  him  to  the  Throne,  fhould 
 in  that  very  Houfe,  from  whence  they  took  it,  reproach 
 him,  with  imprecations,  of  the  Divine  Vengeance  upon 
 him.  Ver.  2?. 
 
4^4  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  28.  And  Gael  the  Son  of  Ebed  faidT]     In  the 
 IX.       midft  of  this  jollity,    Gael  (being  elevated,  I  fuppofe, 
 L/^V~v.  with  Wine)  burft  forth  into  this  infulting  Laguage. 
 Verfe  28.      Who  is  AbimelechT]     That  is,  he  is  but  the  Son  of  a 
 Maid-fervant,  v.  18. 
 
 And  who  is  Schtchem  ?  ]  Some  think  he  means,  the 
 City  of  Schechem  is  as  noble  as  he  is  bafe  :  Why  there- 
 fore fhould  they  be  fubjeft  to  him  >  But  it  feems,  by 
 what  follows,  to  be  rather  the  fame  thing  repeated, 
 )Vho,  I  fay,  is  the  Schechemite  £ 
 
 That  we  flyould  ferve  him.']  Suffer  him  to  rule  over 
 us,  and  ufe  us  as  he  pleafes. 
 
 Is  he  not  the  Son  of  Jerubbaal  ?~]  Who  threw  down 
 the  Altar  of  that  god,  whom  you  worlhip. 
 
 And  Zebnl  his  Officer.']  Hath  he  not  fet  one  of  his 
 Servants  over  you,  to  be  your  Governour  ?" 
 
 Serve  the  Men  of  Hamar  the  Father  of  Schechem.']  If 
 we  muft  be  Servants,  let  us  reftore  the  Dominion  of  the 
 old  Lords  of  this  City  \  and  fubjeft  our  felves  to  thofe 
 who  are  defcended  from  the  ancient  Stock  of  Uamor^ 
 who  was  the  Father,  as  it  were  of  the  Schechemites. 
 
 For  why  fbould  we  ferve  him  ?~]  But  what  reafon  can 
 bt  given  for  our  fubje&ion  to  this  upftart :  who  is  famed 
 for  nothing,  but  his  Ambition,  and  Cruelty  to  his  own 
 Brethren  ?  This  fhows  pretty  plainly,  that R.  Solomons 
 Opinion  is  true,  that  Gael  was  a  Gentile  $  who  would 
 have  been  glad  to  fee  the  Authority  of  the  Canaanites 
 reftored.  For  though  he  fuggefts  it  only  as  compara- 
 tively more  deferable,  than  Abimelechs  Rule  over  them  5 
 yet,  it  is  likely,  he  thought  they  might  as  well  receive 
 their  Government,  as  they  had  done  their  Religion. 
 Verfe  29.  Ver.  29.  And  would  to  God  this  People  were  under  my 
 lwnd.~]  He  wifhes  they  would  make  him  their  King,  at 
 leaft  their  Commander  in  chief.  Which,it  feems,they  had 
 not  yet  refolved  upon  5  fome  being  ftill  for  Abimelech^ 
 and  others  not  trufting  to  a  (hanger.  And 
 
upon    JUDGES 
 
 Tl.cn  would  I  remove  AbimelechT]  That  he  fhould 
 trouble  them  no  more  :  but  flee  the  Country,  as  he  was 
 driven  out  of  their  City. 
 
 And  he  J aid  to  Abimelech,  In cr cafe  thine  army  and  come 
 out.']  Some  take  this  to  be  only  a  vapouring  fpeecb 
 (as  if  Abimelcch  was  prefent)  when  he  knew  he  might 
 boa  ft  and  infult  without  danger,  becaufe  he  did  not  h 
 him.  But  it  may  as  well  be  thought  that  he  bid  Abi* 
 nttlech  Friends  go  and  tell  him,  what  he  laid  :  that  he 
 wiflrd  him  to  reinforce  his  Army,  and  come  ouc 
 the  intrenchments  wherein  perhaps  he  was)  and  give 
 him  Battle.  For  he  pretended  to  fcorn  to  fet  upon  him 
 by  furprize  5  but  defired  to  decide  the  Quarrel  in  open 
 Field. 
 
 Ver.  30.  And  when  Zebnl  the  ruler  of  the  City,  heard  Verfe 
 the  words  of  Gael  the  Son  ofEbcd,  his  anger  was  kjndled.~] 
 It  is  likely  he  had  carried  fair  (as  we  fpeak)  with  Gael 
 hitherto  }  thinking  it  in  vain  to  oppofe  a  popular  com- 
 motion, till  their  fury  was  a  little  calmed  :  but  he  could 
 not  bear  thefe  infolent,  Thrafonical  words  of  Gael  $ 
 which  perhaps  were  not  fpoken  in  his  prefence,  but 
 brought  to  him  by  fome  that  heard  them. 
 
 Ver.   3  l .   And  he  fent  mejfengers  unto  Abimelcch  privily,  yerre   ^ 
 faying.']     He   had  fome  v\it  in  his  anger,  and  did  not 
 openly  declare  his  refentments:    but  gave  fecret  intelli- 
 gence to  Abimelech,  how  matters  ftood  5    with  his  ad- 
 vice how  to  proceed  again  ft  Gael. 
 
 Behold,  Gael  the  Son  of  Ebed  and  his  Brethren,  be 
 come  to  SchechemT]  Where,  no  doubt,  he  informed  him 
 what  entertainment  he  had  found  5  and  in  what  reviling 
 terms  he  had  fpoken  of  him. 
 
 And  behold,    he  fortifeth  the   City  againjl  thee.']     This 
 was  no  fign  that  Gael  defied^as  he  boafted,    to  mi 
 Abimelcch  in    a  pitch'd  Battle:  but  that  he  rather  pro- 
 vided  for  his  own  defence,    in  cafe  he  fhould  be  af- 
 faulted.  Ooo  Ver.  32. 
 
46<5  A    COMMEKT  A  KT 
 
 Chapter       Ver.    32»  Now  therefore  up  by  night,  thou  and  the  Peo- 
 
 }X.       pte  that  is  with  thee,    and  lie  in  wait  in  the  fields.]      His 
 
 t^VXJ  advice  is  that,    for  fear  of  difcovery,  he  (hould  march 
 
 Verfe  32.  with  &l!  his  Forces  in  the  Night,    toward  Schechem  : 
 
 and  lurk  in  the  Fields  till  morning  light. 
 Verfe  *\*      Ver.  33-  ^nd,  it  fiall  be  that  in  the  morning,  as  fo on  as 
 the  Sun  is  up,  thou  jhalt  rife  up  early,  andfet  upon  the  City.] 
 Surprize  them,  before  they  were  better  provided. 
 
 And,  behold,   when  he  and  the  People  that  are  with  him 
 •ome  out  againfi  thee.]     As  Gael  had  boafted  he  would 
 \o. 
 Then  thou  mayji  do  to  them, as  thou  (I) alt  find  occafion."]  He 
 lid  give  him  no  further  advice:  but  that  then  he  fnould 
 fpofe  his  Forces,  to  the  beft  advantage  againft  him. 
 Verfe  54.       Ver.   34.  And  Abimelech  rofe  up,  and  all  the  People  that 
 tvere  with  him  by  night,   and  they  laid  wait  againjl  Schechem 
 font  companies.  ]     He  divided  his  Army  into  four 
 Ba;allions  (as  they  now  fpeak)    and  difpofed  them  in 
 four  places,  as  the  Vulgar  underftands  it:  perhaps  on 
 the  Eaft,  Weft,  North  and  South  fides  of  the  City. 
 Verfe  25.      Ver.   35.  And  Gael  the  Son  of  Ebed  went  out.']     Of  his 
 Houfe. 
 
 And  flood  in  the  eniring  of  the  gate  of  the  City."]     To 
 
 fee,  it  is  likely,  if  his  Soldiers  were  upon  their  guard. 
 
 And  Abimelech  rofe  up  and  the  People  that  were  with 
 
 him,  from  lying  inwaitT]     Out  of  their  lurking  places, 
 
 where  they  had  lain  undifcovered  all  Night. 
 
 Verfe  26.      ^er*  3^*  -^n^  w^cn  Gael  f aw  the  People,    he  faid  to 
 '  Zebul.~]    Who,  itfeems,  accompanied  him  5  or,  as  Go- 
 vernour  of  the  City  was  there  to  fee  every  one  do  their 
 duty. 
 
 Behold,  there  come  People  down  from  the  top  of  the 
 mountains.']  Which  w?re  adjoining  to  the  City,  viz. 
 Mount  Gerezim  and  Mount  Ebal. 
 
 And 
 
upon    J  U  D  G  \l  S.  4^7 
 
 And  Zebnlfvd,  Thou  fee/}  the  fly 
 its  if  they  were  Me*.]     It  being  early  in  t:  IX. 
 
 the  Trees,  and  all  thingselfe  call  long  fhaddows,  which  L/~V^\J 
 being  moved  by  the  breath  of  Air,  which  commonly 
 accompanies  the  Sun  riling,  Zcbul  perfwaded  him  he 
 took  tor  Men  marching  down  from  the  top  of  the 
 Mountains.  Some  think  he  fpake  this  in  mockery,  thit 
 he  was  afraid  of  fhadows :  but  delivered  it  in  fuch  a 
 ferious  tone,  that  Gael  believed  he  fpake  in  earneft.  By 
 which  it  is  plain  that  Zebul  notably  diflembled  his  i 
 fentments «,  and  behaved  himfelf  as  if  he  was  on  Gaels 
 fide.  Who  was  frrangely  infatuated,  to  truffc  one  that 
 was  Servant  to  Ab'mickch,  and  placed  by  him  as  Gover- 
 nour  of  the  City  :  whife  pretences  of  friendfhip  were 
 reafonably  to  be  fufpedled. 
 
 Verfe  57.  And  Gael  fpake  again  andfud,  See.']     Ob-  Verfe  5-. 
 ferve  attentively. 
 
 There  come  down  People  by  the  middle  of  the  land.] 
 Now  it  was  vifible  they  were  Men  :  tor  they  were  come 
 down  to  the  middle  of  the  Mountains. 
 
 And  another  company  come  along  by  the  Plain  of  Me- 
 oncnim."]     It  is  likely,  the  other  two  Companies,  of  the 
 four  into  which  his  Forces  were  divided,  appeared  in 
 other  places  5  the  more  to  diftract  the  thoughts  of  Gael. 
 And  it  is  probable  that  Abimelech  had  feized  the  arabufh, 
 which  they  had  laid  for  him  on  the  top  of  the  M 
 tains  (v.  25.)  that  they  could  carry  no  tidings  of  his 
 coming.     We  read  of  this  place  no  where  ell 
 I  can  give  no  account  of  it.     But  the  Vulgar  I 
 to  fignifie  not  the  Plain  ^    b«t  an  Oak,:    and    I 
 thefe   words  by  the  way  which  look?  towards  t. 
 Which  in  fome  Copies  of  the  LXX.  are  render 
 Oak,  of  thofe  that  lool^  towards,    or  that  regard  tim 
 we  have  it  in  the  Margin  of  our  Bibles  :    as  if  it  . 
 like  the  Oak  at  Dodonay  among  the  Greek/^  where  1 
 made  divinations.  Oo  o  2  Ver.  - 
 
463  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  38.  Then  faid  Zebul  unto  him,  V\ \  here  is  now  thy 
 JX.        mouthy  wherewith  thou  faidji,  who  is  Abimelech,  that  w  e 
 L/*V"\J Jbould  ferve   himf\     Now  Zebul  pulls  off  his    mask: 
 Verfe  58.  and  puts  him  in  mind  of  the  braggs  which  he  made, 
 v.  28. 
 
 Is  not  this   the  People  that  thou  haft  defpifed?  ]     But 
 now,  he  fuppofes,  was  afraid  to  encounter. 
 
 Go  out,  1  pray  thee,  and  fight  with  the;//.']  He  up- 
 braids him  with  Cowardife$  unlets  he  now  fhowed 
 himfelf  a  Man  with  his  Sword  3  as  the  other  day  with 
 his  Tongue. 
 Verfe  39.  Ver.  39.  And  Gael  went  out."]  It  may  feem  ftrange 
 that  he  did  not  firft  leave  Zebul  dead  upon  the  fpot  be- 
 hind him.  But  he  was  afraid  of  him,-  he  having,  as  ap- 
 pears afterward,  a  ftrong  party  in  the  City  :  and  it  was 
 dangerous  to  have  two  Enemies  to  deal  withal :  one 
 without,  and  another  within. 
 
 Before  the  Men  of  Schechem,  and  fought  with  Abime- 
 tech.~]  As  unprovided  as  he  was  he  would  not  decline 
 the  Fight  ,  and  was  followed  by  the  principal  Perfons 
 in  Schechem. 
 Verfe  4c.  Ver.  40.  And  Abimelech  chafed  him,  and  he  fled  be- 
 fore him7\     Toward  the  City. 
 
 And,  many  were  overthrown  and  wounded.]     Some  were 
 killed,  and  others  wounded. 
 
 Even  unto  the  entring  of  the  gale 7\  Where  the  reft, 
 and  Gael  himfelf  got  into  the  City,  and  there  fecured 
 themfelves.  So  the  Fulgar,  for  explication  fake,  He 
 purfacd  him  and  drove  him  into  the  City. 
 Verfe  41.  Ver.  41*  And  Abimelech  dwelt  at  Arumah.]  It  ap- 
 pears, by  the  next  Verfe,  this  place  was  not  far  from 
 Schechem  ;  whether  Abimelech  thought  fit  to  retreat,  and 
 there  watch  for  an  opportunity  to  be  revenged  of  the 
 Schechemitcf. 
 
 And 
 
upon  JUDGE  S.  46^ 
 
 And  Zebul  thrnjl  out  Gael  and  his  brethren,    that  they  Chapter 
 fioiild  not  dwell  in  Schechem.]     Becaufe  they   were   not       IX. 
 able    to  defend  it   againft   Abimelech.     Zclul  had   the  ~S\f~\j 
 ftronger  party  on  his  fide,  other  vvife  he  could  not  have 
 expelled   him:    but  Gael  had   lb  many  adherents,  t: 
 they  durft  not  put  him  to  Death  :    for  his  ill  manag 
 ment,  as  no  doubt  they  called  it,  in  the  late  Fight. 
 
 Ver.  42.  And  it  came  to  pals,  on  the  morrow  that  the  Verfe  41. 
 People  rrent  out  into  field. ~]  Finding  that  Abimelech  was 
 retreated,  as  not  ftrong  enough,  they  imagined,  to 
 aflault  their  City,  they  went  about  their  bufinefs  into 
 the  Field.  Which  at  that  time  of  the  Year,  after  the 
 Vintage,  was  to  Plough  and  Sow  their  Lands  5  and 
 Drefs  their  Vines  and  other  Trees.  Some  will  have  it, 
 that  they  went  out  to  light  Abimelech  again:  which  is 
 not  probable. 
 
 And  they  told  Abimelech.']  He  wanted  not  fome  to 
 carry  him  Intelligence  of  it. 
 
 Ver.  45.  And^hc  took,  the  People.]     His  Forces,  which  Verfe  43, 
 lay  in  and  about  Arumah. 
 
 And  divided  them  into  three  companies,  j  One  of 
 which  (the  next  Verfe  informs  us)  he  commanded  him- 
 fclf  5  and  committed  the  other  two,  to  the  conduit  of 
 their  Commanders. 
 
 And  laid  wait  in  the  field.]  With  that  Company, 
 which  he  commanded  :  whom  he  ordered  to  lie  clofe, 
 and  not  difcover  themfelves. 
 
 And  looked,  and  behold,  the  People  were  come  forth  out 
 of  the  Oty.]  He  fet  ibme  to  fpy  when  the  People  were 
 come  out  5  and  fet  about  their  bufinefs. 
 
 And  he  rofe  up  againfi  them,  and  [mote  them.]  His 
 Men  came,  on  a  fudden,  out  of  their  ambutb :  and 
 killed  many  of  them. 
 
 Ver.  44.   And  Abimelech,   and  the  company  which  teas  Verfe  44. 
 with  him,  ritfted  forward,   and  flood  in  the  entring  of  thi 
 
 gate 
 
47o  A  CO  MMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  gate  of  the  City.']  Made  all  the  hafte  they  could  to  get 
 IX.  between  them,  and  home  :  and  accordingly  they  ported 
 L/*VSJ  themfelves  at  the  entring  of  the  Gate  of  the  City. 
 Whereby  they  hindred  thofe  in  the  Field  from  getting 
 into  it  5  and  likewife  thofe  in  the  City,  from  coming 
 out  to  their  relief.  So  that  they  were  difperfed  about 
 the  Fields  5  where  the  other  two  Companies  picked 
 them  up,  as  it  here  follows. 
 
 And  the  two  companies  ran  upon  all  the  People  that  were 
 in  the  fields,  and  flew  them  7]  Which  was  a  great  dif- 
 heartning,  no  doubt,  to  thofe  in  the  City  5  to  fee  fo 
 many  of  their  fellow  Citizens  cut  off. 
 Verfe  45.  Ver.  45.  And  Abimelech  fought  againft  the  City  all  that 
 dayT]  Having  deftroyed  fo  many  of  the  Citizens  in 
 the  Morning  5  he  made  his  battery  againft:  the  City  it 
 felf,  the  reft  of  the  Day. 
 
 And  took.  it."]  In  the  Evening,  I  fuppofe,  either  by 
 an  affault,  or  by  furrender. 
 
 And  flew  the  People  that  were  therein.']  It  is  not  faid 
 what  became  of  Zebul^  who  it  is  likely  went  over  to 
 him,  and  dire&ed  him  in  his  attack  upon  the  City  : 
 leaving  his  own  party,  in  whom  he  put  no  confidence, 
 to  peri(h  with  the  reft. 
 
 And  he  beat  down  the  City.']  Laid  the  Houfes,  and 
 Walls  level  with  the  ground. 
 
 And  fowed  it  with  fait 7]  Salt  makes  Land  barren, 
 and  therefore  Ralbag  refers  this  to  the  ground  about  ir, 
 or  in  it  5  that  was  wont  to  be  imployed  for  fowing  any 
 fort  of  Grain,  or  planting  Vineyards,  &c.  For  as 
 Pliny  obferves,  omnk  loc/ts  in  quo  reperiturfzl,  flerilis  eft 
 &  nihil gignit.  Lib.  XXXI.  Cap.  7.  All  places  in  which 
 fait  is  found,  arc  barren^  and  bring  forth  nothing.  There- 
 fore Abimelech  endeavoured  to  make  this  City  a  perpe- 
 tual defolation.  See  Bochart.  Hierozoicon,  P.  1.  Lib.  lit. 
 Cap.  XVI.     But  unlefs  the  Soil  had  been  fait  of  it  felf, 
 
 his 
 
upon   JUDGES.  47 1 
 
 his  fowingSalt  there  would  not  hive  made  it  barren  :  Chapter 
 but  it  would  have  loon  recovered  its  fruitfulnefs.  There-      IX. 
 fore  all  he  intended  was  to  (how  his  hatred   of  them  5  L/~V\j 
 by  wilhing  their  City  might  lie  waile,  and  be  a  perj 
 tual  delolation. 
 
 Ver.  46.  And  when  all  the  Men  of  the  tower  ofScbe*  y  ,.  ■  , 
 them  heard  that.~)  By  thefe  lad  words,  it  is  plain,  this 
 Tower  was  not  in  the  City  5  but  at  fome  diftance  from 
 it.  For  otherwile,  it  would  not  have  been  (aid  tl 
 they  heard  of  the  definition  of  Schecbem  :  but  that 
 they  faw  it  with  their  Eyes,  yet  it  is  likely,  that  this 
 Tower  was  kept  by  a  Garrifon  of  the  Schechemites. 
 
 They  tntred  into  an  hold  of  the  houfe  of  the  god  Ber'ithT] 
 They  durfl:  not  trufl  to  the  (Irength  of  the  Tower  5  but 
 took  Sanctuary  rather  in  a  flrong  Fortrefs  of  the  Temple 
 of  the  god  mentioned,  v.  4.  which  was  built  in  all  like- 
 lyhood  (according  to  the  common  cuflom  of  the  World) 
 upon  one  of  the  Mountains  hard  by  5  and  had  near  it 
 this  fortified  ftrong  hold  :  wherein  they  kept  their 
 Treafure,  v.  4.  It  may  be  compared  to  the  Roman  Ca- 
 pitol 5  and  to  the  Temple  of  Jerusalem  in  after  times  : 
 which  Jofephtts  defcribes  as  an  impregnable  place. 
 
 Ver.  47.  And  it  was  told  Abimelech  that  all  the  Men  0/ Verfe  47. 
 the  tower  of  Schecbem  were  gathered   together.']     In  the 
 forenamed  Fortrefs. 
 
 Ver.  48.  And  Abimelech  got  him  up  to  mount  Zalwon,  Verfe  48. 
 he  and  all  the  People  that   were  with  him.~]     Some  think, 
 this  to  be  the  fame  Mountain  which  the  Pfalmifl  men- 
 tions, LXVIII.  15.    and  take  it  to  have  been  near  to 
 Schechem,  which  had  many  Mountains  about  it,  v.  36. 
 
 And  Abimelech  took  an  Ax  In  his  Hand,  and  cut  down 
 d  bough  from  the  trees.l  Which  grew  there  in  great  abun- 
 dance 5  for  Z  aim  on  feems  to  have  had  its  name  from  the 
 ftudinefs  of  the  place. 
 
 And 
 
472  A    COMMENT  A  KT 
 
 Chapter       And  toolkit  and  laid  it  on  his  jloo  aiders,  and  faid  unto 
 IX.        tb*  People  that  were  with  him,  what  ye  have  feen  me  do, 
 
 \S*sT\~>  make  hafle,  and  do  as  J  have  doneT]  He  in  fome  mea- 
 fure  imitates  his  Fathers  Speech  to  his  three  hundred 
 Men,  before  he  went  to  fight,  VII.  17. 
 
 Verfe  49.  Ver.  49.  And  the  People  likewife  cut  down  every  Man 
 his  bough,  and  followed  Abimelech,  and  put  them  to  the 
 hold,  and  fet  the  hold  on  fire  upon  them  A  Which  was 
 done  with  fuch  expedition  (as  he  ordered  in  the  fore- 
 going Verfe)  that  they  within  had  no  time  to  provide 
 a  gain  ft  it. 
 
 So  that  all  the  Men  of  the  tower  of  Schem  died  alfo,  a- 
 hoitt  a  thoufand  Men  and  Woweri^  Who  perifhed  in  the 
 Fire  and  Smoak,  as  the  Vulgar  here  adds.  But  the  He- 
 hrew  and  LXX.  fay  nothing  of  Smoak,  but  only  of 
 Fire  :  yet  it  is  highly  probable  that  many  were  choaked 
 by  the  Smoak  which  was  very  great  and  fmothering  5 
 the  Wood  being  green.  Here  the  Prediction,  or  ra- 
 ther Imprecation  of  Jotham,  v.  20.  was  exa&ly  ful- 
 filled. 
 
 Verfe  50.  Ver.  50.  Then  went  Abimdech  unto  Thelez^  and  en- 
 camped  against  Thebez,  and  toolkit."]  This  was  a  City, 
 which,  as  Kimchi  obferves,  had  revolted  from  Abime- 
 lech  :  but  it  is  uncertain  whereabout  it  lay;  though  mod 
 think  it  in  the  territory  near  Schechem. 
 
 Verfe  51.  Ver.  51.  But  there  was  a  Jirong  tower  within  the  City, 
 and  thither  fled  all  the  Men  and  Women,  and  all  they  of 
 the  City.']  It  was  a  place  fo  large,  that  it  could  contain 
 not  only  all  the  Men  of  the  City  and  their  Wives  ^  but 
 their  Servants  alfo.  Who  all  betook  themfelves  hither, 
 as  a  place  not  eafie  to  be  taken,  though  the  City  could 
 make  little  refinance. 
 
 Andf/jut  it  to  them.']     Shut  to  the  Gate,  and,  I  fup- 
 pofe,  block'd  it  up  fo  that  it  could  nothe  opened. 
 
 And 
 
upon    JUDGES.  473 
 
 And  gat  them  up  to  the  top  of  the  tower  T\      Which  was   Chapter 
 flat,  as  their  Houfes  were  5  with  battlements  round  a-       [\ 
 bout  it.     Here  the  befieged  thought  fit  to  ftand  in  great  l/"V"\j 
 numbers,  that  they  might  do  what  they  could  to  beat 
 him  off,  if  Akimelecb  attempted  to  burn  them,  as  he  had 
 done  others  in  a  neighbouring  Tower. 
 
 Ver.  52.  And  Abimelech  came  into  the  tower  and  Verb  %i. 
 fought  againji  it.~]  His  rage  was  infatiable :  for  not  con- 
 tent to  have  overthrown  the  Schcchcwitcs,  and  beat 
 down  their  City,  and  burnt  their  ftrong  hold,  and 
 taken  Tbebez$  he  befet  their  Tower  alio:  where  if  he 
 had  not  perifhed,  none  can  tell  how  far  his  revenge 
 would  have  proceeded. 
 
 And  went  hard  unto  the  door  of  the  tower  to  burn  it  with 
 fire.']  Being  HuuYd  with  great  fuccefs,  he  was  fo  bold 
 and  hardy,  as  himfelf  to  make  this  dangerous  at- 
 tempt. 
 
 Ver.  53.  And  a  certain  Ho  wan  cafl  a  piece  of  a  Mil-  Verfe  53. 
 jlone.~]  Which  they  had  carried  up  among  other  Stones 
 and  Loggs,  and  whatfoever  they  thought  might  offend 
 the  Enemy.  The  Hebrew  word  Rechab  properly  iig- 
 nifies  the  upper  Milftone  :  which  moves  (and  as  it  were 
 rides)  upon  the  lower. 
 
 Upon  Abimclechs  bead.']  Being  dire&ed,  no  doubt, 
 by  a  fpecial  Providence  of  God  5  as  the  Stone  was  out 
 of  the  Sling  that  killed  Goliah  ,  and  the  Arrow  where- 
 with Ahab  was  (hot. 
 
 And  all  to  brake  his  Scu//.~]  Made  fuch  a  fracture  in  it, 
 that  he  concluded  it  to  be  mortal.  Thus  Plutarch  relates 
 that  Pyrrhvs  at  the  Siege  of  Thebes  was  killed  by  a  Wo- 
 man, who  threw  a  Tile  upon  his  Head.  But  Abimelechs 
 Death  by  a  Stone  is  the  more  remarkable,  becaufe  it 
 carried  fome  (lamp  of  his  Sin  upon  it:    for  he  flew  all 
 
 his  Brethren  on  one  Stone. 
 
 Ppp  Ver.  54. 
 
474  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Ver.   54.  Then  he  called  hafiily.~]     Fearing  he  fhould 
 IX.       immediately  expire. 
 
 L/"V^O       'Unto  the  young  Man  his  armour-bearer,    and  faid  unto 
 
 Verfe  54.  him,  Draw  thy  Sxcord  and  fay  me,  that  Men  fay  not  of 
 me,  a  Woman  flew  him.~]  Though  he  knew  (he  had 
 given  him  his  Deaths  wound,  yet  he  would  have 
 Pofterity  think  otherwife  :  for  he  thought  it  difhonour- 
 able  to  die  by  the  hand  of  a  Woman.  A  foolifh  piece 
 of  vain  glory  5  wherewith  he  concluded  his  Life,  as 
 he  had  led  it :  for  (he  had  given  him  a  mortal  blow. 
 
 And  his  young  Man  thrufl  him  through,  and  he  died."] 
 J uft  when  he  imagined  he  was  upon  the  point  of  con- 
 quering all  oppofition  to  him. 
 
 Verfe  55.  Ver.  55.  And  when  the  Men  of  Ifrael.~]  That  is,  all 
 that  were  in  his  Army. 
 
 Saw  that  Abimelech  was  dead,  they  departed  every  Man 
 unto  hk  pi  ace. 1  Disbanded  themfelves,  having  none  to 
 head  them. 
 
 Verfe  <6.  ^er*  $&•  Thus  God  rendred  the  wickednefs  of  Abime- 
 lech which  he  did  unto  his  Father^  in  faying  his  f event y 
 Brethren.']  Which  was  as  much  as  in  him  lay,  to  root 
 out  the  memory  of  his  Father :  unlefs  it  furvived  in 
 himfelf}  who  took  a  courfe  to  make  his  name  in- 
 famous. 
 
 Verfe  $7.  Ver.  57-  -And  all  the  evil  of  the  Men  of  Schechem  did 
 God  render  upon  their  heads,  and  upon  them  came  the 
 curfe  ofjotham  the  Son  of  Jcrubbaal.~]  Thefe  two  Verfes 
 conclude  this  Story  with  a  Divine  admonition  5  that  no 
 Man  (hould  think  fuch  things  came  to  pafs  by  chance: 
 but  God  the  Judge  of  all  punifhed  both  Abimelech  and 
 the  Men  of  Schechem  according  to  their  deferts^  and 
 made  them  the  inftruments  of  each  others  deftruftion. 
 And  it  is  remarkable  that  this  puniftiment  overtook  them 
 fpeedily,  within  lefs  then  four  Years  after  their  crime 
 was  committed. 
 
 It 
 
upon  JUDGES.  475 
 
 It  was  not  the  bufinefs  of  this  Holy  Writer  to  tell  ns 
 what  became  oijotham,  no  more  then  what  became  of 
 Gael  and  Zebt^li    Bur  only  to  (how,    that  as  Men  have 
 
 done  fo  God  requites  them  %  with  which  he  ends  this  part 
 of  his  Hiftory. 
 
 Chapter 
 C  H  A  P.     X.  X. 
 
 Verfe  1.     A  A7  D  after  Abimelcch.']     Who  was  not  a  Verfe  1. 
 
 j£\  Judge,  much  lefs  appointed  by  God  : 
 but  an  Ufurper,  who  took  upon  him  to  alter  the  Di- 
 vine Government,  and  madehimfelfa  King. 
 
 There  rofeup.']  It  is  not  faid  that  God  ftirred  him  up, 
 as  he  did  the  foregoing  Judges :  but  it  is  to  be  fo  under- 
 ftood  5  becaufe  God  would  not  have  faved  Ifrael  by  one 
 that  took  upon  him  this  high  office,  without  his  order. 
 And  therefore  as  Peter  Martyr  well  obferves  in  the  con- 
 clullon  of  the  foregoing  Chapter,  that  as  after  many 
 good  Judges  God  had  given  them,  he  fuffered  the  cruel 
 Tyrant  Ablmelech  to  interpofe  himfelf  5  that  their  ver- 
 mes might  fhine  more  illuftrioully  by  his  wickednefs  : 
 fo  after  he  was  gone,  God  was  pleafed  to  raife  up  to 
 them  good  Judges  again,  who  learnt  moderation  bv 
 the  punifhment  of  his  vain  Ambition.  And,  in  all  like- 
 ly hood,  the  dreadful  end  of  Ahimclech  and  his  partakers, 
 who  made  him  King,  afrighted  the  Israelites  from  pre- 
 fuming  to  make  another,  of  their  own  heads. 
 
 To  defend  Ifrael.~]  Or,  tofave^  as  it  is  in  the  Margin. 
 For  this  was  the  great  Office  of  a  Judge  to  deliver  the 
 People  from  the  oppreffion  of  their  Enemies.  We  do 
 not  find  indeed  from  what  Enemies  they  were  delivered 
 by  this  Judge:  But  they  may  be  faid  to  five  and  deliver, 
 who  preferve  Mens  Liberties  from  being  invaded  5  as 
 well  as  they  that  vindicate  and  reftore  them,  when  they 
 
 P  p  p  2  are 
 
476  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  are  loft.  And  therefore  we  well  Tranflate  it,  to  defend 
 X.  JfracL  He  may  be  thought  alfo  to  have  delivered  them 
 L/~V~NJ  from  thofe  confullons  and  disorders  they  were  in,  by 
 the  disagreement  between  Abimelech  and  thofe  that  made 
 him  King.  For  both  tides  had  many  partakers,  which 
 made  great  divifions,  and  dangerous  combinations  a- 
 mong  the  People :  but  were  all  happily  ended  by  the 
 prudent  management  of  this  Governour.  Serrariu*  alfo 
 adds,  that  he  might  be  faid  to  fave  or  deliver  them  be- 
 caufe  he  reftored  the  purity  of  their  Religion,  by  abo- 
 HQiing  the  worlhip  of  Idols.  For  we  read  that  after 
 the  Death  of  Gideon  they  went  a  whoring  after  Baalim, 
 and  made  Baal-berith  their  god,  VIII.  33.  Which  they 
 continued  in  the  Reign  of  Abimelech.  But  were  now 
 brought  back  to  the  worfhip  of  the  true  God,  and  re- 
 mained in  it,  in  the  days  of  this  and  the  following 
 Judges :  otherwife  there  would  not  have  been  occafion 
 to  fay  (v.  6.)  that  after  the  Death  of  J  air,  the  Children 
 of  Ifrael  did  evil  again  in  the  fight  of  the  LORD.  But 
 how  far  this  is  true,  will  appear  upon  v.  8. 
 
 Tola  the  Son  of  Puah,  the  Son  of  Dodo.  *]  So  the 
 Chaldee  Paraphraft  underftands  the  word  Dodo,  to  be 
 the  proper  name  of  his  Grandfather,  as  Pnah  was  of  his 
 Father.  But  there  are  thofe  that  by  Dodo  underftand 
 his  Vncle^  viz.  Abimelech  forementioned.  Which  feems 
 to  me  unreafonable  ^  for  he  was  of  another  Tribe  5  and 
 his  relation  to  fuch  a  Man  no  good  qualification,  one 
 would  think,  for  this  great  truft. 
 
 A  Man  of  I]fachar.~]  A  mean  Tribe  :  which  did  not 
 hinder  his  advancement  by  God  to  the  higheft  dignity : 
 And  by  this  expreffion,  a  Man  of  Iffachar,  he  feems  to 
 have  been  of  no  great  Family,  in  that  Tribe. 
 
 And  he  dwelt  in  Shamir  in  mount  Ephraim.~]  After 
 he  was  made  a  Judge,  he  fetled  in  this  place,  for  the 
 convenience  of  the  People  :  it  being  in  the  midft  of  the 
 Land.  Ver.  2. 
 
upon   JUDGES  477 
 
 Ver.   2.   And  he  judged  Jfrail   twenty  and  three  year  r,  Chapter 
 and  died  and  was  buried  In  Shami'r.~\     There  are  no  me-         X. 
 morable  afts  of  his  recorded  :  for  the  principal  intention  ev^v^v^ 
 ot'  the  Holy  Writer  of  this  Book!)   was  to   (how  what  Verle  :. 
 great  calamities  betel  the   lfraelites   when  they  forfook 
 Gods  worlhip  $  and  how  gracioufly  lie  delivered  them 
 in  a  marvellous  manner,  when  they  returned  to  it.     As 
 I  fuppofe  they  did,  in  the  beginning  of  this  Mans  Go- 
 vernment, and  continued  fredfaft  therein  :  fo  that  they 
 were  not  inferted  by  their  Enemies. 
 
 Ver.    3.   And  after  him  arofe  J  air  a   G/leadile,    an  4  Verfe  °. 
 judged  Ifrael  twenty  and  two  years']     This   is   the  hrft 
 Judge  that  was  railed  up  from  among  thole  that  lived 
 beyond  Jordan. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  he  had  thirty  Sons  thai  rode  on  thirty  affes  Verfe  4. 
 colts.~]  For  the  nobleft  Perfons  rode  on  thefe  Beafts 
 (fee  V.  10)  and'that  not  only  in  J/uLca,  bur  in  Arabia, 
 and  in  other  Countries,  even  among  the  Romans,  as 
 Bochartus  hath  at  large  obferved  in  his  Hierozoicon,  P.  1. 
 Lib.  II.  Cap.  XIII.  And  it  is  highly  probable,  that  this 
 is  here  mentioned,  becaule  thefe  Perfons  were  ordered  by 
 their  Father  to  ride  Circuit  up  and  down  the  Country  to 
 Minifter  Juftice  according  to  the  Law  :  as  Samuel  did 
 when  he  judged  Ijrael,  1  Sam.  VII.  16.  For  the  Courts 
 of  Judicature  appointed  by  the  Law  (XVI  Dent.  18/: 
 were  not  yet  ietled  5  nor  in  all  likely  hood  fetled  in 
 every  City,  till  the  days  of  Jehofaphat,  as  Mi.  Thomdikc 
 obferves  in  his  Rights  of  the  Church,  Chap.  IV.  P.  226. 
 
 And  they  had  thirty  Cities.']     Of  which  they  were  the 
 Governours,  as  the  Vulgar  underftands  it. 
 
 Which   are   called  Havoth-Jair  unto  this  day.~)     This 
 Jair  as  our  molt  learned  Primate  of  Ireland  obferves  in  • 
 his  Annals  (ad  A.M.  3504.)    was  of  the  Pofterity  of 
 that  Jair  who  called  the  Cities  which  he  took  in  Argob, 
 by  his  own  name  Havoth-Jair,  the  Towns  or  Villages 
 
 of 
 
A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  of  Jair  (XXXII  Numb.  41.  Ill  Dent.  14.)   After  whofe 
 
 X.        example  thcfe  thirty  Sons  of  this  Younger  Jair  (who 
 
 W~V~\J  to  diftinguilh  him  from  the  Elder  feems  to  be  called 
 
 Bedan,    1  Sam.  XII.  1 1.    1  Chrcn.  VII.  17)  called  thele 
 
 Cities  which  they  poflcfled,  by  the  very  fame  name. 
 
 Which  are  in  the  land  ofGilead.~]  In  the  fame  Coun- 
 try, where  the  other  Cities  anciently  called  by  this  name 
 lay.  From  which,  it  is  likely,  they  were  diftinguifhed 
 by  fome  fuch  addition  as  this,  the  new  Havoth-Jair. 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  J.  And  Jair  died,  and  was  buried  in  Camon.~] 
 Which,  it  is  probable,  was  the  place  where  he  dwelt  \ 
 while  he  judged  IfraeL 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  the  Children  of  lfrael  did  evil  again  in 
 the  fight  of  the  L0RD7\  Or,  as  the  forenamed  Primate 
 thinks  it  muft  be  interpreted,  had  done  evil  again ,  Sec. 
 as  was  faid,  VIII.  33.  and  now  is  repeated  to  fhow  the 
 caufe,  why  God  delivered  them  up  into  the  hands  of 
 their  Enemies.  For  he  fuppofes  this  was  before  the 
 Death  of  Jair,  as  I  (hall  note  on  v.  8. 
 
 And  ferved  Baalim  and  Af/jtaroth.~]  As  they  had  fre- 
 quently done  in  former  times,  II.  13.  III.  7,  &c 
 
 And  the  gods  of  Syria.']  They  added  to  their  former 
 Idolatries,  the  worfhip  of  new  gods  5  particularly  thofe 
 of  Syria,  which  were  as  Mr.  Selden  obferves  (in  his 
 Prolegomena  to  his  Book  de  Diis  SjirisJ  befide  Bel,  cr 
 Baal  and  Aftarte,  Dago?t,  Moloch  and  Thawmuz. 
 
 And  the  gods  of  Zidon.~]     Their  fupreme  gods  were 
 
 Baal  and  AJfjtoreth,  as  the  fame  great  Man  obferves  (in 
 
 his,   2.  Syntagma  de  JPiis  Syris,  C.  2.)    But  it  is  likely 
 
 they  had  more,  fuch  as  Afaroth,  Afarim,    and  Afarah: 
 
 being  the  very  fame  with  Afioreth. 
 
 And  the  gods  of  Moal>.~]  The  principal  of  which  was 
 Chemojh,   1  Kings  XI.  7. 
 
 And  the  gods  of  the  Children  of  Ammon.  3  The 
 chief  of  which   was  Milcom^    1  Kings  XI.  5-     where 
 
 Af/jtoreth 
 
upon  JUDGES  479 
 
 Afitoreth  is  mentioned    as  the  Goddcfs  of  the  Zido-  Chapter 
 
 mans.  X . 
 
 And  the  gods  of  the  Ph/lifiines.']     They  had   more,    it  l/~V"\J 
 feems,  belide  Dagon :   whole  names  arc  not  mentioned 
 in  Scripture. 
 
 And  forfool^the  IORD^  andferved  not  hrm.~]  Their 
 Hearts  were  polfeiled  with  the  love  of  fo  many  gods, 
 that  they  quite  forgot  the  LORD,  and  did  not  wor- 
 fhip  him  at  all :  though  they  were  wont  formerly,  only 
 to  worfhip  other  gods  together  with  him.  This  was 
 iucha  ftrange  ApoThlie  that  one  cannot  but  enquire  into 
 the  reafon  of  it}  and  (befides  what  I  noted  upon 
 II.  12.)  one  reafon  may  have  poflibly  have  been,  that 
 the  folemn  reading  of  the  Law  ro  all  the  People,  once 
 in  (even  Years,  was  neglefted.  For  we  do  not  read  that 
 it  was  publickly  done  from  the  time  oi  Joflto/a  to  the 
 Reign  of  Je/wfophat  j  which'  was  above  live  Hundred 
 Years.  It  doth  not  follow  indeed  that  it  was  not  done, 
 becaufe  it  is  not  recorded  :  but  if  we  conlider  how  prone 
 they  were  to  return  to  Idolatry  after  the  Death  of  every 
 Judge,  and  how  foon  after  the  Death  of  David  (even 
 in  the  Reign  of  his  Son  Solomon)  it  began  to  appear 
 among  them  5  it  may  incline  one  to  think  there  was  not 
 fufficient  care  taken  about  this  matter.  * 
 
 Ver.   7.   And  the  anger  of  the  LORD  was  hot  againjl  Verfe 
 Ifracl,  and  he  fold  them  into  the  hands  of  the  Philiftincs, 
 and  into  the  hands  of  the  Children  of  Ammon7\     Two  of 
 thofe  Nations,  whofe  gods  they  chofe  to  ferve. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  that  year  they  vexed  and  opprejfed  the  Verfe  8. 
 Children  oflfracl.']  That  is,  the  Ammonites  vexed  them 
 in  the  Eafl  (as  we  are  told  in  the  conclusion  of  the 
 Verfe)  while  the  Phil/Jiines  vexed  them  in  the  Weft. 
 For  their  Idolatry  being  ftrangely  increafed,  fo  was  their 
 punifhment  5  by  the  Invafion  of  their  Enemies  on  borh 
 fides,  as  the  foregoing  Verfe  tells  iis.     Which  is  a  Pre- 
 
4So  A  COMMENT  >*Rr 
 
 Chapter  face  to  the  following  Hiftories  of  their  oppreffion  by 
 X.       the  Philifiims  and  the  Amm onlt es,  both  at  the  fame  time : 
 
 U^VaJ  but,  to  avoid  confufion,  he  firft  relates  the  ftory  of  the 
 Ammonites  who  are  laft  named  in  the  foregoing  Verfe. 
 Eighteen  years."]     Their  Invafion  began  in  the  fame 
 Year,  but  they  did  not  end  at  the  fame  time,    for  the 
 Ammonites  domineered  over  them  only  Eighteen  Years : 
 but  the  Philijlines  Forty,  XIII.  i.  I  muft  not  here  omit 
 the  conftru&ion  which  our  Primate  Vfher  makes  of  thefe 
 words,  which  run  thus  in  the  Hebrew,  and  heTranflates 
 in  this  manner,    they  vexed  and  opprejfed  the  Children  of 
 Jfrael  that  year  (viz.)  the  eighteenth  year.     For  the  op- 
 preffion he  thinks  began  the  fifth  Year  of  Jair,  and  con- 
 tinued till  the  twenty  fecond,  which  was  his  laft.     See 
 his  Chronol  Sacra,  P.  i.  Cap.  XI II.  But  this  is faid,  only 
 to  falve  a  difficulty,  which  is  5  that  if  we  fuppole  this 
 oppreffion  to  have  begun  after  the  the  Death  of  Jair, 
 and  to  have  lafted  Eighteen  Years    (as  our  Tranflation 
 imports)  it  will  be  impoffible  to  make  the  Years  of  the 
 Government  of  the  Judges,  agree  with  what  we  read, 
 1  Kings  VI.  1.  that  Solomon  began  to  build  the  Ternple 
 at  Jerufalem  in  the  four  Hundred  and  Eightieth  Year 
 after  they  came  out  of  Egypt.     But  there  is  a  more  eafie 
 way  of  accounting  for  this  difficulty,  by  fuppofing  that 
 feveral  of  the  Judges  were  Contemporaries,  as  will  be 
 apparent  in  this  very  Hiftory  (fee  upon  XI.  15.)  and  if 
 we  do  not  take  thefe  words  eighteen  years  to  fignifie  the 
 continuance  of  the  AmmonitiJI)  oppreffion  }    it  is  no 
 where  mentioned  any  where  elfe  .•  as  the  duration  of  all 
 other  oppreffions  is. 
 
 All  the  Children  of  Ifrael  that  were  on  the  other  fide 
 Jordan  in  the  land  of  the  Amorites7\  Which  belonged 
 to  the  Amorites,  till  Mofes  difpofleffed  them  (XXI 
 Numb.)  and  gave  the  Land  to  the  two  Tribes  of  Reuben 
 and  Gad,  and  half  the  Tribe  of  Man affc h. 
 
 Which 
 
upon  JUDGES.  48 1 
 
 Which  ft  in  Gilcad.~)  The  principal  part  of  which  Chapter 
 was  Gilcad:  out  of  which  Jafr  fprang^  being  of  the  X. 
 Tribe  of  Manaffeh.  Who,  like  a  good  Man,  ufed  all  lVW 
 his  endeavours  to  purge  the  Ifraelites  from  Idolatry  \  as 
 Tola  I  fuppofe  had  done  before.  But  they  being  after 
 the  Death  of  Gideon  fain  from  God,  and  continuing  in 
 their  Idolatry  all  the  Reign  of  Abimelcch,  our  fore- 
 named  Primate  fuppofes  theie  Judges  were  not  able  to 
 reform  them  $  but  they  rather  grew  worfe  as  is  related, 
 Vi  6.  And  therefore  God  permitted  the  Ammonites  and 
 Philijlines  to  begin  to  afflidt  them,  as  was  faid  before 
 in  the  fifth  Year  ofjair ;  but  not  fo  as  to  make  them 
 iubjeft  to  their  Power.  For  Jair  held  the  Government 
 Eighteen  Years  after  they  began  their  inrodes:  but  then 
 their  vexations  and  oppreffions  grew  intolerable  :  and 
 they  not  only  affiifted  his  own  Country  Gilead,  but 
 endeavoured  to  make  their  Brethren  on  the  other  fide 
 Jordan  to  feel  the  weight  of  their  Power  5  as  it  follows 
 in  the  next  Verfe.  This  is  faid  very  plaufibly  ^  but 
 cannot  be  admitted  without  fome  violence  to  the  na- 
 tural fenfe  of  the  beginning  of  the  Verfe.  And  alfo  to 
 the  courfe  of  this  Hiftory,  which  doth  not  mention 
 their  departure  from  God,  and  thefe  oppreffions  of 
 their  Enemies,  on  both  fides,  till  after  the  Death  of 
 Jain 
 
 Ver.  9.  Moreover  the  Children  of  Amnion  faffed  over  Verfe  9. 
 Jordan  to  fight  again  ft  Judah,  and  xgainjl  Benjamin,  and 
 againji  the  houfe  of  Ephraim.~]     Who  were   the  Tribes 
 that  lay  next  to  Jordan. 
 
 So  that  Ifrael  was  fore  diflreffed.*]  For  while  the  Am- 
 monites affii&ed  thofe  Countries  in  the  Eaftern  part  of 
 Canaan,  the  Philijiines  made  Ravages  in  the  Countries 
 of  Zelwhtn,  and  Afljer,  and  the  reft  of  the  Tribes  that 
 lay  on  the  Weftern  Coaft.  For  fo  the  LXX.  explain 
 thofe  words  in  the  foregoing  Verfe,  in  that  year^  £*  to? 
 
 Qqq  **jj£ 
 
482  A 'COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  *<**?<?>  \*smpx    in  that  fame  year,    the  Philiflines  in  the 
 X.        Welt,    and  the  Ammonites  in   the  Eaft  vexed  and  op- 
 tW'NJ  prefied  the  Children  of  Ifrael. 
 
 Verie  lC.  Ver.  10.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  cried  unto  the 
 LORD,  faying,  We  have  finned  againfi  thee,  both  becaufe 
 rpe  have  for faken  our  God,  and  aljo  ferved  Baalim."]  AH 
 the  reft  of  the  gods  mentioned  v.  6.  are  comprehended 
 under  the  name  of  Baalim.  Which  were  fo  many  and 
 various,  that  they  had  quite  drawn  their  affeftion  from 
 their  own  God :  as  they  now  forrowfully  acknow- 
 ledge. • 
 VVrfe  ii.  ^er-  II#  And  the  LORD  faid  unto  the  Children  of 
 Ifrael.']     By  fome  Prophet,  I  fuppofe. 
 
 Did  not  I  deliver  you  from  the  Egyptians.']  Exod. 
 XII. 
 
 And  from  the  AmoritesT]  Who  would  have  hindred 
 their  paffage  to  the  Land  of  Canaan,  XXI  Numb. 
 
 And  from  the  Children  of  AmmonT]  Who  were  con- 
 federate with  the  Moabites  to  opprefs  them,  Mljudg. 
 
 13- 
 
 And  from  the  PhiliftinesJ]  In  the  days  of  Shamgar,. 
 III.  ult. 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  iz.  The  Zidonians  alfof]  We  never  read  of 
 any  Invafion  they  made  upon  the  Ifraelites :  but  only 
 in  general  that  God  left  them,  among  other  People, 
 unfubdued,  to  prove  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  III.  9. 
 who  took  their  opportunities,  in  all  likelyhood,  to 
 affiift  them. 
 
 And  the  AmalekitesT]  Who  joined  both  with  the 
 Moabites  and  the  Midianites  to  opprefs  them,  III.  13. 
 VI.  2. 
 
 And  the  Maomites  did  opprefs  you ."]  Maon  is  the  name 
 of  a  Nation  5  the  plural  of  which  Meunim  occurs  in 
 many  places  3  particularly  in  2  Chron.  XXVI.  6,  7. 
 Where  they  are  called  in  Greek  M<y<a£to.     A  People  of 
 
 Arabia  5 
 
upon  Juno  r  s  4s3 
 
 Arabia  5  both  in  that  which  we  call  Falix,  and  in  that  Chapter 
 called  Dcferta.  Which  later  was  not  iar  from  the  X. 
 Moabites  and  the  Ammonites:  with  whom  Interpreters  L/^V^vj 
 are  wont  to  confound  the  Metrites  5  as  if  by  a  tranfpo- 
 tition  or' Letters,  they  were  the  lame  wirh  the  AmoniUs, 
 Which  hath  milled  us  in  our  Tranilation  of  thofe 
 words,  2  Chron.  XX.  I.  and  with  them  from  the  Am* 
 monites  5  which  makes  no  fenfe  :  but  if  we  read  with 
 them  from  Meunim  (as  it  is  in  Greek  dst  MivhIqdv)  all  runs 
 clearly  and  makes  perfeft  fenfe.  And  thus  we  cught 
 to  Tranilate  that  place,  1  Chron.  IV.  41.  where  we 
 take  Meunim  to  fignifie  dwellings  5  and  render  the 
 words  thus,  the  habitations  which  were  found  there  :  as 
 if  where  there  were  Tents  (which  are  mentioned  before) 
 there  were  not  Habitations  \  which  are  the  fame.  There- 
 fore Mettnim  is  the  name  of  a  People  (as  the  LXX.  un- 
 derftood  it)  who  dwelt  in  Tents:  being  Arabians. 
 Who  being  Neighbours  (as  I  faid)  to  the  Moabites  and 
 Ammonites  joined  with  them  in  their  Invafion  of  the 
 Land  of  Ifrael,  and  helped  to  opprefs  them.  But  they 
 are  plainly  diftinguifhed  from  the  Ammonites  in  the 
 place  firft  mentioned,  and  z  Chron.  XXVI.  6,  7,  8. 
 
 And  ye  cried  to  me,  and  I  delivered  you  out  of  their 
 hand.']  When  they  were  utterly  unable  to  help  them- 
 felves. 
 
 Ver.    13.  Vet  ye  have  for  fake  n  mey    and  ferved  other  Verfe  12. 
 gods.']     But  all  thefe  deliverances  proved  ineffe&ual  to 
 keep  them  (led  fa  ft  in  the  worfhip  of  God. 
 
 Wherefore  I  will  deliver  you  no  more*~]  He  threatens 
 therefore  to  leave  them  under  the  power  of  their  Ene- 
 mies, which  now  forely  diftreffed  them  3  as  they  juftly 
 deferved.  But  it  was  with  an  intention  to  awaken  them 
 to  a  more  ferious  and  hearty  repentance :  otherwife  he 
 refolved  not  to  deliver  them. 
 
 Qqq  2  Ver.  14, 
 
4$4  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter        Ver.    14.  Go  and  cry  unto  the  gods  you   have  chofen, 
 IX.       let  them  deliver  you  in  the  time  of  your  tribulation."}      A 
 
 L^V\j  bitter  refle&ion  both  upon  them,  and  upon  their  gods : 
 
 Ver(e  14.  like  to  that  in  the  Song  of  Mofes,  XXXII  Dent.  37, 
 38. 
 
 Verfe  15.  Ver-  15.  And  the  Children  of  Ifraelfaid  unto  the  LORD 
 ■we  have  finned."]  In  vvorfhipping  fuch  gods  as  could 
 not  fave  them. 
 
 Do  thou  unto  us  as  feemeth  good  unto  thee."]  They  fub- 
 mit  to  fuch  punifhment  as  he  thought  fit  to  inflift  5  con- 
 feffing  they  deferved  no  favour.  Which  (hows  their 
 hearts  were  for  the  prefent  very  fenfible  of  the  folly, 
 wherewith  they  were  reproached,  in  the  foregoing 
 Verfe. 
 
 Deliver  us  only  we  pray  thee,  this  day.  ~]  They  ac- 
 knowledge that  they  deferved  the  fevereft  punifhment  5 
 but  beleech  him  to  have  fo  much  pity  on  them,  as  not 
 to  punifh  them  this  way  5  by  letting  thefe  cruel  Enemies 
 infult  over  them  any  longer. 
 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  And  they  put  away  the  Jirange  gods  from 
 among  themT]  Gave  open  proof  of  their  repentance,  by 
 renouncing  all  Idolatry. 
 
 And  ferved  the  LORD."]  And  returned  to  the  wor- 
 ship of  the  LORD,  and  of  him  alone.  Which  is  the 
 moft  remarkable  Repentance  and  Reformation,  that  we 
 read  of  hitherto  in  this  Hiftory  of  the  Judges.  And  it 
 feems  to  have  been  fo  ferious  5  that  for  a  long  time  they 
 did  not  relapfe:  for  we  read  nothing  of  their  Idolatry, 
 in  the  time  of  thofe  three  Judges,  that  followed  Joph- 
 thaL 
 
 And  his  Soul  was  grieved  fen  the  tnifery  of  lfrael."] 
 Nor  do  we  read  before,  of  fuch  an  expreffion  of  the 
 Divine  companion  towards  them.  Every  one  knows 
 the  Divine  Nature  is  not  capable  of  grief  properly  fo 
 called  ^   but  the  meaning  is  he  quite  altered  his  former 
 
 intentions. 
 
upon  JUDGES.  48^ 
 
 intentions,    and  in  much  mercy  refolved,    upon   their  Chapter 
 repentance,    to  deliver  them.     So  Maimonides  obferves        X. 
 that  the  word  Nephcfh,    which   we  TranlJate  Soul,  fig-  \^\r\j 
 nifies  his   will,     XV  Jer.    I.    Though   Mofes  and   Samuel 
 jiood  before  me,  my  Soul  could  not  be  towards  this  People. 
 That  is,    it  could   not  be  his  will  to  hvz  them.     And 
 fo  here  his  Soul  was  grieved,    that  is,  faith  he,    his  will 
 ceafed  from  affi&ing  Ifrael any  longer.     For  it  wasfai  1 
 before  that  Gods  Providence  had  deferted  them,  and  he 
 refuted  to  relieve  them,  till  they  called  upon  him,  and 
 ferioully  repented  :    and  then,  their  miferies  being  very 
 great,  by  the  fore  oppreffions  of  their  Enemies,  he  took 
 pity  on  them,  and  willed  their  cruel  atfti&ions  fhould 
 not  continue.      See   More   Nevochiw.    Pars.    i.    Cap. 
 XLT. 
 
 Ver.  i  7.  Then  the  Children  of  Amman  were  gathered  yerre 
 together^]  In  the  Hebrew,  were  cried  together.  That  is, 
 a  Proclamation  went  out,  requiring  all  their  difperfed 
 Troops,  which  were  ravaging  the  Countries  of  Judaic 
 Benjamin,  and  Ephraim  5  to  return  back  to  their  Camp, 
 on  the  other  fide  of  Jordan. 
 
 And  encamped  in  Gilead.']  Or,  againji  Gilead.  For 
 both  Arias  Montana  and  Peter  Martyr  think,  that  they 
 laid  Seige  to  Gilead',  the  chief  City  in  thofe  parts.  By 
 taking  which,  they  hoped  to  be  matters  of  all  that 
 Country  :  and  then  with  greater  Forces  go  over  Jordan 
 again,  and  conquer  the  other  Tribes  before  mentioned. 
 
 And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  affembled  themfehes  together, 
 and  encamped  in  Mizpeh.~]  There  were  two  Mizpeh's 
 on  the  other  fide  Jordan :  one  in  the  Tribe  of  Gad, 
 the  other  in  the  half  Tribe  of  Manajffeh,  as  I  obferved 
 upon  XI  J  oft.  3.  The  latter  of  which  may  be  probably 
 thought  to  be  the  place,  where  they  now  aitembled  : 
 Jephthah,  who  was  afterward  chofen  their  Captain,  be- 
 ing one  of  this  Tribe.     How  many  of  the  Ifraclites  here 
 
 encamped. 
 
486  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  encamped,  and  whether  any  of  thofe  in  the  Land  of 
 .  x.  Canaan,  or  only  thofe  of  the  two  Tribes  and  a  half, 
 IS~\T\j  cannot  now  be  known.  But  upon  their  Repentance, 
 they  feem  to  have  recovered  theirancient  Courage^  and 
 to  have  taken  a  Reiblution  to  drive  the  Ammonites  out 
 of  their  Country.  Infomuch  that  thereupon  the  Am- 
 monites feem  to  have  left  the  Seige,  and  to  have  made 
 a  retreat  into  their  own  Land.  Either  to  recruit  their 
 Army,  and  raife  more  Forces,  or  for  fome  other  reafon  : 
 for  thither  Jephthah  fent  Meffengcrs  to  them,  after  he 
 was  chofen  General  of  the  Israelites  $  and  there  he 
 fought  them,  when  they  would  not  yeild  to  his  con- 
 vincing Arguments,  that  they  injuftly  invaded  the  If 
 raelites,  as  appears  in  the  following  Chapter. 
 Verfe  1 8.  Ver.  1 8.  And  the  People  and  Princes  of  %Gilead.~]  Who 
 were  mod  nearly  concerned  in  this  matter  $  their  Coun- 
 try lying  neareft  to  the  Ammonites. 
 
 Said  one  to  another^]  Entred  into  Confultation,  in 
 a  grand  Aflembly  of  all  the  People,  and  their  Rulers. 
 See  IX.  6. 
 
 What  Man  is  he  that  will  begin  to  fight  againfi  the 
 Children  of  Ammonf]  Will  be  our  leader.  It  feems 
 to  me  a  probable  conje&ure  of  Peter  Martyr,  that  they 
 eonfulted  God  alfo  about  this  matter :  who  dire&ed 
 them,  perhaps,  to  go  to  Jephthah. 
 
 He  full  be  head  over  all  the  Inhabitants  of  GileadJ\ 
 They  refolved,  whatfoever  the  mind  of  the  reft  of  the 
 Tribes  (hould  be,  that  he  fhould  command  all  the 
 Gadites  and  Manajjites  that  inhabited  the  Land  of 
 Gilead. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
upon   JUDGES.  487 
 
 CHAP.     XI.  Ct?ter 
 
 Verfe   ^jVP'*    Jcphthah  the  Gtieudhe.*]     A  Man  of  \/erfe  J 
 
 l\i    the  tame   Country   with  jfaf/r,    their  jaft 
 Judge. 
 
 Has  a  mighty  Man  of  valour. ~]  A  warlike  Perfon, 
 of  great  courage  and  conduct. 
 
 And  he  was  the  Son  of  an  harlot  7\  Or,  but  he  was.  Sec. 
 fome  by  the  Hebrew  word  Zonah  underftand  a  Concu- 
 bine. But  it  never  fignifies  lb  in  Scripture  j  but,  as  we 
 Tranllate  it,  an  Harlot ,  and  fometimes  one  that  kept  a 
 publicly  Houfc :  for  fuch  People  were  wont  to  make 
 their  Bodies  as  common  as  their  Houfes,  to  all  comers. 
 See  II  Jofh.  I.  But  feveral  of  the  Hebrew  Doftors  think 
 that  this  word  may  iignifie  either  one  of  another  Tribe  } 
 or  a  Stranger,  one  of  another  Nation.  And  tojofephus 
 himfelf  here  underftands  it,  that  he  was  |ev^L  -rrtZA  rluu 
 ytum^:,  a  ft  ranger  by  his  Mothers  fide.  And  Saidas  Ba- 
 tricides  faith,  his  Mother  was  an  Ifintaelite,  asMr.  Sclden 
 obferves,  Lib.  dc  fucceffionibus,  Cap.  III.  Now  fuch 
 were  called  r£9ty  by  the  Greeks,  as  Grotius  obferves, 
 who  were  born  of  a  Wife  that  was  not  a  Citizen.  But 
 among  the  Jews,  if  fuch  Perfons  embraced  the  Law, 
 their  Children  were  not  ftained}  but  capable  to  inherit 
 among  the  reft  of  their  Brethren.  And  therefore  Jeph- 
 thah  complains  of  his  Expulilon,  v.  7.  looking  upon 
 himfelf  as  unjuftly  dealt  withal :  which  could  not 
 have  been  faid,  had  he  been  a  Baftard. 
 
 And  Gilead  begat  Jephthah."]  One  of  the  Pofterity 
 of  Gilead  the  Son  of  Manaffeh,  was  his  Father :  who 
 v/as  called  after  the  name  of  his  great  Anceftor. 
 
 Ver.   2.  And  Gileads  Wife  bare  him  Sons.']     He  took.  Verfe  2- 
 a  Wife  alfo  of  the  Jewifi  Nation,  who  bare  him  feveral 
 Sons.  And 
 
488  A  COMMENT  AR1 
 
 Chapter       And  his  Wives  Sons  grew  up,  and  they  thrufi  out  Jeph- 
 XL      thah.~]     When  his  Father  was  dead:    for  till  t&en  the 
 
 L/*V"SJ  Inheritance  was  not  to  be  divided  5  and,  if  he  had  been 
 alive,  he  would  not  have  fuffered  them  to  be  fo  inju- 
 rious to  Jephthah,  who  was  the  Son  of  a  Wife  whom 
 he  loved  extremely,  as  Jofephus  relates,  Lib.  V.  Antiq. 
 Cap.  IX. 
 
 And  f aid  unto  hint,  thou  fh alt  not  inherit  in  our  Fathers 
 houfe.~]     Have  no  fhare  of  his  Eftate. 
 
 For  thou  art  the  Son  of  a  ft range  Wo  man.']  This  ex- 
 plains the  word  Zonah,  to  be  the  fame  with  a  Woman  of 
 another  Country.  For  there  is  no  reafon  to  think  that  by 
 another  Woman  (as  the  words  are  in  the  Hebrew)  he 
 means  a  Woman  of  another  Tribe,  as  the  Chaldee  Para- 
 phrafi,  R.  Bechai,  and  others  expound  it.  See  Selden 
 in  the  place  before  named,  and  Buxtorf  de  SponfaL  and 
 Divortiisy   P.  61. 
 
 Verfe  3.        Ver.  3.  Then  Jephthah  fled  from  his  Brethren^]     When 
 j    they  were  fo  unkind  as  to  drive  him  from  his  Fathers 
 Houfe  *  he  did  not  think  fit  to  ftay  in  their  Country. 
 
 And  dwelt  in  the  land  ofTobT]  We  read  no  where  elfe 
 of  this  Country  :  which,  it  is  likely,  was  not  far  from 
 Gilead,  upon  the  borders  of  the  Ammonites;  in  the  en- 
 trance of  Arabia  deferta  5  or  perhaps  it  is  the  fame  with 
 the  Country  called  ljk-tob  (2  Sam.  VIM.  6.B.)  which 
 was  in  Syria  ;  and  fo  near  the  Ammonites,  that  they  hired 
 Forces  trom  thence,  as  well  as  from  other  Syrians,  to 
 fight  with  King  David.  We  find  feme  footfteps  of 
 this  Land,  it  is  very  probable  in  the  (econ-d  Book  of 
 Maccabees,  Chap.  XII.  17.  where  we  read  of  TajStfoot 
 Ia&tfoi,  i.  e.  Jews  who  dwelt  in  the  Land  of  Job. 
 
 And  there  were  gathered  vain  Men  to  Jephthah.']  Or 
 empty  Men,  for  the  word  Rekim  fignifies  poor  and 
 needy  Perfons  i  Men  of  no  Eftates.  Such  as  reforted 
 to  David  when  he  fled  from  Saul,    1  &&.  XXII.  2. 
 
 So 
 
upon  JUDGES,  4S> 
 
 So  I  fuppofe  it  to  be  here  under  flood    (not  that  they   Ch 
 were  profligate  Perfons)  for  the  word  iV  light        XI. 
 
 Men  is  not  here  added,  as  it  is  in  the  Si- 
 who  followed  Abimthch^  IX.  4.  Therel 
 doth  not  feem  rightly  to  have  reprelented  Jephthah, 
 when  he  faith  he  was  one  of  thole  who  ex 
 Ducibus  jujii  Duces  ficti  fitnt.  Lib.  III.  de  Jure  Beffi  (sf 
 Pacts,  Cap.  III.  Seft.  3.  For  thefe  were  not  High- 
 way Men,  as  we  call  them,  that  lived  by  Prey  :  but 
 only  Men  of  fmall  or  no  fortune  :  who  were  glad  of 
 an  occafion  to  join  themfelves  to  fo  gallant  a  Man  as 
 Jcphthah  was.  And  fo  the  word  we  Tranihte  gathered 
 imports  3  that  they  lifted  themfelves  under  him,  of 
 their  own  accord:  being  invited  to  it  by  the  great  fame 
 of  his  Humanity  and  Valour.  But  Grotius  herein  fol- 
 lows the  Vulgar  who  adds  the  word  latrocinates  ^  with- 
 out any  Authority  either  from  the  Hebrew,  Chaldce  or 
 LXX. 
 
 And  went  out  with  him."]  Made  excurfions  upon  the 
 Enemies  of  the  Ifraelites  thereabouts :  and  got  what 
 booty  they  could  from  them,  for  their  fubfiftance.  Juft 
 as  David  did  when  he  was  forced  to  flee  into  the  Land 
 of  the  Philiftines,  1  Sam.  XXVII.  8,  9,  10,  11. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  it  came  to  pafs  in  procefs  of  time.']  In  Verfe  4. 
 the  Hebrew  it  is,  after  days,  i.e.  as  Primate  Vfocr  under 
 ftands  it  (in  the  place  above  named)  after  thofe  years 
 mentioned,  X.  8,  viz.  Eighteen  Years,  in  the  cobcIu- 
 fion  of  which,  when  Jair  was  dead,  the  Ammonites  took 
 the  following  refolution.  But  there  is  no  good  ground, 
 as  I  have  fhown  there,  for  this  interpretation :  there- 
 fore by  after  days  I  under ftand  fome  time  after  their  re- 
 treat into  their  own  Country,  which  I  mentioned. 
 X.  17. 
 
 That  the  Children  of  Amnion  made  war  again fi  Ifrael.~) 
 They  only  came  in  parties  before,    to  rob  and  fpoil 
 
 R  r  r  them  ; 
 
4Po  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  them:    but  now  finding  the  Ifraelites  began  to  take 
 XI.      courage,   and  had  formed  a  Camp  in  GUead  (X.  17.) 
 
 L/-V"\J  they  raifed  an  Army  5  intending  to  Conquer  them,  and 
 poflefs  themfelves  of  their  Country. 
 
 Verfe  5.  V"er-  5.  And  it  came  to  pafs  when  the  Children  of  Am- 
 mon  made  war  againfi  Ifrael."]  The  Vulgar  interprets  it, 
 prejffed  hard  upon  them. 
 
 The  Elders  of  GileadT]  Who  are  called  Princes,  X. 
 18. 
 
 Went  to  fetch  Jephthah  out  of  the  land  of  Toh7\  Some 
 of  the  principal  Perfons  of  the  Country,  were  fent  in 
 the  name  of  all  the  Inhabitants  of  Gilead,  in  an  Em- 
 baffy  to  him  5  to  invite  him  to  return  to  them. 
 
 Verfe  6.  ^er#  ^'  ^n^  *^ey  [aid  unto  Jephthah,  Come  and  be  our 
 Captain,  that  we  may  fight  with  the  Children  of  Ammon7\ 
 They  did  not  pretend  to  make  him  their  King  (remem- 
 bring  perhaps  what  had  befaln  the  Men  of  Schechem 
 and  Abimelech)  but  only  the  Leader  of  their  Army. 
 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  Jephthah  faid  unto  the  Elders  of  Gilead, 
 Did  ye  not  hate  me,  and  expel  me  out  of  my  Fathers 
 houfe  ?  3  This  fignifies  that  his  Brethren  eje&ed  him, 
 by  the  afliftance  of  the  publick  Authority  (unlefs  we 
 fuppofethat  they  were  of  the  number  of  Elder  s,t\\zt  were 
 fent  to  him)  or  the  Elders,  who  faw  the  wrong  his 
 Brethren  did  him,  connived  at  it  5  and  did  not  inter- 
 pofe,  according  to  their  Office,  to  do  him  right :  where- 
 by they  made  his  Expulfion  their  own  aft. 
 
 And  why  are  ye  come  unto  me  now,   when  you  are  in 
 
 difirefs  .<?]     As  much  as  to  fay,  what  reafon  have  you 
 
 to  expett  that  I  (hould  hearken  to  you }   fince  I  know 
 
 •  it  is  only  your  diftrefs,  which  moves  you  to  recall 
 
 me  > 
 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  the  Elders  of  Gilead  faid  unto  Jephthah, 
 Therefore  we  turn  again  to  thee  now.']  This  may  relate 
 either  to  what  immediately  goes  before,   and  then  the 
 
 fenfe 
 
upon    J  U  D  GF?  S.  4;, 
 
 fenfeis^  we  confefs  we  are  in  diftrefs,    and  therefore  Chapter 
 implore  thy  help  (which  ifthouwih  afford  us,  thou      XI. 
 (halt  command  us  all  forever)  or  to  the  beginning  of  Ly^V^NJ 
 the  foregoing  Verfe,  and  the  meaning  is  5  we  are  fen- 
 fible  of  the  injury  that  was  done  thee,  and  therefore  are 
 come  to  repair  it,    by  inviting  thee  to  be  our  Head. 
 For  that  is  meant  by  their  turning  again  to  him  :  they 
 had  altered  their  mind,  and  not  only  revoked  that  un- 
 juft  aft,  but  offered  him  a  recompenfe. 
 
 That  thou  wayft  go  with  us  and  fight  againjl  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Ammon,  and  he  our  head  over  all  the  inhabitants 
 of  Gilead.~]  Of  the  Tribes  on  their  fide  Jordan  :  for 
 they  could  promife  nothing  for  the  Tribes  in  the  Land 
 of  Canaan  :  fome  of  which  were  opprefied  now  by  the 
 Philiflines,  as  they  were  by  the  Ammonites. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  Jephthah  /aid  unto  the  Elders  of  Gilead,  Verfe  9. 
 If  ye  bring  me  home  again,  to  fight  againfl  the  Children  of 
 Amnion,  and  the  LORD  deliver  them  before  me,  Shall  I 
 be  your  head  f\  He  offers  to  be  the  General  of  their 
 Army,  if  after  he  had  vanquifhed  their  Enemies,  they 
 would,  in  good  earned,  make  him  their  Governour  in 
 chief  5  and  not  throw  him  off,  when  they  had  no  fur- 
 ther need  of  him.  In  which  agreement  he  fuppofed  the 
 confent  and  appointment  of  God,  by  whofe  aid  alone 
 he  hoped  to  be  vi&orious. 
 
 Ver.  10.  And  the  Elders  of  Gileadf aid  unto  Jephthah,  Verfe  10. 
 The  LORD  he  witnefs  between  us,  if  rce  do  not  accord- 
 ing to  thy  word.']  They  folemnly  call  God  to  witnefs 
 their  fincerity  :  confirming  what  was  agreed  by  an  Oath, 
 and  wifhing  God  to  revenge  it,  if  they  did  not  perform 
 what  they  promifed. 
 
 Ver.  11.  Then  Jephthah  went  with  the  Elders  of  Gilead.]  Verk  11. 
 Unto  his  own  Country. 
 
 And  the  People  made  him  head  and  Captain  over  them.'] 
 In  a  full  affembly  of  the  People,    with   the  Princes 
 
 R  r  r  2  (IX. 
 
492  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  (IX.  6.  X.  18.)  he  was  made  General  of  their  Army  : 
 XI.      with  an  affurance,  he  (hould  be  their  Head  3  after  the 
 
 L/"V\J  War  was  fuccefsfully  ended. 
 
 And  Jephthah  uttered  all  his  words  before  the  LORD."] 
 The  People  had  done  their  part,  but  Jephthah  would 
 undertake  nothing,  without  Gods  approbation  :  before 
 whom,  in  a  folemn  Prayer,  he  laid  all  that  he  had  faid 
 unto  them.  And  it  is  likely  that  God  anfwered  him  by 
 fome  Prophet,  and  authorized  him  to  undertake  the 
 Conduct  and  Government  of  the  People  (fee  X.  11.) 
 For  if  he  had  done  it  without  a  Divine  Warrant,  the 
 Spirit  of  the  LORD  would  not  have  come  upon  him, 
 2S  we  read  it  did,  v.  29. 
 
 In  Mizpeh.~]     Where  the  Children  of  Ifrael  had  ga- 
 thered themfelves  together  to  oppofe  the  Ammonites^  X. 
 17.  and  where  Jephthah  chofe  to  fix  his  habitation  after 
 the  Conqueft  of  them,   v,  34.  of  this  Chapter.     For 
 that  Mizpeh,  where  all  the  Tribes,  we  often  read,  met 
 before  the  LORD,  was  on  this  fide  Jordan,    not  far 
 from  Jemfalem  :   either  in  the  Tribe  of  Jndah,  or  of 
 Benjamin.     It  is  thought  probable  by  fome  learned  Men 
 that  there  was  fome  Rrofeucha,  a  praying  place,  or  place 
 of  Divine  Worlhip  here  at  Mizpeh  (fee  XXIV  Jofii.  26.) 
 where  Jephthah  uttered  his  words:    which  otherwife, 
 they  think,    could  not  be  faid  to  be  done  before  the 
 LORD.     But  this  is  not  a  fufficient  ground  for  fuch  an 
 Opinion :    For  the  Divine  prefence  (as   Raj!  here  ob- 
 serves) was  in  that  place,  where  all  the  People  affem- 
 bled,    upon  a  publick  concern.     See   1  San/.  XI.    15. 
 LOmchi  obferves  the  fame  upon  the  Twentieth  Chapter 
 of  this  Book,  v.  1 .  where  his  words  are,  in  every  place, 
 in  which  Ifrael,  or  a  great  part  of  it  is  affembled,  the  Di- 
 vine prefence  dwcls.     See  my  Notes  there. 
 
 Verfe   12.      ^er.   12.   And  Jephthah  fent  meffengers  to  the  King  of 
 the  Children  of  Awwon.~\     Now   he  plainly  a&s  as  a 
 
 chief 
 
upon  JUDGES.  4>?3 
 
 chief  Governour,  in  appointing  an  l.rnbafiy  to  go  from  Chapter 
 him  to  the  King  of  the  Ammonites:   which  power  he      XI. 
 would  net  have  aflumed,  if  it  had  not  been  given  him  i^WJ 
 by  God. 
 
 Saying,  What  hafl  thou  to  do  with  mc  f\  That  is,  What 
 is  the  ground  of  thy  Quarrel  ?  Or,  for  what  reafon  is 
 this  Invalion  made  ? 
 
 Thdt  thou  art  come  to  fight  againjl  mc  in  my  land.] 
 This  is  the  Language  of  the  Supreme  Governour  of  the 
 Country,  unto  whom  all  were  fubjeft  as  their  Lonl. 
 And  demonftrates  him  to  have  been  a  mod  Pious  Frin 
 that  would  fir  ft  debate  matters  fairly  before  he  came  to 
 blows :  according  to  the  fenfe  of  a  number  of  great  Men 
 in  future  times,  mentioned  by  Grotius  at  large,  Lib.  II. 
 de  Jure  Belli  &  Pads,  Cap.  XXIII.  Sect.  VII.  Unto 
 which  he  was  not  bound,  having  taken  Arms  only  in 
 his  own  defence  ^  yet  to  prevent  the  cftufion  of  Blood, 
 he  argues  the  cafe  with  the  King  of  the  Ammonites :  who 
 ought  rather,  if  he  thought  himfelf  injured  by  the  If 
 raelites  to  have  fent,  before  he  took  Arms,  to  require 
 fatisfa&ion. 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  the  King  of  the  Children  of  Am m on  an-  yerfe  x  , 
 fwered  to  the  nieffengers  of  Jephthah,  becaufe  Ifrael  tool{ 
 away  my  land,  when  they  came  out  of  Egypt."]  This  is  a 
 mere  colour  and  pretence  5  the  Land  being  none  of 
 theirs,  when  the  lfraelites  conquered  it,  but  the  Land 
 of  Sihon  King  of  the  Amorites.  For  as  to  the  Country 
 of  the  Ammonites  God  expreGy  charged  the  lfraelites  not 
 to  meddle  with  it  (I  Deut.  19.)  for  he  would  give  them 
 none  of  it.  It  is  true  this  Land,  which  they  now 
 claimed,  had  formerly  belonged  to  the  Moabites,  but 
 Sihon  had  made  a  Conqueft  of  it,  and  driven  them  out 
 of  it,  as  we  read,  XXI  Numb.  26.  The  King  of  Am- 
 nion therefore  could  not  call  it  his  land,  unlefs  he  was 
 alfo  King  of  Moab  at  this  time  :  which  is  not  improb- 
 able. 
 
2^4  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  able.  Whence  it  is  that  in  the  following  difpute  be- 
 XI.  tvveen  him  and  Jephthah^  there  is  a  promifcuous  mention 
 C/"V%^  of  the  Moabites  together  with  the  Ammonites :  as  if  they 
 were  but  one  People,  v.  15.  17,  18.  and  Chemofi  which 
 was  the  god  of  the  Moabites,  is  called,  v.  24.  the  god 
 of  the  King  of  Amnion.  Unto  which  may  be  added, 
 that  the  Land  which  Sihon  conquered  did  not  intirely 
 belong  to  the  Moabites  5  but  fome  of  it  to  the  Children 
 of  Ammon,  as  is  exprefly  faid,  XIII  Jofi.  25.  Where 
 we  read  that  to  the  Gadites  was  given  half  of  the  land  of 
 the  Children  of  Amnion.  Therefore  fome  part  of  Sihon  s 
 Kingdom  (where  the  Gadites  were  fctled)  had  formerly 
 belonged  to  the  Ammonites. 
 
 From  Arnon  even  unto  Jabbo^  and  to  Jordan.']  Thefe 
 are  the  bounds  of  the  Country  to  which  they  laid  a 
 claim  :  the  River  Arnon  on  the  South,  and  the  Brook 
 Jabbok.  on  the  North  (which  we  may  call  the  length 
 of  the  Country)  and  Jordan  on  the  Weft  5  unto  which 
 afterward  is  added  the  Eaftern  bounds,  when  it  is  faid, 
 v.  22.  from  the  xvildemefs  unto  Jordan.  Which  is  the 
 Wildernefs  through  which  the  Jfraeirtcs  entred  into  the 
 Territories  of  Sihon. 
 
 Now  therefore  rejiore  thefe  lands."]  Which  belonged 
 to  the  Moabites  and  Ammonites. 
 
 Again  peaceably?]  The  Meflengers  of  Jephthah  had 
 declared  that  he  defired  not  War,  but  Peace  :  which  the 
 King  of  Ammon  tells  him  he  mutt  not  expeft,  unlefs  he 
 refigned  thefe  Countries  to  him. 
 Verfe  14.  ^er#  M-  And  Jephthah  fent  meffengers  again  to  the 
 King  of  the  Children  of  Ammon!]  This  is  an  argument 
 of  a  very  peaceable  difpofition,  and  an  high  commen- 
 dation of  a  warlike  Spirit :  that  he  was  ftill  defirous  to 
 end  this  Controverfie  by  Reafon,  and  not  by  the 
 Sword. 
 
 Ver.  15. 
 
upon  JUDGES.  4^5 
 
 Ver.    15.  And  faid  unto  hint,    thus  faith  Jepbthah."]  Chapter 
 This  is  his  reply  ;  which  fecms  to  be  delivered,  as  from       XI. 
 a  Man  in  Authority.  L/~V~V; 
 
 lfrael  took  not  array  the  land  of  Moab,   nor  the  land  ofVtfft  15* 
 the  Children  of  Ammon.~]     He  denies  the  matter  of  fadt, 
 upon  which  they  grounded  the  War :    For  the  Ifraelhes 
 found  this  Country  in  the  pofleffion  of  Sibon. 
 
 Ver.   16.  But  when  lfrael  came  out  of  Egypt. ~]      He  Verfe  16. 
 proves  the  truth  of  what  he  affirmed,  hy  a  fhort  Hiftory 
 of  what  parted  after  they  came  out  of  Egypt:  when  the 
 King  of  Amnion  faid,  v.  13.  they  took  this  Land  from 
 him. 
 
 And  walked  through  the  U  ilderncfs,  unto  the  red  Sea, 
 and  came  to  Kadefi.~]  This  is  not  be  underftood  oi 
 Kade/fj-bawea,  but  of  that  Kadeflj  mentioned,  XX 
 Numb.  1.  14.  which  was  in  the  borders  of  Edom  : 
 unto  which  they  came  direftly  from  the  Red-Sea.  Nor 
 of  their  coming  to  the  Red-Sea,  in  the  fir  ft  Year  after 
 they  pafled  through  it,  mentioned  XXXUI  Numb.  10. 
 but  of  their  laft  coming  to  it,  in  that  ftation  they  made 
 at  Ezion-gebcr  (after  many  Rations  in  other  places) 
 which  was  upon  the  (hore  of  the  Red-Sea  :  from  whence 
 they  immediately  marched  to  this  Kadeflj  XXXIII 
 Numb.  35,  36. 
 
 Ver.  17.  Then  lfrael  fent  mejfengers  to  the  King  tffVerfe  17. 
 Edom,  faying,  Let  me  I  pray  thee  pafs  through  thy  land7\ 
 This  (hows,  they  were  fo  far  from  invading  any  bodies 
 Country,  that  they  humbly  begg'd  ieave  to  pafs  through 
 Edom :  engaging  to  do  no  violence,  but  to  pay  for 
 every  thing  they  wanted.     See  XX  Numb.  14,  &c. 
 
 But  the  King  of  Edom  would  not  hearken  thereto.~\ 
 Notwithftanding  which  they  were  not  provoked  by 
 their  inhumanity,  to  quarrel  with  them. 
 
 And  in  like  manner  the y  fent  to  the  King  of  Moab^ 
 hut  he  would  not  confixt.~]     We  do  not  read  of  inch  a 
 
 ■neflag 
 
495  A  COMMENt  ART 
 
 Chapter  tneffage  fent  to  the  Moabites:  But  when  they  came  from 
 XL      Ezion-geber  into  the  Wildemefs  of 'Moab,    we  find  a 
 
 ^V"\J  command  of  God  to  them,  not  to  diftrefs  the  Moabites, 
 nor  to  contend  with  them  in  Battle.  Which  intimates 
 there  was  fome  occafion  for  it :  which  was  their  refufal 
 to  grant  them  a  common  civilty. 
 
 And  Ifrael  abode  in  KadefliT]  Put  up  all  thefe  affronts, 
 and  abftained  from  all  violence :  continuing  quiet  in 
 the  place  where, they  had  pitched  their  Tents. 
 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  Then  they  went  along  through  the  Wildemefs, 
 and  com  faffed  the  land  of  Edom,  and  the  land  of  Moab.] 
 When  they  were  denied  a  paffage  the  direft  way,  they 
 chofe  rather  to  fetch  a  great  compafs,  and  travel  many 
 Miles  with  great  labour  and  toil  (fee  XXI  Numb.  4.) 
 than  give  others  the  leaft  difturbance. 
 
 And  came  by  the  Eall  fide  of  the  land  of  Moab,  and 
 pitched  upon  the  other  fide  of  Am  on."]     See  XXI  Numb. 
 
 13- 
 
 But  came  n  it  within  the  border  of  Moab  :  for  Arnon  was 
 
 the  border  of  Moab.]  This  is  a  demonstration  that  they 
 did  no  injury  to  the  Moabites  :  into  whofe  Country 
 they  did  not  enter.  For  they  went  no  further  than 
 Arnon  5  which  divided  their  Country,  from  the  Amo- 
 nites. 
 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  And  Ifrael  fent  meffengers  unto  Sihon  King  of 
 the  Amorites,  the  King  of  Hefhbon."]  Where  his  Royal 
 Palace  was.     See  XXI  Numb.  25,  26. 
 
 And  Ifrael  faid  unto  him*.  Let  us  pafs,  we  pray  thee, 
 through  thy  land,  unto  my  placed]  Being  denied  paflage 
 through  Edom  and  Moab,  they  fent  a  friendly  meffage 
 unto  him,  craving  the  favour  of  being  permitted  to 
 go  through  his  Country,  unto  Canaan.  XXI  Numb.  21, 
 22. 
 
 Verfe  20.  Ver.  20*  BH*  Sihon  trufied  not  Ifrael  to  pafs  through 
 his  coaft.~\  Was  jealous  they  would  feize  on  his  Coun- 
 try. But 
 
upon  JUDGES.  49; 
 
 •  But  Sihon  gathered  all  his  People  together,  and  pitched  Chapter 
 in  Jahaz,  and  fought  againfi  Ifiacl.l     He  contented  not        XT. 
 himfelf,    to  refute    (as  his  Neighbours   had  done)  to  L/^V"V. 
 grant  a  palfage  through  his  Country,  which  they  could 
 not  demand :    but  railed  all  his  Forces,    and  proudly 
 marched  to  drive  them  away  from  his  borders,    XXI 
 
 Ver.  2  1 .  And  the  LOR  D  God  oflfracl  delivered  Sihon,  Verfe  2  1 . 
 and  all  his  People  into  the  hand  of  Ifrael ,  and  they 
 fmote  them.~\  It  was  plainly  an  aft  of  God  to  give  the 
 Ifraclites  the  Victory,  for  they  were  unprepared  for 
 War  5  and  tired  with  a  long  march  about  the  Land  of 
 Edom  and  Moab. 
 
 So  Ifrael  poffeffed  all  the  land  of  the  Amorites,  the  in- 
 habitants of  that  Country.']  They  did  not  difpofTefs  the 
 Moabites  but  the  Amorites  3  who  then  inhabited  that 
 Country :  which  became  the  pofTeffion  of  the  Ifraelites, 
 by  the  right  of  a  juft  War,  in  their  own  defence. 
 
 Ver.  22.  And  they  poffeffed  all  the  coafis  of  the  Amorites,  Verfe  22. 
 from  Arnon  even  unto  jabbok^  and  from  the  Wilder nefs 
 even  unto  Jordan. ~]  This  is  a  defcription  of  the  length 
 and  breadth  of  the  Land,  from  South  to  North,  and 
 from  Eaft  to  Weft  (fee  above,  v.  13.)  None  of  which 
 was  then  in  the  poiTeffion  of  the  Moabites  or  Ammonites  : 
 who  could  not  therefore  charge  the  Ifraclites  with  taking 
 any  of  their  Land  from  them. 
 
 Ver.  23.  And  fo  now  the  LORD  God  of  Ifrael  hathVzxk  25. 
 dif poffeffed  the  Amorites,  from  before  his  People  lfrael."\ 
 This  is  a  new  Title  to  this  Land  :  which  they  not  only 
 took  in  a  juft  Wrar,  but  was  alio  given  them  by  God  > 
 who  made  them  Vidlorious,  and  then  beftowed  it  upon 
 them. 
 
 And  fjouldji  thou  poffefs  it  ?~]  It  was  abfurd  to  think 
 that  they  (hould  take  the  pains  to  Conquer  it,  and  God 
 fhould  give  it  to  them  5   that  they  might  put  the  Moa- 
 
 S  f  f  hitii 
 
45?$  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  bhe$  again  in  the  pofleffion  of  it :    with  whom  they 
 XI.      had  no  alliance:   but  quite  contrary,    they  had  denied 
 
 L/"W!  them  the  common  right  of  Mankind. 
 Verfe  24.  Ver.  24.  Wilt  not  thou  poffefs  that  which  Chemoft)  thy 
 gody  giveth  thee  to  poffefs  f\  He  doth  not  call  Chewoffy 
 a  god,  but  only  argues  from  the  opinion  that  they  had 
 of  him,  which  all  Nations  had  of  their  gods  5  that  they 
 owed  their  Conquefts  to  them,  to  whom  therefore  they 
 gave  thanks  for  all  their  Victories.  Now  he  appeals  to 
 them,  whether  they  would  not  keep  what  their  god 
 had  given  them,  and  look  upon  it  as  rightfully  poflefled 
 by  them. 
 
 So  whomfoever  the  LORD  our  God  foall  drive  out  from 
 before  us,  them  will  we  pojfefs,']  By  the  very  fame  Title, 
 whereby  the  Moabites  poflefled  the  Country  wherein 
 they  now  lived  5  from  whence  they  drove  out  the  an- 
 cient Inhabitants,  II  Dent.  10,  1 1. 
 
 Verfe  25.  ^er-  25-  ^n^  novp  art  t^'0H  ari)  thing  better  thanBalal^ 
 the  Son  of  Zippor  King  of  Moab  .<?]  This  is  a  third  Ar- 
 gument, that  when  this  Conqueft  was  newly  made  by 
 the  Ifracliies,  the  then  King  of  Moab  (as  potent  as  the 
 prefent)  laid  no  claim  to  this  Country  :  nor  demanded 
 to  have  it  reftored  to  him  ^  but  only  was  afraid  they 
 (taould  invade  the  land  he  ftill  poflefled. 
 
 Did  he  ever  ft  rive  againjl  IfraeW]  Difpute  their  Title 
 with  them. 
 
 Or  d?d  he  ever  fight  again/}  Ifrael."]  Endeavour  by 
 force  of  Arms  to  recover  this  Country,  as  not  belong- 
 ing to  them,  but  to  him. 
 
 Verfe  26.  Ver.  26.  While  Ifrael  dwelt  in  Hefljbon,  and  her  towns, 
 and  in  Aroer  and  her  towns \  and  in  all  the  Cities  that  be 
 along  by  the  coaft  of  Arnon  three  hundred  years,  &C.J  In 
 thelaft  place  he  pleids  prefcription,  and  that  for  three 
 hundred  years  5  in  *  hich  long  (pace  of  time  none  of  the 
 Rtogs  of  Moab  pretended  a  right  to  this  Country,  much 
 
 lefs 
 
upon    JUDGE  $  4y; 
 
 lefs  contefted  it  with  them,   which  argument  was  irr^- 
 fragable.     For  if  fuch  a  long  indiiputed  p<  (Teffion  can- 
 not  make  a  right  to  a  Country,    ic  is  impoliilk-  there  ^/n 
 fhould  be  any  end  of  Wars  between  Kings  and  iVm 
 But  all  Mankind  look  upon  (hole  Wars  as  unjuft,  sy-hifh 
 are  made  for  recovery   of  Countries,    wherein  People 
 have  ietled  quietly  for  many  Ages :    though,   perhaps, 
 in  the  firft  acquilition  of  them,  their  Title  was  not  good. 
 Therefore  it  is  not  neceffary  to  examin  whether  Sihon 
 had  a  juft  caufe  of  War,  when  he  conquered  this  Coun- 
 try 5    nor  is  it  of  importance  with  nripect  to  this,   to 
 examin  whether  the  Ifraclites  had   held  this  Ccr.queft 
 juft  three  hundred  Years  :  for  if  a  few  be  wanting,  it  is 
 not  material.     But  with  refpect  to  Ibmething  elle  it  is  of 
 great  confequence  ;  for  the  explaining  of  what  we  read, 
 i  Kings  VI   2.  thar  Solomon  began  to  build  the  Temple 
 in  the  four  hundred  and  eightieth  year  after  they  came  out 
 of  Egypt     Which  fpace  is  derived  by  thefe  words  of 
 J^pht^ah  into  two  intervals.     The  firft  of  which  con- 
 tained three  Hundred  and  Forty  Years:    for  they  had 
 poffelled  this  Country  three  Hundred  Years  $   and  they 
 came  out  of  Egypt  Forty  Years  before  its  Conqueft. 
 During  which  time,  they  had  been  Slaves  to  the  Me- 
 fopotawians,  Moabites,  Canaanitcs,  and  Midianite^.   Now 
 if  the  Years  wherein  they  were  oppreffed  by  thefe  four 
 Nations,  and  the  Years  of  Peace  and  quiet  which  they 
 enjoyed  be  put  together,  from  the  firft  Year  of  Cufian- 
 RiJJjothaint  to  the  laft  Year  of  Jatr  5  they  produce  a  little 
 more  than  three  Hundred  Years :  fo  that  no  time  is  left 
 for  JoJJjua's  Conqueft  of  Canaan,    and  his  Lite  after  it, 
 and  for  the  Generation  that  out  lived  him.     But  by  fup- 
 pofing  that  fome  of  thefe  things  fell  out  in  the  very 
 fame  time  (as  for  example,  during  the  Fourfcore  Years 
 reft  in  the  Eaftern  parts  of  the  Land  after  Eglons  Death, 
 they  were  oppreffed  twenty  Years  in  the  North  by  Jabi*) 
 
 Sff  3  this 
 
5oo  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  this  difficulty  is  removed,  and  a!]  comes  right:    as  Sir 
 XL       John  Marfiam  hath  demonftrated  in  his  Canon  Chronicus. 
 
 L/'VSJ  Where  he  (hews  that  from  the  Death  of  Mofes  to  this 
 Invafion  of  the  Ammonites,  there  were  three  Hundred 
 Years:  allowing  five  and  twenty  Years  (zsjofephus 
 computes)  for  Jofhuas  Government  after  they  came  into 
 Canaan  ,  and  thirty  five  Years  to  the  following  Genera- 
 tion that  furvived  him.  See  Seculum  XL  JEra  Exodi. 
 And  concerning  the  other  Interval,  fee  here  XII.  14. 
 
 Why  therefore  did  ye  not  recover  them  within  that 
 time  .<?  ~]  This  Queftion  could  not  be  anfwered  5  that 
 in  fo  long  a  time  they  (hould  hear  nothing  of  their  claim 
 till  now. 
 
 Verfe  2  7»  Ver-  27»  Wherefore  I  have  not  finned  againfl  thee,  but 
 thou  dofi  me  wrong  to  war  againfl  me7\  Upon  all  thefe 
 reafons  he  concludes,  the  Ammonites  had  no  caufe 
 to  make  this  War  5  but  were  injurious  in  it  to  the 
 Jfraelites. 
 
 The  LORD  the  Judge,  he  judge  this  day,  between  the 
 Children  of  Ifrael,  and  the  Children  of  Amnion 7]  The 
 meaning  is,  that  if  they  were  not  moved  by  thefe  rea- 
 fons, but  theControverfie  mud  be  decided  by  Arms  5  he 
 committed  his  caufe  to  God,  the  righteous  Judge  of  the 
 whole  World  5  who  he  doubted  not  would  do  him 
 right.  By  this  day  he  doth  not  mean  that  God  would 
 determine  the  right,  by  giving  him  the  Vi&ory  then, 
 when  he  fpake  thefe  words  (for  he  was  not  yet  ready 
 to  give  them  Battle)  but  that  God  would  judge  of  the 
 Juftice  of  his  prefent  Plea  3  and  accordingly  give  Sen- 
 tence, when  the  matter  came  to  be  tried  in  a  Battle. 
 
 Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  Howbeit  the  King  of  the  Children  of  Ammon 
 hearkned  not  to  the  words  of  Jephthah,  which  hefent  him.] 
 He  would  not  yield  to  Arguments :  being  obftinately 
 refolved  to  Fight  it  out. 
 
 Ver,  29. 
 
 &L 
 
upon  JUDGES.  501 
 
 Ver.   29.  Then  the    Spirit  of  the  LORD  came   upon  Chapter 
 Jtphthah."]  The  People  had  chofen  him  for  their  Leader,      XL 
 and  promifed  to  continue  hitu  their  chief  Governour,  u^VNJ 
 as  they  h.ul  already  made  him:  and  n  wG  '1  publickly 
 declares  his  approbation  of  their  choice 5    an  1  made 
 him  their  Judge,   as  he  had  done  others  before   'Iff. 
 10.)  by  endowing  him  with  an  extraordinary  meafure 
 of  Courage,    and  Wifdom,   and  all  other  qualities  ne- 
 ceflary  to  render  him  fir,  to  be  the  Ruler  of  his  People. 
 
 And  he  pajfed  oyer  Gilead  and  M.anaffehf\  Went 
 through  the  whole  Country  of  Reuben  and  Gad  (which 
 are  comprehended  in  Gilead)  and  likewife  the  half  Tribe 
 of  Manajfh:  and  levied  what  Men  he  could  among 
 them. 
 
 And  pajfed  over  Mizpeh  of  Gilead.']  Went  to  the 
 extream  part  of  the  Country  Northward  ^  where  Miz- 
 peh was  5  towards  Mount  Lebanon  and  Hermon. 
 
 And  from  Mizpeh  of  Gilead  he  pajfed  over  unto  the 
 Children  of  Ammon.~]  He  marched  from  thence,  with 
 fuch  Forces  as  he  had  gathered,  toward  the  Enemies 
 Country. 
 
 Ver.  30.  And  Jephthah  vowed  a  vow  unto  the  LORD,  Verfe  :o. 
 and  J aid,  If  thou  /halt  without  fail,  deliver  the  Children 
 of  Amnion  into  my  hand.~]  He  did  not  make  a  doubt 
 of  it,  but  thought  he  might  be  more  aflured  of  Victory, 
 if  he  made  a  Religious  vow  before  hand,  of  being  very 
 grateful  to  God  for  it.  Which  was  the  cuftom  of  the 
 ancient  Romans,  as  we  find  in  Livy  :  who  frequently 
 tells  us,  that  their  Generals  were  wont  to  vow  to  jf«- 
 piter,  or  Apollo,  or  others,  part  of  the  fpoil  they 
 (hould  take  in  War  5  or  to  build  Temples  in  their 
 honour.  And  thus  the  Ifraelites  when  King  Arad  came 
 againfl:  them,  as  they  were  going  towards  Canaan  (a 
 little  before  the  conqueft  of  this  Country  now  in  Con- 
 troverfie)    vowed  to  make  his  Country  a  Cherem,    if 
 
 God 
 
 r 
 
502  A    COMMENT /iRT 
 
 Chapter  God  would    deliver  it  into   their   hands.     See  XXI 
 
 XF.      Numb.  2. 
 L/'"V"V/       Ver-   Jf-   ^rf*    'lt  fljaM  be,    that    whatfoever.]      This 
 Verfe  31.  comprehends    all    forts    of   Creatures    as   the    Hebrew 
 Doctors  commonly  obferve. 
 
 Cometh  forth  of  the  doors  of  my  koufe  to  meet  me 7] 
 The  Vulgar  adds  the  word  firfi  5  which  muft  be  under- 
 stood :  otherwife,  he  would  have  been  obliged  to  de- 
 vote many  things  to  the  LORD,  which  might  poffibly 
 come  out  of  his  Hcufe. 
 
 When  I  return  in  pe ace  from  the  Children  of  Ammon.~] 
 Come  back  Vi&orious. 
 
 Shall  fur ely  be  the  LORDS,  and  T  will  offer  H  up  for 
 a  burnt  offering."]     If  it  was  a  thing  fit  to  be  offered  :  for 
 if  a  Dog,  or  a  Swine  (hould  have  hapned  to  come  out 
 firft  to  meet  him,    that  was  not  lawful  to  be  offered. 
 But  the  great  queftion  is,    whether  it  was  not  as  un- 
 lawful to  offer  his  Daughter  }    who  feems  to  be  com- 
 prehended in  this  Vow  :  and  it  is  faid  afterward,  v.  39. 
 that  he  did  unto  her,    according  to  it.     Jofcphus,  and 
 the  Chaldee  Paraphraft,  and  feveral  famous  Rabbins  think 
 that  he  did  offer  her  :    being  deceived  by  a  miftake  of 
 the  fenfe  of  that  Law,  XXVII  l.ev/t,  28.     And  though 
 he  might  have  been  abfolved  from  his  Vow  by  the  High- 
 Prieft,  yet  they  tell  an  idle  Story,    that  they  ftoed  fo 
 much  upon  a  Pun&ilio  of  their  Dignity  %  that  he  would 
 neither  go  to  Ph/neas,  nor  Phineas   vouch  fa  fe  to  wait 
 upon  him      Which  is  a  tale  not  to  be  found  in  the  Tal- 
 mud, but  in  fome  lefler  Writer,  as  Mr.  Sellen  obferves, 
 -     Lib.  IV.    de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent.    Cap.  XI.    where  he 
 fhows  that  the  two  Kimchis,    Father  and  Son,  with 
 R.  Levi  ben  Gerfom,  and  others,    interpret  thefe  words 
 quite  otherwife  :  and  take  the  Particle  (which  we  Tran- 
 flate  and)  to  be  a  disjunctive  $    that  is,    as  much  as  or. 
 So  Krmchl  his  words  are,   it  fhall  be  confecrated  to  the 
 
 LORD, 
 
upon  JUDGES,  ^03 
 
 LORD,  if  it  be  not  fit  for  a  burnt-offering  :  or  it  Jh  all  be  Chapter 
 offered  for  a  burnt-offering,  if  it  be  ft  for  it.  And  fo  XI. 
 they  think  (he  was  devoted  to  God,  and  fcp  irate  from  L/VNJ 
 all  fecular  affairs,  thar  fhe  mic;ht  give  her  klr  continu- 
 ally to  Prayer,  and  holy  exerciies.  Which  opinion 
 hath  feveral  difficulties  in  it,  as  he  there  obferves  :  and 
 it  muft  be  confeflcd,  the  ftream  of  Interpreters  runs  the 
 quite  contrary  way.  For  though  they  call  this  votum 
 tenter \iriu m  as  Tertullian  doth  5  a  rafh  Vow,  or  a  foolijfj 
 incautious  Vow,  zsTheodoret,  St.  Auflin  and  others  :  yet 
 very  great  numbers  (and  indeed  mod  of  the  ancient 
 Chriftian  Writers)  think  that  he  did  really  offer  her. 
 Though  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  there  are  great  diffi- 
 culties in  this  Interpretation  alfo  :  no  fuch  thing  having 
 ever  been  done  in  Ifrael 5  but  fuch  Sacrifices  declared 
 abominable  unto  God.  Which  it  is  a  wonder  he  (hould 
 not  know  5  nor  the  People  neither:  who  one  would 
 have  expe&ed  fhould  have  hindred  fuch  a  Barbarous 
 Sacrifice.  All  that  can  be  faid  in  anfwer  to  this  is  3  that 
 they  having  been  long  accuftomed  to  Idolatrous  wor- 
 fhip,  and  he  having  lived  out  of  his  own  Country,  and 
 being  a  Soldier  ^  had  forgotten  their  Law,  or  retained 
 but  a  very  imperfeft  knowledge  of  it.  But  they  that 
 would  fee  this  matter  largely  di  feu  (fed,  may  confult 
 Ludovicus  Capcllus,  who  hath  a  long  DifTertation  on 
 purpofe  about  it:  and  I  fhall  fay  fomething  more  of  it, 
 upon  the  latter  end  of  this  Chapter. 
 
 Ver.   32.  So  Jephthah  pjffed  over  unto  the  Children   ^/yerfe   ^2. 
 Amnion,  to  fight  againjl  them.']     Fie  was   not  far  from 
 them  before,  v.  29.  but  now  he  drew  his  Army  up  to 
 them,  and  engaged  them. 
 
 And  the  LORD  delivered  them  into  his  hand.~]  And 
 thereby  declared  the  Ammonites  were  in  the  wrong, 
 v.  27. 
 
 Ver.  33^ 
 
 d 
 
5o4  A  COMMENT  AR1 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  33.  And  he  fmote  them  from  Aroer."]     Which 
 XI.      was  a  City  uponlhe  Banks  of  the  River  Am  on  $  or  ra- 
 
 ^y\r\j  ther  in  the  River,  being  incompaffed  with  it. 
 
 Verfe  33.      Till  thou  come  to  Minnith.']     Another  City  up  in  the 
 Country. 
 
 Even  twenty  Cities,  and  unto  the  Plain  of  the  Vineyards.'] 
 They  chafed  theta  a  great  way  5  and  deftroyed  their 
 Cities  as  they  went  along  5  till  they  came  to  the  Plain 
 here  mentioned.  Or,  as  it  is  in  the  Margin,  unto  Abel : 
 a  City,  perhaps,  which  was  very  ftrong,  called  Abel- 
 Keramim  3  as  the  LXX.  understand  it. 
 
 With  a  great  flaughter7\  Both  in  the  Field,  and  in  the 
 Cities. 
 
 Thus  the  Children  of  Amnion  were  fubdued  before  the 
 Children  of  ]frael~]  So  that  they  infefted  their  Country 
 no  more. 
 
 Verfe  34.  Ver.  34-  And  Jephthah  came  to  Mizpeh,  unto  his 
 houfe."]  From  which  he  went  forth,  when  he  began 
 this  Expedition,  v.  29. 
 
 And  behold,  his  Daughter  came  out  to  meet  him^  with 
 Timbrels  and  Dances."]  She  was  the  firft  Perfon  of  his 
 Family,  whom  he  faw  at  his  return,  who  came,  ac- 
 companied with  fome  of  her  Neighbours,  to  welcome 
 him  home  and  congratulate  his  Viftory,  with  Mufick 
 and  Dancing.  So  the  old  manner  had  been,  XV  Exod. 
 20.  and  continued  afterward,  1  Sam.  XVIIL  6. 
 
 And  fl)e  was  his  only  Child  }  befide  her  he  had  neither 
 Son,  nor  Daughter.']  In  the  Hebrew  the  words  are,  he 
 had  not  from  himfelf  either  Son,  or  Daughter.  Inti- 
 mating perhaps,  that  though  his  Wife  had  Children  by 
 another  Husband,  or  he  had  adopted  Children  ;  yet  he 
 had  none  defcended  from  his  own  body,  but  this  only 
 Daughter :  which  made  her  the  dearer  to  him. 
 
 Verfe  35.  Ver.  35.  And  it  came  to  pafs  that  when  he  faw  het\ 
 he  rent  his  Clothes.']  As  the  manner  was  when  any  great 
 calamity  befel  them.  See  X  Levit.  6.  And 
 
 5k 
 
upon  JUDGES.  505 
 
 And  f aid)  Alas!    my  Daughter,    thou   haft  brought   me   Chapter 
 very  low.']     Quite  fpoiled  my  Triumph.  XT. 
 
 And  thou  art  one  of  them  that   trouble  me.~]      Which  L/^V^su 
 was  the  more  afflictive,  becaufe  he  expedted  from  her  the 
 greatcft  comfort  and  pleafure. 
 
 For  I  have  opened  my  mouth  unto  the  LORD,  and  I 
 cannot  go  back']  That  is,  made  a  Vow,  which  he  could 
 not  retraft.  It  is  likely  he  told  her  what  it  was,  though 
 that  be  not  here  exprefied :  or,  by  his  deep  forrow  at 
 the  firft  fight  of  her,  (he  underftood  it  was  upon  her 
 account.  But  in  this,  he  was  grofly  miftaken  5  which 
 way  foever  we  interpret  this  Vow  :  whether  of  fepara- 
 ting  her  from  company  5  or  of  offering  her  for  a  burnt 
 offering.  For  he  was  bound  to  neither  5  yea,  he  was 
 bound  not  to  offer  her  in  Sacrifice,  which  was  a  thing 
 abominable.  As  for  the  other,  there  was  no  fuch  power 
 by  their  Law  granted  to  Parents,  to  (hut  up  their  Chil- 
 dren, and  feparate  them  from  all  fociety  with  Men,  as 
 Mr.  Selden  obferves :  there  being  not  the  leaft  footftep 
 of  any  fuch  thing,  in  the  whole  body  of  their  Talmud, 
 or  in  their  Lawyers. 
 
 Ver.  36.  And  flje  faid  unto  him,  My  Father,  ifthouVtvk  36. 
 haft  opened  thy  mouth  unto  the  LORD,  do  to  me  accord- 
 ing  to  that  which  hath  proceeded  out  of  thy  mouth  :  for  as 
 much  as  the  L.ORD  hath  taken  vengeance  for  thee  of  thine 
 Enemies,  even  of  the  Children  of  Amnion*"]  A  rare  in- 
 ftance  of  Religion,  Courage,  Obedience  to  her  Parents, 
 and  love  to  her  Country. 
 
 Ver.   57.  And  fte  faid  unto  her  Father,  Let  this  thing  Verfe  37. 
 be  done  jor  me.]     Grant  me  only  one  requeft }  which 
 was  not  inconfiftent,  (bethought,  with  his  vow:  for 
 he  did  not  fay,  he  would  execute  it  immediately. 
 
 Let  me  alone  trco  months^  Leave  me  at  liberty  fo 
 long. 
 
 T  1 1  Uat 
 
5o6  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       That  1  may  go  up  and  down  upon  the   mountains,  j 
 XI.     Which  were   fit  places  for  her  purpofe  :  being  folitary 
 L/'VNJ  and  far  from  company. 
 
 To  bewail  my  Virginity.']  For  it  was  accounted  a  great 
 infelicity  in  that  Nation,  to  die  without  Iflue. 
 
 I  and  my  fellows?]  Other  Virgins  her  Companions, 
 This  fome  take  for  an  argument,  that  (he  was  not  to  be 
 Sacrificed  :  for  then  (he  would  have  bewailed  her  death, 
 rather  than  her  want  of  Pofterity.  But  this  is  no  con- 
 cluding argument  5  for  (he  might,  poffibly,  look  upon 
 it  as  an  honour  to  be  a  Sacrifice  unto  God. 
 
 V>rfe  28  ^er*  3^*  ^ne^  hefa*d->  Go  5  and  he  Jent  her  away  for  two 
 months,  and  flje  went  with  her  companions  and  bewailed 
 her  Virginity  upon  the  mountains."]  They  that  think  (he 
 knew  (he  was  to  be  offered,  infer  from  hence  that  (he 
 look'd  upon  it  as  a  greater  calamity  to  die  without  Iifue, 
 than  merely  to  die. 
 
 Verfe  a-a  Ver.  3  9*  -And  it  came  to  pafs  at  the  end  of  two  months  fie 
 returned  to  her  Father."]  Having  had  time  to  bring  her 
 mind  unto  a  perfeft  refignation  to  her  Father  :  or  ra- 
 ther,to  confirm  her  felf  in  the  resolution  (he  had  at  firft, 
 chearfully  to  fubmit  unto  whatsoever  he  had  vowed. 
 
 Who  did  with  her  according  to  his  vow,  which  he  had 
 vowed']  This  is,  faith  Kimchi,  he  made  her  an  Houfe, 
 and  brought  her  into  it :  and  there  left  her  fecluded 
 from  the  company  of  all  Men,  and  from  all  fecular 
 affairs.  That's  the  meaning,  he  thinks,  of  the  firft  part 
 of  his  Vow,  it  flail  fitrcly  be  the  LORDS.  And  fo  Ralbag 
 a  little  more  fully,  (he  wasfeparated  from  the  company 
 of  Men  5  for  if  (he  had  had  a  Husband  (he  could  not 
 have  ferved  the  LORD  alone  :  but  muft  have  fcrved  her 
 Husband  alfo,  as  all  Wives  are  bound  to  do.  Selden  in- 
 deed faith,  that  he  doth  not  fee  what  Law  gave  him 
 this  power  to  keep  her  from  Marriage  5  there  being  no- 
 ng  of  it  in  all  their  Books,  as  was  faid  before.     But 
 
 there 
 
upon   JUDGE  S.  r)0y 
 
 there  is  fomething  like  it  in  2  Sam.  XX.  3.  where  David  Chi 
 fhuc  up  his  Concubines,  and  made  them  live  in  Wid-  \j. 
 dow-hood,  till  their  Death.  And  he  might  take  the  is^^T\J 
 liberty  to  do  this  (though  no  Law  gave  him  fuch  power) 
 rather  than  takeaway  the  Life  of  his  Daughter,  which 
 was  againft  Law  ,  for  it  condemned  fuch  Sacrifices. 
 But  the  truth  is,  there  was  noneceflity  of  doing  either  $ 
 if  he  had  underftood  or  confidered  the  Law.  For  he 
 might  have  paid  a  price  for  her  to  the  Prieft,  which  the 
 Law  prefcribed,  when  a  Son  or  Daughter  was  confe- 
 cratedtoGod,  XXVU  Levit.  2,  3,  &c.  Nay,  they  who 
 confecrated  themfelves,  might  redeem  themfelves:  and 
 about  this  very  cafe  of  Jcpbthah  there  was  anciently  a 
 difpute  between  too  famous  Do&ors,  Simeon  ben  Lahjfl^ 
 and  R.  Johanan  5  the  former  of  which  maintained  that 
 he  ought  to  have  paid  the  price  or  value  of  her,  accord- 
 ing to  the  Law}  but  the  other  maintained  he  was  not 
 bound  to  do  fo  much  as  that,becaufe  the  vow  was  to  offer 
 a  burnt  Offering,  in  which  his  Daughter  could  not  be 
 comprehended.  For  other  Animals  only  were  capable 
 of  being  offered  in  Sacrifice.  As  for  thofe  words,  XXVII 
 Lcvit.  28,  29.  upon  which  Lud.CapelIns  hath  founded  his 
 opinion,  that  (he  might  be  facrificed,  Maimonides  hath 
 better  retrained  them  to  the  Sons  and  Daughters  of  the 
 Canaanttes  devoted  by  God  to  deftru&ion.  But  who 
 can  think  that  God  would  have  the  Hebrew  Children  fo 
 devoted,  as  thofe  (laves  were  upon  whom  a  Curfe  was 
 denounced  before  they  entred  into  Canaan.  Befide,  if 
 Jcphthah  was  bound  to  offer  his  Daughter,  who  fhould 
 be  employed  in  that  work?  Should  the  Priefts?  But 
 their  bufinefs  was  rather  to  perfwade  and  deter  him, 
 from  what  he  had  imprudently  vowed.  Should  the 
 Magiftrates  >  But  they  could  not  be  ignorant  that  God 
 had  forbidden  fuch  Sacrifices.  Should  Jcphthah  himfelf  > 
 But  this  would  have  argued  him  as  void  of  common 
 
 T  t  t  2  fenfe. 
 
508  A  CO  MMENT  A  KT 
 
 Chapter  fenfe,  as  of  natural  affe&ion.  And  who  can  think  (as 
 XI.  Theodorhus  Hackjpan  goes  on)  that  fince  God  allowed 
 L/"V\J  Cities  of  refuge,  whether  a  Man  (layer  might  flee,  and 
 be  fafe,  when  he  had  unwittingly  killed  a  Man  3  that 
 the  fame  priviledg  might  not  have  been  allowed  to  a 
 Son  or  a  Daughter,  who  was  perfe&ly  innocent  (as  this 
 Virgin  was)  vi%.  to  fave  their  lives  by  flight,  or  by 
 paying  a  Ranfom. 
 
 The  Jews  are  very  doubtful  in  this  matter,  for  fome 
 fay  Phineas  loft  his  Priefthood,  and  it  was  tranflated  to 
 the  Family  of  Ithamar^  becaufe  he  did  not  abiblve  Jeph- 
 thah  from  this  Vow.  But  others  of  the  Eaftern  Writers 
 fay  he  was  forbid  to  releafe  him,  by  the  Spirit  of  Pro- 
 phefie.  And  Jephthah  when  he  was  admonifhed  by  his 
 Friends  to  go  and  advife  with  him,  how  to  fave  his 
 Daughter,  was  forbid  by  an  Angel  to  go.  See  Selden^ 
 Lib.  1.  de  Succejfion.  adPontificatum^  Cap.  2.  Fol.  117, 
 &c.  But  theTargum  upon  this  Verfe  blames  Jephthah for 
 not  confulting  Phineas :  for  if  he  had  he  would  have 
 redeemed  her  for  a  fum  of  Money. 
 
 And/he  knew  no  man.']     This  is  lookt  upon  by  thofe 
 who  think  (he  was  only  confecrated  to  the  LORD,,  as 
 an  argument  of  it}  that  after  the  performance  of  his 
 vow,  it  is  faid,  J/je  knew  no  Man  5  that  is,  as  long  as  (he. 
 lived  (he  continued  a  Virgin. 
 
 And  it  was  a  cufiom  in  IfraeL"^  They  that  think  (he 
 was  facrificed,  take  thefe  words  as  feparate  from  thofe 
 that  follow,  and  interpret  them :  upon  this  a  San&ion 
 was  made,  that  none  (hould  hereafter  by  the  like  error, 
 offer  humane  Sacrifices.  So  the  Targum.  See  Seldenin 
 the  place  forenamed.  But  there  was  no  need  of  this 
 Statute  5  nor  is  it  likely  that  the  Fable  among  the  Greeks 
 concerning  the  Sacrifice  of  Iphigenia  by  Agamemnon  was 
 devifed  out  of  this  facred  Story,  as  Lud.  Capellus  con- 
 jectures :  who  fancies  alfo  this  Jephtigeniay  that  is,  the 
 
 Daughter 
 
upon  JUDGES  $op 
 
 Daughter  of  Jephthah  (from  whence  might  come  Iphi-  Chapter 
 genU)  was  not  facriiiced  upon  the  Altar,  but  only  (lain :      XI. 
 though  the  Vow  was  he  would  ofter  a  burnt  Offering.  is^s~\j 
 But  we  refer  thefe  words  to  what  follows  in  the  next 
 Verfe. 
 
 Ver.   40.    Thai  the  Daughters   of  Jfracl.~]     They  of  Verfe  40. 
 that  Country. 
 
 1 1  ent  yearly  to  lament  the  Daughter  of  Jephthah  the 
 Gileadite.~]  Some  interpret  the  Hebrew  word  Thannoth 
 to  fignifie  they  went  to  Difcourfe  with  her,  or  to  com- 
 fort her :  though  the  moft  ancient  Interpreters  (as  Bo- 
 chart  us  obferves  in  his  Hierozoicon,  P.  1.  Lib.  1.  Cap. 
 IX.)  Tranllate  it  as  we  do  dzlw&v,  as  the  LXX.  have 
 it,  to  make  lamentation.  But  quite  contrary  the  learned 
 Lud.  de  Dieu  ditferent  from  the  reft  (except  Sixtinm 
 Amama  who  hath  the  fame  notion)  interprets  it,  to 
 praife  her.  Which  fignification  he  plainly  derives  out 
 of  the.  Arabic  1^  Language:  and  befide,  we.our  felves  in 
 this  very  Book  (v.  1 1.)  feem  to  follow  it:  by  tranfla- 
 ting  it,  reherfe.  And  thus  that  excellent  Man  explains 
 this  whole  matter.  Six  was  not  flam,  hut  as  appears  fuf 
 ficicntly  from  the  foregoing  words,  was  devoted  to  perpe- 
 tual Virginity.  In.  which  fie  defer  ved  greater  commendation 
 than  her  Father,  tor  he,  as  foon  ar  he  Jaw  her  come  to 
 meet  him,  repented  of  the  Vow  he  had  rafily  made,  and 
 tore  his  clothes,  lamenting  the  miferable  condition  into 
 which  he  had  brought  himfelf  and  her.  But  fie  moft  coura- 
 gioufly  comforted  her  Father,  and  congratulating  his  Victory \ 
 defired  him  not  to  be  troubled  about  her  ;  for  fie  was  ready 
 to  fub  mi  t  to  what  he  had  vowed.  Upon  the  account  of  which 
 Heroic/^  Vertuc,  whereby  fie  obliged  the  whole  Country  5 
 they  could  do  no  lefs  than  celebrate  her  praifc  every 
 Tear. 
 
 Four  days  in  the  Tear.~\     One  Day,  in  every  quarter 
 of  the  Year,    they  went  to  Celebrate  her  Fame  with 
 
 Vcrfes  , 
 
5  io  ^COMMENT^Rr 
 
 Verfes  compofed  in  her  praife,  as  Grotim  fuppofes.  But 
 whether  they  went  to  the  place  where  (he  was  retired, 
 and  there  fang  them  before  her  5  or  in  fome  other  pub- 
 lick  place  :  and  whether  while  (he  lived,  or  after  her 
 Death,  is  uncertain,  as  de  Dieu  obferves. 
 
 Chapter  -  — 
 
 X1L  CHAP.     XH. 
 
 Verfe  1.    Verfe   1.     AND  the  Men  of  Ephraim  gathered  them- 
 ±\  felvesT]     In  the  Hebrew  were  called  5  by 
 a  publick  cry,  or  Proclamation  to  arm  themfelves. 
 
 And  went  Northward."]  To  the  Country  of  Mana/feh 
 on  the  other  fide  Jordan.  For  this  fufficiently  (hows 
 that  Mizpeh  was  in  that  Country,  and  in  the  Northern 
 part  of  it,  towards  Lebanon  and  Hertnon,  as  I  obferved 
 before  XI.  29.  Pet.  Martyr  thinks  they  did  not  march 
 orderly  thither,  being  not  gathered  together  (as  far  as 
 appears)  by  the  authority  of  the  Magistrate,  but  in  a 
 tumultuous  manner,  as  feditious  People  are  wont  to  do. 
 
 And  f aid  unto  Jephthah."]  By  this  and  by  what  fol- 
 lows, it  appears  they  came  to  Mizpeh  where  Jephthah 
 dwelt. 
 
 Wherefore  paffedft  thou  over."]  They  do  not  mean 
 over  Jordan,  for  there  he  was  already  :  but  from  hence 
 to  the^Coaft  of  the  Ammonites.     See  XI.  30.  32. 
 
 To  fight  again/}  the  Children  of  Ammon,  and  didji  not 
 call  us  to  go  with  thee  f]  Their  pride  made  them  take  it  ill, 
 that  they  had  not  a  fhare  in  the  glory  of  the  late  Vi&ory. 
 Jufi:  as  formerly  they  quarrelled  with  Gideon  upon  the 
 like  occafion,  VIII.  1.  which  (hows  they  were  an  haugh-' 
 ty  Tribe. 
 
 We  will  burn  thine  houfe  upon  thee  with  fire."]  Their 
 pride  put  them  into  fuch  a  ftrange  rage,  that  they  feem 
 to  threaten  to  burn  him,  as  well  as  his  Houfe. 
 
 Ver.  2. 
 
upon   JUDGES.  fn 
 
 Ver.   z,   And  Jephthahfaid  unto  them,  I  and  my  People  Chi  pro  r 
 were  at  great  ft  rife  with  the    Children  of  Am won. ~]     He       XII. 
 anfwers  their  furious    Language  with  great  mildnefs:  L/^v^o 
 and  fir  ft  tells  them,  that  he  did  not  undertake  this  War  Verfe  2. 
 till  he  was  forced  to  it  by  the  Ammonites  5  who  forely 
 dittrefled  them,  X.  9. 
 
 And  when  I  called  you,  ye  delivered  me  not  out  of  their 
 hands.']  In  the  fecond  place  he  denies  their  charge 
 and  affirms  the  contrary,  that  he  had  begged  their  af- 
 fiftance  ;  but  they  refufed  to  give  it  him.  Yea  (as  the 
 word  we  Tranlhte  called  fignifies)  he  had  cried  aloud 
 to  them,  with  earneft  importunities,  to  help  them  in 
 their  diftrefs. 
 
 Ver.   5.  And  when  I  faw  that  yon  delivered  me  not.']  Verfe  3. 
 That  there  was  no  hope  of  your  help  to  preferve  us 
 from  ruine. 
 
 I  put  my  life  in  my  hand."]  Expofed  my  felf  to  the 
 utmoft  hazzard :  for  he  had  but  a  final  1  part  of  the 
 People  of  Ifrael  with  him,  to  fight  with  their  powerful 
 oppreffors.  This  Phrafe  teems  peculiar  to  the  Hebrews, 
 and  the  Eaftern  Writers :  for  among  all  the  Grecl^  and 
 Roman  Writers,  Ifaac  Cafanbon  faith  he  never  met  with 
 it  but  once,  in  Xenarchus  \  whom  Athen£us  ailed;?- 
 introducing  in  one  of  his  Plays  a  Man  full  of  fear  a 
 trembling  ■ oh  ty  %i-i£l  rtw  ^v^Jjuolyjua. 
 
 And  pajfed  over  again  ft  the  Children  of  AmmonT]  With 
 fuch  Forces  alone,  as  he  could  get  on  his  fide  Jordan, 
 XI.  29,  50. 
 
 And  the  LORD  delivered  them  into  my  hand.]  God 
 approved  his  undertaking,  by  giving  him  a  great 
 Viftory. 
 
 Wherefore  then  are  ye  come  up  unto  me  thk  day,  to 
 fight  againfl  me.]  Who  had  defended  and  preferveel 
 them.  For  if  the  Ammonites  had  vanquifhed  Jephthah 
 they  would  foon  have   pafied  over  Jordan^   and  fain 
 
 upon 
 
^l2  A  COMME  NT  AR7 
 
 Chapter  upon  the  Efhramites$    as  they  had  before  attempted, 
 
 XiL      X.  9. 
 
 VW"VJ       Ver.  4.  Then  Jephthah  gathered  all  the  Men  of  Gilead, 
 
 Verfe  4.    and  fought  with  EphraimT]     When   he  faw  they  were 
 
 not  pacified  by  this  fair  and  peaceable  Apology,  but  ftill 
 
 continued  their  menaces  5    he  betook  himfelf  to  Aims, 
 
 and  railed  as  many  Men  as  he  could  to  oppofe  them. 
 
 And  the  Men  of  Gilead  fmote  then/.']  Put  them  to 
 flight,  and  made  a  great  (laughter  of  them. 
 
 Becaufe  they  faid,  ye  Gileadites,  are  fugitives  of  E- 
 phraim.']  That  which  provoked  them  to  kill  fo  many 
 of  them,  was  their  fcoffing  Language  (added  to  their 
 threats)  whereby  they  reproached  the  Men  of  Gilead 
 (who  were  the  chief  managers  of  the  late  War,  XL  29.) 
 as  if  they  were  but  the  fcum,  and  dregs  of  the  Tribe  of 
 Ephraim,  u  e.  of  thofe  defcended  from  Jofeph,  among 
 whom  they  were  the  principal. 
 
 Among  the  Ephraimites,  and  among  the  Manaffites7\ 
 That  is  that  dwelt  in  the  Land  of  Canaan.  Who  lookt 
 upon  the  Gileadites  and  the  reft  of  the  Manajfites  on  the 
 other  fide  Jordan,  and  in  the  moft  Northerly  part  of  it, 
 as  the  refute  of  their  Nation.  But  it  muft  be  acknow- 
 ledged that  the  words  in  the  Hebrew  are  capable  of  ano- 
 ther fenfe,  and  may  be  thus  tranflated.  Therefore  (fo 
 the  Particle  Ki  is  often  tranflated)  they  faid,  fugitives 
 of  Ephraim  are  ye.  That  is,  having  fmote  them,  the 
 Gileadites  called  the  Ephraimites  Run  aways.  And  the 
 truth  is  thus  they  (not  the  Gileadites)  are  called  in  the 
 next  Verfe.  And  then  the  following  words  may  be 
 thus  tranflated,  G/7e^^  between  the  Ephraimites  and  the 
 Manajfites.  It  is  very  probable  that  the  Manajfites  in 
 Canaan  joined  with  the  Ephraimites,  in  this  preiumptu- 
 ous  attempt  upon  the  Gileadites :  who  being  well  ac- 
 quainted with  their  own  Country  got  between  them 
 and  the  River  Jordan^  to  intercept  their  paflage  over  itN 
 as  we  read  in  the  following  Verfe.  Ver.  5. 
 
upon   JUDGES.  51^ 
 
 Ver.   5.   And  the  Gileaditcs  took,  the  paffkges  of  Jordan   Chapter 
 before  the  Ephrai  mites.]     So  that  none  could  pais  over      XI I. 
 at  thefe  Fords,  without  their  leave.  (v^v^sJ 
 
 And  it   was  fi,    that  when  the  Ephraimites  who   were  Verfe  5. 
 cfcaped.]     They  are  the  very  fame  words  in  the  Hebrew, 
 which  are  ufed  in  the  foregoing  Verfe,    the  fugitives 
 of  Ephraim. 
 
 Said,  Let  me  go  over,  that  the  Men  ofGilcad.~]  Who 
 were  fet  to  guard  the  paflages. 
 
 Said,  Art  thou  an  Ephraimitc.]  They  examined  him 
 what  Country  Man  he  was:  whether  zReubcnite,  Ga- 
 ditc,  Manajite,  on  their  (ide  Jordan,  or  one  of  the 
 Ephraimites  on  the  other. 
 
 If  he  faid,  Nay.  ]     For  fear  would  make  him  deny  it. 
 
 Ver.  6.  Then  [aid  they  unto  hint,  fay  now  Shibboleth.']  vrerfe  g 
 To  find  the  truth,  they  put  him  to  this  teft  5  whether 
 his  pronunciation  of  fome  words,  was  like  that  of  the 
 Gilcaditcs.  For  People  of  the  lame  Nation,  who  fpeak 
 the  fame  Language,  differ  very  much  in  their  pronun- 
 ciation of  it,  in  feveral  parts  of  the  Country.  As  in 
 Greece,  all  fpake  Grecfo  but  the  lonians,  Attickj,  Do- 
 rians, and  RLolians  fpake  it  very  differently.  And  fo 
 they  did  among  the  Romans  :  tor  at  Pr<cnejie  which  was 
 not  far  from  Rome  (  as  Pet.  Martyr  obferves  out  of 
 Plant  us)  inftead  of  Ciconia,  they  laid  Roma.  And  fo 
 the  Ephramites  faid  Sibboleth,  but  could  not  pronounce 
 Shibboleth.  There  were  many  other  words  like  this, 
 which  they  could  not  frame  their  mouths  to  fpeak,  as 
 the  Gileadites  did:  but  this  was  chofen,  it  is  likely,  be- 
 caufe  it  was  very  fit  for  the  purpofe.  Shibboleth  figni- 
 fying  not  only  an  ear  of  Com \  but  alio  floods  of  \\  atcr 
 (LXIX  Pfal.  2.)  fo  that  the  teft  they  put  them  unto  was 
 this,  to  bid  them  fay,  Let  me  pafs  over  the  Water. 
 
 And  he  faid  Sibboleth  \  for  he  could  not  frame  his 
 mouth  to  pronounce  it  right.]      If  he  was  an  Ephraimite  he 
 
 U  u  11  prefemly 
 
§i4  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  prefently  difcovered  himfelf:    for  he  could  not  pro- 
 XII.      nounce  the  Letter  Schin  :  which  proceeded,  I  fuppofe, 
 
 lS~V*\j  from  long  ufe  and  cuftom  of  that  People  to  pronounce 
 otherwife,  fo  that  they  could  not  frame  the  Organs  of 
 Speech  to  pronounce  as  the  GUeadites  did.  Which  we 
 fee  at  this  day  among  all  Nation? :  who  in  different 
 Provinces  very  much  differ  in  their  Speech,  though 
 they  ufe  the  very  fame  Language. 
 
 Then  they  iool^  him,    and  flew  him  at  the  paffages  of 
 Jordan^]     Otherwife  they  let  him  go:    for  they  ufed 
 this  mark  of  diftin&ion  on  purpofe,    left  they  fhould 
 kill  any  of  another  Tribe. 
 
 And  there  fell  at  that  time  of  the  Ephr air/rites,  forty  and 
 two  thoufand^  In  the  fight,  and  at  the  paffages  of  Jor- 
 dan, this  number  perifhed.  Which  was  a  juft  punifh- 
 ment,  to  take  down  their  Pride  and  Infolence  5  in  de- 
 fpifing  fo  great  a  Man  as  Jephthah,  and  threatning  to  de- 
 ftroy  his  Houfe,  after  fo  glorious  a  Vi&cry,  whereby 
 he  had  faved  all  the  People  of  Jfrael:  and  reproaching 
 their  Brethren  alfo,  whom  they  invaded  without  any 
 caufe,  and  feern  to  have  intended  to  drive  them  out  of 
 their  Country. 
 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  Jephthah  judged  Jfrael  fix  years."]  After 
 this  humiliation  of  the  Ephraimites,  all  the  Tribes  whom 
 the  Ammonites  had  opprefled  (on  the  other  fide  Jordan, 
 perhaps,  in  the  Land  of  Canaan,  as  well  as  the  GUeadites 
 and  the  reft  on  their  fide)  fubmitted  themfelves  unto 
 him,  as  their  Judge :  And  he  continued  fix  Years  in 
 the  Government. 
 
 Then  died  Jephthah  the  Gileadite,  and  was  buried  in 
 one  of  the  Cities  of  Gilead.  ~\  The  Jews  have  feveral 
 foolilh  conceits  concerning  his  Death  and  Burial:  be- 
 caufe  it  is  faid  he  was  buried  in  the  Cities  of  Gilead,  as  the 
 words  are  in  the  Hebrew.  Which  they  would  have 
 underftood,  as  if  he  rotted  (as  a  punifhment  for  offer- 
 ing 
 
up*n   JUDGES.  5,5 
 
 ing  his  Daughter;  and  one  piece  of  him,  when  it  dropt  Ch 
 orif,  'twas  buried  in  one  City,  and  another  in  the  next  XII. 
 City,  &c.  when  the  plain  meaning  is  exprefled  in  our  L/"V"\J 
 Tranflation,  that  he  was  buried  in  one  of  the  Cities^  that 
 is,  in  Mizpeh  where  he  lived.  See  XIX  Uen.  29.  And 
 fo  Aben-Ezra  and  Ralbag  interpret  it.  The  ugh  the 
 latter  of  thefe  Rabbins  could  not  forbear  to  incline  to 
 one  of  their  Talmudical  Fables  :  that  he  having  no 
 Iflue  to  propagate  his  name,  ordered  his  body  to  be  cut 
 into  feveral  pieces  ;  and  buried  in  fo  many  Cities  of 
 Gilead :  that  every  one  might  preferve  his  Memory. 
 Other  fancies  there  are,  in  which  Men  indulge  them- 
 elves  5  and  Peter  Martyr  hath  thought  fit  to  interpofe  his 
 conjefture  3  that  the  word  Iram,  which  we  Tranflate 
 Cities,  may  poffibly  be  the  proper  name  of  a  City  in 
 Gilead,  wherein  he  was  buried. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  after  him  Ibzan  of  Bethlehem  judged  Verfe  8. 
 JfraeW]  It  is  not  faid  upon  what  occafion  he  was  made 
 judge  \  for  perhaps,he  was  raifed  up  by  God  immediately 
 after  Jephthal/s  Death,  only  to  preferve  them  in  the 
 true  Religion,  which  was  in  fome  meafure  reftored. 
 Some  of  the  Jews  fancy  him  to  have  been  the  fame  with 
 Boaz  who  married  Ruth  the  Moabitefs:  but  without  any 
 ground  at  all  that  I  can  find. 
 
 Ver.  9.   And  he  had  thirty  Sons,  and  thirty  Daughters, Q  Verfe  9. 
 A  numerous  Iffue  was  accounted  a  great  bleffing  in  thofe 
 days.     And  though  we  read  of  no  memorable  aft  that 
 this  Judge  did,  yet  this  isfet  down  to  (how,  that  he- was 
 a  Perfon  eminently  favoured  by  God. 
 
 Whom  he  fent  abroad."]  The  Vulgar  refers  this  to  his 
 Daughters,  for  whom  he  provided  Husbands:  and  fent 
 his  Daughters  to  their  Houfes,  as  the  manner  was, 
 XXIV  Gen.  67.  XXXI  50. 
 
 And  he  took  in  thirty  Daughters  from  abroad  for  his 
 Sons.']     This  compleated  the  bleffing  of  God  in  the 
 
 U  u  u  2  gift 
 
$i6  A    COMMENT  A  KT 
 
 Chapter  gift  of  fo  many  Children  :  who  all  lived  to  the  ftate  of 
 XII.      Men  and  Women,  and  were  all  difpofed  by   him  in 
 
 L^V""\J  Marriage.     For  that  was  in  the  power  of  Parents.    See 
 XXIV  Gen. 
 
 And  he  judged  Ifrael  [even  years."]  Not  all  the  Is- 
 raelites, but  thofe  that  Jephthah  had  judged  :  and  none 
 difputed  his  Authority,  but  he  ruled  over  them  thus 
 long. 
 
 v     r-  Ver.    io.  Then   died  Ibzan,    and  was  buried  at  Beth- 
 
 er  e  *     lehemT]     There  were  two  Bethkhems  5  one  in  the  Tribe 
 
 of  Zebulun,  and  the  other  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah;  the 
 
 latter  of  which,  it  is  generally  thought,  is  here  meant  5 
 
 where  he  was  born  and  buried. 
 
 Verfe  11.  Ver.  11.  And  after  him  Elon  a  Zebulonite  judged  Ifrael^ 
 and  he  judged  Ifrael  ten  years.']  It  is  obferved  by  many 
 that  Eufebius  in  his  Chronicon  paffes  by  this  Judge,  be- 
 caufe  he  faith  the  LXX.  do  not  mention  him :  though 
 the  Hebrew  Text  doth.  But  as  all  our  prefent  Copies  of 
 the  LXX.  now  mention  him  :  fo  did  thofe  whom  a  very 
 ancient  Writer  ufed,  viz.  Theophilus  Antioch.  Lib.  1. 
 ad  Autolycum :  and  which  is  more  to  be  wondred  at, 
 thofe  Copies  alfo  which  Eufebtus  h\mk\f  followed  in  his 
 Tenth  Book,  de  Prepar.  Evang.  Cap.  XIV.  as  our  Pri- 
 mate Vfher  hath  obferved  in  his  Chronologia  Sacra  Pars,  L 
 Cap.  ult. 
 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  Eton  the  Zebulonite  died,  and  was  buried 
 in  Ajalon  in  the  Country  of  Zebulun.  Thefe  la  ft  words 
 are  added  to  diftinguiflb  this  Aijalon  here  mentioned* 
 from  another  in  the  Tribe  of  Dan.  I.  35. 
 Verfe  13*  Ver.  13.  And  after  him  Abdon  the  Son  of  Hillcl  a 
 Pirathonite  judged  Ifrael.  ]  The  place  where  he  was 
 born  (hows  that  he  was  of  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim: 
 whom  God  at  laft  honoured  with  a  Judge  of  their  own 
 Country,  after  their  pride  had  been  humbled  by  Jeph- 
 thah. For  Pirathon  is  expreOy  faid,  v.  1  5.  to  be  in  the 
 Land  of  Ephraim.  Ver.  14.. 
 
upon   JUDGES.  517 
 
 Ver.    14.   And  he  had  forty  Sorts  ^   and  thirty  Nephews.  J  Chapter 
 
 That  is,  Crandfons.  x II. 
 
 That  rode  on  three/core  and  ten  Ajjes  Colts.~]      See  v.  10.  L/^V*^V> 
 This  is  faid,  to  (how  that  God  blefled  him  not  only  Verfe  14. 
 with  a  numerous  Pofterity  -0    but  let  them  all  grow  up 
 to  be  Men.     See  X  4. 
 
 And  he  judged  Ifracl  eight  years.']  The  intention  of 
 this  Book  is  chiefly  to  (how  how  God  punilhed  them 
 for  their  Sins,  and  delivered  them  upon  their  Repen- 
 tance. But  nothing  remarkable  of  this  kind  falling  out 
 in  the  time  of  thefe  three  laft  mentioned  Judges,  he 
 omits  to  relate  their  other  afts,  which  was  befide  his 
 purpofe. 
 
 Here  it  may  be  fit  to  note  that  the  other  interval  of  the 
 two  mentioned  upon  XI.  26.  confiding  of  an  Hundred 
 and  Forty  Years  (which  added  to  three  Hundred  and 
 Forty  in  the  foregoing  interval,  make  up  the  480  Years 
 mentioned,  1  Kings  VI.  2.)  it  is  evident  that  the  latter 
 part  of  them  (viz.  Eighty  four  Tears)  were  made  up  by 
 the  Reigns  of  Said  and  David,  who  each  reigned  Forty 
 Years  (2  Sam.  V.  4.  XIII  Alls  21.)  and  the  four  firft 
 Years  of  Solomon.  Therefore  the  remaining  Fifty  fix 
 Years  are  made  up  of  part  of  the  EighteenTears  wherein 
 the  Ammonites  oppreffed  Jfrael  after  the  Death  of  Jair, 
 and  the  Years,  wherein  thefe  four  laft  named  Perions 
 and  Samuel  judged  Ifrael. 
 
 Ver.  1 5".  And  Abdon  the  Son  of  Hil/el  the  Pirathonite  yerfe  |  <- 
 died,  and  was  buried  in  Pirathon  in  the  land  of  Ephraim, 
 in  the  mount  of  the  Amalehjtes. "]  Some  think  this 
 Mount  retained  the  name  of  Mount  Amalehx  (as  the 
 words  are  in  the  Hebrew)  from  ancient  times  :  the  A* 
 malelqies  having  poffefled  it  heretofore,  when  the  Ca- 
 naanites  were  the  Inhabitants  of  this  Country.  But  it 
 may  as  well  be  thought  (fince  all  that  is  faid,  is  but 
 cpnjefture)    that  it  was   fo  called  from   fome   famous 
 
 overthrow, 
 
5l8  A   C  OMME  NT  ART 
 
 overthrow,  which  the  Children  of  Ephraim  gave  the 
 Amalekjtes  in  this  place.  For  in  the  time  of  the  Judges 
 they  more  than  once  joined  with  others  againft  the 
 Ifraelites.  See  III.  13.  VI.  3.  But  efpecially  fee  what 
 I  have  noted  upon,  V.  14. 
 
 ■ 
 Chapter 
 XIII.  CHAP.     XIII. 
 
 Verfe  1.    Verfe  1.    \ND  the  Children  of  Ifrael  did  evil  again 
 ±\  in  the  fight  of  the  LORD."]     As  he  com- 
 plained before,  X.  6.  when  he  began  to  fpeak  of  what 
 befel  them  thereupon. 
 
 And  the  LORD  delivered  them  into  the  hand  of  the 
 Philijlines  forty  years."]  This  is  the  fixth  oppreffion^ 
 and  the  longeft  that  they  ever  lay  under.  Which  is 
 thought,  by  a  great  Man  I  have  often  mentioned,  to 
 have  ended  feven  Months  after  the  Death  of  Eli,  when 
 the  Ark  was  brought  back  out  of  the  Land  of  the  Phi- 
 UJiines  :  and,  by  the  fame  reafon,  it  began  fo  many 
 Months  after  he  entred  upon  the  Government,  after  the 
 Death  of  Ahdon.  See  VjJjerii  Annates,  ad  A.  M.  2848. 
 and  his  Chronologica  Sacra,  P.  1.  Cap.  XII,  XIII.  But  I 
 think  Sir  John  Marjham  hath  fince  that  more  rightly 
 judged,  that  this  oppreffion  by  the  Philijlines  is  not  dif- 
 ferent from  that  mentioned,  X.  7,  8.  but  one  and  the 
 fame  :  they  vexing  and  oppreffing  the  Ifraelites  in  the 
 Weft,  when  the  Ammonites  opprefled  them  in  the  Eaft. 
 For  though  the  oppreffion  of  the  Philijlines  lafted  longer, 
 yet  it  began  at  the  very  fame  time  with  the  other :  which 
 made  their  diftrefs  the  greater.  And  therefore  that 
 Preface  (X.  7.)  belongs  not  only  to  what  immediately 
 there  follows,  concerning  the  Ammonites  and  Jephthah: 
 but  to  what  is  here  related  concerning  the  Philijlines  and 
 Sumfon.     Which  the  Holy  Writer  could  not  fpeak  of 
 
 both 
 
upon  JUDGES. 
 
 both  together  without  confufion  :  and  therefore  fir  ft  re- 
 lates the  MTue  of  the  War  with  the  Ammonites  5    and 
 
 then  relates  tlie  other  part  of  the  Hiftory  concerning 
 the  Philijiines  5  which  he  here  begins.  And  by  this 
 SjncbroniffH  all  difficulties  may  be  iolved  5  and  the 
 Years  which  feem  re  lundant,  brought  within  their  true 
 com  pa  Is.     See  his  Canon  Lhronicus ,  Sect.  XI.  P.  293. 
 
 Ver.   2.  .  here  was  a  certain  Man  ofZorah.^     See  yerfe  7 
 
 XIX  Jojb.  40,  41, 
 
 Of  tin  the  Damtes."\     Sometimes  the  word 
 
 Family  is  ufed  for  a  Tribe.  See  VWjojh.  17.  Or,  the 
 meaning  may  be  of  a  family  among  the  Danites.  From 
 among  whom  it  was  very  proper  to  have  a  deliverer 
 railed  up  to  them  ^  for  the  Danites  were  near  Neigh- 
 bours to  the  Philijiines,  who  opprefTed  them. 
 
 U  hofc  name  was  Manoah,  and  his  11 ife  was  barren  and 
 bare  not.']     Was  not  likely  to  have  any  Children. 
 
 Ver.   3.  And  the  Angel  of  the  LORD  appeared  unto  Verfe  5. 
 the  WomanT]  As  he  did  to  Gideon,  VI,  12.  in  humane 
 fhape$    as  the  relation  (hows  in  the  following  Verfes, 
 5.  8,  &c. 
 
 And  J aid  unto  her, B:  hold  now  thou  art  barren  and  bcarejl 
 not  5  but  thou  Jbalt  conceive  and  bear  a  Son.']  The  greatefl: 
 Men  of  this  Nation  were  born  of  barren  Women  :,  as 
 Ifaac  was  anciently,  and  Samuel,  and  John  the  Baptijl 
 in  future  times. 
 
 Ver.  4.  Now  therefore  beware,  I  pray  thee,  and  drinl^ Verfe  4. 
 not  wine  nor  flrong  drink-]  She  was  tu  live  as  the  Na- 
 zarites  did  (VI  Numb.  2,  5.)  while  (he  carried  him  in 
 her  Womb  5  ana  perhaps  while  (lie  nurfed  him  :  becaufe, 
 as  it  follows  in  the  next  Verfe,  he  was  to  be  a  perpetual 
 Nazarite  unto  God,  from  his  conception  to  his  death 
 (v.  7.)  which  he  could  not  have  been,  if  (he  had  drunk 
 Wine  or  ftrong  Drink:  becaufe  a  Child  in  the  Womb, 
 and  its  Mother  live  by  the  fame  nourifhment. 
 
 And 
 
$20 
 
 Chapter 
 XIII. 
 
 Verfe 
 
 A  CO MMENT  ART 
 
 And  eat  not  any  unclean  thing."]     It  is  likely  they  were 
 too  negligent  in  thofe  days,  in  obferving  the  precepts 
 t/*V*SJ  about  meats :  otherwife  there  would  been  no  need  to 
 mention  this. 
 
 Ver.  5.  For  to,  thouflialt  conceive  and  hear  a  Son, and  no 
 raforfhaH  come  on  his  head  :  for  the  Child  frail  be  a  Nazaraite 
 unto  God  front  the  Womb.]     See  upon  VI  Numb.  4. 
 
 And  he  JJjall  begin  to  deliver  Ifrael  out  of  the  hands  of 
 the  Philijiines."]  He  did  not  perfe&ly  deliver  the  Is- 
 raelites from  the  yoke  of  the  Philijiines  5  but  it  was  done 
 after  his  death  by  Samuel :  who  put  an  end  to  this 
 Forty  Years  Tyranny,  by  his  famous  Vifrory  at  Eben- 
 Ezer0  1  Sam.  VII.  13.  as  the  fame  Sir  J.  Marfoam  ob- 
 ferves.  Who  fuppofes  Eli  to  have  died  in  the  midft  of 
 this  fervitude  5  that  is  twenty  Years  before  this  Vi&ory. 
 Sam/on  therefore  only  forely  galled  the  Philijiines  $  but 
 they  (till  continued  to  opprefs  the  Ifraelites,  as  they 
 did  when  he  was  born.  For  it  appears  by  thefe  words, 
 that  when  the  Angel  fpake  to  them  they  were  under 
 the  hand,  that  is  the  power  of  the  Philijiines  5  and  fo 
 continued  all  his  days.  For  it  is  faid,  XV.  20.  that  he 
 judged  Ifrael  twenty  Years,  in  the  days  of  the  Philijiines  $ 
 that  is,  while  they  tyrannized  over  Ifrael.  From  which 
 Tyranny  he  was  fo  far  from  being  a  compleat  deliverer, 
 that  he  himfelf  was  taken,  and  bound  by  them :  nor 
 had  he  ever  any  command  over  the  Ifraelites. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  the  Woman  came  and  told  her  Husband.] 
 The  Angel  feems  to  have  appeared  to  her  in  the  Field  : 
 and  (he  acquainted  her  Husband  with  it,  when  (he  came 
 home. 
 
 Saying,  A  Man  of  God  came  unto  me.]  So  they  called 
 Prophets. 
 
 And  his  countenance  was  like  the  countenance  of  an  An* 
 gel  of  God  very  terrible.]  That  is,  venerable,  or  full  of 
 Majefty.     For  fo  the  Men  of  God,  I  fuppofe,  fometimes 
 
 appeared  5 
 
 Verfe  6. 
 
J 
 
 upon    JUDGES.  5  2 1 
 
 appeared  ^    as  may  be  gathered  from  the  Story  pf  St,  Cfa 
 Steven:    who  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  when  he 
 ftooi  before  the  Council  of  Jerufalemx    hjf 
 
 rf.r    //"  ft  /u;/  iej/;  the  fue  of  an  \  \      els   I  5  . 
 
 And  I  asked  him  not  whence  he  :vas  ,  neither  told  he  -ore 
 his  name.']  The  In  ft  re  of  his  countenance  ftruck  ivxh 
 an  awe  into  her,  that  (lie  made  no  enquiry  who  he  v, 
 nor  whence  he  came:  and  he  was  not  pleafed  to  tell 
 her.  Though  the  /  ulgar  (againft  both  the  Hebrew  Te : 
 the  Chaldcc  and  the  LAX)  hath  it,  fhe  asked  him  who 
 he  was,  and  whence  he  came,  and  what  was  his  name  :  but 
 he  would  not  tell  her. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  he  faid  unto  me,  behold,  thou  /halt  con-  yerre 
 ceive  and  bear  a  Son,  and  now  drinh^  no  whte,  nor  flrong 
 drinl^,  Sec]  She  recites  the  words  of  the  Angel,  unto 
 her  Husband.  Who.,  as  Jofiphu*  fancies,  hearing  her 
 highly  commend  the  Perfon,  who  appeared  to  her,  for 
 his  beauty  and  Majefty  5  began  to  fufpeft  her  Chaftity. 
 Which  is  a  conceit  for  which  there  is  no  ground,  but 
 much  againft  it. 
 
 Ver.  8.  Then  Manoah  hitreated  the  LORD  and  faid,  Verfe  8 
 0  my  LORD,  let  the  Man  of  God,  whom  thou  didfl  fend, 
 come  again  unto  vs.]  To  make  good  the  forename  d 
 conceit,  Jofcphus  makes  this  to  be  the  Prayer  of  his 
 Wife,  that  he  might  fatishe  the  jealoufie  of  her  Husband  : 
 dire&ly  contrary  to  what  is  here  exprelly  faid,  that 
 Manoah  made   this  requeft.     See  Lib.  V.  Antiq.  Cap. 
 
 And  teach  us  what  we  foall  do  unto  the  Child  which  fliall 
 be  born.']  He  did  not  in  the  leaft  queftion  his  Wives 
 Chaftity  5  no,  nor  blame  her  credulity  :  but  defired 
 himfelf  to  fee  the  Perfon  (if  God  pleafed)  who  had 
 brought  this  good  news  to  them  5  and  to  be  informed 
 how  they  (hould  educate  the  Child. 
 
 X  x  x  Ver.  9. 
 
jtii  A  CO  MME NT AK  Y 
 
 Chapter       Ver.   9.  And  God  hearkened  to  the  voice  of  Manoah.] 
 XIII.    Who,   it  appears  by  this,   defired   only  further  fatif- 
 
 L/^VNJ  fa&ion,  in  that  which  he  already  believed. 
 
 Verfe  9.  j\ncl  the  Angel  of  Hod  came  again  unto  the  Worn an \  as 
 (he  fat  in  the  field.']  Where,  I  fuppofe  (v.  6  )  he  ap- 
 peared to  her  before.  And  I  think  all  Interpreters 
 agree,  that  it  was  on  the  very  fame  day. 
 
 And  Manoah  her  Husband  was  not  with  her.]  This  is 
 no  fign  of  his  jealoufie :  but,  rather  quite  contrary, 
 that  he  had  a  great  opinion  of  her  vertue. 
 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10,  And  the  Woman  made  hajie  and  ran,  and 
 flowed  her  Husband  faying,  behold  the  Man  hath  appeared 
 unto  me,  that  came  unto  me  the  other  day."]  The  word 
 other  is  not  in  the  Hebrew  ^  but  it  may  be  tranflated,  to 
 day.  And  perhaps  he  appeared  to  her  at  the  firft  in  the 
 Morning  5  and  now  in  the  Evening. 
 
 Verfe  11.  Ver.  11.  And  Manoah  arofe,  and  went  after  his  Wife!] 
 Who  led  him  the  way,  to  (how  him  where  the  Man 
 was. 
 
 And  came  to  the  Man!]  Whom  his  Wife  had  defired 
 to  ftay  a  while,  till  fhe  called  her  Husband  to  him  : 
 as  Jofephus  probably  enough  conje&ures.  But  I  cannot 
 imagine  how  he  came  to  add,  that  when  her  Husband 
 faw  him,  a  ^  zTzee,  i7mvih  tvc,  vTrcvofe,  he  was  not  in- 
 ftantly  rid  of  his  fufpition  :  for  there  is  nothing  like  it 
 in  the  following  words. 
 
 He  faid  unto  him,  Art  thou  the  Man,  thatfpakefi  un- 
 to the  Woman?]  And  told  her  file  (hould  have  a 
 Son. 
 
 And  he  faid,  I  am.]  The  fame  Jewi/h  Writer  adds, 
 that  Manoah  prayed  him  to  tell  him  what  he  had  faid 
 to  his  Wife  :  But  the  Angel  replied,  it  was  enough 
 that  he  had  told  it  her. 
 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  Manoah  faid  now  let  thy  words  come 
 to  pafs.]    Thefe  words  may  be  no  more  than  a  with, 
 
 that 
 
upon  ]  U  D  G  E  S.  5  3,3 
 
 :that  what  he  foretold  might  prove  true  :    though  fame  ; 
 look  upon  them  as  a  Prayer  to  God  to  make  them  good.      XIII. 
 
 How  flail  we  order  the  Child,  ami  howjhjilirc  do  unto  L/"V^»  J 
 kimf\     The  Hebrew  word  Mifchput,  which  we  Tran- 
 slate 0/v/er5    fignifies  here,  the  rule  whereby   he  fhouUl 
 live. 
 
 Ver.  19.  And  the  Angel  [aid  unto  Manoah,  of  all that  Verfe 
 1  [aid  unto  the  •  I' on/an,  let  her  beware. ~]  This  general 
 anlwer  might  have  been  fufficient :  but  that  they  might 
 be  the  more  careful,  he  adds  in  the  next  Verfe,  all  the 
 particulars  he  had  mentioned  to  his  Wife  (v.  4.)  and 
 Something  more  largely. 
 
 Ver.    1 4.  She  may  not  eat  of  any  thing  that  comet b  0/Verfe  I  4 
 the  Vine.~]     i.  e.     Neither  Grapes,  nor  Railins. 
 
 Neither  let  her  drink  Uine  nor  Jlrong  drinks  nor  eat 
 any  unclean  thing,"]  This  feems  to  lay  a  charge  upon 
 him,  as  well  as  her,  to  fee  this  abftinence  obferved. 
 
 All  that  I  commanded  for,  let  her  obfervcT]  Breed  him 
 up  a  Nazarite  all  the  days  of  his  Life. 
 
 Ver.  15.  And  Manoah  faid  to  the  Angel  of  the  L0i?D,  yerfe  I  5. 
 I  pray  thee  let  m  detain  thee,  until  we  have  made  ready  a 
 Kid  for  thee.~]  He  defired  him  to  ftay  and  accept  an 
 Entertainment  from  them,  which  was  anciently  given 
 to  ftrangers :  efpecially  when  they  appeared  like  more 
 than  ordinary  Perlons,  XVIII  Gen.  3,4,  &c.  and  was 
 continued  to  thefe  days,  VI  Judg.  18.  Some  think  he 
 intended  to  offer  a  Sacrifice  of  Peace  offerings,  and  Feafr 
 the  Man  of  God  with  that  part  which  belongs  to  him 
 that  brought  it  to  be  offered. 
 
 Ver.   16.  And  the  Angel  of  the  LORD  faid  unto  Ma-  Verfe  1  ^ 
 noah,  though  thou  detain  me,   I  will  net  eat  of  thy  bread."} 
 He  was  perfwaded  to  ftay,  but  not  to  tafte  of  his  Meat : 
 for  the  word  Bread  comprehends  all  provision  of  food. 
 
 And  if  thou  wilt  offer  a  burnt  offering^  thou  muft  offer 
 unto  the  LORD,']     Or,  but  if  thou  haft  a  mind  to  ex- 
 
 X  x  x   2  prei^ 
 
5M  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  prefs  thy  thankfulnefs,  offer  a  burnt- offerings  which  muft 
 XIII.    be  vvholy  facrificed  unto  the  LORD.     A  Prophet  (as 
 
 L/"VNJ  Manoah  took  this  to  be)  might  warrant  Men  to  Sacrifice 
 though  they  were  not  Priefts,  nor  at  the  Tabernacle, 
 as  Elijah  did,  at  Mount  CarmeU 
 
 For  Manoah  knew  ?20t  that  he  was  an  Angel  of  the 
 LORD.~]  Ashe  did  (hortly  after  3  when  he  appeared 
 to  be  more  than  an  Angel, 
 
 Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  And  Man 0 ah  faid  unto  the  Angel  of  the 
 LORD,  What  is  thy  name,  that  when  thy  fayings  come  to 
 fafs  we  may  do  thee  honour  f\  He  defired  they  might 
 ihow  themfelves  grateful  to  him  by  making  him  fome 
 prefent:  which  they  could  not  do,  unlefs  they  knew 
 his  name,  and  where  he  dwelt.  So  Jofephw-  interprets 
 doing  him  honour,  Ivx  yi^.a?  cLmi  ;£  ht^aLv  7ra^i^u)si, 
 that  they  might  give  him  thanks,  and  beftow  fome  gift 
 upon  him. 
 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  And  the  Angel  of  the  LORD  faid  unto  him, 
 why  askeft  thou  after  my  name,  feeing  it  is  fecret.~]  Or 
 rather  (as  it  is  in  the  Margin)  it  is  wonderful.  So  the 
 LXX.  Sxvoutflv  admirable.  Whofe  Effence  (for  that  is 
 meant  by  name  in  Scripture)  is  to  be  admired  5  but  can- 
 not be  comprehended.  This  (hows  it  was  the  LORD 
 himfelf}  that  is,  the  WORD  of  the  LORD:  who 
 was  to  be  the  Mejfiah  5  unto  whom  the  Prophet  Ifaiah 
 gives  the  fame  name  of  Pele  the  wo?:derful,  \Xlfa.  6. 
 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  And  Manoah  too\  a  Kid,  with  a  meat 
 offering.^  Which  ufually  attended  the  burnt  Offerings 
 as  we  read  in  the  Book  of  Leviticus. 
 
 And  offered  it  upon  the  rock,  unto  the  LORD.~]  He 
 did  not  offer  it,  properly  fpeaking  :  but  laid  it  upon 
 the  Rock,  as  on  an  Altar  5  to  be  offered  unto  the 
 LORD.  And  fo  the  LXX.  -n^jmnyxjc,  he  brought  it 
 to  be  offered  :  he  laid  1&$  agrxt;  £,  7&  x.aU  'Qri  lis  nA- 
 T&c,  ht  laid  the  Bread  and  the  Fieih  upon  the  Rock. 
 
 And 
 
upon   J  II  DOE  S\  5:S 
 
 Andtl  ':  of  the  LORD  did  •      .'     jf/y.]     The  Chapter 
 
 word  Angel  is  not  in  the  Hebrew  5  and  therefore  this  is  XIII. 
 to  be  referred  unto  Jehovah  immediately  foregoing:  yY\J 
 who  appeared  in  the  form  of  an  Angel,  and  now  acled 
 futeably  to  his  name  Pele  wonderful 5  unto  which  the 
 word  Slaphli  (did  wonderoufly)  plainly  alludes.  That 
 is  5  he  brought  Fire,  it  is  probable,  out  of  the  Ixock, 
 as  in  the  days  of  Gideon.  So  Jofephus  5  for  we  read  of 
 no  Fire  that  Manoah  brought  5  and  yet  there  was  a 
 flame,  in  which  the  Angel  went  up  into  Heaven. 
 
 And  Manoah  and  his  Wife  looked  on.]  Which  (hows 
 th^t  Manoah  was  only  a  fpe&ator  of  what  was  done  5 
 but  did  not  otfer  the  Sacrifice. 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  it  came  topafs^  when  the  flame  went  up  Verfe  20, 
 toward  Heaven  from  off  the  Altar."]     So  that  part  of  the 
 Rock  is  called  where  the  Flefh  and  the  Bread  were  laid  : 
 being,  I  fuppofe,  a  very  great  Stone,  flat  at  the  top  like 
 an  Altar. 
 
 That  the  Angel  of  the  LORD  afcended  in  the  flame  of 
 the  Altar.]  In  which  he  went  up  ««**  o^ftuztI^  (as  . 
 Jofephus  i peaks)  as  in  a  Chariot. 
 
 And  Manoah  and  his  IVife  looked  on  /7,  and  fell  on  their 
 faces  to  the  ground.]  Being  aftonifhed,  when  they  fa w 
 him  whom  they  took  only  for  a  Prophet,  to  be  an 
 Angel  of  the  LOR.D :  and,  perhaps  worfhipping  the 
 Divine  Majefty,  who  had  appeared  in  fuch  an  Illuftri- 
 ous  manner  to  them  5  and  praying  him  to  preierve  their. 
 lives,  which  they  thought  in  danger  by  fuch  a  fight. 
 
 Ver.   21.  But  the  Angel  of  the    LORD  did  no  moreVerk  21. 
 appear  to  Manoah   and  his  11 ife.]     There  being  no  fur- 
 ther occafion  for  it. 
 
 Then  Manoah  knew  that  it  was  an  Angel  of  the  LORD.] 
 By  the  wonderful  things  that  he  did,  and  afcending  up 
 to  Heaven  in  a  flame  :  which  demonftrated  his  Celeftial 
 Nature,  which  could  not  be  hurt  by  Fire. 
 
 Ver.  22, 
 
^26  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  22.  AndManoah faid  unto  his  Wife?  ivefoallfurely 
 XIII.    die,  becaufe  we  have  feen  God.]     This  had  been  an  old 
 
 WV\J  opinion  among  the  Israelites.     See  upon,  VI.  22. 
 
 Verfe  22.      Ver.  23.  And  his  Wife  faid unto  him,    If  the  LORD 
 
 Verfe  2%.mre  pleafed  to  kill  us?  he  would  not  have  received  a  burnt 
 offering,  and  a  meat  offering  at  our  hand  ]  She  feems  to 
 have  had  a  better  confideration  of  the  thing  than  her 
 Husband  3  and  fcrongly  argues  him  out  of  his  fears  as 
 altogether  unreasonable.  And  fir  It  (he  makes  Gods  ac- 
 ceptance of  a  Sacrifice  from  them,  a  plain  demcnftraiion 
 of  his  favour  to  them  :  and  his  acceptance  of  it  appear- 
 ed, by  his  kindling  a  Fire  himfelf  whereby  it  was  con- 
 fumed  5  and  by  the  Afcention  of  the  Angel  in  the  flame, 
 as  if  he  went  to  carry  the  Sacrifice  unto  God,  and  pre- 
 fent  it  to  him  in  Heaven. 
 
 Neither  would  he  have  J/jewed  us  all  thefe  things.']  Con- 
 cerning the  Birth  of  a  Son,  and  the  manner  of  his  Edu- 
 cation, and  his  beginning  the  Deliverance  oilfrael  from 
 their  oppreffors :  of  which  there  was  no  hope,  if  God 
 intended  to  take  away  their  lives,  from  whom  this  Son 
 was  to  iflue. 
 
 Nor  would  he  at  this  time  have  foown  us  fuch  things  as 
 thefe.']  Appeared  again  and  again  unto  them,  to  ac- 
 quaint them  with  thefe  things  5  at  a  time  when  fuch 
 Vifions  were  rare,  and  when  they  were  in  fuch  diftrefs, 
 that  God  feemed  to  have  abandoned  them  to  the  will  of 
 their  Enemies.  Thefe  were  two  unanfwerable  argu- 
 ments, that  they  had  no  reafon  to  think  God  would 
 take  away  their  lives :  but  continue  them,  for  the  ful- 
 filling of  his  promife. 
 
 Verfe  24.  Ver.  24.  And  the  Woman  bare  a  Son!]  We  have  no 
 direction  whereby  to  know  the  time  of  his  Birth,  but 
 only  this:  that  the  Angel  faid  before  he  was  conceived, 
 v.  5.  that  he  ftiould  begin  to  deliver  Ifrael  from  the  hands 
 of  the  Philijiinesri     Which  is  a  plain  Indication,    they 
 
 were 
 
upon  J  U  DGES.  5:7 
 
 were  then  under  their  power  ^    that U,  the  Forty  Years  Chapter 
 oppreifion  ofthePhiliftines  was  begun  :and  confequent  XIII. 
 
 fince  his  Twenty  Yeart,  Judicature  was  in  tie  days  of  the  u^V^vJ 
 Philijiincs  (XV.  alt.)  that  is,  daring  their  Tyranny  5 
 he  was  born  in  the  beginning  of  it.  For  we  cannot 
 well  fuppofe  that  he  begin  to  be  their  deliverer  before 
 the  eighteenth  Year  of  his  Age,  as  Primate  Vfier  ob- 
 ierves  in  his  Annul,  ad  A.  M.  2849. 
 
 And  culled  his  name  Samfon.~\  Which  Jofiphn  faith 
 lignifies  if/ypjVi  ftrong,  or  rohujl.  But  whence  he  de- 
 rived it,  I  cannot  imagine.  Some  think  from  Shemefb, 
 which  lignifies  the  Sun :  which  is  a  body  of  mighty 
 force.  So  St.  Hierom  5  who  thinks  Samfon  is  as  much  as 
 their  Sun  ?  a  great  light  of  Ifrael,  as  David  is  called. 
 
 And  the  Child  grew,  and  the  LORD  bkjjcd  him."]  As 
 he  grew  up,  there  plainly  appeared  in  him  extraordinary 
 endowments  of  Body  and  Mind  :  which  the  LORD 
 beftowed  on  him. 
 
 Ver.  25.  And  the  Spirit  of  the  LORD  began  to  n/ovey^k  1<\ 
 him7\     To  do  fome  unufal  things,    beyond  mere  hu- 
 mane power :    which  were  fpecimens  of  an  Heroical 
 Vertue.     The  Targum  Tranflates  it  thefpirit  of  Fortitude^ 
 or  Courage,  &c. 
 
 At  times f]  Upon  certain  occafions  ,•  when  it  would 
 be  vifible  to  the  People,  that  God  intended  to  work  de- 
 liverance by  him. 
 
 In  the  Camp  of  Dan,  between  *Zorah  and  Efotaol."]  See 
 XVI.  31.  There  was  no  Army  of  the  Danitcs  encamp- 
 ed, where  Samfon  difplayed  his  Valour:  but  thfs  is  the 
 name  of  a  place,  called  Machana-Dan  (tie  CiwpcfDan) 
 in  which  perhaps  Samfon  lived.  The  reafon  of  this 
 name  is  given  afterwards  in  the  XVIII  Chapter,  v*  12. 
 where   there  is  an  Hiftory    of  the 
 
 ?\tcs :  which  though  placed  after  this,  y         is  really 
 before  the  times  of  S  ppears 
 
5*8 
 
 A    C 0 M M EN T  AKY 
 
 by  that  place,  did  not  lye  between  Zorah  and  Efitaol: 
 but  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  or  in  the  very  borders  of 
 it.  Therefore  the  word  and  mnft  be  here  fupplied  $ 
 hi  the  Camp  of  Dan,  and  between  Zorah  and  Ejlrtaol,  to- 
 wards which  that  Camp  lay.  If  this  be  not  allowed 
 we  muft  fuppofe  that  the  fix  hundred  Men  mentioned, 
 XVIII.  11.  made  their  encampment  between  Z^r^.and 
 EJIdtaol^  before  they  marched  out  of  their  own  Country  : 
 and  gave  that  place  the  fame  name,  which  the  other 
 had  near  Khjath-jearim,  where  they  encamped  the  firft 
 Night. 
 
 Chapter 
 XIV.  CHAR     XIV. 
 
 Verfe  1.  Verfe  1.  \  ND  Samfon  went  down  to  Timnath."]  A 
 jt\  City  in  his  own  Tribe,  as  we  read, 
 XIX  Jo/b.  47.  (fee  there)  but  fain,  it  is  probable,  into 
 the  poffeffion  of  the  Phil/Jlfnes,  near  to  whofe  Country 
 it  lay.  Who  at  this  time  opprefled  the  Ifraelites  and 
 made  them  their  Tributaries :  which  did  not  hinder, 
 but  rather  promote  all  manner  of  Commerce  between 
 them. 
 
 And  J aw  a  Woman  of  Timnath,  of  the  Daughter  of  the 
 PhHzfiines.']  That  is,  he  fell  in  love  with  her  :  ac- 
 cording to  the  Vulgar  faying  among  the  Greeks^  dec  rS 
 ogatv  7d  igctVi  from  looking  comes  loving. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2*  ^n^  ^e  came  HP  an^  t0^  ^s  Fa^jer  mA  his 
 Mother."]  This  was  a  part  of  the  honour  they  thought 
 was  owing  to  their  Parents,  to  advife  with  them  about 
 their  Marriage  :  of  which  they  did  not  treat,  but  left  it 
 to  their  Parents.  So  it  feems  by  this,  to  have  been  in 
 ancient  times,  though  their  Children  were  of  Age  (as 
 Samfon  is  now  fuppofed  to  be)  and  according  to  the 
 later  Doftors  among  the  Jews,   fit  to  contraft  Marriage 
 
 themfelves. 
 
upon   J  LI  DO  E  &  52^ 
 
 themfelves.     See  SeldUn  Lib.  2.   i.e.  Vxor.  Hcbr.  Cap.  Chapter 
 III.     And  lee  above  XII.  9.  XI 
 
 And  faid,  I  have  fien  a  Woman  in  Timnath,    of  the  s^f~\T\j 
 Daughters  of  the  Philijiines  5  now  therefore  me 
 
 to  Wife."]  This  was  when  Sgmfin  was  about  IVenty 
 two  Years  Old,  as  Primate  Vj/jcr  computes  it  5  who 
 thinks  Efl  judged  Ifrael  at  this  time  in  Civil  Affairs: 
 but  Sir  jf.  Marftam  makes  account,  as  I  obferved,  he 
 died  in  the  middle  of  this  fervitude. 
 
 Ver.   3.   And  his  Father  and  his  Mother  faid  unto  him,  yerfe  2 
 Is  there  never  a  Woman,  among  the  Daughters  of  thy  Bre- 
 thren."]    That  is.  in  their  own  Family. 
 
 Or  among  all  thy  Peopled]  In  the  whole  Tribe  of 
 Dan. 
 
 That  thou  fljouldji  go  to  take  a  Wife  of  the  uncircumcifed 
 Philijiines  f\  Which  was  againft  the  Law  of  M  Qs,  in 
 XXXIV  Exod.  16.  VII  Dent.  3.  For  though  they  were 
 none  of  the  feven  Nations  of  Canaan,  yet  they  were 
 under  the  fame  Condemnation  :  and  their  Land  was 
 given  to  the  Ifraclites. 
 
 And  Samfon  faid  unto  his  Father,  get  her  for  me,  for 
 [he  pleafeth  me  well."]  His  Mother,  fome  think,  expreffed 
 fuch  dillike  to  the  motion,  that  he  applied  Jiimfelf 
 wholly  to  his  Father  5  and  befeeched  him  to  favour  his 
 choice  :  becaufe  he  was  deeply  in  Love  with  her. 
 
 Ver.  4.  But  his  Father  and  his  Mother  knew  not  thatVzrk  4. 
 H  rras  of  the  LORD."]     He  felt  fome  Divine  motion  in 
 him,  which  carried  him  to  this  place  to  feek  a  Wife: 
 but  his  Parents  knew  not  of  it,  till  he  told  them  (as 
 fome  think)  and  then  they  readily  confented. 
 
 That  he  fought  an  occafion  againft  the  Phili^incs  7] 
 Which  he  knew  this  treaty  of  Marriage  would  give  him, 
 whether  it  fucceeded  or  mifcarried. 
 
 For  at  that  time  the  Philijiines  had  dominion  over  ]fraeW\ 
 They  were  ftill,  as  they  had  been  feveral  Years,  under 
 
 Y  y  y  the 
 
$3o  A    CO  MMEN  TART 
 
 Chapter  the  Power  of  the  PhWJlines:   who  treated  them,   it  is 
 XIV.     likely,    with  fuch  fcorn  and  contempt,  as  if  they  had. 
 
 IS*V\J  been  their  Slaves. 
 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  J  hen  went  Samfon  down,  and  his  Father  and 
 his  Mother,  to  Timnath.]  He  overcame  them  by  his 
 importunity  5  or,  perhaps,  told  them,  as  I  faid  before, 
 what  a  motion  he  felt  from  God  to  defire  this  match. 
 
 And  came  to  the  Vineyards  of  Timnath.]  Unto 
 which  he  turned  afide,  upon  fome  cccafion  not  here 
 mentioned. 
 
 And  behold,  a  young  Lion  roared  againjl  him.]  Came 
 with  full  mouth  (as  we  fpeak)  to  devour  him.  By 
 this  and  many  other  places,  it  appears,  there  were  Lions 
 in  Judaa :  from  whence  feveral  places  had  their  names 
 as  Lebaoth,  XV  Jojh.  32.  and  Beth-lebaoth,  XIX.  6. 
 Every  one  alfo  knows  that  a  young  Lion  come  to  his 
 full  ftrength,  was  the  fierceft  of  all  other.  And  fo 
 Cephir  (Kimchi  obferves)  is  ufed  for  a  Lion  grown 
 bigger  than  Guz  which  fignifies  a  Lions  whelp. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  the  fpirit  of  the  LORD  came  mightily 
 upon  him.'}  The  fame  Spirit  mentioned  in  the  laft  Verfe 
 of  the  foregoing  Chapter  :  which  indued  him  with  ex- 
 traordinary Courage  and  undauntednefs  of  mind  5  to- 
 gether with  a  fupernatural  ftrength  of  body. 
 
 And  he  rent  him,  as  he  would  have  rent  a  Kid."]  That 
 i's^  as  eafily  and  fpeedily.  The  Hebrew  word  certainly 
 fignifies  to  tear  in  pieces  }  and  therefore,  if  it  be  true 
 which  Jofephus  faith  (Lib.  V.  Antiq.  Cap.  X.)  that  he 
 throtled  him  with  his  hand  (ay^n  r£<;^cp<n)  the  mean- 
 ing is  that  after  he  had  ftrangled  him,  he  rent  him  in 
 pieces. 
 
 And  he  had  nothing  m  his  hand.']  If  he  had  encoun- 
 tered him,  being  armed  with  fome  weapon,  it  had  been 
 a-bold  a&ion  :  but  when  he  was  naked,  to  receive  his 
 affauJt,  was  a,  miraculous  refolution.    By  which  he  was 
 
 encouraged 
 
upon    JUDGF  S.  53  r 
 
 encouraged  to  undertake  greater  things  5  as  David  was  Chapter 
 •by  the  fame  power  given  him.  XIV. 
 
 But  he  told  not  his  Father,  nor  his  Mother  what  he  had  Ly^V^NJ 
 dom\~\     Being  afraid  perhaps  that  this  aftion  might  come 
 to  the  Ears  of  the  Phili/iines :  which  might  make  then) 
 jealous  of  him. 
 
 Ver.    7.  And  he  went  down,    and  talked  with  the  Wo-  Verfe  7. 
 »tan.~\     Difcourfed  with  her  about  Marriage:  which  he 
 propounded  to  her. 
 
 Andfie f leafed  Sam  fort  well."]  All  things  were  agreed  5 
 and  (he  wasefpoufed  to  him.  But  before  the  efpoufals 
 (he  was  converted  to  the  Jewifi  Religion,  and  made  an 
 entire  Profelite,  as  R.  Levi  ben  Gerfont,  and  Mofes  Mi- 
 kptzi,  and  other  Hebrew  Doftors  fay  5  and  then  it  u  as  not 
 unlawful  to  Marry  a  ftranger }  as  Jojbua,  they  fay,  did 
 Rahab.  See  Selden  Lib.  V.  de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent.  Cap. 
 XV.  and  Buxtorfde  Sponfalibus  &  Divortiis.  Seft.  31. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  after  a  time."]     In  the  Hebrew  it  is,  after  Verfe  8. 
 days  3  that  is,  a  Year,  as  that  Phrafe  often  fignifies :  and 
 is  fo  tranflated  by  us,    XIII  Exod.  10.  where  mijamim 
 jamim  is  rightly  tranllated,  from  year  to  year.     See  alfo 
 1/  Gen.  3.  and  Chapter  XI,  of  this  Book  v.  4. 
 
 He  returned  to  take  hcr.~]  To  compleat  his  Marriage  : 
 which  was  not  wont  to  be  celebrated  between  a  Man 
 and  a  young  Virgin,  till  twelve  Months  after  the  Ef- 
 poufals (as  the  Hebrew  Doctors  fay)  that  fhe  might  have 
 fo  much  time  to  adorn  her  felf,  and  make  her  felf  every 
 way  fit  for  Marriage.  SttSeldem,  Lib.  2.  deUxor  Hcbr. 
 Cap.  VIII.  But  if  in  that  twelve  Months  time  (he  lay 
 with  any  other  Man,  it  was  accounted  Adultery,  and 
 punithed  with  Death :  becaufe  (he  was  really  his 
 Wife. 
 
 And  he  turned  afide  to  fee  the  Carcafe  of  the  Lion."] 
 Which  was  now  a  mere  Skeleton,  the  fle(h  being  all 
 confumed.  And  fo  the  Syriac  Interpreter  here  renders 
 it.  Yyy  2  And 
 
532  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter        And  behold,  there  was  afivarm  of  Bees,  and  Honey  in 
 XIV.     the  Carcafe  of  the  Don.']     Bees  are  obferved  by  Ariftotk 
 
 ^/-V>vJ  and  others,  to  abhor  [linking  fmels,  and  to  abftain  from 
 Flefh :  which  hath  made  feme  think  it  ftrange  that  a 
 fvvarm  of  Bees  (hould  breed  /in  the  Carcafe  of  a  Lion. 
 But  they  did  net  confider,  that  time  had  confumed  the 
 Flefh,  cr  it  was  eaten  up  by  Birds  andBeafts$  and 
 nothing  but  the  bare  Bones  remained.  In  which  the 
 Bees  did  not  breed,  but  fetled  themfelves,  when  they 
 fvvarmed  :  as  they  have  done  fometimes  in  dead  Mens 
 Skulls,  and  in  their  Tombs.  See  Bochart  in  his  Hierozoi- 
 cony  P.  2.  Lib.  IV.  Cap.  X.  and  Vofftus  de  Orig.  &*  Pro- 
 grejfn  IdoloL  Lib.  IV.  Cap.  LXXII. 
 
 Verfe  Q  ^er#  9'  ^n^  ^e  *00K  thereof  in  his  hand.~]     Or,   as 
 
 the  Syriac  Tranilates  it,  it  dropped  into  his  hands  t,  from 
 the  Combs,  that  is,  which  they  had  made  either  in  the 
 Belly,  as  St.  Antbrofe  thinks,  or  in  the  Breaft,  z%Jofephus, 
 or  (which  Voiftus  rather  thinks)  in  the  Head  :  or  in  the 
 Mouth  of  the  Lion,  as  the  LXX  and  Vulgar  underftand 
 it.  Though  Bochartus  thinks  that  inftead  of  iv  ^qjuucIl 
 in  the  Mouth,  it  (hould  be  read  in  the  LXX.  Ivtmyurti 
 AeV7@u,  in  the  body  of  the  Lion. 
 
 And  went  on  eatingT]  Which  was  not  unlawful,  in 
 cafe  of  hunger,  though  it  was  found  in  a  Carcafe:  be- 
 caufe  fuch  ceremonial  Laws  as  forbid  fuch  things,  were 
 not  obferved  in  cafes  of  neceffity.  As  appears  by  Davids 
 eating  the  fhew-bread  $  and  Elijahs  eating  food  brought 
 him  by  Ravens. 
 
 And  came  to  his  Father  and  Mother. ~\  From  whom  he 
 had  turned  afide  for  a  while,  as  he  did  when  they  firft 
 went  to  Timnath,  v.  5. 
 
 And  he  gave  them,  and  they  did  eatJ]  Wild  Honey 
 being  delicious  food  in  that  Country,  as  many  places 
 Ihow,  XXXII  Dent.  13.  and  LXXXi  Pfal.  16, 
 
 But 
 
npon  JUDGES.  533 
 
 But  he  told  them  not  that  he  had  taken  the  Honey  out  of  Chapter 
 the  Carcafe  of  the  Lion.]     For  then  perhaps  they  would     XIV. 
 not  have  eaten  it.  L/"Wi 
 
 Ver.    io.  So  his  ;..  .  :'o  the  V>  oman.]  y^^fe  1Q< 
 
 (Together  with  his  Wife  and  his  Son)  to  demand  her, 
 who  was  efpoufed  to  Samfon,  to  coniummate  the  Mar- 
 riag 
 
 I  San/fin  made  there  a  feajl,  for  fo  u fed  the  young 
 Men  to  do.]  According  to  the  cultom  of  all  Countries. 
 Which  Feaft  was  called  by  the  Jews,  the  Nuptial  joy  ; 
 with  which  no  other  was  to  be  intermixed  :  and  all 
 labour  ceafed,  as  long  as  it  lafted.  See  Seldcn,  Lib.  2. 
 or.  Hcbr.    Cap.  XI.    P.  172. 
 
 Ver.    11.   And  it   came  to  pafs  when    they  f aw  him!]  Verfe  ir. 
 What  a  goodly  Perfon  he  was. 
 
 That  they  brought  thirty  companions  to  be  with  him."] 
 Her  Friends,  oyt  of  refpeft  to  him,  brought  this  great 
 number  of  Bride-Men,  to  honour  his  Nuptials.  But 
 fome  of  the  Jews  think  they  had  a  further  end  in  it  5 
 that  they  might  ferve  as  a  guard  to  him,  if  he  fhould 
 attempt  any  difturbance  :  of  which,  they  fancy,  the 
 Philijiines  were  afraid,  when  they  favv  he  was  a  Man  of 
 might. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  Samfonfaid  unto  them,  I  will  now  put  Verfe  12. 
 forth  a  riddle  unto  you.]  This  (hows  how  ancient  the 
 cuftom  was  (which  we  rind  afterward  among  the  Greeks) 
 of  propoiing  Qneftions  to  be  refolved  in  their  Compo- 
 tations  and  Feafts  :  that  they  might  not  be  fpent  merely 
 in  dull  eating  and  drinking  5  but  there  might  be  fome- 
 thing  to  exercife  and  whet  the  Wits  of  the  Company. 
 And  they  called  fuch  Riddles,  as  thefe,  which  were 
 contrived  to  puzzle  Mens  Thoughts,  by  the  name  of 
 yzfa'&>  '  which  the  Scholiajl  upon  Ariftophanes  defines 
 to  be  ircLojtvLzv  £m7tu*^c,  a  Queftion  put  among  their  Cups, 
 Athen£us  difcourfes  largely   of  fuch  Problems,  as  they 
 
 alfo 
 
534  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  alfo  called  them,  in  his  Deipnofophijis.    See  Bochart  in 
 XIV.    his  Eurozohon,  P.  2.  Lib.  IV.  Cap.  XII. 
 
 L/^V^W  if  yon  can  certainly  declare  it,  within  the  feven  days  of 
 the  feaft.']  So  long  the  Nuptial  folemnity  was  wont 
 to  continue  in  ancient  times,  XXIX  Gen.  27.  They 
 could  not  (horten  the  Days,  as  the  Jewrjh  Do&ors  tell 
 us,  but  they  might  lengtheri  them  :  as  they  did  at  Tobits 
 Marriage,  when  the  Solemnity  continued  fourteen  Days } 
 though  according  to  cuftom  they  were  bound  to  keep 
 but  three,  (he  being  a  Widow,  as  Selden  obferves  in 
 theforenamed  Book,  P.  185.  and  Buxtorf  in  his  Syna- 
 goga  Judaic a,  Cap.  35. 
 
 And  find  it  out,  then  I  will  give  you  thirty  fleets,  and 
 thirty  change  of  garments.']  The  Greek?  followed  this 
 Example  5  and  gave  rewards  to  him  who  refolved  the 
 Queftion  propoied,  but  feta  mulft  on  thcfe  that  could 
 not. 
 
 Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  But  if  you  cannot  declare  it,  then  you  Jhall 
 give  me  thirty  fheets,  and  thirty  change  of  garments.'] 
 Mod:  take  Sidinim  (from  whence  the  word  Sindon  feems 
 to  come)  for  fuch  Linnen  Cloths,  as  the  whole  Body 
 may  be  wrapped  in :  and  therefore  properly  tranflated 
 Sheets.  And  change  of  Garments  fignifies  new  Robes, 
 which  they  might  change  for  the  old.  But  of  the  word 
 Sindon,  fee  Braunius  de  Fejiitu  Sacerd.  Hebr.  Lib.  1 .  Cap, 
 VII.  N.  7. 
 
 And  they  faid  unto  him,  Put  forth  thy  riddle,  that  we 
 may  hear  it.]  They  agreed  to  the  conditions,  and  bad 
 him  propound  it. 
 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  And  he  faid  unto  them,  Out  of  the  eater  came 
 forth  meat  5  and  out  of  the  firong  came  forth  fweetnefsT] 
 Theoppofition  is  manifeft  in  the  firft  part  of  the  Riddle  $ 
 but  not  in  the  fecond  :  for  weaknefs  is  oppofed  to 
 ftrength,  not  fweetnefs  5  whofe  oppofite  is  bitternefs, 
 or  (harpnefs.     But  Bochartus  hath  ingenioufly  obferved, 
 
 that 
 
upon    JUDGES.  '535 
 
 that  theft  two  words  are  fometimes  confounded.     For  Chapter 
 in  the  Arabic^  Language,  the  word   M/rra  which  fig-       XIV. 
 nifies  ftrength,  comes  from  Alarra,  which  fignifies  to  be  l/V\j 
 bitter.     And  fo  it  is  among  the  Latines :  where  Acer  a 
 fharp  Man,  is  as  much  as  a  valiant  Man  }  who  eagerly 
 (as  we  fpeak)   engaged  his  Enemies.     And    this  very 
 word  (as  he  and  others  have  noted)  is  ufed  of  Lions : 
 whom  Ovid  in  his  Fajii  calls 
 
 genus  acre  leonum< 
 
 And  therefore  the  Riddle  is  truly  this :  Food  came 
 from  the  devourer?  and  fwectncfs  from  that  which  is  eager 
 and  ftarp,  i.e.  Fierce. 
 
 And  they  could  not  in  three  days  expound  the  riddle \] 
 Whereupon  (it  appears  by  what  follows)  they  applied 
 themfelves  to  his  Wife,  and  defired  her  (with  good 
 words,  it  is  likely,  at  firft)  to  try  what  (he  could  do 
 by  her  careifes,  to  perfwade  him  to  unriddle  it  to 
 her. 
 
 Ver.   1 5.  And  it  came  to  pafs  that  on  the  feventh  day.]  yerfe  1  *, 
 Which  was  the  laft  day  of  the  Feafl; :  when  they  were 
 in  danger  to  lofe  their  wager. 
 
 They  f aid  unto  Samfons  Wife,  entice  thy  Husband,  that 
 he  may  declare  to  us  the  riddle.']  By  letting  her  know 
 it :  who  they  expe&ed  would  tell  it  them. 
 
 Left  we  burn  thee  and  thy  Fathers  houfi  with  fire.'] 
 From  intreaties,  they  now  betake  themfelves  to  threat- 
 ningS}  and  thofe  very  terrible:  which  they  concluded 
 would  make  her  as  prefBng  upon  him,  as  they  were 
 upon  her. 
 
 Have  ye  called  us  J]  This  fignifies  that  they  were  in- 
 vited by  her  Friends,  to  the  Feaft. 
 
 To  take  what  we  have  .<?}  To  make  us  pay  very  deaf 
 for  our  good  Cheer. 
 
 h 
 
556  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Is'1*  notfof]     Will  not  your  kindnefs  conclude  in 
 XIV.     rudenefs,  by  (topping  us  of  our  raiment  ? 
 U*"V*vj      Ver.   1 6.  And  Samfons  Wife  wept  before  him.']     She 
 Verfe  16.  added  tears  to  her  intreaties. 
 
 And  j aid ,  Thou  dofl  but  hate  me,  and  lovefh  me  not ; 
 thou  haft  put  forth  a  riddle  unto  the  Children  of  my  People, 
 and  haft  not  told  it  meT]  This  was  prudent  enough,  to 
 pretend  to  doubt  of  his  Affe&ion,  becaufe  he  concealed 
 this  Secret  from  her :  for  a  new  married  couple  are 
 ufually  fo  kind,  as  freely  to  unbofom  themfelves  one 
 to  another. 
 
 And  he  faid  unto  her,  Behold,  J  have  not  told  it  my 
 leather,  and  my  Mother?]  With  whom  he  had  been  long 
 acquainted. 
 
 And  JJ)all  I  tell  it  thee  f\  Whom  he  did  not  yet  fo  well 
 know,  as  to  be  fure  (he  could  keep  a  fecret. 
 Verfe  17.  Ver.  1 7.  And  foe  wept  before  him,  the  feven  days  while 
 thefeaft  lafted.']  That  is,  the  reft  of  the  feven  Days  of 
 the  Feaft,  which  remained  after  the  third,  ihe  impor- 
 tuned him  continually  with  Tears  5  and  upbraided  him, 
 I  fuppofe,  with  want  of  kindnefs  to  her,  as  the  fore- 
 going Verfe  imports. 
 
 And  it  came  to  pafs  on  the  f event h  day,;  that  he  told 
 her,  becaufe  foe  lay  fore  upon  him."]  Made  Mm  very  un- 
 eafiebyher  importunity:  which  he  could  not  refift, 
 though  he  had  conquered  the  Lion. 
 
 And  foe  told  the  riddle  to  the  Children  of  her  Peopled] 
 For  whom  (he  had  more  Affeftion,  than  for  her  Huf- 
 band  :  or  feared  their  difpleafure  more  than  his. 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  And  the  Men  of  the  City  faid  unto  him  on  the 
 feventh  day^  before  the  Sun  went  down?]  Jufl:  before  the 
 time  was  expired,  which  was  prefixed  for  the  folution 
 of  the  Riddle. 
 
 What  is  fweeter  than  Honey?  And  what  is ftronger  than 
 *  Lion  .<?]    This  is  a  compendious  Anfwer  to  the  latter 
 
 part 
 
upon   JUDGFS.  537 
 
 part  of  .he  Queftion,  which  iufficiently  comprehends  Chapter 
 the  firft.     And  St.  Ambrofe  thinks  that  as  loon  as  this      XIV. 
 Anfwer  was  cut  of  their  mouth,   Sam  fen  immediately  \.s*sT\J 
 interpofed    and   faid,    What   h  more   perfidious   than  a 
 Woman?    which    he  had   out  of  Joftpbus,    who   faith 
 the  tame  :    and  fomething  like  it  follows  in  the  next 
 words. 
 
 And  he  faid  unto  them,  If  ye  had  not  plowed  with  my 
 heifer,  ye  had  not  found  out  my  riddle.]  Th  :  meaning 
 is,  that  without  the  alfiftance  of  his  Wife  (whom  he 
 compares  to  a  young  Heifer,  which  is  not  yet  lubdued 
 to  the  Yoke  of  Obedience)  they  had  continued  ftill  as 
 ignorant,  as  they  had  been  all  the  time  of  the  Feaft. 
 Ralbag  indeed  and  fome  others,  take  the  word  plowed, 
 in  a  Lafeivious  fenfe  :  as  if  he  meant,  that  they  had  lain 
 with  his  Wife,  or  otherwife  they  had  not  got  the  fecret 
 out  of  her.  But  the  words  will  not  bear  this  Interpre- 
 tation :  For  he  doth  not  fay,  if  ye  had  not  plowed  my 
 heifer  (which  might  have  been  fo  interpreted)  but  if  ye 
 had  not  plowed  with  my  heifer  :  which  plainly  implies 
 ufing  her  help,  to  find  out  what  they  defired.  See  Bo- 
 chart.  P.  i.  Hierozoicon^  Lib.  2.  Cap.  XLF. 
 
 Ver.  19.  And  the  fpirit  of  the  LORD  came  upon  him.']  Verfe  19. 
 Which  he  had  not   always;    but  at  fpecial  ieafons  it 
 moved  him,  and  gave  him  power  to  do  extraordinary 
 things  :    which    otherwife   had  not  been  warrantable. 
 See  v.  6.  and  XIII. //ft. 
 
 And  he  went  down  to  Askhlon7\  A  City  of  the  Phi- 
 lijiines. 
 
 And  few  thirty  Men  of  them 7\  As  they  were  making 
 merry,  it  is  probable,  either  in  the  Field,  or  the  City 
 at  fome  publick  Solemnity  :  when  great  companies  ufed 
 to  be  gathered  together,  and  to  appear  in  their  beffc  Ap- 
 parel. 
 
 Z  z  z  And 
 
538  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And  took  their  fpotlj]     Whatfoever  they  had  about 
 XI V.    them :  and  perhaps  they  that  fled  left  a  great  many  things 
 IS~\T\J  behind  them. 
 
 And  gave  change  of  garments  unto  them  that  expounded 
 the  riddle.*]  Together  with  the  Sheets  he  promifed: 
 which  he  ourchafed,  perhaps,  with  the  fpoil. 
 
 And  his  anger  was  kindled."]  Againft  his  Wife,  for 
 betraying  him  5  and  againft  his  companions  for  their 
 underhand  dealing. 
 
 And  he  went  up  to  his  Fathers  houfe.]  Left  his  Wife 
 with  her  own  Relations,  and  went  to  live  at  home  with 
 his  Father.  It  is  plain  by  the  whole  ftory,  that  Tim- 
 nath  lay  low  $  there  being  a  defcent  from  his  Fathers 
 Houfe  to  it,  unto  which  they  went  up  from  thence,  v. 
 1,  2.  5.  7.  10. 
 Verie  20.  Ver.  20.  And  Samfons  Wife  was  given  to  his  com- 
 panion.] She  it  feems  was  as  angry  as  he :  and  looking 
 upon  her  felf  as  forfaken,  was  eafily  perfwaded  to  Marry 
 one  of  his  Bride-Men. 
 
 Whom  he  ufed  as  his  Friend,]  With,  whom  he  was 
 more  familiar,  and  treated  him  with' greater  kindnefs 
 than  he  did  the  reft,  that  honoured  him  with  their 
 company.  For  he  I  fuppofe  was  the  principal  Bride- 
 Man,  who  was  called  by  the  name  of  the  friend  of  the 
 Bridegroom^  as  we  read  in  the  Gofpel  of  St.  John  III. 
 29.  SzzSelden,  Lib.  2.  Uxor.  Hebr.  Cap.  XVI.  P.  200, 
 &c.  This  ufage,  no  doubt,  incenfed  Samfon  the  more 
 afterward  againft  them :  for  he  faw  there  was  no  Faith 
 in  any  of  them. 
 
 C  HAP. 
 
upon   JUDGES.  $ 
 
 CHAP.     XV.  Chx^r 
 
 Verfe  t.     \  N  D  it  came  to  pafs,  within  a  while  after, .]  yerfe  j 
 
 _t\  In  che  Hebrew  the  word  is,  Mijamim  : 
 which  in  other  places  fignifies  after  a  Tear  (fee  XIV.  S.) 
 when  his  anger  was  appealed. 
 
 In  the  time  of  wheat  harvefl~\  Which  e'as  about  the 
 Fealr  of  Pcntecofl  5  a  time  of  great  joy. 
 
 That  Samfon  vifited  Lis  Wife  with  a  Kiel''     Which 
 was  no  contemptible  prefent,  as  appears  by  the  ftory  of 
 Julah  and  Timor,    XXXVITlGc//   17.     For  it  was  a 
 delicious  food  not  only  in  Jud<ra,  but  in  other  Cojh-- 
 tries:  as  Bochartus  hath  fhown  in  his  Hierozoicon,  P.  1. 
 Lib.  2.   Cap.  LIT. 
 
 And  he  faid,  I  will  go  in  unto  my  Wife,  into  the  Cham- 
 ber.~]  He  attempted,  with  the  ufual  freedom  which 
 Husbands  have  with  their  Wives,  to  go  into  her  apart- 
 ment, and  enjoy.her  company. 
 
 But  her  Father  would  not  fuffer  him  to  go  in.']  For 
 the  reafon  following  in  the  next  Verfe. 
 
 Ver.   2.  And  her  Father  f aid,    I  verily  thought,    ibatVerk  2. 
 thou  hadfi  utterly  hated  her.~]     He  thought  he  had  good 
 grounds  to  conclude,    he  would  never  come  near  her 
 more:  having  not  heard  from  him,  a  whole  T  vclve- 
 month. 
 
 Therefore  I  gave  her  to  thy  companion.'}     Whom  it  is 
 likely  (he  loved  }    having  contra&ed  an  acquaintance 
 with  him,  by  the  frienddiip  he  hid  with  her  Husban 
 XIV.  ult.     For  though  (lie  was  (as  the  w  Doftors 
 
 fnppofe)  a  Profelite  to  the  Jcwiflj  Religion  5  vet  (he  was 
 not  fo  well  inftru&ed  as  to  know,  that  it  was  not  la 
 ful,   by  their  Law,    to  Marry  another,  till  Samfon  had 
 given  her  a  Bill  of  Divorce  :  which  he  had  not  done  ^ 
 intending  to  return  again  to  her.  Z  z  z  2  Is 
 
54o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       h  not  her  younger  Sifter  fairer  than  /he  ?   take   her,    I 
 XV.      pray  thee,  infteacl  of  her.]     He  had  no  mind  to  quarrel 
 
 L/"V"\J  with  Samfon  $  and  therefore  endeavoured  to  affwage  his 
 Anger,  with  the  offer  of  his  other  Daughter  :  who  was  ' 
 more  beautiful  than  her  who  had  forfaken  him.  This 
 indeed  was  contrary  to  the  Law  of  Mofes ;  but  the 
 Thiliftines  it  feems  continued  their  old  abominable 
 cuftoms,  which  God  intended,  by  giving  his  Law,  to 
 abolifh,  XVIII  Lcvit.  24.  27.  30. 
 
 Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  And  Samfon  faid  concerning  them,  Now.  fl)  all  I 
 he  more  blamelefs  than  the  Phil/Jiines,  though  I  do 
 them  a  d/fpleafure.']  He  feems  to  have  turned  away  in 
 fcorn  and  indignation,  without  making  any  reply  to 
 his  Father-in-Law :  but  told  the  next  Perfons  he  met, 
 that  he  would  be  revenged  of  the  Philiftines  for  the 
 wrong  that  had  been  done  him  5  and  that  they  might 
 blame  themfelves  for  the  mifchief  he  intended  them.  By 
 which  it  appears  that  the  People  of  that  place  approved 
 of  this  Marriage  ^  and  perhaps  honoured  it  by  their 
 prefence.  Whom  Samfon  refolved  therefore  to  chaflife, 
 not  as  a  private  Perfon,  but  as  appointed  by  God  to 
 vindicate  the  oppreffion  of  the  Ifraelites.  Which  Groiius 
 thinks  he  did,  ex  naturali  jure,  as  a  piece  of  natural 
 juftice,  See  Lib.  IL  de  Jure  Belli  &  Pack,  Cap.  XX, 
 Seft.  VIII.  N.  3.. 
 
 ¥^rie  A  ^er  4"*  ^n^  Samfon  went  and  caught  three  hundred 
 i  '  Foxes.']  Some  make  a  difficulty  to  believe  this,  becaufe 
 Foxes  are  fubtil  Creatures,  and  not  eafily  caught.  But 
 they  (hould  confider  fuch  things  as  thefe,  which  Bo- 
 chartus  hath  reprefented  :  That  this  Country  abounded 
 with  Foxes,  from  whence  feveral  places  had  their  names, 
 particularly  one  in  the  Tribe  of  Dan  (fee  Chap.  1.  }$« 
 and  XIX  Jojh.  42.)  and  that  under  this  name  of  Foxes 
 may  be  comprehended  a  Creature  very  like  a  Fox,  called 
 Thoes  $  which  go  together  in  Herds  3  fo  that  two  Hun- 
 dred 
 
upon   JUICES.  $4r 
 
 .dred  (as  good  Authors  report)  have  been  Teen  in  acorn-  Chapter 
 ,  pany  together.  And  next,  it  is  notfaid  he  caught  thefe  XV. 
 at  one  time,  or  in  a  Day  and  a  Night :  but  there  might  L/"W> 
 be  a  Week,  or  a  Months  time  allowed  for  the  accom- 
 plifhment  of  his  defign.  In  which  his  Servants,  and 
 Neighbours,  and  Friends,  no  doubt  a  (lifted  him,  if  he 
 .  defired  it.  So  that  fuch  a  number  might  be  caught,  in  a 
 fliort  time.  For  they  were  not  caught,  as  fome  imagin, 
 only  by  Hunting  5  but  in  Snares  and  Nets,  as  he  de- 
 mon Urates  in  his  H/erozoicon,  Lib.  III.  Cap.  XIII. 
 Where,  in  anfwer  to  fuch  as  ask,  why  he  choie  Foxes, 
 rather  than  Dogs  or  fome  other  Creatures,  he  thinks  it 
 is  fufficient  to  fay,,  that  he  brought  about  two  ends,  by 
 the  fame  means :  freeing  the  Country  from  a  great  many 
 noxious  Animals  5  by  which  he  did  much  hurt  unto 
 their  Enemies. 
 
 And  took,  fire '-brands,  and  turned  tail  to  taiL~]  Which 
 he  tied  together  with  a  Cord  5  yet  not  clofe,  but  at  a 
 diftance  that  they  might  run  the  better. 
 
 And  put  a  fire-brand  in  the  n/idfl  between  tveo  tails \\ 
 Which  he  fo  faftned,  that  it  (hould  not  fall  off  by  their 
 motion. 
 
 Ver.  5.  And  when  he  had  fet  the  brands  on  fire,  he  let  Verfe  <t. 
 them  go  into  the  fianding  Corn  of  the  Ph?lifiines.~]  Near 
 unto  which  he  let  them  loofe:  and  they  naturally  ran 
 into  it  to  hide  themfelves  from  the  Fire  ^  of  which  they 
 are  obferved  to  be  afraid.  Befide,  being  coupled  5  they 
 could  not  run  into  their  holes. 
 
 And  burnt  up  both  the  Shocks,  and  alfo  the  fianding 
 Com.']  By  this  it  appears,  that  it  was  in  the  midft  of 
 Wheat-harveft,  when  this  was  done:  fome  Corn  being 
 cut,  and  others  (till  ftanding^  but  all  confumed.  For 
 the  Fire  being  once  begun,  the  Foxes  were  the  more 
 affrighted  :  and  defiring  to  run  from  it,  this  dill  carried 
 it  to  another  place,  where  there  was  Corn  left,  till  they 
 
 had 
 
54a  A   COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  had  burnt  it  quite  up.     Befide,   it  is  obferved  by  the 
 XV.     fame  Author,  that  Foxes  do  not  run  ftraight  forward  5 
 l/y\  but  they  make  many  turnings :  by  which  means  they  de- 
 ftroyed  the  more. 
 
 With  the  Vineyards,  and  Olives!^  Foxes  are  obferved 
 to  love  Grapes  5  and  Solomon  fpeaks  of  them  as  noxious 
 to  Vineyards,  2  Cant.  15.  whether  they  run  to  foliate 
 their  hunger,  after  they  had  been  lorg  kept  up  by 
 Samfon.  Some  think  that  as  part  of  the  three  Hundred 
 Foxes  were  fent  among  the  Corn,  fo  the  other  par  among 
 the  Vines  and  Olives:  Or,  perhaps,  being  '  let  into 
 the  Corn  3  and  finding  the  tlame  increafing  h  re,  th  y 
 went  to  feek  fhelter  in  the  Vineyards  5  whuher  thty 
 carried  the  Fire. 
 
 Bochartus  obferves  a  very  famous  Monument  of  this 
 faft  of  Samfons,  in  Ovids  fourth  Book  of  his  Fafti. 
 Where  he  faith  the  Romans  were  wont  every  Year  in  the 
 middle  of  April,  to  let  loofe  fome  Foxes  in  the  Circus^ 
 with  burning  Torches  faftned  unto  their  backs.  The 
 original  of  which  cuftom,  he  juftly  thinks,  could  not 
 be  from  fo  fmall  an  occafion,  as  Ovid  mentions  from 
 the  report  of  an  old  Man  he  met  withal.  But  that  it 
 was  derived  from  hence,  may  well  be  queftioned  Be- 
 caufe  though  it  fell  out  at  the  fame  time  of  the  Year 
 that  Samfon  did  this  thing  5  yet  one  can  give  no  reafon 
 why  the  Phoenicians  (from  whom  the  Romans  muft  be 
 fuppofed  to  borrow  it)  (hould  celebrate  the  memory  of 
 this  mifchief,  which  Samfon  did  them,  in  fuch  a  repre- 
 fentation  of  it.  See  him,  in  the  place  before  mentioned, 
 P.  856,  857.  &c. 
 Verfe  6.  ^er-  6.  Then  the  Philijiinesfaid,  Who  hath  done  thk f\ 
 The  owners  of  the  Com,  or  perhaps  the  Country  in 
 general  made  an  enquiry  after  the  Author  of  this  mif- 
 chief. 
 
 And 
 
upon  JUDGES.  543 
 
 And  they  anficrc  7,   Sanijon  the  Son-in-law  of  the  Tim-    Chanter 
 nite^becauj*  I  taken  hk  Wife.  \ 
 
 paniont~]     Some  of- thoic,  who  heard  ning  ^^v^vJ 
 
 words  (v.  3.)  it  is  likely,  gave  this  in  for  ma  ti 
 
 id  the  Vhilijiines  1  ,   and  burnt  her  and  bet  Fa- 
 
 ther rriihj:  I  fuppofe  they  burnt  their  Houfe,  and 
 
 them  in  it.  Whereby  that  very  calamity  came  upon  h  r^ 
 which  (lie  fought  to  avoid  by  betraving  her  Husband, 
 XIV.  15. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  Samfon  faid,  Though  ye  have  done  tl>s.~]  Verfe  7. 
 The  words  in  the  Hebrew  are  a  conciie  form  ot  Speech, 
 if  ye  had  done  after  this  manner  :  that  is,  punifhed  them 
 fooner  for  the  injury  done  him  5  it  might  have  feemed 
 love  of  Juftice  :  but  now  they  did  it  only  out  of  love 
 to  themfelves. 
 
 Tet  will  I  be  avenged  of  you7\  Or,  but  Iwillfurely  take 
 a  further  revenge  of  you.  Unto  which,  no  doubt,  he 
 was  moved  not  by  his  own  private  Spirit,  but  by  that 
 Spirit  which  raifed  him  up  to  deliver  Gods  People  from 
 their  opprefiTors. 
 
 And  then  I  will  ceafe."]  That  is,  unlefs  they  gave 
 him  further  occafion,  there  fhould  be  an  end  of  this 
 quarrel. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  he  f mote  them  I  I  thigh.']     It  is  hard  Verfe  8. 
 
 to  underfbmd  the  meaning  of  t.  is  :  of-  which  JoQphus 
 only  faith,  that  he  ilew  many  of  them,  a* -meSip  rfttt** 
 AoujZivw,  in  afield  of  the  Phil/Jiincs  5  but  iai-.h  not  a 
 word  concerning  the  import  of  hip  and  ttx  kit  the 
 
 Chaldee  Paraph:  ift  interprets  it,  he  fmore  both  fan  men 
 and  horfemen,  the  one  refting  on  their  Legs  (as  the 
 Hebrew  word  Schol^  fignifies)  and  the  other  on  their 
 Thighs,  as  they  1  it  :lofe  to  their  Horles.  Thev  that 
 think  this  to  be  forced,  take  the  meaning  to  be,  that  he 
 fmote  them  both  on  their  \j  ;s  md  their  Thighs,  as 
 they  fled  away  :  fo  as  to  d'uable  them  from  any  Venice, 
 
 though 
 
544  ^COMMENT^Rr 
 
 Chapter  though  he  did  not  kill  them.     I  omit  other  Interpre- 
 XV-     tations, 
 
 C/^/%J       With  a  great  /laughter.']     The  word  is  with  a  great 
 ftroke,  and  fo  the  LXX.  Tranflate  it :   which  agrees  well 
 with  the  laft  Interpretation  ;  that  he  forely  wounded 
 them. 
 
 And  he  went  down.']  With  refpeft  to  the  Country  of 
 the  Philifiines  he  went  up  (as  appears  by  the  next  Verfe) 
 but  from  the  Mountainous  part  of  Jndaa^  where  he 
 was,  he  firft  went  down. 
 
 And  dwelt  in  the  top  of  the   Rock  Efljaw.']     A  ftrong 
 place  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah  (as  Jofephus  relates)  to  the 
 top  of  which  no  more  than  one  Man  could   ccme  a 
 breaft,  as  we  fpeak.     By  all  this,  and  by  what  follows 
 in   the  reft  of  his  Hiftory,   it  is  plain  that  Samfon  had 
 noCommiflion  from  God,  nor  was  moved  by  him  to 
 raife  an  Army,    and  make  open  War  (as  Gideon  and 
 Jepthah  and  others  did)    for  the  deliverance  of  Ifrael 
 from  the  Yoke  of  the  Philifiines  5  but  only  to  weaken 
 them,  and  to  keep  them  in  awe,  that,  out  of  dread  of 
 him,  they  might  be  lefs  cruel  in  their  oppreffion.    And 
 this  no  doubt  he  underftood  to  be  all  that  God  intended 
 to  do  by  him,  from  the  words  of  the  Angel,  XIII.  5. 
 he  Jhall  begin  to  deliver  Ifrael. 
 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  Then  the  Philifiines  went  up  and  pitched  in 
 Judah.']  With  a  great  number  of  Men,  as  if  they  in- 
 tended an  abfolute  Conqueft  of  their  Country. 
 
 And  fpread  themfelves  in  Lehi.~]  A  place  fo  called 
 afterwards  from  the  Jaw-bone  wherewith  Samfon  fmote 
 them. 
 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  the  Men  of  Judah  faid,  Why  are  ye  come 
 up  againft  us  .<?]  Since  they  paid  their  Tribute  (as  Jofe- 
 phus obferves)  and  had  committed  no  offence  againft 
 them  5  not  having  taken  part  with  Samfon  in  any  thing 
 he  had  done,  they  might  well  expoftulate  with  them 
 about  this  Invafion.  And 
 
upon    JUDGES,  54- 
 
 And  they  anfwercd,    To  bind  Samfon   are  ire  come  up.~]   Chapter 
 They  foon  fatisfied  them,  that  they  had  no  quarrel  with      XV. 
 them  3  but  only  with  Samfon :    whom  if  they   would  l/"V^vj 
 deliver  up  bound  to  them,  they  would  withdraw  their 
 Army. 
 
 To  do  to  him,  as  he  hath  done  to  us.~\  Punifli  him  for 
 the  injuries  he  had  done  them :  or  rather,  put  him  to 
 death,  as  he  had  killed  many  of  them. 
 
 Ver.  1 1 .  Then  three  thousand  of  the  Men  of  Judah  went  yer[e  , , 
 to  the  top  oft  he  rocl^  Etham.']  In  thzHcbrew  it  is  went  down, 
 7.  e.  into  the  Cave  where  he  was  in  the  top  of  the  Rock. 
 For  it  is  faid,  v.  13.  that  they  brought  him  up  to  the 
 Philiftines  5  where  as  from  the  top  of  the  Rock,  it  was 
 down. 
 
 And  faid  unto  Samfon,  Knowefi  thou  not  that  the  Phi- 
 liftines are  rulers  over  us  f\  And  therefore  not  to  be 
 offended  by  us. 
 
 What  is  it  that  thou  haft  done  unto  us  f\  To  provoke 
 them  to  come  again  ft  Judah  <? 
 
 And  he  faid  unto  them,  As  they  did  unto  vie,  fo  have  I 
 done  unto  thcm.~]  He  faith  nothing  of  any  motion  he 
 had  from  God  to  do  what  he  had  done  :  but  only  tells 
 them,  that  he  had  merely  requited  the  wrong  he  had 
 received  from  the  P hi li (lines. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  they  faid  unto  him,  We  are  come  down  /^Verfe  12. 
 bind  thee,  that  we  may  deliver  thee  into  the  hands  of  the 
 Phil/Jiincs.']  They  came  with  a  little  Army,  to  (how 
 they  could  by  force  take  him :  but  they  rather  defired 
 he  would  quietly  relign  himfelf  to  them,  that  they 
 might  deliver  him  bound  to  the  Philiftines. 
 
 And  Samfon  faid  unto  them,  Sivear  unto  me  that  ye  will 
 not  fall  upon  me  your  fehcs.~]  He  doth  not  upbraid  them 
 with  their  bafe  Cowardife,  in  coming  fo  many  againft 
 one  Man,  and  that  to  give  up  their  deliverer  into  their 
 Enemies  hands;    but  confents  to  their  defire,  on  con- 
 
 Aaaa  dition 
 
^6  ACOMMENTAKT 
 
 Chapter  dition  that  they  would  {Solemnly  engage  to  do  him  no 
 
 XV.      hurt   thetfifelves.     For  he  was  unwilling  to   fhed  the 
 
 L/VNj  blood  of  his  Brethren  5  as  he  might  have  done,  if  they 
 
 had  attempted  any  thing  againft  him. 
 Verfe  13.  Ver.  15.  And  they  fpake  unto  him,  f dying,  No,  but  we 
 will  bind  thee  faft,  and  deliver  thee  into  their  hands  ;  but 
 furely  we  will  not  kill  thee."]  They  promife  to  do  a  bk 
 defired,  if  he  would  fubmit  to  be  bound,  and  delivered 
 unto  the  Philifiines :  who  would  not  be  otherwife 
 fatisfiea. 
 
 And  they  bound  him  with  two  new  Cords,  and  brought 
 him  up  from  the,  rockf]  To  put  him  absolutely  into  the 
 Power  of  the  Philifiines.  For  two  Cords,  and  thofe 
 frefn  and  new,  wherewith  they  bound  him,  were  fuf- 
 ficient  to  fhpw  their  real  defire  to  comply  with  their 
 demands. 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  And  when  they  came  unto  Lehi.~]  Where  the 
 Philifiines  had  fpread  themfelves,  v.  9. 
 
 The  Philifiines  flouted  againfi  him.']  As  Soldiers 
 u fed  to  do  when  they  had  gotten  a  great  Vi&ory  : 
 their  mifchievous  Enemy  being  fain  into  their  hand. 
 
 And  the  fpirit  of "the  LORD  came  mightily  upon  him.] 
 Or,  but  the  fpirit  of  the  LORD,  &c.  Their  joy  was  in-, 
 ftantly  quafht:  for  by  the  mighty  Power  of  God,  the 
 Cords  immediately  fnapt  in  funder. 
 
 The  Cords  that  were  upon  his  arms  became  as  flax,  that 
 'was  burnt  with  fire.]     Which  is  confumed  in  a  moment. 
 
 And  his  bands  loofed  from  his  hands-]  The  Hebrews 
 to  exprefs  how  fpeedily  and  eafily  they  were  loofed, 
 faith,  they  melted,  or  were  diflblved,  as  wax  is  by  the 
 Fire. 
 Verfe  15.  Ver.  15.  'And  he  found  a  new  Jaw-bone  of  an  Afs] 
 Of  an  Afs  that  had  not  been  long  dead.  So  the  word 
 Terijah  fignifies:  which  Kimchi  here  faith  is  an  Arabic^ 
 word,  fignifying  moid  and  frefh:  and  therefore  notfo 
 
 brittle 
 
upon  JUDGES.  ^7 
 
 brittle  as  one  that  is  dry,  and  hath  laid  long  in  the  Air   Ch  • 
 and  the  Sun.     See  Bochart  in  his  I iJaozoiconl   P.  r.ij  X 
 
 H.  Op.  XV.       f  ^     -  ,  • 
 
 .  /  put  forth  his  hand  and  took  H  ~]     The  Pr  >Vi 
 of  God  laid  it  in  his  way  5  that  he  might  not  be  who 
 unarmed,  when  he  had  a  numerous  company  of  El 
 mies  to  deal  withal. 
 
 And  flew  a  thoufand  Men  therewith^]  The  Philiftim 
 no  doubt  were  ftrangely  amazed  to  fee  the  Cords  fall 
 offfo  eafily  and  (uddtnly  from  his  hands  5  and  to  fee 
 him  come  boldly,  or  rather  furioully  towards  (hen) : 
 which  put  them  into  a  confufion,  and  gave  him  fucfa 
 advantage  againft  them,  that  he  made  this  great  (Liu  :ht-- 
 among  them.  Wherein  was  fulfilled  the  promile  of 
 Mofes,  XXVI  Lcvit.  8.  which  was  repeated  by  Jof/jua. 
 XXIII.  10.   where  he  faith  expreily,  one  Mu>?  of  you  fa 
 
 I  a  thoufand.  It  is  not  unlikely  alio,  that  the  Pfife 
 Hjlines  might  fear,  the  Men  of  Judah  on  this  occafion, 
 would  join  with  him:  which  made  them  turn  their 
 backs,  and  ex  pole  themfelves  to  (laughter.  But  it  w 
 by  a  wonderful  ftrength,  which  God  infufed  into  hi 
 that  he  was  able  to  purfue  them  fo  long,  till  he  had 
 done  fuch  Execution  :  which  is  incredible  only  to  thofe. 
 who  do  not  confider  the  Power  of  Cod  :  who  can  raife 
 our  powers  to  what  degree  he  pleafes,  and  infccble  the 
 Spirits  of  thofe  who  oppofe  his  defigns  \  fo  that  they 
 (hall  have  no  power  to  help  themfelves.  It  may  not  be 
 amifsalfo  here  to  note,  that  there  are  inftances  of  Men, 
 who  by  their  natural  courage,  have  made  great  haveck 
 among  their  Enemies.  For  Flavins  Vaflfcm  reports  ;hat 
 Aurelian  in  the  Sarmatic\  War,  Hew  forty  eight  Men 
 with  his  own  hands  in  one  day  ■  and  in  divers  days  Nine 
 hundred  and  fifty.  Upon  which  the  Boys  made  a  Song, 
 and  (touted,  in  their  Dances  after  a  Military  manner, 
 Milk,    Milk,   Milk,    Mi  lie,    Mille,  MWe,  decjl/ivhnuf. 
 
 A  a  a  a  2  'Onus 
 
^4S  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Vnus  homo,  Milk,  Mille^^&c.  Mi  He,   Mille  vivat,    qui 
 XV.      Mille,  Mille  occidit.     And  upon  another  occafion,  ano- 
 L/^'WJ  ther   little  Song  was  made  of  him,    which  Salmafius 
 found  thus  difpofed  in  ancient  MS. 
 
 Mi  Hi  Say  mat  as,  Mille  Francos 
 Semel  &  Semel  occidimus 
 Mille  Per/as  qu^rimm. 
 
 Ver.   1 6.  And  Samfon  /aid.']     Then  he  compofed  a 
 Triumphant  Song. 
 
 With  the  Jawbone  of  an  Afs,  heaps  upon  heaps  j.  with 
 the  Jaw  bone  of  an  Afs,  have  I  flain  a  thousand  Men."] 
 This  feems  to  have  been  the  beginning,  and  perhaps  the 
 end  of  the  Song.  In  which  words  Belehi  hachamor  cha- 
 morcha  morathaim  every  one  may  obferve,  a  graceful 
 allufion :  chamor  fignifying  both  an  Afs,  and  alfo  an 
 heap. 
 Verfe  T7  r*  J7*  And  it  came  to  pafs  that  when  he  had  made  an 
 
 ''  end  of /peaking.']  Of  reciting  the  Song  before  mentioned  : 
 which  contained  more  than  thefe  few  words,  as  this 
 Phrafe  feems  to  import. 
 
 That  he  caji  the  Jaw-bone  out  of  his  hand."]     Which 
 he  held  there,  while  he  was  fpeaking. 
 
 And  called  that  place  Ramath-lehiT]  That  is,  the  pro- 
 jection, or  carting  away  of  the  Jaw-bone  5  as  the  Chaldee, 
 and  Kimchi  interpret  it:  for  fo  the  word  Rama  (ignifies, 
 to  throw  any  thing  from  one.  It  is  called,  v.  9,  and 
 14-  (imply  Lehi :  it  being  ufual  to  leave  out  the  begin- 
 ning of  Names,  as  I  have  oft  obferved :  Salem  being  put 
 for  Jerufalem  5  and  Shittim,  for  Abcl-fiittiw,  &cc. 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  And  he  was  fore  a  thirflT]  By  his  great  toil 
 in  the  fight  $  and  by  his  fpeaking  fo  long,  and  fo  ear- 
 neftly,  as  its  likely  he  did  afterwards. 
 
 And 
 
upon  JUDGES.  54^ 
 
 And   he  coiled   on    the  LORD  and  furd,    Thou   haft  Chapter 
 yven  this  great  deliverance  into  the  hind  of  thy  jervant.~\      XV. 
 This  is  an  exprefs  confutation  of-  the  fancy  oi  Jofephus,  '^VNJ 
 that  Cod  lent  this  thirft  upon  him,  as  a  punifhmenr,  tor 
 not  giving  him  the  glory  of  his  Viftory  ;  but  aferibing 
 it  to  his  own  (Irength:    For  which  I  can  fee  no  colour. 
 For  though  God  be  not  mentioned    in  his  Song,    but 
 only  the  Jaw-bone }    yet  that  was  in  it  felt  fo  weak  an 
 inftrument,    that  his  acknowledging   twice   it  was  the 
 only  thing  wherewith  he  (lew  fo  many,  was  a  fuftkient 
 fignification,  that  he  afcribed  not  the  Viftory  to  humane 
 Power,  but  to  the  Power  of  God  :  whofe  Spirit  he  felt 
 come  mightily  upon  him,  when  he  let  upon  them.  But 
 what  is  there  tacitely  inlinuated,    is  here   in  fo  man' 
 words  expreffed. 
 
 And  now  flail  1  die  for  thirji,  and  fall  into  the  han 
 of  the  uncirenmcijed  ?~]  It  feems  he  was  very  faint,  for 
 want  of  forne  refreshment  5  which  made  him  (o  earnelhV 
 implore  relief  from  God:  who  he  knew  would  not  tail 
 to  fupply  him  in  fo  great  a  neceffity.  For  the  remem- 
 brance of  former  benefits,  when  we  thankfully  acknow- 
 ledge them  ^  is  a  mighty  fupport  to  Faith  in  the  expect- 
 ance of  future.  Befide,  he  reprefents  himfelf  to  God 
 asafcrvant  of  his :  who  had  taken  all  this  pains,  not 
 to  fatisfie  his  own  revenge  }  but  by  his  irrigation,  and 
 for  the  deliverance  of  his  People. 
 
 Ver.  19.  And  God  clave  an  hollow  place  that  was  hi  the  \\\  \\  { 5  . 
 jaw']  The  Hebrew  word  Ma&es  properly  fignifies  the 
 focket  in  which  the  great  Teeth  in  the  Jaw  are  faftned 
 (as  Bochartus  evidently  proves,  P.  1.  Hteroz.  Lib.  2. 
 Gap.  XVI.)  one  of  which  Teeth  he  made  drop  out; 
 and  then  caufed  Water  to  come  forth  out  of  that  hollow 
 place.  But  our  great  Primate  follows  thofe  who  think 
 God  made  a  cleft  in  fome  part  of  the  Earth  in  that  ph 
 called  Lehi :     From  whence  he  nude  a  Fountain  of 
 
 Watei 
 
55o  A   CO  M'ME  NT  A  R7 
 
 Chapter  Water  to  fpring  up.     And  fti  Jijhphm*  faith,  he  brought 
 XV.      It,  i^w  ra^  *&•££$,  out  of  a  certain  Rock. 
 
 l^*y%j      $»  ea«*e  W*/er  there  vit~\  Fro  n  this  cavity  he 
 
 caufed  Water  to  iiTue  (whereas  Blood  is  wont  to  How 
 when  a  Tooth  is  pluck'd  out)  juft  as  he  brought  Water 
 out  of  a  Rock  in  the  Wildernefs:,  and  made  the  Meal 
 and  the  Ovl  to  multiply  in  the  Widow  of  Sarepta's 
 Veffels. 
 
 And  when  he  had  drxxkj]  It  is  probable  he  took  up 
 the  jaw,  when  he  faw  the  Water  bubble  out  of  it :  and 
 Jet    it  run  into  his  mouth,    till  he  had  quench/ d  his 
 
 tmrft. 
 
 His  fpirit  came  again,  and,  he  revived."]  He  was  fo 
 (petit,  it  teems,  that  he  was  ready  to  die,  till  God  lent 
 him  this  Water:  unto  which  his  Power  gave  fuch  a 
 Spirit,  that  it  was  as  reviving  as  a  draught  c  f  Wine. 
 
 Wherefore  he  called  the  name  thereof,  En-hal^ore  vrh'uh 
 Is  in  Lehi.~]  Or,  as  Bochart  I  think  more  truly  ren- 
 ders it,  EnhakJicre-afher  belch/  .•  That  is,  the  Fountain 
 of  him  that  called,  which  is  in  the  Jaw.  See  him  in 
 the  above  mentioned  place,  P.  205. 
 
 Unto  this  day. ~]  Some  have  imagined  that  the  Foun- 
 tain continued  in  Lehi,  unto  the  time  that  this  Book  was 
 written.  But  Bochart  there  obierves,  that  thefe  words 
 unto  this  day  are  not  to  be  joined  with  thofe  next  before  \ 
 for  they  are  feparated  by  an  accent  which  divides  therm 
 And  therefore  the  meaning  is,  that  it  is  cailed  to  this 
 day,  by  the  name  forementioned. 
 Verfe  20  Ver.  20.  And  he  judged  Ifrael  in  the  Jays  of  the  Phi- 
 lifiines^  twenty  years. ,]  All  his  time  they  remained  un- 
 der the  power  of  the  Philiflines:  who  they  confefs 
 (v.  11.)  were  their  rukrs.z  as  they  continued  to  be  far 
 Forty  Years  together  (XI II.  1 .)  of  which  thefe  Twenty 
 w7ere  a  part.  In  which  he  was  not  able  to  perfect  their 
 deliverance,  but  only  began  it  by  feveral  fmall  defeats, 
 
 he 
 
upon  JUDGES  551 
 
 he  gave  the  PhMJlines,  and  feveral  damages  he  did 
 them.  But  alter  all  he  left  the  lfradites,  u:k'.,r  their 
 Dominion  :  nor  was  there  any  Deliverer  arofe  tilLSVmrt/, 
 who  i  obferved  before  compkated  what  Sawfon.  began, 
 1  Sam*  VII.  13. 
 
 Chapter 
 CHAP.      XVI.  XVI. 
 
 Verfe   1.  '   I   ^HEN  irent  Sawfon  to  Gaza."]     His  late  Vcrfe  1. 
 JL     Victory  made  him  defpife  the  P&ifjftfafs, 
 
 as  Jojiphus  thinks  (^Ta^craV  rfi  YlaXayzivvv)  and  ad- 
 venture to  go,  in  a  bravery,  into  one  of  their  principal 
 Cities  :  which  lay  in  the  South  part  of  their  Country, 
 towards  Egypt.  But  it  feems  to  me  more  likely  that  he 
 went  thither  fecretly  and  unobfervedly,  in  the  dusk  of 
 the  Evening,  or  in  a  diiguife  5  that  he  might  the  better 
 fpy  in  whatpofture  they  were,  and  what  advantage  he 
 might  pofiibly  have  of  them. 
 
 And  fan  there  an  harlot.']  Who  kept,  it  is  likely,  a 
 pub-lick  Houfe  to  entertain  ftrangers  •->  but  was  as  publicjc 
 her  k\t:  which  had  been  the  condition  of  Rahab.  So 
 Jofephus  g*  nri  $f  wmyuymv  $i{rg/@c>  he  took  up  his 
 lodging,  in  one  of  the  publick  Inns  of  the  City. 
 
 And  went  in  unto  her.l  Was  infnared  bv  her  beauty1, 
 to  lie  with  her. 
 
 Ver.  2.  And  it  was  told  the  Gazites.~]     The  Magi-  Verfe   4. 
 ftrates  of  the  City. 
 
 Saying,  Sawfon  is    come  hither.']      By    this   it  appears 
 his  coming  thither  was  not  pubiickly  known  ^  but  | 
 ibme  means  or  cither  discovered  :  perhaps,  by  the  Wo- 
 man her  felf  into  whole  Houfe  he  went,  who  gave  pri- 
 vate information  of  his  being  there. 
 
 And  they  compajfed  h'u/i  in7\  The  meaning  is  not  that 
 they  befet  the  Houfe  ,    for  the  next  .words   (how  the 
 
 contrary 
 
w 
 
 A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  contrary:    that  they  intended  to  feize  him,  as  he  went 
 
 XVI.     out  of  the  City. 
 ^/^V^V/       And  laid  wait  for  him  all  night,   tn  the  gate  of 'the  City ."] 
 Efpecially  in  that  Gate,  which  led  to  his  own  Country. 
 
 And  were  quiet  all  night.]  Made  no  noife  5  for  fear 
 he  (hould  be  alarmed,  and  contrive  fome  way  of  efcape  : 
 or  defperately  fet  upon  them.,  and  break  through  their 
 Cuards. 
 
 Saying,  In  the  morning  rchen  it  is  day,  we  fliall  kill  him.'] 
 He  would  fall  into  their  hands,  they  imagined  5  ha- 
 ving no  apprehenfion  of  danger. 
 Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  And  Sam/on  lay  till  midnight.]  When  he 
 was  admonifhed,  perhaps  by  a  Dream,  to  be  gone  :  or 
 had  fome  intelligence  from  his  Servants  (whom  he  had 
 fet  to  watch)  that  they  lay  in  wait  for  him. 
 
 And  arofe  at  midnight.']  In  the  dead  time  of  the 
 Night,  when  no  body  was  fkirring  5  and  the  Soldiers 
 themfelves  perhaps  aileep  :  imagining  he  would  lye  till 
 toward  the  morning. 
 
 And  took  the  doors  of  the  gate  of  the  City,  and  the  two 
 pojis,  and  went  away  with  them,  bar  and  all.]  He  did 
 not  ftay  to  break  them  open  5  but  pluck'd  up  the  Ports 
 out  of  the  ground,  with  the  doors  hanging  upon  them, 
 faft  barred  :  which  fo  aftonifhed  the  Guards,  that  they 
 had  no  heart  to  follow  him. 
 
 And  put  them  upon  his  fioulders.']  He  feems  to  have 
 carried  them  a  little  way  in  his  Hands  5  and  then  lifted 
 them  up  to  his  Shoulders,  and  carried  them  before  their 
 laces  in  triumph.  Which  argued  a  mighty  ftrength  5 
 and  no  lefs  confidence  in  God. 
 
 And  carried  them  up  to  the  top  of  an  hill,  that  is  before 
 Hebron.]  Some  take  this  Hill  to  have  been  near  Hebron  5 
 which  was  twenty  Miles  from  this  place;  But  it  is  more 
 probable  (as  Peter  Martyr  conje&ures)  it  lay  between 
 Gaza  and  Hebron  5  within  the  view  of  both :  that  the 
 
 Inhabitants 
 
upon  JUDGES.  553 
 
 Inhabitants  of  the  one  City  might  behold  them  to  their   Chapter 
 confufion  5  and  they  of  the  other  to  their  encourage       XVI. 
 ment  to  hope  for  deliverance.  L/^V"\J 
 
 Ver.  4.   And  it  came  to  pafs  aftcrward7\      How  long  Verie  4. 
 after  is  not  known. 
 
 That  he  loved  a  Woman  in  the  Valley  of  Sorely,  rchofc 
 name  was  Delilah^]  It  is  certain  that  Sorely  was  a  place 
 in  the  Land  o(Jnd£a^  famous  for  choice  Vines  (as 
 Bochart  oblerves,  from  XLIX  Gen.  1 1.  V  Ifa.  2.  II  Jem/. 
 21.)  and  not  above  a  Mile  and  a  half  ixomEfchol-^  whence 
 the  Spies  brought  a  Bunch  of  Grapes,  for  a  fample  of 
 the  fruitfulnefs  of  the  Country.  Unto  this  place  Samfon 
 retired  to  refrefh  himfelf,  perhaps,  after  his  labours, 
 with  the  delights  of  it :  and  there  faw  a  Woman,  with 
 whom  he  fell  in  love.  But  whether  (he  was  a  Woman 
 of  Ifrael,  or  one  of  the  Daughters  of  the  Phil/ftines  (who 
 now  were  Rulers  of  the  Country  of  Jtulah,  XV.  11.) 
 and  whether  he  loved  her  as  his  Wife,  or  kept  com- 
 pany with  her,  as  an  Harlot,  is  not  here  fignified.  St. 
 Chryfojhm,  and  others  are  of  opinion,  that  he  was  mar- 
 ried to  her.  But  then  one  would  think  there  fhould 
 have  been  fome  brief  mention  of  their  Wedding  So- 
 lemnities 3  or  of  his  bringing  her  home  to  his  own 
 Houfe.  And  the  Ph/l/Jiines  would  not  have  been  fo 
 bold,  as  to  attempt  to  draw  her  into  their  party,  and 
 bribe  her  to  betray  him  into  their  hands.  Which  argues 
 (he  had  not  the  affection  of  a  Wife  to  him;  hue  was  a 
 mercenary  Woman,  that  would  do  any  thin ^  to  get 
 Mbfiey.  And  fo  Jofephus  underftands  it,  Jla^/Sc^  Si 
 rirdw  tk  773tr£*a,  Sec.  He  foribok  the  inftitutions  of  his 
 Country,  and  followed  the  degenerate  manners  of 
 ftrange  People,  iog.cdzl<;  yjvoqyj;  irat^i  ^O'Avy,;,  being 
 enamoured  with  an  Harlot  among  the  Ph/lniines : 
 Which  was  the  beginning  of  all  the  Evils  that  befel  him. 
 for  he  did  not  keep  her  company  for  a  Nighty    but 
 
 Bbbb  dwelt 
 
554  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  dwelt  with  her  :  and  gave  up  hhnfelf  fo  intirely  to  her, 
 
 XVI.  that  he  doted  on  her. 
 L/~V"XJ  Ver.  5.  And  the  Lords  of  the  Fhilijiines  came  up  ur.io 
 Verfe  5.  her!]  There  were  five  of  them  in  all  fas  we  read,  III.  5.) 
 who,  it  is  likely,  all  joined  together  to  make  a  Pufe 
 (as  we  (peak)  wherewith  to  corrupt  her:  and  knt  their 
 agents  to  make  large  offers  to  her,  if  (he  would  come 
 into  their  interefts. 
 
 And  [aid  unto  her,  Entice  him,  and  fee  wherein  his  great 
 ftrength  lieth,  and  by  what  means  we  may  prevail  againji 
 himT]  It  is  probable,  that  he  had  often  declared,  that 
 the  fource  of  his  ftrength  was  a  fecret,  known  only  to 
 himfelf :  which  they  hoped  (he  might,  with  her  blan- 
 difhments,  entice  him  to  reveal  unto  her. 
 
 That  we  may  bind  him,  and  affici  him."]  That  (he 
 might  not  ftartle  at  the  propofal,  they  tell  her  they  had 
 no  intention  to  kill  hims,  but  only  to  keep  him  faft  in 
 Chains  and  afflift  him  :  fo  as  to  make  him  humble,  and 
 bring  him  low,  that  he  might  not  be  able  to  do  them 
 more  mifchief. 
 
 And  we  will  give  thee  everyone  of  hs,  eleven  hundred 
 pieces  of  Silver!]  By  which  is  commonly  under  flood 
 fo  many  Shekels  }  which  made  in  all  five  Thoufand  five 
 Hundred :  which  make  almoft  two  Hebrew  Talents. 
 For  the  Jews  make  it  a  rule,  that  where  pieces  of  Silver 
 are  mentioned,  the  meaning  is  Shekels.  See  XXIII 
 Gen.  15. 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  Delilah  [aid  unto  Samfon,  Tell  me,  I  pray 
 thee,  where  thy  great  ftrength  lieth."]  She  did  not  bluntly 
 ask  him  this  queftion,  but,  as  Jofephux  very  probably 
 tells  the  ftory,  the  next  time  they  were  eating  and 
 drinking  together,  and  he  was  carefiing  her,  fhe  fell 
 into  an  admiration  of  all  his  wonderful  deeds,  and 
 highly  extolled  them:  defiring  him  to  tell  her,  how  he 
 rarae  fo  much  to  excel  all  other  Men  in  ftrength* 
 
 And 
 
upon   JUDGES.  5S- 
 
 And  wherewith  thou  might  cji  be  bound  to  affliCi  thee.]   Chaf 
 So  thu  he  (houki  not  be  able  to  help  himlelt.  XVI. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  Samfon  faid  unto  her ^  If  they  bind  mc  with  L^V^vJ 
 7^e«  grw*  withs,  that  were  never  dried  5  then  jhall  I  be  Verfe  7. 
 »^^,  tf«^  />*  as  another  Man.']  Her  lalt  wor*]s  perhaps, 
 made  him  fufpeft  fomething.  However,  ?t?  f%p&»  lyy- 
 %j$  1t!u  (as  Jofephus  i peaks)  he  was  yet  jirong  in  his  un- 
 derstanding, and  not  perfectly  belotted  on  her :  and 
 therefore  did  not  truft  her  with  this  importent  lecret,  but 
 anfwered  her  deceitfully.  Which  cannot  be  exculed 
 from  being  a  downright  Lie  ^  unlefs  we  fuppofe  he  only 
 jefted  with  her :  not  believing  (he  would  take  fueh  an 
 improbable  thing  fur  a  truth. 
 
 Ver.  8.  J  hen  the  Lords  of  the  Philijiines  brought  up  to  Verfe  8 
 her /even  green  withs,  which  had  not  been  dried. ~\  It  leems 
 they  lurked  fomewhere  thereabout,  that  they  might  be 
 informed  fpeedily  of  what  pafTed.  And  they  took  care 
 to  provide  the  Withs  themielves,  that  there  might  be 
 no  defeft  in  them. 
 
 And  foe  bound  him  with  them."]  Ka.$tb$bv1x  /jU^'o^a, 
 &c.  She  bound  him  hard  with  the  Withs,  when  he  was 
 afleep,  and  full  of  drink,  as  Jofephm  fpeaks. 
 
 Ver.  9.  Now  there  were  Men  lying  in  wait,  abiding  Verfe  Q. 
 with  her  in  the  Chamber.']  In  another  Room  of  the  Houfe, 
 near  to  that  where  Samfon  llept,  (he  had  placed  a  band 
 of  Soldiers  (as  Jofephus  alio  interprets  it)  who  were 
 ready,  upon  notice,  to  feize  him.  This  is  an  argument 
 that  Delilah  was  not  his  Wife:  for  in  his  own  Houfe, 
 where  he  had  his  Servants  about  him,  it  had  not  been 
 poflible  for  her,  to  have  placed  Soldiers  fecretly  in  any 
 Room,  without  their  knowledge. 
 
 And  J/je  faid  unto  him,  The  Philijiines  he  upon  thee, 
 Samfon."]  One  would  think,  they  might  have  kt  unon 
 him,  when  he  was  in  a  deep  deep.  But  the  Plot  was 
 otherwife  laid  between  them  and  Delilah:   and   they 
 
 Bbbb  2  thought 
 
556  A  CO  MMENT  AK  Y 
 
 Chapter  thought  it  not  fafe  to  come  near  a  fleeping  Lion  $  for 
 XVI.     fear  he  fhould   chance  to  awake,   and  tear  them  in 
 tyV^VJ  pieces. 
 
 And  he  brake  the  withs  as  a  thred  of  tow  is  broken,  when 
 
 it  touched  the  fire  :  fo  his  firength  was  not  known.]  They 
 found  he  was  as  fubtil,  as  he  was  ftrong  :  having  de- 
 luded both  her  and  them. 
 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  Delilah  faid  unto  Samfon,  Behold,  thou 
 haft  mocked  me ,  and  told  me  lies  :  now  tell  me,  I  pray  thee, 
 wherewith  thou  mighteji  be  bound,"]  So  as  not  to  be  able 
 to  free  himfelf.  The  Hebrew  Writers  rightly  obferve, 
 that  fhe  did  not  fay  this  to  him  immediately  after  the 
 other  :  but  at  the  next  opportunity,  Ihe  took  occafion 
 to  complain  of  his  want  of  kindnefs,  in  not  acquainting 
 her  with  what  fhe  defired  to  know ,  as  if  (he  was  not 
 able  to  keep  the  fecret  of  a  Friend,  which  it  was  not  fit, 
 for  any  body  elfe  to  underftand  $  as  Jofephus  expreffes 
 it, 
 
 Verfe  n.  Ver.  it.  If  they  bind  me  f aft  with  new  ropes,  that 
 were  never  occupied,  then  frail  1  be  weak->  and  be  as  ano- 
 ther Man.]     He  perfifts  in  his  refolution  to  delude  her, 
 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  Delilah  therefore  took,  new  ropes,  and  bound, 
 him  therewith.]  This  look'd  more  like  truth  than  the 
 former,  and  fhe  took  care  no  doubt  to  have  the  ftrongeft 
 Ropes  that  they  could  get.  And  then  made  him  a  new 
 entertainment,  where  he  eat  and  drunk  till  he  was  heavy 
 with  deep:  and  then  file  took  the  opportunity  to  bind 
 him,  as  fhe  had  done  before. 
 
 And  faid  unto  himy  The  Philijiines  be  upon  thee  Samfon 
 (and  there  were  Iters  in  wait  in  the  Chamber.}  In  the 
 inner  Room  where  they  were  formerly  difpofed  fo  fe- 
 cretly,  that  Samfon  knew  not  of  it :  for  if  he  had,  he 
 would  have  difcovered  her  treachery. 
 
 And  he  broke  them  from  off  his  arms  like  a  thread.  3 
 Which  deterred  them  from  breaking  out  upon  him. 
 
 Ver.  1^ 
 
upon  ]  U  DGES.  $57 
 
 Ver.    15.  And  Delilah  fiid  unto  Sam fon,   IJ/thcrto  thou  Chapter 
 hajl  mocked  me,    and  told  me  lies  \  tell  me  wherewith  thou       XVI. 
 mightcjl  be  bound."]     She  prays  him  now  to  deal  (incerely  L/^/*XJ 
 with  her:  for  fhe  perlifted  as  refolutely  in  her  attempt  Verfe  13, 
 to  draw  the  fecret  from  him,  as  he  did  in  concealing  it  : 
 which  he  ftill  continued  to  do. 
 
 And  he  J  aid  unto  her,  If  thou  weave fl  the  locks  of  my 
 head.]  The  Nazarites  being  bound  never  to  cut  their 
 Hair,  did  not,  I  fuppofe,  let  it  hang  loofe:,  but  curled 
 it  up  in  locks,  or  plaited  and  broidered  it,  after  the 
 manner  of  a  Chain  :  and  Samfons  Hair  was  distributed 
 into  feven  of  thefe  plaited  locks.  See  Dr.  Spencer  con- 
 cerning this,  L.  III.  Cap.  VI.  Differt.  I.  P.  585. 
 
 With  a  web.]  He  feems  to  dirett  her  to  wrap  thefe 
 feven  locks  about  a  Weavers  Beam  (as  the  Chaldee  under- 
 ftands  it)  or  to  weave  them  one  within  another,  fo  that 
 they  fhould  be  but  one  Lock:  and  then  he  (hould  be 
 like  another  Man,  which  is  here  to  be  underftood. 
 And  in  this  he  comes  a  little  nearer  to  the  truth  y  but 
 ftill  deceives  her. 
 
 Ver.  14.  And  fie  fafined  it  with  a  pin.]     That  they  Verfe  14, 
 might  keep  tight,  and  not  be  unloofed. 
 
 And  faid,  The  Philijlines  be  upon  thee  Samfon  }  and  ht 
 awaked  out  of  hisjleep.]  This  (hows  that  (he  had  taken 
 the  former  advantages  of  him,  in  his  deep. 
 
 And  he  went  away  with  the  pin  of  the  beam,  and  with 
 the  web.]  And  thereby  appeared  as  ftrong  as  ever  he 
 was.  For,  as  the  Vulgar  underfkands  it,  (he  fixed  this 
 Pin  in  the  Earth  5  or  as  the  LXX.  in  the  Wall.  But 
 there  is  nothing  like  it  in  the  Hebrew  Text. 
 
 Ver.  15.  And  fie  faid,  How  can ft  thou  fay,  I  love  thee,ytlfc 
 when  thy  heart  is  not  with  me  i  thou  hajl  mocked  me  thefe 
 three  times^  and  haji  not  told  me  wherein  thy  great  fir  en gth 
 lieth.]    She  now  ufes  her  utmoft  art  to  overcome  him  $ 
 by  telling  him,  I  fnppofe,  (he  would  call  him  off,  be- 
 
 caufe 
 
■ft&  A  C  OMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  caufe  he  did  but  pretewd  to  love  her.     As  appeared  by 
 XVI.    his  not  truftingher^   but  notwithstanding  her  impor- 
 
 L/W*  tunate  defire  to  be  gratified  in  a  faiall  requeft,  he  had  no 
 lefs  than  three  times  put  a  cheat  upon  her. 
 
 Verfe  1 6.  Ver.  16.  And  it  came  to  pafs,  when  J/je  prejfed  him  daily 
 with  her  words,  and  urged  him.~]  Repeated  this  often 
 from  day  to  day,  mod  earneftly  prefiing  him  to  give 
 her  a  proof  of  his  real  affe&ion,  by  dilcloling  this  fe- 
 cret. 
 
 ■So  that  his  Soul  was  vexed  unto  death."]  He  was  upon 
 fuch  a  rack  by  two  contrary  paffions  ftrugling  in  him  $ 
 Love  to  her,  and  care  not  to  lofe  his  Strength  5  that  he 
 was  weary  of  Life.  That  is,  very  melancholy  5  and 
 unconcerned  what  became  of  him. 
 
 Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  That  he  told  her  all  his  heart.']  God  having 
 forfaken  him,  becaufe  he  had  abandoned  himfelf  to  fen- 
 fual  Pleafure$  his  love  of  the  Harlot  prevailed  over 
 his  care  of  himfelf. 
 
 Andfaid  unto  her,  There  hath  not  come  a  razor  upon 
 my  head  $  but  I  have  been  a  Nazarite  from  my  Mothers 
 womb.']  Thefe  words  were  fpoken  with  a  greater  feri- 
 oufnefs,  than  any  of  the  former  5  which  made  her  con- 
 clude he  had  given  her  a  true  account.  For  thus  Jofe- 
 phuf  Paraphrafes,  I  am  under  the  care  of  God  5  by  whofe 
 Providence  being  born,  I  nourifh  my  Hair,  for  God  forbad 
 that  Ijlwuld  ever  have  it  cut  off.  All  my  flrength  lying  in 
 the  increafe  and  continuance  of  this  Hair,  Lib.  V.  Antkj. 
 Cap.  X. 
 
 If  Ibefhaven,  then  will  my  firength  go  from  me,  and 
 I  (hall  become  weaJ{,  and  be  like  any  other  Man!]  There 
 have  been  Men  of  wonderful  ftrength,  whofe  memory 
 i$  preferved  in  Hiftory  5  particularly  by  Pliny,  Lib. 
 XII.  Natural  Hiftor.  Cap.  20.  and  more  are  colle&ed 
 by  Cafpar  Schottus^  in  his  Mirabilia  Nature  &  artky 
 Ub.  IIL  Cap.  36.    And  now  at  my  prefent  writing  of 
 
 this, 
 
npon    JUDGES.  ^9 
 
 this,  there  is  more  than  one  Perfon  in  this  City,  of  ex-   Chapter 
 rr  i.  rtiinary  ftrength.     But  there  is  a  demonftration  that      XVI. 
 i>amfons  ftrength  wholly  depended  upon  the  Power  of  L/"V%-> 
 God  \  and  was  not  inherent  in  himfelf  5  but  came  upon 
 him  when  there  was  need:  as  long  as  he  preserved  him- 
 felf  confecrated  unto  God  by  not  (hiving  his  head,  and 
 obterving  all  other  things  belonging  to  the  Vow  of  a 
 Xazarite.     Which  was  a  thing  lo  notorious,    that  the 
 Heathens  were  not  ignorant  of  it  ^  but  from  hence  de- 
 vifed  (as  learned  Men  have  obferved)  the  Fable  of  Nifus, 
 the  King  of  Alegar  a  5  upon  whofe  Flair  the  fortune  of 
 his  Kingdom  depended.     See  Huetim  in  his  Qj&jhoncs 
 Alnccant,  Lib.  2.  Cap.  XII.  Sett.  XXVIIL  and  oar  Dr. 
 Jackfon,   in  his  firft  Book  on  the  Creed,    Chap.   XV. 
 Paragr.  5. 
 
 Ver.   18.  And  when  Delilah  J aw  that  he  had  told  her  Verfe  1 8. 
 all  his  heart. ~)     Which  (he  perceived,  as  I  faid,    by  the 
 manner  of  his  fpeaking. 
 
 Shefent  and  called  the  Lords  of  tie  Philijiincs.]  Who 
 ftill,  it  feems,  waited  thereabouts,  to  fee  what  would 
 be  the  fuccefs  of  their  defign:  which  (he  gave  them 
 hopes  (he  fhould  at  la  ft  accomplifh.  This  could  not 
 bux  have  been  difcovered  byfome  of  Samfons  Servants, 
 if  he  had  had  a  Family  there,  as  he  would  if  he  had 
 been  married.  I  look  upon  this  therefore  as  a  proof, 
 that  this  Woman  was  not  his  Wife. 
 
 Saying,  Come  up  this  once  5  for  he  hath  fljorvn  nte  allhk 
 heart.']  She  was  afraid  they  would  not  have  hearkned 
 to  her  any  more,  having  been  fo  often  deluded  ;  which 
 made  her  give  them  this  full  affurance. 
 
 Then  the  Lords  of  the  Philijlines  came  up  unto  her,  and 
 brought  Money  hi  their  hands.]  Which  they  never  did 
 before:  but  now  fhowed  her  the  reward  was  ready  5  if 
 (he  performed  her  work. 
 
 Ver.  190 
 
5<5o  A  COMMENT  A  Rl 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  T9*  And  fie  made  him  fleepT]      Having  given 
 
 XVI.     him,  as  Delrio  thinks,  a  (leeping  Potion.    Others  think 
 
 \y~V\J  (he  had  drawn  him  in  to  drink  Wine  (which  Jofephus 
 
 Verfe  19.  fuppoies  fhe  had  done  in  former  entertainments)  unto 
 
 which  he  not  being  accuftomed,    he  was  intoxicated 
 
 with  it.     And  having  broken  the  Law  of  the  Sazarites 
 
 in  this  point,  was  juftly  delivered  up  by  God  to  fufifer 
 
 all  that  followed. 
 
 Upon  her  knees.']  Elefting  his  head,  I  fuppofe,upon  her 
 Knees.  Or  perhaps,  (he  fet  him  on  her  Knees,  and  with 
 her  Arms  about  his  Neck,  expreffed  the  greateft  affe&ion 
 to  him,  and  care  of  him. 
 
 And  fie  called  for  a  Man^  and  fie  can  fed  him  to  fioave 
 .off' the /even  locks  of  his  head.']  Which  he  did  fo  gently, 
 being  a  Man  of  Art,  as  not  to  awake  him. 
 
 And  fie  began  to  ajftitf  himT]  Not  by  any  fenfiblepain  $ 
 but  by  weakning  him,  and  bringing  him  low  (as  the 
 Hebrew  word  is  often  interpreted).  For  as  foon  as  the 
 Razor  touched  his  head,  his  ftrength  began  to  be  di- 
 minifhed. 
 
 And  bkflrength  went  from  him.]  When  all  the  locks 
 were  (haved  off,  his  flrength  quite  failed  him. 
 Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  And  fix '/aid,  The  Phil/Jiines  be  tip  on  thee, 
 Sa/nfon.  And  he  awoke  out  of  his  jletpT]  She  cried  fo 
 loud,  and  alfo  (hook  him  fo  much  (out  of  pretended 
 kindnefs  to  him,  that  he  might  efcape  the  danger)  that 
 (he  rouzed  him  out  of  his  deep. 
 
 And  he  faid,  I  will  go  as  at  other  times  before^  and 
 fiake  my  felfJ]  She  had  fo  often  faid  thofe  words,  that 
 he  was  in  no  fear  }  but  thought  to  do  as  he  had  done 
 before  :  that  is,  prepare  himfelf  to  fall  upon  them. 
 
 And  he  wijl  not  -that  the  LORD  was  departed  from 
 him.']  Being  newly  awakned  out  of  a  profound  (Jeep, 
 and  fcarcecome  to  himfelf.he  did  not  mifs  his  Hair  :  and 
 fo  had  no  apprehenfion  that  God  had  deferted  him. 
 
 Ver.  21. 
 
upon  JUDGES.  561 
 
 Ver.  21.  But  the  Philijlincs  took  him.~]     But  he  foon   Chapter 
 found  he  had  no  power  at  all  left  to  refift  his  Enemies:      XVI. 
 who  laid  hold  on  him,  and  took  him  Prifoner.  l^VNj 
 
 And  put  out  his  Ryes.']  By  a  juft  judgment  of  God,  Ver(e  2  1 . 
 as  the  Mifchna  obferves  in  the  Title  Sot  a,  Cap.  VIII. 
 where  they  fay,  He  followed  the  delight  of  his  Eyes, 
 and  fo  he  was  punifhed  with  the  lofs  of  them.  Which 
 the  Jews  are  wont  to  call,  meafure  for  meafure.  They 
 did  not  put  him  to  death  5  much  lefs  cut  him  in  pieces, 
 as  their  hatred  and  fury  might  have  provoked  them  to 
 do:  for  they  had  promifed  Delilah  they  would  onh 
 bind  him,  and  affiift  or  humble  him,  v.  5.  and  in  thofe 
 Days  all  Men  made  fome  Confcience  of  keeping  their 
 word. 
 
 And  brought  him  down  to  Gaza.~]  To  be  expofed 
 there  to  fcorn,  where  he  had  expofed  them  to  (hame, 
 by  carrying  away  the  Gates  of  their  City.  It  was  a 
 place  alfo  of  great  ftrength,  where  he  would  be  kept 
 fecure }  and  it  was  remote  alfo  from  his  own  Country. 
 
 And  hound  him  with  fetters  of  brafs.~]  Put  very  ftrong 
 and  heavy  Fetters  upon  his  Legs. 
 
 And  he  did  grind  in  the  Prifon-houfe.~]  As  Slaves  were 
 wont  to  do.  See  upon  XI  Exod.  5.  and  St.  Hierom 
 XL VII.  Ifa.  2.  where  this  is  turned  to  another  fenfe, 
 according  to  the  conceit  of  many  of  the  Jewijb  Doftors. 
 But  without  any  ground  :  for  it  is  threatned  there  as  a 
 puniftiment  to  Babylon  ;  and  fo  it  was  inflifred  here 
 as  a  piece  of  drugery,  unto  which  Samfon,  as  other 
 Prifoners,  was  condemned. 
 
 Ver.  22.  Howbeit,  the  hair  of  his  head  began  to  grow  Verie  22. 
 again,  after  he  was  fliavcn."]  Or  (according  to  the  Mar- 
 ginal Transition)  as  when  hewasfiaven.  That  is,  grew 
 in  time  to  the  fame  length  it  was  of  ^  before  Delilah  cut 
 it  off.  So  that  though  his  Xaz^ritcjhip  was  interrupted 
 by  the  (having  of  his  Head  3  yet  it  was  renewed,  by  let- 
 
 Cccc  tine 
 
^6i  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  ting  his  Hair  grow,  and  obferving  all  other  rules  be- 
 XVI.    longing  to  it.     He  could  not  offer  Sacrifice  indeed  for 
 
 L/VNJ  his  expiation  (as  the  Law  was  in  cafe  of  an  interrup- 
 tion) but  repented,  no  doubt,  of  his  folly,  and  began 
 his  Nazaritefi/p  again,  with  Prayer  to  God  for  a  pardon 
 of  his  former  violation  of  it.  And  in  this  flate  of  Pe- 
 nitence he  continued  feme  time  $  for  his  Hair  would 
 be  a  good  while  in  growing  again  to  its  former  length. 
 When,  being  reftored  to  the  condition,  wherein  he  was 
 before  he  loft  the  favour  of  God,  together  with  his 
 Hair  5  the  Divine  Majefty  was  reconciled  to  him,  and 
 reftored  his  former  ftrength  :  which  grew  and  increafed, 
 as  his  Hair  did. 
 
 Verfe  22.  ^er*  23#  Then  the  Lords  of  the  Phil/fiines  gathered 
 '  themselves  together^  Not  immediately  after  the  taking 
 of  Samfon :  but  after  he  had  been  fome  time  in  Prifon,  as 
 appears  by  the  Verfe  foregoing.  For  it  is  likely  they 
 made  great  preparation,  for  the  folemnity  mentioned  in 
 the  next  words. 
 
 For  to  offer  a  great  Sacrifice  to  Dagon  their  god,  and 
 to  rejoyce.')  To  give  thanks  to  their  god  at  a  Feftival, 
 which  they  appointed,  I  fuppofe,  on  purpofe,  to  ex- 
 prefs  their  joy,  for  their  taking  Samfon  Prifoner.  Or, 
 as  Jofephus  thinks,  so^ttJs  Soh$  to?4  Tlz,^aLj?ivoi$  S^fuCanX^ 
 there  being  a  publick  Feftival  kept  among  the  Philifirnes 
 (which  all  Nations  had  at  certain  feafons)  they  made  it 
 more  famous,  by  greater  Sacrifices  than  ordinary  5  and 
 by  greater  feafting  and  rejoycing,  which  were  expreilions 
 of  their  thankful  nefs  to  their  god.  Who  is  called  Dagon  5 
 becaufe  as  R.  Solomon,  and  many  others  think,  he  was 
 in  the  form  of  a  Fi(h  (for  Dag  fignifiesa  Fi(h)  from  the 
 Navel  downward  3  and  upward  in  an  humane  (hape. 
 Certain  it  is,  this  god  had  an  humane  (hape  in  the  upper 
 parts,  for  we  read,  1  Sam,  V.  4.  of  his  Head,  and  the 
 Palm&  of  his  Hands :  though  nothing  is  there  faid  of  his 
 
 Feet. 
 
upon   JUDGES.  563 
 
 Feet.     It  is  certain  alfo,  that  the  Syrians  abltained  from  Chapter 
 Fifh,  as  Porphyry  notes  5  at  lead  from  the   Fiftl  of  that      XVI. 
 Lake,  hard  by  which  the  Temple  of  the  iamousGoddefs  L^V%J 
 Derceto  ftood,    not  far  from  Askelon.     In  which,    as 
 Lucian  faith,  in  his  Dea  Syria,  ijrpvts  S{*J<  T%i$<»l<xj,  fa* 
 creel  fifies  were  bred.     This  Dcrccto  was  the  fame  with 
 Venus,  as  many  learned  Men  think,  whom  the  Sidonians 
 called  Atarge,  and  others  Artafe :   but  mod  commonly 
 Aft  arte  \  which  in  the  Scripture  is  Afttaroth,  the  GooMefs 
 of  the   Sidonians,    I  Kings  XL.  5.  33.    2  7G//g/  XXIII. 
 13.    and   of  the  Philiftines   alfo,     1  6W.  XXXI.    10. 
 whom  the  Ifraelites  imitated,    r  Sam.  VII.  3,  4.      And 
 worfhipping   the  gods  of  thofe  who  ruled  over  them, 
 no  wonder  they  followed  their  wicked  manners  g  and- 
 gave  themfelves  over  to  Fornication.     Which  is  the  beft 
 account  that  can  be  given  of  Samfons  living  in  this  Sin, 
 without  reprehenfion  :  the  Nation  being  depraved,  and 
 having  loft  their  ancient  difcipline,  which  corrected  this 
 vice  :    for  their  Law   permitted  no   Harlot  to   be  in 
 Ifrael. 
 
 For  they  [aid,  Our  god  hath  delivered  Saw/on  our  Ene- 
 my, into  our  hand.']  All  Nations  had  this  fenfe,  that 
 they  owed  all  they  enjoyed  unto  God.  And  efpecially 
 made  their  acknowledgments  to  fuch  gods  as  they  wor- 
 shipped, for  the  Vi&ories  they  got  over  their  Enemies. 
 
 Ver.  24.  And  when  the  People  Jaw  him7\     For  he  was  Verfe  24, 
 publickly  expofed  to  all  Mens  view,    in  his  Fetters,  I 
 iuppofe,  and  grinding  in  the  Prifon. 
 
 They  praifed  their  god. ~]  Some  Hymns,  perhaps,  were 
 compofed  on  this  occafion  5  which  they  fang  in  praife 
 of  Dagon. 
 
 And  faid,  Our  god  hath  delivered  into  our  hand,  the 
 deflroyer  of  our  Country,  which  flew  many  of  vs."]  This 
 was  part  of  their  Song,  which  the  Greeks  call  P<ean. 
 And  they  give  the  very  fame  Epithete  to  Samfon  that 
 
 Cccc  2  Homer 
 
564  ^COMMENT^R  T 
 
 Chapter  Homer  doth  to  Hetfor,  whom  he  frequently  calls  aVS^- 
 
 XVI.     <ptvov,  the  flayer  of  Men. 
 L/"V\j       Ver.   2  5 .  And  it  came  to  pafs,  when  their  hearts  jvere 
 Verfe  25-.  merryJ]     As  they  ufed  to  be  with  good  Cheer,  Mufick, 
 and  fuch  like  Entertainments  at  their  Feftivals. 
 
 That  they  [aid.  Call  for  Samfon.~]  The  Lords  of  the 
 Philiflines  ordered  him  to  be  fent  for. 
 
 That  he  may  make  us  fport.]  It  is  uncertain  whether 
 they  meant,  that  they  would  make  themfelves  fport 
 with  him,  by  Flouts  and  Jeers :  or  that  they  would  have 
 him  make  them  fport,  by  ridiculous  gefturesand  fpeeches. 
 Jofephm  takes  it  in  the  firft  fenfe. 
 
 And  they  called  for  Samfon  out  of  the  Prifon-houfe,  and 
 he  made  them  fport. ~]  Perhaps  they  made  him  Dance  in 
 his  Chains,  or  plaid  with  him  at  iome  fuch  fport,  as 
 we  call  Blind-Mans-buff.  But  it  is  hard  to  believe  that 
 fuch  a  generous  fpirit  as  his  would  fubmit  to  do  any 
 thing  that  fhould  make  them  laugh  :  therefore  they 
 made  themfelves  all  the  fport  they  had,  by  their  abufes 
 of  him,  which  he  was  forced  to  fuffer. 
 
 And  they  fet  him  between  the  Pillars.']     that  he  might 
 be  the  more  vifible  to  every  one  in  the  place. 
 Verfe  26.      Ver.   26.  And  Samfonfaid  unto  the  lad,  that  held  him 
 hj  the  hand.]     And  led  him  about,  as  he  was  dire&ed. 
 
 Suffer  me  that  I  may  feel  the  Pillars  upon  which  the. 
 houfe  ftandethT]  Which  fupported  the  Roof  of  it,  as 
 appears  from,  ^.29. 
 
 That  I  may  lean  upon  themC]  To  reft  himfelf  $  pre- 
 tending he  was  weary,  as  jofephus  expounds  it. 
 Verfe  27.  ^er'  27*  ^ow  ^e  Houfe  was  full  of  Men  and  Women, 
 and  the  Lerds  of  the  Philiftines  were  there.]  Some  think 
 this  Houfe  was  one  of  their  Temples,  wherein  they  met 
 to  praife  their  god  $  and  then  to  Feaft,  as  the  manner 
 was,  upon  the  Sacrifices  which  were  offered  on  fuch  oc- 
 cafions  (fee  IX,  27.)    And  indeed  no  private  Houfe  cari 
 
 be 
 
upon  J  II  DOES.  555 
 
 be  thought  to  have  had  a  Room  wide  enough  to  contain  Chapter 
 fuch  a  number  or"  People.  But  their  Temples  were  in  XVI. 
 many  places  large  enough,  and  made  fo  on  purpofe,  u/^V^NJ 
 that  a  vair  number  might  atfemble  in  them.  Particularly 
 that  of  Diana  zt  Ephcfm  is  celebrated  for  its  greatnefs, 
 as  well  as  tor  its  Beauty  and  Riches  (fee  Pliny,  Lib. 
 XXXV.  Nat.  Hid  Cap.  XIV.)  ail  the  People  round 
 about  from  all  parts,  running  thither  at  feveral  folem- 
 nities.  as  many  have  noted.  But  others  think  it  was 
 fome  7  bearre  like  thofe  in  after  times  built  by  the  Romans: 
 fome  of  which  were  of  a  prodigious  bignefs.  See  Pliny 
 in  the  fame  Book,  Cap.  XV.  where  be  mentions  two 
 Theatres  built  by  C.Cur/o,  who  was  killed  in  the  Civil. 
 Wars  on  Cxfars  fide.  They  were  made  of  Wood,  fo 
 ample  as  to  contain  all  the  Roman  People  (as  he  fpeaks) 
 and  contrived  with  fuch  Art,  that  each  of  them  depend- 
 ed upon  one  Hinge.  Which  moved  Pliny  to  admire  at 
 the  madnefs  of  the  People  of  Rome,  who  would  ven- 
 ture into  a  place  for  their  pleafure,  where  they  fat  tarn 
 infida  inflabilique  fede,  in  fuch  an  uncertain  and  inftable 
 feat.  For  if  that  Hinge  had  dipt,  there  had  been  a 
 greater  (laughter,  than  at  the  Battle  of  Cann<e.  This  I, 
 mention  to  filence  the  Cavils  of  thofe,  who  fancy,  no 
 fuch  capacious  building  could  be  made,  as  relied  only 
 on  two  Pillars :  Which  is  not  fo  fixange  as  this  admi- 
 rable Fabrick  of  Curio. 
 
 And  there  was  upon  the  roof  about  three  thoufand  Men 
 and  Women,  that  beheld  while  Samfon  made  f port  7\  Every 
 one  knows  that  the  Roof  of  their  Houfes  and  Temples 
 were  flat,  fo  that  Men  might  ftand  or  walk  there.  But 
 how  they  fhould  fee  Samfon  from  thence  we  cannot  con- 
 ceive, unlefs  we  fuppofe  there  were  Windows  to  open 
 upon  occafion,  whereby  to  look  into  the  Houfe.  Or 
 perhaps  there  were  Battlements  at  the  top,  in  the  infide 
 (as  in  our  Cathedrals)  where  this  great  company  of  Men 
 
$66  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  and  Women  flood.     By  whom  we  are  to  underftand 
 XVL     the  Vulgar  fort  *  for  the  Lords  of  the  Philifiines,  and 
 
 \yV\j  Perfonsof  Quality,  were  in  the  body  of  the  Hou(e. 
 
 Verfe  28.       ^er*   2^'   ^n^   &aMfm  called  upon   the  LORD,     and 
 faid,    0   LORD  God)    remember  me  I  pray  thee^     and 
 jlrengthen    me  I  pray  thee   only  this  once,    0  God."]     A 
 .  moft  ardent  Prayer,  proceeding  from  the  anguifh  of 
 his  Soul,   as  Jofephus  obferves :    nothing  being  more 
 grievous  than  to  be  mock'd,   and  expofed  to  publick 
 (corn  5  which  he  calls  StivSnyp  7$f  k&k&v,  the  foreft  of 
 all  Evils.     But  whether  he    ipake  thefe  words  within 
 himfelf,  or,  as  fome  think,  with  an  audible  voice,  can- 
 not be  determined. 
 
 That  I  may  be  at  once  avenged  of  the  Philifiines,  for  the 
 lofs  of  my  two  Eyes."]  If  this  had  proceeded  from  a 
 fpirit  of  private  revenge.  God  would  not  have  heard 
 his  Prayer  (for  he  doth  not  love  to  gratifie  Mens 
 paffions)  but  that  is  a  proof  that  this  defire  proceeded 
 from  God  (as  St.  Aufiin  underftands  it,  L.  1.  de  Civ. 
 Dei,  Cap.  ai.)  who  intended  to  puni(h  the  Philifiines 
 for  oppreffing  Ifrael,  as  well  as  abufing  Samfon,  and 
 depriving  him  of  his  Eyes. 
 
 Verfe  29.  Ver.  29.  And  Samfon  took,  hold  of  the  two  middle 
 Pillars,  upon  which  the  Houfe  flood,  and  on  which  it  was 
 born  up,  &c]  On  which  the  weight  of  the  Roof  re- 
 lied, 
 
 Verfe  30.  Ver.  3  c.  And  Samfon  faid  let  me  die  with  the  Phi* 
 lifiines.']  He  is  not  to  be  thought  properly  a  felf  Mur- 
 derer :  for  he  was  moved  by  an  Heroical  Spirit  from 
 God  himfelf,  to  make  himfelf  a  Sacrifice  (as  I  may  call 
 it)  for  the  good  of  his  Country.  And  it  is  no  more 
 than  great  Soldiers  do,  who  are  content  to  lofe  their 
 Lives,  in  defence  of  a  Port  where  they  are  placed,  for 
 the  prefervation  of  the  Army  to  which  they  belong.  See 
 Grotim  in  his  Book  de  Jure  Belli  &  Paris,  Lib.  II.  Cap. 
 XIX.  Seft.  V.  N.4.  And 
 
upon  JUDGES.  567 
 
 And  he  bowed  himfclf  with  all  hk  might,  and  the  houfe  Chapter 
 fell  upon  the  Lords,   and  all the  People  that  were  therein."]      XVI. 
 But  it  was  not  by  his  might,  but  by  a  miraculous  Power  w/^"Y~SJ 
 of  God,  that  this  houfe  wasfubvertcd,  whereby  all  their 
 mirth  and  jollity  was  extinguifhed  in  a  moment. 
 
 So  the  dead  which  he  flew  at  his  death  were  more  than 
 they  which  he  /lew  in  his  life.']  This  laft  aft  was  the 
 greateft  of  his  whole  Life.  For  he  not  only  flew  more, 
 but  Perfons  of  greater  note  (their  principal  Rulers  and 
 Governors)  and  deftroyed  one  of  their  Temples  (as 
 moft  Authors  take  this  Houfe  to  have  been)  together 
 with  their  god.  Which  muft  needs  put  thofe  that  fur- 
 vived,  into  the  greateft  confirmation  and  confufion. 
 
 This  was  a  thing  known  to  the  Heathen  ^  for  it  is  a 
 very  probable  conjecture  of  fome  great  Men,  that  hence 
 the  Greeks  framed  the  Fable  of  their  Hercules  :  who 
 lived  about  his  time,  and  whofe  name  is  the  fame  with 
 Samfons,  if  it  be  derived  from  Schemejh  the  Sun.  For 
 Hercules  is  as  much  as  Or-chol,  that  which  enlightens 
 all,  /.  e.  the  Sun.  Of  him  it  is  reported  by  Herodotus 
 that  being  bound  in  Egypt,  he  was  brought  in  a  pom- 
 pous manner  to  be  facrificed  to  Jupiter :  and  retting  a 
 while  till  he  could  be  placed  on  the  Altar,  he  broke  out 
 and  flew  all  that  were  prefent. 
 
 Ver.  31.  Then  his  Brethren  and  all  the  Houfe  of  hisy^fe  ^i. 
 Father.']  By  Brethren  are  commonly  meant  in  Scripture, 
 the  neareft  Kindred  :  and  by  the  Houfe  of  his  Father  is 
 meant,  all  the  reft  of  his  Relations.  Or,  perhaps, 
 after  the  birth  of  this  Child  God  beftowed  the  blefiing 
 of  other  Children  upon  Manoah  and  his  Wife  :  as  he 
 did  upon  Hannah,  after  the  birth  of  Samuel. 
 
 Came  down  and  too!^him.~]  By  the  permiffion  of  the 
 Philijiincs,  who  had  fo  much  humanity  (as  all  Nations 
 anciently  had)  as  not  to  prohibit  Enemies  from  burying 
 their  dead.     But  the  Ifraelites  were  now  in  fubjedtion 
 
 to 
 
^58  A  COMME  N  t  A  K  1 
 
 Chapter  *°  t<ne  Ph?tiftwe*<i  and  did  not  join  with  Sam/on  in  any 
 XVI.     of  his  enterpr'fes :  which  he  performed  folely  by  him- 
 
 \j\f~\j  felf.     And  befide,    the  Philijiines  were  much  humbled 
 and  mollified,  no  doubt,  by  this  late  difafter. 
 
 And  brought  him  up.]  With  fome  pomp,  or  folem- 
 nity,  it  is  likely  }  he  being  a  very  great  Man,  and  fa- 
 mous for  his  wonderful  exploits. 
 
 And  burled  him  between  Zorah  and  EfhtaoL]  Thefe 
 were  two  Cities  in  the  Tribe  of  Dan  (XV  Jofh.  33.) 
 but  on  the  Frontiers  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  as  fome  ga- 
 ther from  XI  Nehem.  29. 
 
 In  the  burying  place  of  Islanoah  his  Father.]  To  be 
 buried  in  the  Sepulchres  of  their  Anceftors,  was  ac- 
 counted a  great  bleffing  by  all  Nations,  as  EzekjelSpan- 
 hemim  notes  upon  Callimachus  his  Hymn  to  Dlanay  ver. 
 131,  132.  And  we  have  Examples  of  it  in  Scripture, 
 XLVII  Gen.  29,  30.  II  Nehem.  3.  5.  as  the  contrary 
 was  accounted  a  Curfe,  1  Kings  XIII.  22. 
 
 And  he  judged  Ifrael  twenty  years."]  This  was  faid 
 before,  XV.  20.  and  here  mentioned  again  to  fhow 
 that  he  continued  to  judge  Ifrael  (that  is  to  vindicate 
 them  from  their  oppreffors,  for  we  read  of  no  other  aft 
 of  a  Judge)  till  he  died.  When  he  did  as  great  an  aft, 
 as  any  he  had  done,  all  the  time  of  his  judicature  (or 
 Tather  greater)  for  the  humbling  of  the  Philijiines  who 
 domineered  over  the  Ifraelites,  and  reftoring  them  to 
 their  Liberty.  Which  though  he  could  not  efteft,  yet 
 he  did  fo  much  towards  it,  by  the  many  mifchiefs  he 
 did  them  5  that  not  many  Years  after  his  Death',  they 
 had  the  courage  to  betake  themfelves  to  their  Arms,  and 
 fight  the  Philijiines :  whom  they  overthrew,  and  fub- 
 dued,  fo,  that  they  came  no  more  to  moleft  the  Ifraelites 
 all  the  days  of  Samuel :  under  whofe  Government,  as 
 I  obferved  before,  they  recovered  their  Liberty  from  the 
 iong  oppreffion  of  this  People,  1  Sam.  VII.  10.  13. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
upon   JUDGES.  569 
 
 XVII. 
 CHAP.     XVII.  L/-V-NJ 
 
 HERE  begins  the  Second  Part  of  this  Eook  5  w 
 gives  an  account  of  feveral  memorable  Tranficti-- 
 ons,  in  or  about  the  time  of  the  fudges.  Whofe  Hiftory 
 the  Author  would  not  interrupt  by  intermixing  tl 
 matters  with  it:  but  referved  them  to  be  related  apart 
 by  themfelves,  in  the  five  following  Chapters.  Wherein 
 he  firji  gives  an  account  how  Idolatry  crept  into  the 
 Tribe  of  Efhraim  :  which  he  doth  in  this  Chapter.  And 
 then  fecondly  how  it  was  propagated  ameng  the 
 Daniies,  in  an  expedition  they  made,  wherein  they 
 facked  Lai/I),  Chap.  XVIII.  And  then  thirdly  he  relates 
 a  mod:  foul  Adultery  committed  in  the  Tribe  of  Den- 
 jamin^  Chap.  XIX.  After  which  follows  the  deftru&ion 
 of  that  Tribe,  for  countenancing  that  fad,  Chap.  XX. 
 and  lafily  the  Reftauration  of  it,  Chap.  XXI. 
 
 Verfe  1.      \ND  there  was  a  Man  of  Mount  Ephrair,/^  Verfe  1. 
 
 ±\  whofe  name  was  Micah7\  When  this  Man 
 lived,  and  did  what  follows,  we  may  with  fome  cer- 
 tainty gather,  from  v.  6.  which  tells  us,,  there  was  no 
 King  in  lfrael  at  this  time  :  that  is,  no  fupreme  Go- 
 vernour,  with  a  power  to  keep  the  People  to  their 
 duty.  Which  Anarchy  hapned  (as  Primate  Vffjcr  and 
 other  great  Men  obferve)  between  the  Death  of  thofe 
 Elders  who  furvived  Joflma,  and  the  firft:  opprelTion  of 
 lfrael  by  Cufian.  In  which  fpuce  of  time,  it  is  mani- 
 feft,  the  Ifraclhes  firft  fell  from  the  worfhip  of  God, 
 and  polluted  themfelves  with  Idolatry,  II.  13.  III.-. 
 where  we  read  the  Children  of  lfrael  forfool^  the  LORD, 
 and  did  evil  in  his  fight ,  i.  e.  committed  Idolatry.  The 
 beginning  of  which  defeftion  from  God,  is  defcribed 
 briefly  in  this  Chapter.  D  d  d  d  Ver.  2. 
 
57o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  2.  And  he  faid  unto  his  Mother.*]     Who  feems 
 XVII.    to  have  been  a  rich  Widow,    that  lived  with  her  Son 
 U^TNJ  Micah. 
 
 Verfe  2.  The  eleven  hundred  Shekels  of  Silver!]  There  is  no 
 mention  of  Shekels  in  the  Hebrew  :  but  our  Interpreters 
 followed  the  rule  I  mentioned,that  where  pieces  of  Silver , 
 or  Silverl'wgs  are  fpoken  of  the  meaning  is  Shekels. 
 
 That  were  taken  frox;  thee!]  Of  which  (he  was  robbed. 
 Or,  as  the  Vulgar  underftands  it,  which  (he  had  fepar- 
 ated,  or  fet  apart:  that  is,  devoted  and  confecrated  to 
 an  Holy  ufe  5  but  feme  body  had  ftoln  and  perverted 
 to  their  own  ufe. 
 
 About  which  thou  curfedfi.]  Adjured  all  her  Family, 
 to  difcover  the  Money  :  with  fome  fort  of  Curfe  upon 
 them,  if  they  knew  where  it  was,  and  concealed  it. 
 See  Dr.  Hammond  upon  XXVI  St.  Matth.  Annot.  1. 
 
 And  fpakeji  of  alfo  in  my  ears.*]  He  was  prefent, 
 when  (he  made  this  folemn  adjuration. 
 
 Behold  the  Silver  is  with  me,  I  tooh^  it.]  He  confeffed 
 the  truth,  for  fear  the  Curfe  (hould  light  upon  him. 
 
 And  his  Mother /aid,  bleffed  be  thou  of  the  LORD,  my 
 Son."]  She  prayed  the  Curfe  might  be  turned  into  a 
 blefling  upon  him  5  for  his  ingenuous  confeflion. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  when  he  had  rejiored  the  eleven  hundred 
 Shekels  of  Silver  to  his  Mother,  his  Mother  faid,  I  had 
 wholly  dedicated  the  Silver  unto  the  LORD."]  This  fome 
 think  is  the  meaning  of  her  curfing  before  mentioned. 
 She  confirmed  with  an  Oath  the  Confecration  of  the 
 Money  to  God  5  after  the  manner  of  thofe,  who  vow- 
 ed any  thing  unto  him,  XXVII  Levit.  28. 
 
 From  my  hand.*]  Refolving  not  to  keep  it  for  my 
 own  ufe.     Or,  thou  (halt  have  it,  as  a  gift  from  me. 
 
 For  my  Son  to  make  a  graven  Image^  and  a  molten 
 Image!]  For  the  convenience  of  Micah  and  his  Family  : 
 that  he  might  make  fome  refemblance  of  God,  whereby 
 
 to 
 
upon   JUDGES.  571 
 
 to  worfhip  him  athome  ;  without  the  trouble,  of  going,   Chapter 
 upon  all  occafions,  to  the  Tabernacle  at  Shiloh.     Y  r  it     XVI 1. 
 appears  by  the  name  Jehovah,    to  whom  fhe  confecrared  ^/^T\J 
 the  Silver,  that  (lie  did  not  intend  to  forfake  the  LOPvD 
 God  of  Ifrdcl$  but  only  to  worfhip  him  by  an  Ima^    : 
 unto   which    the    Jfracl/tcs  had    very  early    inclined 
 (XXXII  £xW.)  and  afterward  generally  relapfed  into 
 it,  in  the  days  of  Jeroboam. 
 
 Some  are  of  opinion  that  her  meaning  was,  her  Son 
 might  make  either  a  Graven,  or  a  Molten  Image  5  which 
 he  pleafed  :  but  it  is  manifeft  he  made  both,  from  XVIII. 
 18.  where  they  are  evidently  mentioned  as  diftinch 
 But  that  thefe  were  a  reprefentation  of  tbetwoChcrubims, 
 which  covered  the  Ark  I  dare  not  affirm  :  for  they  being 
 of  different  kinds,  one  a  Graven,  the  other  a  Molten 
 Image  feems  to  import  the  contrary  :  for  the  Cherubims 
 were  both  alike.  But  fee  our  moft  learned  Dr.  Spencer, 
 L.  III.  Cap.  III.  Differt.  VII.  Seft.  IV. 
 
 AW  therefore  I  willreflore  it  unto  thee. ~]  She  refolved 
 to  return  it  into  his  hands,  for  the  ufe  before  named. 
 
 Ver.  4.  Tet  he  rcjlored  the  Money  to  his  Motfxr.  ^  Verfe  4. 
 Thefe  words  feem  to  fignifie,  that  at  the  firft  he  only 
 brought  the  Money  to  her,  offering  to  reftore  it :  but 
 (he  bid  him  keep  it.  Which  he  refufed  to  do  5  but 
 would  have  her  take  it  again  into  her  hands :  which 
 (he  did. 
 
 And  his  Mother  took,  two  hundred  Shekels  of  Silver.'] 
 Some  think  (he  referved  the  reft  for  her  own  private  ufe, 
 contrary  to  her  Vow.  But,  it  is  more  probable,  that 
 fhe  gave  them  to  her  Son,  to  make  the  Ephod  and  Tera- 
 ph/m,  and  other  things  belonging  to  that  Divine  Service, 
 which  they  intended  to  fet  up  in  their  Houfe. 
 
 And  gave  them  to  the  founder,  who  made  thereof  a 
 graven  image,  and  a  molten  image!]  It  is  not  Certain 
 whether  this  Silver  was  melted,  and  then  the  Images 
 
 Dddd  2  mad? 
 
572  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  made  of  it :  or  that  for  this  Sum  of  Money,  the  Foun- 
 
 XVII.     der  fold  thefe  Images  to  him  5   made  perhaps  of  Brafs, 
 
 L/"V"NJ  filtered    over.     And    this   is   mo  ft  probable,    becaufe 
 
 they  would  have  been  very  fmall,  if  they  had  been  made 
 
 only  of  two  Hundred  Shekels  ot  Silver. 
 
 And  they  were  in  the  houfe  of  Alt c ah. ~]  Placed  in  fome 
 Room  of  his  Houfe  $  where  he  intended  to  worfhip  :  as 
 it  follows  in  the  next  Verfe. 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  And  the  Man  Micah7\  This  feems  to  import, 
 that  hereupon  he  look'd  upon  himfelf,  and  was  account- 
 ed a  very  confiderable  Perfon. 
 
 Had  an  Houfe  of  Gods.~]  The  Hebrew  words  Beth 
 Elohwi^  may  well  be  trandated  an  Houfe  of  God  5  as 
 Peter  Martyr  here  underftands  it.  And  fo  the  Phrafe  is 
 ufed  in  other  places,  XXVIII  Gen.  22.  and  in  the  next 
 Chapter  of  this  Book,  v.  31.  For  his  intention  was  to 
 make  an  imitation  of  the  Houfe  of  God  at  Shiloh,  at  his 
 own  home.  Which  may  alfo  be  truly  called  an  Houfe  of 
 Gods  (as  we  Tranflate  it)  becaufe,  whatfoever  his  in- 
 tention was  \  to  worlhip  God  by  Images  was  accounted 
 by  him,  the  worfhipping  of  other  gods. 
 
 And  made  an  Ephod.~]  That  the  Divine  Service  in 
 his  Houfe  might  be  perform'd  with  a  greater  refemblance 
 of  what  was  done  at  the  Tabernacle  in  Shiloh,  he  made 
 Prieftly  Garments,  as  Peter  Martyr  underftands  it.  Who 
 takes  the  Ephod  to  comprehend  not  only  the  Breft-plate 
 adjoining  to  it,  but  the  reft  of  the  veftments  ufed  by 
 the  High  Prieft:  for  he  intended,  it  appears  by  the 
 next  words,  to  fet  up  an  Oracle  in  his  own  Houfe. 
 But  whatfoever  refemblance  this  Ephod  had  in  its  (tape 
 and  form  to  the  Ephod  of  the  High  Prieft,  it  had  none 
 of  that  rich  work  in  it,  which  the  High  Priefts  Ephod 
 had,  nor  no  Girdle,  or  Breft-plate  belonging  to  it: 
 being  no  more  fuch  a  Garment  as  that  Golden  Ephod^ 
 than  his  Levite  was  a  Prieft  3  or  his  Teraphim^  an  Urim 
 and  Thummim.  And 
 
upon  JUDGES.  573 
 
 And  Tcraptim.']  Of  this  word  I  have  faid  enough,  Chapter 
 upon  the  XXXI  Gen.  19.  where  I  have  fhown  they  XVII. 
 were  Images,  whereby  the  Eaftern  People  conlulted  u^T\J 
 God,  and  hoped  to  receive  anfwers  from  him.  And 
 therefore  I  take  MkhaS  meaning  to  have  been,  to  fet  up 
 an  Holy  Oracle  in  his  I  loufe  :  where  the  Prieft  wearing 
 an  Ephod  and  other  (acred  habiliments,  (liould  confult 
 God  by  thefe  Tcraphim.  But,  as  Mr.  Selden  well  obferves 
 (in  his  Syntagma^  1.  de  Di/s  iSyr/j,  Cap.  2.)  the  worfhip 
 of  the  true  God,  and  of  Idols  were  here  blended  to- 
 gether by  him.  For  the  Ephod  and  the  Lcvite  (whom 
 he  afterward  provided)  were  intended,  no  doubt,  for 
 the  fervice  of  the  true  God  :  but  the  Graven  and  Molten 
 Image,  and  the  Teraphim,  belonged  unto  Darmons  (as 
 he  ipeaks)  by  which  the  Children  of  Da/?,  in  the  next 
 Chapter,  defire  the  Levite  to  enquire  of  God  for  them. 
 For  they  neither  trufted  to  the  Ephod  alone,  which  re- 
 lated to  God  3  nor  to  their  Teraphim  alone,  which  were 
 an  invention  of  their  own:  but  thought  it  neceflary  to 
 join  both  together  in  Divine  worfhip.  And  thus 
 began  Idolatry  in  Ifrael,  by  the  fuperftition  of  an  old 
 Woman  5  who  put  this  into  her  Sons  head.  Many  of 
 the  Jews  fancy  (he  was  Delilah:  who  having  got  fo 
 much  Money  of  every  one  of  the  Lords  of  the  Philiftines, 
 thought  it  was  fit  to  imploy  fome  of  it,  to  exprefs  her 
 Devotion.  But  this  is  an  idle  conc^t,  which  hath  no 
 ground  but  only  her  being  named  in  the  foregoing 
 Chapter:  which  relates  an  Hiftory  of  things  long  after 
 M/chaS  time. 
 
 And  confecrated  one  of  his  Sorts,  who  became  his  Pricjl.~\ 
 In  the  Hebrew  it  is,  filled  the  hand  of  one  of  his  Sons : 
 that  is,  as  many  think,  the  Eldeft  Son  of  his  Family  5 
 into  whofe  hands  he  put  Sacrifices  to  be  offered  unto 
 God.  For  that  was  the  rite  of  initiating  Priefts,  as  we 
 find  XXIX  Exod.  24.  VIII  Levit.  27. 
 
 Ver.  6. 
 
$74.  A   C  0  MM:ENTj*  RT 
 
 Chapter  Ver.  6.  ///  thofe  days  there  was  no  King  in  Ifrael.^ 
 XVII.  Thai  is,  this  was  before  the  time  of  the  Judges,  when 
 L/~sT\J  thefe  things  fell  out :  In  whom  there  was  a  Soveraign 
 Verfe  6,  power  to  correct  abufes :,  and  efpecially  to  fupprefs 
 Idolatry  :  which  power  being  now  wanting,  it  was  the 
 reafon,  Micah  took  upon  him,  to  make  himfelf  a  pri- 
 vate Temple  in  his  own  Houfe.  Becaufe  the  ways  (as 
 Grotius  cpnje&ures)  were  dangerous  when  there  was  no 
 fupreme  Governour,  being  intefted  with  Thieves  :  or 
 not  kept  in  good  repair,  which  made  travelling  uneafie. 
 This  laft  is  more  probable  than  that  Robbers  infefted  the 
 Country.  For  it  was  now  a  time  of  Peace,  when  the 
 Levite  travelled  from  one  part  of  the  Land  to  the  other, 
 fecurely  enough.  And  the  Danites  fent  Spies  a  long 
 way  to  fearchout  the  Country  of  Laijl)  without  danger  : 
 and  afterwards  marched  with  a  great  body  to  feek  a  new 
 fettlement  5  which  one  would  think  fhould  rather  have 
 been  imployed  in  clearing  their  Country  where  they 
 were,  from  fuch  Peftilent  Cut- throats,  as  fome  fuppofe 
 to  have  infefted  it. 
 
 As  for  the  name  of  King,  it  was  given  to  the  Judges  : 
 juft  as  it  was  to  Mofes,  who  was  their  fupreme  Gover- 
 nor: but  was  not  properly  a  King,  as  Hem/annus  Con- 
 ringius  obferves,  in  his  Book  de  Rep.  Hebr.  Se&.  XLIX. 
 &c. 
 
 But  every  Man  did  that  which  was  right  in  his  own 
 Eyes.~]  And  there  can  be  no  worfe  ftate  of  things  (as 
 Pet.  Martyr  here  obferves)  than  for  every  one  to  be  left 
 unto  his  own  w\Jl  and  pleafure.  As  they  were  now, 
 when  they  left  the  LOR.D  their  God.  For  being  with- 
 out the  true  God^  they  were  alfo  without  a  teaching  Prieji, 
 and  without  Law,  as  the  Prophet  Azariah  his  words  are, 
 2  Chron.  XV.  3.  where  he  feems,  in  that  and  the  fol- 
 lowing Verfes,  todefcribe  the  lamentable  ftate  of  things 
 in  thefe  times,  after  the  Death  of  JoJIma  and  the  Elders 
 that  out  lived  him,  to  the  Days  of  Samuel.  Ver.  7. 
 
upon   JUDGES.  575 
 
 Ver.   7.  And  there  was  a  young  Man  came  out  of  Beth-   Chapter 
 lehem   Judah.]     There    was  another  Bethlehem  in  the      XVII. 
 Tribe  of  Zebulon,    XlXjoffj.  15.  and  therefore  this  is  L/"W> 
 called  Bcthlchcm-Judah,  to  diftinguifh  it  from  that.         Verfe  7. 
 
 Of  the  Family  of  Judah,  who  reus  a  Lcvite.]  By  his 
 Mothers  fide  he  was  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah.  Which  is 
 the  mod  eafie  explication,  notwithstanding  what  K'im- 
 cbi  faith  to  (how  that  Genealogies  are  not  derived  from 
 the  Mother.  For  here  is  no  account  of  his  Genealogy, 
 which  is  mentioned  afterward,  XVIII.  5c.  from  his 
 Father  :  but  it  is  noted  that  his  Mother  was  of  the  Tribe 
 of  Judah,  to  (how  how  he  came  to  live  at  Bethlehem, 
 which  was  no  Levitical  City. 
 
 And  he  fojourned  there."]  Lived  there  as  a  ftranger 
 (for  fo  the  word  gour  fignifies  in  the  next  Verfe)  not 
 as  a  Citizen,  and  Inhabitant  of  the  place. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  the  Man  departed  out  of  the  City  from  Verfe  3 
 Bethlehem  Judah,  to  fojourn  where  he  could  find  a  place."] 
 By  this  it  appears  he  was  a  kind  of  Vagabond,  who 
 rambled  about  from  place  to  place  to  find  a  fubfiftance. 
 For  though  there  was  fufficient  provifion  made  for  the 
 Levites,  by  the  Tythes  of  the  Land  5  yet  we  may  well 
 think  they  were  not  duly  paid,  in  a  time  of  fuch  coi> 
 fufion,  that  every  Man  did  what  he  lift :  there  being  no 
 Judge  to  fee  them  do  their  duty. 
 
 And  he  came  to  mount  Ephraim  to  the  houfe  of  Micah, 
 as  he  fojoumed.]  As  he  travelled  about  the  Country, 
 he  came  hither  5  to  beg  an  Alms  perhaps,  or  at  beft,  to 
 feek  for  fome  employment. 
 
 Ver.  9.   And    Ml c ah  f aid   unto   him,    U  hence   comejl  Verfe  0. 
 thonf]     He  examined  him,    as  the  manner  was,    unto 
 what  Country  he  belonged,  and  what  was  his  bufinefs  ? 
 
 And  he  faid  unto  him,  I  am  a  Lcvite  of  Bethkhem- 
 Judah,  and  J  go  to  fojourn  where  I  may  find  a  place.] 
 He  was  looking  out  for  a  maintenance  fome  where 
 
 or 
 
^6  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  or  other,  to  fupport  him  in  his  neceffitous  condition. 
 XVII.        Ver.   10.   And  Michafaid  unto  him,  Dwell  with  me.'] 
 \y\r\j  He  defires  him  to  feek  no  further,  but  ftay  there,  and 
 Verfe  10.  fettle  with  him  in  his  Houfe. 
 
 And  be  unto  me  a  Father  and  a  Priejl.]  The  Prophets, 
 and  other  great  Men  were  called  anciently  by  the  name 
 of  Father ,  as  Elifia  calls  Elijah,  2  Kings  II.  12.  and 
 the  King  of  Ifrael  calls  Ehfha,  2  Kings  VI.  21.  and  the 
 King  of  Syria  is  reprefented  as  fpeaking  to  him  in  the 
 fame  Language,  2  Kings  VIII.  9.  and  King  Joajb,  XIII. 
 14.  Therefore  Micahs  meaning  is,  he  would  make  him 
 the  dire&or  and  governor  of  his  Family,  and  reverence 
 him  accordingly  5  if  he  would  undertake  to  perform  all 
 facred  Offices  among  them. 
 
 And  I  will  give  thee  ten  Shekels  of  Silver  by  the  year."] 
 Next  to  honour,  he  promifes  him  Money,  and  all  things 
 needful  for  his  fupport. 
 
 And  afuit  of  apparel]  Or,  as  it  is  in  the  Margin, 
 a  double  fait.  For  fo  the  LXX.  and  the  Vulgar  £iuy(& 
 i/uuiTiGDv,  a  couple  of  garments.  And  there  being  fome- 
 thing  of  order  fignified  in  the  word  Herech,  which  we 
 Translate  Suit,  many  underftand  hereby,  a  Winter  and 
 a  Summer  Suit  of  Cloaths.  And  De  Dieu  hath  juftified 
 this  Interpretation  of  a  double  Garment  out  of  the  Ethi- 
 opick  Language,  where  this  word  fignifies  a  Companion  : 
 when  as  it  may  be  probably  concluded,  that  here  is  in- 
 tended not  one  Suit  only,  but  two  at  leaft.  With 
 whom  agrees  Hotiinger  in  his  Smegma  Orientiale,  Cap. 
 V.  P.  88.  Where  he  obferves  that  all  in  a  manner  are 
 of  Opinion,  that  more  Suits  of  Apparel  than  one,  are 
 fignified  b\  chis  word  :  but  whence  to  fetch  that  figni- 
 cation  is  not  to  be  found,  but  in  the  Ethiopick.  Lan- 
 guage :  where  it  fignifies  a  Companion,  a  Friend,  ano- 
 ther felf,  as  his  words  are. 
 
 And  thy  victuals.]     His  conftant  diet,  at  his  Table. 
 
 /  And 
 
upon  JUDGES.  577 
 
 And  the  Levite  went  in.~]     Accepted  of  his  offer,    fo  Chapter 
 far  as  to  go  into  his  Houfe,  and  fee  how  he  liked  every    XVII. 
 thing.  L^V%J 
 
 Ver.    I T.   And  the  Levite  was  content  to  dwell  with  the  yerre 
 Man.~]     After   fome  time  he  refolved  to  fettle  in  his 
 Houfe. 
 
 And  the  young  Man  was  unto  him  as  one  of  his  Sons. ~\ 
 He  treated  him  with  fuch  affe&ion,  that  he  was  the  mv.re 
 willing  to  ftay  there. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  Micah  confecrated  the  Levite,  and  the  y^rfe  i  "> 
 young  Man  became  his  Prieji.']  A  wonderful  preemp- 
 tion, in  them  both :  Micah  having  no  Authority  to 
 Confecrate,  nor  the  Levite  (who  was  not  of  Aarons 
 Family)  being  capable  of  the  Prieftly  Office.  But  fuch 
 was  the  confudon  of  thofe  times,  for  want  of  a  Judge, 
 that  Micah's  Superftition  had  no  check  upon  it  ^  and 
 the  Lcvites  Poverty  and  Ambition  tempted  him  to  ac- 
 cept of  the  preferment  proffered  to  him.  His  Youth 
 alfo  made  him  the  more  ignorant. 
 
 And  was  in  the  Houfe  of  Mi  cahT]  Continued  with 
 him  to  Execute  the  Prieft's  Office. 
 
 Ver.    13.  Then  faid    Micah,    Now    I  know    that   they^fe  j- 
 LORD  will  do  me  good,  becaufe  I  have  a  Levite  for  my 
 Prieji.~]     Who  he  thought  had  more  right  to  the  Office, 
 and  would  be  more  acceptable  to  God  than  his  own 
 Son,  whom  he  had  Confecrated  before,  v.  5. 
 
 By  this  it  is  evident,  that  he  did  not  intend  to  for- 
 fake  the  LORD:  but  his  mind  was  fo  blinded,  that  he 
 took  one  fmall  benefit,  for  a  fufficient  fign  of  his  favour  ^ 
 when  he  was  guilty  of  fo  many  heinous  offences  againft 
 the  Divine  Majefty.  Firft  in  making  Idols,  and  then 
 in  making  one  of  his  Sons  a  Prieft$  and  after  that,  in 
 drawing  a  poor  young  Man  into  the  fame  Crime  with 
 him  :  and  in  taking  upon  him  to  Confecrate  a  bafe  Le- 
 vite to  be  a  Prieft :  of  which  Office  he  was  not  capable, 
 
 Ee«e  if 
 
57&  A   COMMENT  ART 
 
 if  he  had  had  power  to  Confecrate  one, which  he  had  not. 
 But  both  of  them  were  intruders  into  that  which  be- 
 longed not  to  them  :  and  thereby  drew  upon  them- 
 felves  a  Curfe,  rather  than  a  Bleffing. 
 
 xvm.r  CHAP.    XVIII. 
 
 Verfe  I .    Verfe  I .    TN  thoje  dap  there  was  no  King  in  Ifrael.'] 
 J_  Thefe  words  feem  to  be  repeated,  to  fug- 
 ged the  Reafon  of  fuch  enormous  prattices,  as  are  be- 
 fore mentioned,  and  here  follow  in  this  Chapter. 
 
 And  in  thofe  days."]  When  there  was  no  Judge  in 
 Ifrael.  That  is,  faith  the  Author  of  Tzemach  David, 
 in  the  interval  between  the  Government  of  Jair  and 
 Jephthah.  Which  is  an  idle  Opinion  3  and  yet  he  faith 
 he  (hould  be  of  it,  did  he  not  reverence  his  Matters 
 who  are  of  another  mind:  which  is  the  truer.  That 
 thefe  days  were  before  there  was  a  Judge  in  Ifrael:  be- 
 tween the  Death  of  Joflma  and  the  Elders  that  furvived 
 him,  and  the  time  of  Othniel :  who  was  the  firft  Judge 
 that  God  raifed  up  unto  them.  So  Jofephus,  Lib.  V. 
 Antiq.  Cap.  2* 
 
 The  tribe  of  the  Damtes7\  Or  rather,  a  tribe,  &c. 
 For  fo  the  word  Schebet  is  fometimes  ufed  for  a  Family 
 in  a  Tribe}  as  in  the  XX  Chapter  of  this  Book,  v.  12." 
 it  is  faid,  the  Tribes  of  Ifrael  fent  Meflengers  to  all  the 
 tribes  of  Benjamin ^  i.e.  to  all  the  Families  of  the  Tribe 
 of  Benjamin:  and  in  XIX Ifa.  13.  de  Dim  obferves  the 
 fame.  Who  alfo  truly  notes  that  when  the  whole  Tribe 
 is  fpoken  of,  it  is  not  faid  Schebet  hadani,  as  it  is  here, 
 but  Schebet  Dan.  Therefore  hadani  here  and  in  other 
 places  fignifies  a  Family  derived  from  that  Tribe. 
 
 Sought  them  an  inheritance  to  dwell  in7\     Some  of  that 
 TCjri.be  which  was  very  much  ftraitned  by  the  old  Inhabi- 
 tants 
 
upon    JUDGE  S.  579 
 
 tants  of  the  Land  (who  pent  them  up  in  a  narrow  com-  Chapter 
 pais  which  was  not  fufficient  for  them)  enquired  where  XVIII. 
 they  might  find  a  commodious  iettlement  i  n  foi  ,/"VXj 
 
 place. 
 
 For  unto  that  day  all  their  inheritance  had  not  fain  un- 
 to them ,  among  the  tribes  of  IfraelJ]  They  had  an  In- 
 heritance alloted  them,  as  well  as  the  reft  of  the  Tribes, 
 XIX  Jofi.  40,  &c.  But  by  their  floth,  and  fot  want 
 of  that  brotherly  affiftance  which  other  Tribes  (hould 
 have  afforded  them,  they  could  not  get  pofTefiion  of  a 
 confiderable  part  of  it.  But  were  forced  by  the  Amorites 
 to  content  themfelves  with  the  Mountainous  part  of  their 
 Country  5  leaving  them  none  of  the  Champion  5  (as 
 Jofephi/s  obferves)  nor  all  the  Mountains  neither.  See 
 I  Chapter  of  this  Book,  v.  34,  35.  Wanting  room 
 therefore  for  all  their  People  and  Cattle,  and  being  un- 
 able to  deal  with  the  Amorites,  they  fent  fome,  as  it  here 
 follows,  to  feek  for  a  dwelling  fome  where  elfe. 
 
 Ver.   2.   And  the  Children  of  Dan  fent  of  their  family,  Verfe  2. 
 five  Men  from  their  coafis.']     It  is  no  improbable  con- 
 jecture of  Aim  Montanus,  that  there  were  five  Families 
 of  the  Danites:    out  of  each  of  which  one  Man  was 
 chofen,  to  make  the  following  difcovery. 
 
 Men  of  valour.']  Who  could  not  be  daunted,  if 
 they  were  taken  for  Spies.  Some  think  alfo  Men  of 
 Quality  :  fuch  as  thofe  whom  Mofes  fent  to  fpy  out  the 
 Land  of  Canaan, 
 
 From  gorah  and  from  Fffjtaol.~]  Which  places  are  the 
 firfl:  named,  in  the  account  of  the  Lot  of  their  Inheri- 
 tance, XIX  J  op).  41. 
 
 To  f fie  out  the  Lwd.']  They  were  fent  £$  /Jutwytip 
 (as  Jofephtts  fpeaks)  into  the  Midland  Country  (for  the 
 Danites  were  feated  near  the  PbUifii&tj  towards  the  Sea 
 Coaft)  to  fee  if  they  could  find  out  a  convenient  place 
 for  them. 
 
 E  e  e  e  2  And 
 
*8 
 
 A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       And  tofearch  it!]     To  inquire  into  the  condition  of  ■ 
 XVIII.   it,  and  of  the  Inhabitants. 
 
 lSy/~\J  And  they  faid  unto  them,  Go,  fearch  the  Land!]  They 
 had  a  Commiffion  from  their  Elders,  to  go  whither 
 they  dire&ed  them,  in  the  plain  Country  wherein  Laifi 
 ftood,  v.  14. 
 
 And  when  they  came  to  mount  Ephraim."]  Thefe  two 
 Tribes  joined,  as  I  obferved  upon,  I.  35. 
 
 To  the  honfe  of  Micah.']  To  the  place  where  his  Houfe 
 ftood. 
 
 They  logded  there."]  Not  in  Micah3$  Houfe,  but  in  fome 
 place  of  Mount  Ephraim,  not  far  from  it :  as  we  may 
 guefs  by  the  next  Verfe. 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  3*  And  when  they,  were  by  the  Honfe  of  Micah.*] 
 Near  to  which,  it  is  probable,  there  was  a  publidelnn, 
 for  the  entertainment  of  fuch  as  came  from  the  neigh- 
 bouring parts,  to  worlhip,  or  to  ask  Counfel  of  the' 
 Oracle  at  Micah's  Houfe. 
 
 They  l{new  the  voice  of  the  young  Man,  the  LevzteJ] 
 Having  been  acquainted  with  him  heretofore,  when,  it 
 is  probable,  he  was  in  their  Country  :  for  he  had  led  a 
 wandring  Life. 
 
 And  they  turned  in  thither!]  Went  into  Micah's  Houfe, 
 at  his  invitation  $  or  to  falute  him,  and  enquire  of  his 
 welfare. 
 
 And faid  unto  him,  Who  brought  thee  hither?']  Far 
 from  that  City  of  the  Levites,  I  fuppofe,  to  which  he 
 belonged. 
 
 And  what  makefi  thou  here  .<?]     What  bufinefs  haft  thou 
 in  this  place  ? 
 Verfe  4.        And  what  haji  thou  here  'f\     How  doft  thou  live,  and 
 maintain  thy  felf  >  for  they  knew  he  had  been  poor. 
 
 Ver.  4.   And  he  faid  unto  them,  thus  and  thus  dealeth 
 Micah  with  me,  and  hath  hired  me,  and  I  am  his  PrieJ}!] 
 He  told  them  the  agreement  between  Micah  and  him  y 
 mentioned  in  the  foregoing  Chapter.  Ver.  5. 
 
upon  JUDGES.  5Sr 
 
 Ver.  5.  And  they  fiid  unto  him,  Asl^counfcl,  we  pray  Chapter 
 thee,  of  God ,  that  we   may  know   whether  our  way  we  go    XVIII. 
 fj)ull  be  profperotts?]     They  were  as  ignorant  it  feems,  as  L^V^VJ 
 he,  and  thought  God  would  give  an  anfwer  there,  as 
 well  as  at  his  own  Houfe. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  the  Priefi  faid  nnU  them,    Go  in  peace.~]  Verfe  6. 
 Whether  he  had  any  anfwer  from  the  Teraphim,  or  fained 
 it  out  of  his  own  head,  is  not  certain  :  but  he  encou- 
 raged them  to  proceed  in  their  defign. 
 
 Before  the  LORD  is  your  way,  wherein  ye  go.']  He 
 pretended  to  have  this  anfwer  from  the  LORD  5  who 
 he  affures  them  would  direft,  guide,  and  prote&  them 
 in  their  proceedings.  For  that's  the  meaning  of  their 
 way  before  the  LORD:  under  his  Eye,  that  is,  his  care 
 and  Providence,  who  would  difpofe  all  things  for  their 
 good  fuccefs.  Now  if  the  Le vite  did  not  devife  this 
 anfwer,  which  he  thought  would  pleafe  them  $  but 
 heard  a  real  voice  from  the  Teraphim  which  promifed 
 them  profperity  5  then  it  was  permitted  by  God,  to 
 ferve  the  ends  of  his  Providence,  juft  as  Nebuchadnezzar 
 was  encouraged  by  his  diviners,  to  undertake  the  Siege 
 of  Jerufalcm,  XXlEzek-  21,  22. 
 
 Ver.  7.  Then  the  five  Men  departed^  and  came  to  Verfe  7 
 Laiff).~\  Called  Lefbem  in  XIX  Jjtfb'.  47.  where  this 
 ftory  is  briefly  told,  by  way  of  anticipation.  See  ray 
 notes  there.  It  was  a  City  which  lay  at  the  foot  of  Li- 
 banus,  near  the  Fountain  of  Jordan,  as  Jofcph/zs  faith 
 in  the  place  above  named. 
 
 And  faw  the  People  that  were  therein,  how  they  dwelt 
 carelefs,  after  manner  of  the  Zidonians.~]  Had  no  fear 
 of  any  Enemy,  no  more  than  the  Zidonians  ^  who  were 
 a  powerful  People,  in  a  ftrongCity:  whofe  cuftoms, 
 I  fuppofe,  they  imitated. 
 
 guict  and  fecnreT]  Becaufe  they  knew  no  body,  of 
 whom  they  had  any  fear. 
 
 And 
 
582  A   C  0  MMENT  ARY 
 
 Chapter       And  there  was  no  Magiflrate  in  the  Land,    that  put 
 
 XVIII.    them  to  flame  in  any  thing7\     To  punifti  them  for  any 
 
 L/"V*W  thing  they  did  :  which  made  them  live  as  they  pleafed. 
 
 There  are  very  various  Interpretations  of  thefe  words: 
 
 of  which  de  Dieu  hath  given  the  beft  account* 
 
 And  they  were  far  from  the  Zidonians.']  Who  might 
 have  otherwife  come  to  their  affiftance,  upon  any  fud- 
 den  Inyafion  5  they  following  the  manners  and  cuftoms 
 of  that  People :  but  they  were  a  days  journey  from 
 them,  as  Jofephus  there!  faith. 
 
 ~  And  had  no  bufinefs  with  any  Man7\  No  traffick  or 
 commerce  with  any  of  their  Neighbours  5  nor  they 
 with  them.  This  difpofition  laid  them  open  to  be  a 
 prey,  to  any  refolute  invader. 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  they  came  unto  their  brethren  in  Zorah 
 and  Efitaol.~]     From  whence  they  werefent,  v.  2. 
 
 And  their  brethren  [aid  unto  them,  What  fay  ye?~] 
 They  ask'd  them  what  account  they  brought  of  their 
 Journey. 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  And  they  [aid,  Arife,  that  we  may  go  up  againji 
 them7\  This  fhows  that  they  were  particularly  direct- 
 ed, to  make  a  difcovery  of  JLuffl. 
 
 For  we  have  feen  the  land,,  and  behold,  it  is  very  good.~} 
 ThJo  dytSlvu  %  -Tm/j^o^jv,  as  Jofephus  expreffes  it,  a  good- 
 ly Country,  and  very  fertil. 
 
 And  are  ye  fiill '  f]  Their  Brethren  did  net  feem  at 
 firft  to  believe  them  5  which  makes  them  ftir  them -by 
 this  Queftion,  and  the  following  Exhortation. 
 
 Be  not  fiothful  to  go^  and  to  enter  to  pojfefs  the  Land."] 
 They  fpeak  as  if  they  had  no  more  to  do,  but  to  march 
 thither,  and  take  poffeffion  o-  the  Country. 
 'Verfe  IC  Ver-  i°-  When ;  ;  gor  ye  flail come  unto  a  People  ficUf% 
 and  to  a  large  Land']  They  ufe  two  Arguments  to 
 excite  them  to  the  enterprife  :  that  it  was  eafie,  and 
 -would  be  very  advantageous. 
 
 And 
 
Hpon  JUDGES.  583 
 
 And  God  hath  given  it  into  your  hand.~]  They  add  Chapter 
 the  encouragement  the  Prieft  had  given  them,  v.  6.  XVIII. 
 which  was  the  greatelt  of  all.  L/^V^w 
 
 A  place  where  there  is  no  want  of  any  thing  that  is  in 
 the  t'arth.~]  This  magnifies  the  goodnefs  of  God  to 
 them,  in  difcovering  a  Country  to  them  abounding  with 
 all  manner  of  good  things,  which  they  very  much  want- 
 ed in  the  Mountains  wherein  they  were  pent  up.  See 
 v.  1. 
 
 Ver.   11.  And  there  went  from  thence  of  the  family  of  Verfe  It* 
 the  Danitcs,  out  of  Zorah  and  Efljtaol.~]      Either  Family 
 is  here  put  for  a  Tribe,  or  the  lingular  number  for  the 
 plural :  there  going  out  of  fome  of  the  Families  of  the 
 Danitcs,  the  following  number. 
 
 Six  hundred  Men,    appointed  with  weapons  of  H'ar.~]' 
 Carrying  their  Wives,    and  Children,    and   houfhold 
 fturT  with  them :  for  they  nothing  doubted  of  making  a 
 fettlement  there.     See  v.  21. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  they  went  up  and  pitched  in  Kirjath-  Verfe  12. 
 jearim  in  Judah."]  Not  in  the  City  it  felf,  but  in  the 
 Fields  belonging  to  it,  as  appears  from  the  lafl  words  of 
 this  Verfe.  See  concerning  this  place,  XV  JofJj.  9.  60, 
 which  lay  in  the  North  part  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah  5  and 
 fo  lay  in  the  rode  to  Laifi. 
 
 Wherefore  they  called  the  place  Mahaneh-Dan,  unto  this 
 day.']     See  XIII.  ult. 
 
 Behold,  it  is  behind  Kirjath-jearim.']  On  the  Weft  of 
 it,  toward  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  which  is  called  the 
 hinder moft  Sea,  XI  Dent.  24.  as  on  the  contrary,  the 
 Eaft  is  called  Kedem,  which  imports' as  much  as  before, 
 Here  the  Danitcs  encamped  the  firft  night,  after  they 
 came  from  Zorah  and  EfttaoL 
 
 Ver.   13.  And  they  pajfed  thence  unto  mount  EphraimA  Verfe  If. 
 The  fecond  days  march  was  to  this  place,    (till  me 
 Northward. 
 
 Am 
 
584 
 
 A   COMMENT  AKY 
 
 Chapter       ^n^  ^K)  cam  t0  f^e    Houfe  of  Mi c ah. 1     Unto   the 
 
 XVIII.   Town  or  Village  where  Micah  lived :  for  they  did  not 
 
 L/*V*V  yet  come 'to  his  Houfe,  but  afterward,  v.  15. 
 
 Verfe  14.       Ver.   14.  Then  anfwercd  the  five  Men  that  wenttofpie 
 
 out  the  Country  of  Laifi.~]     In  the  Hebrew  Language,  he 
 
 is  faid  oftimes  to  anfwer,  who  (peaks  firft  :  as  in  1  Kings 
 
 1.  28.  and  many  other  places. 
 
 And  faid  unto  their  Brethren.*]  Who  knew,  perhaps, 
 that  they  called  at  this  place  by  the  way  $  and  ask'd 
 them  who  dwelt  there. 
 
 Do  ye  know  that  there  is  in  thefe  Houfes."]  /.  e.  In  that 
 Town  or  Village,  viz.  in  Micah's  Houfe,  which  was 
 the  chief  in  the  Town.     See  v.  ix. 
 
 An  Ephod  and  Teraphim,  and  a  Graven  Image,  and  a 
 Molten  Image  f\  Which  the  Levite  had  (hown  them, 
 or  told  them  were  in  the  Houfe. 
 
 Now  therefore  confider  what  ye  have  to  do."]  Whether 
 it  might  not  be  expedient  to  carry  thofe  facred  things 
 along  with  them :  which  they  fancied  would  be  an 
 aflfurance  of  the  Divine  prefence  with  them.  For  from 
 thence  they  had  received  an  anfwer  of  Peace,  when 
 they  went  to  fpie  the  Country  whither  they  were  now 
 going,  v.  6. 
 Verfe  15.  Ver.  15.  And  they  turned  thitherward,  and  came  to 
 the  Houfe  of  the  young  Man  the  Levite,  even  unto  the 
 Houfe  of  Micah.']  To  that  part  of  the  Houfe,  where 
 the  Levite  had  his  apartment :  not  to  the  facred  place 
 where  the  forenamed  Idols  were. 
 
 Andfaluted  himT]  Or,  ask'd  him  of  his  health  and 
 welfare:  as  the  Hebrew  Phrafc  fignifies,  asked  him  of 
 Peace. 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  And  the  fix  hundred  Men  appointed  with  their 
 weapons  of  War,  which  were  of  the  Children  of  Dan,  flood 
 by  the  entring  of  the  gate.  3  Whether  the  five  Men 
 brought  the  Levite  out  to  them  5   or  he  hearing  there 
 
 was 
 
upon  JUDGES.  585 
 
 was  fuch  a  company  there,    came  out  to  view  them,   Chapter 
 after  the  falutation  was  over.  XVI 1 1. 
 
 Ver.    17.   And   the  five  Men  that  went  to  fpic   out  the  L/'WJ 
 land,  went  up,  and  came  in  thither.']     Having  brought  Verfe  17. 
 
 him  out,  they  returned  back  to  the  place  where   th 
 knew  the  Images,  dv.  were. 
 
 And  tool^  the  graven  Image,  and  the  hphod,  and  the 
 Teraphim,  and  the  molten  Image  5  and  the  Pricfi  flood  in 
 the  entring  of  the  gate  with  the  fix  hundred  men,  Sec"] 
 That  is,  while  the  Lcvite  was  difcourling  with  them, 
 and  wifhing  them,  perhaps,  good  fuccefs,  they  rob'd 
 the  Chappel,  and  took  away  all  the  furniture  of  it. 
 Some  think  Micah  alfo  was  with  him  at  the  Gate,  en- 
 tertaining them  with  Meat  and  Drink.  But  that  is  con- 
 futed by  what  follows. 
 
 Ver.  1 8.  And  thefe  went  into  Micahs  houfe,  and  fetched  the  Verfe  1  & 
 carved  Image,  the  Ephod,  and  the  Teraphim,  and  the  molten 
 Image.']  They  not  only  took  them,  as  is  faid  before,  but 
 brought  them  out  openly  before  the  LcvJtes  Eyes  5  who 
 faw  them  in  their  Hands,  and  thereupon  expoftulated 
 with  them. 
 
 Then  J aid  the  Prieji  unto  them,  What  do  ye .<?]  Will 
 you  be  guilty  of  fuch  a  Sacriledge?  Or,  will  you  thus 
 requite  me,  who  have  been  very  kind  to  you  ? 
 
 Ver.    19.  And  they  faid  unto  him,  Hold  thy  peace,    lay  Verfe 
 thine  hand  upon  thy  mouth.}     Keep  (ilence,  and  make  no 
 noife.     So  this  Phrafe  is  ufed  thrice  in  the  Book  of  Job 
 (XXI.  5.  XXIX.  o.  XXXIX.  37/)  and  in  the  Book  of 
 Proverbs,  XXX.  32.    and  the  Prophet  Micah,  VII.  16. 
 
 A.nd  go  with  #f ,  and  be  unto  m  a  Father  and  a  Prieji.'] 
 They  invite  him  to  ferve  them  in  the  fame  quality,  as 
 he  did  Micah:  promifing  him  the  fame  Authority,  Re- 
 verence, and  Atfeftion  that  he  had  from  him.  And 
 moreover  they  reprefent  to  him,  in  the  next  words,  how 
 much  more  advantageous  it  would  be  to  Minifter  unto 
 
 Ff.ff  To 
 
&6 
 
 A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  fo  great  a.  part  of  a  Tribe,    than  to  one  private  Per- 
 XVIII.   fon. 
 
 L/*V"\j  Is  it  better  for  thee  to  be  a  Priejl  unto  the  Houfe  of  one 
 Man,  or  that  thou  be  a  Priejl  unto  a  Tribe ,  and  a  Family 
 in  Ifrael  f]  They  were  not  a  Tribe,  but  only  a  part  of. 
 it :  yet  fo  confiderable  a  part  being  a  great  Family, 
 -they  are  called  a  Tribe  and  a  Family  ^  that  is,  a  whole 
 Family  ill  that  Tribe, 
 
 Verfe  ^o.       ^er#  TOt  And  the  Priejis  heart  was  glad-"]     To  think 
 
 '  he  (hould  fo  very  much  mend  his  condition.     For  the 
 
 fame  arguments,    which  prevailed  with  him  to  dwell 
 
 with  Micah  were  far  ftronger  now    (viz.  Covetouf- 
 
 nefs  and  Ambition)  to  move  him  to  go  along  with  them.  - 
 
 And  he  tool^  the  Ephod  and  the  Teraphim  and  the  graven 
 Imaged]  Under  which  is  comprehended  alfo  the  Molten: 
 Image  ^  which  the  five  Men  brought  out  of  the  Houfe 
 with  the  other,  v.  17,  18. 
 
 And  went  in  the  widft  of  the  People.*]  Who  undertook 
 to  guard  him  from  any  affault  that  might  be  made  on 
 any  fide,  to  bring  him  back.  Or,  he  went,  perhaps, 
 with  thofe  facred  things  (as  they  accounted  them)  in  the 
 mid  ft  of  the  People,  in  imitation  of  the  Ark,  which  was 
 fo  placed,whenthe  Campof  Ifrael  marched,  XNun/b.21. 
 
 Verfe  2 1 .  Ver.  2 1 .  And  fo  they  turned  and  departed^]  From 
 his  Houfe. 
 
 And  put  the  little  oner,  and  the  Cattle^  and  the  carriage 
 before  them7\  Both  for  fafety,  if  any  (hould  purfue  them ; 
 and  that  they  might  march  no  fafter  than  they  were  able 
 to  bear  it. 
 
 Verfe  2  2 .  Ver.  2  2  •  And  when  they  were  a  good  way  from  the  houfe 
 ofMicah.]  Who  did  not  immediately  mifs  the  Levite 
 and  his  Idols  3  and  fpent  fome  time  in  affembling  his 
 Neighbours. 
 
 The  Men  that  were  in  the  Houfes  near  to  Micahs  Houfe."] 
 If  there  was  not  a  Town  thefe  before,   it  is  likely  the 
 
 place 
 
upon  JUDGES.  5S7 
 
 place  of  worfhip  which  Micah  fet  up,  made  many  refort  Chapter 
 thither,  and  fettle  their  habitation  there.  XVIIT. 
 
 Gathered  together  and  overtook  the  Children  of  Dan7\  ^/~\T\J 
 "Hoping  to  recover  what  they  had  taken  away. 
 
 Ver.   23.  And  they    cried    to  the   Children   of  Dan  ~]  Vcrfe  22. 
 Defiring  them  to  (lop  their  march,  till  they  had  fpoken 
 with  them. 
 
 And  they  turned   their  faces,    and  faid    unto    ?rlh<ihy 
 
 U  hat  aileth  thee,  that  thou  con/cji  with  fuch  a  company  ?rj 
 
 Accordingly  they  made  a  (land  and  faced  about :  asking 
 
 .him  what  he  would  have  5  and  what  he  meant  to  bring 
 
 a  little  Army  with  him,  as  if  he  intended  an  affault. 
 
 Ver.   24.  And  he  faid,    Ye  have  taken  away   my  gods  y    r 
 which  I  made,    and  the  Prieji,    and  ye  are  gone  away.']  ^' 
 
 -By  gods  he  means  the  Symbols  of  the  Divine  prefence  ^ 
 for  he  was  net  fo  fottifh  as  to  believe  that  he  could  make 
 his  god:  he  being  a  worfhipper  of  Jehovah,  XVII.  3. 
 
 And  what  have  I  more  ?  and  what  is  this  that  ye  fay  un- 
 to me,  What  aileth  thee  .<?]  He  thought  it  a  ftrange 
 queftion  to  ask  what  he  ailed,  when  they  had  taken 
 away  that  which  he  valued  above  all  things  in  the 
 World. 
 
 Ver.   25.  And  the  Children  of  Dan  faid  unto  him,  Let  Verfe  25. 
 not  thy  voice  be  heard  among  us7\     They  that  were  next 
 to  him  advifed  him,  not  to  fay  a  word  more:    left,  if 
 the  whole  Army  fhould  hear  his  reproaches,  mifchief 
 might  follow. 
 
 Left  angry  fellows  run  upon  thee,  and  thou  lofc  thy  life, 
 and  the  life  of  thy  houfhold.  ]  There  are  al  ways  fuch  fierce 
 and  furious  Men  among  Soldiers  ^  who  are  incenfed  to 
 bloody  Executions  upon  the  leaft  provocation.  And 
 thefe  being  Men  going  to  make  their  fortune  (as  we 
 fpeak)  it  is  likely  were  generally  of  fuch  a  violent 
 temper. 
 
 Ffff  2  Ver.  26. 
 
588 
 
 A  CO MMENT  AR r 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  26.  And  the  Children  of  Dan  went  their  way.'] 
 XVIII.   Turned  about  again,    and  purfued  their  march  $    with 
 
 L/"WJ  neglett  and  fcorn  of  Micah. 
 
 Verfe  26.  And  when  Micah  faw  that  they  were  too  flrong  for  him, 
 he  turned  and  went  back^  to  hk  Houfe.~]  His  zeal  was 
 not  fo  great  for  his  gods,    but  he  loved  his  Life  better. 
 
 Verfe  27.  Ver.  27.  And  they  took,  the  things  which  Micah  had 
 made,  and  the  Prieji  which  he  had,~]  i.  e.  They  kept 
 them,  and  carried  them  along  with  them. 
 
 And  came  unto  Laifi.']  They  feem  to  have  made  three 
 days  march  in  this  expedition  ^  encamping  firft  at  Kir- 
 jath-jearim,  and  the  next  Night  at  Micah's  Houfe  ;  and 
 coming  the  next  Day  to  Laifo. 
 
 Unto  a  People  that  were  at  quiet  and  fecure.'}  Whom 
 they  found  in  the  pofture  the  Spies  had  defcribed  them 
 (y.  10.)  having  no  Scouts  abroad  to  bring  them  notice 
 of  any  approaching  danger  $  nor  any  Guards  of  the 
 Paffes  to  their  City,  or  at  its  Gates:  fo  that  they  were 
 eafily  furprized. 
 
 And  they  J mote  them  with  the  edge  of  the  faord,  and 
 burnt  the  City  withfire7\  Killed  the  People  of  the  Coun- 
 try and  City  :  unto  which  they  fet  Fire,  when  they  had 
 taken,  I  fuppofe,  the  fpoil  of  it.  Thus  was  fulfilled 
 the  Prophecy  of  Mofes  concerning  this  Tribe,  XXXIII 
 Deut.  22.    See  there. 
 
 "Verfe  28.  ^er§  2^#  And  there  was  no  deliver,  becaufe  it  was  far 
 from  Zidon7\     See  v.  7. 
 
 And  they  had  no  bufimfs  with  any  Man,']  Which  de- 
 prived them  of  all  Intelligence. 
 
 And  it  was  in  the  Valley  that  lieth  by  Beth-rehob.']  A. 
 Gity  near  to  Hamath,  in  the  mod  Northerly  part  of  the 
 Country.     See  XIII  Numb.  2 1. 
 
 And.  they  built  a  City  and  dwelt  therein.'}  Larger,  per- 
 haps, than  the  former:  which  being  not  big  enough  to 
 contain  them,  they  thought  fit  to  burn  it,  and  build  a 
 better,  Ver.  29. 
 
upon  ]  U  DGES,  589 
 
 Ver.  29.  And  they  called  the  nave  of  the  City  Dan,  after  Chapter 
 the  name  of  their  father  Dan,    who  was  bom  unto  Jfrael.~]    XVII  I. 
 They  gave  it  this  Name,    that  it  might  be  remembred  l/VNJ 
 they  belonged  to  the  People  of  Ifrael,  though  they  lived  Verfe  29. 
 at  a  great  diftance  from  their  own  Tribe  5    in  the  very 
 extremity  of  the  North  of  Jud<ca  (whereas  the  Tribe  of 
 Dan  had  their  Lot  in  the  South  Weft)    from  whence 
 came  the  common  faying  afterwards,  when  they  would 
 exprefs  the  whole  length  of  the  Country,  from  Dan  to 
 Dcerjljcba. 
 
 Howbeit,  the  name  of  the  City  was  LaiJ/j  at  the  firft.~] 
 This  feems  to  fignifie  that  they  did  not  burn  the  whole 
 City  5  but  fo  much  as  might  ftrike  a  terror  into  the  In- 
 habitants, and  make  their  Conqueft  more  eafie  :  for  he 
 fpeaks  of  it,  as  ftill  the  fame  City,  though  it  loft  its 
 old  name. 
 
 Ver.  30.  And  the  Children  of  Dan  fet  up  the  graven  Verfe  30. 
 Image.']  Together  with  the  Molten,  no  doubt;  and 
 made  ufe  of  the  Ephod  and  Teraphim  here,  as  Micah  had 
 done  in  his  Houfe  ;  fancying,  I  fuppofe,  it  was  by  a 
 Divine  dire&ion  from  this  Oracle,  that  the  five  Men 
 had  fuch  good  fuccefs,  when  they  went  to  Spieout  this 
 Land,  v.  5,  6. 
 
 And  Jonathan^]  This  was  the  Name  of  the  Levite^ 
 who  came  along  with  them. 
 
 The  Son  of  Gerfiom,  the  Son  of  Manaffeh."]  So  not 
 only  the  Hebrew,  but  the  Chaldee,  and  the  LXX.  (both 
 in  the  Roman  Edition,  and  in  that  of  Bafil,  and  in  the 
 Palatine  MS.  as  Hottinger  obferves)  which  will  not  let 
 us  doubt  it  is  the  true  reading.  Though  the  Vulgar  hath 
 put  Mofes  inftead  of  Manaffeh  5  according  to  an  idle 
 conceit  of  fome  of  the  Rabbins,  who  fay  the  Letter  AW 
 in  the  middle  of  the  Word,  is  not  written  even  with 
 the  reft,  but  fufpended  above  the  reft  of  the  Letters  $ 
 to  (how  that  though  he  was  indeed  the  Son  of  Mofes 9 
 
 yet 
 
$8S 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  yet  he  fhould  rather  be  called  the  Son  of  Manajfch,  be- 
 XVTTI.  caufe  he  did  the  Works  of  Manajfch  and  not  of  Mofes  $ 
 L/"V*NJ  that  is,  was  an  Idolater.  So  Kimchi  (as  the  fame  Hot- 
 linger  obferves)  who  therein  follows  the  Talmudijis  in 
 Bava  Bathra.  See  his  Thefauru*  Philologicus,  L.  i.  Cap.  2. 
 J&f&ft.  IV.  And  Bartolocciw  in  his  Kirjath-Sepher, 
 Tom.  1.  P.  ^14.  And  thus  they  make  this  Jonathan 
 to  be  the  Grand-Child  of  Mofes?  for  Gerfjom  was  his 
 Son.  But  it  is  not  likely  he  would  have  been  left  in  fo 
 poor  a  condition,  if  he  had  been  fo  nearly  related  to 
 their  great  Lawgiver  $  nor  would  he  have*  had  fo  ill  an 
 Education.  And,  being  now  but  a  Youth,  it  is  not 
 probable  that  he  was  the  Son  of  that  Gerjhom:  but  of 
 ibnae  other,  who  had  the  name  of  his  famous  Anceftor 
 given  him,  though  his  Fathers  name  was  Manajfch. 
 But  it  is  wholly  uncertain  from  what  Family  of  the  Le- 
 vites  this  Man  was  derived :  and  thefe  Names,  no 
 doubt,  were  common  to  more  than  thofe  who  firft  bare 
 them. 
 
 He  and  his  Sons,  were  Priejis  of  the  tribe  of  Dan.']     Of 
 that  part  of  the  Tribe  who  iettled  here  at  Lai/h. 
 
 Until  the  day  of  the  Captivity  of  the  land.']  Some 
 Cavillers  have  endeavoured  to  frame  an  Argument  from 
 hence,  that  this  Book  was  written  in  later  times,  after 
 the  ten  Tribes  were  carried  away  by  Salmanefer^  or,  as 
 fome  of  the  Jews  in  Seder  Olam  Interpret//^  Captivity  of 
 Yhe  Land,  to  fignifie  that  by  Nebuchadnezzar.  But  Kim- 
 chi and  Ralbag  very  well  objeft  againft  this,  that  it  is 
 altogether  unlikely  thefe  Images  fhould  have  been  fuf- 
 fered  to  continue  in  the  Days  of  David:  who  was  a 
 Man  after  Gods  own  Heart,  and  fet  himfelf  to  advance 
 true  Religion  to  the  utmoft  of  his  power,  all  the  Coun- 
 try over,  from  Dan  to  Beerfieba.  Therefore  Kimchi 
 with  great  reafon  concludes,  that  by  the  Captivity  of  the 
 land  is  meant  the  taking  of  the  Ark  by  the  Phllijiines, 
 
 and 
 
upon  JUDGES.  58y 
 
 and  carrying  it  Captive  into  the  Temple  of  Dagon.  Chapter 
 Which  is  confirmed,    as  our   famous  Selden  obferves  XVIII. 
 (Syntag.  t.  de  Diis  Syris,  Cap.  2.)    by  the  next  Verfe,  L/*V"\J 
 which  faith,  that  till  Shiloh  was  deftroyed  thefe  Images 
 remained.     And  this  taking  of  the  Ark  the  PJakttft  ex- 
 prelly  calls  a  Captivity,    when  he  faith  LXXVII1  Pfal. 
 60,  6 1 .  he  forfook.  the  Tabernacle  of  Shiloh,  &c.  and  de- 
 livered his  firength  into  Captivity,  his  glory  into  the  Ene- 
 mies hand."]     As  for  the  Interpretation  oi  Ralbag,    who 
 takes  this  Captivity  to  have  been  in  the  days  of  Jabin 
 Ring  of  Canaan,  it  is  not  worth  confuting. 
 
 Ver.  31.  And  they  fet  up  Micahs  graven  Image  which  Verfe  31, 
 he  made,  all  the  time  that  the  houfe  of  God  was  in  Shiloh,  .] 
 Which  was  all  the  time  of  the  Judges  mentioned  in  this 
 Book  5  who  though  zealous  Reformers  could  not,  it 
 feems,  extend  their  Authority  to  the  very  skirts  of  the 
 Country  5  where  Idolatry  ftill  lurked  in  this  corner  of 
 the  Land.  For  fcarce  any  one  of  the  Judges  ruled  over 
 the  whole  Country  of  Ifracl :  but  only  over  fuch  Tribes 
 as  they  delivered  from  imminent  danger.  This  appears 
 by  the  Armies  which  Baral^  and  Gideon  raifed  :  and  in 
 the  double  oppreffion  they  lay  under  at  the  fame  time, 
 in  the  Weft  and  in  the  Eaft,  by  the  Philifiines  and  the 
 Ammonites-,  when  Jephthah  was  raifed  up  againft  the 
 latter,  and  Samfon  againft  the  former.  No  wonder 
 therefore  that  none  of  them  could  make  a  general  Re- 
 formation, nor  abolifh  the  Idolatry  in  this  place.  But 
 God  ufed  the  Philifiines  as  Inftruments  to  put  an  end  to 
 it :  for  when  they  deftroyed  Shiloh,  where  the  true 
 Houfe  of  God  was,  they  deftroyed  this  houfe  of  god; 
 (as  they  efteemed  it.  See  XVII.  5.)  being  a  refemblance 
 of  it.  And  perhaps,  as  they  brought  the  Ark  into  the 
 Field  againft  the  Philifiines,  fo  the  Danites  brought" 
 thefe  Images  with  the  Ephod  and  Teraphim,  and  the 
 Prieft  5  who  was  flain  with  Bopkni  and  Phineas  :   Or, 
 
 as 
 
$92  A  COMMENT  A  R2 
 
 Chapter  as  Huelius  thinks,  carried  Captive  into  the  Land  of 
 XIX.     the  Philiftines,  with  a  great  many  other  Israelites.     But 
 
 L/W)  this  place  remained  ftill  fo  famous  for  the  refort  of  Peo- 
 ple thither  to  worfhip }  that  when  Jeroboam  fet  up  his 
 Golden  Calves,  he  ere&ed  one  of  them  here  in  Dan, 
 as  another  in  Bethel  Where  there  having  been  a  real 
 appearance  of  God  in  ancient  time  to  Jacob  $  the  People 
 were  eaiily  made  to  believe  there  had  been  the  like  in 
 Dan,  in  the  time  here  mentioned. 
 
 CHAP.     XIX. 
 
 Verfe  I.    Verfe  i.     A  ND  it  came  to  pafs,   in  thofe  days  there 
 jt\  was  no  King  in  TfraeL']     In   the  time 
 before  mentioned,  XVII.  6.  XVIII.  i.     See  there. 
 
 That  there  was  a  certain  Lev  it  e  fojouming  on  the  fide 
 of  mount  Ephraim."]  He  feems  to  have  been  a  ftranger  in 
 this  Country,  as  the  other  Levite  was,  who  fojourned 
 in  the  Land  of  Judah,  XVII.  7. 
 
 And  he  took^  him  a  Concubine  out  of  Beihlehem-J  udah7\ 
 That  is,  a  Wife  of  the  fecondary  lbrr,  without  fiich 
 folemn  Efpoufals,  or  a  Dowry,  as  thofe  called  Wives 
 had.  So  the  Talmudijis  generally  think.  But  Abarbinel 
 following  Rafi  thinks  that  a  Concubine  was  taken  with 
 Efpoufals,  and  only  wanted  a  Dowry,  or  a  Jointure 
 (as  we  fpeak).  Certain  it  is,  fuch  Perfons  were  really 
 Wives  :  and  it  was  Adultery  in  any  other  Perfon  that  lay 
 with  them,  but  he  who  had  Married  thern.  As  this  Man 
 had  this  Woman,  for  he  is  exprefly  called  her  Husband 
 in  the  next  Chapter,  XX.  4.  and  her  Father  is  called 
 his  Father-in- Law  in  this  Chapter,  v.  47.  See  Selden, 
 Lib.  V.  de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent.  Cap.  VII.  and  Buxtorf  de 
 SponfaL  &  Divortiis,  P.  11,  (Sc.  where  the  Opinion 
 o(  Abarbinel  is  largely  reprefented, 
 
 'Ver.  2> 
 
upon   JUDGES.  $p3 
 
 Ver.    2.   And  his    concubine  flayed  the   whore    againjl  Chapter 
 him.]     Was  falfe  to  his  Bed,  into  which  (lie  admitted     XIX. 
 fome  other  Peribn.  L^VV> 
 
 And  went  away  from  him  unto  her  Fathers  Houfc  feVcrfe  2. 
 Bethlehem  Judah.]  To  efcape  the  punifhment,  unto 
 which  (he  was  liable  as  an  Adultereis.  But  there  are 
 thole  who  by  the  word  Tizneh,  which  we  Tranflate 
 flayed  the  whore,  will  hive  no  more  to  be  meant,  but 
 that  (lie  was  froward  and  conturnacioufly  difobedient: 
 fo  that  the  could  not  endure  his  company,  but  fbrfook 
 him.  The  Cktldtt  plainly  inclines  this  way  :  and  <.ne 
 LAX  Tranflate  it  dey.^  cLurzi  ihe  carried  her  fell  like 
 a  fury  to  him  $  and  Jofephus  afooT^iv;  fi^g,  foe  behaved 
 her  Jelf  untowardly. 
 
 And  was  them  four  whole  months!]  Or,  as  others 
 take  it,  a  year  and  four  months."]  For  Days  in  Scrip- 
 ture frequently  fi^nine  a  Year.  But  the  LXX.  and 
 Jofephus  takes  it  tor  fo  many  Days,  as  made  four 
 Months. 
 
 Ver.   3.   And  her  Husband  arofe,  and  went  after  her!]  Verfe  3. 
 His  anger  was  over  by  this  time,  and  his  affeftion  to  her 
 revived.     Perhaps  alfo  he  heard  (he  repented,  and  was 
 become  a  better  Woman. 
 
 To  fpeal^  friendly  to  her.]  In  the  Hebrew,  to  fpeak  to 
 her  heart  5  that  is,  to  make  her  fenfible  of  his  kindnefs 
 to  her,  notwithftanding  her  offence,  and  to  affure  her 
 of  his  pardon. 
 
 And  to  bring  her  again!]  To  his  own  habitation,  from 
 whence  (he  went  away.  4 
 
 Having  a  fervant  with  him^  and  a  couple  of  ajfes!] 
 And  for  that  end  came  attended  with  a  Servant,  to  car- 
 ry her  and  her  baggage  (as  we  now  fpeak)  with  neceffary 
 Provifions. 
 
 And  foe  brought  him  into  her  fathers  heufc.]  She  feems 
 to  have  been  as  ready  as  he  for  a  reconciliation. 
 
 G  g  g  g  And 
 
5P4  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        And  when  the  father  of  the  damfelfaw  hint,  hcrejoyced 
 XIX.    to  fee  htm."]     Embraced  him  with  great  affection  and  joy. 
 
 \W/,W;       Ver*  4.    And  his  father  in  law,  the  dam fels  father,  re- 
 
 Verle  4.  tained  him.]  Would  not  let  him  go  away,  as  foon  as 
 he  defired. 
 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  And  it  came  to  pafs  on  the  fourth  day,  when 
 they  arofe  early  in  the  morning,  that  he  rofe  up  to  depart.'] 
 With  an  intention  to  leave  him,  and  return  to  his  own 
 Houfe. 
 
 And  the  da mfe Is  father  f aid  unto  his  f on  in  law,  comfort 
 thy  heart  with  a  morfel  of  bread,  and  afterward  go  your 
 way.]  Her  Father  had  no  mind  to  part  with  him  fo  foon,, 
 hoping,  by  keeping  him  longer  in  his  Houfe,  their  Con- 
 jugal love  and  affe&ion  would  be  more  confirmed  : 
 And  devifed  this  way  to  detain  him,  by  defiring  him  to 
 take  a  fhortrepaft  with  him,  before  he  began  his  jour- 
 ney. For  that  is  meant  by  a  morfel  of  bread,  under 
 which  all  fort  of  Provisions  are  comprehended.  Wfcty-e- 
 with  he  defired  him  to  comfort,  or,  as  the  word  literally 
 fignifies  in  the  Hebrew,  Support  his  heart.  Which  in 
 Englifh  we  exprefs  exactly  by,  Stay  his  fiomach  with  a 
 morfel,  &c.  For  in  many  Authors,  the  heart  fignifies 
 the  ftomach,  as  feveral  have  obferved  5  particularly  Ga- 
 taker  in  his  Gnus,  Lib.  2.  Cap.  XVI. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  they  fat  down  and  did  eat  and  drinkboth 
 of  them  together  J]  He  made  him  agreatFeaft,  at  which 
 they  fat  a  long  time. 
 
 For  the  dam  fels  father  hadfaid.  unto  the  man,  be  content 
 
 ^       I  pray  thee,and  tarry  all  night ;  and  let  thy  heart  be  merry."] 
 
 For  he  was  earneft  with  him  not  to  think  of  going  away 
 
 that  day,  but  to  fpend  it  joyfully  with  him  and  with 
 
 his  Daughter. 
 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  when  the  man  rofe  up  to  depart,  his  father 
 inlaw  urged  him  }  therefore  he  lodged  there  again.]  He 
 preffed  his  ftay  fo  hard,   that  when  he  offered  to  be 
 
 gone, 
 
upon  JUDGES.  5^ 
 
 •gone,  he   prevailed  with  him  to  lodge  there  another  Cinpter 
 night.  XIX. 
 
 Ver.  8.   And  he  arofc  early  in  the  morning  on  the  fifth  L/'VXJ 
 day  to  depart,   and  the  damfels  father  faid  unto  him,  com-  Verfe  8. 
 fort  thy  heart,  I  pray  thee.']     Stay  till  after  Dinner. 
 
 And  they  tarried  till  after  noon,  and  they  did  eat  both  of 
 them.]     He  prolonged  the  Entertainment,    fo  that  the 
 Sun  began  to  decline  before  they  had  done. 
 
 Ver.   9.  And  when  the  man  rofe  up  to  depart,  he  and  his  Verfc 
 concubine^  and  his  fervant.]  Who  had  made  all  ready 
 for  their  journey. 
 
 His  father  in  law,  the  damfels  father,  faid  unto  him,  be- 
 hold, now  the  day  draw eth  towards  evening,  I  pray  you  tar- 
 ry  all  night  5  behold,  the  day  draweth  to  an  end.]  In  the 
 Hebrew  the  words  are,  It  is  the  pitching  time  of  the  day  ^ 
 that  is,  when  Men  pitch  their  Tents,  to  take  their  reft. 
 
 Lodge  here,  that  thine  heart  may  be  merry.]  He  prays 
 him  that  they  may  rejoyce  together  one  night  more. 
 
 And  to  morrow  get  yon  early  on  your  way,  that  thou  mayfl 
 go  home7\  He  promifes  not  to  detain  them  longer  than 
 this  night,  but  to  let  them  go  away  as  early  as  they  plea- 
 fed  next  morning,  without  any  Entertainment. 
 
 Ver.    IO.  But  the  man  would  not  tarry  that  night.]    Suf-  Verfe  I@. 
 pe&ing  his  Father  would  ufe  ftill  the  fame  kind  artifice, 
 or  fome  other,  to  keep  him  longer  with  him. 
 
 But  he  rofe  up  and  departed,  and  came  over  againfl 
 Jehus,  (which  is  Jcrufalem)  and  there  were  with  him  two 
 affes  fadled,  and  his  concubine  alfo  was  with  him.']  He 
 carried  away  all  that  he  brought,  (v.  3.)  and  his  Wife 
 alfo,  whom  he  went  to  invite  again  to  dwell  with  him. 
 
 Ver.    1 1.  And  when  they  were  by  Jebus  the  day  was  far  Verfe  II. 
 fpent,  and  the  fcrv  ant  faid  unto  his  mafler,  come  I  pray  theey 
 and  let  us  turn  in  unto  this  city  of  thejebujitcs,  and  lodge 
 in  it.]     The  famous  City  Jerufalem  (anciently  called  Je- 
 ft*)   had  been  taken  by  the  Children  of  JucUhy  (1.  8.) 
 
 Gggg  2  but 
 
$96  A   CO  MMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  but  the  Jebufites  ftill  kept  the  ftrong  Fort  of  Sion9  till 
 XIX.     the  time  of  David  ^    and  thereby  fo  commanded  the 
 
 iyY*W  Lower  Town,  that  they  forced  the  Children  of  Judah 
 and  Benjamin  to  let  them  dwell  with  them  there,  (i,  21 
 XV  Joft.  ult.)  and  it  appears  by  this  place,  that  they 
 were  the  ruling  Party,  and  therefore  it  is  called  this  Ci- 
 ty of  the  Jebujites.     See  JoJI).  X.  1. 
 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  I2#  ^nc^  ^  m<*fter  fo^  nnt0  ^im^  vpe  wW  n^t 
 turn  afide  hither  ±  into  the  city  of  a  ftr anger ,  that  is  not  of 
 the  children  of  Ifrael.']  This  is  an  Argument,  that  he 
 was  not  like  the  orher  Levite  mentioned  in  the  XVII 
 Chapter  5  for  he  would  not  take  up  his  Lodging  among 
 Idolaters.  i\nd  it  alio  (hows,  that  the  greater  part  of 
 the  Inhabitants  were  Jebufites,  and  the  Children  of 
 Ifrael  had  little  or  no  Power  there.  Yea,  it  is  poflible 
 that  this  happened  fo  long  before  the  days  of  the  Judges, 
 that  Jerufalem  was  not  yet  taken  by  the  Children  of 
 Judah. 
 
 We  willpafs  over  to  Gibeah.']     Which  was  pofleffed  by 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael,  viz.  the  Benjamites. 
 
 Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  And  he  J aid  unto  his  fervant,  come,  and  let 
 ns  draw  near  to  one  of  thefe  places,  to  lodge  all  night,  in 
 Gibeah,  or  in  Ramah.~]  The  Servant,  I  fuppofe,  made 
 fome  obje&ion  againft  Gibeah  5  and  therefore  he  put 
 him  to  his  choice,  either  to  go  thither  or  to  Ram  ah  5 
 which  was  alfo  a  City  belonging  unto  Benjamin,  both 
 of  them  lying  Northward  of  Jerufalem,  and  not  far 
 from  it. 
 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  And  they  pajfed  on  and  went  their  way,  and 
 the  Suit  went  down  upon  them,  when  they  were  by  Gibeah, 
 which  belongeth  to  Benjamin,  This  is  noted,  to  diftin- 
 guiflh  it  from  another  Gibeah  which  belonged  to  Judah, 
 XV  Mb.  57. 
 
 Verfe  iy.  Ver.  15.  And  they  turned  afide  thither,  to  go  in,  and 
 to  lodge  in  Gibeah!}    Being  unable  to  reach  Ramah,  un- 
 
 lefs 
 
upon    J  U  D  G  F  S.  5^7 
 
 i  they  would  have  travelled  in  the  night,  which  had    (  hapter 
 not  been  fafe.  XI 
 
 he  went  ///,  he  fat  him  down  in  afireet  of  the  i.s~V~\J 
 r//j'.]     Th  ig,  I  fuppofe,  no  Publick  Inn   in  the 
 
 n,  unto  which  (Grangers  might  refort. 
 r  there  was  no  man  that  took,  them  into  hh  honfe,  to 
 'ng7\  1  hey  were  grown  10  Lewd  in  this  place,  that 
 there  was  no  Humanity  left  among  them  5  but  the  an- 
 cient Cuftom  of  Hofpitality,  in  Entertaining  Stt angers, 
 was  quite  abolifhed.  Or,  if  any  had  lb  much  good- 
 nefs  remaining  as  to  be  inclined  to  ir5  they  durft  not 
 make  any  invitation  of  a  ftranger  to  their  Houfes,  for 
 fear  of  drawing  mil  h  cf  upon  themfelves,  ffoiti  their 
 debauched  Neighb  urs. 
 
 Ver.  16.  And  behold :  there  came  an  old  man  from  his  Verfe  16. 
 workout  of the  field  at  evening^  Before  it  was  quite 
 dark,  which  was  alfo  of  mount  Effo aim ',  where  this  Le- 
 vite  dwelt,  and  be  fojourned  in  Gibeab.  Being  but  a  So- 
 journer himfelf,  he  had  the  more  companion  on  a 
 Stranger. 
 
 But  the  men  of  the  place  were  Benjamites7\  This  was 
 one  of  the  Cities  given  to  the  Priefts,  XXI  JoJ/j.  17. 
 But  the  Priefts  did  not  inhabit  them  alone,  efpecially 
 now  when  they  were  but  few,  and  therefore  let  other 
 Perfons,  who  were  not  Priefts,  dwell  there  together 
 with  them. 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  when  he  had   lift  up  his  eyes,    he  faway^k  17. 
 wayfaring  man  in  thejireet  of  the  city."]      Who  look'd  as  if 
 he  was  at  a  lofs  for  a  Lodging. 
 
 And  the  old  man  faid \  Whither  goeft  thou  ?  and  whence 
 comefi  thou?~]  Thefe  were  the  ufual  Qiieftions  made  to 
 Travellers. 
 
 Ver.    18.   And  he  faid  unto  him,  We  are  pajjing  from  Verfe  18. 
 Bethlehem  Judah,  toward  the  fide  of  mount  Ephraim,  from 
 thence  am  l:  and  I  went  to  Bethkh  em-Jtidah.']     This   is 
 
 a 
 
^  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  a  full  Anfwer  to  one  part  of  hisQueftion,  giving  him 
 XIX.    an  account  where  he  commonly  lived  $  though  his  oc- 
 L/"V"\J  cafions  carrying  him  to  Bcthlehem-Judah.  he  now  im- 
 mediately came  from  thence. 
 
 But  I  am  now  going  to  the  houfe  of  the  LORD.]  This 
 is  an  Anfwer  to  the  other  part  of  his  Queftion.  For 
 Shiloh,  where  the Houfe  of  God  was  fettled,  was  in  the 
 Tribe  of  Ephraim  (XVIII  Jojh.  i.)  And  thither,  like  a 
 good  Man,  he  intended  firft  to  go,  and  give  thanks  to 
 God  for  reftoring  his  Wife  to  him  h  and,  perhaps,  to 
 offer  an  expiation  for  her  fin :  and  then  to  return  to  his 
 own  home,  on  the  fide  of  Mount  Ephraim. 
 
 And  there  is  no  man  that  receiveth  me  to  houfe. ~\  Where- 
 by he  was  in  danger  to  lie  in  the  Street  all  night. 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  Tet  there  is  both  fir  aw  and  provender  for  our 
 dffes,  and  there  is  bread  and  wine  for  me,  and  for  thy  hand- 
 maid, and  for  the  young  man  which  is  with  thyfervant."] 
 He  ufes  very  civil  and  humble  Language,  and  alfo  fig- 
 nifies  he  did  not  defire  to  be  chargeable  to  any  body  : 
 being  fo  well  provided  with  all  things  neceflary,  that 
 he  needed  not  be  a  burden  to  him  that  would  Entertain 
 him. 
 
 There  is  no  want  of  any  thing.']  But  only  of  a  Lodging. 
 •Verfe  20.      Ver.  20.  And  the  old  man  J aid,  Peace  be  with  thee. ~] 
 He  faluted  him  kindly,after  theufual  manner  that  Friends 
 and  Neighbours  greeted  each  other. 
 
 Howfoever.~]     Do  not  fpeak  of  that. 
 
 Let  all  thy  wants  be  upon  meanly  lodge  not  in  thejlreet."] 
 1  had  rather  Entertain  thee  at  my  charge,  than  fuffer 
 thee  to  lie  in  the  Street. 
 Verfe  21.  ^er*  2I#  So  he  brought  him  into  his  houfe,  and  gave 
 provender  for  their  affes."]  Took  care  both  of  them  and 
 of  rheir  Beafts,  at  his  own  coft  5  as  the  words  feem  to 
 import. 
 
 And  he  wajhed  their  feet, ,"]  As  the  Cuftora  was  in  thofe 
 Countries  after  Travelling.  And 
 
upon   ]  U  D  a  11  s.  5^p 
 
 And  did  cut  and  drinks]     Sat  down  to  Supper.  Chapter 
 
 Ver.  22.  And  at  they  were  making  their  hearts  nterrj7\    XIX. 
 
 Eating  and  drinking  very  freely.  ^W-i 
 
 Pchold.  the  men  of  the  city,    certain  fins    of  Zfe/ia//]  Verfe  2  2. 
 See  XIII Dent  13. 
 
 Befit  the  houfi  round  about. ~]  That  none  might  go  out  5 
 and  beat  *t  the  door.  As  if  they  would  lorce  their  En- 
 trance  3  which  made  the  Mailer  of  the  Houfe  come  to 
 ask  them  what  they  would  hive. 
 
 And  they  J  pake  to  the  m after  of  the  houfi,  the  old  man, 
 fifing.  Bring  hither  the  man  that  came  into  thy  houfe,  that 
 we  may  know  hint."]  Thefe  laft  words  are  capable  of  a 
 good  meaning,  as  if  they  defired  only  to  examine  him5 
 and  know  who  he  was,  and  whence  he  came,  &c.  But 
 the  Old  Man  being  acquainted  with  their  wicked  Man- 
 ners, underftood  their  lewd  intentions,  and  accordingly 
 gave  them  the  following  Anfwer.     See  XIX  Gen.  5. 
 
 Ver.  23.  And  the  man ,  the  m after  of  the  houfe,  wen$Vttk  2^ 
 out  unto  them,  and  faid  unto  them,  Kay,  my  brethren, 
 nay,  1  pray  you,  do  not  fo  wickedly,  feeing  this  man  is  come 
 into  my  houfe,  do  not  this  filly."]  He  endeavours  to  di- 
 vert them  from  their  purpofe,  with  kind  words,  and 
 humble  intreaties  5  urging  withal,  the  Title  the  Man 
 had  to  his  Protection  by  the  Laws  of-  Hofpitaiity,  and 
 the  greatnefs  of  the  fin  they  were  about  to  commit. 
 
 Ver.  24.  Behold,  here  is  my  daughter,  a  maiden,  and  Verfe  2:. 
 his  concubine,  them  will  I  bring  out  now,  and  humble  ye 
 them,  and  do  with  them  as  fee  vis  good  unto  you  :  but  unto 
 this  man,  do  not  fo  vile  a  thing.~]  His  earneft  defire  to 
 preferve  the  Laws  of  Hofpitaiity  from  violation,  (which 
 was  a  thing  very  facred  in  thofedays)  made  him  forget 
 the  care  he  ought  to  have  had  to  preferve  his  Daughter's 
 purity.  He  hoped  alfo,  perhaps,  that  they  were  not 
 grown  yet  fo  wicked,  as  to  offer  this  injury  to  a  Neigh- 
 bour,   though   they   regarded   not  what  they  did  to 
 
 Strangers  5 
 
600  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  Strangers  5  which  made  him  offer  them  the  Mans  Concu- 
 XIX.     bine  alfo,  fuppofing  it  better  than  to  let  them  do  vio- 
 
 iy^\T^J  lence  to  ber  Husband.  He  mud  be  confidered,  as  in  a 
 confufion  of  thoughts  (like  Lot.  See  XIX  Gen.  8.) 
 and  fo  not  to  have  minded  fo  much  what  was  right,  as 
 what  was  leaft  wrong. 
 
 Verfe  25.  Ver.  25.  But  the  men  would  not  hearken  to  him.*]  And 
 the  LeviteMo,  I  fuppofe,  abfolutely  refufed  either  to 
 have  the  old  Man  s  Daughter,  or  his  Concubine,  ex- 
 poied  to  their  luft.  Whence  aroie  a  Quarrel  ^  info- 
 much,  that  they  threatned,  and  defigned  to  kill  him 
 (as  he  himfelf  tells  the  Story,  XX.  5.)  which,  it  is 
 likely,  moved  the  Old  Man  to  perfwade  him,  not  to  be 
 fo  obftinate  5  but  for  the  prefervation  of  his  life,  which 
 was  in  great  danger,  to  yield  a  little  to  them.  And 
 perfwading  the  Men  of  the  City  not  to  be  fo  furious, 
 they  came  at  laft  to  compound  the  Matter  5  and  finding 
 the  Levite  forefolutely  bent  to  defend  himfelf, were  con- 
 tent only  to  have  his  Concubine(whofeBeauty  they  admi- 
 red, as  Jofephu*  faith,  when  they  faw  her  come  into  their 
 City)  and  to  let  him  and  the  Old  Man's  Daughter  alone. 
 Unto  this  they  agreed,  of  two  Evils  chufing  the  leaft. 
 
 So  the  man  took^  his  concubine,  and  brought  her  forth 
 unto  them.']  With  her  own  confent,  it  is  probable  $  for 
 (he  thought  her  Husband  would  lofe  his  life,  and  (he 
 not  preferve  her  felf. 
 
 And  they  hgevo  her,  and  abufed  her  all  night,  until  the 
 morning:  and  when  the  day  began  to  faring ,  they  let  her 
 go.']  Left  the  light  fhould  difcover,  who  they  were 
 that  had  been  fo  villanoufly  wicked. 
 
 Verfe  26.  Ver.  16.  Then  came  the  woman,  in  the  dawning  of  the 
 day,  and  fell  down  at  the  door  of  the  mans  houfe,  where  her 
 lord  was,  till  it  wax  light"]  She  fell  down  dead,  \jgro 
 \v7mq  ilj  cl%uvyi;  (as  Jofephus  fpeaks)  with  grief  at  what 
 (he  had  fuffered  3  and  (hame  to  look  upon  her  Husband. 
 
 And, 
 
upon   JUDGES.  60  1 
 
 And,  it  may  be  added,    with  the  exceflive  abufe  of  her  Chapter 
 body.  XIX. 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  her  lord  rofc  up  in  the  morning7\  So  the  L/"V"X.> 
 Women  in  thofeold  times  called  their  Husbands,  out  of  Verfe  27. 
 reverence  to  them,  as  the  head  of  the  Wife.     See  1  Pet. 
 
 in.  5. 
 
 And  opened  the  door  ofhishoufe,  and  went  out  to  go  his 
 way.]  Imagining,  perhaps,  that  they  intended  to  keep 
 her,  and  he  did  not  know  where  to  find  her,  but  muft 
 feek  fomewhereelfe,  by  what  means  to  recover  her. 
 
 And  behold,  the  woman  his  concubine  was  fallen  down  at 
 the  door  of  the  honfc,  and  her  hands  were  upon  the  thref/)old.] 
 She  being  ftretched  out  at  length  3  as  People  are  fome- 
 times  when  they  fall  down  with  wearinefs,  upon  their 
 faces,  into  a  profound  (Jeep. 
 
 Ver.   28.  And     he  /aid,    up,     and  let    us   be  going*']  \rerfe  2& 
 Suppofing  her  to  be  only  in  a  deep  fleep,  he  began  to 
 rouze  her  up,   and  to  fpeak  comfortably  to  her  (as  Jofe- 
 phus  takes  it)  knowing  fhe  was  under  a  force,  and  did 
 not  willingly  fubmit  to  their  filthinefs. 
 
 But  none  anjwered  :  then  the  man  took^  her  up  upon  an 
 afs,  and  the  man  rofc  up,  and  gat  him  into  his  place."] 
 When  he  faw  (he  was  dead,  he  made  no  outcry  $  but 
 (zsjofepbus  obferves)  prudently  carried  her  away,  as  faft 
 as  he  could,  to  his  own  home. 
 
 Ver.  29.  And  when  he  was  come  to  his  houfe,  he  tool^  a  Verfe  29. 
 kirife,  and  la*d  h°ld-  Hpon  hfc  concubine,  and  divided  her, 
 together  with  her  bones.]  In  the  Hebrew,  the  words  are 
 according  to  her  bones  5  that  is,  forne  of  the  pieces  were 
 bigger,  fome  lefler,  according  as  the  joynts  would  fuffer 
 her  body  to  be  divided. 
 
 Into  twelve  pieces.]  That  every  Tribe  might  have  a 
 Limb  of  her,  Benjamin  not  excepted.  Among  whom 
 it  was  to  be  hoped,  there  were  fome  who  would  refeiit 
 fo  foul  a  faft,  though  committed  by  their  own  brethren. 
 
 H  h  h  h  And 
 
6oi  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And  fent  her  into  all  the  coafts  of  Ifrael.]     Giving  the 
 XX.      Meflengers  a  charge  (as  Jofephus  obferves)  to  relate  how 
 
 U/V"\J  fte  had  been  abufed,  which  was  the  caufe  of  her  death. 
 He  knew  not  what  other  courfe  to  take,  to  have  Juftice 
 done  3  for  as  Jofephus  there  dbferves,  {Lib.  V.  Antiq. 
 Cap.  2.)  there  was  no  fettled  Courts  of  Judicature  efta- 
 bliGied  according  to  the  Law.  Which  is  the  reafon  he 
 gives  (Chapter  the  Fifth  of  that  Book)  why  Eglon  at- 
 tempted to  fubdue  the  Jfraelites  5  becaufe  they  were  all 
 in  diforder,  the  Laws  being  not  put  in  execution. 
 
 Verfe  30.  Ver.  30.  And  it  was fo,  that  all  that  faw  it,  faid,  There 
 was  no  fuch  deed  done,  nor  feen,  from  the  day  that  the 
 children  of  Ifrael  came  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt.']  They 
 not  only  condemned  the  faft,  but  were  highly  incenfed 
 at  it,  as  a  crime  beyond  all  that  had  been  heard  of, 
 fince  they  were  a  People  :  For  it  was  a  mixture  of  Adul- 
 tery and  Murder,  with  an  attempt  of  Sodomy,  and  that 
 upon  a  Levite  5  a  Perfon  confecrated  to  the  Divine  Ser- 
 vice, in  fome  lower  Miniftries. 
 
 Confider  of  it,  take  advice,  and  fpeah^your  mind.']  Thefe 
 are  either  the  words  of  the  Meffenger,  or  rather  of  the 
 People  themfelves,  who  exhorted  one  another  not  to 
 pafs  over  this  deed,  only  with  expreffing  their  abhor- 
 rence of  it  5  but  to  confider,  and  confult  one  with  ano- 
 ther, what  was  to  be  done  3  and  to  declare  their  opi- 
 nion freely,  how  fo  heinous  a  Crime  was  to  be  punifhed. 
 And  accordingly  we  find,  in  the  beginning  of  the  next 
 Chapter,  that  by  common  confent,  the  whole  Body  of 
 the  People  met  together,  to  advife  about  this  matter. 
 
 G  H  A  P.     XX. 
 
 *    Verfe  1.    Verfe  1.  \ND  all  the  children  of  Ifrael  went   out  of 
 
 .l\  their  cities.]    The  principal  Perfons,  who 
 were  appointed  to  reprefent  the  reft.  And: 
 
upon  JUDGES.  603 
 
 And  the  congregation  w,k gathered  together. ~]      This  Con-   Chapter 
 gregation  conlifted  of  the  Captains  of  Thoufands  and       XX. 
 Hundreds,  &7.   which  had  been  eftabliftied  by  Jcthro's  ^/"VNj 
 Advice,  together  with  the  principal  Citizens,  as   Corn. 
 Bertram  probably   thinks,    whom  they  called  to  this 
 Aflembly. 
 
 As  one  man.']  Except  the  People  of  JabeJhGikad, 
 XXI.  5,8.  and  they  of  the  Tribe  of  Benjamin,  who 
 had  no  fenfe  of  this  wickednefs.  For  there  was  a  Ge- 
 neral Summons,  no  doubt,  iffued  out  by  the  command 
 of  their  Rulers,  to  require  every  one  to  meet  at  a  cer- 
 tain place,  mentioned  in  the  following  words,  or  other- 
 ways  to  forfeit  their  lives. 
 
 From  Dan  even  to  Beer-fteba,  with  the  land  ofGilead.] 
 That  is,  all  Ifrael  on  this  fide  Jordan^  and  on  the  other, 
 were  of  the  fame  mind  in  this  matter. 
 
 Unto  the  LORD  to  Mizpeh.~]  There  was  a  place  of 
 this  Name  in  the  Land  of  Gilead,  as  we  read  XI.  II,  but 
 this  Mizpch  here  mentioned,  was  in  the  Confines  of 
 Judah  and  Benjamin  }  for  which  reafon,  it  is  fometime 
 afcribed  to  the  former,  XV.  Jo/Ij.  38.  and  fometime  to 
 the  latter,  XVIII.  ftfitu 26.  being  a  place  very  conveni- 
 ently fituated  for  a  General  Meeting  of  all  the  People, 
 who  often  affembled  there  in  future  times,  1  Sam.  VII. 
 5,6,  7,  16.  X.  17.  And  it  was  not  far  from  Shilob, 
 which  made  it  the  more  convenient;  becaufe  from  hence 
 they  might,upon  any  occafion,immediatelygo  toconfult 
 the  Divine  Majefty  5  which  they  intended  to  do  now, 
 when  they  had  difpatched  the  bufinefs  for  which  they 
 met  here,  which  was  to  examine  the  crime  of  which  the 
 Benjamites  were  accufed  5  and  if  there  were  good  proof 
 made  of  it,  to  confider  how  to  punifh  it,  as  it  deferved. 
 Whence  it  is  that  Jofephus  faith,  this  Congregation  met 
 in  Shiloh,  Efc  rtw  HiASv  sv&yybl*;  %  irpj  £  <jk1juuy\c,  £&£p 
 4&iv1t$  5  as  if  it  were  the  fame  with  Mizpeh.     And  in- 
 
 Hhhh  2  deed, 
 
504  A   C  0  MMENT  AKY 
 
 Chapter  deed,  in  this  Hiftory,  there   is  little  difference  made, 
 XX.      becaufe  they  were  fo  near  one  to  another.     See  v.  26. 
 
 U/'W6  XXI.  2.     But  Mr.  Mede  thinks  that  here  was  a  famous 
 place  of  Prayer,  which  is  the  Honfe  of  God,  mentioned 
 in  thofe  two  Verfes.     For  fo  the  Author  of  the  Firft 
 Book  ot  Maccabees  faith,  III.  46.  That  when  the  holy 
 Gity  and  San&uary  lay  defolate,   by  the  Tyranny  of 
 Antiochus  Epiphanes,  the  People  aflembled  together  at 
 Mafpah,  to  make  their  Supplications  unto  God,  "Otz  70- 
 7r©u  7Tf Gtnu%Yi<;  £<;  Mao-pa  70  7T££75£0v  to  I<t^cwA,  becaufe 
 at  Mafpah  had  been,  in  former  times,  a  place  of  Prayer  for 
 Ifracl  ^  and  therefore  fome  of  the  Jewifti  Dodors  fay, 
 the  firft  Synagogue  was  built  here,    and  make  this  the 
 Original  of  all  thofe,  which  were  fo  frequent  in  after- 
 times.     For  here,  fay  Kimchi  and  Abarbinel,  all  the  re- 
 maining Kings  of  Canaan  aflembled  (after  the  Battel  at 
 Gibeon)  to  fight  with  Ifrael,  XI  Jofi.  3.    And  here  Jofhtia 
 finiftied  his  Victories  over  the  Canaanites,  v.  8.    and 
 therefore  here,  it  is  probable,  he  built  an  Altar  unto  the 
 LORD,  in  memory  of  fo  great  a  Deliverance*    But  this 
 conjefture  is  founded  upon  a  plain  miftake,  for  the 
 Land  ofMizpeh,  where  Joflma  compleated  his  Vi&ories, 
 was  far  from  this,  in  the  moft  Northern  parts  of  Canaan 
 near  Lebanon,  beyond  the  Fountains  of  Jordan. 
 
 Mr.  Mede  alfo,  and  Com.  Bertram,  think  that  hither 
 they  brought  the  Ark  upon  this  great  occafion,  and  fo 
 might  properly  be  faid  to  be  gathered  unto  the  LORD. 
 But  this  feems  to  me  improbable,  that  they  ffaould  remove 
 the  Ark  hither,  when  it  was  fo  near  them  in  Shiloh,  to 
 which  they  might  as  well  go,  as  bring  it  to  them.  And 
 as  for  that  phrafe,  Unto  the  LORD,  it  is  no  Argument 
 that  either  the  Ark  was  here,  or  fo  much  as  a  place  of 
 Prayer  $  for  where  all  the  People  of  God  were  affem- 
 bled  in  any  place,  there  God  was  in  a  fpecial  manner 
 prefent :  as.when   they  all  aflembled   to  make  David 
 
 their 
 
upon    JUDGES.  605 
 
 their  Kino;,  it  is  faid  he  made  a  League  with  them///  He-  Chapter 
 bron,  before  the  LORD,  though  there  was  no   Ark  nor       XX. 
 Altar  there,    2  Saw.  v.  3.  C/'"V"\J 
 
 I  Tee  no  reaion  therefore  to  believe,  that  the  Ifraclites 
 were  now  gathered  to  Mizpeh,  as  a  place  of  Prayer,  (for 
 Shiloh  was  appointed  for  that  purpofe,  which  was  very 
 near  it)  but  as  a  fitting  place  for  fuch  a  great  AfTembly 
 to  meet,  and  confult  what  was  to  be  done  in  the  prefent 
 Cafe.  That  was  their  bufinefs  here  5  and  when  they 
 had  occafion  to  enquire  of  God,  and  to  Faft,  (and 
 Pray  no  doubt)  they  went  to  Shiloh,  to  the  Houfe  of 
 God.     Seez/.  26  &:  28. 
 
 Ver.  2.  And  the  chief  of  all  the  people,  even  of  all  the  Verfe  2. 
 tribes  of  Ifracl,  prefenteJ  themfelves  in  the  affentbly  of  the 
 people  of  God.~]  The  word  we  tranilate  Chief  is  in  the 
 Hebrew  the  Corners,  who  was  the  ftrength  and  fupport 
 of  the  People,  as  the  Corner-ftones  are  of  a  Building, 
 viz.  the  Heads  of  their  Tribes,  Rulers  of  Thoufands, 
 and  Rulers  of  Hundreds,  Fifties  and  Tens:  who  kept 
 the  People  in  fome  kind  of  Order,  (now  that  they 
 wanted  a  Supreme  Governour,  and  the  Courts  of  Juftice 
 were  unfetled)  and  it  is  likely  brought  them  along  with 
 them  to  this  General  AfTembly  5  which,  in  all  proba- 
 bility, met  in  the  open  Air,  as  they  anciently  did  among 
 the  Romans,  Athenians,  and  other  People,  as  many 
 Learned  Men  have  obferved.  And  Lycurgus,  as  Plutarch 
 tells  us,  gave  this  reafon  for  it,  That  noble  Rooms, 
 adorned  with  Pi&ures  and  Statues,  and  fuch  like  Orna- 
 ments, did  not  contribute,  efc  gJj&Aww,  to  right  Coun- 
 cils, bat  rather  did  hurt,  by  diftra&ing  their  Minds, 
 and  turning  them  from  their  bufinefs  :  But  the  true  rea- 
 fon was,  becaufe  vaft  multitudes  met  together,  which 
 no  Houfe  would  contain,  and  therefore  they  aflembled 
 in  the  Field,  as  L  ivy  tells  us,  when  the  Caufe  of  Affim 
 Claudius  was  heard,  the  People  were  cited  to  come  into 
 the  Campus  Mart  jus.     Lib.  VI.  Cap,  20.  Fom 
 
6o6  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Four  hundred  thoufand  foot men  that  drew  fwordT]   That 
 XX.      is,  together  with  fo  many  of  the  People  (for  there  could 
 
 iymYm\j  not  be  fo  many  Chieftans)  that  came  ready  armed,  to  do 
 as  they  (hould  be  dire&ed.  I  have  often  obferved,  that 
 the  Armies  of  the  Jews  were  all  Infantry,  there  being 
 no  Horfes  bred  in  their  Country.  There  are  thofe,  who, 
 by  the  Comers  of  the  People,  underftand,  not  their  Chiefs, 
 but  all  the  Tribes  of  Ifrael  (making  the  next  words  the 
 Explication  of  thefe)  who  made  up  this  great  number  of 
 four  hundred  thoufand  5  becaufe,  faith  Coccejus,  all  the 
 People  gathered  together,  is  like  an  Houfe  that  hath 
 Corners.  But  I  (hall  not  trouble  the  Reader  with  va- 
 rious Interpretations. 
 
 Verfft  2.  Ver.  3.  Now  the  children  of  Benjamin  heard  that  the 
 children  of  Ifrael  were  gone  up  to  MizpehJ]  They  could 
 not  be  ignorant  of  fuch  an  universal  concourfe  of  the 
 whole  Nation,  except  themfetves,  nor  of  the  caufe  of 
 their  meeting  5  but  when  they  were  told  of  it,  would 
 take  no  notice  of  it :  being  ftupidly  infenfible  of  the 
 crime  that  had  been  committed  among  them,  or  foolilhly 
 confident  of  their  own  ftrength  $  or,  rather  imagining 
 their  Brethren  would  attempt  nothing,  by  War,  againft 
 them. 
 
 Then /aid  the  children  of  Ifrael,  Tell  us,  how  was  this 
 wickednefs."]  The  Hebrew  word  Dabru  (tell)  being  in 
 the  Plural  Number,  denotes,  That  they  (pake  to  more 
 than  one  5  and  therefore,  in  all  probability,  not  only 
 the  Levite,  but  the  good  Old  Man  (his  Hoft)  and  his 
 Servant  were  there,  to  give  an  account  of  the  Fad. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4*  4wl  the  Levite,  the  Husband  of  the  woman 
 that  wasflain,  anfwered  and  faid,  I  came  into  Gibeah, 
 that  belongeth  to  Benjamin,  I,  and  my  concubine,  to 
 lodgc7\  He  relates,  from  the  beginning,  how  it  was  5 
 and  they  confirmed  it,  by  their  Teftimony,  to  the  truth 
 •of  it.  He  being  called  her  Husband,  it  proves  (he  was 
 his  legal  Wife.  Ver.  5* 
 
upon  JUDGES.  6o7 
 
 Ver.   5.  AndthemenofGibcahrofeupagainfl?>ie7]    A  Chapter 
 great  number  of  them,  who  were  not  retrained  by  the      XX. 
 reft  5  and  therefore  he  imputes  the  crime  to  them  all*      l/V"\j 
 ■\nd  befit  the  houfe  round  about  me  by  night,  and  thought  Verie  5. 
 to  have  J/ain   me']     For  he  refolved  to  lofe  his  life,  as 
 Ralbag  here  obferves,    rather  than  fubmit  to  their  abo- 
 minable defires. 
 
 And  my  concubine  have  they  forced,  that  fie  is  deadT] 
 But  though  he  preferved  himfelf,  he  could  not  deliver 
 her  from  them  ^   but  they  abufed  her  to  death. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  I  tooh^my  concubine,  and  cut  her  in  pieces,  Verfe  6, 
 and  fent  her  throughout  all  the  country  of  the  inheritance  of 
 Ifrael  :  for  they  have  committed  lewdnefs  and  folly  in  ]frael!~\ 
 Such  a  very  heinous  crime,  as  he  thought  the  whole 
 Nation  was  bound  to  cenfure. 
 
 Ver.  7.  Behold,  ye  are  all  children  of  Ifrael,  give  here  Verfe  7. 
 your  advice  and  counfel7\  They  all  detefted,  he  prefu- 
 med,  fuch  foul  wickednefs  $  and  therefore  defires  them 
 to  confider  and  refolve  how  to  punifh  it.  This  could 
 not  be  debated  by  all  the  multitude  5  therefore  fome  of 
 the  principal  Perfons,  I  iuppofe,  were  deputed  to  fit  in 
 Councel,  and  hear  the  Caufe,  and  then  report  their  opi- 
 nion to  the  feveral  Tribes. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  all  the  people  arofc  as  one  man,  faying,  We  Verfe  8, 
 trill  not  any  of  us  go  to  his  tent,  neither  will  we  any  of  us 
 turn  into  his  houfe.]  The  report  being  made  from  the 
 greatrCounfel,  and  their  opinion  declared  :  the  People 
 all  agreed  to  keep  in  a  body,  till  they  faw  Juftice  done, 
 according  to  their  refolution. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  now,  this  [I jail  be  the  thing  we  will  do  to  Verft  ft. 
 Gibeah,  we  will  go  up  by  lot  againji  it.']  This  feems  to  be 
 a  popular  motion,  who  are  in  love  with  equality  3  and 
 therefore  defire,  by  their  Officers,  that  it  may  be  deter- 
 mined by  Lots,  who  (hall  go  to  War,  and  who  (hall 
 ftay  at  Home   to:  make  Provifion  for  the  Army,    for 
 
 thev 
 
dbS  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  they  did  not  know  how  long  they  (hould   continue 
 XX.      Abroad,  and  it  was  not  eafie  to  provide  for  fuch  a  mul- 
 
 C^V^vJ  titude. 
 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  we  will  take  ten  men  of  an  hundred 
 throughout  all  the  tubes  of  Ifrael,  and  an  hundred  out  of  a 
 thoufand,  and  a  thoufand  out  of  ten  thoufand,  to  fetch 
 viBuals  for  the  people!]  So  one  Man  took  care  that  nine 
 of  his  Brethren  wanted  nothing  $  and  ten  took  care  of 
 ninety i  &c.  In  the  whole  there  were  Forty  thoufand  of 
 the  Four  hundred  thoufand,  who  went  out  to  Forrage 
 for  the  Army. 
 
 That  they  may  do ,  when  they  come  to Gibe  ah  of Benjamin, 
 according  to  all  the  folly  that  they  have  done  in  Ifrael."]  That 
 the  reft  might  be  wholly  intent  upon  punifhing  the  In- 
 habitants ofGibeah  according  to  their  deferts. 
 
 Verfe  II.  Ver.  1 1 .  So  all  the  men  of  Ifrael  were  gathered  together 
 againjl  the  cityy  knit  together  as  one  man."]  Nothing 
 could  contribute  more  to  their  good  Succefs,  than  this 
 unity  and  concord  among  the  Officers  and  Soldiers,  who 
 all  agreed  to  put  this  refolution  in  execution. 
 
 Verfe  12.  ^er*  l2m  ^n^  f^e  tr'^es  °f  Ifrael  fent  men  through  all 
 '  the  tribe  of  Benjamin."]  But  firft  it  was  thought  prudent 
 and  juft,  by  the  Rulers  of  the  People,  to  fend  an  Em- 
 baffy  to  their  Brethren,  to  defire  them  to  hearken  unto 
 reafon  5  and  therefore  there  was  a  felefr  number  chofen 
 out  of  every  Tribe,  who  went  to  every  City  of  Benja- 
 min (it  is  probable)  to  offer  fuch  terms  of  Peace,  as  might 
 prevent  the  War  upon  Gibeah.  Or,  they  fent  this  Mef- 
 fage  to  every  Family  in  Benjamin,  which  were  origi- 
 nally ten,  for  Benjam/n  had  fo  many  Sons  5  from  whom 
 fprang  fuch  a  number  of  People,  that  it  made  R.  Solomon 
 fay,  From  Rachel  were  defcended  twelve  Tribes  :  For 
 there  were  two  Sons  of  Jofeph  which  made  two  Tribes, 
 befides  thefe  ten  Families  of  Benjamin  :  who  were  fo 
 powerful  and  valiant,  that  it  putt  them  up  with  Pride, 
 and  was  the  caufe  of  their  ruin.  Saying, 
 
upon    JUDGES. 
 
 ,  U  hat  vptckfclnefs  h  this  that  is  done  among  you  :■  j  ( 
 
 In  the  firft  place,  they  were  ordered  to  represent  the     >; 
 greatnefe  of  the  crime  that  had  been  co  I/* ^ 
 
 then,. 
 
 Ver.  i  3.  Xoiv  therefore  deliver  us  the  men,  the  children  V 
 of  Belial,  which  arc  in  Gibeah.~]  This  was  agreeable  to 
 the  Law  of  Nations,  by  which  the  Philijiines  had  thus 
 demanded  Samjhnof  the  IJraelifef,  who  had  done  them 
 mifchief,  XV.  10.  See  Gratius.  who  gives  a  great  ma- 
 ny ether  examples  of  it,  out  oi  .  aufanias,  Strabo,  and 
 other  Authors.     Lib.  II.  de  Jure   Belli   &  Pacis.     Cap. 
 
 XXI.  Sea.  IV. 
 
 That  roe  may  put  them  to  death.']  If  the  Benjamites 
 themfelves  would  not  do  Juftice  upon  them. 
 
 And  put  away  evil  from  IJfaeLj  According  to  the  di- 
 rection Mofcs  had  given  in  his  Law,  XIII  Deut.  5.  For 
 the  fin  is  taken  away,  when  it  is  culy  punifhed. 
 
 But  the  children  of  Benjamin  would  not  hearken  to  the 
 voice  of  their  brethren  the  children  of  Ifrael.~]  They  feem 
 to  have  been  as  unanimous  in  the  defence  of  this  wicked- 
 nefs,  as  the  reft  of  the  Tribes  were  in  their  endeavours 
 to  have  it  punifhed.  For  quire  contrary  to  all  their 
 Brethren,  who,  upon  the  hearing  of  this  crime,  met 
 together,  examined  into  it,  fent  Mefiengers  to  defire  the 
 Malefactors  might  be  delivered  to  be  punifhed,  before 
 they  would  enter  upon  a  War  }  they  moft  perverfely 
 refilled  to  come  to  their  Aflembly,  or  deliver  up  the 
 Malefactors,  or  fo  much  as  excufe  the  Fact,  much  lefs 
 deny  it,  but  prepare  themfelves  to  protect  fuch  Lewd 
 Criminals  with  all  their  power.  One  can  fcarce  think 
 that  there  were  no  good  Men  left  among  them,  but  they 
 were  fo  fe>v,  that  they  had  no  Authority  ;  and  the  ge- 
 nerality were  fo  depraved,  that  they  took  part  w  ith  the 
 evil  doers.  Perhaps,  they  took  it  ill  that  the  other 
 Tribes  (hould  meddle  with  the  concerns  of  theirs,  but 
 
 Iiii  if 
 
glo  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 ■  Chapter  if  they  had  had  any  goodnefs  in  them,  they  would  have 
 XX.      faved  them  this  labour,by  calling  the  Offenders  to  an  Ao 
 t/"Y~\w  count  themfelves  :    Which  they  not  doing,    made  the 
 whole  Tribe  guilty  of  the  crime  of  a  few,    and  provo- 
 ked God  juftly  to  give  them 'up  to  purfue   their  own 
 deftrti&ion. 
 
 Verfe  14.  ^er  *4-  ^ut  ™f  children  of  Benjamin  gathered  them- 
 felves together  out  of  the  cities,  unto  Gibe  ah,  to  go  out  to 
 battel  agahtjl  the  children  of  If racl.~]  Inftead  of  hearkning 
 to  their  Brethren,  or  giving  any  reafon  of  their  refufal 
 to  fatTsfie  their  defires,  they  prepare  themfelves  to  fight 
 with  them,, 
 
 Verfe  15.  Ver.  15.  And  the  children  of  Benjamin  were  numbred 
 at  that  time  &ut  of  the  cities,  twenty  and  fix  thoufand  men 
 that  drew  fwordT]  So  the  Chaldee  exprefly  mentions 
 twenty  fix  thoufand,  but  the  Vulgar  faith  only  twenty  five 
 thatijand  }  and  the  LXX  of  the  Roman  Edition  twenty 
 three  thoufand  :  but  other  Copies  have  hventyjive  thoufand, 
 asjojephvs  alfo  hath.  Who  imagined,  1  fuppofe,  that 
 the  number  of  twenty  fix  thoufand  would  not  agree  with 
 the  Account  which  follows^  of  twenty  five  thoufand.  ana? 
 one  hundred  (lain  in  the  laft  Battel,  and  in  the  purfuit  of 
 them,  v.  35",  45.  and  fix  hundred 'only  efcaped,  ^.47. 
 which  mike  tire  number  of  twenty  five  thoufand  feven 
 hundred.  But  they  fhould  have  confidered,  that  the  two 
 former  Battels  could  not  be  fought  witji  no  lofs  on  the 
 Benjamites  fide,  when  fo  many  fell  of  the  Ifraelites, 
 v.  21,25.  And  the  other  thoufand  Men  may  well  be 
 iuppofed  to  have  then  perifhed,  or  fome  of  them  to 
 have  been  left  to  defend  their  Cities^  where  they  were 
 afterward  {lain,  v.  48. 
 
 Befidc.  the  inhabitants  of  Gibeah,  which  were  nuwbred, 
 feven  hundren  chofen  men."]  Who  were  left,  it  is  likely, 
 (or  at  leaft  part  of  them)  to  defend  that  City,  while  the- 
 ©sft  before-mentioned  went. out  to  Battel, 
 
 Ver.  16.. 
 
upon   JUDGES.  611 
 
 Ver.    1 6.   Among  all  thk  people  there  were  feven  hundred  Chapter 
 chofen  men  left- handed.']     Who  could  ufe  their  left-hand       XX. 
 as  well  as  their  right,  in  any  exercife.     See  III.  13.  L/^V~\J 
 
 Every  one  could  Jl/ng  flones  at  an  hairs- breadth ,  and  not  Vcrl  !  I  6 
 mifs~\  Such  excellent  Marksmen  there  have  bc^n  in 
 other  Countries  5  particularly,  in  the  lilands  called 
 Bxle&es,  where  they  were  bred  from  Children  to  hit  a 
 Mark  with  a  Stone  tiling  out  of  a  Sling,  or  elfe  to  loie 
 their  Breakfaft,  as  Strabo  relates.  See  Bochartus  in  his 
 H/erozoicon,  P.  1 .  Lib.  III.  Cap.  X.  This  extraordi- 
 nary Skill  in  their  Anns,  (for  it  is  likely  they  handled 
 other  Weapons  with  the  like  dexterity)  and  their  na- 
 tural Courage,  emboldned  them,  with  fuch  a  fmall 
 number,  to  undertake  a  War  again  ft  fuch  a  vafl  multi- 
 tude of  their  Brethren.  Which  Warlike  difpofition  of 
 theirs,  was  Prophecied  of  by  Jacob,  when  he  faith, 
 Benjamin  fiall ravin  as  a  wolf  $  which  is  an  undaunted, 
 perilous  Creature,  XLIX  Gen.  27. 
 
 Ver.  17.  Andthemenoflfrael,  bejide  Benjamin,  were  \re r fe  1  7 . 
 ??umbred  four  hundred  thoufand  that  drew  j word,  all  thefe 
 were  men  of  war^  This  is  mentioned  again,  to  (how 
 that  they  all  perfifted  ftedfaft  in  their  refolution,  Qv.  zH 
 8.)  to  fee  Juftice  done  upon  the  Men  of  Be//*/,  before 
 they  would  return  to  their  own  home. 
 
 Ver.  18.  And  the  children  of  Ifrael  arofe,  and  went  up  y  r  o 
 to  the  houfe  of  God~\  In  Shiloh,  which  was  not  far  From 
 Mizpeh,  and  asked  counfel  of  God,  by  ZJrim  and  Ihum- 
 ntint,  asthev  did,  I.  1.  The  Targum  hath  ir,  They 
 asked  Counfel  by  the  WORD  of  the  LORD.  Some  of 
 their  principal  Perfons  $  that  is,  were  fent  to  defire  God 
 to  direct  them,  as  he  was  wont  to  do  in  all  great  Affairs 
 concerning  the  fafety  of  their  Commonwealth.  For  lb 
 God  himfelf  ordained,  that  the  High-Prieft  (hould  ap- 
 pear before  him,  with  the  Breajl-plate  of  Judgment,  to 
 ask  Couniel   of  him   for  rhem,    in  all  their  weighty 
 
 I  i  i  i  2  concerns. 
 
612  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  concerns.      See   XXVIII  Exod.    30.     XXVII  N&hiB. 
 
 XX.       11. 
 
 {^y^/*\J  And  f aid,  I  Vhich  of  us  ftiall  go  up  firfi  againji  the  children 
 of  Benjamin  £  And  the  LORD  [aid,  Judah  ffjall  go  up 
 firfi.'}  The  fame  Queftion  and  Anfwer  which  we  read 
 in  the  beginning  of  this  Book  5  there  being  a  pre-emi- 
 nence, we  may .  obferve  all  along,  given  to  the  Tribe  of 
 Judah. 
 
 Verfe  19.      ^er*  l9-  ^nc^    f^e  c^  *f  Ifrael  wfe  up   to  the 
 
 morning,  and  encamped  agaihfi  Uibeihr\  Thefe  words 
 feem  to  tell  us,  that  fadah  .as  only  to  lead  the  Van, 
 (as  we  now  (peak),  and  ftand  in  the  front  of  the  Battel, 
 to  make  the  firft  Affault  5  but  rhat  all  the  reft  went  up 
 with  them. 
 
 Verfe  20  Ver.  20.  And  the  men  of  Ifrael  went  out  to  battel  againji 
 Benjamin.']  When  the  Benjamites  heard  that  Ifrael  were 
 encamped  againft  Gibeah,  they  came  to  the  relief  of  it  5 
 and  the  Ifraelites  marched  out  of  their  Camp  to  engage 
 them. 
 
 And  the  men  of  Ifrael  put  themfelves  in  aray  to  fight  againfi 
 them  at  Gibeah.]     The  Battel  was  near  that  City. 
 
 Verfe  21.  ^er#  2I#  ^n^  ^je  children  of  Benjamin  came  forth  out 
 of  Gibeah.]  Thofe  Forces  which  were  left  in  Gibeah 
 for  its  defence,  iffued  out  upon  the  Ifraelites  in  their 
 Rear,  as  their  Brethren  fought  them  in  the  Front. 
 
 And  defiroyed  down  to  the  ground  of  the  Ifraelites  that 
 day,  twenty  and  two  thoufand']  Since  God  bid  them  go 
 up,  it  may  feem  ftrange  that  they  fhould  receive  fuch  a 
 defeat.  But  it  is  to  be  obferved,  that  he  did  not  promife 
 them  Succefs^  of  which  the  Jews  give  thefe  Heafons  : 
 Some  of  them  fay,  That  they  fought  him  imperfectly, 
 and  therefore  he  gave  them  an  imperfect  Anfwer.  So 
 D.  Kimchi,  They  did  not  ask  him,  if  he  would  favour 
 their  Enterprize,  as  they  did  atthe  laft,  when  they  faid, 
 Shall  we  go  up^  or  ft  all  we  defi fit  That  is,  if  we  (hall  not 
 
 fucceed. 
 
uptnt  ]  U  D  G  E  S.  6 \  3 
 
 ill  ceafe  the  War.     And  then  a  clear  and 
 full  Anl  row  I  will  de-      XX. 
 
 /     v.  j3.      Hut   \barblntl  thinks  l/~V\J 
 I  in  a  due  place,    nor   by  the 
 
 :  \  hut    '  r  than  Phineas   the 
 
 ft,  of  whom  there  is  no  mention,  tilJ  the  thid 
 
 time  th  it  to  cohfult  the       i    le,  v.  28.     But  a 
 
 1  in  Phi  r,    where  they  fay, 
 
 y  with  the  ftes  for   their  neglect  of 
 
 him,  in  lultery  among  them,  while 
 
 v  earned:  to  puniih  Carnal.  So  they  make 
 God's  anfwer  to  have  been,  when  they  enquired  of  him 
 the  reafon  of  their  mifcarnage  $  Te  are  zealous  again/}  the 
 adultery  of  the  tribe  cf  Benjamin,  but  not  againfl  the  idol 
 ofMicah,  Cap.  XXXVIII.  And  indeed,  they  fell  early 
 into  Idolatry  after  the  death  of  Jofwa,  and  the  Elders 
 that  furvived  him,  (as  we  read  in  the  Second  Chapter 
 of  this  Cook)  with  which,  though  the  Benjamites  were 
 defiled  as  well  as  ethers,  yet  he  ufed  them  as  Scourges 
 to  punifh  the  reft  5  intending,  in  due  time,  to  take  a 
 terrible  vengeance  on  them,  both  for  that,  and  all  their 
 other  fins. 
 
 Ver.   22.   And  the  people,  the  men  of Ifraet,  incouragedVzxk  22. 
 thewfelves.']     Exhorted  one  another,  not  to  be  difheart- 
 ned  by  their  lofs5  but  to  renew  the  fight  5  for  they  knew 
 they  had  a  good  Caufe,  which  maie  them  the  bolder  to 
 hope  for  Viftory. 
 
 ndfet  their  battel  again  in  aray,  in  the  place  where  they 
 put  the mf elves  in  aray  the  firjl  day^  They  were  not  fo 
 Superftitiousas  to  imagine,  the  plaice  wherein  they  fought 
 was  unlucky,  arid  that  with  the  change  of  it,  they 
 fhould  change  their  fortune,  (as  they  now  fpeak)  but 
 confidently  refblved  to  encounter  them,  in  the  famefpot 
 of  ground, where  they  were  o  :rthrown  before.  Though 
 there  are  thofe  that  think  the  ground  was  not  well  cho- 
 
6H  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  fen>  and  that  they  were  the  more  eafily  defeated,    be- 
 
 XX.      caufe  they  fought  fo  near  Gibeah  5  whofe  Name  imports, 
 
 L/"V~NJ  that  it  was  fituated  on  high,  which  gave   them   greater 
 
 advantages  to  annoy  the  Jfraelftes. 
 Verfe  12.  ^r-  23'  And  ihe  children  of  Ifrael  went  up,  and  wept 
 before  ike  LORD,  until  even.']  They  feem  to  have  been 
 fenfible  that  this  was  one  caufe  of  their  iofs,  that  they 
 had  not  more  folemnly  fought  the  LOR.D,  as  now  they 
 do  5  but  with  greater  grief  for  their  16'fs,  than  for  their 
 fin. 
 
 And  asked  counfel  of  the  LORD.]  The  Tar  gum  here 
 nfes  again  the  fame  phrafe  5  asked  Counfel  by  the  WORD 
 of  the  LORD^  faying,  Shall  I  again  go  up  to  battel  againji 
 the  children  of  Benjamin  my  brother?  They  feem  to  ima- 
 gine that  God  did  not  approve  of  their  going  to  War 
 among  themfelves,  who  were  all  Brethren. 
 
 And  the  LORD  jaid,  Go  up  again  ft  him?]     Here  is  a 
 leave  to  go  up,  but  without  any  promife  of  fuccefs , 
 which  they  (hould  have  defired. 
 Verfe  24.       Ver.   24.   And  the  children   of  Ifrael  came  near  againf 
 the   children    of  Benjamin,    the  fecond  day.]     Near   to 
 Gibeah. 
 Verfe  25.       Ver.   25.   And  Benjamin  went  forth  again/}  them  out  of 
 Gibe  ah  the  fecond  day,   and  dcjlroyed  down  to  the  ground  of 
 the  children  of  Ifrael  eighteen  thou f and  men  :  all  thefc  drew 
 fvord.]  They  had  nowdeftroyed  forty  thouiand,  which 
 was  a  much  greater  number  than   the  Benjatnites  had  in 
 their  whole  Army. 
 Verfe  26.      Ver.    26.   Then  all  the  children    of   Ifrael,   and  all  the 
 people  went  up.]     Not  only  all  the  Warriors,  but  other 
 People. 
 
 And  came  unto  the  houfe  of  God,  and  wept,  and  fat 
 there  before  the  LORD.]  Upon  the  bare  ground,  as 
 they  ufed  to  do  in  very  great  forrow. 
 
 Andfajied  that  day  before  the  LORD  until  evenT]     Af- 
 flicted 
 
upcn   JITDGE  S.  ^15 
 
 flitted  their  Souls  for  their  fins,  which  they  had   not  Chapter 
 done  before  $  at  leafr,  not  yrith  ftfcb  ferioulhefs  as  nov/      XX 
 they  did.  ^  ^  LS^r\J 
 
 And  offered  burnt- offer hrgs.~]  This  had  not  been  done 
 before.  That  is,  they  had  not  made  fuch  folemn  Sup- 
 plications to  God,  as  now  they  did  by  thefe  Offerings. 
 See  upon  I  Lcvit.  3.  And  in  particular,  it  is  evident, 
 that  in  ancient  time  burnt- offerings  were  offered  as  Pray- 
 ers for  forgivjen.efe  of  fins,  that  lb  they  might  obtain 
 God's  Bleilings,  I  Job  5.  And  Balaam  (who  no  doubt 
 ander flood  the  ancient  Rites  of  Religion)  offered  thefe 
 Offerings  to  obtain  power  from  God  to  help  Balah^  and 
 deftroy  the  Ifracl,tes,  XXIII  AW4.  3,15,  &c 
 
 And  peace-offerings  before  the  LOR  DA]  Thefe  were 
 offered  to  acknowledge  benefits  received,  (which  ought 
 to  accompany  our  Prayers)  and  fomeof  them  alfo  were 
 a  kind  of  Prayer  to  God,  for  the  benefits  they  hoped 
 (till  to  receive.     See  upon  VII  Levit.  1 6. 
 
 Ver.  27.    And   the  children    of  Iff ac I    enquired   of  ifcVerfe  27. 
 LORD."]     The  fame  expreffion  is  again  in  the  Targum, 
 By  the  WORD  of  the  LORD. 
 
 For  the  arl^of  the  covenant  of  God  VMS  there  inthoff- 
 d#ys.~\  They  had  enquired  of  the  LORD  before,  but 
 not  as  they  ought  to  havedone  5  and  therefore  no  men- 
 tion is  made  till  now,  of  the  prefence  of  God  comi- 
 Hiring  among  them.  For  confiding  in  the  juftice  ot 
 their  Cauie,  and  their  vaft  Forces,  they  feetn  to  have 
 made  but  flight  and  perfunftory  Add  relies  to  God,  be- 
 fore they  undertook  the  War. 
 
 Ver.  28.  And  Phinehas  the  fon  of  EJeazar,  the  fan  0/Verfe  %8: 
 Aaron^  food  before  iU  in  thoje  days."]  To  jiand  before  ii,t 
 is  as  much  as  to  Minifter  unto  God  before  the  Ark. 
 where  he  refided.  See  upon  X  Dent.  8.  XVIII.  7.  Some 
 think  this  is  here  fet  down  to  direct  us  to  the  time  when 
 this  War  was  made,  which  was  not  long  after  the  death 
 
 of 
 
616  A    CO  MM  EN  f  A  KT 
 
 Chapter  of  Joflwa,    (as  I  faid  before,  XIX.  i.)   ctherwife  Phi- 
 XX.       nehas  muft  have  been  now  (if  this  were  after  the  time  of 
 
 C/^sOrJ  the  Judges)  above  three  hundred  years  old,  which  is 
 far  beyond  the  age  to  which  Men  then  lived,  fcr  it  was 
 above  fo  many  years  fince  he  did  that  noble  Fad  men- 
 tioned in  XXV  Numb.  Saidus  Batricides  therefore 
 more  juftly  makes  him  to  have  been  High-Pried:  only 
 XXV  Years  $  and  the  Chron.  Alexandr.  mentions  three 
 other  Priefts  between  him  and  Eli,  as  Mr.  Selden  obferves, 
 Lib.  l.de  Succejjion.  in  Pontif.  Cap.  2. 
 
 Saying,  Shall  I  yet  again  go  out  to  battel  againf  the  chil- 
 dren of  Benjamin,  my  brother,  or  foall  I  ceafe  ?*]  This  is  a 
 plainer  Quasry  than  either  of  the  former,  (as  Pet.  Mar- 
 tyr here  obierves)for  at  firft:  they  only  ask'd  what  Tribe 
 {hould  firft  go  up,  prefuming  the  War  was  fit  to  be 
 made,  v.  18.  and  the  fecond  time  only,  Whether  God 
 would  have  them  renew  the  fight,  v.  23.  But  now 
 they  ask,  Whether  they  (hould  proceed  in  the  War,  or 
 defift  from  any  further  attempt  ?  That  is,  faith  he,  They 
 leave  it  wholly  to  God's  pleafure  5  defiring  to  do  no 
 more,  if  he  did  not  think  good  to  accompany  them 
 with  his  Bleffing. 
 
 And  the  LORDfaid,  Go  up,  for  to  morrow  I  will  deliver 
 them  into  thy  hand7\  Accordingly  he  condefcended  to 
 give  them  a  gracious  Anfwer,  alluring  them  of  a  fpeedy 
 Viftory. 
 
 Verfe  29.  Ver.  29.  And  Ifraelfet  Hers  in  wait  round  about  G/V 
 beah.~]  This  feems  to  intimate,  that  in  the  former  On- 
 fets,  they  had  relied  too  much  upon  their  numbers  : 
 But  now,  though  they  were  encouraged  by  God  him- 
 felf,  they  grew  more  humble,  and  lefs  audacious  in 
 their  Enterprize,  laying  Ambufhes  fecretly  in  feveral 
 places,  on  feveral  fides  of  the  City. 
 
 Verfe  20.  ^er#  3°*  jdnc^  ^e  children  of  Ifracl  went  up  againji  the 
 children  ofBenjam'in  on  the  third,  day,  and  put  t he mj elves 
 
 in 
 
upon  JUDGES-  517 
 
 in  aray  agah/Jl  Gibeah,  as  at  other  times 7]     I  fuppofe  they    Chapter 
 appeared  in  the  fame  place  mentioned  v.  22.  as  if  they      XX. 
 intended  to  renew  the  fight  there.     And  this  was  per-  tyVNJ 
 haps  the  third  day  after  the  Jaft  Battel  ^    one  having 
 been   fpent  in  going  to  Shiloh,  and  another  in  farting 
 and  Prayer  there.     Or,  by  the  third  day,  may  be  meant 
 the  third  day  of  Battel. 
 
 Ver.    9 1 .  And  the  children  of  Benjamin  went  out  againfl  Verfe  2  1 . 
 the  people,  and  were  drawn  away  from   the   city.']     The 
 Children  of  Ifrael  pretending  to  avoid  fighting,  and  to 
 flee  from  them  5  as  we  read  in  the  next  Verfe  they  had 
 agreed. 
 
 And  they  began  to  fmite  of  the  people,  and  to  kill,  as  at 
 other  times.']     In  the  two  former  Battels. 
 
 In  the  high  wafs,  of  which  one  goeth  up  to  the  houfe  of 
 God.~]     That  is,  to  Shiloh. 
 
 And  the  other  to  Gibeah  in  the  fields  7]  So  called,  to 
 diftinguifh  it  from  this  Gibeah  $  which,  as  I  faid,  llood 
 upon  an  Hill,  as  the  other  did  in  lower  ground. 
 
 About  thirty  men  of  IfraeL]  Whom  they  killed  in  the 
 Rear  of  their  Army,  as  they  retreated. 
 
 Ver.   32.  And  the  children  of  Benjamin  faid,  They  are  Verfe  22. 
 fmitten  down  before  us,  as  at  thefirfl~]     From  this  flight, 
 they  prefumed    they  rtiould  get  a  new  Viftory,  over 
 fuch  Cowards. 
 
 But  the  children  of  Ifrael  faid,  Let  us  flee,  and  draw 
 them  from  the  city  into  the  high  ways?]  But  this  was  only 
 a  Stratagem  of  the  Israelites,  to  draw  them  away  from 
 Gibeah,  into  a  more  advantageous  place  of  fating  upon 
 them. 
 
 Ver.  33.  And  all  the  men  of  IfraeL']     All  that   were  \/erfe  ^5 
 Ported    in  a  certain  place,    whether  they  defigoed  to 
 draw  the  Benjamites. 
 
 Rofe  up  out  of  their  place,  and  put  themfelves  in  aray 
 at  BaaUTamarT]     The  light  of  fuch  a  Bod)  of  Men,  ap- 
 
 Kkkk  peering 
 
5iS  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  pearing  unexpectedly  ready  to  Encounter  them,  muft 
 
 XX;      needs  be  a  great  lurprize  to  the  Benjamites,  who  thought 
 
 t^V"\J  of  nothing  but  punning  thofe  that  run  away  from  them. 
 
 And  the  tiers  in  wait  of  Ifrael  came  forth  out  of  their 
 
 places.']     At  the  fame  time,    they  that  were  placed  in 
 
 ambufh  behind  them,  rofe  up  to  aflault  the  City. 
 
 Even  out  of  the  meadows  of  Gibeah."]  Whether  it  be 
 tranflated  the  Meadows,  or  the  Plains,  or  thefl.it  ground% 
 that  lay  below  the  City,  it  is  not  material,  ior  thefenfe 
 is  the  fame.  See  LucL  de  Dieu. 
 Verfe  94.  Ver.  34.  And  there  came  againfl  Gibeah  ten  thoufand 
 chofen  men  out  of  all  Ifrael.']  Some  look  upon  thefe  as  a 
 Detachment  (as  they  now  fpeak)  from  the  main  Body  at 
 Baal-Tamar,  who  marched  to  affault  the  City  on  one 
 fide,  while  the  Hers  in  wait  affaulted  it  on  the  other. 
 
 And  the  battel  was  fore  :  but  they  knew  not  that  evil  was 
 
 near  them.]     The  Benjamites  fought  ftoutly  5  but  were 
 
 not  (enfible  of  the  danger  they  were  in  to  be  deftroyed. 
 
 Verfe  2*.       ^er*   35*  ^nd  the  LORD  fmote  Benjamin  before  Ifrael7 
 
 and  the  children  of  Ifrael  deftroyed   of  the  Benjamites  that 
 
 day  twenty  and  five  thoufand,  and  an  hundred  men  \  all 
 
 thefe  drew  the  fword.]     This  is  a  general  account  of  the 
 
 fight,  and  of  the  Benjamites  lofs  5    the  particulars  of 
 
 both  are  related  in  the  following  Verfes. 
 
 Verfe  °  6.       Ver.    36.  So  the  children  of  Benjamin  faw  that  they  were 
 
 fmitten.]     There  was  an  apparent  overthrow  given  them 
 
 by   the  Jfraelites  5  the  manner  of  which    is  defcribed 
 
 from  the  beginning  of  the  Action  of  this  day  tothecon- 
 
 clufion,  in  the  following  part  of  this  Chapter. 
 
 For  the  men  of  Ifrael  gave  place  to  the  Benjamites.] 
 Seemed  to  flee  before  them  5  as  was  before  related. 
 
 Becaufe  they  trufled  to  the  liers  in  wait,  which  they  had 
 fet  befide  Gibeah.]  flefolving  not  to  fight  till  they  faw 
 their  Ambufh  had  executed  what  was  commanded  againft 
 the  City. 
 
 Ver.  37. 
 
upon  JUDGES-  6iy 
 
 Ver.    37.    And  the  liers  in  wait  hajied,   and  r  lifted  upon  Ch  inter 
 Gibeab.]     Which   they  did    with  all  fpeed,  as  foon  as        XX, 
 they. law  the  Benjamites  withdrawn   a  good  way   from   s^s^kj 
 the  City  3  and  tell  upon  the  Inhabitants  on  a  hidden.    Verfe  37 
 
 And  the  liers  in  wait  drew  thcmfelves  along,  and  fmolt 
 all  the  city  with  the  edge  of  the  J  word 7]  Having  e  ft  red 
 the  City,  they  fpread  themfelves  into  the  feveral  parts 
 of  it,  and  killed  all  they  found  therein. 
 
 Ver.  38.  Sow  there  was  an  appointed  Jign  between  the  Verfi 
 men  of  Ifrael,  and  the  Hers  in  wait,  that  they  jhoidd  ma\e 
 a  great  flame  with  fmoke  to  rife  up  out  of the  city.]  They 
 had  agreed  beforehand,  that  when  the  City  was  taken  by 
 the  Liers  in  wait,  they  fhould  fet  it  on  fire  ,  whereby 
 the  Jfraelites  might  know,  when  it  was  time  to  fa.e 
 about,  and  fight  with  the  Benjamites 
 
 Ver.  39.  And  when  the  men  of  Ifrael  retired  in  the  Verfe  39. 
 battel,  Denj an/in  began  to  fmite,  and  hjll  of  the  wen  of 
 Ifrael,  about  thirty  perfons  ,  for  they  f aid,  Surely  they  arc 
 fv/itten  down  before  us,  as  in  the  jirft  battel.']  Till  that 
 Sign  was  given,  they  retreated  as  if  they  were  beaten, 
 and  loft  fome  Men  ^  whereby  the  Benjamites  were  de- 
 ceived into  fecure  hopes  of  a  new  Viftory. 
 
 Ver.  4c.  But  when  the  flame  began  to  arife  out  of  the  city,  Verfe  40. 
 with  a  pillar  of  fntokg,  the  Benjamites  looked  behind  them, 
 and  behold,  the  flame  of  the  city  afcended  up  to  heaven.] 
 It  is  likely  the  Jfraelites  fhouted,  when  they  turned 
 about  to  fall  upon  the  Benjamites  5  which  made  them 
 look  back  to  fee,  what  unexpected  Supplies  they  had 
 received. 
 
 Ver.  41.  And  when  the  men  of  Ifrael  turned  again ,  the  Verfe  41 
 men  of  Benjamin  were  amazed.]     At  this  fudden  change, 
 from  flight  to  fighting. 
 
 For  they  f aw  that  evil  was  come  upon  them 7]  They  be- 
 ing befet  by  the  Jfraelites,  both  behind  and  before. 
 
 Ver.  42.  Therefore  they  turned  their  backj  before  the  wen 
 
 Kkkk  2  of 
 
<5so  A  COMMENT  A  KY 
 
 Chapter  oflfraelP]  Whom  they  had  purfued  j  but  now  ran  away 
 
 XX.     from  them. 
 L/"V\J      Unto  the  way  of  the  wildernefsT]     For  they  were  befet 
 on  all  other  fides. 
 
 But  the  battel  overtook  then/.']  That  is,  The  Men  of 
 War  purfued  them  fo  clofely,  that  they  could  not  efcape. 
 And  them  which  came  out  of  the  cities,  they  dejiroyed 
 in  the  midfl  of  them.']  Or,  they  that  came  out  of  the  cities, 
 viz.  of  Ifrael,  help'd  to  cut  them  off. 
 Verfe  43.  Ver.  43.  Thus  they  enclofed  the  Benjamites  round  about, 
 and  chafed  themy  and  trod  them  down  with  eafe.~]  For 
 they  made  no  refinance,  but  only  fought  where  they 
 might  flee  for  faiety. 
 
 Over  again  (I  Gibe  ah  toward  the  fun-rifing."]  There  is 
 another  Tranllaticn  of  the  latter  part  of  this  Verfe,  in 
 the  Margin  ofcurBibles,  with  which  I  (hall  not  trouble 
 the  Reader,  becaufe  it  makes  no  alteration  in  the  fenfe, 
 which  is  to  (how  where  the  greateft  (laughter  of  them 
 was  made. 
 Verfe  44.  Ver.  44.  And  there  fell  of  Benjamin  eighteen  thoufand 
 men!]     In  the  Wildernefs,  Eaftward  of  Gibeah. 
 
 AU  thefe  were  men  of  valour."]  Stout  Soldiers,  as  ap- 
 pears by  the  two  defeats  they  had  given  to  the  nume- 
 rous Army  of  the  Ifraelites. 
 Verfe  45.  Ver.  45.  And  they  turned,  and  fled  toward  the  wilder- 
 nefs,  unto  the  rock^  of  Rimmon."]  The  remainder  of  the 
 Army  of  Benjamin  endeavoured  to  fave  themfelves,  by 
 flying  to  a  ftrong  inacceflible  place  which  was  in  that 
 Wildernefs. 
 
 And  they  gleaned  of  them  in  the  high-ways  five  thoufand 
 menT]  They  could  not  flee  thither  in  a  Body,  but  fcat- 
 tered  up  and  down  in  the  high-way  5  where  they  pick'd 
 up  five  thoufand  more,  and  (lew  them. 
 
 And  purfued  hard  after  them  to  Gidom^  and  flew  two 
 thoufand  of  them.']     And  following  them  very  clofe, 
 
 as 
 
upon  JUDGES  621 
 
 as  ftr ttS  to  a  place  called  Gidom,  they  killed  two  thou-  Chapter 
 fand  more.  XX. 
 
 Ver.  46.  So  all  which  fll  that  day  of  Benjamin,  were  LSV\J 
 twenty  and  five  thoufand  men  that  drew  fword!]     For  they  Verfe  46. 
 flew  in  the  fir  ft  conflict  eighteen  thoufand  $  and  in  fe- 
 veral  Parties,    as  they  fled  toward  the  Rock  Rimmon, 
 feven  thoufand  more,    which  make  up  this  Sum.     See 
 v.  1  5. 
 
 All  thefe  were  men  of  valour."]  Who  would  not  fur- 
 render  themfelves,  but  chofe  rather  to  be  killed. 
 
 Ver.  47.  But  fix  hundred  men  turned  and  fled  to  the  verfe  4.7 
 wildernefs,  unto  the  rock  Rimmon.]  Thefe  feem  to  have 
 turned  into  fome  nearer  way  unto  the  ftrong  Hold, 
 than  the  reft:  Or,  being  with  the  foremoft,  and  more 
 nimble  than  others,  (for  it  was  accounted  a  rare  quality 
 in  a  Soldier  to  be  fwift  of  foot)  got  thither  before  the 
 Ifraelites  could  overtake  them. 
 
 And  abode  in  the  rocl^  Rimmon  four  months.']  From 
 whence  they  durft  not  adventure  to  ftir,  unlefs  it  were 
 to  fetch  Provifions  ,•  which  they  might  cafily  do,  the 
 rage  of  the  Ifraelites  being  in  a  little  time  flaked  by  fo 
 great  a  deftruftion,  and  turned  into  compafiion. 
 
 Ver.   48.  And  the  men  of  Ifracl  turned  again  upon  the  Verfe  48. 
 children  of  Benjamin.]   Left  their  purfuit  of  them  in  the 
 Wildernefs,  and  turned  toward  the  Country  of  Benjamin. 
 
 And  f mote  them  with  the  edge  of  the  fword,  as  well  the 
 men  of  every  city,  as  the  beafl.]  Thofe  before-mentioned 
 were  men  that  drew  the  fword -^  that  is,  Soldiers.  But 
 there  were  a  great  many  Husband-men,  and  Shepherds, 
 and  orhers  5  whom,  in  their  fury,  they  alfo  flew. 
 
 And  all  that  came  to  hand.~]  Even  Women  and  Chil- 
 dren. For  they  had  devoted  to  deftru&ion  all  that 
 came  not  up  to  Mizpeh,  when  they  were  Summoned, 
 (XXI.  5.)  which  none  of  the  Bcnjamites  did  5  for  which 
 reafon  they  flew  the  Men,  Women  and  Children,  of 
 JabefiGilead,  XXI.  10.  Alfo 
 
62i  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       dlfo  theyfet  on  fire  all  the  cities  that  they  came  to.']  This 
 XXI.     was  as  terrible  an  Execution,  as  if  they  had  been  grofs 
 L/"V~\J  Idolaters,  whom  they  were  commanded  thus  to  punifh. 
 See  XIII  Dent.  15,16. 
 
 CHAP.     XXI. 
 
 Verfe  1 .    Verfe  1  -TV  T  OW  the  men  of  Jfrael  had  fwom  in  Mizpeh.] 
 \_\   When  they    fir  ft  affembled  there,  before 
 they  began  the  War  againft  Benjamin,  XX.  1,  &c. 
 
 Saying,  7 here  JJjall  not  any  of  us  give  his  daughter  unto 
 Benjamin  to  wife!]  They  did  not  think  of  deftroying  the 
 whole  Tribe,  when  they  took  this  Oath,  but  only  ob- 
 liged themfelves  not  to  marry  with  them,  no  more  than 
 with  the  Seven  wicked  Nations  of  Canaan,  becaufe  they 
 refufed  to  punifh  that  Villanous  Fad  which  had  been 
 committed  among  them,  and  refolved  to  defend  the 
 Malefaftors.  This  made  the  Ifraelites  to  abominate 
 them,  as  People  with  whom  it  was  not  fit  to  contra&an 
 affinity. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  And  the  people  came  to  the  houfe  of  God."]  Went 
 Up  to  Shiloh. 
 
 And  abode  there  till  even  before  God,  and  lift  up  their 
 voices^  and  wept  fore 7]  Some  days  after  their  fury  was 
 over,  and  they  cooly  confidered  what  they  had  done 
 in  the  heat  of  War,  their  joy  and  triumph  for  their 
 Viftory,  was  turned  into  mourning  and  lamentation  for 
 the  lofs  of  fo  many  of  their  Brethren  :  For  inftead  of  a 
 Feaft,  they  feem  to  have  kept  aFaft  5  as  they  did  before 
 the  laft  Battel,  XX.  16. 
 
 Verfe  3.  ver.  3.  And  faid,  0  LORD  God  of  Ifrael,  why  k 
 this  come  to  pafs  in  Ifrael,  that  there  Jhould  be  thk  day  one 
 tribe  lacking  in  Jfrael  f]  This  is  an  ufual  way  of  ex- 
 prefling  great  grief,  wherewith  they  bewail  the  lofs  of 
 
 a  whole 
 
upon    )  U  D  O  E&  623 
 
 awholeTribe,  which  they  fiw  no  means  how  fo.  repair.  Chapter 
 becaufe  there  were  no  Women  left  in  the  Tribe  of  Be**      XXI. 
 jamin,   with  whom  they  in  they  Rock  of  Rimmon  might  L/"V\j 
 marry  ^    and  they   had  fworn  that  none  of  the  other 
 Tribes  fhould  give  their  Daughters  to  them  5    fo   that 
 they  mu  ft  either  marry  with  ft  range  People,  which  was 
 againft  the  Law,  or  remain   unmarried,     whereby  the 
 Tribe   would   be  extinct.     They  ieem  alio  to  lament 
 their  own  excefiive  wrath  \    for  why    fhould  the  Wo- 
 men be  deftroyed  with  the  Men,  who  had  no  (hare  in 
 the  Management  of  Publick  Affairs,  nor  could  be  ftip- 
 pofcd  guilty  of  refufing  to  makeSarisfaclion,  for  the  in- 
 jury done  to  the  Levites  Concubine  > 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  it  came  to  pafs  on  the  morrow,  that  the  Verfe  4, 
 people  rofe  early,  and  built  there  an  altar.~]  There  feems 
 to  have  been  no  need  of  this,  there  being  one  fetled 
 Altar  at  the  Houfe  of  God,  according  to  the  Law  of 
 Mofet  5  and  then  it  was  unlawful  to  build  another.  But 
 fome  think  it  was  gone  to  decay,  in  thofe  bad  times  y 
 which  is  very  improbable,  for  they  lately  offered  Sacri- 
 fices there,  XX.  16.  And  the  daily  Sacrifice,  no  doubt, 
 was  continued  in  Ifrael,  either  to  the  LOilD,  or  the 
 other  Gods  they  joyned  with  him.  It  is  more  likely 
 therefore,  that  they  erecled  a  new  Altar,  upon  this  pre- 
 fent  Occafion,  when  fuch  a  multitude  of  Sacrifices  were 
 to  be  offered  by  all  the  People  of  Ifrael,  that  the  ordi- 
 nary Altar  was  not  fufficient  to  contain  them.  Thus 
 Solomon  did,  when  he  dedicated  the  Temple,  1  King* 
 VIII.  64.  And  by  the  direftion  of  God,  it  was  fre- 
 quently done  in  other  places,  and  not  only  at  the  Houfe 
 of  God,  as  by  Samuel,  1  Sam.  WW.  XI,  XIV.  and  Da- 
 vid,  7  Sam.  XXIV.  and  Elijah,   1  Kings  XVIII. 
 
 And  offered  burnt- offerings  and  peace-offerings.']  As 
 they  had  done  before  the  la  ft  Battel.  For  God  having 
 made  them  Vi&orious,    they  thank'd.  him  for  it,  and 
 
 pray'd 
 
<$H  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  pray'd  him  to  continue  his  Mercy  to  them  5  particularly 
 XXI.     begging  his  dire&ion,  it   is   probable,    in   the  prefent 
 ^W)  (trait  wherein   they  were,  about  reftoring  the  Tribe  of 
 
 Benjamin, 
 
 Verfe  5,  Ver.  5.  And  the  children  of  Ifrael  faid,  IV ho  is  there 
 among  all  the  tribes  of  Ifrael,  that  came  not  up  with  the 
 congregation  unto  the  LORD  ?~]  When  Summons  went 
 out  to  call  them  together,  under  a  great  penalty  upon 
 thofe  who  abfented  themfelves.     See  XX.  1. 
 
 For  they  had  made  a  great  oath  concerning  him  that  came 
 not  up  to  the  LORD  to  Mizpeh,  fyi#g,  Surely  he  fl?a/l 
 he  put  to  death.]  This  great  Oath  was  in  the  nature  of 
 a  C  HERE  M,  as  the  Hebrews  call  it ,  whereby  it  was 
 lawful  for  the  whole  Congregation  to  devote  thofe  to  De- 
 finition, who  did  not  obey  Publick  Orders  in  time  of 
 War,  or  great  Diftrefs.    See  upon  XXVII  Levit.  29. 
 
 This  Oath,  I  take  it,  was  made  by  the  great  Affembly 
 of  their  Rulers,  (called  the  whole  Congregation)  before 
 they  Summoned  the  People  to  Mizpeh  5  as  the  other  Oath 
 (mentioned  v.  1.)  was  made  after  the  People  were  come 
 thither,  upon  the  Benjamites  refufal  to  do  Juftice. 
 
 Verfe  6.        Ver.  6.  And  the  children  of  Ifrael  repented  them  for 
 Benjamin  their  brother,  andfaid,  There  is  one  tribe  cut  off 
 from  Ifrael  this  day.]     They  (till  continued  to  lament 
 their  too  great  feverity  againft  Benjamin  ^  and  begin  to 
 confult  how  to  repair  the  breach  they  had  made. 
 
 Verfe  7.  Ver*  7.  How  fiall  we  do  for  wives  for  them  that  remain^ 
 feeing  we  havefworn  by  the  LORD.']  The  Targum  con- 
 tinues its  ufual  ftyle,  by  the  WORD  of  the  LORD. 
 
 That  we  will  not  give  them  of  our  daughters  to  wives  ?~\ 
 This  was  the  queftion  debated  in  their  Common  Coun- 
 cil, (feet;.  16.)  how  to  bring  themfelves  out  of  this 
 difficulty,  into  which  they  were  brought  by  their  Oath  5 
 which  being  raftly  made,  it  might  be  thought  ought 
 not  to  be  kept.  But  they  had  fuch  a  reverence  to  a  So- 
 lemn 
 
upon    JUDO  F  S  $25 
 
 IcmnOarh,  that  they  fefolved  krdoalfrbat  v 
 
 ble  to  find  a  w.:'  ro  keep  rheir  Oath,  and  yet  nor  let     X 
 
 the  Btnjamitn  be  \\  ithout  Wives.  L/~v/"X^> 
 
 Ver.  8.  A?:d  thty  ft'/d,  Whttotnh  thereof  the  tribes  Verfe 
 of  Ifracl,  that  came  rot  up  to  the  1  ORD  toMi%pehf\ 
 Some  in  the  Council  propofed,  to  make  an  Enquiry  into 
 all  their  Tribes,  whether  they  could  find  any  that  had 
 not  regarded  the  other  Oath  they  .had  made,  v.  c.  And 
 it  appeared,  (as  the  next  words  tell  us)  that,  Behold, 
 there  i\u;;e  none  to  the  camp  from  JabtfthGilead  to  the 
 ajfembly* 
 
 Ver.  9.  For  the  people  were  numbred,  and  behold,  there  Verfe  9. 
 were  none  of  the  inhabitants  of  Jabe/h-Grfead  there.  A 
 rare  inftar.ee  of  Piety,  that  none  of  the  whole  Congre- 
 gation of  Ifracl  (who  were  now  numbred)  departed 
 home,  till  they  had  been  at  the  Houle  of  God,  to  give 
 thanks  for  the  Victory  he  had  given  them. 
 
 Ver.   IO.  And  the  congregation  fent  thither  twelve  thou-  Verfe  IC. 
 fund  men  of  the  valiant eji,   and  commanded  them,  faying."] 
 This  was  the  firft  refult  of  their  Confutations. 
 
 Go,  and  finite  the  inhabitants  of  Jabef/j-Gilead  with  the 
 edge  ofthefword.~]  This  was  a  City  on  the  other  fide 
 of  Jordan,  in  the  Tribe  of  Manaffeh  $  who  were  ordered 
 to  be  (lain,  as  publick  Enemies,  becaufe  they  had  not 
 obeyed  the  Order  of  the  whole  Congreation  5  and,  by 
 refuting  to  join  with  them  againft  the  Benjamites,  had 
 made  themfelves  partakers  of  their  Crimes. 
 
 With  the  women  and  the  children^}  In  this  their  anger 
 tranfported  them  again  beyond  reafon  5  for  thefe  had 
 not  offended.  And  if  it  be  faid,  they  were  all  under 
 the  C HERE  M,  I  do  not  fee  how  they  could  juftify 
 their  f pa  ring  all  Virgins,  as  we  find  they  did  by  a  Pub- 
 lick  Decree  $  unlefs  we  fnppofe,  that  God  (before  whom 
 they  now  were)  difpenfed  in  this  cafe,  becaufe  of  the 
 publick  neceffitv. 
 
 LI  11  Ver.   11. 
 
626  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  n.  And  this  is  the  thing  that  ye  fiall  do,  Te  fiall 
 XXI.     utterly  deftroy  every  male,  and  every  woman  that  hath  lien 
 
 U/"VSJ  'by  man.~]     The  Hebrew  Doftors  here  raife   a  difficult 
 
 Verfe  ii.queftion,  as  they  account  it,  How  they  could  know 
 thofe  who  had  lien  with  Man,  from  thofe  that  had  not. 
 D.  Kimchi  fancies,  that  all  the  Women  were  ordered 
 to  pafs  before  the  Ark,  and  they  who  were  ffcopt  there, 
 and  could  go  no  further,  were  taken  for  Virgins.  Others, 
 that  they  paflfed  before  the  Crown  of  the  High- Pried, 
 and  they  who  had  known  a  Man  turned  yellow  or  pale. 
 But  thefe  are  idle  conceits,  and  I  will  mention  no 
 more  of  them,  which  are  dill  more  extravagant  5  when 
 the  plain  Account  is,  That  they  flew  fuch  as  were  not 
 commonly  reputed  to  be  Virgins,  and  faved  thofe  that 
 were.  Seelfagenfeil,  in  his  Confutation  of  Lipmans 
 Carmen  Me m or i ale,  p.  400. 
 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  I2-  And,  they  found  among  the  inhabitants  of  Ja- 
 bcf/j-Gilead,  four  hundred  young  virgins  that  had  not  known 
 man,  by  lying  with  any  male  :  and  they  brought  them  unto 
 the  camp  to  ShilohT]  Which  (hows,  that  the  making 
 them  pafs  before  the  Ark  is  a  foolifh  conceit  5  for  they 
 were  look'd  upon  as  Virgins  before  they  came  to  Shiloh, 
 where  the  Ark  was. 
 
 Which  is  in  the  land  of  Canaan."]  Which  the  City  of 
 Jabeft-Gilead  was  not  $  but  in  the  Land  taken  from  the 
 two  Kings  of  the  Amorites,  Sihon  and  Og. 
 
 Verfe  13.      Ver.    15.  And  the  whole  congregation  fentfome  to  fpea^ 
 to  the  children  of  Benjamin  that  were  in  the  rocl^Rimmon, 
 and  to  call  peaceably  to  them."]     To  give  them  the  Publick 
 Faith,  that  they  might  fafely  return,  and  be  received 
 kindly  by  the Ifraelites. 
 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  And  Benjamin  came  again  at  that  time."]  All 
 the  fix  hundred  men^whohad  faved  themfelves  in  that 
 Fortrefs. 
 
 And  they  gave  them  wives,    which  they  had  faved  alive- 
 
 of 
 
upon    JUDGES.  62J 
 
 of  the  women  of  Jabefi-Gilead.']     Which  they    thought  Chapter 
 they  might  lawfully  do,    notwithftanding  their  Oath,      XXI. 
 becaufe  it  obliged  thofe  only   who  were  prefent  in  the  L^/^sj 
 Aflembly  where  it  was  made  -0  not  the  abfent,  as  they  of 
 Jabeflj-Gilcad  were. 
 
 And  yet  fo  they  fofficcd  them  not.']  For  flill  two  hun- 
 dred wanted  Wives. 
 
 Ver.   15.  And  the  people  repented  thcmfelves  for  Bcnj 'a-  Verfe  15. 
 min.~]     This  gave  occafion  to  a  new  lamentation  5  where- 
 by they  teftified  to  the  Benjamites,  how  forry  they  were 
 for  what  had  been  done. 
 
 Becaufe  that  the  LORD  had  made  a  breach  in  the  tribes 
 of  Ifrael."]  For  the  punifhment  of  their  crime  was  ap- 
 proved by  God  5  though  they  executed  it  with  too 
 much  feverity. 
 
 Ver.  16.  Then  the  elders  of  the  congregation  faid,  How  Verle  16 
 fial/we  do  for  wives  for  them  that  remain,  feeing  the  women 
 are  defiroyed  out  of  Benjamin  f\  This  made  them  enter 
 into  a  new  deliberation  in  the  Council  of  the  Elders, 
 how  to  get  Wives  for  the  two  hundred  Men  remaining, 
 fince  there  were  none  in  the  Tribe  of  Benjamin  5  and 
 no  more  to  be  found  among  themfelves,  without  break* 
 ing  their  Oath. 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  they  J aid,  There  muft  be  an  inheritance  Verfe  17, 
 for  them  that  are  efcaped  of  Benjamin,  that  a  tribe  be  not 
 defiroyed  out  of  Ifrael.~]  Thefe  words,  There  mufi  be,  are 
 not  in  the  Hebrew,  where  the  words  run  thus,  The  in- 
 heritance of  them  that  are  efcaped,  is  for  Benjamin,  &c. 
 That  is,  the  Children  of  Benjamin  muft  have  that  part 
 of  the  Country  which  was  given  them  by  the  Divine 
 Lot  for  their  Inheritance  5  and  we  muft  not  give  it  to 
 any  other  Perfons,  for  then  a  Tribe  would  be  loft  in 
 IfraeL  This  was  all  that  fome  in  the  Council  faid,  who 
 propofed  no  means  whereby  this  Tribe  (hould  be  refto- 
 red,  but  only  aflerted  it  muft  be  done,  leaving  others 
 to  confider  how.  L 1 1 1  2.  Ver.  i80 
 
62%  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Ver.   18.  Howbeit,  we  way  ttot  give  them  wives  of  our 
 
 XXI.     daughters  :  for  the  children  of  Ifrael  have  fiver n,  faying, 
 
 ^ysTSJ  Qurfedhe  he  that  glveth  a  wife  to  Benjamin  f]     Thefe  Per- 
 
 Verie  18.  foris,  who  fpakenextin  the  Council,  only  increafed  the 
 
 difficulty,  by  putting   them  in  mind,  not  to  think  to 
 
 help  their  Brethren,  by  breaking  their  Oath. 
 
 Verfe  19.      Ver.   19.  Then  they  fa/d,']     Then  fome  rofe  up  in  the 
 
 Council,  after  a  long  debate,    and  gave  the  following 
 
 Advice. 
 
 Behold,  there  is  a  feaft  of  the  LORD  inShiloh,  yearly."] 
 All  the  three  great  Feftivals  were  to  be  obferved  in  the 
 place  where  God  fetled  his  Habitation,  which  was  now 
 oxShihb)  where  all  the  People  affembled  topraifeGod, 
 and  to  feaft  one  with  another.  And  though  fome 
 think  the  Feaft  of  the  Paffbver  to  be  here  meant,  yet  it  is 
 more  commonly,  and  with  more  reafon  concluded,  to 
 be  the  Feaft  of  Tabernacles.  Which  was  a  time  of  ex- 
 ceeding great  joy,  becaufe  they  had  newly  gathered 
 their  Vintage  5  and  then  they  dwelt  in  Booths,  behind 
 which  the  Benjamites  might  conveniently  lurk,  and 
 watch  their  opportunity  to  carry  away  the  Virgins. 
 This  Feaft  cf  Tabernacles  alfo  was  the  only  Seafon, 
 wherein  the  Jewifti  Virgins  were  allowed  to  dance. 
 
 In  a  place  which  is  on  the  north  fide  of  BethelT]  This 
 is  not  a  defcription  of  Shiloh,  whofe  fituation  was  better 
 known  than  any  other,  (being  the  place  where  all  Ifrael 
 went  to  worftiip)  but  of  the  place  where  they  met  to 
 dance  }  which  was  not  in  the  City,  but  in  the  Fields, 
 where  they  had  more  liberty,  and  a  freer  air. 
 
 On  the  eaftfide  of  the  high-way  that  goeth  up  fi-om  Bethel 
 to  Shechem,  and  onthefouth  of  LebonahP^  This  place  is 
 thus  particularly  defcribed,  that  the  Benjamites  might 
 know  exaftly,  where  they  might  moft  advantageoully 
 lie  concealed,  to  obtain  their  purpofe. 
 Verfe  20.       Ver.  20.  Therefore  they  commanded   the  children   of 
 
 Benja- 
 
upon    JUDGES.  62  $ 
 
 Benjamin?]     They  had  fome  Authority,    who  made  this  Chapter 
 Order;  and  Jofepbm  calls  them  the  yt^jix,  the  Senate       XXI. 
 of  the  ill. r<  5    whorfl  Bertram  makes    bold    to  call    the  L^V^NJ 
 1  AX.  as  if  the  great  Sanhedrim  (as  ihe  jfoi?/  call  them) 
 was  now   itrled.     But  I  have  fhown  ellewherc,  that  is 
 not  piobable  $  though   it  be  certain,  from   v.  16.  that 
 there  were  fome  chief  Perfons  in  every  Tribe,    whom 
 the  People  obeyed  when  there  was  no  Judge  in  Tfr&eL 
 who  all  leem  to  have  been  affembled  on  thisoccafion. 
 
 Sating^  Go  and  lie  in  wait  in  the  vine-yards?]  Which 
 were  nigh  to  the  place  before-mentioned,  and  it  is 
 likely,  incompafled  the  place  where  they  danced. 
 
 Ver.  2  1.  And  fee,  and  behold,  if  the  daughters  ofVerk  21. 
 Shiloh  come  out  to  dance  in  dances?]  As  they  fuppofed 
 they  would,  becaufe  it  was  the  cuftom  to  exprefs  their 
 joy  in  this  manner.  And  though  the  Women  were  not 
 bound  to  come  up  to  thefe  Solemn  Feafts,  but  only  the 
 Men,  yet  fome  devout  Women  did  voluntarily  frequent 
 them,  as  we  learn  from  the  Story  of  Hannah.  And 
 they  that  lived  at  Shiloh,  and  the  places  adjacent,  no 
 doubt  obftrved  iuch  times,  as  the  Men  did,  being  near 
 to  the  Houfe  of  God  5  though  it  muft  be  confeffed, 
 that  Parents  were  not  wont  to  bring  young  Virgins  un- 
 to thefe  Feafts. 
 
 Then  come  ye  out  of  the  vineyards?]  When  they  faw 
 them  fo  engaged. 
 
 And  catch  ye  every  man  his  wife  of  the  daughters  of 
 Shiloh?]  Bv  ihe  daughters  of  Shiloh,  perhaps,  are  not 
 meant  only  fnch  as  lived  *;n  that  City,  but  thereabouts  5 
 who  all  met  on  this  oco.fion. 
 
 And  go  ye  to  the  land  ofBenjamin.~]  Carry  them  away 
 to  your  own  Country  ^  which  they  might  the  more  ea- 
 fily  do,  becaufe  Men  and  Women  did  not  inthofedays 
 dance  together,  but  Women  by  themfelves.  Thus  they 
 thought  they  kept   their  Oath,  becaufe  they  did  not 
 
 gjj  • 
 
63o  A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  give  them  Wives,  but  only  fuffered  them  to  take  them, 
 XXI.    anc*  to  keep  them  when  they  had  them.     The  great 
 L/v^  Grotius  endeavours  to  acquit  them  of  violating  their 
 Oath  by  this  rule,  That  the  fignification  of  an  Oath  is 
 not  to  be  extended  ultra  receptnm  loquendi  morem,  beyond 
 the  received  manner  of  fpeaking  :  Therefore  they  were 
 not  Perjured,  who   when  they  had  fworn  not  to  give 
 Wives  to  the  Benjamites,    permitted   thofe  who  were 
 ftoln  to  live  with  thofe  that  carried  them  away.     Aliud 
 enim  eft  dare  5  aliud  amiffum  non  repetere :  For  it  is  one 
 thing  to  give }  another  not  to  demand  that  which  is  ta- 
 ken away  to  be  reftored.     See  Lib.  IL  de  Jure  Belli  & 
 Pack.     Cap.  XIII.   Sett.  V.     But  this  feems  to  me  to  be 
 far  from  juftifying  them   in  this  Matter  $  for  they  did 
 not  meerly  permit  them  to  take  thefe  Virgins,  but  advife 
 and  direft  5  nay,  order  and  command,  (as  the  word  is 
 in  the  foregoing  Verfe)  to  take  and  carry  them  away. 
 And  therefore  what  Jofephus  faith  to  falve  this  bufinefs 
 is  not  true,  that  it  was  done,  in  ir^jr^7rv/jUvc4)v  m  **>• 
 PujdWojv,  the  Ifraelites  neither  exhorting  to  it,  nor  pro- 
 hibiting it. 
 Verfe  2  2.      Ver.   22.  And  it  flail  be,  when  their  fathers,  or  their 
 brethren.']     Any  of  their  neareft  kindred. 
 
 Come  unto  us  to  complain.']     Defiring  them  to  do  them 
 '  right  ^  which  (hows  they  were  Men  of  Authority. 
 
 That  we  will  fay  twto  them,  Be  favourable  unto  them  for 
 -mr  fake.]  Do  not  profecute  them  for  what  they  have 
 done  ^  becaufe  it  was  by  our  Advice,  who  did  not  know 
 otherwife  how  to  provide  them  with  Wives. 
 
 Becaufe  we  refer  ved  not  to  each  man  hk  wife  in  the  war.'] 
 If  there  be  any  fault  it  is  ours,  whofe  rage  carried  the 
 daughter  too  far,  and  left  no  Women  to  preferve  their 
 Tribe.  They  advife  them  therefore  to  let  their  anger 
 ceafe  now,  (as  Jofephus  fpeaks)  becaufe  they  had  let  it 
 'break  out,  a/^Ur^,  beyond  all  bounds  already. 
 
 For 
 
upon  JUDGES.  631 
 
 For  ye  did  not  give  unto  them  at  this  time,  that  yt  jhould  Chapter 
 be  guilty']     They  put  them  in   mind,  chat  if  there  was      XXL 
 any  guilt,  it  was  not  in  them  that  had  kept  their  Oath,  l/V\i 
 and  did  not  give  Wives  to  the  Bcnjamites-,    nor  could 
 help   their   taking    them.      How    Jofcphus    came  here 
 to  add  to  this  Speech,  that  they   faid   they  would  tell 
 them,   they  fhould  have  taken  care  to  fet  a  better  guard 
 upon  their  Daughters,    I  cannot  imagine  ^    for  at  fuch 
 time  of  mirth,    they  always  thought  themfelves  fee u re 
 from  danger. 
 
 Ver.  23.  And  the  children  of  Benjamin  did  fo,  andV^rk^^. 
 tooh^them  wives  according  to  their  number,  of  them  that 
 danced,  whom  they  caught.']  That  is,  they  carried  away 
 two  hundred,  for  fo  many  they  wanted.  With  this  is 
 commonly  compared,  by  Interpreters,  the  Rape  of  the 
 Sabin  Virgins  by  Romulus.  But  there  was  a  great  deal  of 
 difference  :  for  thofe  wrere  Strangers,  over  whom  Romu- 
 lus had  no  power,  and  therefore  was  the  caufe  of  a 
 War  5  but  thefe  were  Jfraelitcs,  fubjed  to  the  Authority 
 of  the  Elders,  and  was  done  to  make  peace  and  quier. 
 Though  the  truth  is,  the  Elders,  in  advifing  this,  did 
 wrong  to  thofe  Parents,  whofe  Children  were  taken 
 away  without  their  content :  but  this  they  thought  bet- 
 ter, than  direftly  breaking  their  Oath,  or  letting  the 
 Tribe  perifh  5  for  the  prelervation  of  which,  they  were 
 conftrained  to  do  fome  hard  things.  But  in  one  thing 
 they  did  very  well,  that  they  permitted  them  to  take 
 Wives  only,  according  to  their  number  5  that  is,  every 
 Man  a  Wife,  and  no  more.  So  that  though  Polygamy 
 was  Tolerated,  yet  they  did  not  advife  or  countenance 
 it ;  no,  not  for  the  more  fpeedy  reftitution  of  a  Tribe. 
 It  might  happen  fome  of  thefe  young  Virgins  were 
 HeirefTes,  and  fo  their  Eftates  would  be  tranllated  into 
 another  Tribe.  But  the  Jetpshy^  that  Law  againft  mar- 
 rying into  another  Tribe,  and  inheriting  Land  in  ano- 
 ther 
 
$p  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  ther  Tribe,  did  not  belong  to  future  Ages-,  but  only  to 
 XXL     that  wherein  the  divifion  cf  the  Land  was  made.     See 
 
 C/*V~vJ  our  great  Selden,  de  Succeff.  ad  Leges  Hebr.  Cap.  XVIII. 
 where  he  alledges  this  very  example  of  it,  fol.59. 
 
 And  they  went  and  returned  unto  their  inheritance^  In 
 the  Land  of  Benjamin. 
 
 And  repaired  their  cities,  and,  dwelt  in  them7\  And 
 tilled  the  Land,  as  Jofephm  adds  :  So  that  in  time  this 
 Tribe  was  reftored,  els  nojAo<p>  w&tifjuiiizfi,  to  its 
 former  flourifhing  condition. 
 
 Verfe  24.  Vtr.  24.  And  the  children  of  Ifrael  departed  thence  at 
 that  time,  every  matt  to  his  tribe,  and  to  hk  family  3  and 
 they  went  out  from  thence  every  man  to  hk  inheritance.]  To 
 look  after  his  own  private  Affairs  5  the  publick  Con- 
 cerns being  now  at  an  end. 
 
 Verfe  25*.  Ver.  25.  In  thofe  days  there  was  no  King  in  Ifracl."] 
 There  were  Elders,  v.  16.  who  had  fome  Authority  3 
 and  there  was  an  High- Prieft,  XX.  28.  yet  for  want  of 
 a  King  (as  our  great  Primate  Vfier  obferves  in  his  Book 
 of  the  Power  of  the  Prince)  all  things  went  to  wreck,  and 
 were  in  great  confufion.  And  by  a  King,  as  Corn.  Ber- 
 tram obferves,  (de  Rep.  Jud.  Cap.  ]X.)  is  meant  a  Su- 
 preme Governour,  fuch  as  Mofes  and  Jojlma  were,  and 
 after  them  the  Judges.  So  this  word  is  ufed,  XXXIII. 
 Deut.  ?.  The  meaning  of  thefe  words  therefore  is,  That 
 in  thofe  days  there  was  none  who  had  fo  much  power 
 over  all  the  Ifraelitcs,  as  to  keep  them  in  order  5  and 
 not  only  admonifh  them  of  their  Duty,  but  make  all  the 
 Tribes  obferve  it,  by  punifliingall  publick  Wrongs,  and 
 all  Whoredoms,  and  Idolatries.  And  confequently, 
 there  was  no  great  Sanhedrim,  as  the  Jews  {peak  of  in 
 future  times,  which  they  would  fain  find  in  all  Ages 
 foregoing. 
 
 Every  man  did  that  which  was  right  in  hk  own  eyes."]  For 
 want  of  fuch  a  Supreme  Authority,    every  Tribe,  and 
 
 every 
 
upon  JUDGES.  ^33 
 
 every  City  \  nay,  which  is  more,  every  private  Man,  Chapter 
 (2s Bertram  there  glofles)  committed  many  horrid  things,  XXI. 
 which  were  not  publickly  punifhed.  This  was  the  L/"V\^ 
 caufeof  Micub's  Idolatry,  as  was  noted  before,  XVII  6. 
 and  of  the  Btnjamites  filthinefs,  XIX.  1.  and  now  of 
 thefe  enormous  things  done  by  all  the  Ifraditcs^  in  kil- 
 ling all  the  Benjamites  without  diftin&ion,  when  the 
 Law  required  the  Children  fhould  not  fuffer  for  their 
 Parents  offence  }  in  binding  themfelves  by  fuch  a  rafh 
 oath,  to  give  them  none  of  their  Daughters  to  be  their 
 Wives ;  in  killing  all  the  Women  of  Jabe/h-Gilead, 
 who  were  not  Virgins  5  and  now  in  permitting,  nay, 
 ordering  this  Rape,  rather  than  break  a  rafh  Oath. 
 Which  (hould  teach  Men  to  be  thankful  for  that  Autho- 
 rity whi^his  over  them,  to  preferve  them  from  fuch  like 
 enormities.  For  which  end  (as  the  fame  Primate  there 
 obferves)  the  cuftom  was  among  the  ancient  Perfians, 
 to  let  the  People  loofe  to  do  what  they  lift,  for  five  days 
 after  their  King  died  ^  that  by  the  Disorders  which  were 
 then  committed,  they  might  fee  the  neceffity  of  having 
 a  King  to  govern  them,  and  when  they  had  one,  to  be 
 more  obedient  to  him. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 Mnnn 
 
C*34  ) 
 
 ,  ,n,      |i   wmmimmmm*  - "  -  -■  
 
 — • aHaaHMMMM** 
 
 A 
 
 COMMENTARY 
 
 UPON    THE 
 
 Book  ofRUTH. 
 
 THis  Book  is  a  kind  of  Appendix  to  the  Book  of 
 JUDGES,  and  a  Manudu&ion  to  the  Book 
 of  SAMVEL$  and  therefore  fitly  placed 
 between  them.     It  hath  its  Title,    from  the 
 Perfon  whofe  Story  is  here  principally  related  ^  which 
 indeed  is  wonderful.     For  (he  left  her  own  Country, 
 Kindred  and  Relations,  which  the  Jews  fay  (though  I 
 confefs  without  any  good  proof  of  it)  were  not  only 
 Honourable,  but  Royal,  out  of  her  great  affefrion  to 
 her  Mother  in-Law,    and  her  Religion  $    to  live  with 
 her  in  the  Land  of  Ifrael^  in  a  poor  and  mean  condi- 
 tion.    It  is  very  probable,  the  fame  Perfon,  who  wrote 
 the  Book  of  Judges,  was  the  Author  of  this  alfo,  m,. 
 Samuel  5  who  by  adding  this  to  the  end  of  that  Book, 
 brought  down  the  Hiftory  unto  his  own  Times  5    and 
 gave  us  withal,  the  Genealogy  of  David,  from  Pharez 
 the  Son  of  Judah,  that  it  might  evidently  appear,  Chrift 
 fprang  out  of  that  Tribe,  according  to  Jacob's  Prophecy, 
 XLIX  Gen.  10.  but  by  a  Gentile  Woman  (that  all  Na- 
 tions might  hope  in  his  Mercy)   full  of  faith,  and  of 
 earneft  defire  to  enter  into  that  Family  -r  which  made 
 her  defpife  the  pride  of  her  own  Nation,  and  chufe  to 
 live  defpicably  among  the  People  of  God. 
 
 GUAR 
 
upon  RUTH,  635 
 
 CHAP.    r. 
 
 Chapter 
 I. 
 
 Verfe  ^IVT^^    //  came  to  pafs  in  the   days  when  the  Vcrfe 
 
 l\l  judges  ruled.']  Thefe  words  dired  us  to 
 the  time,  when  the  things  contained  in  this  Book  fell 
 out,  though  we  cannot  certainly  tell  what  Judge  then 
 ruled.  David  Ganz  will  have  it  to  have  been  in  the 
 days  of  Ibzan,  mentioned  XII  Judg.  8.  becaufe  he  was 
 the  only  Judge  born  at  Bethlehem  ^  from  whence  he 
 concludes  him  to  have  been  the  fame  with  Doaz.  But 
 that  is  fo  weak  a  reafon,  that  GuiLTorflius,  in  his  An- 
 notations upon  him,  thinks  rather  it  was  in  the  days  of 
 Deborah  and  Baraks  I  (hall  not  mention  his  Argu- 
 ments, there  being  a  great  Man  of  our  own  (the  mod 
 Learned  Vfter)  who  places  this  Hiftory  in  the  Times 
 preceding  ;  either  in  the  days  oiEhnd,  when  the  Moa- 
 bites  opprefled  Ifrael,  or  rather  of  Shamgar  who  fuc- 
 ceeded  him.  Which  is  the  Opinion  likewife  of  Du  Pin, 
 who  takes  thefe  things  to  have  been  done  about  twenty 
 eight  years  after  the  death  oijojlma.  See  TJjferiiChronol. 
 Sacra,     Pars  i.  Cap.  XII. 
 
 That  there  was  a  famine  in  the  land,~\  This  inclines 
 me  to  think,  thefe  things  came  to  pafs  in  the  days  of 
 Gideon,  for  that  is  the  only  time  that  we  read  of  a  Fa- 
 mine in  the  days  of  the  Judges  5  when  the  Midianites, 
 Awalckites,  and  the  Children  of  the  Eaft,  came  and  dc- 
 firoyed  the  increafe  of  the  earth,  and  left  no  fnflenance  for 
 Ifrael,  nor  for  their  cattle.     Vljudg.  5,  4. 
 
 And  a  certain  man  of  Bethlehem-Judah^]  There  were 
 twoBethlehems,  as  I  have  often  noted  ^  one  in  the  Land 
 of  Jttdah,  the  other  in  the  Tribe  of  Zebtdon  (XIX  Jofh. 
 15.)  They  had  their  Name  from  the  great  fruitfulnefs 
 of  the  place  where  they  were  fituated  5    which  argues 
 
 M  m  m  m  z  this 
 
6^6  A   CO  MMENTAR1 
 
 Chapter  this  Famine  to  have  been  very  fore,  that  even  in  thefe 
 
 I.  places  there  was  a  fcarcity  of  Provifion. 
 iS~sf%J  Went  tofojourn  in  the  land  of  Moab,  hef  and  hk  wifer 
 and  hk  two  fons\\  He  carried  his  whole  Family  with 
 him  into  the  neighbouring  Country  of  Aloab,  which 
 was  near  to  the  Land  of  Judah,  at  the  end  of  the  Salt 
 Sea  5  and  it  feems  had  now  plenty  in  it,  when  the 
 Land  of  Ifraet  was  famifhed. 
 Varfe  2.  Ver.  2.  And  the  name  of  the  man  was  Etimelech."] 
 Who,  if  we  may  believe  many  of  the  Jewifh  Do&ors, 
 was  a  noble  and  potent  Perfon  in  his  Country. 
 
 And  the  name:  of  his  wife  Naomi.]  They  make  her 
 alfo  of  a  noble  extra&ion,  (he  being  (as  the  Talmudifls 
 fay  in  Baba  Bathen)  the  Niece  oi  Naajfon,  Prince  of  the 
 Tribe  of  Judah^  and  Daughter  of  his  Brother  Salmon. 
 
 And  the  name  of  hk  two  fons,  Mahlon  and  Chilian, 
 Ephrathites  of  Bethlehem- Judah.']  The  name  of  Ephrti- 
 thites  is  given  them,  becaufe  they  were  not  only  born, 
 but,  I  fuppofe,  bred  up,  and  lived  in  the  fame  place 
 with  their  Father  5  which,  from  its  great  fruitfulnefs, 
 was  called  Ephrata,  as  well  as  Bethlehem, 
 
 And  they  came  into  the  country  of  Moab,  and,  continued: 
 there.']  Setled  their  Habitation  in  that  Country,  which' 
 had  not  been  lawful,  unlefs  it  had  been  in  a  publick  ca- 
 lamity, or  fome  great  private  neceflity,  as  Maimonides 
 obferves.  See  GuiL  Schickard,  in  his  Mifchpat  Hamme* 
 lech,  Cap.  III.  Theorem  X. 
 Yerfe  3.  Ver.  3.  And  Elimelech  Naomi  s  husband  died,  and  fie 
 was  left,  and  her  twofons.]  She  a  Widow,  and  they  Fa- 
 therlefs.  This  Jofephus  thinks  was  after  he  had  been 
 there  ten  years  5  but  the  moft,  if  not  all  others,  think 
 he  died  a  little  after  he  came  into  this  Country. 
 Verfe  4  Ver.  4.  And  they  took,,  them  wives  of  the  women  of  Mo- 
 
 th.]    Which  was  not  lawful,  unlefs  they  had  firft  be- 
 come Profelytes  to  the  Jewifti  Religion  5    as  AbenEzra 
 
 concludes 
 
upon    RUTH.  637 
 
 concludes  they  were,    from  thofe    very   words  from  Chapter 
 whence  others  prove  the  contrary,  v.  15.  where  it  is  I. 
 
 faid,  Orpah  returned  unto  her  people,  and  unto  her  gods.  L/*VNJ 
 This  is  a  Teftimony,  faith  he,  that  fhe  bad  been  conver- 
 ted to  Juda/fm.  But  the  Chaldec  Paraphraft  is  quite  of 
 another  opinion,  and  faith  they  tranfgrefled  the  Com- 
 mandment of  the  LORD,  by-taking  to  them  ftrange 
 Wives.  And  fo  the  Midrafch  upon  Ruth,  as  Buxtorf 
 obferves  in  his  Book  de  Sponfalibus  ^Divortik,  Sett  31. 
 
 The  name  of  the  one  was  Orpah,  and  the  name  of  the 
 other  Ruth.~\  Who  do  not  feem  to  have  been  of  fuch 
 great  quality  as  the  Talmudifis  fancy y  but  of  the  com- 
 mon rank,  otherwife  they  would  not  have  been  be- 
 ftowed  upon  ftrangers> 
 
 And  they  dwelt  there  about  ten  years*]  After  their 
 marriage. 
 
 Ver.  5.  And  Mahlon  and  Chili  on  died  alfo  both  tf/Verfe  % 
 then/.']  For  their  days  were  cut  fliort,  faith  the  Chaldee 
 Paraphraft,  becaufe  they  married  ftrange  Women  ;  and 
 for  the  fame  reafon  (if  it  be  true)  they  may  be  thought 
 to  have  died  without  iflue,  for  there  is  not  the  leaft  in* 
 timation  that  either  of  them  had  any. 
 
 And  the  woman  was  left  of  her  two  fons,  and  her  huf- 
 band7\  In  a  very  melancholy  condition,  being  in  a 
 Country  of  Grangers. 
 
 Ver.  6.  Then  fie  arofe,  with  her  daughters-in-law,  that  yerre  g 
 fie  might  return  from  the  country  of  Moab.~]  She  pack'd 
 up  her  Goods,  and  made  her  felf  ready  to  leave  the 
 Country  of  Moab,  and  her  Daughters  accompanied 
 her,  it  being  the  cuftom  to  conduct  thofe  whom  they, 
 loved,  fome  part  of  their  way,  when  they  went  a  long 
 Journey. 
 
 For  fie  had  heard  in  the  country  of  Moab,  how  that  the 
 LORD  had  vifited  his  people,  in  giving  them  bread.~] 
 They  were  fuch  near  Neighbours,  that  they  foon  had 
 
 intellU 
 
6$$>  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  intelligence  in  Meal?  what  was  done  in  the  Land  of 
 
 U        Ifrael. 
 l/YNJ       Ver.   7.  Wherefore  flje  went  forth  out  of  the  place  where 
 Verfe  7.  j/oe  was.]     The  neceflity  which  forced  her  thither  no 
 longer  remaining. 
 
 And  her  two  daughters-in-law  with  her."]  Who  loved 
 her  as  their  own  Mother. 
 
 And  they  went  on  the  way  to  return  unto  the  land  of 
 Judah.]     This  relates  unto  Naomi,  for  her  Daughters 
 had  never  been  there. 
 Verfe  8.         Ver.  8.   And  Naomi  faid  unto  her  two  daughter  s-in-law.] 
 When  they  were  come  to  the  borders  of  the  Country  of 
 Moab,  (he  faid  the  following  words. 
 
 Go,  return,  each  to  her  mothers  houfe.]  She  defiresthem 
 to  accompany  her  no  further,  but  go  back  to  their  own 
 home.  And  it  feems  it  was  ufual  in  Moab,  as  well  as  in 
 Ifrael,  for  Widows  to  dwell  with  their  Parents.  And 
 the  Women  herealfo  had  Apartments  diftinft  from  the 
 Men,  where  the  Daughters  lived  with  their  Mothers,  as 
 the  Sons  with  their  Father. 
 
 The  LORD  deal  kindly  with  you,  as  you  have  dealt  with 
 the  dead,  and  with  me.']  She  difmifled  them  with  her 
 bleffing,  praying  God  would  be  as  good  to  them,  as 
 they  had  been  good  Wives  to  their  Husbands,  and  good 
 Daughters  to  her. 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  And  the  LORD  grant  that  ye  may  find  reft, 
 each  of  you  in  the  houfe  of  her  husband.]  And  that  they 
 might  be  happily  fetled  in  Houfes  of  their  own,  with 
 good  Husbands  5  whom  (he  wifhes  they  might  long  en- 
 joy in  peace  and  quietnefs. 
 
 Then  fie  hjffed  them.]  As  was  ufual,  when  Friends 
 took  their  leave  one  of  another,  or  when  they  met 
 together. 
 
 And  they  lift  up  their  voice  and  wept.]  Were  all  ex- 
 treamly  grieved  to  think  of  parting. 
 
 Ver.   10. 
 
upon  RUTH.  tfgp 
 
 Ver.    10.   And  they  faid  unto  her,  Surely  wt  will  return    Chapter 
 with  thee  unto  thy  people."]     They  refolved  to  accompany        R 
 her  to  Bethkbem.  L/*V\J 
 
 Ver.  ii.  And  Naomi  faid,  Turn  again,  my  daughters •,  Vcrfc  IO. 
 n?i^  will  you  go  with  me  f  are  there  yet  any  more  Com  in  my  Verfe  1 1 . 
 womb,  that  they  may  be  your  husbands  f\  This  (hows, 
 that  the  cu(k>m  of  Mens  marrying  ^their  Brothers  Widow, 
 when  he  left  no  Iffue,  (which  was  before  the  Law  of 
 Mofes,  XXXVIII  Gen.)  was  fo  ancient,  that  it  was  de- 
 rived into  other  Countries,  who  were  not  defcended 
 from  Abraham. 
 
 Ver.    12.   Turn  again,  my  daughters,  and  go  your  way, for  Verfe  12. 
 /  am  too  old  to  have   an  husband  :  if  Ifiould  fay  I  have 
 hope,  if  I/fjould  have  a  husband  alfo  to  night,    and  ffjould 
 alfo  bear  fons  : 
 
 Ver.  1 3 .  Would  you  tarry  for  them  till  they  were  grown  $  Verfe  1 3, 
 would  you  flay  from  having  husbands  ?~]  She  perfifts  in  the 
 fame  Argument,  and  prefles  it  home,  that  (he  was  too 
 old  to  marry,  and  they  too  young  not  to  marry  again. 
 But  fhould  fhe  marry  immediately,and  be  fure  fhe  fhould 
 have  Children,  nay,  Sons,  it  would  be  unreafonable 
 for  them  to  wait  till  they  were  fit  to  be  their  Husbands. 
 
 Nay,  my  daughters  :  for  it  grieveth  me  very  much  for 
 your  fakes,  that  the  hand  of  the  LORD  is  gone  out  againji 
 me.]  She  would  have  them  by  no  means  think  of  any 
 fuch  thing  :  and  likewife  represents  to  them  what  a  mean 
 condition  God  had  reduced  her  unto  ^  which  was  the 
 more  heavy,  becaufe  fhe  was  able  to  do  nothing  for  them. 
 
 Ver.    14.    And  they  lift  up  their  voices  and  wept  again.]  Verfe  14, 
 It  gave  them  great  trouble,    whether  they  thought  of 
 going  with  her,  or  of  parting  from  her. 
 
 And  Or  pah  kjjfed  her  mother  in  law.]  Took  her  leave 
 of  her.  The  Jews  obferve  three  forts  of  kjffes,  which 
 were  ufual  and  commendable  among  them,  all  others 
 being  wanton  :  One  in  token  of  reverence  to  any  Per-- 
 
 fons 
 
.640  A    COMMENT  A  KY 
 
 Chapter  fons  dignity,  i  Sam.  X.  i.     A  fecondatthe  meeting  of 
 I.        Friends,  IV  Exod.  27.     A  third  at    their   parting,  of 
 
 L/"Y*NJ  which  they   give  this   as  an  example.     Unto  which 
 R.  Tanchuma  adds  a  fourth,  faluting  of  near  Relations, 
 XXIX.  Gen.  11.  which  is  in  a  manner  the  fame  with  the 
 fecond.     Dmfius  thinks  there  was  another,    which  he 
 calls  thekjfs  of  Prayer,  which  was  inufe  in  the  Primitive 
 Church,    and  taken,  he   thinks,  from  the  Jews  :  But 
 Buxtorf  faith,  he  can  find  no  fuch  thing  in  all  their 
 Books.     See  Lex.  Talmud,  in  the  word  Nefikahfo\.  1408. 
 But  Ruth  clave  to  her.]     Would  not  part  from  her/but 
 ftedfaftly  refolved  to  go  with  her  to  her  own  Country. 
 Ver.   15.  And  fie  f aid,  Behold,  thy  fifier  in  law  is  gone 
 bach^to  her  people,  and  to  her  gods.']     The  principal  of 
 which  was  Chemofh,  as  we  read  XXI  Numb.  29.  1  Kings 
 XI.  7.     By  this  it  appears,  Orpah  was  not  made  a  Pro- 
 felyte  to  the  Jewilh  Religion,  but  ftill  continued  to  wor- 
 fhip  the  gods  of  her  Country.     Yet  this  did  not  make 
 fuch  a  difference  in  the  Family  (as  divers  Religions  com- 
 monly do  now)  but  that  (he  loved  her  Husband  entirely, 
 and  had  a  great  affeftion  to  his  Mother,  even  after  his 
 death. 
 
 Return  thou  after  thy  fifter  in  law."]  This  may  feem 
 ftrange,  that  (he  (hould,  in  effed,  prefs  her  to  go  and 
 worfhip  Idols :  but  her  intention  was  to  try  her,  and 
 to  perfwade  her  to  do  nothing  rafhly,  efpecially  not  to 
 change  her  Religion,  without  due  confederation,  and 
 weighing  well  her  reafons  for  it.  For  if  fhe  had  been 
 led  meerly  by  her  affe&ion  to  her,  to  embrace  alfo  her 
 Religion,  (he  might  have  revolted  from  it  when  (hedi* 
 ed,  or  when  (he  faw  her  condition  very  defolate. 
 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  And  Ruth  /aid,  Intreat  me  not  to  return  from 
 following  thee  :  for  whether  thougoeji  I  will  go  3  and  where 
 thou  lodgeft  1  will  lodge.]  Be  content,  that  is,  with  any 
 condition,  in  her  company. 
 
 Thy 
 
upon  RUTH.  64  i 
 
 Thy  people  flail  be  my  people ,  and  thy  God  my  God.]  This   Chapter 
 is  a  refolution  to  embrace  the  Jewifh  Religion  intircly,        J. 
 fo  as  to  be  incorporated  with  the  Ifraclites,  as  if  (he  had  \u^\T\J 
 been  a  native  among  them. 
 
 Ver.  17.  II  here  thou  d/cfi,  I  will  die ^  and  there  wil/IVzrk  17 
 be  buried  :  the  LORD  dofo  to  ??te,  and  more  alfoy  if  ought 
 but  death  part  thee  and  me. ~]  She  refolves  that  nothing 
 but  death  (hall  make  a  reparation  between  them  $  and 
 not  that  neither,  wholly,  tor  (he  would  lie  by  her  in 
 the  fame  Sepulchre.  And  this  (lie  confirms  with  an  Oath, 
 or  folemn  Imprecation  upon  her  felf,  that  worfe  might 
 befal  her,than  any  thing  Naomi  could  fuffer,if  (he  did  not 
 faithfully  adhere  to  her.  Which  form  of  Speech  we 
 find  afterwards  in  many  places,  1  Sam.  III.  17.  XIV.  44. 
 XX.  13.  2  Sam.  III.  9,  }%%.&€* 
 
 Ver.  18.  And  when  fle  farv  that fle  was  ftedfajily  mind-  Verfe  18. 
 ed  to  go  with  her,  flje  left  Jpe  aiding  to  her]  She  faid  not 
 a  word  more  to  her  of  her  leaving  her,  when  (he  Jaw 
 (he  had  a  fetled  and  well-grounded  resolution,  to  be- 
 come a  Profelyte  to  the  true  Religion.  So  the  Chaldee 
 Paraphraft  explains  it,  reprefenting  Naomi  as  declaring 
 to  her  at  large,  that  there  was  a  great  number  of  Pre- 
 cepts (no  lefs  than  DCXIII.)  to  be  obferved  by  thofe 
 who  would  be  of  her  Religion.  In  particular,  the  Reft 
 of  the  Sabbaths  to  which  they  were  obliged  5  and  to 
 worfhip  one  God  alone,  &c.  Unto  all  which  (he 
 anfwered,  Whaifoever  thy  people  obferve,  J  will  do  the 
 fame,  as  if  I  had  been  one  of  them  from  the  beginning, 
 
 Ver.  1 9.  So  they  two  went  until  they  came  to  Bethlehem.']  Verfe  1 9T 
 Which  (hows  they  were  but  in  a  mean  condition,  ha- 
 ving no  Servant  to  wait  on  them,  nor  an  Afs  to  carry 
 them. 
 
 And  it  came  to  pafs  when  they  were  come  to  Bethlehem, 
 that  all  the  city  was  moved  about  them,  and  they  faid,  Is 
 this  Naomi  ?~]  It   being  reported  by  them  who   knew 
 
 N  n  n  n  Naomi \ 
 
<$42  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  Naomi,  that  (he  was  returned,    all  the  People  ran  out  of 
 1.        their  Houfes  to  fee  her  $  and  beholding  a  great  change 
 
 L/V"NJ  in  her  Garb  and  Countenance,  they  could  fcarce  believe 
 it  was  (he.  But  the  Arabicl{.and  Syriac  Verfions  take  it 
 quite  otherwife,  that  all  the  city  rejojced,  andfaid,  This  is 
 Naomi.  And  the  LXX,  whom  they  follow,  to  the 
 fame  purpofe,  vi^ym  yi  m\i$,  the  city  rang  with  the  news, 
 and  they  ask'd  it  this  were  Naomi :  for  feveral  had  never 
 feen  her  before,  or  did  not  remember  her,  but  had  only- 
 heard  much  of  her. 
 
 Verfe  20.  Ver.  20,  And  fief  aid  unto  them,  Call  me  not  Naomi, 
 call  me  Mara.']  She  told  them  her  old  Name  was  not 
 fuitable  to  her  prefent  condition,  which  required  fhe 
 fhould  rather  be  called  by  a  contrary  5  from  whence 
 fome  gather,  that  Naomi  wras  not  the  Name  given  her 
 at  firft  by  her  Parents,  but  a  popular  Name  commonly 
 given  her  by  her  Neighbours,  becaufe  of  her  comely 
 Prefence,  and  courteous  Behaviour. 
 
 For  the  Almighty  hath  dealt  bitterly  with  me7\  This  is 
 the  reafon  of  the  new  Name  of  Mara,  whereby  fhe 
 would  be  called,  which  fignifies  hitter.  Jofephus  faith 
 that  Naomi,  in  their  Language,  fignifies  vuhyjxv,  Pro- 
 fperity,  and  Mara  cfrvvlw,  Grief  and  Pain. 
 
 Verfe  21.  Ver.  21.  I  went  out  full \  and  the  LORD  hath  brought 
 me  home  again  empty. ~]  The  Targum  takes  this  to  relate 
 unto  her  husband  and  children,  with  whom  fhe  went 
 out  to  the  Country  of  Moab,  which  now  were  taken 
 away  from  her  :  but  it  is  reafonable  to  extend  it  to  the 
 Eftate  they  carried  along  with  them,  for  their  Support 
 in  a  ftrange  Country,  where  they  lived  to  fpend  it 
 all. 
 
 Why  then   call  ye  me  Naomi,  feeing  the  LORD  hath 
 tejiified  againft  me,  and  the  Almighty  hath  ajjlicled  me  .<?] 
 God  is  faid  to  teftify  againft  any  Perfons,    when  he 
 paffes  Sentence  upon  them,  ar*d  judges  them,  by  fend- 
 ing 
 
upon   R  U  Tfl  c^ 
 
 ing  affli&ions  upon  them  §  at  which  Naomi  doth  not  Cb, 
 murmur,    but    only    humbly  acknowledges  God    had 
 indicted  grievous   punifhments  upon    her,    which    (he  \s~~\r\j 
 thought  telVified  his  dilplealure. 
 
 Ver.    22.  So  Naomi  returned,    and  Ruth  her  datghUr  Verfe 
 ///  law   with  Act,    which  returned  out   of  the    country  of 
 Moab.~]     As  much  as  to  fay,  this  is  a  brief  account  of 
 Naomi's  return  to  her  own  Country,  together  with  her 
 Daughter-in-Law,  who  would  accompany  her. 
 
 And  they  came  to  Bethlehem  in  the  beginning  of  barley- 
 harveji.~]  The  time  of  their  return  is  alfo  noted, 
 which  was  about  the  Pajfover  ^  for  after  the  offering 
 of  the  Sheaf  mentioned  XXIII  Levit.  10,  n.  on  the 
 fecond  day  of  unleavened  bread,  they  began  to  cut 
 Barley.  Whence  the  Chaldee  Paraphraft:  thus  explains 
 thefe  words,  They  came  to  Bethlehem  in  the  entrance  of 
 the  Pajfovcr  $  and  on  that  day  the  children  of  Ifracl  began 
 to  mow  the  fl)eaf  that  was  to  be  waved,  which  was  of 
 barley. 
 
 CHAP.     II. 
 
 Verfe   I.    \ND  Naomi  had  a  hjnfman  of her husbands^ erfe  x 
 
 ±\  a  mighty  man  of  wealth.']  So  Gibbor  Chail 
 is  well  tranflated  ,  for  Riches  make  Men  mighty  and 
 powerful.  Though  the  Chaldee  would  have  it  fignify 
 a  Man,  mighty  in  the  law  \  by  which  they  do  not  mean 
 a  Man  of  great  Wifdom  and  Goodmfs,  but  as  that 
 Paraphraji  explains  it  upon  1  Chron.  IV.  12,  23.  after 
 the  manner  of  the  Jews,  (whofe  Heads  are  full  of  their 
 Academies  and  Sanhedrims*)  he  was  the  Rub,  or  Chief 
 Ruler  of  the  Academy  of  Wife  Men  at  Bethlehem. 
 
 Of  the  family  of  Elimelech,  and  his  name  was  Boaz.~] 
 Whofe  Anceftors  are  mentioned  in  the  conclufion  of 
 
 N  n  n  n  2  this 
 
6^  A  COMMENT  A R  7 
 
 Chapter  this  Book,    and  his  Defendants  alfo,    who  lived  at 
 II.       Bethlehem,  as  he  did. 
 
 IS~\T\J       Ver.  2.  And    Ruth    the    Moabitefs  faid  unto   Naomi, 
 
 Verfe  z.    Let   me   now  go   into    the    field ,    and    glean    ears    of 
 corn.']     This  is  a  great  argument  of  her  modefty,  and 
 dutiful  affe&ion  to  her  Mother-  in-Law,  that  (he  would 
 not  go  any  whither,  no,   not  to  earn   fomething  for 
 their  Support,  without  her  leave. 
 
 After  him,  in  whcfe  fight  I  fid  all  find  graced]  Either 
 (he  did  not  know  that  poor  ftrangers  had  a  right  to 
 glean,  as  well  as  the  poor  of  Ifrael,  XIX.  Lev.  9, 
 10.  or  out  of  her  great  Piety  (he  would  not  challenge 
 it  as  a  right,  but  as  a  favour,  which  (he  would  thank- 
 fully acknowledge. 
 
 And  floe  faid,  Go,  my  daughter."]  This  is  a  fign  of 
 Naomi's  low  condition,  otherwife  (he  would  not 
 have  fuffered  her  to  go  and  feek  for  a  fupply  of 
 their  needs,  among  the  pooreft  fort  of  people. 
 
 Verfe  3.  ^er*  3*  And  fre  went,  and  earned]  Into  a  Field, 
 where  (he  faw  fome  Reapers. 
 
 And  gleaned  in  the  field  after  the  reapers^]  Gathered 
 up  the  fcattered  ears  of  Corn  which  fell  from  them,  and 
 were  left  behind  them. 
 
 And  her  hap  was  to  light  on  a  part  of  a  field  belonging 
 to  Boaz,  who  was  of  the  kindred  of  Elimelech.]  By 
 the  direction  of  God's  good  Providence  (not  by  any 
 Man's  Guidance)  (he  came  into  a  piece  of  ground 
 which  belonged  to  the  great  Man  before-mentioned. 
 
 Verfe  4.  ^er*  4*  ^n^  behold,  Boaz  came  from  Bethlehem."] 
 It  is  remarkable,  that  he  followed  her  into  the  fame 
 Field. 
 
 And  faid  unto  the  reapers,  The  LORD  be  with  you  : 
 and  they  anfwered  him,  The  LORD  blefs  ihceT]  Such 
 was  the  Piety  of  ancient  Times,  that  they  were  wont 
 to  pray  God  to  profper  the  honeft  Labours  of  thofe 
 
 that 
 
upon  RUTH.  £45 
 
 that  they  faw  employed,  who  made  a  return  of  the  like  Chipter 
 Prayers    lor    them  5    \  bi  h    die    Gtntiles  tbetnfelyea       II. 
 
 fti(  d      e  pecially    in    Marveft   time,    which    they  LO/^vJ 
 would  not   begin,  by  putting  the  Sickle  into  the  Corn, 
 till  Cerei  hid  t     n  inv   '  ed,  as  Virgil  informs  us  in  his 
 Gtorgicks.     Lib.I,    i*  347,  348. 
 
 This  is  the  tint  time  that  we  meet  with  this  Reli- 
 gious Salutation,  the  LORD  be  rvith  you  5  which  we 
 afterwards  find  was  familiar,  and  was  continued  even 
 to  our  Saviour's  days,  when  the  Angel  Saluted  the 
 Blefled  Virgin  after  this  mariner,  I  Luke  28. 
 
 Ver.  5.  Then  J aid  Bo az  unto  his  fervant  that  was  ./e/ Verfe  5. 
 over  the  reapers.")  To  fee  them  do  their  Work,  and 
 that  they  had  Provision  fit  for  them  5  and,  it  is  likely, 
 to  pay  them  their  Wages.  Jofephrts  calls  him  dypjxA^ 
 /ul&)  and  the  Chaldee  calls  him  Rab,  the  Mafter5  Ru- 
 ler, or  Governour  of  the  Reapers. 
 
 ife  damfel  is  this  f\  Either  fhe  did  not  appear, 
 when  all  the  City  came  to  fee  Naomi  \  or  Boaz  did 
 not  take  fo  much  notice  of  her,   as  to  know  her  again. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  the  fervant  that  vpos  fet  over  the  reapers, 
 an  fiver  ed  and  faid,  It  is  the  Moaiiiefs  damfel,  that  Verfe  6. 
 came  bat\  with  Naomi  out  of  the  coumry  of  Moab.~]  He 
 did  not  know  her  Name  perhaps,  bu(  he  defcribes  her 
 as  a  ftranger,  that  out  of  love  to  :.er  Mother-in-law, 
 and  her  Religion,  had  left  her  own  Country,  and 
 come  to  dwell  among  the  Ifraelitcs.  So  the  Chaldee 
 Paraphraft  makes  him  anfwer,  She  is  become  a 
 Profelyte. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  ffje  faid,  I  pray  you,  ht  me  'fie an  and  Verfe  7. 
 gather  after  the  reapers  among  the  JIkuvc •  "]  vV hat  fhe 
 might  have  demanded  by  the  Law,  as  -r  liehc,  (he 
 asks  as  a  Courtefie,  which,  no  doubt,  moved  ;he  Man 
 to  be  the  more  obliging,  to  fuch  a  modeh  a. id  well- 
 bred  Woman. 
 
 So 
 
j  6^6 
 
 A    C OMME NT  ART 
 
 Chapter       So  foe  earned]     That  is,  he  admitted  her  ^    for  per- 
 il,      haps,    they  were  not    bound  to  let   the  poor  come 
 
 L/"V"V  immediately  into  the  Fields,  as  foon  as  the  Reapers 
 had  cut  down  the  Corn,  and  bound  it  up  in  Sheaves, 
 but  when  ic  was  carried  off.  They  might  chufe  alfo, 
 among  the  poor,  whom  they  thought  mo  ft  worthy, 
 or  mod  neceffitous. 
 
 And  hath  continued  even  from  the  morning  until  norrTj 
 That  is,  all  the  day  5  for  I  fuppofe  it  was  in  the 
 Afternoon,  when  the  heat  of  the  day  was  over,  that 
 Boaz  came  to  vifit  his  Reapers.  So  the  Servant  de- 
 fcribes  her,  as  a  very  diligent  Woman,  who  had  not 
 intermitted  her  labour,  but  only  for  a  little  time,  to 
 eat,  or  to  reft  her  (elf. 
 
 That  fie  tarried  a  little  in  the  houfe.~]  The  meaning 
 is,  flie  went  and  ftaid  a  while  in  the  Tent  which  was 
 pitched  in  the  Field,  for  fuch  as  were  weary  to  refrefh 
 themfelves  $  or  for  other  neceflary  occafions.  So  Aben 
 Ezra  expounds  the  word  Houfe  5  in  which  feme  think 
 Boaz  found  her  refting  her  felf-,  and  wondring  to  fee 
 a  ftranger  there,  enquired  who  (he  was. 
 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  Then  [aid  Boaz  unto  Ruth,  Hearefi  thou  not, 
 my  daughter  f\  A  form  of  Speech  calling  for  attention 
 to  what  is  faid. 
 
 Go  not  to  glean  in  another  field,  neither  go  from  hence.] 
 He  would  not  have  her  go  to  glean  in  any  other  Field, 
 nor  to  ftir  from  thence  to  fupply  any  of  her  wants, 
 as  appears  by  what  follows. 
 
 But  abide  here  fafi  by  my  maidens.~\  Who  reaped 
 <  as  well  as  Men-,  (as  the  next  Verfe  (hows)  and  their 
 company  was  the  fitteft  for  her  on  all  accounts.  Some 
 think  this  was  a  Labour  too  hard  for  Women,  and 
 therefore  they  will  have  it,  that  his  Maidens  only  came 
 to  bring  Pro vifions  for  the  Men,  as  Virgil  defcribes 
 Thefiylis  to  have  done,  in  his  fecond  Eclogue^  Verfe  10. 
 
 Ver.  9. 
 
upon  RUTH.  647 
 
 Ver.  9.  Let  thine  eyes  be  on  the  field  that  they  do  reap,   Chapter 
 and  go  thou  after  then/']     Obfcrve  their  motioni,  and        n. 
 follow  them.  L^VNJ 
 
 ..ve  I  not  charged  the  young  men  that  they  touch  thee  Verfe  9. 
 not  f\  Give  thee  no  molefration,  as  the  Vulgar  under- 
 ftandi  it  And  To  the  word  touch  fomctimes  fignifres, 
 to  do  harm  to  others,  CV  Pjal.  15.  But  the  Chaldee 
 \\\i\\[)hr?A\  extends  it  further,  Thar  tlvjy  fhould  not 
 come  near  her,  but  keep  at  a  diftance  from  her  5 
 and  confequently  offer  no  incivility  or  rudenefs  to 
 her,  which  was  too  common  among  RuQicks,  efpe- 
 cialiy  when  they  were  full  of  mirth,  in  Harveft  and 
 Vintage-time. 
 
 rhen  thou  a,  I  a  thirjt,  go  unto  thcvejfcls  anddrinl^ 
 of  that  which  the  young  men  have  drawn."]  There  was 
 excellent  Water  at  Bethlehem,  (2  Sam.  XXIII.  15.) 
 which  either  the  Reapers,  or  fome  that  attended  them, 
 had  brought  in  Veffels  into  the  Field,  to  quench  their 
 thirft  when  they  were  dry. 
 
 Ver.  ic.  Then  Jhe  fell  on  her  face,  and  bowed  her  Verfe  ic. 
 /elf  to  the  ground."]  A  pofture  of  the  greateft  reve- 
 rence and  lubmiiiion,  either  in  Civil  or  Religious 
 Worfbip,  and  was  ufed  when  they  would  exprefs  their 
 :r  grateful  fenfe  of  any  favour  done  them.  See 
 XXIII  Gen.  7,  12.     XXVII.  29,   &c. 
 
 An&fiud.  il  hy  have  J  found  grace  in  thine  eyes,  thai 
 thou  (houldji  take  ktiorcledge  of  me,  feeing  I  am  a  gran- 
 ger f\  To  take  knowledge  of  any  Perfon^  is  to  fbow 
 kindnefs,  in  the  Scripture  Language,  and  is  the  efteft  of 
 finding  grace,  that  is  favour  with  any  one  %  which  was 
 the  greater  in  Boaz,  becaufe  he  had  never  feen  her  be- 
 fore, or  was  not  acquainted  with  her. 
 
 Ver.  11.  And  Boaz  anfwered  and  faid    unto  her,  It  Verfe  II. 
 hath  been  fully  flown  me  all  that  thou   haji    done    unto 
 thy  Mrthcv  in  law  frncc  the  death  of  her  hmband."]     Nao- 
 mi 
 
548  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  nti  had   related  to  fome  Friends,  who  had  informed 
 II.      Boa?,  at  large  of  her  great  affection  t6  her  Mother. 
 
 L^V^VJ  And  how  thou  haft  left  thy  father  and  thy  mother,  and 
 the  land  of  thy  nativity,  and  art  come  unto  a  people  whom 
 thou  kneweft  not  heretofore'.]  To  be  a  Profelyte  to  their 
 Religion,  (as  the  Chaldee  Paraphraft  explains  it)  upon 
 which  account  the  greater  kindnefs  was  due  to  her. 
 
 Verfe  J  2.  Ver.  12.  The  LORD  recompencethy  work,  and  a  full 
 reward  be  given  theeT]  He  look'd  upon  it  as  a  very 
 high  aft  of  Faith  and  Vertue  in  her,  to  leaye  all  that 
 was  dear  to  her  in  this  World,  to  become  a  Member  of 
 their  Church  5  which  he  prays  Cod  amply  to  requite. 
 The  Chaldee  Paraphrafe  makes  her  fay  here,  That  fie 
 was  come  from  a  Jlrange  People,  who  were  made  un- 
 worthy  to  he  admitted  into  the  Congregation  of  the 
 LORD  :  But  he  anfwers  to  her,  Our  wife  Men  fay, 
 That  the  Men  of  Moab  only,  not  the  Women,  are  ex- 
 cluded from  our  Society,  &c.  See  what  I  have  noted 
 upon,  XXIII  Dent.  5. 
 
 Of  the  LORD  God  of  lfrael,  under  whofe  wings  thou 
 art  come  to  truft.']  To  feek  for  Protection,  and  commit 
 thy  felf  unto  his  care  and  good  Providence  3  which 
 was  a  pious  confidence  fo  pleafing  to  God,  that  the 
 Chaldee  Paraphraft  makes  Boaz  fay,  In  thk  thy  righteouf- 
 nefs  thou  /halt  he  delivered  from  the  judgment  of  hell,  and 
 thy  portion  fiatt  he  with  Sarah,  Rebekah,  Leah,  and 
 Rachel  ■:  That  is,  fhe  (hould  have  an  eternal  recom- 
 pence.  This  phrafe  of  trufting  under  the  Wings  of 
 the  Divine  Majefty,  is  often  ufed  by  the  Pfalmifi,  XVII 
 Pfal.8.  XXXVI.  7.  LVII.  1.  LXI.  4.  LXII.  7.  XCI. 
 4.  All  which  places  fpeak  of  thzfiadow,  or  the  covert 
 of  his  Wings,  which  feem  to  be  a  Metaphor  taken 
 from  the  Cherubims,  who  fp/ead  their  Wings  from  one 
 fide  of  the  holy  Place  unto  the  other,  upon  which  the 
 Divine  Majefty  fat  5    which  Protection  and  Safeguard 
 
 was 
 
upon    RUTH.  &j 
 
 ;  in  the  Cloud  which  covered  the  Jfraciilcs  Ch- 
 in the  Wildernefs,   XIV  Numb,  14.  \\t 
 
 Pi    1  ;.  Then  fbe fiiid)  let    Me  find   favour   in   thy  L/^V^O 
 
 j   mj  lord,  for  thai   thou  haft  comforted   me^  and  ; 
 frozen  friendly  unto  thy   handmaid,"]     She 
 humbly  begs  the  continuance  of  his  good  opinion  of 
 her,  ("though  (lie  acknowledges  her  (elf.,    in  the   next 
 
 •  Is,  to  be   very  unworthy  of  it)  for  it  Had  given 
 rile  greafefl:  conlolation   to   her,    in  her  defolatecoi 
 dition. 
 
 [hough  I  be  77 ot  like  to  one  of  thy  handmaidens ."]  So 
 obicure,  fhe  means,  being  a  ftranger,  and  of  a  Country 
 under  an  ill  Character  among  them,  that  fhe  was  net 
 equal  to  one  of  his  meaneft  Servant-maids. 
 
 Ver.  T^.  And  Boaz  /aid  unto  her,  At  meal-time  cove  VerO3  ?  4, 
 thou  hither7\  He  enlarges  his  favour  to  her,  and  orders 
 her  at  the  time  of  repaft  to  come  and  eat  among  his  Ser- 
 vants. I  cannot  devife  how  the  ancient  Jews  came  to 
 apply  thefe  words  to  the  Kingdom  of  the  Mejfiah,  an  1 
 to  his  filtering  condition  here  in  this  World  5  but  foit 
 is,  that  the  Midrafch,  upon  this  place,  makes  theL* 
 words,  Came  thou  hither,  to  fig ni fie  as  much,  as  come  to 
 thy  Kingdom*^  and  the  morfel  dipt  in  Vinegar,  to  denote, 
 the  reproaches  arid  torments  of  the  Mefjiah  :  Which  is  an 
 argument  that  they  expected  fuch  a  King,  as  fhould  be 
 
 )led  to  fuch  Sufferings  as  our  Blefied  Saviour  endu- 
 red ^  who  faith,  in  the  Pfalmift,  They  gave  me  vinegar 
 to  drfnJ^  LXIX.  21.  which  perhaps  was  the  Original  of 
 this  application  of  Boaz  his  words  to  the  Mefjiah,  whole 
 coming  they  long'd  for,  and  iound  it  foretold  in  more 
 places  than  we  are  aware  of. 
 
 And  eat  of  the  bread,  and  dip  thy  morfclin  the  vinegar.'] 
 Under  the  name  of  Bread,  is  comprehended  all  thePro- 
 vifion  which  was  made  for  the  Reapers,  with  which 
 they  had  Vinegar  for  Sawce,  it  being  very  cooling  and     • 
 
 Oooo  refrefhing 
 
6t>0  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  refrefhing  in  hot  Seafons,  as  the  time  of   Harvefl;  was. 
 II.       So  Pliny  obferves,  Lib.  XXIII.  Cap.  I.  Aceto  fumma  vis 
 
 l^/~\j  eji  in  refiigerando  5  which  cooling  quality  is  taken  no- 
 tice of  by  Rafi,  and  others,  upon  this  place. 
 
 And  fie  fat  befide  the  reapers']  With  the  Women  $ 
 that  is,  who  reaped. 
 
 And  he  reached  her  parched  corn.']  This  feems  to  fig* 
 nifie,  that  Boaz  himfelf  eat  with  them,  or  flood  by 
 them,  to  fee  they  were  well  provided  5  and  took  a  par- 
 ticular care  of  her,  unto  whom  he  reached  fome  parched 
 Corn,  which  was  an  ufual,  and  no  mean  Food  in  thofe 
 Countries,  as  appears  from  2  Sam.  XVII.  28.  But  it 
 may  be  underftood  of  the  Servant  fet  over  the  Reapers, 
 (v.  5.)  or  fome  of  them,  who  observing  her  modefty, 
 that  (he  did  not  Carve  for  her  felf,  reached  to  her  fome 
 of  the  Provifion  made  for  them. 
 
 And  fie  did  eat,  and  wasfufficed,  and  left.']  There  was 
 fuch  plenty  (Boaz  being  a  great  and  a  good  Man)  that 
 more  was  fet  before  them  than  they  could  eat  $  at 
 lead,  ihe  left  fome  of  that  which  was  Carved  to  her. 
 ThisMeaJ,  I  fuppofe,  was  after  the  heat  of  the  day 
 was  over,  in  the  Afternoon  5  for  then  they  Dined,  but 
 their  bed  Meal  was  a  Supper. 
 
 Verfe  15.  Ver.  1 5*  And  when  fie  was  rifen  up  to  glean,  Boaz 
 commanded  hk  young  men,  Let  her  glean  even 
 among  the  flieaves,  and  reproach  her  not.]  For  that 
 look'd  fomething  like  filching  to  come  among  the 
 Sheaves.  But  Jofephus  takes  the  fenfe  to  be,  That  (he 
 lhould  be  permitted,  if  (he  pleafed,  to  cut  down  Corn 
 her  felf,  for  her  own  life  3  which  is  not  likely. 
 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  And  let  fall  alfo  fome  of  the  handfals,  on 
 purpofe  for  her,  and  leave  them,  that  fie  may  glean  them, 
 and  rebuke  her  not."]  As  if  (he  was  too  bold,  in  ga- 
 thering what  belong'd  not  to  her. 
 
 Verfe  17.      Ver.   17,   So  fie  gleaned  in  the  fields  until  even,  and 
 
 beat 
 
upjn  RUT  U  6$  i 
 
 beat  out  th.it  fie  had  gleaned.")     It  feems   they  did  not  Chapter 
 in  thole  days  carry    home  their    Gleanings    as    they        II. 
 gathered  them  in    the   ears,    but  beat    the    Corn  out  iy^T\j 
 with  a  Rod  5  and  freeing   it  from  the  Chaff,    can?    I 
 it  away  pure,  with  lels  trouble  than  otherwife  it  Would 
 have  given  them. 
 
 And  it  was  about  an  F.phah  of  barley.')  An  If  I:  ah  is 
 commonly  taken  to  be  about  a  Bufhel  of  our  Meafure. 
 See  my  Notes  on  XVI  Exod.  36.  where  it  appears  that 
 an  Epbdb  contained  ten  Owcrsi  and  that  an  Omer  was 
 fufficient  for  one  Perfons  (bod  for  a  whole  day  ^  there- 
 fore Ruth  now  had  gathered  as  much,  as  would  keep  her 
 and  Mother  five  days. 
 
 Ver.    18.   And  fie  tool^  it    upy  and  went  into  the  city,  Verfe  18. 
 and  her  mother-in-law  Jaw  what  fie  had  gleaned."]     That 
 is,  wondred  at  the  quantity. 
 
 id  fie  brought  forth,  and  gave  to  her  that  fije  had  re- 
 ferred, after  fije  wis  fufficed.)  Jofephvs  thinks  this  is 
 ipoken  of  Naomi,  that  fet  before  her  Daughter-in-law 
 fome  remainders  of  the  Vi&uals  that  her  Neighbours 
 had  brought  her  in  Ruth's  abfence  ,•  but  it  rather  figni- 
 fies  Ruth's  care  of  her  Mother-in-law,  whom  (he  had 
 in  mind,  when  (he  was  feafted  with  the  Reapers  with 
 more  than  (lie  could  eat,  (v.  14.)  and  therefore 
 brought  what  (he  left  home  for  her  refrefhment. 
 
 Ver.  19.  And  her  mother-in-law  faid  unto  her,  IVhere  y  r 
 haft  thou  gleaned  to  day  t  and  where  wrought  eft  thou  ? 
 Bleffed  be  he  that  did  take  knowledge  of  thee.]  For 
 (he  concluded,  that  without  the  ipecial  favour  of  fome 
 Perfon  to  her,  it  had  not  been  poffible  tor  her  to  have 
 made  fuch  a  days  work. 
 
 And  fie  fiewed  her  mother-in-law  with  whom  fie  had 
 wrought,  and  faid,  The  mans  nar-ie  with  whom  I  wrought 
 to  day,  is  Boaz.']  Whofe  near  relation  to  them  Ruth 
 did  not  yet  know. 
 
 O  o  o  o  2  Ver.  20. 
 
<552  A   C  0  MMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  xo.   And  Naomi  faid  unto  her  daughter -in- law, 
 IL        Blejfed  be  he  of  the  LORD.~]     Or  rather,    Let  him  be 
 
 LS~^SJ  moft  blejfcd  -,  for  Lamed  prefixed  to  Jehovah  increafes  the 
 
 Verfe  20.  fcnfe,  as  in  XGen.  9.  fee  there. 
 
 V\  ho  hath  not  left  off  hk  kindnefs  to  the  living,  and 
 to  the  dead.~]  Continued  to  be  kind  to  the  Relifts  of 
 Elimelech  and  his  Son,  as  he  had  been  to  them  when 
 they  were  alive. 
 
 And  Naomi  [aid,  The  man  k  near  of  kin  to  us,  one 
 of  our  next  kinfmen7\  In  the  Hebrew,  one  of  our  Goels, 
 to  whom  of  right  it  belonged  to  redeem  the  Land,  and 
 raife  up  the  Name  of  his  dead  Brother,  by  marrying  his 
 Widow,  according  to  the  command,  XXV  Levit.  25. 
 XXV  Dent.  5.  See  upon  Chapter  IV.  of  this  Book, 
 Verfe  5. 
 
 Verfe  zi.  Ver.  21.  And  Ruth  the  Moabitefs  faid,  He  faid  unto 
 me  alfo,  Thou  Jhalt  keep  fafh  by  my  young  men7\  Though 
 the  word  Nearim  be  of  the  Mafculine  Gender,  yet  it 
 fignifies  all  young  People,  and  particularly  the  Maidens 
 to  whom  he  bid  her  keep  clofe,  v.  8.  And  fo  both 
 theLXX.  and  the  Chaldee,  here  expound  it  5  and  fo 
 Naomi \  it  appears  by  the  next  Verfe,  underftood  it. 
 
 Until  they  have  ended  all  my  harveji.~]  Not  only  the 
 Barley-Harveft,  in  which  they  were  now  imployed, 
 but  the  Wheat- Harveft,  which  followed  ir.     See  v.  23. 
 
 Verfe  22.  Ver.  2  2.  And  Naomi  faid  unto  Ruth  her  daughter-in- 
 law,  It  k  good,  my  daughter,  that  thou  go  out  with  hk 
 maidens,  that  they  meet  thee  not  in  any  other  field.'] 
 She  advifes  her  to  accept  his  kindnefs,  and  not  to  be 
 found  gleaning  in  any  other  Field,  where  (lie  might 
 not  be  fo  welcpme  5  and  befide,  it  would  look  like  a 
 diftruft  of  his  kindnefs,  if  not  a  defpifal  of  it,  (hould 
 (he  not  do  as  fhe  was  invited. 
 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23..  So  foe  kept  fafl  by  the  ?vaidens  of  Bo a%  to- 
 glean,  unto  the [end  of 'bar  ley- harveft,  andofwheat-harvcJl,~] 
 
 Which 
 
upon    R   U  T  H.  653 
 
 Which  continued  many  days  5  and  in  all  that  time  (he  Chapter 
 
 id,  no  doubt,  the  lame  kind  Entertainment  which         III. 
 is  not  here  rep.  \.S*sT\J 
 
 mother-in-law.']  Conihntly  came 
 home  to  her  at  Night,  after  (he  had  done  her  labour. 
 Or  the  meaning  is,  when  Harveft  was  ended,  (he  did 
 not  gad  abroad,  but  kept  her  Mother  company  at 
 home  5    for  fo  the   Hebrew,    She  fit  with   her   mother* 
 
 in- 1  a 
 
 :v. 
 
 CHAP.     III. 
 
 Verfe  1/    I   KHen  Naomi  her  mother-in-law fitel  unto  her,  Verfe  I, 
 
 X  M)  daughter ,  foall  I  not  feel^  rejl  for  thee  £] 
 A  fettlement  in  an  Houfe  of  her  own,  with  a  good. 
 Husband. 
 
 That  it  may  be  rtell  with  thee 7]  That  (he  mi^ht  live 
 more  comfortably  than  (he  could  do  with  her.  The 
 Chaldee  underfrands  it,  as  if  fhe  confirmed  it  with  an 
 Oath,  that  fhe  would  give  her  felf  no  reft,  till  (he  had 
 married  Ruth. 
 
 Ver.    2.   And  now,    is  not  Boaz  of  our  kindred,     with  Verfe  2 
 whofe  maidens  thou  waft  ?~]  She  puts  her  in  mind  of  what 
 fhe  had  told  her  before,  II.  20. 
 
 Behold,  he  winnoxceth  barley  to  night  in  the  threfliing 
 fioor.~]  The  Corn  being  gathered,  thrafhed  or  trodden 
 our,  it  was  next  of  all  winnowed,  to  feparate  it  from 
 the  Chair  $  and  this  was  commonly  done  in  the  evening, 
 when  the  heat  of  tile  day  was  over,  and  cool  breezes 
 began  ro  rife.     See  III  Gen,  8. 
 
 Ver.  3.    ■  I  afh  thy  ft  If  therefore,   and  anoint  thee.]    Fre-  Verfe  3, 
 quent  bathings  were  neceflary  in  thofe  Countries,  where 
 they  continue  to  this  day,  for  cleanlinefs  5  and  anoint- 
 ing for  (moothing  their  skin,  and  making  them  appear. 
 more  amiable.  An 
 
6$4 
 
 A    COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       And  put  thy  raiment  upon  thee^]     Her  beft  Clothes,  as 
 jlj,      the/^/grfr  expreflesit,  or  her  Ornaments,  astheC/W^ee. 
 L/"V"Vj      And  get  thee  down  to  the  floor.]     To  fbme  place  near 
 it,   where  (he  might  fee,  and  obferve  what  was  done. 
 
 But  make  not  thy  felf  known  unto  the  man-']  She 
 would  have  her  conceal  her  felf,  fo  that  Boa%  might 
 not  fee  her  5  nor,  as  fome  underftand  it,  any  Man 
 elfe. 
 
 Until  he  flail  have  done  eating  and  drinking"]  Upon 
 fuch  occafions,  they  made  Feafts  for  the  Labourers  in 
 the  Harveft. 
 Verfe  4.  ^er*  4*  And  It  flail  be  when  he  lieth  down,  thou  fl) alt 
 mark  the  place  where  he  [hall  lie."]  To  fleep,  after  the 
 Feaft  was  done,  and  the  Guefts  were  gore. 
 
 And  thou  flalt  go  in."]  To  the  Threlhing-floor, 
 where  he  lay  down,  as  we  read  v.  7. 
 
 And  uncover  hk  feet,  and  lay  thee  down."]  She  was 
 not  to  lie  by  his  fide,  for  that  had  been  immodeft  5 
 but  at  his  feet,  in  the  pofrure  of  an  humble  Supplicant. 
 
 And  he  will  tell  thee  what  thou  /halt  do."]  Either  he 
 prefently  underftood  her  meaning,  when  (he  told  him 
 who  (he  was,  or  (he  explained  it  unto  him  $  zw&Naomi 
 did  not  doubt  he  would  comply  with  her  defires,  and 
 put  her  into  a  legal  way  of  accomplifhing  them. 
 Verfe  <.  Ver.  5-  ^n^  fie  fa*d  unto  her,  All  that  thou  fayeji 
 unto  me,  I  will  do."]  She  put  a  great  confidence  in  her 
 Mother's  Prudence  and  Piety,  and  trufted  God  would 
 give  good  fuccefs  to  her  stefign  3  which  feemed  not 
 very  modeft,  but  had  no  other  intentions  than  what 
 was  agreeable  to  the  Law  of  God,  and  accordingly 
 profpered. 
 Verfe  6,  Ver.  6,  And  flje  went  down  unto  the  floor,  and  did 
 according  to  all  that  her  mother-in-law  bade  herT]  Con- 
 cealed her  felf,  but  obferved  when  he  came  into  the 
 Thre(hing-floor3  and  where  he  lay  down  to  deep. 
 
 Ver.  7. 
 
upon   RUTH.  655 
 
 Ver.   7.   And   when  Doaz  had   eaten  and  drunh,^  and   Chapter 
 heart  WM  merry.']     This  is  a  fign   he   had  made  a        III. 
 great  Feaft,    that  he   and   his   Reapers,    and    perhaps  L^WJ 
 other  Neighbours,    might  rejoyce  together  3    and   (as  Verfe  7. 
 the  Tarytm  underftands  it)  pnife  God  for   his  good- 
 nefs  in  giving  them  plenty,  after  the  Famine  that  had 
 been  in  the  Land.     For   fo    the  words  there  are,    Hfc 
 heart    rejoyced^  and  he  blcjfed  God,  who    had  heard  his 
 Prayer ,     and   removed    the    Famine  from   the    land    of 
 Jfrael. 
 
 He  went  to  Vie  down  at  the  end  of  the  heap  of  com."] 
 Such  was  the  plain  way  of  living  in  thofe  ancient 
 Times,  that  the  mod  wealthy  Perfons  look'd  after  their 
 own  Bufinefs,  both  in  the  Field,  and  at  Home  ^  which 
 made  Boaz  not  go  to  his  Houfe,  but  lie  perhaps  upon 
 the  Straw  in  the  Floor  where  his  Corn  had  been  win- 
 nowed, to  fecure  it  from  Thieves,  till  it  could  be  laid 
 up  in  his  Birns.  Thefe  Threfhing-floors  were  covered 
 at  top,  to  keep  off  Rain,  but  lay  open  on  all  fides, 
 that  the  Wind  might  come  in  freely  for  the  winnow- 
 ing of  the  Corn  5  which  being  done,  I  fuppofe  they 
 were  (hut  up  at  Night  with  Doors  fitted  to  them, 
 that  if  any  body  lay  there,  he  might  be  kept  warm  5 
 and  the  Corn,  as  I  faid,  be  fecured  from  the  danger 
 of  Robbers. 
 
 And  fie  came  fofily,  and  uncovered  hk  feet^  and  lay 
 her  down.~\  Before  the  Doors  were  (hut  up,  (he  came 
 in  fo  foftly  that  none  perceived  her,  and  when  he  was 
 adeep  lay  down  at  his  Feet  5  not  naked,  as  it  is  fup- 
 pofed  he  was,  but  in  her  Clothes,  which  we  do  not 
 find  (he  put  off,  for  fhe  had  no  intention  of  lying 
 with  him,  but  only  of  giving  him  an  opportunity  to 
 confider  what  the  Law  required  of  him.  This  indeed 
 looks  like  a  dangerous  Praftice,  which  her  Mother- 
 in-Law  put  her  upon,  expofing  both  her  and  him  to 
 
 great 
 
6^6  A    COMMENT  A  KT 
 
 Chapter  great  Temptations,  and  therefore  many  have  condem 
 HI.       ned  it,  as  a  very  perilous  Adventure  5  but  the  known 
 
 C/Y\J  Piety  both  of  Boaz  and  Ruth,  who  were  not  now  in 
 their  youthful  Years  (at  leaft  Boaz  was  of  a  great  Age) 
 made  Naomi  confident  no  fin  would  be  committed  by 
 them. 
 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  it  came  to  pafs  at  midnight,  that  the 
 man  was  afraid."]  It  is  a  fign  he  went  to  Bed  fober, 
 though  merry,  in  that  he  waked  fo  foon,  and  was  not 
 drovvfy,  but  apprehenfive  of  fome  thing  extraordi- 
 nary 5  for  going  to  deep  alone,  he  perceived  another 
 in  Bed  with  him.  Or,  all  this  is  to  be  afcribed  to  a 
 Divine  motion,  which  fecretly  fuggefted  fuch  thoughts 
 to  Naomi. ,  and  awaked  Boaz  at  a  time  when  Men  ufe  to 
 fleep  moft  foundly. 
 
 And  turned  himfelf.]  Being  much  troubled,  he 
 turned  himfelf  about,  to  feel  who,  or  what  it  was. 
 The  Hebrew  word  Jilaphet,  which  we  tranflate  turned 
 himfelf,  is  varioully  interpreted,  and  hath  an  unufual 
 fignification  put  upon  it  by  the  Targnm,  and  the  Ge- 
 mara  Sanhedrim,  (Cap.  2.  N.  4.)  where  the  Modefty 
 and  Chaftity  of  Boaz  is  highly  extolled,  and  compared 
 with  that  of  Jofeph. 
 
 And  behold,  a  woman  lay  at  hk  feet  J]  He  perceived 
 by  her  Clothes,  and  (when  (lie  (pake)  by  her  voice, 
 that  it  was  a  Woman. 
 
 V^rfe  9.  Ver.  9.  And  he  faid,  Who  art  thou  ?"]  He  had  no 
 thoughts  of  abufing  her,  as  the  Targum  obfervxs,  but 
 only  enquires  who  (he  was,  and  what  her  Bufinefs  was 
 there. 
 
 And  /he  anfwered,  I  am  Ruth  thy  handmaid.]  She 
 humbly  acknowledges  her  meanneis,  and  then  acquaints 
 him  with  her  bufinefs. 
 
 Spread  therefore  thy  skirt  over   thine    handmaid^]     In 
 the  Hebrew,  Spread   thy  wing  5  which   is  a  Phrafe  im- 
 porting, 
 
upon  RUTH,  657 
 
 porting,  taking  a  Perfon    into  ones   Proteftion  and   Chapter 
 Tuition  5  and  here  not  a  common  one,  but  fuch  as      III. 
 
 Matrimonial.  Therefore  the  Chaldec  plainly  ren-  l/*V\j 
 ders  ir,  Let  thy  Name  be  culled  npm  thy  Handmaid^ 
 by  takjng  mc  fQT  fh  '^fi-  See  ot  l^'is  Phrafe  upon 
 XX  Dent.  30.  From  hence,  at  this  day,  when  two 
 Perfons  are  married  among  the  Jews,  the  Man  thrown 
 the  Skirt  of  his  Talith  over  his  Spoufe,  and  covers 
 her  Head  with  it,  as  Buxtorf  obferves  in  his  Synagoga 
 Judaic  a,  Cap.  XXXIX. 
 
 For  thou  art  a  near  kinfman."]  This  is  the  reafon  of 
 her  addrefs  to  him  :  which  may  be  rendred,  as  we 
 Translate  it  in  the  Margin,  One  that  hath  right  to  re- 
 deem j  for  fo  the  word  Goel  fignifies.  See  the  fore- 
 going Chapter,  v.  20. 
 
 Ver.    10.  And  he /aid,  Blejfed  be  thou  of  the  LORD,  Verfe  10. 
 my  daughter.']     He  was  fo  far  from  being  incenfed  at 
 her  boldnefs,  that  he  wilhes  her  all  happinefs. 
 
 For  thou  hafi  flowed  more  kjndnefs  in  the  latter  end, 
 than  at  the  beginning.']  He  doth  not  condemn  her  as 
 immodeft,  but  commends  her  true  kindnefs  both  to 
 her  Mother,  and  to  her  Husband,  which  appeared  now 
 more  than  before,  by  her  endeavours  to  preferve  his 
 Name  and  Family. 
 
 In  as  much  as  thou  followefh  not  young  menT]  This 
 is  an  high  commendation,  that  (he  did  not  feek  an 
 Husband  to  fatisfie  her  Lull:,  but  to  preferve  the  Me- 
 mory of  him  who  was  dead. 
 
 m  hether  poor  or  rich.]     That  is,  of  any  fort. 
 
 Ver.    11.   And   now    my    daughter,   fear    not.]       He  Verfe  II. 
 would  not  have   her  think  he  had  an  ill  opinion  of 
 her  becaufe  fhe  took  this  courfe,  or  be  in  doubt  whe- 
 ther her  motion  was  acceptable  to  him  3    or  that  be- 
 ing a  Stranger,  and  poor,  he  would  defpite  her. 
 
 Pppp  / 
 
658  A  C OMMENt  ART 
 
 Chapter       I  will  do  unto  thee  all  that  thou  rcquirej}."]     That  is, 
 
 III,       take  her  to  be  his  Wife. 
 CyV*5W       For  all  the  city  of  my  people  doth  know  that  thou  art 
 a  vertuous  woman,"]     She  had  behaved  her  felf  (o,  as 
 to  gain  a  general  report  of  extraordinary   Vertue,  as 
 the  Hebrew  word  Chajil  imports  5  which  fignifies  one* 
 that  doth  things  jiremwnjly.     The  words  we  Tranilate, 
 All  the  city   of  my  people,  in   the  Hebrew  are,  All  the 
 gate  of  my  people  :  By   which  we  rightly  underftand, 
 all  that  entred  in  at  the  Gate  5    that  is,  tht   whole 
 fiity.     But  the  Gate  being  the  place  where  Juftice  was 
 wont  to  be  adminiftred,  the  Chaldee  Paraphraft  Inter- 
 prets it,  It  is  manifeji  unto  all  that  fit  at  the  gate  of  the 
 great  Sanhedrim  of  my  people,  that  thou  art  a  jufi  wo- 
 man^ &c.     This  fho.vs  that  .  Boaz  was  truly  a. very 
 excellent  Perfoa,  who  thought  great  Vertue  to  he  a  great 
 Portion.- 
 V£rfe  12.      Ver.   12.  And   now  it  is  true  that  I  am    thy   near 
 kinfman  ;    howheit  there  is   a  kinfman  nearer  than  L~] 
 This,  I  fuppofe,  was  well  enough  known  to  Naomi  $ 
 but  (he  underftood  his  difpofition  fo  well,  that  (he 
 thought  it  would  be  in  vain  to  make  any  application 
 unto  him. 
 Wrfe.13.      Ver.   13,  Tarry   this  night,    and  it  flail   be  in  the 
 morning,    that   if  he  will  perform  unto  thee  the  part  of 
 a  kinfman,  well,    let  him  do  the  kjnfmans  part,]     He 
 refolved  to  make  no  longer  delay,   than  was  abfo- 
 lutely  neceffary  5    but  promifes  in  the  morning  (he 
 (hould  have  right  done  to  her  felf,    and  to  her  de- 
 ceafed  Husband,  either  by  the  next  Kinfman,  or  by 
 himfelf,.     Some    of  the  Jews    take    the   word    Tob, 
 which  fignifies  Goo<L>  and  we  rightly  Tranflate,  Well, 
 to  have  been  the  Name  of  the  other  Kinfman,  who 
 was .-called iTcb  1   And  indeed,  it  is  likely  this  was  a 
 
 Name 
 
upon    R  U  T  H.  <?5p 
 
 Name  among  that  People,  from  whence  by  the  addi-  Chapter 
 tion  of  jab  to  it  (which    was   very   common)    came        !|f. 
 Tobidh.     ilafi  faith  he  was  the  Brother   of  Elimclcch  ^  i/y\j 
 but  there  is  no   reafon   to  believe  this,    for   when  it 
 had  been  proper    to  mention   his  Name  in   the  next 
 Chapter,  v.i.  where  we  only  read  that  Boaz  called  him 
 Peloni  Almovi,  (Ho,  fitch  a  one)    which   were    words 
 ufed  when  they  called  any  one  indifferently. 
 
 But  if  he  will  not  do  the  part  of  a  kjnfman  to  thee, 
 then  will  I  do  the  part  of  a  kinfman  to  thee,  as  the 
 LORD  liveth.]  He  confirms  his  promife  to  her 
 with  an  Oath,  that  if  the  other  Perfon  refufed,  he 
 would  marry  her. 
 
 Lie  down  until  the  morning.']  Having  given  her 
 this  Security,  and  thereby  quieted  her  Mind,  he  bids 
 her  take  a  little  bodily  reft  5  which  was  very  need- 
 ful, having  been,  no  doubt,  full  of  reftlefs  and  anxious 
 thoughts,  what  would  become  of  her  all  the  former 
 part  of  the  Night. 
 
 Ver.  14.   And  fie  lay  at  hk  feet  until  the  morning!]  Verfe  14. 
 In  the   fame    place    where  (he  lay  down   at    firft  } 
 having  no  other  defign,    but  only  humbly  to   im- 
 plore   his   juftice  and   kindnefs  unto    her   deceafed 
 Husband. 
 
 And  fie  rofe  up  before  one  could  know  another."] 
 That  is,  before  it  was  light  5  fo  that  if  any  body 
 had  feen  her,  they  could  not  have  known  who 
 (he  was. 
 
 And  he  faid,  Let  it  not  be  known  that  a  woman. 
 came  into  the  floor."]  Some  think  he  fpake  this  to 
 his  Servants  :  But  they  were  not  yet  ftirring ;  and  if 
 they  were,  they  could  not  difcover  whether  (he  was 
 Man  or  Woman.  It  was  fpoken  therefore  to  her, 
 whom  he  would  have  to  be   careful  both  of   her 
 
 P  p  p  p  2  own 
 
66Q  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  own  Fame  and  of  his  5  for,  as  Jofephus  here  notes, 
 
 III.      Great    caution  is   to-be  ufed   to  prevent  fuch   rumours, 
 
 l^"V"\J  ejpecially  when  there  is  fome  ground  for  them,  %  fuut- 
 
 xi&  "Qri  ytyovooi. 
 Verfe  15.  Ver.  *S-  ^Ifo  he  /aid.  Bring  the  vail  that  thou 
 haft  upon  thee,  and  hold  it.~]  The  Hebrew  word 
 Mitpacath  is  variouily  interpreted,  it  fignifying  any 
 kind  of  covering.  The  LXX.  Tranflate  it  -m^J.^- 
 fAM,  by  which  they  feem  to  have  meant  that  which 
 we  call  an  Apron,  or  a  Kirtle,  which  is  bound  about 
 one.  The  vulgar,  Pallium ;  but  it  is  by  us  moft 
 properly  rendred  a  Vail,  which  modeft  Women 
 were  wont  to  throw  over  their  Heads  to  cover  their 
 Faces. 
 
 And  when  Jhe  held  it,  he  meafured  fix  measures  of 
 barley  and  laid  it  on  her."]  He  would  not  let  her 
 go  away  without  fome  token  of  his  love  to  her  5 
 and  nothing  was  more  ready  at  hand  in  the  Threfh- 
 ing-floor,  than  the  Corn  that  lay  there.  It  is  not 
 certain  how  much  this  Meafure  contained,  but,  no 
 doubt,  in  the  whole,  he  gave  her  as  much  as  (he 
 could  well  carry  5  and  was  fo  kind  alfo,  as  himfelf 
 to  lay  it  upon  her  (houlder.  Some  fancy  that  this 
 load  was  too  heavy  for  her,  but  Barley  is  far  lighter 
 than  Wheat  :  And  the  Chaldee  Paraphrafl:  here  faith, 
 Strength  was  given  her  from  before  the  LO RD  to 
 bear  it.  And  then  adds,  Immediately  there  was  a 
 prophecy,  that  from  her  flwuld  proceed  fix  righteous 
 perfons  5  each  of  which  (hould  be  bleffed  with  fix 
 Benedictions,  David,  Daniel,  hfc  three  Companions, 
 and  the  King  Meffiah. 
 
 And  Jfje  went  into  the  city.']  The  Chaldee  faith, 
 Boaz  went  into  the  City  3  and  the  Hebrew  favours 
 this  Interpretation.     For    the  word   for  went    is  in 
 
 the 
 
upon  RUT  H.  66 1 
 
 the  Mafculine  Gender,    as  in  the   next  words   it  is  in  Chapter 
 the  Feminine.  III. 
 
 Ver.  16.  And  when  (Ik  came  to  her  ?n other- in- law,  LS^>/~\J 
 fie  [aid,  Who  art  thou,  my  daughter  f\  It  was  fo  Verfe  16' 
 early  in  the  morning  when  fhe  returned  home,  that 
 Naomi  could  not  well  difcern  who  it  was  that  de- 
 fired  the  Gate  might  be  opened  3  but  perceived  it 
 was  a  Woman,  whom  (he  calls  her  Daughter,  as  they 
 ufed  to  do  in  Civility,  it  appears  by  Boaz,  his  Lan- 
 guage, v.  IO.  But  the  Vulgar  takes  it  quite  other- 
 wife,  that  fhe  ask'd  her,  What  haft  thou  done,  my 
 daughter  i  That  is,  How  haft  thou  fucceeded  >  And 
 indeed,  the  Anfwer  favours  this  3  and  the  Hebrew 
 words  will  bear  it,  if  mi  be  interpreted  not  who,  but 
 what  i 
 
 And  fie  told  her  all  that  the  man  had  done  to 
 her.']  How  kindly  he  had  treated  her  5  and  what 
 promifes  he  had  made  her. 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  fije  /aid,  Thefe  fix  meafures  of  b*r* 
 ley  gave  he  me.~]  Then  (he  (howed  her  the  Prefent 
 he  made  her. 
 
 For  he  J aid  to  me,  Go  not  empty  unto  thy  mother- 
 in-law.~\  Without  fome  Token  of  my  affe&ion. 
 Some  imagine  Barley  (which  is  not  fo  valuable  with 
 us  as  Wheat)  was  too  mean  a  thing  to  beftow  upon 
 her.  But  they  do  not  confider,  that  in  thofe  Coun- 
 tries it  was  a  better  fort  of  Corn  than  it  is  in  thefe 
 parts  of  the  World  5  for  Bread  was  commonly  made 
 of  it,  and  that  not  only  by  the  Poor,  but  the  better 
 fort  :  Of  which  we  find  Examples,  both  in  the  Old 
 Teftament  and  the  New.  See  2  Sam.  XVII.  28. 
 %  Kings  IV.  42.  And  in  the  Gofpel  we  read  of 
 Barley-loaves,  wherewith  Chrift  fed  the  multitude  ; 
 particularly,  VI   John  9.     And   indeed,    Pliny  faith 
 
 this 
 
66z  A    COMMENT  A  KT 
 
 Chapter  this  was  the   mod   ancient  Food.     Antiqmfimnm  in 
 
 IV.        cibis  Hordeum,  Lib.  XVIII.  Nat.  Bft.   Cap.  VII. 
 C/"\r*sJ        ^er-   ^  Then  faid  fit,  Sit  ft  ill  my  daughter.']  She 
 V.  rle  18.  bids  her  trouble  her  felf  no  further,  for  (lie  had  done 
 enough. 
 
 Until  thou  (now  how  the  matter  will  fall.]  But 
 wait  and  expeft,  till  (he  faw  the  iffue  :  Which  the 
 Targum  expreffes  piouily,  in  this  manner,  Till  thou 
 kpoweft  how  this  matter  will  be  determined  from  hea- 
 ven, and  wonderfully  dffpafed. 
 
 For  the  man  will  not  he  in  reft,  till  he  have  fi- 
 nified  the  thing  this  day."]  She  knew  him  fo  well  to 
 be  a  Man  of  his  word,  that  he  would  immediately 
 go  about  the  bufinefs,  according  to  his  Promife, 
 v\  14. 
 
 CHAR     IV. 
 
 Verfe  1.    Verfe  i/~T"\fiTe*  went  Boaz  up  to  the  gate."]  Where 
 
 I  there  was  always  a  great  concourfe  of 
 People  3  and  where  the  Judges  fat.  So  the  Chaldee 
 Paraphraft,  He  went  to  the  gate  of  the  houfe  ofjudg* 
 ment^  where  the  Sanhedrim  fat.  See  my  note  upon 
 XVI  Dent.  18. 
 
 And  fat  him  down  there."]  Among  the  Elders, 
 as  the  forenamed  Paraphraft  will  have  it  :  But  that 
 is  not  likely,  for  he  called  the  other  Kinfman  to 
 come  and  fit  down  by  him. 
 
 And  behold,  the  kinfman  of  whom  Boaz  fpake,  came 
 by."]     See  HI.  12. 
 
 Unto  whom  he  faid9  Ho,  fuch  an  one,  turn  afide^ 
 fit  down  here."]  When  they  could  not  think  of  a 
 Man's  Name,  or  did  not  think  fit  to  name  it,  they 
 
 ufed 
 
upon   RUTH.  663 
 
 ufed  thefe  words,  Peloni  Almoni  5  which  Danrct  con-   Chapter 
 trafts   into  one  word,  Palwoni,  VIII.  13.  and  is  the        IV. 
 fame  with  the  Greek  &£vz.  L^VXj 
 
 And  he  turned  a  fide,  and  fat  down,"]  Suppo/jng 
 Boaz  had  fome  bufinefs  with  him,  he  did  not  go 
 on  his  way,  but  turned  afide  to  fpeak  with  him. 
 This  was  about  Noon,  ( as  Jofcphvs  faith )  when 
 greater  multitudes  were  wont  to  be  affembled.,  in 
 fuch  publick  Places,  than  at  other  times  of  the 
 day. 
 
 Ver.  2.  And  he  took  fen  nien7\  He  would  have  Verfe  2. 
 a  fufficient  number  of  Witneffes  of  what  he  did  5 
 which,  as  Maimonides  obferves,  was  very  necefTary 
 in  the  Efpoufal  of  a  Perfon  to  ones  Wife.  For, 
 faith  he,  if  it  had  been  enough  to  do  it  privately, 
 many  would  have  taken  an  Harlot  into  their  Houfes 
 for  a  time,  and  pretend  (he  was  their  Wife  5  there- 
 fore it  was  Ordained,  that  after  any  Man  had  Efpou- 
 fed  a  Woman,  he  fhould  marry  her  publickly,  after 
 the  Example  of  Boaz,  of  whom  we  read  he  took^ten 
 men,  &c.     More  Kevoch'im,  Pars  III.  Cap.  XLIX. 
 
 Of  the  Elders  of  the  city7\  How  many  Elders 
 there  were  in  every  City  is  not  certain  :,  infomuch, 
 that  Bertram  conjectures  ,  there  was  as  many  as 
 there  were  Captains  of  Thoufands,  of  Hundreds, 
 Fifties  and  Tens ,  in  every  City.  Jofiph//*  indeed 
 faith,  there  were  [even,  L.  IV.  Ant'tq.  Cap.  VI.  which 
 perhaps  was  the  determinate  number  in  his  Time, 
 But  anciently  one  would  think  there  were  more, 
 becaufe  here  Boaz  mentions  ten  Elders  (  who  were 
 the  fame  with  Judges  )  in  the  City  of  Bethlehem, 
 which  made  Bertram  (de  Repitbl.  Jttdaica,  Cap.  I  X.J 
 the  more  confident,  that  as  the  Captains  of  Thou- 
 finds,  <$c.  in  every   City,    were  the   Elders  of  that 
 
 City, 
 
66A  A  CO  MM  EN  T  ART 
 
 Chapter  City,  (o  there  were  as  many   in  every  City,  of  the 
 IV.       one,  as  of  the  other.     As  for  what  the  Talmudifts 
 
 i/V\J  fay,  That  there  were  three  Judges  in  Pecuniary  Caufes, 
 and  three  and  twenty  in  Capital,  it  muft  belong,  if  it 
 be  true,  to  later  Times. 
 
 And  faid,  Sit  ye  down  here.     And  they  fat  down."] 
 To  hear  the  Caufe  he  intended  to  bring  before  them. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  3.  And  he  J aid  unto  the  kinfman,  Naomi  that 
 is  come  out  of  the  country  of  Moah9  felleth  a  far  eel 
 of  land,  which  was  our  brother  Elemekchs.']  He  calls 
 him  their  Brother?  becaufe  he  was  near  of  kin  to 
 them.  And  he  mentions  Naomi's  return  out  of  the 
 Country  of  Moab  ^  to  intimate,  that  her  Poverty  con- 
 {trained  her  to  fell  her  Eftate,  which  her  Husband 
 left  her.  That  intereft  (he  might  part  withal,  to 
 fupply  her  neceffities,  but  it  could  not  take  away  the 
 right  of  Redemption  ^  for,  as  Mr.  Selden  obferves  in 
 his  Book  de  Succejjionibus,  Cap.  XVI.  both  Elimelech 
 the  Father,  and  Mahlon  the  Son,  (unto  both  which 
 Boaz  was  of  kin)  gave  this  Patrimony  to  their  Wives 
 before  they  died  :  (for  otherwife  they  could  not  have 
 had  the  poffeffion  of  it)  Or  rather,  the  former  gave 
 his  Intereft  to  Naomi,  and  the  latter  his  to  Ruth  5 
 which,  how  it  was  done,  Maimonides  (hows  in  his 
 Treatife  de  Donationibus,  Cap.  VI. 
 
 Verfe  ±  ^er#  4"  ^n^  ^  thought  to  advertife  thee  of  it,  fay- 
 ing, Buy  it  before  the  inhabitants,  and  before  the  el- 
 ders of  my  people."]  Before  thofe  that  fat  in  the 
 Gate  of  the  Houfe  of  Judgment,  and  before  thefe 
 Elders,  as  the  Targum  expounds  it  5  that  is,  the  ten 
 Elders  before-mentioned,  that  the  Bargain  might  be 
 firmly  made,  and  the  Eftate  legally  pafTed  over  to 
 #      him. 
 
 //  thou  wilt  redeem  it^  redeem  it  3  but  if  thou   wilt 
 
 not 
 
upon   RUTH.  66$ 
 
 not  redeem  it,  then   ted  me,  that   I  may  fy?cw.~]     That  Chanter 
 is,  underftand  thy  mind  in  this  matter.  IV\ 
 
 For   there   is   none    to   redeem  it,    he  fides    thee,  and  I  ^/^\T\J 
 am  after  thee.]     That  is,  no  other  Kinfman  remaining 
 of  that  Family,  but  they  two. 
 
 And  he  faid,  I  will  redeem  /'/.]  For  it  is  likely, 
 it  lay  convenient  for  him. 
 
 Ver.  5*.  Then  f aid  Boaz,  What  day  thou  buy  eft  tie  Verfe  5. 
 field  of  the  hand  of  Naomi,  thou  muft  buy  it  alfo  of 
 Ruth  the  Moabitefs,  the  wife  of  the  dead7\  For  they 
 both  had  an  intereft  in  it  5  but  Boaz  prudently  con- 
 ceals  the  Name  of  Ruth,  till  he  had  confented  to  buy 
 the  Land,  and  then  tells  him  whom  he  muft  take 
 along   with  it. 
 
 To  raife  up  the  name  of  the  dead  upon  hn  inheri- 
 tance^ According  to  the  Law  mentioned,  XXV  Dcut. 
 5,  &c  as  it  is  commonly  Interpreted.  But  it  was  ra- 
 ther, in  Mr.  Seldens  Opinion,  the  fulfilling  of  the 
 Law,  mentioned  XXV  Levit.  24,  25.  Lib.  de  Sue- 
 cejjionibus  ad  Leges  Ebr.  Cap.  XV.  Where  he  obferves 
 that  this  Phrafe,  To  raife  up  the  name  of  the  dead, 
 (which  is  mentioned  alfo,  v.  10.)  is  quite  different 
 from  that  mentioned  in  Deuteronomy  5  being  no  more, 
 as  R.  Solomon  notes,  (upon  III.  9.)  than  if  he  had 
 faid,  That  the  Name  of  her  dead  husband  may  be  had 
 in  remembrance,  fo  that  when  fie  came  into  that  field, 
 men  might  fay  this  is  the  wife  of  Mahlon.  There  is 
 a  long  difcourfe  alfo  in  Abarbinel,  upon  XXV.  Dent. 
 to  prove  that  this  doth  not  belong  to  that  Law  of 
 a  Man's  railing  up  Seed  to  his  Brother.  See  Buxtorf 
 de  Sponfal.  &  Divortiis,  Sefr.  27.  But  if  it  do,  Gro- 
 tius  thinks  that  Law  only  obliged,  vjuuoTnzlejLoi,  Bre- 
 thren by  the  fame  Father  to  marry  the  Brother's  Wi- 
 dow 5  but  Cuftom,  in  procefs  of  time,  obliged  the 
 next  of  kin  to  do  it.    See  upon  XXII  Matth.  24. 
 
 Q.qqq  Ver.  6. 
 
666  A   COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  6.  And    the  kinfman  [aid,  I  cannot   redeem  it 
 IV.      for  my  fetf->  kft   I  marr  my  own  inheritance.*]     He  had 
 i^/^sTSJ  a  Wife  and  Children  already,  which  made  him  afraid 
 Verfe  6.    to  marry  a  poor  Woman  with  a  fmall  parcel  of  Land, 
 which  would  not  provide  for  the  Children  he  might 
 have  by  her,  without  diminifhing  his  own  Inheritance 
 of  which  he  was  poffefled.     To  which  the  Chaldee  Pa- 
 raphraft  adds,    That  it  might  have  made  great  Con- 
 tentions in  his  Family  :  For  thus  he  makes  him  fpeak, 
 I  cannot  redeem  it,  (viz.  on  that  condition)  for  I  have 
 a   wife   already  h  and   it  is   not  fit  for  me  to  bring  ano- 
 ther into   ??iy  houfe,  for  fear  brawling  and    quarrelling 
 arife  in  it,    and  left  I  hurt    my    own  inheritance.     In 
 like    manner   the    Midrafch,    upon  this  Book,    makes 
 him  difcourfe.     But   Raft  interprets   the  words,    as  if 
 the  meaning  was,  That  he  ffjould  bring  a  blot  upon  his 
 pofierity,  by  marrying  a  Moabitiffj  Woman,  (which  he 
 thought  was  forbidden  by  the  Law)  for  Children  are 
 called  an  Heritage,  CXXVUPfal.  3.     But  in  this  he 
 acknowledges  the  Man  was  miftaken,  as  many  of  their 
 ancient  Doftors  were,    for  the  Law  did  not  forbid  the 
 marrying  a  Woman  of  that  Country.     But  the  plained 
 fenfe  is,  as  Mr.  Selden  obferves,   That  many  inconve- 
 niences might  arife  in  his  Family  by  this  marriage,  not 
 only  by  the  difagreement  of  his  Wives,  but  by   the 
 difficulty  of  providing  for  fo  many  Children   as  (he 
 might  bring  him,    and  of  giving  them  good  Educa- 
 tion, and  by  diftrafting  his  Inheritance,  and  fuch  like 
 things  5  which  he  prudently  confidered,  as  good  rea- 
 fons  of  his  refufal.     See  Lib.  I.  Uxor.  Heir.  Cap.  9. 
 
 Redeem    thou  my   right   to  thy  felf,    for  I  cannot   re- 
 deem  it.]     Which  is  thus  Paraphrafed    by  the  Tar- 
 gum  y  Do  thou  therefore  redeem   it,  becaufe  thou  haft  no 
 Wife,  which  hinders  me  from  redeeming. 
 Verfe  7.        Yerfe  7.  Now  this  was  the  manner  in  former  times 
 
 in 
 
upon    RUTH.  667 
 
 in   Ifrael,    concerning    redeeming,  and   concerning  chan-  Chapter 
 ging.~]     There   was  no  Law,    that -we  can  find,  about        \v. 
 the  following  Rite,  but  only  Cuftom,  which  had  long  l/"VX-> 
 prevailed  ,•  when   Men    redeemed  Lands  that  had  been 
 alienated  ,    or  gave    poifeifion  of  them    to    anodirr 
 Perfon. 
 
 For  to  confirm  all  things \]  To  make  the  Bargain 
 valid. 
 
 A  man  pluckt  off  his  jlwoc,  and  gave  it  to  his  neigh- 
 bour :  and  this  was  a  tefiimony  in  Ifrael.~]  A  fufficient 
 evidence,  that  he  transferred  all  his  Right  unto  that 
 Perfon  to  whom  he  delivered  his  Shooe  It  is  not 
 eafie  to  give  an  account  of  the  Original  of  this 
 Cuftom  }  but  the  reafon  of  it  is  plain  enough,  it  being 
 a  natural  fignification  that  he  refigned  his  Intereft  in 
 the  Land,  by  giving  him  his  Shooe,  wherewith  he 
 ufed  to  walk  in  it,  to  the  end  that  he  might  enter  in- 
 to it,  and  take  pofleffion  of  it  himfelf/ 
 
 The  Tar  gum,  inftead  of  his  Shooe ,  hath  the  right 
 hand  Glove  5  it  being  the  Cuftom,  perhaps,  in  his 
 time,  to  give  that  in  room  of  the  Shooe.  For  it  is 
 lefs  troublefome  to  pull  off  a  Glove  than  a  Shooe,  and 
 deliver  it  to  another,  though  it  hath  the  fame  fignifi- 
 cation }  as  now  the  Jews  deliver  an  Handkercheif  to 
 the  fame  purpofe.  So  R.  Solomon  Jarchi  affirms,  JVc 
 acquire,  or  buy  now  by  an  Handkercheif,  or  Veil,  injlead 
 of  a  Shooe. 
 
 Ver.  3.   Therefore  the   kjnfman  faid  unto   Boaz,  Buy  Verfe  3. 
 it  for  thee."]     After  the  accuftomed  manner. 
 
 So  he  drew  off  his  f/)ooc.~]  And  gave  it  to  Boaz,  in 
 token  that  he  parted  with  all  his  right  to  him.  The 
 Jewijb  Do&ors  indeed,  differ  very  much  about  this 
 matter  :  for  lome  fay,  He  that  parted  with  his  Right 
 to  redeem  the  Land  pulled  oft  his  Shooe,  and  gave  it 
 to  him  that  bought  it  3  but  others,  that  he  who  bought 
 
 Qqqq  x  it, 
 
66%  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  it*  gave  hisShooe  to  him  that  fold  it.     The  truth  is, 
 IV.       the  Text  may  be  either  way  underftood  ^  butitfeems 
 
 L/VNJ  to  me  moft  reafonable  to  think,  that  he  who  parted 
 with  his  Right,  parted  with  his  Shooe  alfo.  See 
 Selden,  Lib.  VI.  de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent,  juxta  Difcipl/n. 
 Ebr.  Cap.  V.  where  he  obferves  again,  how  different 
 this  was  from  the  Rites  ufed,  when  one  renounced 
 his  Brothers  Wife.  And  Abarbwel  alfo  looks  upon  this 
 as  a  demonftration,  that  the  plucking  off  the  Shooe 
 here  mentioned,  is  not  the  fame  with  that  in  XXV 
 Deut.  For  Ruth  doth  not  here  appear  to  loofe  his 
 Shooe,  (as  the  Brothers  Wife  is  there  ordered  to  do, 
 v.  9.)  much  lefs  did  (he  ccme  to  fpit  in  his  face  5  of 
 which  there  is  not  one  word  in  this  Ceremony, 
 which  he  (hows  wholly  belongs  to  the  Sale  of  Lands, 
 or  to  their  Redemption,  and  bringing  them  back  again 
 into  the  Family,  to  which  they  belonged.  This  ap- 
 pears from  the  following  words,  where  mention  is 
 made  of  nothing  but  of  a  Purchafe  of  Elimelectis 
 E'ftate. 
 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  And  Boaz  [aid  unto  the  Elders,  and  to  all 
 the  people,  Te  are  witnejfes  this  day,  that  I  have  bought 
 all  that  was  Elimelechs,  and  all  that  was  Chilions,  and 
 Mahlons,  of  the  hand  of  Naomi.']  She  had  the  firft 
 Right  in  the  Land  after  the  death  of  her  Husband, 
 and  her  two  Sons  after  her  5  which  (he  intirely  parted 
 withal  by  this  Contract  unto  £042,,  to  whom  the  other 
 Kinfman  had  paffed  over  his  Right  of  Redemption, 
 by  the  Political  Ceremony  of  plucking  off  the  Shooe. 
 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  ic.  Moreover ■,  Ruth  the  Moabitefs,  the  wife  of 
 Mahlon,  have  I  pur  chafed  to  be  my  wife.]  He  had  her 
 by  the  Right  of  the  fame  Purchafe,  and  did  not  fuc- 
 ceed  into  the  Right  of  a  Brother,  mentioned  in  the 
 XXV  Pent,  for  he  was  not  Brother  to  Elimelech,  but 
 only  a  remote  Kinfman  of  the  fame  Family,  as  Abar- 
 
 bine! 
 
upon   RUT  Ff.  66$ 
 
 bind  there  obferves.,    who  could    not  enjoy  the  Land,   Chapter 
 while  (he  lived,    nnlefs  he   would   take  her  with  it  5         IV. 
 to  whom  it  belonged  as  long  as  (he  lived,  and  was  to  u^\T\J 
 go  to  her  Iffue  when  fhe  died. 
 
 To  raife  up  the  name  of  the  dead  upon  hk  inheri- 
 tance^ That  the  parcel  of  Land  which  he  bought, 
 might  (till  be  called  by  the  Name  of  Mahlon,  whofe 
 Wife  Boaz  married. 
 
 That  the  name  of  the  dead  he  not  cut  off  from  hk 
 brethren,  and  from  the  gate  of  hk  place.']  That  his 
 Name  hereby  might  be  remembred,  not  only  in  his 
 own  Family,  but  in  all  the  City  of  Bethlehem  5  for 
 by  the  gate  of  hk  place,  is  meant  all  the  People  that  en~ 
 tred  in  at  the  Gate. 
 
 Te  are  witneffes  thk  day."]  Both  that  he  bought 
 the  Land,  and  Ruth  together  with  it,    at  fuch  a  time. 
 
 Ver.   1 1 .  And  all  the  people  that  were  in  the  gate,   and  Verfe  1 1 . 
 the  elders  faid,     We  are   witneffes.~\      After  this   open 
 Declaration,  there  was  no  need  of  any  Inftrument  in 
 Writing  to  confirm  thePurchafe. 
 
 The  LORD  make  the  woman  that  k  come  into  thy 
 houfe,  like  Rachel,  and  like  Lcah.~]  Such  a  folemn  Be- 
 nediction of  thofe  who  were  going  to  be  married  was 
 very  ancient,  as  we  learn  from  XXIV  Gen*  60.  and 
 the  Jews  continue  it  to  this  day  }  which,  they  fay, 
 was  always  made  in  the  prefence  of  ten  grave  Per- 
 fons,  at  the  leaft,  (as  Mr.  Selden  obferves,  Lib,  IL 
 Uxor.  Hebr.  Cap.  12.)  conformable  to  this  example  of 
 Boaz,  v.  2.  and  the  Eldeft  of  them  pronounced  the 
 Benediftion  ^  which  was  a  Ratification  of  what  was 
 agreed.  So  our  Mr.  Thomdike  excellently  obferves, 
 That  the  Benedi&ion,  which  we  Chriftians  u^e  in  mar- 
 riage, is  a  Sign  of  the  Allowance  of  the  Church  pre- 
 fuppofed,  as  this  Benedi&ion  of  Boaz  and  Ruth  pre- 
 fuppofeth  the  aft  to  be  allowed  by   the  Elders,   or 
 
 Confiftory, 
 
69o  A    COMMENT  A  KT 
 
 Chapter  Confillory,  who   fat  in  the  Gate  of  Bethlehem.     See 
 IV.         Rights   of  the  Church   in   a   Christian  State,  p.  241*     In 
 
 C/*V%J  the  Review  of  which  he  obferves,  that  this  feems  to  be 
 confirmed  by  the  Opinion  of  Epiphanius,  who  faith, 
 Our  Lord  was  invited  to  the  marriage  of  Carta  in  Ga- 
 like,  that,  as  a  Prophet,  he  might  blefs  the  marriage  5 
 which,  it  is  certain,  the  Church  hath  always  pra&ifed, 
 to  fignifie  that  the  marriage  was  approved  to  be  made 
 according  to  the  Laws  of  God.  And  therefore  Con- 
 radus  Rellicanus  (an  eminent  Man  at  the  beginning  of 
 the  Reformation)  here  well  notes,  That  Prayers  and 
 Bene  di  fit  on  s  are  never  to  be  omitted  in  marriage. 
 Like  Rachel  and  Leah."]  That  is  very  fruitful. 
 Which  two  did  build  up  the  houfe  of  IfraeL]  Were 
 bleffed  with  a  numerous  Pofterity.  They  do  not  men- 
 tion the  two  EJandmaids,  becaufe  thefe  were  Jacob's 
 principal  Wives,  (and  Rachel  chofen  firft,  as  (he  is  here 
 placed)  whofe  Servants  bear  Children  not  for  them- 
 felves,  but  their  Miflreffes.     See  XXX  Gen.  5. 
 
 And  do  thou  worthily  in  Ephratah,  and  be  famous  in 
 Bethlehem.']  Thefe  two  are  but  different  Names  of  the 
 fame  place,  where  Boaz  and  Ruth  alio  lived  5  who 
 feems  now  to  have  been  prefent,  as  JofepLm  reprefents 
 her,  and  who  they  prayed  might  be  a  great  Example 
 of  all  Vertue  in  that  City. 
 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  let  thy  houfe  be  like  the  houfe  of  Pha~ 
 rez  (whom  Tamar  bare  unto  Judah)  of  the  feed  which 
 'the  LORD  fid  all  give  thee  of  tlm  young  woman.']  Both 
 Boaz,  and  all  the  Bethlemites,  derived  their  Original 
 from  Vharez,  whofe  Family  was  very  llluftrious  in 
 Ifrael  5  and  therefore  they  could  not  have  wifhed  Boaz 
 a  greater  Bleffing,  than  to  have  as  noble  an  Iffue  as  he 
 
 Verfe  13.  was  to  Judah. 
 
 Ver.  13.  So  Boaz  took  RuthT]  Carried  her  home 
 to  his  own  Houfe  %  with  all  the  Solemnity,  it  is  likely, 
 which  was  ufual  in  fuch  cafes.  And 
 
 L 
 
*    npon    RUTH.  69 1 
 
 And  fie  wm  his  wife.]     And  all  other  Ilites,  which  Chapter 
 were   obferved  in    thofe  days,  being  performed,  they        IV. 
 were  compleatly  made  Man  and  Wife.  L^VNJ 
 
 And  rckcn  he  went  in  unto  her,  the  LORD  gave  her 
 conception,  and  [he  bare  a  fon.~]  A  year  after  their  mar- 
 riage, as  Jofephus  faith. 
 
 Ver.   14.  And  the  women  faid  unto  Naomi.]     After  Verfe  14. 
 Ruth's  Delivery. 
 
 Bluffed  be  the  LORD,  who  hath  not  left  thee  this  day 
 without  a  l^nfmanT]  The  Hebrew  name  of  Gocl  (which 
 we  tranflate  Kinfman)  properly  belonged  to  Boa%, 
 and  not  to  his  Son,  who  was  now  born.  And  yet  the 
 Child  feems  to  be  here  meant :  which  made  the  Ara- 
 £/V4  Tranflator  render  it.  Hath  not  left  thee  without  an 
 heir  5  who  being  to  lucceed  his  Father,  what  he  had 
 done  might  be  afcribed  to  his  Son. 
 
 That  his  name  may  be  famous  in  Jfrael.]  They  ho- 
 ped God  would  make  him  an  eminent  Perfon  among 
 them. 
 
 Ver.    15.   And  he  foall  be  unto  thee  a  reftorer  of  thy* Verfe  15, 
 life."]     Such  a  comfort,    as  to  make  her,    in  fome  fort, 
 young  again. 
 
 And  a  nourif/jer  of  thine  old  age.]  And  in  Old  Age 
 take  care  of  her,  and  fnpport  her. 
 
 For  thy  daughter-in-law  which  loveth  thee,  which  is 
 better  to  t/jce  than  feven  fons  hath  born  him.']  For 
 they  hoped  he  would  inherit  his  Mother's  Vermes, 
 and  particularly  her  Affe&ion  to  Naomi  5  which  was 
 fo  furpafling,  that  it  made  her  a  greater  Bleffing  to 
 her,  than  a  great  many  Sons  of  her  own  Body  would 
 have  been,  for  they  would  fcarce  have  been  able,  out 
 of  fo  fmall  a  Fortune,  to  maintain  themfelves,  whereas 
 this  being  the  Son  of  a  rich  Father,  could  afford  her  alfo 
 a  plentiful  Maintenance. 
 
 Ver.  16.  And  Naomi  too^  the  child,  and  laid  it  in  Verfe  16. 
 
 her 
 
 A 
 
I  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  her  0tipn  bofom,  and  became  nurfe  unto  it.~]  Brought  it 
 "  IV.  UP  Wlth  a  moft  tender  afte&ion,  for  his  Mother  gave 
 t/"VVi  him  Suck  $  and   then  Naomi  took  him  from  her,  and 
 
 educated  him  as  her  own  Child. 
 Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  And  the  women  her  neighbours  gave  it  a 
 name.~]  It  did  not  belong  to  the  Neighbours,  but  to 
 the  Father  or  Mother,  to  Name  the  Child  $  but  they 
 advifed  Naomi  to  call  it  by  a  Name  fuitable  to  their 
 foregoing  difcourfe.     See  I  Luke  39,  &c. 
 
 Saying,  There  n  a  fon  born  unto  Naomi*']  Unto 
 whom  they  had  pfomifed  fuch  great  comfort  from  this 
 Child,  that  it  moved  them  to  defire  it  might  have  the 
 following  Name. 
 
 And  they  called  his  Name  0bed7\  That  is,  one  who 
 Chould  be  very  ferviceable  unt*  her }  for  Obed  fignifies 
 §VutW,  a  Servant,  as  Jofephus  interprets  it.  By  which 
 Name  (faith  he)  Naomi  called  the  Child  ^TO^/SaA&tav 
 yuvayxMv,  by  the  Advice  and  Counfel  of  the  Women, 
 6%?  yngcpixifjla,  cloths  togLynarLfjuLvov,  as  one  appointed 
 to  take  care  of  her  in  Old  Age.  The  Targum  thus  Pa- 
 raphrafes  upon  this  Name,  Who  ferved  the  LORD  of 
 the  world  with  a  ferfett  heart  5  a  piece  of  which  Ser- 
 vice, confifted  in  giving  due  honour  unto  Parents. 
 Some  make  it  a  queftion,  Why  this  Child  was  not  cal- 
 led Mahlon,  according  to  the  Law  which  feems  to  re- 
 quire it  >  But  this  hath  been  anfwered  already,  that 
 what  Boaz  did,  was  not  in  Obedience  to  the  Law  in 
 XXV  Deut.  for  he  was  not  the  Brother  of  Mahlon, 
 (in  which  cafe  the  Child  muft  have  born  Mahlons 
 Name)  but  only  a  remote  Kinfman. 
 
 He  is  the  father  of  JeJJe,  the  father  of  David.]  For 
 whofe  fake  this  whole  Book  feems  to  have  been  writ- 
 ten, that  it  might  be  certainly  known  from  whom  he 
 was  defcended,  the  Mefjiah  being  to  fpring  from  him  ^ 
 which  is  the  reafon  why  the  following  Genealogy  is 
 annexed  for  the  conclufion  of  this  Book.  Ver.  1 8. 
 
upon    RUTH  $7  + 
 
 Ver.    1 3.  Now  the fe  arc   the  generation!  of  Pharez']   He  Chapr 
 begins  no  higher^    becaule  every  one  knew  that  Pharez 
 was  the  Grandfbn  ot  Jacob,  and  lie  i  he  Son  of  lfaac,  Sec    l/*V\j 
 
 Pharez   begat    Hezron.'}     In    the    Land    of    Can 
 before    they    went    down  into  Egypt  ,    as    we    read 
 XLVIG™.  12. 
 
 Ver.  19.  yW  tlezron  begat  Raw.']  So  he  is  atflcd 
 in  1  Chron.  II.  6.  but  in  the  New  Teilament  Atam^ 
 I  Matth.  3.   Ill  i.///,c  33. 
 
 ^w^   JR*tt    />cg^    Amminadab7\      Thefe    two    w 
 born  in  the  Land  of  Egypt y  where  Amminadab  alio  be- 
 gat Nahfoon, 
 
 Ver.  2C.  And  AwMinadab  begat  Nuhfoon^  Who  was  v 
 Prince  of  the  Children  of  Judah,  when  thev  came  out 
 of  Egypt,  as  the  Author  of  the  Book  of  Chronicles  ob* 
 ferves,  1.  II.  ic.  which  is  confirmed  by  MoJcj  his  own 
 words,  I  Numb.  7.  II.  3.  VII.  n.  X.  14.  where  . 
 find,  that  in  the  fecondvYear  after  their  coming  out  of 
 Egypt,  he  was  the  principal  Perion  in  this  Tribe. 
 
 And  Nahfoon  begat  Sainton  J]     Who  was  born  in    ... 
 Wildernefs,    in  all   probability,    and  was  called 
 Salma,   1  Chron.  II.  II. 
 
 Ver.  2 1 .  And  Salmon  begat  Boaz.']     Of  Rahab,  whom  Verfe  2  1 . 
 he  took  to  be  his  Wife  after  the    taking  of  Jericho^ 
 I  Matth.  J, 
 
 And  Boaz  begat  Gbed.]  Here  the  Tar  gum  nukes 
 Boaz  the  fame  with  Ibzan,  XII  Judges  8.  (which  is 
 altogether  improbable)  in  whole  days  he  faith  the  Fa- 
 mine, fpoken  of  in  this  Book,  hapned  5  from  which 
 they  were  delivered  by  the  Prayers  of  Boaz. 
 
 Ver.   22.  And  Obed  begat  JejfcT]     Who  v  cal-  yer,c  :5. 
 
 led  Nahafo,  as  fonie  think,  and  is  exprdly  affirmed  by 
 the  Targum,  becaule  Zeruiah  and  Abigail  ,\rz  (hid  to  be 
 David's  Sifters,  1  ChronAl.  16.  And  Abigail  is  laid  to 
 be   the  Daughter  of  Nahafl),  z  Sam.  XVII.   25.     But 
 
 11  r  r  r  Davids 
 
<$74  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  David's  Mother,  perhaps,  had  a  former  Husband,  whofe 
 
 j y        Name  was  Nahafl:,  by  whom  fhe  had  thefe  Daughters. 
 ^y~s/~\j      And   Jejfe  begat  David.']     Unto    whofe  time  there 
 being  but  four  Generations  ^    and  Salmon.,  the   firfl:  of 
 the   four,    married  Rahab,    after  their   entrance  into 
 Canaan  5  from  thence  to  the  fourth  Year  of  King  Solo- 
 mon,  there  being  four  hundred  and  forty  Years,  (as 
 appears  from  1  Kings  VI.  2.)  it  mud:  neceflarily  fol- 
 low, that  unlefs  we  fuppofe  fome  other  coming  be- 
 tween, (for  which   we  have  no  good  warrant)  thefe 
 four  Perfons,    Salmon,  Boaz,  Obed  and  Jejfey    begat  a 
 Child  in  their  Old  Age.     And  indeed,    Boaz  fuppofes 
 himfelf  to  be  no  Young  Man,    when  he  fpake   thofe 
 words  to  Ruth,  III.  10.     And   Jejffe   was  counted  an 
 Old  Man,  whzn\David  his  Son  was  a  Youth,  1  Sam. 
 XVII.   12.     And)  therefore  that  Account    which  Pri- 
 mate Vfber  hath  given  of  this  Matter  in  his  Chrono- 
 logia  Sacra,  Pars  I.  Cap.  XII.  feems  very  reafonable  5 
 that  taking  out  of  that  Number  of  four  hundred  and 
 forty,    the  Seventy  Years  that  David  lived,  and.  the 
 four  firft  Years  of  Solomons  Fveign  5  then  from  their 
 coming  into  the  Land  of  Canaan,   to  the  Nativity  of 
 David,  there  remain  Three  hundred   fixty  and  fix,  as 
 Aben  Ezra   obferves  in  the  conclufion   of  this  Book. 
 Now  thefe  Years  may  be  thus  commodionfly  diftribu- 
 ted,  if  we  fuppofe  Rahab  to  have  born  Boaz  in  the 
 Forty  fecond  Year  after  they  entred  Canaan  5  and  if  we 
 afiign  an  hundred  and  two  Years  before  he  begat  Obed  5 
 and  an  hundred  and  eleven  to  Obed  before  he  begat 
 Jeffe  5    and  as  many    to  Jejfe  before  he  •  begat  David  5 
 which  make  the  juft  Sum  of  three  hundred  fixty  and  fix. 
 And  this  is  nothing  ftrange,  for  long  after  this  time, 
 we  read  of  very  Old  Men,    who  might  be  capable  to 
 beget  Children,  at  the  Age  now  mentioned  5  particu- 
 larly Jehoja-dah  the  High-Prieft,  who  lived  an  hundred: 
 
 and 
 
upon   RUTH,  675 
 
 and  thirty  Years,    a  Chron.  XXIV.  15.     And   in  our  Chapter 
 own   davs,    Thomm  Parr  lived    an  hundred    and    fifty         IV. 
 
 two  Years,  and  begat  a  Child  when  he  was  an  hundred  L/'V~\J 
 and  five  Years  old,  as  the  lame  Primate  there  obferves, 
 an  J  produces  a  great  many  other  Examples  of  Perfons 
 who  lived  to  a  great  Age,  very  vigorous.  And,  if  we 
 Gould  believe  the  Jcwifl)  Doftors,  they  tell  us  in  Juthafm, 
 that  Ruth  lived  till  the  time  of  Solomon,  and  fat  with 
 lltthfljeba,  when  he  caufed  a  Seat  to  be  fet  for  her  at  his 
 right  hand,  1  Kings  II.  19.  I  fhall  only  add,  that 
 Bonfrerim  hath  largely  confirmed  this  Opinion  of  thefe 
 Perfons  begetting  the  Children  here  mentioned  in  their 
 Old  Age,  and  confuted  thofe  who  explain  this  other- 
 ways,  by  fuppofing  three  Boazs,  and  other  Devices, 
 in  his  Commentary  upon  the  firft  Verfe  of  this  Book. 
 Only  he  (and  Serraritts  alfo,  who  before  him  was  of 
 the  fame  mind)  have  made  a  different  diftribution  of 
 the  three  hundred  (ixty  fix  Years  before-mentioned,  by 
 fuppofing  other  Years  of  their  Age  wherein  thefe  four 
 Perfons  begat  their  Sons^  which  is  not  at  all  material. 
 
 I  fhall  end  all  with  the  Tar  gums  Paraphrafe  on  the 
 la  ft  words  of  this  Book  5  which  are,  Jejfc  begat  David 
 King  of  IfraeL  Which  fome  Latin  Copies  following, 
 from  thence  Card.  Cajetan  concludes,  this  Book  was 
 written  not  only  after  the  Birth  of  David,  but  after 
 he  was  made  King  of  Ifrael  :  that  is,  after  he  was 
 anointed  by  Samuel  to  be  King  of  IfraeL 
 
 F      1     N     1     S. 
 
ERRATA. 
 
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 1  37- 
 
 9- 
 
 1  .Age  9.      1.    r.  your  pofleffion 
 r.  of  the  watei  s 
 r.  where  they  feem 
 r.  de  Bello 
 
 r.  Sacror.  FJaocbrifvt 
 r.  one  is  intent 
 r.  their  refting 
 r.  And  when  he 
 Mifraphotkwaim 
 drawn  in  to  imitate 
 
 i5<<.  27.  next  mentioned 
 
 164.  30.  From  Baal-Gad 
 
 173.  7.  than  that  it  was 
 
 180.  1 5.  Valley  of  fyphaim 
 
 106.   I.     Kabzed 
 
 33  9.  14.  not  far  from 
 
 264.  17.  thai   ftayed   on    the 
 other  (ide 
 
 270.  30.  dele^  af  er/0 
 
 172.  25.  Co/  «/#t/? 
 
 2.97.  13.  Some  Idolaters 
 
 J  06.    l8.    ig»/M44 
 
 23.  fjjAfiva. </Wtf frjytXo*  \xw 
 307.  11.  required  them 
 314.    1.  to  do  any  thing 
 
 Vage.  Line. 
 
 .330.  13.  that  the  Children 
 340.     1.  to  reifore  them 
 
 9.  opprefled) 
 3fii  32.  ai-Mf  4&V& 
 385-.  2).  ad  A.  M. 
 404.  32.  (V.  13.  14) 
 464.  10.  is  xhisSchecbemite 
 469.    9.  into  the  fiild 
 47  r.  12.  tower  of  Schechem 
 499.  1 8.  which  fpace  is  divided 
 
 by  thefe  words 
 ?i£  2f.  .they  faid  Konia 
 519.^  i»  dele  i.  e.  after  Lib.  2. 
 530.  ij.  for  Guz,  read  G«>* 
 563.     8.  others  Artage 
 5^4.  19.  fport  they  could 
 576.  26.  whence  it  may 
 5-81.  30.  after  the  maimer 
 5:82.  27.  ft  r  them  up 
 594.  24,  in  his  Cinnus 
 605-.     3.  2  Sam.  V.  3. 
 
 16,  who  were 
 6i\.  18.  fearlefs  creature 
 65^.    6.  dele  iftfcre. 
 
'•" 
 
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