Commentary on the Holy Bible

En-hakkore] The zcell of the implorcr: this name he gave to the spot where the water rose, in order to perpetuate the bounty of CJod in aflording him this miraculous supply.

great deliverance into llie liand of iliy % V; mv servant: and now shall I die for An. t..mi. iir. thirst, and fall into the hand of the ».- n.,. i.-<- 1. iiiK ircnnicisfd '

1 9 Hut God clave a hollow place that wan in ' the jaw, and (here fame waler lliercout; and when he had diiink, ' his spirit came a^^aiii, and he revived: wherefore lie tailed llie name thereof '' ICn-hakkoie, \Nhicli is in J^thi unto this day.

\H) 'And he judged Israel 'in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

Which is in Lehi unto this day.'] Consequently not n the jatibone of the ass: a most unfortunate rendering.

[ Verse 20. lie judged Israel — ticentj/ t/cars.] In the margin it is said, He seems to have judged toulh-rcest hrael during lizentij ijcurs of their servitude of the Philiitines, chap, xiii. 1. Instead of njf — '"'JV isrim shunah, "twenty

' shanah, " forty years:" but this reading is not acknow. ledged by any MS. or Version. According to Calmet, (ho twenty years of the judicature of Samson began the eighteenth year of the subjection of Israel to the Philihtines; and these twenty years are included in the judicature of the highpriest Eli.

The burning of the Philistines' corn by the means of foxes and firebrands is a very remarkable circumstance; and there is a story told by Ovid, in (he -Itii book of his Fasti,: that bears a striking similitude to this; and is supposed by I some learned men to allude to Samson and his foxes. The poet is at a loss to account for this custom; but brings in an old man of Carseolum, with what mu^t have appeared (o himself a very unsatisfactory solution. The passage begins as follows: —

The subs(ance of (he whole account, which is too long to be (ranscribed, is this: it was a custom in Rome, celebra(ed in the month of April, to let loose a number of foxes in (be circus, wi(h lighted flambeaux on (heir backs: and the Roman people (ook pleasure in seeing these animals run about till roasted to death by the flames wi(h which they were enveloped. The poet wishes to know what (he origin of (his cus(oni was; and is thus informed by an old man of the ci(r of Carseolum: " A frolic ksome yoang lad, about ten years ©f age, found a fox near a thir ket, wlio had stolen away many fowls from the neighbouring roosts. Having enveloped his body with hay and straw, he set it on fire, and let the fox loose. The animal, in order to avoid the flames, took to the standing corn which was then reidy for the sickle; and the wind driving the flames with double violence, the crops were every where consumed. Though this transaction is long since gone by, the commemoration of it still remains; for, by a law of this city, every fox that is taken is burnt to death. Thus the nation awards to the foxes the punishment of being burnt alive, for the destruction of the ripe corn formerly occasioned by one of these animals."

Both Serrarius and Bochart reject this origin of the custom given by Ovid; and insist that the custom took its rise from the burning of the Philistines' corn by Samson's foxes. The origin, ascribed to the custom by the Carseolian, they consider as too frivolous and unimportant to be commemorated by a national festival. The time of the observation

Italy; b'lt it perfectly accords with the time of harvest in Palestine, which was at least as early as April. Nor does the circumstance of the fox wrapped in hay, which being set on fire, and he let loose, bear any proper resemblance to the foxes let loose in the circus, with burning brands on their backs.

These learned men, therefore, conclude tliat it is much more natural to suppose that the Romans derived the custom from Judea; where, probably, the burning of the Philistines' corn might, for some time, have been annually commemorated.

The whole account is certainly very singular; and has not a Tery satisfactory solution in the old man's tale, as related by the Roman poet.

All public institutions have had their origin in fads; and if, through the lapse of time, or loss of records, the original facts be lost; we may legitimately look for them in cases where there is so near a resemblance as in that above.

Santson comes to Gazn; the?/ Jay wait for him; he rises bij night, and carries aisay the city gales, 1 — 3. Falls in love with Delilah, 4. The lo7-ds of the Philistines promise her money if she will obtain from Samson tlw secret in zchich his strength lay, 5. By various artifices, she at last obtains this; and eommvnicates it to the Philistines, who seize him, bind, put out his eyes, and cause him to grind in the prison-house, 6 — 21. At U public festival to Dagon, he is brought out to mahe sport; when, being weary, he requests to be placed between the two pillars which supported the roof of the house, on which three thousand men and women were stationed to see him make sport, 22 — 27. lie prays to God to strengthen him, and pulls down the pillars; by which (the house falling) both himself, the lords of the Philistines, and a vast multitude of the people, are slain, 28 — 30. His relatives come and take away his body, and bury it, 31.

IllEN went Samson to Gaza, and saw there " a harlot, and went in unto her. 2 And it was told the Gazites^ say-

Verse 1. Titen Kent Samson to Guzu, and sars there a harlot^ The Chaldee, as in tlie former case, render the elause thus: Samson sav> there a zcoman, un inn-keeper: perhaps the word n:n zonah is to be taken here in its double sense; one wlio keeps a house for the entertainment of travellers, and who also prostitutes tier person.

Gaza was situated near the Mediterranean sea, and was one of the most southern cities of Palestine. It has been

they ''compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city^ and were ' quiet all the

supposed by some to have derived its name from the treasures deposited there by Canibjses, king of the Persians; because, they say, Gaza, in Persian, signilies treasure: so Poniponius Mela, and others. But it is more likely to be a Hebrew word, and this city to have derived its name nntj? azatha, from niy uzUh, strength; it being a strong or well fortified place.

The Hebrew y (rin, in this word, is, by tlie Sepluugint, the Arabic, and the Vvlgate, rendered G; hence, instead doors of (he pile of the city, and the two posts, and \^('nt away uilli lliciii, " liar and all, and jint tkcm npoii his slionldcis, and carried thcni up to j the top of a hill that ix hefore llehron. I

4 ■! And il canu; to pass afterward, that he loved a woman 'in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

r».And the lords of the Philistines rame u|) unto her, and said unto her, ' J'-iUice liMii.and see wherein his great strength lietk, and by what 7)ii'a')is we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to '' afllicl iiim: and we will give me, 1 pray thee, wherein thy great. "^. strength lielh, and wiierewilh thou mighlest be hound to ai1li( I thee.

7 -And Samson said unto her, II they bind me with seven 'green' withs that were never dried, llien shall 1 be weak, and be as 'another man.

8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven gr»en withs \\hi<h had not been dried, and she bound him \>ith them.

9 Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the (hamber. And she said unto him. The Philistincia Oc upon thee, Samson.

of (hatha., with a stroiis; guttural broatliiiig, wc liave Gaza, a name by which this town could not be recogni/.ed by an ancient tli-brew.

Verse '2. 1'licj/ cunipusscd him /«] They sliul up all (he avenues, secured (he gates, and pet persons in anibu-h near them, that they might attack liim on his leaving the city early the next morning.

Verse 3. Tvok (he doors of (he gale'l Though Samson was a very strong man,)et we do not find that he was a giant; consequently, we may conjecture that the gates of tlie city were not very large, as ho took at once the doors, the txo poits, and the liar, witli him. The cilies of those days would appear to disadvantage among modern villages.

A hill — before Hebron'] Possibly there were tuo Ilebrons: it could not be the city generally understood by the ■word Hebron, as (hat was about twenty miles distant from Gaza; unless we suppose that fnan 'J3 ':'i' al jxiicj/ Chebron, 18 to bo understood of the road leading to Hebron. He carried all to the top of that hill which was on the road leading to Hebron.

Verse -1. He loved a:coman in Ihc vaUci/ of Sorek] Some think Samsoii took this woman for his icife; others, that he had her as a concubine. It appears she was a Philistine; Rnd, however strong his love was for her, she seems to have had none for him. Ho always matched improperly: and he was cursed in all his matches. Where, the valley, or brook, of Sorek was, is not ea.iy to be asceitained. Ivusebius and Jerom say, it lay southward of Eleutheropulis — but where was Eleutheropolis? Ancient writers take all their measurements from this city; but, as it is no whore mentioned in the Scriptures, it is impossible to fix its situation, for we know not its ancient name.

saw that his stature was not remarkable; and that, nevertheless, he had most extraordinary strength: therefore they supposed that it was the effect of some charm, or amulet. The lords of the Philistines were the five following: (>aza, Gath, Askelou, Ekron, and Ashdod. All the-e considered Samson as a public enemy; and they promise this bad woman a large sum of money if she will obtain from him the important secret wherein his strength lay, that, depriving him of this supernatural potcer, they might be able to reduce him to bondage.

Verse 7. Seven green tciths"] That is, any kind of pliant, tou<;h aood, twisted in the form of a cord, or rope. Such are used in many countries, formed out of osiers, hazle. &c. And in Ireland, very long and strong ropes are made of the fibres of bog icood, or the larger roots of the. fir, which is often digged up in the bogs, or mosses, of that country. But the Scptuagint, by translating the Hebrew ^Th ~'"C.' tjetherim lachiin by vsi^ai; lycai;, and the Vulgate by nem'cew/i/;n'6i/f, understand these bonds to he cords made of the tierces of cattle;. or perhaps rather out of rax: hides: this also makes an exceeding strong cord. In some countries they take the skin of the horse, rut it lengthwise from the hide into thongs about tv«o inches broad; and, after having laid them in salt for some time, take them out for use. This practice is frequent in the country parts of Ireland; and both customs, the \»ooden cord, and that made of the raw or green hide, are among the most ancient perhaps in the world. Among the Irish peasantry this latter species of cord is called the tug; and is chiefly used for agricultural pur> poses; particularly for drawing the yi/</i/^A and the Aorro:;, instead of the iron chains u'ed in other countries.

Verse 9. Men lying in sail] They probably did not appear, as Samson immediately broke his bonds when this bad woman said, JVie I'hiliftincs be upon thcc.

10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold thou hast mocked me, and told me lie.<<: now tell me, 1 pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.

11 And he said unto her. If the}' bind me fast with new ropes " that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

12 Delilah tiierefore took new ropes, and bound him therowilh, and said unto him. The Philistines 6e upon thee, Samson. And there tvere Hers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake tliem from off his arms like a thread.

1^ And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her. If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

14 And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him. The Philistines be upon thee, Sam-

Verse 11. If they bind me fast with new ropes] Samson wishes to keep up the opinion which the Philistines held: viz. that his mighty strength was the effect of some charm; and therefore he says, Seven green withs which had not been dried; nezo ropes that were never occupied; weave the seven locks of mi/ hair with the web, &c.: the green withs, the new ropes, and the number seven, are such matters as would naturally be expected in a charm or spell.

Verse 13. The seven locks of my head] Probably Samson had his long hair plaited into seven divisions: and, as his TOW of aNazarite obliged him to wear his hair; so seven, being a number of perfection among the Hebrews, his hair being divided into seven locks, might more particularly point out the perfection designed by his Nuzarile stale.

Every person must see that this verse ends abruptly, and does not contain a full sense. Houbigant has particularly noticed this, and corrected the text from the Sepluagint, the reading of which I shall here subjoin: Eav ui^avfi; ra.i iirra veisci.; rr^; x£9aX'>)f y.ou triv ■fiu iiccrjj.an, kxi E-//C|SOi'(njf 7w vxrffxXM ei; Tov roiyov, xai i<T'jii.a.i uji ki; riuv ayHp'jJTfuiv ai^irrii' Ka( syE-zsro ev rui x'yi/Aair^ai ciuroy, xca sKa^s AaJ.i^a rx; hitra crfioaj tyjs xtipaXTjc avrou, xai ipavtv tv fiu Sixtrf.ciri, y.a.1 titri^iv rui ■rrxa-c-si.>.ui ei; rov niyj^v — If thou slialt weave the seven locks of ray head with the web, and ihuU fasten them zcitk the pin in the wall, I shall become son. And he awaked out of his ^. c.'mo*' sleep, and went away with the pin An. kx.ki. isr. of the beam, and with the web. Annoamei.

15 ^ And she said unto him, ' How "'^"'i' ^^- canst (hou say, 1 love thee, wiien thine heart is not with me.'' thou hast mocked me these three limes, and hast not told me wherein tliy great strength tieth.

J 6 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily- with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was '" vexed unto death;

17 That he "told her all his heart, and said unto her, "^There hath not come a rasor upon mine head; for 1 have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if 1 be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and 1 shall become weak, and be like any other man.

18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying. Come up this once, for he hath shewed me ail his heart. Tiien the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their

weak, like other men: and so it zcas that, when he slept. Dalida look llie seven locks of his head, and wove them zcith the web, and fastened it with the pin to the wall, and said unto him, &c. All the words printed here in italic, are wanting in the present Hebrew copies; but are preserved in the Septuagint, and are most obviously necessary to complete the sense; else Delilah appears to do something that she is not ordered to do, and to omit what she was commanded.

Verse 16. His soul was vexed unto deatli] What a consummate fool was this strong man! Might he not have seen, from what already took place, that Delilah intended his ruin? After trifling with her, and lying thrice, he at last commits to her his fatal secret: and thus became a traitor to himself and to his God. Well may we adopt the sensible observation of Calmet on this passage: — La foiblesse du cceur de Samson, dans toute cette histoire, est encore plus etonnante que la force de son corps. " The weakness of Samson's heart, in the whole of this history, is yet more astonishing than tlic strength of his body."

Verse 17. if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me] The miraculous strength of Samson must not be supposed to reside either in his hair, or in his muscles; but in that relation in which he stood to God, as a Nazarite; such a person being bound, by a solemn vow, to walk in a strict conformity to the laws of his Maker. It was_ a

All. i.xtid. i»r. li(.|- |<ii('c.s; and she lalli-d lor a man, Anno mile I. aiid cniiscd liiiii to sliuvo oil llic yO ^nd slic said, Tlic Pliiii.stincs he upon tlico, Samson..And \\o awoke ont of liiw f^lccp, and said, I will f;'o ont as at other timc'^ lid'orc, and fihakc myself. And he wist not that tlic Lord '' was departed from Iiim.

21 H But Ihc Philistines look him, and ' pnl out his eyes, and hroiif;ht him down (o Cilaza, and hound him with letters of hinss; and he part of (hp Na/-:iritc's vow (o pfrrr.it no razor to pass on his heud; mill his long /(«/;• na.-. tlie niaik of his XazurealP, and of his vow to God. When Samson pprmitted iiis hair to be shorn od", he rpiiouiicpd and broke his N:izar vow; in conseqiiiMice of which {!od abuiuloiied hini; and, therefore, we are told, in ver. 20, I hat the Lord:c(is ilipurtfdfrum him.

Verse 19. She began to affl/cl hiiii"\ She had probably tied his hands, slily, while he was asleep: and, after havini; cut nil his hair, she benaii to insult him, before she called the Philistines, to try «hetiier he were really redured to n stale of weakness. Finding he could not discngngthini-elf, she called the Philistines; and he, being alarmed, rose U|), Ihinliiii;; he could e.xert himself as before, and shake iiimself; /. e. disengatje liiinsplf from his bonds and his enemies:— but he 2cist not thai the Lord jzas dc/iui/ed J'rum him; fo>' as Delilah had cut olf his locks while he was asleep, he had not yet perceived that they were gone.

Verse '21. Put out his eyes^ Thns was the lust of the eye, in looking after, and gazing on strange women, punished. As the Philistines did not know that his strengrh might not return, they put out his eyes, that he miglit never be able to plan any enterprise against tiiem.

lie did grind in the prison-house.^ Before the invention of icind and zcaler-niills, tho grain was at first bruised between two stones; afterwards, ground in hand-mills. This is practised in China, and in diffcient parts of the l-Iasf, still; and zcumen and slaves are the persons who are obliged to turn theje mills.

Suili instruments were anciently used in this country, and called (/nerns, fr.nn the An^lo-Saxon Cpoopn, and Hj-ypn, C:cc();vj and Cicjjrn, which has the signification of a mill; hence bpeopn jran Ctceorn stan, a mill-stone: and as quern conveys the notion of grinding, hence Ttj-eopnceb', Czccorntcth, the dentcs mulares, or grinders, in the jaws of animals. This clause of the verse is thus translated in the Sa.\on

2:i 1i Then the h)idK of the Philistines (^a- (heied I hem (o^etiier for lo olfer a f^nat saerifire unto Da/;on their f.;-od, and to njoicc: for they said, Our j^od hath <!> jlv I'-l S;nin.on our enemy into our hand.

5^4 And when the people saw him, they "praised their f^nd; for they Haid, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, ' which slew many of us.

Octateuch: — ^nb ^a Plidijcei gej-enjon lime j-ona — i jelebbon hine apej — ro hcopa bipi;;. "J on cpeaptepne belucon-hecon hine jjpinban a;c hipa haubcpypiie. " And the Philistines laid their fangs, (<(cizeil) him soon, and led him away to their burgh (city), and shut him up In prison, and made him grind at their hand-querne." So late as half a century ago, I have seen these querns or hand-mills in t/icie kingdoms.

Verse 22. The hair oj his head began to grorz: again'[ And may we not suppose that, sensible of his sin and folly, he renewed his Nazar vow to the Lord; in consequence of which bis supernatural strength was again restored.

Verse '23. Unto Dagon their god] DiodorusSiculus describes 'heir god thus: To ij.sy rsKrwroy i^ei yuvaiv.o/, ro i' aXAa ex- [1.x X'xv iyjvrji. "It had the head of a woman, but all the rest of the body resembled a fish." Dagon was called Dcr. ceti) among the Heathens.

Horace, in the following piece, especially in the third:ind fourth lines, seems to hare in view the image of Dagon:

Ilumano capili cerviccm pic/or equinam Pingere si relit; et vurias inducere plumas Undique collatis membris; ut turpiler atrum Desinat in piscem mulit-r formosa superne; Spcclatum admissi, rintm tenealis amici.

Suppose a painter to a human head Should join a horse's neck; and wildly spread The various pinmngc of the feathered kind O'er limbs of dilTerent beasts, absurdly join'd • Or if he gave to view a beauteous maid Above the icm'st, with pvery charm array'd. Should afouljish her lozcer parts infold, Would you not sn.ili-.i.,-h r ii (:.re- to behold?

He pulls down the house, and

B.c.i'm 25 And it came to pass, when their An. Exod. isr. hearts were * merry, that thev said, Annoamei. Call for SamsoH, that he may make "'y°P- ^"- us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison-house; and he '' made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.

26 H And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand. Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.

27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines locre there; and there icere upon the ' roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.

28 And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, ^ remember me, I pray thee, and streng;then me, I pray thee, only this once, 0 God, that I may be at once

Verse 25. Call for Samson, that he may make us sport'] What the sport was we cannot tell: probably it was an exhibition of his prodigious strength. This seems to be intimated by what is said, ver. 22. of the restoration of his hair; and the exertions which he was obliged to make will account for the -weariness which gave him the pretence to ask for leave to lean against the pillars. Some tliink he was brought out to be a laughingstock; and that he was variously insulted by the Philistines: hence the version of the Septuagint, xai sppaTrii^ov avrov, and they buffeted him. Joseph us, Antiq. Jud. lib. v. c. 8. s. 12. says, He vias brought out, o-rrx; ivv^pia-uitriv avTW itctpx rov mrov, that they might insult him in their cups.

Verse 27. Now the house was full of men^ It was either the prison-house, house of assembly, or a temple of Dagon, raised on pillars, open on all sides, and flat-roofed, so that it could accommodate a multitude of people on the top.

Verse 28. Samson called unto the Lord] It was in consequence of h'la faith in God, that he should be strengtheued to overthrow his enemies, and the enemies of his country, that he is mentioned, Ileb. xi. among those who were remarkable for their /rtzWi.

Verse 29. The ttno middle pillars upon ishich the house stood] Much learned labour has been lost on the attempt to prove, that a building like this might stand on two pillars. But what need of this? There might have been as many pillars here, as were in the temple of Diana, at Ephesus; and yet the two centre pillars be the key oj the building: these being once pulled down, the whole house would necescarily fall.

29 And Samson took hold of the Anno ante i. two middle pillars upon which the ^"P:!*^ house stood, and " on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.

30 And Samson said. Let ^ me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than thei/ which he slew in his life.

.31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought hi)n up, and ^ buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying-place of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty

that the house was full of men and women; and about three thousand of both sexes on the top: now, as the whole house was pulled down; consequently, the principal part of all these was slain; and among them we find there were the lords of the Philistines. The death of these, with so many of the inferior chiefs of the people, was such a crush to the Philistine ascendancy, that they troubled Israel no more for several years; and did not even attempt to hinder Samson's relatives from taking away and burying his dead body.

Verse 31. He judged Israel izsenly years.] It is difficult to ascertain the time of Samson's magistracy, and the extent of country over which he presided. His jurisdiction seems to have been very limited; and to have extended no farther than over those parts of the tribe of Dan contiguous to the land of the Philistines. This is what our margin intimates on ver. 20 of ch. xv. Many suppose that both he and Eli were contemporaries; Samson being rather an executor of the Divine justice upon the enemies of His people, than an administrator of the civil and religious laws of the Hebrews. Allowing Eli and Samson to have been contemporaries, this latter part might have been entirely committed to the care of Eli.

1. Samson does not appear to have left any posterity. His amours with the different women mentioned in the history were unproductive as to issue: had he married, according to the laws of his country, he would have been both a more useful, and a more h^ipi'y? "'•'" > "'"^ "°^ have come to a violent death.

2. We seldom find much menial energy dwelling in a body that in size and bulk greatly surpasses the ordinary pitch of mail; aiiil wlicrovpr tlicrn nro ureal phijskal pouers, wo »el-, witli the Egyplian* anil Phaniriain, who w(>rc»pr<-ad ilirough (iom liiiil proportionate moral Jaaitliet. Samson was a man | varioui countrips but particularly in C.tPice. I( it alvi to of a lia/,: mind, n. slavo to liit passioin, and IliB wrctcln<l ' tlio tiinr of these thief-,, and to the (joTeniment of the dupi! of his mistresses, lie was not a great, Ihout-h he was a i Jsraelites Uy their judges, thai the heroes and grand eTentu slniiii;, man; and even his muscular force would have hncii of fahlc owe their origin; to which time, indeed, they are lost, or spent ill beatiiiK the air, had he not lieeii frequently referred hy the common consent of authors, sacred ami under the impulse of the Divine Spirit, lie often got himself ■ profane.

into broils and divlicullies, from which nothing but suj.er- j " Kvcry ancient nation, which had writers who left nioiiatuial iiiterp.isilloii could have saved him. His atlack-s numents of their country's glory, had a Hercules of iti upon the Philistines were never:rc// /)/«««((/, as he does not own, forged on the same plan. Vairo reckons more thau appear to have asked counsel from fJod: indeed, he seems to forty, and Cicero reckons nix. (Hook iii. Dc Saturit Ucu- \\A\o consulted nothing but his own passions; particularly rum.)

those of iiiorilinalc love and revenge; and the last ellort of " Herodotus (Rook ii. intituled Eulcrpc,) only speak, of his extraordinary strength was not to avenge his people for the Kgypliaii and (ireek Hercules. Although a (;reek himthe oppressions which they had suffered under the Phi- i| self, this father of history, as Cicero calls him, who lived the lisliniaii yoke, or to avenge the quarrel of God's covenant j nearest of any of these writers to the period he de»cril>es, against liie enemies of His truth; but to be avenged of the informs us, that Greece had borrowed its Hercules from

3. Siimson is a solemn proof how little corporeal prouess avails, where judgment and prudence are wanting; and how

Kgypt; and that Amphitryon, his father, and Alcniena, hik mother, M'ere both Kgyi)fians: so that, notwithstanding the desire the Greeks bad to make Hercules a natire of their dangerous all such gifts are ill the hands of any man, who has country, they could not conceal his origin, which was not his passions under proper disci|>liiie, and the fear of either Hgyplian or Hebrew; for the Greeks and Phu-ni-

4. A /)«r«//f/ has bi'cn often drawn between Samson and our blessed Lord, of whom he has been supposed to be a most illustrious- ti/pc. I'y a fruitful imagination, and the torture of Hoids and facts, we may force resemblances every where; but that not one will naiuralli/ result from a cool cians looked upon the Israelites, who were settled in Canaan, or Phoenicia, as J'^jvptians, whose ancestors, after residing ill l'^gyi>t some centuries, had certainly come from that country.

" M. Jaquelot, in his ' Treatise on the Ezislence of God,' believes that the Tyrian Hercules, who was the most tomparison between Jesus Christ and Samson, is most de- I ancient, was no other than Joshua. But St. Augustine monstrable. A more exceptionable character is not to be {Citij of God, Book xviii. c. 19.) has made it appear that it found in the Sacred Oracles. It is no small dishonour to was after Samson (because of his prodigious and incom- Christ to be thus compared. There is no resemblance in the parable strength) that they forged their Hercules: first in qualities of Samson's mind, there is none in his moral conduct, '\ I^gypt, afterwards in Phttnicia, and, lastly, in Greece; each that can entitle him even to the most distant comparison ' of whose writers has united in him all the miraculous actions with the chaste, holy, benevolent, and immaculate Jesus, of the others. In fact, it appears that Samson, judge of

That man dishonours the law of unchangeable righteousness, who endeavours to make Samson a type of any thing or person that can be called holy, just, and pure.

the Israelites, from about A..VI. 2867 to?887, celebrated in the Book of Judges, and mentioned by Josephus, in his history, is the original and essential Hercules of f.ible; and although the poets have united these several particulars, successful. Indeed, the heathen god of strength appears to drawn from Moses and Jo>hua, and have added their own iahave been borrowed from the Israelitish judge: but if we '| mentions; yet the most capital and considerable belong to regard what is called the Choice of Hercules, his preference Samson, and are distinguished by characters so jieculiar of virtue to pleasure; we shall find that the Heathen is, mo- to him, as to render him easily discerned throughout the rally speaking, vastly superior to the Jew. M. De Lavaur, whole.

in his Conference de la Fable avec VHiitoire Sainte, has | " In Hebrew, the name of ^m^on jv.r'SU' signifies the traced the parallel between Hercules and Samson in the fol-l| fun, and in Syriac (servitium vel mliii-terium eju') subjection lowinn manner, of which what follows is an abridged, but i to someone; servitude. M lCrobiu^ say«, that the name of literal, tran-lation. It is taken from Vol. II. pag. 1, &c. of \ Hercules signities only the sun f for, he adds, in Greek, the above curious work. Heracles means, it is the glorjf of the air; or, the light of

" Heicnles was figured by the poets as supernatural, both the sun. The Greeks and Rgvplians ha^e exactly followed in his birth and actions; and was, therefore, received by the ■ the Syriac signification, by imposing on their Hercules, people as a god of the first oider. They attributed to him; during the whole of his life, a subjection to Kurysfheus the miracles wrought by several illustrious chiefs among the in all his exploits, and who appointed him his famous enpeople of God, which they found described in the Sacred; terprises. This necessity they attribute to fate, and the law Oracles, more ancient than their most ancient accounts; or of his birth. Hnving spoken of his name, we will novr which they had learned by tradition, and their commerce:, examine the chcumstauces of his birtli, as meotioued ia

" Manoah, of the tribe of Dan, had married a woman who was barren, which led them to pray earnestly that the Lord would bless them with an offspring. One day, this woman being alone, an angel appeared to her, and told her he was sent by God to inform her she should have a son, of the most extraordinary strength, who was to raise the glory of their nation, and to humble their enemies. Upon the arrival of her husband, she imparted to him the message and discourse of the angel. Some time after, this heavenly messenger shewed himself to them both, as they were in the house together; and ascended up to heaven in their sight, after having confirmed the promises made before to the woman, who soon after became pregnant, and was, in due time, delivered of Samson. I

" The singular birth of Hercules, in fable, is similar io j the above account, with a trifling alteration, taken from; the ideas the poets entertained of their gods. Amphitryon, ' the most considerable person, and the chief of the Thebans, I had married Alcmena, whom he loved to distraction, but, had not any children by her. Jupiter, desirous of making her the mother of Hercules, repaired to Alcmena one night, ' in the absence, and under the figure, of her husband. On Amphitryon's return his wife said she had seen him before, on such a night, mentioning the visit she had received. Amphitryon, transported with jealousy, and enraged with his wife, whatever good opinion he might entertain of her Virtue, would neither be appeased nor consoled, till Jupiter; appeared to vindicate her conduct: and, in order to convince Amphitryon of his being a god, visibly ascended up to heaven, after informing him, that he alone had visited Alcmena; assuring him of her virtue, and promising him a son who was to be distinguished for his strength; whose glory was to confer honour on his race, and family; who was to humble their enemies; and who, finally, was to be immortal. I

" The Spirit of God, with which Samson was from the i very first endowed, caused him, even in his youth, to effect prodigies of strength. He once met with a furious young lion, which attacked him: Samson, then unarmed, immediately rent the lion in pieces, as if it had been a lamb;! and resolving to revenge himself upon the Philistines, who j had grievously afflicted the children of Israel, he slew vast j numbers of them, at diflVrent times: weakened them ex- I cessively; and thus began to deliver Israel out of the hands of their enemies, as the angel had predicted.

" Fable, likewise, causes Hercules to perform exploits requiring prodigious strength: but, as its oxaga;er;ilions are beyond iiU bounds, it attributes to him, while still an infant, | the strangling enormous serpents, which fell upon him in his I cradle; and the first and mo-it illustrious exploit of his youth | was, the defeat of a terrible lion in the Nemaian forest, which he slew, without the helj) of any weapon of defence: the skin of this lion he afterwards wore as a garment. He likewise, formed and executed the design of delivering his country | from the tyrannic oppression of the Myrmidons. We ought not to be surprised that fable, which disfigures so many events, by transforming them to its fancy, has altered the other adventures of Samson; that it has added to them others of its own invention; that it attributes to him the actions of other chiefs and heroes; and ascribes some of the performances of Samson to other persons than Hercules: for this reason we find the account of the foxes Samson caught and tied by the tail preserved indeed, but transferred to another country.

" Fable then borrows, in favour of our hero, Hercules, the miracle which God wrought for Joshua, when he assisted the Gibeonites against the five kings of the Amorites; when the Lord cast down great stones upon them from heaven, so that more of those who fled from the Israelite* perished by the hail, than did by the sword. In imitation of this miracle, fable says, (Pliny, Book iii. c. 4. Pomponius Mela, De Situ Orbis, lib. ii. c. 3.) that when Hercules was engaged in a combat with the Ligurians, Jupiter assisted him by sending him a shower of stones. The quantity of stones which are still to be seen on the plains of Crau (called by the ancients Campi Lapidei) in Provence, has occasioned the poets to consider this place as the theatre of the above miracle.

" The jaw-bone of the ass, rendered so famous, from Samson having slain one thousand Philistines with it, has been changed for the celebrated club of Hercules with which he defeated giants, and slew the many enemies which opposed him. The similarity of the Greek words yjjpf.r^^ XOpiJ-yy), may have given rise to this alteration: earn; signifying jaw, and cornitw, a mace, or club. The change of one of these words for the other is not ditficult; especially as it seemed more suitable to arm Hercules with a club, than with the jaw-bone of an ass. But fable has, however, more clearly preserved the miracle of the spring of water that God produced in this bone, to preserve Samson from perishing with thirst, after the defeat of the Philistines; for it relates, that when Hercules had slain the dragon that guarded the golden apples in the garden of the Hesperides, and he was in danger of perishing with thirst in the scorching deserts of Libya, the gods caused a fountain to issue from a rock he struck with his foot, Apol. Book xxxvi. of Argonauts, ver. 1446.

" The extraordinary strength of Samson was accompanied with a constant and surprising weakness; vh. his love for women. These two characteristics compose his history, and are equally conspicuous throughout the whole of his life: the latter, however, predominated; and, after having frequently exposed himself to danger, at length completed his ruin. Fable has not omitted this characteristic weakness in its Hercules: in him this passion was excited by every woman that presented herself to his view; it led him to the performance of many base actions; and, after precipitating him into several dangers, at length put an end to his miserable existence. Samson, who well knew that his strength depended upon the preservation of his hair, was so imprudent as to impart this secret to Delil.ili, Iiit nii'itress. This woman, whose solo design in iin|iorlunin(; liiin, Mas to betray him, cut liis liiiir ell' while iisleep, and delivered him, thus deprived of all IiIh Htren^thjinto the hands of the I'liilistines, wlio took from him hoth his liberty and eyenight, and trcali'il him as (lie vilest and most wretched of slaves. Tradition, which spoils and dislinures the ancient histories, and (hose of distant countries, has trantferred this ndventuro to Nisus, king of Meijaru, nnd his daughter Seylla. Me^iira was also the name of one of FFcrcules's wives, the diiui;hter of Oeon, king of Thebes. 'I'hc name of Scylla is taken from the crime and impiety of the daughter of Nisus, from the (Jreek verb (ru>,aou, sj/lao, which signifies to rob, or slrij) jcilli impiety. The destiny or welfare of Xisus dependfil on the preservation of a lock of purple hair, which grew on his head. Scylla, having conceived an nlfection for Minos, who was ot that time besieging the capital of her father's kingdom, betrayed her parent; cut oil this lock of purple hair while he was asleep; and delivered him into the iiands of his enemy. Nisus lost both his senses and his life; and, according to fable, was changed into n bird. — Ovid. Met. b. 8.

" Rut the most remarkable and striking event in the history of Samson, is that by which he lost his life. The I'hilistines, when offering solemn sacrifices to their god, by way ' of thanksgiving, for his having delivered into their hands ' their formidable enemy; caused Samson to be brought out of prison, in order to make a laughing-stock of him. Samson, as though w ishing to rest himself, requested his conductors to let him lean against the pillars which supported the temple, which was at thai time fdled with a great multitude of persons, nmong whom were many princes of the I'hilistines. Samson then, invoking the Lord, and exerting all his strength, which was returning with the growth of his hair, laid hold of the pillars with both his hands, and shook them so violently as to pull the building down upon the whole multitude therein assembled. By this fatal catastrophe Samson killed a greater number of Philistines than he had done during his life.

" Fable mid tradition coulil not elTice this event in the copy of Samson, which is Hercules. Ilerudolu^ relatei it as a fabulous tradition, invented by the firctks; and rejects it, ns having no foundation either in the hittory it'<('lf, or ill the mnnners an<l customa of the I'°.<<yplian«; among whom, the Greeks siy, this event hail hiipppiied. They relate, (says this historian, liook 'i. intituled Kutcrpi, p. '17.) that Hercules, having fallen into the iiands of the I'.gyptians, was condemned to bo sacrificed by Jupiter. Ml! was adorned like a victim, and led with much pomp to the foot of thu altar: after |>crmitting himself to ba conducted thus far, and stopping a moment to collect his strength, he fell upon and massacred all tho»e wb« were assembled to be either actors in, or spectators of, this |)onipous sacrifice, to the number of many thousands.

" The conformity between these adventures of Samson and Hercules is self-evident; and proves, beyond a doubt, that the fable of the one was composed from the history of the other. The remark of Herodotus, rc-pecting the impossibility of this last adventure, according to the (ireek tradition, and the folly of attributing it to the I-4;yptians, serves to confirm the truth of its having been borrowed, and of its being but a disfigured copy, whose original muit b« sounht for elsewhere.

" In fact, it appears, that Samson, judge of the Israolitei, particularly mentioned in the Book of Judges, and by Josephus, Antiq. lib. v. c. 10. is the original and essential Hercules of fable: and, although the poets have united some particulars drawn from Moses and Joshua, and hava added their own inventions, yet the most capital and considerable belong to Samson; and are distinguished by characters so peculiar to him, as render him easily discernible throughout the whole."

The above is the substance of what M. De Lavaar has written on the subject; and contains, as some think, a very clear case; and is an additional proof how much the Ueathens have been indebted to the BibU-

Aficah, an Epfiraimitc, restores to his mother eleven hundred shelrh of silver, nhich he had taken from her, 1,9. She dedicates this to God; and out of a part of it makes a graven image and a inoltcn image, and sets them up in the house of Micah, 3, 4. Who consecrates one of his sons to be his priest, 5. Jlc aflervcards finds a LevUe, irhom he consecrates for a priest, and gives him anniiallij ten shekels of silver, vcith his food and

AND there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Muah.

2 And he said unto his mother.

The eleven hundred she/ols of silver that were taken from thee, ahout which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; 1 took it. And his mother said, * Blessed be thou of the Loud, my son.

3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, to '' make a graven image and a molten image: now

4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother ' took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

5 H And the man Micah had a house of gods, and made an '' ephod, and ' teraj)him, and "^consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

6 ^ In those days there loas no king in Israel,!*' but every man did that which was right in his

Verse 1. ^nd there was a man of mount Ephraini] It is extremely difficult to fix the chronology of this and the following transactions. Some think them to be here in their natural order: others, that they happened in the time of Joshua, or immediately after the ancients, who outlived Joshua. All that can be said with certainty is this, that they happened when there was no king in Israel; i.e. about the time of the Judges, or in some time of the anarchy, rer. 6.

Verse 2. About which thou cursedst~\ Houbigant and others understand this of putting the young man to his oath. It is likely that when the mother of Micah missed the money, that she poured imprecations on the thief; that Micah, who had secreted it, hearing this, was alarmed, and restored the money, lest the curses should fall on him.

Verse 3. / had zcholly dedicated^ From this it appears that Micah's mother, though she made a superstitious use of the money, had no idolatrous design, for she expressly says, she had dedicated it mn'S Layhovah, to Jehovah; and this appears to have been the reason why she poured imprecations on him who had taken it.

Verse 4. A graven image and a molten i7nage^ What these images were we cannot positively say; they were, most probably, some resemblances of matters belonging to the tabernacle.- — See below.

Verse 5. The man Micah had a house of gods^ Beith Elohim, ^'nbx ".'3 should, I think, be translated a house, or temple, of God; for it is very likely that both the mother and the son intended no more than a j)rivate or domestic chapel, ill which they proposed to set up the worship of the true God.

Made an ephod'] Perhaps the whole of this case may be stated thus: Micah made a house of God, a chapel, in iniitatien of the sanctuary; a graven image, representing the ark; a molten image, to represent the mercy seat; terajihim, to represent the cherubim above the mercy seat; and an ephod, in imitation of the sacerdotal garments; and he consecrated one of his sons to be priest. Thus gross idolatry was not the crime of Micah; he only set up in his owa house an epitome of the Divine worship, as performed at Shiloh. What the teraphim were see the Note on Gen. xxxi. 19. For the ephod, see the Note on Exod. xxv. 7.; and for the sacerdotal vestments in general, see the Note on Exod. xxviii. 4, &c.

fVho became his priest.'] Cohen ^r\2; which the Targum translates Cumara. The word po cohen, is the common name in Hebrew for a priest of the true God; but sometimes it is applied to idolatrous priests. When it is to be understood in the former sense, the Targum renders it cahan; when in the latter, it uses the word kieo cumara, by which it always understands an idolatrous priest. But that this was not a case of idolatry, and that the true God was worshipped here, is evident from the word Jehovah being used, ver. 4., and that oracular answers were given at this house, as we see from chap, xviii.

Verse 6. There was no king in Israel] The word "^Vo melck, which generally means king, is sometimes taken for a supreme governor, judge, magistrate, or ruler, of any kind: see Gen. xxxvi. 31. and Deut. xxxiii. 5.; and it is likely it should be so understood here.

Every man did that which was right in his ow?i eyes.] lie was his own governor, and what he did he said was right; and, by his cunning and strength, defended his conduct. When a man's own will, passions, and caprice, are to be made the rule of law, society is in a most perilous and ruinous state. Civil government is of (<od; and without it the earth must soon be desolated. There was a time when there was no king in England; and that was in general, a time of scandal to religion, and oppression to men.

S And tlif lunti (Icpiiilcd mit <il' tlie city from Bftli-k'liem-jiulali to Mijniiiii wlicic he could find a place: and lie came to inomit l]|)liraim to tlie lloilsc of Micaii, ' as lie juiiiiicycd.

9 And Mitali said imlo liiin. NN'liciice comcsl tliou? And lio said iiiitn liiiii, I ain a Lcvilc of 15cth-l('l>cni-j'idaii, and I {;o to snjoniii where 1 may find a iltier.

10 And Micali said nnto him. Dwell with me, * and be unto me a '' fatlii r and a priest, and I

II And the Levile was content to (l\>e!! wiih the man; and the youiij|^ man was unto him ah une of his hoiik.

VI.\nd Mirali "^ eonsecialed the lA-vite; and tlie youn;; man ^ became his pricbt, and was in the house of IMicah.

\'.i Then said.Mirah, Now know I that the Loud will do me good, beeing I have a I^evitu to 7ny priest.

Verse 7. Of the Jiciiili/ of Juduh] The word fumilj/ ' miiy be inken here fur Iriht: — or tlie young man niiglit have been of the tribe of Jiulah, (•ly his mother; and of the tribe of Levi by his fill her; for he is (-ailed here a Lcvite: and it is probible that he mi^jhl have oirnialed at Shiloli, in (he Levitiral ulliie. A Levite mif;hl marry into any other tribe, providing the woman was not a heiress.

Verse 8. To sojourn zchcre he could finif] lie went about the roun'ry, seokiiii; for some employment, for the l^evil^^ had iw> inheritance: besides, no secure residence could be found where there was no civil i^overnment.

Verse 10. Be unto me u father and a priesl'\ Thou shalt be master of my house, as if thou wert my father; and, as prifst. thou shalt appear in the presence of (jod for me. The term father is often used to express Iwnour and reverence.

Ten shekels q^ ij/rer] About thirty shillings per annum, %Tith board, lodging, and clothes. Very good wages in those early times.

Verse 11. The Levite rsas content'] lie thought the ] place a good one, and the wages respectable. |

Verse 1'2. Mt'cah consecrated the Lcvite] T r\{« kSc'I! vaj/iiita/e ct i/ad., he filled his hands; that is, he gave him 1 an offering to present before the Lord, that he might be accepted by Ilim. He appointed him to be priest; God was to aaept and consecrate him; and for this purpose \\e jUlcd his hand; i. c. furnished him with the proper ollering which he w.is to present on his inau:;u<iation.

Verse 13. Nozc knozs 1 that the Lord tsill do me good] As he had already provided an epitome of the tabernacle, a model of the ark, mercij-seal, aud cherubim^ and had got proper sacerdotal vestments, and a Levite to ofliciate - he took for granted that all was right, and that he should now have the benediction of God. Some think that he expected great gain from the concourse of the pf'ople t* his temple; but of this there is no rvirk-nce in the text. Mi(ah appears to have been perfectly sincere in all that he did.

I have already remarked that there is no po<^itive eride.cc that Mirah or his mother intended to establish any idolatrous worship. Though they acted without any Divine command in what they did; yet they appear not only 'o have been perfectly sincere, but also perfectiv disinterested. They put themselves to considerable ezpence to erect •his place of worship; and to maintain, at their own proper charges, a priest to officiate there; and without this ihe place, in all probability, would have been destitute of I he worship and knowledge of the true Gml. liis tinrcrily, disinterestedness, and attachment to the sorthip of the God I'f his fathers, are farther seen in the Juy which he expressed on finding a Levite, who might i'galljf otficiate in his house. It is true, he had not a Diiine warrant for «hat he did; but the state of the land, the profligacy of Ills countrymen, his distance from Shiloh, &c. considered, he appears to deserve more praise than blame; (hough of ihe latter he has received a most liberal share from every quarter. This proceeds from that often noticed propensity in man, to take every thing which conc«rns the character of another by the worst handle. It cannot be considered any particular crime, should these Notes be found at any time leaning to the other side.

Some Daniles, seeking an inheritance, send five men to search the land, xcho arrive at the house of Micah, I, 2. They employ the Levite, who served in his house as priest, to ask counsel for them of God, 3 — 5. He inquires, and promises them success, 6. They depart, and go to Laish, andfnd the inhabitants secure, 7. T/iey return to their brethren, and encourage them to attempt the conquest of the place. 8 — 10. They send six hundred men, who, coming to the place where Micah dwelt, enter the house, and carry off the priest and his consecrated things, 11 — 21. Micah and his friends pursue them; but, being threatened, are obliged to return, 22 — 2G. The Danites come to Laish, and smite it, and build a city there, which they call Dan, 27 — 29. They make the Levite their priest, and set up the images at this new city, 30, 3J.

* those days there was no king ' J_ in Israel: and in those days ^ the tribe of the Danites soujjht them an I

day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, ' men of valour, from * Zorah, and from Eshtaol, " to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them. Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the ' house of Micah, they lodged there.

Verse 1. There was no king in Israef] See chap. xvii. 6. The circumstances related here shew that this must have happened about the ti me of the preceding transactions.

All their inheritance] That is, they had not got an extent of country sufficient for them. Some families were still unprovided for, or had not sufficient territory; for we find from Josh. chap. xix. 40, &c. that, although the tribe of Dan did receive their inheritance with the rest of the tribes of Israel; yet their coast went out too little for them, and they went and fought against Lesbem, called here Laish, and took it, Ssc. This circumstance is marked here more particularly than in the book of Joshua. — See the Note on Josh. xix. 47.

Verse 2. Five men — men of valour] The Hebrew word S'n chail, has been applied to personal prowess, to mental energy, and to earthly possessions. 'They sent those in whose courage, judgment, and prudence, they could safely confide. 1

3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him. Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?

4 And he said unto them. Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me/ and hath ' hired me, and I am his priest.

5 And they said unto him, *■ Ask counsel, we pray thee, ' of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.

6 And the priest said unto them, ''Go in peace:

Verse 3. They knew the voice of the young man] They knew by his dialect, or mode of pronunciation, that he was not an Ephraimite. We have already seen, chap. xii. 6. that the Ephraimites could not pronounce certain letters. See the Note there.

Verse 5. Ask counsel — of God] As the Danites use the word aTibs Elohim here for God, we are necessarily led to believe that they meant the true God; especially as the Levite answers, ver. 6. Before the Lord, (nin' Vehovah,) is your way. Though the former word may be sometimes applied to idols, whom their votaries clothed with the attributes of God; yet the latter is never applied but to the true God alone. As the Danites succeeded according to the oracle delivered by the Levite, it is a strong presumption that the worship established by Micah was not of an idolatrous kind. It is really begging the question to assert, as many commentators h«ive done, that the answer was either a trick of the Levite, or suggested by the devil; and tliat the success of the Danites was merely accidental. This is taking the thing by the worst handle, to support an hypothesis, and to serve a system. — See the end of the preceding chapter.

people lliat WH7T lliereiii, '' liow lliey dwelt careless, iit'lcr the manner of tlie /idonians, (juiel and secure; and l/inc was no ' iiiai;islrale in the land, that might put thrtn to shame in eniy thinj;; and (hey were lar from (he '/idoniann^ and had no l)usiness with atiy man.

8 And tiiey came unto their brethren to '' Zorah and l''sli(aol: and ihcii- lirolliren said nnio Ihem, \\\v.ti SOI/ ye?

9 And they said, 'Arise, that we may <;() np ajiainst tiiem: for we have seen llie hmd. and, behold, it /s very good: and (ii( yc 'still:■ he not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.

10 Wiien ve' go, ye shall eome unlo a people ^ secure, and to a large land: for God halh given it into \our hands; ''a ])lace where Ihcre is no want of any tiling tiiat is in the earlii.

11^ And there AvenI from thence of the family of (lie Danites, out of /orali and out of Ksiilaol, six hundred men 'appointed with weajjons of war.

12 And they went up, and pitched in '^ Kirjath-

Verse 7. After the manner of the Zi'donians] Probably the people of Laish, or Leshem, were originally a colony of ihe Sithiiiaiis, who, it appears, were an opulent people; and, bring in possession of a strong cilj/, lived in a stale of.security, not beiiii; afiaiil of llieir ni'ii;libours. In this the I^esheniitrs imitated tlieni, tiiough the seciuel i)rovcs tliey had not Ihe same reason for their confidence.

Thfij wcio far from the Ziiiuiiians^ Beinii, as above supposed, a Siiloiiiaii colovij, i\\cy might naturally expect help from their countrymen; but, as Ihey dwelt a considerable distance from Sidon, the D.inites saw that they could strike the blow before the news of invasion could reach Sidon; and, consequently, before the people of I.,ai^h could receive any succours from that city.

And had no business Kith any //inn.] In the most correct copies of the Septuagint, this clause is thus translated: Kai y.'jyo; oix t,v avT'ji; ixera Sucia;* and thcij had no transactions icith Svni.i. Now it is most evident that, in> stead of ^l,** adam, M.iS, they read 3-iX «/ani, Syria; words which are so nearly similar, that the difference which exists is oi\lv between the n resh and i daleth, and which, both in AlSs. and printed books, is often iiidisceruible. — i.'i And they piisHcdlhencc unto mount K|)hraim, and (aiiK- nnln '"llie hoin-e of Mitah.

14 •- " 'I'lnn answered the live men that went lo spy out the country of LaiKli, and haid unlo (heii bielhriii, T)r> \e kimu that "there is in these In/u.'-es an e|)hod, and lera|)liini, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what \e liavf to dn.

1.) And tiiey tinned tiiillMr\>arti, and came lo I lie house of the young man the l>«'vite, tven unto the house of >Iicah, and ''sainted him.

It) AimI Ihe '' si.x hundred men ap|)ointed with their weapons of war, whii li nire of the children of Dan, stood bv tlie entering of the gate.

17 And 'the live men that went to spy out the land went u|). (iiid came in thither, and took 'the graven image, and the ephod, and the teiaphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men thai tare appointed with weapons id' war.

18 And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the

This reading is found in the Codex Alexandrinus, in Ihe Complutcnsian Polyglolt, in the Spanish Polygloll, and in Ihe edition of the Septuagint published by Aldus. It may l>e proper to observe, that Laish was on the frontiers of S^ria; but as they had no intercourse wilh Ihe Syrians, from whom Ihey might have received the pnmptest assistance, this was an additional reason why the Daniies might expect success.

Verse 9. Arise., 6(0.'] This is a very plain and nervous address; full of good sense, and well adapted lo Ihe purpose. It seems to have produced an inslai.taneous rfiect.

Verse 11. Six hundred men'\ These were not the whole; for we find they had children, &c. ver. 21.: but these appear to have been six hundred armedmen.

Verse 12. Mahaneh-dnn] " The camp of Dan; so called from the circumstance of this armament rncanping tliPfP. See chap. xiii. 25- which aftords some proof that this

\erse 11. Consider iihat i/e have to do.'} They probably had formed the design to carry off the priest and his sacred utensils.

teraphim, and the molten imajre. ' Then said the priest unto them. What do ye? 19 And they said nnto him. Hold thy peace, *lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, ""and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?

20 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people. i

21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them. j

23 *II And when they were a good way from | the house of Micah, the men that were in the | houses near to Micah's house were ffathered together, and overtook the children of Dan.

23 And they cried unto the children of Dan. ' And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, ° that thou comest with such a company?

24 And he said. Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone

Verse 19. Lai/ thine hand upon thy mouth'] This was the token of silence. The god of silence, Ilarjiocrates, is represented on ancient statues with his finger pressed on his lips.

Verse 20. Went in the midst of the people."] He was glad to be employed by the Danites; and went into the croud, that he might not be discovered by Micah or his family.

Verse 21. The little ones and the cattle, ^"c] These men were so confident of success, (hat they removed their whole families, household goods, cattle, and all.

And the carriage] mno kebudah, their substance, precious things, or valuables; omne quod erat pretiosum, Vulgate: or rather the luggage, or baggage; what Cxsar calls, in his Commentaries, impedimenta; and what the Sepluagint here translate /3apof, xneight, or baggage. We are not to suppose that any uheel carriage is meant.

Verse 24. le have taken away my gods] As Micah was a worshipper of the true God, as we have seen, he cannot mean any kind of idols, by the word 'nbs* elohey, here j what is this that ye say unto me, ^u. i,x<.<i. isr.

I 25 And the children of Dan said ^«iJ"'i'-630. unto him. Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest "angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of tin household.

I 26 And the children of Dan went their way: and when iNIicali saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his

27 f And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and "came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: ^ and they smote them with tiie edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.

28 And thei'e v>as no deliverer, because it loas ^far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth '' by Beth-rehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.

29 And ' they called the name of the city '' Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.

used. He undoubtedly means those representations of Divine things, and symbols of the Divine presence; such as the teraphim, ephod, &c.; for they are all evidently included under the word elohey, which we translate gods.

Verse 25. Aiid thou lose thy life] This was argumenturn ad hominem; he must put up with the loss of his substance, or else lose his life! It was the mere language of a modern highway-man; Your life, or your money!

Verse 27. Unto a people — at quiet and secure] They found the report given by the spies to be correct. The people were apprehensive of no danger, and were unprepared for resistance; hence they were all put to the sword, and their city burnt up.

Verse 28. There was no deliverer] They had no succour; because the Sidonians, from whom they might have expected it, were at too great a distance.

Verse '29. Called the name of the city Dan] This city was afterwards very remarkable, as one of the extremities of the Promised Land. The extent of the Jewish territories was generally expressed by the phrase, from Djm to UeersuiiUA; that is, from the most northern to the southern extremity.

Verso 30. The children of Dan set up the graven image'] They erected a clinpcl, or (cmple, iimoiijj tliemscUus, as Micali lind (loiic before; having (he same implcmcntti uiid the some pi lost.

yliul Jonalhiiii, the son of Oershom] Either this was the name of the young hcvitc; or they had turned him olF, and got this Jonathan in liis phice.

The son of iMunassch'] Who tliis Manassch was, none can tell; nor docs the reading appear to bo genuine. — Ho could not be Manasseh the son of Joseph, for lie had no son called Gcrshom; nor could it bo Manasseh king of hiiicl, for lie lived cii^hl hniidnil years after-

Instead of TWBiD Manasseh, the word should be read nipo Moshih, Mosi:.i, as it is found in some MSS., in the riilg'lle, and in the concessions of the most intelligent Jews. The Jews, as /{. I). Kimchi acknowledges, have suspended the letter J /«<«,over the word rf>3 Moshe; thus nt'n — which, by the addition of ihe points, they have changed into Ma-,\.issr.ir, because they think it would be a great reproach to their legislator to have had a grandson who was an idolater. That Gershoin, the son of ^[oses, is here intended, is very probable; see the arguments urged by Dr. Kennicotl, Dissertat. I. p. 55, &c.; and see the Far. Led. of De Rossi on this place.

Until the dai/ of the captivili) of the land.'\ Calmet observes, " The posterity of this Jonathan executed the oflice of priest in the city of Dan, all the time that the idol of Micah, (the Teraphim, Ephod, &c.) was there. But this was only while the liou^e of the l>ord was at Shiloh; and, consequently, the sons of Jonathan were priests at Dan only till the time in which the ark was taken by the Philistines, which was the la"t year of Eli, (he high-priest: for, after 'hat, the ark no more returned to Shiloh." Xhii is evident ■ and nil thii very ground lloul)i:;nnt contends that, in^lead <if y-i«:i huurcts, the i.anu, we should read ]\-\iit,r\ hiiaron, the ARK; for nothing is easier than the vnu i, aiti\ final nun |, to be mistaken for tUc final \' Isaddi, which i« the only dif. fcrence between the caplivilij of the i.AStt and the captivilij of Ihe AUK. And thitt conjecture is the more likely, betau;e the ne.vt verso tells us that Micah's graven image, ic. continued at Dan all the time that the house of God rcat at Shiloh; which was till the ark was taken by the Philistines. Those who wi^h to sec more on this subject may consult CalmeJ, and the writers in Pool's Synopsis. This chapter is an important supplement to the conclusion of the 19th chapter of Joshua,' on which it casts considerable light.

The Danites were properly the first dissenters from the public established worship of the Jews; bat they seem to have departed as little as possible from the Jewishybrmr, their worship being conducted in the same tray, but not ia the tame pi arc. Surely if was better to have had this, allowing it to be unconstitutional worship, than to have been wholly destitute of the ordinances of Ciod.

I think we have not sulTicient ground from the text to call these persons idolaters; I believe they worshippeil the true God according to their light and circumstances, from a conviction that they could not prosper without His approbation; and that they could not expect (hat approbation if they did not offer to Him a religious worship. They endeavoured to please Him, though the menus they adopted were not the most proper.

A Lcv'Uc and his concubine disagree; and she leaves him, and goes to her father's house, 1, 9. JlefoUorcs to bring her bach, and is kindly entertained hy her ftithcr five dnj/s, 3 — 8. Jfe returns; and lodges the first night at Gibiuh, in the tribe of Benjamin, 9 — 1?I. The men ofCribeah attach the house, and insist on abusing the body ofthcLexile; v:ho, to save himself, delivers to them his concubine, ichosc life falls a victim to thiir brutality, 22 — 27. The Levite divides her dead body into Izoelve pieces, and sends one to each of the IvlcIvc tribes,- they are struck zcilh horror, and call a council on the subject, 28 — 30.

^Bc'iS' 4 ^^ '*^ came to pass in those All. Exod. isr. J^_ days, ° when there was no king Annoaiitei. in Isracl, that there was a certain *^'y"'P- ^^- Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him '' a concubine out of "^ Beth-lehem-judah.

2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there ''four* whole months.

3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

4 And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged

5 And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, ^ Comfort "■ thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.

6 And they sat down, and did cat and drink

Verse 1. There was no king in lsracl'\ All sorts of disorders are attributed to the want of civil government; justice, right, truth, and humanity, had fallen in the streets.

Took to him a conacbine'] We ha-ve already 8een that the concubine was a sort of secvndary 'uife; and ihat such counections were not disreputable, being according to the general custom of those times. The word zl^^S pilegmh., concubine, is supposed by Mr. Parkhurst to be compounded of i->S palag, to "divide," or "share;" and ffijj nagasli, " to approach;" because the husband shared or divided his attention and affections between her and the real wife; from whom she differed in nothing material, but in her posterity not inheriting.

Verse 2. Played the ■ashore'] Neither the Vitlgale, Sepiuaginty Targum, nor Jo.iephu.'i, understand this word as implying any act of conjugal infidelity on tho woman's part. They merely state that the parties disagreed, and the woman returned to lier father's house. Indeed, all the circumstances of the case vindicate this view of the subject. If she had been atchore, or adulteress, it is not very likely that lierbusband would have gone after her, to.^pcak friendly; literally.

both of them together: for the dam- \i ^'; i^^^^^- sel's father had said unto the man. An. i:xod. ur. Be content, 1 pray thee, and farry Annoanrei. all night, and let thine heart be oiymp.m^ merry.

7 And when the man rose up to depart, his fatlier in law urged him: tlierefore he lodged there again.

8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said. Comfort thine heart, 1 pray thee. And they tarried ' until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.

9 And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, tlie damsel's father, said unto him. Behold, now the day ''draweth toward evening, 1 pray you tarry all night: behold, ' the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to-morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go "" home.

10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came "over against " Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.

to speak to her heart, and intreat her to return. The Vulgate simply states, quw reliquit eum, that she le/t him; the Septuagint, uipyicrbrj avTx', that she was angry zc/lh him; the Targum. 'niVj? moai uheserath alohi, that she despised him; Juscpluis, a>.}.irpiiM; £i%e, that she was alienated, or separated herself from him. Houbigant translates the clause quw cum ah CO alicnata essel, vel irata in eum esset eum reliquit; who, when she was alienated from him, or angry icith him, left him: and he defei^ds this Tersion in his note, i think the true meaning to be among the above interpretations. They had contentions; she ceased to love him; her affections Here alienated from him; and she left his house, and tsent iionie to her father.

Verse 3. He rejoiced to meet hi/ii.'] He hoped to be ab'.e completely to reconcile his daughter and her husband.

Verse 8. ytiid they tarried until afternoon'] Merely tiiat they might avoid the heat of the day, which would have been very inconvenient in travelling.

Verse 9. The day groiceth to an end] d'n nun chanoth liaiyom, " the d;iy is aliout to pilch its tent;" that is, it was near the time in which travellers ordinarily pitched their tents, to take up their lodging for the night.

I'i And his master said iinio him, We will not turn aside hillier into the rily of a strmifi;er that is not of the cliildren of Israel; we will pass over *■ to fJibeah.

\i.\nd he siiid niito hi.s servant, Come, and let ns draw near to one of those places to lodge all iii;;lit, ill (iil)eah, or in " llamali.

1+,\iid they passed on and went (iicir way; j and the snn went down upon them whin th<\y 7circ by Gibcaii, which bclongdk to IJenjaniin

!.').\iui they turned aside tiiilher, to jj^o in caul to Imlf^e intjiiboali: and when be went in, he sat bim down in a street of the city: for there jras no man that '' took them into his bouse to lodp^ing. I

1(5 H And, behold, there came an old man from * his workout of the field at even, wliich teas also of mount Ephraim; and be sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjaniites.

17 And wlien he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said. Whither goest thou? and ■whence comest thou?

Verse 11, When they were by Jebus] This was Jerusalem, which though, after the death of Joshua, it appears to have been partly contpiered by the tribe of Judaii; yet the Jebusites kept tlie strong-hold of ZIon till the days of David, by whom they were finally expelled. — See the Note on rhap. i. 8.

Ver'^e 15. No man — took them into his house to lod'^in^.'] There wa'* probably no inn, or house of puhlic entertainment, in this place; and, therefore, they could not haye a lodging, unless furnished by mere hospiuUily. To say that there were no inns in those primitive times, is not true; there were such places, though not very frequent. Joseph's brethren found their money in their sucks when the) loosed them at an inn, Gen. xlii. ^7. The house of Rahab was an inn, Josh, ii 1. And the woman who>e house Samson frequented at Gaza was a hostess^ or one who kept a place of public entertainment.

18.\nd be fiaiil unto him, We are passing from Heth-lebem jiidab to- An. hi«d. hr ward (lie side of iiioimt {•Ipbiiiim; Annosuiri.

Helii-leliemjiidah, but 1 am TTOir going to ' the house of the Loku; anti there is no man that "receiveth me to iiouse.

19 Vet (here is bolli straw and ])rovender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for mc and for thy bandmaiil, and for the young man icliich in with thy servants; there is no want of any (hiiig.

20 And the old man said, '" Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants tic upon me; ' only lodge not in (lie slrcel

21 ''So he brought liiin iiilt) iii^ house, and gave provender unto the assr-s: 'and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

22 f Now as they vvere making their hearts merrv, b-iiold, "' the men t)f the city, certain ' sons of Helial, ijeset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, " Hring forth (be man that came into thine bouse, that we may know him.

2.S.\nd ■" (he man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, naj/, 1 pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing (hat this man is come into mine house, '' do not this foil}'.

Verse 1 9. There is both straw and provender for our asses.^ In the countries principally derofed to pasturage there was no hay: but as they raised tome corn, they took great care of their straw, chopped it very small; and baring mixed it with barley, beans, or the pounded kernels of dates, they made it info balls, aud fed their cattle with it. Siratc, cut into what is called chaff, is not unfreqnently used ia England for the <ame purpo.«e.

Verse 20. All thy zcants lie upon me] Here was genuine hospitality: — •' Keep your bread a.nd wine for yourselves, and rour straw and provender for your asse'; you may need them before you finish your journey; I will su[>- ply all your wants for this night: therefore, do aot lodge Id the street."

Verse -ii. Sons of Beliaf] Profligate fellows. — See the Notes on Deut. xiii. 13.

Thai ere may knote him.'] See Gen. xli. These were

"b.c;S" 24 ^ Behold here is my daughter a ■^- EMd. isr. maiden, and his concubine; them I Anno ante I. \vill bring" out now, and '' humble oiymp^630^ yc them, and do with tliem what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not 'so vile a thing-.

25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they "^ knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.

26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord loas, till it was light.

27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of tiie house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concu-

genuine Sodomites, as to their practice. Sons of Belial, rascals and miscreants of the deepest dye; worse than brutes, being a compound of beast and devil inseparably blended.

Verse 24. Here is my daughter a maideri] Such a proposal was made by Lvt to the men of Sodom, Gen. xix. but nothing can excuse either. That the rights of hospitaliltj were sacred in the East, and most highly regarded, we know; and that a man would defend, at the exiience of his life, the stranger whom he had admit(ed under his roof, is true: but how a. father could make such a proposal relative to his virgin daughler, must remain among those things which are incomprehensible.

Verse 25. So the man took his concubine'] The word pTiT ijachazek, which we here translate simply took, signifies rather to take or seize by violence. The woman would mot go out to them; but her graceless husband forced her to go, in order that he might save his own body. He could have but little love for her; and this was the cause of their separation before.

The men of Gibeah, who wished to abuse the body of the Levite; the Levitc, who wished to save his body at the expence of the modesty, reputation, and life, of his wife; and the old man, who wished to save his guest at the expence of the violation of his daughter; arc all characters that humanity and modesty wish to be buried in everlasting oblivion.

When the day began to spring] Their turpitude could not bear the fuU light of the day; and they dismissed the poor woman, when the day began to break.

Verse 20. Fell dotzn at the door] She had strength to reach the door, but not to knock for admittance; when she

28 And he said unto her. Up, and ^L^™''!*^ let us be going. But " none answered. Then the man took her np upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.

29 H And when he was come into his liouse^ he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and "^divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of

30 And it was so, that all that saw it said. There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, ^take advice, and speak j/ozir minds.

reached the door she fell down dead! The reason of this abominable and horrid catastrophe is strongly signified by the original words, ver. lb. nVbn b2 n3 I'r'jirn'i nniK ijri'i vaiyedu otah, vaiyithalelu bah col hallailah, which we modestly translate, and they knezo her, and they abused her all the night. More literally, but still not fully: Illi cum ea rem habueruiit, ct ullernalim in cam, tola node ascenderunt. The hilhpahel used here in the verb hhv greatly increases the sense. Conjugatio hilhpahel frer/uentiam actus, et immunem libidinem designat. The Arabic is not too strong: — Exercuerunt in eu cupidilates suas, et mwchati sunt in ea ad matutinam usque.

Verse '29. Divided her — into twelve pieces] There is no doubt that with the pieces he sent to each tribe a circumstantial account of the barbarity of the men of Gibeah; and it is very likely that they considered each of the pieces as expressing an execration, " If ye -will not come and avenge my wrongs, may ye be hewn in pieces like this abused and murdered woman!"

It was a custom among the ancient Highlanders, in Scotland, when one clan wished to call all die rest to avenge its wrongs; to take a wooden cross, dip it in blood, and send it by a special messenger through all the clans. This was called the fire cross, because, at sight of it, each clan lighted afire or beacon, which gave notice to all the ai'joiaing clans that a general rising was immediately to take place.

Verse 30. There was no such deed done nor seen] They were all struck with the enormity of the crime; and considered it a sovereign disgrace to all the tribes of Israel.

Consider of it] Literally, put it to yourselves: — Take counsel upoti it: — und speak, This was the prelude to the

I have passed over the ul)omiiiul)li' tniii'-actioin of Ihiv cliaplrr lis llf-litly us I couhl; and bliali iiialvu no npnl«((y l<« the leaiiH'd or unlearned Header, for leaving some things untraiiblaled.

What u hlesning are wholeiomc lai|s and a vii;oruu* and allciilive niiii;i-trary! These Mrei(h<d \ti'o\t\i' had no foim of ^overMniciil, and CTory one did whul was right in hit own oyes: (lirir own rye, (corrupt inrlination) «a» the nieauieand rule of their conduct; and how had:t rule, the ahuse and murder of the Levitc'a wife testify. lUader, blctt God for civil goTernmcnt.

The heads of the chveii tribes come before the Lord in Mizpeh; and examine the Jjcvitr, relative to the murder of his Ziii/e, j.'7/(> gives a simple narratiie of the rvho/c affiiir, 1 — 7. Tlte^ unauimoitsh/ resolve to avcngr the wrong; and iiiiiLe provision for a caitipctign against l/ir lienjamites, 8 — II. Thciy desire the lienjamites to deliver up lite murderers; theij refuse, and prepare for battle, having assembled an armj/ of twenlj/-iix thousand seven hundred men, li? — \G. The rest of the Israelites amount to four hundred thousand, who, taking counsel of God, agree to send the tribe of Judah against the lienjamites, 17, 18. Thei/ attach the lienjamites, and are routed zcilh the loss of ticentiy-two thousand men, 19 — 21. The^ renew the battle next datj; and arc discomfited, with the loss of eighteen thousand men, 22 — 25. The// weep, fast, and prut/, and offer sacrifices; and again enquire of the I^ord, who promises to deliver Benjamin into their hands, 2G — 28. Theij concert plans, attach the Bcnjamites, and rout them, killing twentj/fae thousand one hundrul men; and destroy the city of Gibeuh, 29 — 37. A recapitulation of the different actions in which these were killed, 38 — 46. Six hundred men escape to the rock Jtimmon, 47. 27/e Israelites destroy all the cities of the Benjamites, 48.

HEN "allthechildrenof Isi-ael wont out, and the roiiorc<;-atiou was £;atliorcd together as one man, from ^ Dan even to Bcershoha, witli the land of Gilead, unto the Loud ' in Mizpeh.

Verse 1. Unto (lie Lord in Alizpch.'] This city was situated on the ci'nQnes of Judah and Benjamin; and is sometimes attrihuted to the one, sometimes to the other. It seem-' thai theri' was a place here, in which the Lord was consulted, as well as at Slnloh: in 1 Alaccab. iii. 46. we read, In Mayptta zeas Ike place tchere tlicy prai/ed aforetime in Israel. These two passages cast light on each other.

2 And the chief of all the people, oven of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen "" that drew sword.

is God Himself: and it ever was true, that wherever two or three were assembled iu His name. He was in the midst of

Verse 1. The chief of all the people] The corner$ ma pinoth; for as the corner stones are ihe strens^tlt of the walls, so are the cliiefs the strength of the people. Hence Christ is i-all-d the cliief corner stone.

In the assembly of Ihe people of Godi The Septuagint iran>lale, >/nrf alt Ihe tribes of Lrael stood iqt bcfure the face of the Lord. £* {xxAijcia ria Aaiy reu 0£;i, in Ihe church of the people of God. Here was a church, though there was no priest; for, as Terlullian says, Ubi Ires, ecclesia eil, licet laid. " Wheresoever three are gathered together in the

Anno ante I. wcrc gone up to Mizpcli.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell tcs, how

3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel

4 And ^ the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, '' I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.

5 " And the men of Gibeah rose against nie, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: '' and my concubine have they * forced, that she is dead.

G And '^I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all tlie country of the inheritance of Israel: for they ^ have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.

7 Behold, ye are all children of Israel; ''give here your advice and counsel.

8 IT And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any ofris turn into his house.

9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it;

10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hun-

Verse 3. Tell as, how was this mckedness?] ^They had heard before, by the messengers he sent with the fragments of his wife's body; but they wish to hear it, in full council, from himself.

Verse 8. fVe will not any of us go to his tent] We will have satisfaction for this wickedness before we return home.

Verse 10. Ten men of an hundred] Expecting that they might have a long contest, they provide suttlers for the camp; and it is probable that they chose these tenths by lot.

Verse 13. Deliver us the men] Nothing could be fairer than this. They wisli only to make the murderers answerable for their guilt.

Benjamin would not hearken] Thus making their whole tribe partakers of the guilt of the men of Gibeah. By not delivering u;) those bad men, they in effect said, " We will stand by them in what they have done; and would have cted the same part had we been present." This proves tbat the whole tribe was excessively depraved.

dred of a thousand, and a thou- ^b_ cl im" sand out of ten thousand, to fetch ^n. E-od. isr. victual for the people, that they may Anno ante i. do, when they come to Gibeah of "'y°'P- "^^ Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.

11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, ' knit togetlier as one man.

12 H ''And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying. What wickedness is this that is done among you?

13 Now therefore deliver us the men, 'the children of Belial, which a?-e in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and "" put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel:

14 But the children of Benjamin gatliered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.

15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gii)eah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men " leftlmnded; every one could

Verse 15. Twenti/ and six thousand] Some copies of the Septuagint have twenty-three thousand, others twenty - five thousand. The Vulgate has this latter number; the Cotnplutensian Polyglott, and Josephus, hare the same.

Verse 16. Left-handed] They viere ambidexters; comM use the right hand and the left, with equal ease and ell'ect.^ See the Note on ch. iii. ver. 13.

Could sling stones at a hair — and not miss] ncn' tC>^ velo ijachetah, and not sin: kxi ouk i^xjj.ccpta.yovri;, Sept. Here we have the true import of the term sin: it signifies simply to 7niss the mark; and is well translated in the New Testament by a.!J.a.pravu}, from a negative, and ij.0LpTrrw, to hit the mark. Men miss the mark of true happiness in aiming at sensual gratifications; which happiness is to be found only in the possession and enjoyment of the favour of God, from whom their passions continually lead them. He alone hi/s the murk, and ceases from sin, who attains to God through Christ Jesus.

It is worthy of remark that the Persian ^^^S lk»- khuta kerden, which literally signifies to sin or mislitice^ is used by the Mohammedans to express to hit the mark.

IH II And (lie diiidrcn of Israel arose, audi "went lip to llic house ol' (iod, and ''asked, cuunsci ol" God, and said, Which of ns Hhall f!^o i up fust to (he haltle aj^ainst (he children of IJenjaniin? And (he Louu said, Jiidah shall go vp first.

19 And (he children of Israel roue up in (he morning', and encamped aj^ains( (iiheah.

20 And (he men of Israel went out to bat(Ic n^aiiis( Benjamin; and ihe men of Israel put (hemseives n\ array (o lij^ht against them at GibeaU.

21 And ' (he children of Ik-njamin came fordi out of Gibcah, and destroyed down to the

The sling was a very ancient warlike instrument; and, in tlip hands of those who were skilled in the use of it, it produced aslonishing efTects. Tho inhabitants of the isles i called Ilalcares, now Majorca and Minorca, were the most i celebrated slingers of anticiuity. They did not permit their! children to break their fast, till they had struck down the bread they were to cat, from the top of a pole, or some distant cniinenre. Tliry had (heir name lialcurcs from the I Greek word /SaAXfiy, <o (/nr/, cuU, or throzc.

Concerning the veloci/ij of the ball out of the sling there are strange and almost incredible things told by the ancients. The leaden ball, when thus |>rojected, is said to have melled in its course. So Ovid, Met. lib. ii. ver. 7'26.

Obstupuit forma Juvc naius: ct aiherc pendens Non scciis exarsit, qiiam cum balearica plumbum Funda jac.t: volat Hind, ct incandesrit eundo, El quas lion habuil, sub iiubibus invcnit igues.

llornics was fired as in the clouds he hung; So the cold bullet that, with fury slung From Balearic engines, mounts on high, Gloics in Ihc zeliirl, and burns along the sky.

This is not a poetic fiction: Seneca, the philosopher, in lib. iii. Queest. Natural, c. 57. says the same thing: — Sic liqucscil cxcussa glans funda, et adtritu aeris velut igne distitlat. " Thus the ball projected from the sling melts; and is liquefied by the friction of (he air, as if it were exposed to the action of fire." 1 have often, by ih^ sudden and violent

Ke( (iieir buttle ai;uin in ariay in the place where tlu'v put thenihelvcH in array (he firh( day. 2.*i ''(.And (he rhildien of Israel went up and vvep( helore (he LoiiU, un(il even, and a.>-ked ( ounsel of (he LonD Kayinf^, Shall I po up again to ha(tle a;;iiins( (he childien of IJenjamiii my brother -.And (he Lonn said, (io uj> against him)

24 And the children of Israel came near against tin' ciiiliiren of Htnjiiiniii (he second

25 And ' Henjamin went fordi against (hem out of Gil)eah (he second da\, and desdou'd down (o (he ground of the children of Israel again eiglUcen thousand men; all these drew (he sword.

2G 1 Then all the children of Israel, and all

compression of the air, produced fire; and by this alone, inflamed tinder, and lighted a match.

V'egetius de Re Milituri, lib. ii. cap. 23. tells us that slingerS could, in general, hit the mark at ^ix hundred feet distance. I'undilores scopas — pro signo poncbunt; ita ut SEXCtSTvs PEDES removerenJur a signo, — signum xepius tangerent. Th( se things render credible what is spoken here of the Benjamite slingers.

Verse 18. Went up to the house c^f God] Some think that a deputation were sent to Shiloh where Phinea.', the high-priest, was; to enquire not concerning the expediency of the war, nor of its success, but which of the tribes should begin the attack. Having so much right on their side, they had no doubt of the justice of their canse. Having such a superiority/ of numbers, they had no doubt of success.— See the Note on ver. 1.

Verse 21. Destroyed dozen io the ground — taenty-fzco thousand men.] That is, so many were left dead on the field of battle.

Verse 23. Go up against him.] It appears most evident that the Israelites did not seek the protection of God. They trusted in the goodness nf their cause, and iu the multitude of their army. God humbled them, ard delivered them into the hands of their enemies; and shtwed ihem (hat the race was not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.

Verse 26. Jnd srpt] Had they humbled themtelves, fasted, and prayed, and offered sacrifices at first, they bad not been discomfited.

*B.c.im' <'ie people, " went up, and came An- Ex^od. ur. ^,,(0 tlic liousc of GolI, and wept, Annoantri. and sat there bcforc tlie Lord, and ^'^^' fasted tliat day until even, and offered burnt ofl'erings and peace offerings before the Lord.

27 And the children of Israel enquired of the Lord, (for '" (he ark of the covenant of God was there in those days.

28 "^ And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, '' stood before it in those days,; saying, Sliail I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall 1 cease? And the Lord said. Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

29 And Israel ' set liers in wait round about Gibeah.

30 And the children of Israel went up against the childrt^n of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.

31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began Uo smite of the people, arid kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goefh up to ^the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

32 And the children of Benjamin said. They are smitten down before us as at the first. But the

And fasted that day until eye/i] This is the first place ■^herc Justing is mentioned as a religious ceremony; or as a means of obtaining help from God. And in this case, and many since, it has been powerfully effectual. At present it is but little used; a strong proof that self denial is wearing out of fashion.

Verse 28. P/iinehas, the son of Eleazar'] This was the same Phinehas who is mentioned Numb. xxv. and consequently these transactions must have taken place shortly after the death of Joshua.

Verse 29. Israel set Hers in zsail'] Though God had promised them success, they knew they could expect it only in the use of the proper means. They used all prudent precaution; and employed all their military skill.

Verse 3'2. Let us — draw them from the city] They had two reasons for this: — I. Tiiey had placed an amUu->c.Tde behind Gibeah, whicli was to enter and burn the city as soon as the Benjamites had left it. 2. It would seem that the children of Israel.said. Let us flee, \Cc,f^l\ and draw them from the city unto An. Exod. isr.

.33 And ail the men of Israel rose <^y'"i'»^ up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-tamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came f(»rth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeaii.

34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: '' but they knew not that evil icas near them.

33 And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and a hundred men: all these drew^ the sword.

S(S So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: ' for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.

37 ^ And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait ' drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.

38 Now there was an appointed "sign between the men of Israel "and the liers in wait, that they should make a great "flame with smoke rise up out of the city.

slingers, by being within the city and its fortifications, had great advantage against the Israelites by their slings, whom they could not annoy with their swords, unless they got them to the plain country.

Verse 33. Put themselves in array at Baal'famar] The Israelites seem to hare divided their army ititr; three divisions: one was at Baal-t.nmar; a second behind the city in ambush; and the third skirmished with the I5enjamites before Gibeah.

Verse 35. Ticetily and five thousand and a hundrecf] As the Benjamites consisted only of twi nty-six thousand and seven hundred slingers; or, as the Vulgate, Septuagint, and others read, twenty-five thousand, which is most proliably the true reading; then the wlioie of the Benjamites were cut to pieces, excej)! six liuiidrcd men; who we are informed fled to the rock Kimmoii, where they fortified themselves.

40 Hill ulieii the (lame bep^n (o arise up out of tlic city will) a pillar of smoke; the Heiija mites '' looked heliind lliem, and, behold, 'the llame of llie eity ascended up to heaven.

41 And wIkmj the men of Israel turned af;iiin, the men of Benjainin were amazed: for they saw that evil "was come upon them.

4'2 I'herelure they turned tlnir bucks before (lie men of Israel unto the way of the wilderne<;s; but the battle overlook them; and them which cuDic out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.

43 Tims they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trodc them down •with case 'over aiiainstGibeali toward the sun-

Terse to the end of the chapter we have the details of the sami' operations which arc mentlonotl, in a general way, in the preceding part of the chapter.

Verse 45. Unto the rock of Rimvion] This was some strong place; but where situated is not known. Here they maintained themselves four months j and it was by these alone that the tribe of Benjamin was preserved from utter extermination. — Sec tiie following chapter.

4:) And they turned and fled to- '"J'-f^"; ward the wilderneKs unto the rock of ' Uimmon: and thev tile.incd of tticm in the hi^^hways live llionsand men, and pursued Iwird after them unto Gidom, and hIcw two tliou>and men of them.

4f) So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew (he sword; all these wire men of valour.

47 ^ But six hundred men turned and fled to tlie wilderness iintu the roc k Binimon, and abode in the rock llimmon four montiis.

48 And the men of Israel turned ap;-ain upon the children of Benjamin, and smote tiiem \\itb the edf^e of the sword, as well as the men of f^'cry city, as tlie beast, and all that 'came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that ■■ they came to.

than the indiscriminate and relentless slaughter of both innocent and guilty, mentioned in this chapter. The crime of 'he men of Gibeah was great; but there wa% no adequate cause for this relentless extermination of a whole tribe. There was neither justice nor judgment in this.case: they were on all sides, brutal, cruel, and ferocious: and no wonder, there teat no king in Israel; no effective civil goverumeot; and everif man did uhat was right in his own ei/et.

The Israelites mourn because of the desolation of Benjamin, and consult the Lord, I — 4. Thej/ enquire ^ho of Israel had not co>nc to this zciir, as thcj/ had loiced that those zcho would not make this a common cause, should be put to dciUh, 5, (). The// consult how ihty shall procure zvivcsfor the six hundred men who had fled to the rock Riinmon, 7. Finding that the men of Jabesk Gilead had not come to the xsar, they send twelve thousand men mgainst them, smite them, and bring off four hundred virgins, which they give for wives to those who had taken refiigc in Rimmon, 8—14. To provide for the two hundred which remained, they propose to carry ojf two hundred virgins of the daughters of Shiloh, who might come to the annual feast of the Lord, held at that placcy 15—22. They take this counsel, and each carries away a virgin from the feast, 23 — ^5.

"OW * the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying. There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife, people came '' to the house of God,

2 And the and abode there up their voices, and wept sore;

3 And said, O Lord God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?

4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and " built there an altar, and offered bunit offerings and peace offerings.

5 And the children of Israel said. Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up; with the congregation unto the Lord? *" for they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the Lord to Mizpeh, saying. He shall surely be put to death. '