Verse 23. Curst ye Merox] Where Meroz was is sot known: some suppose it was the aune as Jtferon, nigh lo LMhan. The ^friae asd ilro^ have Mendi but vbera this was is equally uneenain. It was certainly some sity or district, the inhahitawta ot which Would not assist in this war.
Curtey* biUsTfy] yrtt vw curst Witt eurstn;; ose the most awnil exeenlions.
Said the angel qf the Loan] That is, Barak, who was Jehovah's angei, or meeoenger, in this W) the person teni by God to deliver his people.
To the hdp ttf the Loan] Tliat is, to the help of tha people of lb« Lord.
Agaitul tht mightv] srmoa bagUAorim, " widi the heroes;" that is, Barak and his men, (ogether wiA Zebo-
Ion and Naphtali: these wen the mighty nun, or her«ea, with whom die inhabitants of lieroit wQuld not joiiL
Verse 24. Bteeeed adov« viomett sAoU Jael — be] She shall be hi^y celebrated as a most heroic woman; ^ the Israehliah women shall glory in her. 1 do not oMflf- Btand these words m expre«v« of the divine approbati«a toward Jael. See the oWrvations at the end m tbaa. irr. The word bleae, both in i#t6rswaul Omk^ttm a^mfiesh fa ■araiat, to rpeak well <if, to ceMrate. "Adsismost pro- - banly its senea here.
Verse 25. bnWfU/orA 6titt<r] As the word msn ckemah, here traiulated ouitor, signifies dMurAsif, etritaled, &c. it Is probable that builermiik is intended. The Arabs form their buttermilk, by agilsiing the milk m a leathern bag) and tha buttermilk is highly w<i«imod. because of iu refpeshing and cooling i|Wili^t but Ihm is no reason why we may not sinmDae'tbat tmti gave him cream. Sisera was not only utrsfy, but was also erhauated with fiitigue; and nothing could be better calcwlaied to slake his thirst, and restore hie exhausted strength, tlian a bowl of cream: and I am surprised that Hr.- Harmer should see any difficultv in- tfaw. It is evident thai Deborah wi^sa to eonvtQr the klea that Jael was asars liberal and kind than Siasn. had raqoesled. He aAedftr waier, and she brought him cTvam.* and d>ebrou^it it toUas not in ao ordinary pikher, but in ihfrmoM superb rffsk, or bowl, which she possessed. See at the end of chap. iv.
Verss 26. She emoU iff hia h»ad\ The original does not warrant this translation; nor is it supported by fiset. iS^ smo'e Ais he«d, and transfixed him dmiugb the tea* plea, it was bis head that received the death wvwd, sad tha ttmiflUt was the place, iriiera. thiawouad waa iaAelad. "He manner in whieh Jael des^tcbed Slasn seems » have been this: L Observing him to be in a profaond sleep, she took a vorAmon's Aomnur, profa^y a Uum'u tnouef^ and with one blow on the head depnvad him of all sense. 2. She then tock s test nml, and drova it throurii his tempos, and thus pinned him to the canfat wlueh she oouM not have daw had iA» not prtTiously stunned hhn with die blow on the bead, "nmashafim tmoU Us head, and secondly pteioed his CssmIss.
Veree 27. AtherfettheboaecC^7r^Jr^X'^be^nragttti9ak, " between her fatt.'' Afler havmg atunned him die pro- • bably sat down, for the greater convenience ot driving iW nail throu^ his temptea.
He bomd~-htfeu] He probiddy made some ainggim aflfT he received the wow on the head, but could not ncover his (eet.
Vene38. CHad Arm^ As lottics] lUs is very satand; in the women's apartments in the Bast tbe wmdowa' are tattieed, to prevent them from seodinK or receiving letters, &c Toe latticing is the e^ct c« iha)«doas7', which universally prevails in those countries.
IfAj/ ia hia diariot ao long te cMNsaf?] LtaBraUft Why is Ms chariot ashamed to oomel
Dr. Lowth baa very justly ofaaHred. Aat Ihia taa sliihing iman of maternal sohciuide, sod of a nainl diTiiad bctwemhope and fear. "Hw mother of SiseraloobedoutatawiBdov;
** ImmadiUcly, impatient of deUy, tb» preventa the comfcruorbereompantoiM; elau in mind, lad buntiiw forth into femnle levity and jaelation, impotent to hope lor any thii^ and drunk with her good fortune,
• Hir win tadka wnanlr uimnd hCT.
" We tee how oomKnant to the porMm opealiing is every idea, every word. She dwells not upon the slaughter of the enemies, the number of the capuves, the valour and gnat ezploitB of the victor: but, (bumiiu; with the female bre of qwilik) on those diings rather which captivoU the liriit minrf of the vainest woman; damteU, gold, garnumta. Nor does she dwell upon them only; but she repeats^ she accumulates, dte aucments, every thing. She •eems, im it were, to handle tns spoils dwalUag u tiie does on every partioular.
"To eidiBDee dw beauty ctf this passage, there is, in the poetic conformation of die sentences, an admirable iteatness m the diction, great force, apleodour, aeeuTac3r; in the very redundance of t^ repetitions theutmoetbrevi^; and lastly, the most striking disappointment of (he woman's hop^ tacitly insinuated by that sudden and unexpected iqMStropoe, • 1« tD lUn pstah, O J Asnk
is expressed more fullv and strongly by this nlenee than eoolohavabeeo painiea by ai^ colouring of vraids." See Dr. Lowth's 13lh Prelection, Prov. iv. 18, 19.
" We cannot do better," gays Dr. Dodo, " than to conclude this chapter with the words of Fdieaiau; ' Let a Homer, or a Virgil, go end compare his poetry, if he be able, with the wmg of this woman; and, if there be any one who sjuels in eloquence and learning, let bim oelebmtsihe pniseiaad leaniing oC ibis pao^yric, moraeopiously than I am able.'"
Foa other maUen relative to this watugl must refcr to the two mnslationi which immediately foilowj and ibeir Mthors* notes on them.
Dr. KtnndaM says, " lliis celebrated song of triumph ia most deservedly admired t though some parts of it are ■t present very oboeure, and others unintelligible in our English veiBion> Besidss particular difficulties, there is a general one that pervades the whole; arising, as I humbly apprehend, from its being coiuidered as etUtrely the amg M Dtborah. It is certain, though veiy little attended to, tbat it is said to have been sung bif Oeborah and by Ba.- MAK. It is also certain, there are in it parte which DtboroA could not sing, as well as parts which Barak could not sins; and tbenfora it seems neeeMtuy, in order to tona a Dclter judgment of this eong, that some pndnble distribuikm should be made of it i while those words which ■eem most likely to have been sung by either part^should beaa^gned to'theirpropernamet eithertothatof Deborah the ^^luieM, or to that of Barak the captain.
" Vat example: Deborah could not call upon Deborah^ exbwting herself to awake, &c. as in ver. 12. neither could Barak exhort himself to orisadko. in the same verse. Again, Barak could not sing TtU I, Deborah, ante a moOur tn brait, ver. 7. nor could DMMwah sing about a dawuil or tteo for every soldier, ver. 30. though indeed as to this last article the wor^ are probably misunderstood. There are ether paru also which seem to require a different rendering: ver. i./or the avenging qf leraet, where the address is probably to those who tooft the lead in Israel on this great occasion; for the address in the next words is to dioae(monff<ft«jMopIs who were volunteers; aaagain, ver. 9. Verses 11, 13, 14, and 15. have many greatdiffiralties. It seemsirapossible that (ver. 23.) any person should be cura«{ for not coming lo lAe A«fp of JiHov An t tothehetp<if JauovAH agairut ihemxghty. Nor does it seem more probable dwt Jaal should (in a sacred song) be styled Messed o&ms for the death of Sisera. Ver. 26.
menttons tetter f of which netUng is said in the histoiy, in chap. tv. 19. nor does lha liiBt«y say that JaU smole ^ Sisen^s head wttk a hammer; or indeed, that she antaU ^ at all; as here, ver. 26. Lastly, as to ver. 30. tbsre being no authority for rendering the words a davuel, or Am damueU, and the words in Hebrew being very much Uka two other words in Ibis same verse, nhioi make ezeeUent aeaae here, it seetas hi^ly probable that they were
originally the same. And at the end of this verses 'vtaA oootntne an excellent compliment paid to the ntedltwoHt of the daughters of Israel, and which is here put witfi greatart in the mouth of SHeera't hothu; the true senw seems to be, the hopes am had of some very rtcA prize to adorn heb own nkck." Kennieott^e JRemorke, page 94.
Dr. Hales observe^ "That the design of this betuitifiil ode, which breathes the characteristic softness and luxuriance of female composition, seems to be twofold, reli^iovM and potitieal: first, to thank God for the recent victory and deliverance of brad from CanaanUieh bondage and oppression; and next to celelmte ^ zeal and ua^t^ vrith which some of the rulers voluntsered tbeb servicea against the common enemy; and to censure dtelukewamness and apadiy of others who staid at home, and thus betrayed the public cause: and, by this contrast imd exposure, to heal those fotal divisions among the tribes, so injurious to the conunonweallh. The first verse, as a titli^ briefly recites the design or subset of the pona, which consisu of eight *
" The jfn< opens with a devout tliahksgivbi£ to irtikli she calls the attention of all, friends and foes.
" The tteond describes, in the sublime imiwery of Maeet, the magnificent scenes at mount Sinai, Seir, Ac in lt» deaerts of Arabia; while they were led llu (Uvins power and presence from Egypt to Canaan.
"The Qttrd, states dieir oSending afierward, by their UKistaeiei in serving nsie f^ada, as foretold Iqr JMbsei^ Deut zxxii. 1^ 17. and their consemrat oppression by their enemies; the insecurity of travelling, and- deserti(Hi of the vill^es, duriiv the twenty yeare that intervened firom the dralh of $hamgar till Jatta exploit, and till Deborah became judge. By this time they were disarmed by dw PhUi^inea and Canaanila, and scarcely a swwd or a spear to be seen in hraeL Tnis policr^ was adopted by the Philistines in Staul'a time, 1 Sam. imsj 19. and was profaaUy introduced before, when Swimgar, for vrant of other weapons, had recourse to an twgoaa, which was only leftwiththemior the purpose of agriculture, 1 Sam. xiii. 21.
" The/ourlA, contrasts their present happy state of security from the incursions and depredadons of their hatOy especially at the watering-places, which were most exposed to attacks; owing to the divine protection whidl crowned the "victory, iSe zeal, and exertions, of ' a reinnant of the people,' Or a port of the tribes, against dM enemy, under her conduct; these were the midland tribea of Eparaim, ManaMsth, and Benjamin; incliyiing, perhaps, Judah and Simeon, which bordered on Amaiek southward, and leaathar, Zebulun, and Naphiaii, northward.
"TheJi/U, censures the recreant tribes Reuben and Oad, beytmd Jordan eastward; and Dan and AJur, 00 the Mediterranean sea westward j who deserted the common cause in consequence of their diviuoos, and thsir paltry attadmient to their own concerns. -
" 'nie eLrth, records the miraculous defeat of the confederate kings of Canaan, who were swept away by the torrenU issuing from the different springs of the river Kiehon, swollen liy uneommoo rains. Meroz was probably a place in the neighbourhood.
^' The levenih, contains a panegyric on Joel, who is here ' blessed oftotM women,' for attempting an exploit above her Sex to perform; and a picturesque description of her givitig Si*era buUermUk to drink, ivhich is considered as a great treat at present among the Arabe. Then follows a minute and circumstantial description of her mode of sluing him
" The eighth, affords an admirable representation of the impatience of the mother of Sitera, at his delay in return- - ing; her sanguine anticipation of his success; io whieh she dwells, not upon the greatness of his exploits, or the alau^ter of his eitemies, lut upon the circumstances most likely to enga^ a light female mind, such as captive damsels and embroidered garments, or the spoils of Tictorv,whi(^ she Kpeats and exemplifies with much grace and elegance.
"The unexpected and abrupt apostrophe which concludes the poem, So perieh ati thine enemi**, O Loanl tacitly insinuates the utter dinppointment of their vain hopes of eonouest and spwl more fljUr and forcibly than any express declaration in words; while it marks the author's piety, and sole reliance upon the divine protectiui of bis people, and the glorious prospect of a future and Mater deliveranoa pentuo by the Sun ^ ^^dmntnssf." New Analyns C!br«u>higy, page 304.
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Otber atMmpti turn been mads to do hutice to Urn -wmj nUtateaong; aitd much 7M remoiiui to m dooe. Hie beat mmxm of uoertaining the mdm and import of th« varmv inuigM Bnd allononi eontaimd in it, m, m opinion, the flrilowiiw: — 1. lUe tha Hebrew text, m it MowU priiaied in the htmiUkk JortK, in Keuiieou'c Hebrew Bible. % Collate this lazt with the Svpta^^st^ GbalifaiV Fufe-o^e, nod jlr«Afe vereioMi and tha voriotw reomMw in AmnuoM and D* Hotti. 3. CooMilt the writeri in the Criiici Saeri. And, i. Carefully attend to (he alluBons made to Aaiatie cuatoma. I would gladly aave my readers all this trouble, but it would extend tne oommentary beyoDd tbenxeof the whole book, which would not conportwidi the bmittt which I atudy.
From Que aoog, as well ai from that of Moeea, Dent xuii. ve aoe that the Jlrtt, a* abo the (Mf potU, of anti-
Sir 4ia aMH& (4 £dnl doM WlWidM of Inlann la Bat*.
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Tki ktap af CWMt tualftfnMril,
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S TheB nrt ika bgnataoiAlvMnlr *a na caDeRitMiiif ihrir cmMa.
Ik lha ill «f Ai Lafri HMi qnitf, were fmnd amoor the Hebrew i and that the mt of pwtry waa highly enutivated amoas then many hu»- dreda of yeara bdore Chteet, or any oOer oooatry of Aw wodd, oouU boMt of (xfe, or mte, or anr kind ot Doeiie compoaitian. The tdolixer* of Oreeee aaa Italy wktaoid aeC forget thia; to Hebrew modela both OwAa aad Bemana ewe much of their perlectkni. Why are not dHaa matm studied 7 Why do we not ro to the "fotmtmin htmd V To al 1 (he aearcnen after tha venerable iMnaina of aniiqw eapecially to ]mm^ 2 would addrcae dte woria of na i piofdiat:
Taftihnlnac/TMp.tbalMriaMbaM roar iriate aKHton IS Ufht bdbfh
OuwaiSifarBwMi iil^B ilii I n. c S A ND * the children of Israel did evil *».M.im. J\. inthenehtof tfaftLoBD: and the
AJSrta, Lord delirerid them into the hand ^ of L otrf- "» Midian serea years.
B. c. va- ed against Israel; an(2 because of the Aa. ^ kr- Midumites the children of lerael made
■^-^ them the dens which are in the moun- 1 Qw-fs- tains, and caves, and stron;; hold
3 And so it was, when Israel bad sown, that the Midianitee came up, and ■the Amal^tes, ' and the children of the East, eren they came ap against them;.
4 And they encamped against them, and < destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come anto Gaza, and left no snstenance for Israel, neiUier ^ sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came < as grasshoppers for multitude; both thev and their camels were without number: and tney entered into the land to destroy it.
6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel * cried unto the Loan.
A>.KMiilr.w ehilaren of Israel cried unto the Load L oSS^rV beoanse of the Midianites,
Tanol. DUi»«rtdl/umitUollu!uindqf Midian]TtM MkWww'*" vere Ktuoog die most ancient and inveterate of the enemiea fk IsraeL lliey joined with the MoabiteB to ■sdwBB dtau to idotetnr, uw were nearly exttrpated by then. Num. xxsL Ine Hidianitea dwelt on lh« eastern bcndera of the Dtad sea i and their capital \<rae Amon.
Verae 2. Afade Ihm. llu due lAuA are in lAe mountaitu] Nothing can give a more dietrening deacriiitioi) of die etate of the Imelites than what ia here related. Tb«y durat not reaide in the plain couotn. but were obli^ BobMakathemaelTea lodenaandcaveaoi the mountains, and livB like viU beasts; and were bunted lilLe ihem by their advanariMb
Vorae 3. CkUdrm of the Etut] Probably those who inhabited Arabia Deserla: Ishmaelites.
Terse 4. Encamped against them], Wandering hordes of ItCdianites, Amalekites, and Ishmaelites, came, in the times of harvest and autuiuo, and carried away their crops, their fruit, and their cattle. And they ^pear to hare come ovly, aocan^ed in the plain, and watched the crops till •hey were ready to be eairied off.
TVt tfuni come unto Cfaza] 'Rutis, the whole breadth of the land, from Jordan to the coast of the Mediterranean ■ea. Thus the whole land was ravaged, and the inhabitants deprived of the necessaries of life.
VeneB. TViofeamtupitUh their eaitU mid AHr tails] iUI this provss that they were diSerenl tribes of tMnder«rt, iriw had no fixed residence; but, like their descendants, tbo Stdoubu, or wanderioff Arabis removed from place to place to M mey for themselves, and forage fbr theircattle.
VnwS. Th4ljOv>smt a prophet] liie Jews say that dlia was Phinehas t but it is more likely that it was soma prophet or teaeher raised up by the Iiord, to warn aikd inatruot them. Sneh were his witnesses { and they vera nufediu fromiine to time, to daclaie the counsel of Ood to his rabeUious paopls;
Temell. T^erseanMoaan^q^fK^LoaD] Iliepro- |hM oama to taaeh and exhort; the angel comes to confirm the words of the nrophet t to call and commission him who was intmded to db their deliverer; and to work miracles, in order to inspire him with ssfwniatuial courage, and a aaBfideoceef success.
HU son Qidem tkreAtd vhtai] ThUa is not die only faMsaee in which a man, taken from agricultural employnenti^ was made general of an army, and the deliverer of Btteountiy. Sftantttrwaaendanuiraplougbmaai and
8 ThftttimLouBOBt la prophet unto the dkfldrenof Israel, which said unto them, Thus aaidt the Loan God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house <rf
9 And I delivered yon out of the band of the Egyptians, and oat of the handof all that oppranea von, and ~ drave them oat frcHD before yoa, ana gave you their land;
10 And I said unto you, I am the Lcmd todt God: "fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have ncrt obeyed my voice.
11 If ABdthereoameanaiigeloftheLoRO,azid sat under an oak whichioos inOphrah, thatjwr* tained unto Joash " the At4-ezrite: and his son p Gideon threshed wheat by the whwiwess, ' to hide it from the Midianites.
12 And the ■ angel of the Lord appeared nnto him, and said unto nmi. The Loan it with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
13 And Gideon said unto him. Oh my Lord, if the Lord he with us, why then is all this befallen US'? and ■ where be all his miracles ' which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? hut now the Lord hath * forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said, ■ Go in this thv might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: ' have not I sent thee?
15 And he said unto him. Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, ■ my ■ family t» poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
16 And the Lord said unto Um, ^ Surely I
with his ox-goad he slew many Philistines, and beeania one of the deliverers of IsraeL Cineiamabis was taken from tbo plough, and was made dictator and eommanderin-ehief of the Roman armies. There is a great similaritr bslwwn his case and dwt of Oidson.
Tkreshtd vkaat by Ih* imiM-preM] This waa a plaeo of privacy; he could not make a tbte^iing^floor in open day, as the custom was, and hriiu- either Uie wheel orer the grain, or tread it out with the feu of the exen, for fear of the Mi£anites, who were accustomed to oome and taka it away as soon as threshed. He got a few sheaves from the Ssld, and brought them home to have tbem privateig tbrediied for dia support of the fiunily. As there could be no mntagt among toe Israelitets in their present diatressed cireumstanoes,' the wine-presa would never be sui9>ected by the Midianites to be the place of threahii^ com.
Terse 12. 7^ Loan is unlA fAee] " Hie Woan of tha Lord is with thee, thou mi^tyman <» valour." Targwn, It appears dkat Gideon had {voved himself on former oeoa* ■cos, to be a man of courage and persona) prowess g sod this would natunUly excite the oonfidenoa of his countrymeo- God choooss for his work those instruments which, in the course of his operations in nature and providence^ ha has qualified for his purpose. 'Hie instnimeota thus ehoseo are Moerally unlUaly i but they will be ever found the beat qualified for the divine eroplc^nienL
Terse 13. And Oidem taidunio htm) Tti'a speed) is remarkable for its energy and simplici^t it shows, indeed, a measure of despondency; but not mom than the circum- Btancea of the case justified.
Terse 14. Oo in this thy mtgftt] What does the angel meant Ha had just stated tiuU Jehovah was with kimi and he now says, Ooin TtusU^m^gftl; in lbs might of Jehovah, woo is with thee.
Behold, my family m poor fn JICuuiasAI S^n ■<Bfm run ftiilsifif, my mousand it impovsrished Tribes were anciently divided into ions, and fiJUss, and Aundredt, and thousands: the Mousana^ thuefore^ marked Brand divisions; and, consequeodT, numerous umilies! Gideon bera intimately that Ihe fbmioea of which be mads a nart were very nuBch diminished. But if we take ••thn alapsu, for the emtraeisd fsrm of ihepAiroi. which is fretamiUy. io HsUvw ootin^ jmnad with a «sr» fak dia singuW j 1MB will be with tbee, and thoa shalt smite the Midianites aa one man.
17 And he said onto him, If now I have found rrace in thy sight, then *Bhow me a si^ that thon talkeat wiui me.
18 <* Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thce, and brine forth my * present, and set it before thee. Aw he said, I will tarry until ttiou come again.
19 ' And Gideon went in, and made readr * a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought ii out unto him under the o^, and presented it.
£0 And the angel of God said unto him. Take the fleah and the unleavened cakes, and ^ lay them upon this rock, and > pour out the broth. And he did so.
21 Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the statt' that wot in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and * there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakea. Then the angel «f the LoBD departed out of his sight.
22 And when Gideon i perceived that he was
an angel of the Loan, Gideon said, Akbi, O Lord God 1 " for because I Imve seen an ancel of the Lord face to face.
23 And the Loan said unto him, "Peace be unto thee; fear not; thou shalt not die.
24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it ° Jehovah-shalom: unto this day il is yet p in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
2d 1[ And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto biro, Take thy father's younc bullock, ' even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the attar of Baal that thy father hath, and • cat down the ffrove that iff by it:
2o And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this < rock, ■ in the ordered place, and take the second bnlloi^, and offer a Dornt-sacriGce with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
27 Then CKdeon took ten men ofhiffservants, and did as the Loan Imd said unto him: and ao it was, because he feared his fhther's houBehold, and the men of the city, that he could not do u by day, that he did it by night.
28 1[ And when the men of the city arose early the trftnslatioQ will be, " the ihouaaods in ManasBeh are dunned i" i. e. thii tribe ia greatly reduced, sod cm do little ag&inn their enemies.
yer«el6. Thouthaltt7niteOieMidianiteaasoneman..\ TtiOa ahatt u surely conquer ail their koat, fta if thou hadat but <nw man to contend with; or, thou ahalt deitroy them to • man.
Verae 17. SAou ma a sifnl Work a miracU, that I mav know that thou hast wisitom and power aufficient to autnorize and qualify me for the work.
Terae 18. And bring forth my pre«en^] Hy minAa; generally an offerine of breail, wine, oil, flour, and auch Hke. It aeema from thia, [i\at Gideon supposed the peraon to whom he apolte to be a divine person. Nevertneleaa, what he prepared and brought out, i4]pears to be intended aimply aa an entertainment to refresh a respectable stranger.
Verse 19. Made rtady a kid—lhejUah he put in a oosket, and he put the broth in a pot] The mannCT in iriiich the Arabs entertain strangen will cast light on this verse. Dr. Shaw observes, " Besides a bowl of milk, and a basket of Ags, raisins, or dates, which, upon our arrival, were nwnUed to tis, to atov our appetite, ine master of the tent fclched us from his dock, according to the number of our eompony, a kid or a goat, « Iamb or a aheep; half of which was immediately seethed by his wife, and served up with eucasoe; the rest was mode kab-ab, i. e. cut to pieces and roosted, which we reserved for our breakfiui or diimer next day." May we not aappose, says Mr. "Mamur, that Gideon, presenting some alight refreshment to the supposed prophet, according to the present Arab mode, desired him to May till he could provide something more substantial t that fie immediately killed a "kid, seeUied part of it, and when ready brought out the stewed meat m a pot, with unleavened caJcea of bread, which he had baked; and the other part, the kab-ab, in a batket, for him to carry with him, n>r aome after repeat in hia journey. See iSiaw'a end Poaxk^a TravtU; and Harmer't Observatiotu.
Brought it out unto him under the oak] Probably where be had a tent, whieh, with the ahade of uw oak, aheltered them from the beat ot the sun, and yet afibrded the privilege of the refreshing breeze. Under a shade, in the o|M>n air, the Arabs to the present day, sie accustomed to receive their gueata.
make the flesh and bread an iiffiring to God, and the broth a libation.
Verse21. jyia angtl^-pfa forth th» wd iff Os tb^f] He appeared likeatravellerwithaslaffinUe hand: (his he put forth; and, havin? touched the flesh, fire rose out of the rock and eonaumed it. Hers was the moat evident proof of BUpemaiur&l agency.
Then the angel — departed out of hia ^igft/.l Thi the angel vanished out of his aighi, yet God continui converse wi^ him, either by seoiet inspiration in his own heart, or by an audible voice.
Verse 22. Alas, O Lord^ Godlfor heeaim Ihaw #sen] lUs is an elliptical sentence, a natural expression of the distressed state of Gideon's mind: on if he had said, Have mercy on me, O Lord Oodl else I shall die; because I have seen an angel of Jehovah fiue to fitoe. We have be- quentiy seen that it was a prevalent sentiment as well jore OS under the law, that if any man saw Chid, or his representative angel, he muat sur^y die. On this aecooat Gideon is alarmed, and prays for hie life. This notion prevailed among the heathens; and we find an instance of It in the Esble <a Jupiter and SemeU. She wished to see hia gloiy; she saw it, and was struck dead br the effulgence. See the notes on Ezod. xzjdii. 20. We find that a similar opinion prevailed very anciently among the Greeks: IalhehymnofCallimaenu%Eir AssriparwiUlk- \aiot, ver. 100. ore these words:
Of lit riv aOavaruy, oxa /in Otcs svrst tXvMt
" 'Rie taws of Saturn enact, that if any man see any of the immortal goda, unless that god himself shall eboose 1^ he ahall pay dearly fiir that eight."
Verae 23. Pearnot: thou ihalt not diej Here the discovery is made by God himself: Gideon u not enrioiiidy prying into forbidden mysteries; therefore he diall notdie.
Verse 24. Gideon mtiU an altar — and coiled U Jehovah-thaiom] The wcvda riw Yehotah SStaiant, signify The Lord ia my peace; or, TTi* Peo« of MtooaM: and titis name he ^ve the altar, in reference to whai God had said, ver. 23. Peace be unto thee, -f? s^^v ahal»m leka i "peace to thee;" which implied not only a visA, but a prediction' of die proq>erous issue of tne entcspris* ia which he was about to engage. It is likely thai ihisia the altar which is mentioned m ver. 26. and is ^dien of ben merely by anticipation.
Verse 26. Take thy foAet'a young buttock, even the aeeond frultodb] There is some dimculty in this verae; fer, according to the Hdirew text, tv>o bullocks ora mentioned here } but there ia only one mentioned in ver. 26 and 28. But what was this aeamd bullock? Some think, that it was a bullock that was fiutaned in order to be offered in ■acrifice to Baal. Thia ia very probable; as the second buUoek ia so particularly distingniahed from ano/ Act- which belongod to Oideon'a father. Aa the altar was built upon the ground of Jonah, vet appears to have been puUie property, <Ke ver. 29 ana 30.) so this second ox waa prOMblv reared and fattened at the expenae of tlie men of that viH lue; elae why ahould Aey so particuhtrly rtaent ita being offered to Jehovah 1
Verse 26. Wiih the wood the graoe] It is probable diat mvK Aikerah here signifies Aatarte; and Oiat tbete was a wooden image of this mddess on the altar of Baal. Baal-peor was the same as Priapus, Aatarte ay Vemtut these two impure idols were proper enough for Ae same altar. In early times, and amonr rude people, the images of the gods were made of wood. This is the case still with the inhabitants of the South Sea Islands, with the Indians of America, and with the inhabitanu oif Cnloo: many of the images of Budboo are of wood. The Scondinavians alio had voorfsn gods.
Verae 2T. He feared his /otter's tmuAold] So it appears that hia bther was an idolater; but as Gideon hsd ten men of his own servants, whom he could tnist in thto matter, it is probable that he had preserved the live ftitla. I and had not bowed bis knee to the unage of Baal.
fai the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was eut down, aoi the grove was cut down that IKU by it, and the Becond bnllock was offered upon the altar that was built.
29 And they aaid one to another, Who hath done this thins? And when they inquired and uked, they said, Gideon the bod of Joash hath done this thing.
30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy aon, that he may die: becauee he hath catt down the aitar of Baal, and because he hath «at down the grove that vhu by it.
31 And Joash said unto all that stood Etgainst him. Will ye plead for Baal 1 will ye save nim 7 be tnat will plead for him^ let him be put to death while it it yet morning: if he be a sod, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
32 Therefore on that day he called him » Jeruhboal, ' eavini;, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his mtar.
33 IT Then all ■ the Midianitea, and the AmaleUtes, and the children of the Bast, were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in ' the valley of Jezreel.
34 But ■ the Spirit of the' Loud ■ came upon Gideon, and he ^ blew a trumpet; and Abi-ezer 'was gathered after him.
35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasaeh } who also was gathered after him: and he sent meBBengers unto Asher, and unto Zebnlun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
Vene 2B. The aaaond bvUodc wot tf^^red] It ^>pHn that (he Becond 'bullock wm offered, Emhim it wu juat Mpoi yean dd, nr. 26. being calTed about the tiBM uutt the HuiaBiM) oppreaaion b^^) and it waa now to be alaio, to iiklicate thai their slavery ahould end with ii« lifis. The youn^ buUock, ver. 25. ii nippoaed to have been offered for a peaee-qffiering; the bullock of Mrven years old, for a
Ter>e29. Oidtm tht mm ^ JoaAhathdonethU thing.] tttef fixed on him the more readily, becauK they knew ha had not joined with them in iheir idolatroiu worafaip.
Terae 30. men of tkt city taid] lliey all felt an iaterest in the continuance of rites, in which they had often many KOBual gratificationa. Baal and Aahtaroth would have more worahinpers ihon the true Ood; because their riUt were more aa^ied to the fallen nature of man.
Terae 31. WiU yt plead for Baall} He words are very cmfAiatic: ** Wilt jre plrad in earnest fbr Baal 1 Will ye py'wi raally save him? If As be God, artjH JSIaAtm, let him contend for himaelf, seeing hta altar ii thrown down." "nie paragogic leliers in the words j>had and tavt greatly increase the sense. Joash could not slay hia aon; Init he was satiafied he had insulted Baal: S Baal were the true ciod, he would avenge hii own injured hoooar. "niis was a sentimeet among the heathens. Thus Tocifua, lib. 1. c. 73. A. U. C. 768. mentioning the letter of ^bertua to the coiiaiils in behalf of Cataiua and RufrHua, two Roman knights, one of whom was acciiseti of having sold a statue of Augustus in the auction of his gardma; and the other of having sworn falsely by the name of Augustus, who had been deified by the senate: among Otbin* Utinga he said, NotiUUodecrelum patri rw ealum. Ml inpcrnieiem ehium it Aonor verteretur. Nee contra rMgunuaJteri quod tffigif tju», alia nomtnum nmuiachra tmditionibus Aor/mim, et domuum aeeedant. Ja»hiratidum perinde astimandum quant si Jotem fefiUi—tt: deonim injuria diis cura. "That divine hououra were not decreed to bis fothpr (Augustus) to lav snuet for the ettizens; and if hia statue, in common with tfie itnsgea of the gods in geoerat, was put up to sale with die houses and garaens, it could not be considered an injury to religion. That anv false oath must be considered as an attempt to deceive Jupiter himself; but tht gods Oumael9t» mutt take eognixance of the inJuHet done unto Am." iAty has a similar sentiment, Hist. lib. x. c. €. where, speaking of some attempts mqfle to increase the number of the augurs out of the commons, with which die MOMOTV were displeased: but, says he, SimubAant ad dada id magis, quam ad m pertinere; ipaoa viauros, ne Men sua ponuantur. "They pretend that (heae things bdsnged flwre to the godtthatt nsmaefvsa; and lhal Aiy
36 5 And Gideon said unto Ood, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,
37 *■ Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if Uie dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth besides, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, BB thou hast said.
38 And it was ho: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
39 And Gideon said unto Ood, *Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece: let it now he dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there bedew.
40 And God did ho that night: for it was dry upon tlie fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
THEN 'Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that leere with hiro, rose up early, and pitched beside li^^ - the well of Harod; so that the host of the Midianitea were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
Verse 32. H» eaUsdhim JtTuibaaf[ Let Baal contend; changed, 2 Samuel zi. 31. into Jervbhetheih, he shall contend against confiision or iJiame; thus changing Baat, lord, into Botkdh, confhsioD or ignominy. Some think that Jerubbaal was the same with Jeromhahu, who, according to SantAoniaiko and Porphyry, was a priest of Jeto. But the history of Sanchoniatho is probaUy a UagWT of Porphyry himaelf, and worthy «f no credit.
Veraa 8S. Thm^aU As Midianitea] Hearing of wlMt Gideon had done, and apprehending; that thia might be a forerunner of attempts to regain their libwty i they finrmed a general association against Israel.
Verse 34. The Spint qf the Lord came upon CfidMn] He was endued wilu preternatural courage and wisdom.
Verse 36. If ttdit wiU save Jrrael] Gideon was very bold; and God waa very condescending. But probably the request itself waa auggesied by the Divine SpiriL
On the niraele of the^Mce, det^ and dry fpvundt Origen, in his eiriith homily on the Book of Ju^gei^ hsa many curious and interesting thoughts. I shsll insert lha substance of the whole.
The Jteere is the Jewiak notfon. The JUeee cMtrsi with dea, while aU around it dry; the Jewish naUan favoured with the taie and the propfieU. Tb^JUea dryi the Jeieitk nation cast off for rejeetmg the Gsspti. AU around leaiered t the Gospel preached to the OmtitoSf and they converted to God. The Jteeee on the threMngfioor i the./etcfah people in the land of Judea, mnntnoed, purged, and^nn^ by the Goepel. The iUie lerung out into the bom; the ooctrinea of Christianity, extracted from the Jewiah writings shadowed forth by Christ's pouring water into a baain, and washing the disciples' feet *nit pioua father eoDcludes that he has now wrung this water out of the fleece of dw Book of Jiuffl-cA aa be hopes hy KoA by to do out of the fleeoe of the Book of Kingt, and out m the fleece of the Bot^ of leaiah or Jeremiah; and he has received it into Ihe basin of his heart, and there conceived iu true sense; and is desirous to wnish the feat of his biethren, that they may be able to walk in the way of the preparaiton of the Gospel of peaee. OatOBK, Op. vol. ii. pag. 476. edit Bmsdta.
All this, to som^ will doubtless ^^r trifling j tut it is not too much to say, that scarcely any pious mind can consider the homily of this excellent man witliout drinking into a measure of (he same spirit; so much sincerity, deep pietv, and unction, appear throughout the whole. NOTES^N CHAPTER VII.
Veraa 1. Tfteit JtnMaat, leho is Oidson] It appeui that JeruTibaal vaa now a nirnams of Oideon, trcm dw
a And the Lobd said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites mto their hands, lest Israel * vaunt themselves against me, saying. Mine own hand hath saved me.
3 Now therefore go to^rocletim id the ears of the people, saying, '■Whosoever ia fearful aod afraid, let him return, and depart early from mount OUead. And there returned of the people twenty and two tbouBand; and there remained ten thoueand.
4 And the Loan said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it sluLU be, that of whom I say unto thee. This shall go with thee, the same Bhall go with thee: and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not ffo with thee, the same shall not go.
5 So he brouOTt down the people unto the water,: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with hia tongue,
. as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his Imees to driuK.
6 And the nmnberofthemthat lapped, putting their Imnd to their mouth, were three hundr^ men; but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.
7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, > By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites mto thine hand: and let all the otAer people go every man unto his place.
8 So the people took victuals in their wuid, and their trumpets; and he sent all the rest nf Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.
9 1f And it came to pass the same ^night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host: for I have delivered it into thine hand.
10 Bat if thou fear to go down, go thou wiA Phurah thy servant down to the host:
11 And thou shalt ■ bear what they say: aod afterward shall thine hands be strengtlumed to go doivn unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of tha ■armed men that were in the host.
12 And the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and "all the children of the East, lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for raDlttfudej and their camels viere without number, as tbe sand by the sea-aide for multitude..
13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there vat a man that told a dream unto his kUow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and lo, a cake of barley-bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturn<ed it, that the tent lay alotkc.
14^ And bis fellow answered and said. This u nothinf else save the sword of' Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hanl bath God delivered Midian, ana oU the host.
15 And it was »o, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and ' the interpretation thereof; that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said. Arise; for the pLobo hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
16 IT And he divBed the three hundred men into three companies, and he put trumpet in every man's hand with empty pitchers, and
lamps within the pitchers.
17 And he said unto them,. Look on me, and do likewise: and, beh<dd, when I come to the outside of the camp, It shall be that as I do, ao shall ye do.
18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the truinpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The award of the Lord, and Gideon.
19 ^ So Gideon, and the hundred men that
T%e lotU fffSartd^ If this wu & town or vUlage, it is wnvbere else mcntiowd. Probably w -rw Aarad, ngnitm to Aak* or trtmble arau^fiir, the fisuntain in ques- (ian may have had its name from the terror and panic with which the Blidianitish hoat was aeized at this place.
Verse % 7%« pwpft that are witlt ikee ore too many] Bsd he led up a munerous host against lus enemies, the •zedlmee of the power by whkh they were diseomfited, aight have appeared to be of man and not of God. By the manner in which thia whide traimctioa was OMiductad, both the Israelites and Midianites must see that the thin; was Ood. Thn would inspire the Israelites with con- Adenoa^ and the Hidianitet with fear.
Varee 3. Whotoever is fearful and nfraid, let him reimm •frofm tnmtnl OUcad.] Gideon was certainly not at mount Oijeadatlhia time; out rather near mount Oilhoa. Oihad was on the other side of Jordan: Calmet Uiinks thne must titfaar have been two Oilaadat whieh does not, flKnittw Scripture, (^pear to be the ease; or that the H»- bnw text is here corrupted; endlhntfiv GUMdweabould mAOUboa. Iliis reading, thoiudi adopted by Awfrfgon^ is not countenanced by nny Mo. nsr Ityatiyof tba.nt^ fions.
Dr. Hal— endeavoura to reconcile the whole, by the supposition that Ibere were in Qideon'a army ntan; of the easttirn Manassjtes, who came from mount Oilead; and IhUiheas worn more mobi^ dMd of their nei^bbonn^ lha BUdiaaitfli^ than the wesMni tribes were; ana ibere- Ic^re, prRMses to read the text thus i Wkoiomr from mount OU«ad UfearFul and qfraid, Ut him rUum (home) and depart tarfy. So Oure rtturned (home) t-ami^tno ibtmaand qf tfu people. Perhaps this ii^ on the whole, lha beeCmedtod of solving Out diffioul^.
There rttunudqf the people tveniy and two thoxuand] Gldstm^ amy was St this tins OurlyHwo ihowand Strang: and ahsr the above address twenty-two thou wad went awBT. How astooiihing, that in thirty-two thousand dtere ■bould be fbund not less than twen^-two thousand -poltrons; who would neither fi^t for God nor their opprausd country I A state of slavery debases die ntind of man, and renders it ineqiable of being influenced by the pure pcin- •iplesor patriotism or reUgn. In bdwB of the army of
Gideon we may say, if the best upointed armies in Europe had the same address bond JUk, from their genera1% as die Israelilea had, at least an equal proportion would i»*
Verse 6. Bverjf om that lappeth qf the mdei^~iu a dggl The original word pV< yatok, la precisely the sound whJaS a dog makes when he is drinking.
Verse 6. The num(«r qf thtm that lappedl Prom this account it rqipears, that some of the people went down oo their knees; and, putting their mouths to the water, suclsed up what they needed; the odiers stooped down; and taking up water in the nollow of their handii applied U |» their mouth.
Verse 9. So A* people look vietiiaU] Hie three bandred men that he reserved took the victuals neoeasaiy for the dajr's expenditure, while the others were dtRniaied to iheir tenu ahd dieir houses as they thought pnmer.
Verse 9. Ikate delivered it into thine tond.] I bava determined to do it; and it is as sure as if it were done.
Verse 11. Unto the oateide qf the armed men} Tio doiAi the vast muldtudea of Hidionitea, &c. which came inctcly for plunder, were wholly unarmed; but they bad's guard of armed' men, as all the caravans have; and those gasr^ were on the outside of the muldtudes: itwss to these dial Gideon and hia servant come..
Verse 13. 7Ud atfream] Both thedrmm and thetdcrpretation were inspired ly God, for the purpose td incrtas lag diie confidence of Gideoa, snd sppaHing his enemias.
Veisel4. AdaAisAamf AoAtisd dfl^Mred MdioHj lliis is s ftall proof that God had inspired both the drean aod its interpretation.
Verse 16. He divided the three hundred hum] Hkni^ the victory was to be from the Lord, yet he knew that ba ou^t to use prudential means: ana those which he employed on this occasioa were the beat calculated to answer ihs end. If he had not used these means, it is not Ukel/ that God would have dehvered the Hidianiles into hta hands. Sometimes^ even in workine a miracle, Ood will have natural means used: Go, dip thf9^ eepen Hwut tn Jordan: — Oo, waeh in the pool qf Suoam.
Vena la. 'AeawoTdqf the Lord and Crtdeon.'l'ne word 3in durib, "sword," is not fauna in tbisvera^ thoucfa it is necessarily implied, and is found in vcr. 20. But It is fiNind in this place in ths Ckaldot, ^friac, aad w«p« with him. oame unto the outcide of the camp in the beginiiioe of the middle watch; and gey had but newly set the watch: aod 'they ew the trnmpetfl, and brake the ]»itehers that were in their handa.
20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps la taeir left handa, and the trumpets in their rient hands to blow withali and <they cried, The aword of the Loho, and of Gideon.
21 And ther " stood every man in his place round aboat the camp: * acta all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
S3 Aod the three hundred * blew the trumpets^ and *■ the Lord set 'every man's sword acatnsC his fellow, even throughout all the host: •ad the host fled to Beth-ehittah ■ in Zererath, and to the ■ border of Abel-meh^ah, unto Tab-. bath.
83 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together oat of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Maoassen, and pursued after the MidSanites.
24 ^ And QideoQ sent messengera throughout all ^ mount Sphraim, saying. Come down against the Blidianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men
Tana 20. ffUw lha trnmpeU, and brake the jritdun] How sstoniihing must the efi^ be (in k dark nigfit) of the aodden glare of mree hundiwl twchei, darting tneir spleadour in the Biune inolant (m (h« half-awakeoed eyes of the terriflfld Midianites; accompanied with the clangour of tfirae hundred muapeu, altematelr miOKlad with the ihuudwing ■hoot of pnryi mrrt am cAerib la^iova/i ulgtdeon, "a nroid fbr the Lord and for Gideon 1"
Orignt, in his nioih homily on this book, makes these three htradred men types (tf tbe pratuAert qfOu Gorptl; their trumpeU of tbe ■prtaAing <{f Christ crucified; and teir IMig or torefuB, of tbe Aaty amduet of ri^teous man. ui some veroea of aa aaeient author, attfi bated to TVAdUun, and wriuen againM ttw heretic Manion, Gndeon*s three hundred men are repreaented as horeemen; •ad in this number he finds the rayatery of the croi& because the Oraek leUer T tau, which is Ae numeral for 301^ ia itself the sign of tbe cross. Tho Terses, which may be found in vol. v. of tbe Pitaurian Collection of ttie Latia heathen and Christian pools, Advtn. Mctreim, lib. S. nr. la as being TCvy eurkNu^ aiid not often to be met Widi^ I Ab)1 here eubjoio:
of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and * took the waters unto ■> Beth-barah and Jordan.
26 And they took • two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb: and they slew Oreb upon ' the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the wioe* press of 2^eb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Qideon, on the < other side Jordan.
111 rrqiuni frUB L^nn ilw fM. nuriirhku Uvy Iwj lakrii [rjivi Oti Iditnij (lull Ruiltn in DhnL-vuJl lim liClilaU[i7iat-.«t. Tbe
A ND *■ the men of Ephraim eaid unto ** -t\. him, 'Why hast ihou served oe thuB, that thou calk-det ua not. y^xea — _. _- thou wenteat to Hglitwirh [>ie MidimiHee? And they did phide wiiFi him » sharpli'.
^ Aiif' he siiitl unto theni, What have I done now in comparison of you 7 It not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephnum better than the vintage of Abi-ezer?
fUak IM Ml Bp at!][itin>h; ubil il IbfMM *(■ e lull BUimniiu (an« nub 1 nkkre din, tail t IndliN l£U lata liUasr.Hn! Oxpil Uali »
We see here what (bbstruse meanings a strong tmaginap tioo, assisted by a little piety, may extract from what was never intended to be unaerstood as a mystery.
Verse 21. Thty utood every man in hiMjfAact\ Each of tbe three companies kept iti station, ana continued to •ooad their tmmpets. The Midianilei leeing this, and jbeliaving that ihey were ihe tmn^Mts of a numertmi army wludi md then penetnitsd their camp, were thrown inmUELj into eonftinoB{ and nipposing that Astr enemiei were in the midst of Ihem, they turned their swords against every man tbty met; wbilsi at the same tune, diey endeavoured to escape for their lives. No stratagem was ever better imagined, none better executed, and noite more completely successful.
Terse 22. Med to Betk-AiUah} Ttdw ia nowhere else mentioned in Scripture. Zererath] Ttam and T\ibbath are nowhere else to be found. Abel-mduilah] ThiM was the birth-place of tbe prophet EliihtL 1 Kin^a xix. 16. It was beyond Jordan, in the tnbe of Manasedi, 1 Kings iv. 12. Iiie JZartanah mentioned in this last quoted verse, was probably the wne as Zereraik. Its situatitm eonesponoa well with Abelmdiolah.
Verae 23. The men ijf brael gaihered} It is very likely" diat dtese were some persona whom Gideon had sent home, the day before, who now hearing that the Jflidianites were routed, went immediately in pursuit.
Verse 24. Take before ttiem the iDotert unto Bethbarati\ This is proboblythe same place as that mentionet^ John \. 28. where the Hebrews forded Jordan under tha directitm of Joshua. To this place the Midianites directed Iheir fliriic that they might escape into their own country t and here, being met by the Ephraimites, they appear to have been tata% overthrown, and their twogenerals taken.
Verse 25. Tfteu »lc\o Oreb upon the rode Oreb] Tbeaa two generals haa taken shelter, om in (he cavern of a lock, the other in the vat of a wine-]Hressi both of wbleb friaoes wore, Irom diis circumstance, afterwards called by tlwir names.
Brought the heads qf Oreb and Zeeb to fl'idMn] OxzK signifies a raven,; and Zeeb, a w^. In all ancient nations we find generals and princes takirig their names from both birds and beasts: the Romans had iheir Oraedti, jackdaws { Conn Jiff crows; AmiUini, eagles, dtc. We have the sam in our Croat, Woift, lAons, Haiekt, BulU, Kida, Ac. Amonff berbarous nations, the head of die conquered chief was often brought to the conqueror. Pompey^a head was brought to Cicsor, Cicero's head to Mark Antony, tbe heads of Abab's children to Jehu, &c. These barbanties are not often practised now, except among tbe Mohammedan^ ot the savages of Africa and America; and, for the credit of human nature, it ia a pity that such barbaric atrocities had ever been committed.
NOTES ON CHAPTER VIH. Verse I. TTie men <lf Ephraim taid\ This account It no doubt displaeed; (or wliat is mentioned here could nsC have taken place till the return (rf Qideon from the parAtlt of tbe Midianites; fi>r he was not yet passed Jordan, ver. 4. And it was when he was berond that river that (ha Ephraimites brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to him, ohu). vii. 26.
Verse 2. U not the gleaning, Ac.] "nial is, the Ephraim^ ites have perfbrmed more important services than Gioeoil and bis men; for he supports the assertioi^ Inr obaorvii^ that it was they who took the two MidiamtiA nne|al% having discomnted tbeir hosts at the passes of Jorwui.
primes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then tbetr " an^er ■> was abated toward him, when ha
4 11 And Ghloon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were witli him, fnint, yet pursuing thftm.
5 And he said unto the men of •> Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursoing after Zehah und Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
6 And the princes of Succoth said, p Are the handa of Zebah and Zalrauniia now in thine hand, that i wc should givo YatsA unto thine army?
7 AndGideonsaid. Therefore, whentheLoBD hath delivered Zcbah and Zalmunna into mine hand, 'then I will 'tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness, aad with briers.
8 And he went up thence • to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise t and the men of Peiiuet answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him,
9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying. When I 'come again in peace, *i will break down this tower.
10 IT Now Zebah and Zalmnnna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifleen thousand men, all that were left of " all the hosts of the children of the East: for there fell ' a hundred and. twenty thousand men Uuit drew Bwordi
11 And Gideon went up by the way of them
that dwelt in tents, on the east of ' Nobah and
Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host wan » secure.
13 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he lursued ader them^and ' took the two kings of klidian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and ^ discomfited all the host.
13 % And Gideon the son of Joash relmaeJ from battle before the sun weu up,
14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inguired of bun: and he ' described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.
15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and sakl. Behold Zebah and Zalmnuna, withwhtHn ye did "I upbraid me, saying. Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, tbmt we should give bread onto.thy men tiiat are weary?
16 * And be took the elders of the cito, and thorns of the wiUemese, and briers, and witb them he ^ taught the men of Sacooth.
17 s And he beat down the tower of ^ Pennelr and slew the men of the city.
18 1{ Then said heimto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were (ftey whom ye slew at 1 Tabor? And they answered, As thou
19 And he said. They were my brethren,
the sons of my mother: tu the Loan liveth, if ye hod saved them alive, I would not slay you.
20 And he said unto Jether, his Bret-bom, Up,
Tsrse 3. T^n Attr anger mu abated^ A soft aoswer lurneth kway wnttli. He might have said, that he could place but litue dependence onlfiiB brethren, when, ttirougfa tunt-beartednesa, 22,000 leftbim at one time: but be passed this by, and took a more excellent way.
VDrae4. Faint, yet purtuing] The Vulgate paraphmses this, el prte lassiludint, fugimU* pertegui nmpolerant, "and ihtaud|i fatigue unable to puraue the ftigitives."
Verse S. Oive, I pray you, Utava iff bread] As Gideon wa« engaged in the common cause of Israel, he had a rig^t to expect succour from the people at large. His request to the men of Succoth and Penuel was botA just and reaaonable. ', Ver«e 6. Are the kands of Ztbah and Zaimunna now in tkine Aoiuf] Tbey feared to help Gideon, lost, if he duDld be OTor powered, the HkliaDitM would revenge it upon them; and they dand not truLt God.
consisted in, 1 cannot say \ it must mean h severe punishment i as if he had said, I will thraah your flesh wim briers and thorns, as com is thrashed out wUh thrashing instruments. Or, ye shall be trodden down under the feet of my victorious aimy; as the com is trodden out witlt the fiset of the ox.
Succoth was beyond Jordan, in the tribe of Gad. Peniul WAS aUo in the same trib^ and not fu distant from Sueeodi.
Verse 9. I wilt brtak dom QtU towr] Probably they had not only denied him, but insultingly pointed to a tower in wliich their chief defence lay; and intimated to him that ho might do his worst, for they could amply defend themselms.
Verse 10. Ztbah and Zalmunna were in Karkor'\ If Aiswere a fiatty it is nowhere ebe mentioned in Scripture. Some contend that ip-^ karinr, Mgnifies rett; and thus the Vulgate understood it; Zebah and Zalmunna reguie»- edtantj rested witb all their army. And this Mema the most likely; for it is saul, verse 11. that GMdeon smote the boat, for the host was teeure.
Verse 13. Betunudfrom battle btfort the nm was up] TUs does not appear to be a proper translation of rfjyo'io 0-inn milmaaleh hediarea. It shouM be rendered jron ateetit qf Chare*: dki« is the reading of the Stftmginty the Syriac, and the ArabU:.
Verse 14. He deKribed unto him the princei iff SuceotH\ The young mun probably gave him the names of seventy persons, Uie chief men of Succoth, who were tliose who were most concerned in refusing him and his men the nfreiAunent he rctiuestod.
pTt he taught, Houbi^t reads wt ht tore; and this is not only agreeable to what Gideon had threatened, ver. 7. but it supported by the Vulgate, StpiaagitU, Citaldtt, Striae ana Arabic Tbe Hewew text nu^ht ha.ve bean easily oorrtipted in this place by the change of 9 aUn isW jr ain t letters very nBiitar to each other.
Verse 18. Wtiat "nanner of men were thc^ idAms eUv at 'rabor?] We luve no antecedent to ibu i|iieeiioe t and are obliged to coqjecture one: iteeemaaeif Zraahana Zalmunna had massacred the bmily of Gideost, while he was absent on this expedition. Gideon bad heard nme confused account of it, and nov questions them coDceming the fact. They boldly acknowledge it, and describe lu persons whom they slew, by which oe fauadtbcr wen We oim brethren. This determines bim to avenge loeir death, \tf slaying the Hidianitish kings, whom he otherwise was inclined to save. He might Iwive beard that hia brathrcn had been taken prisoner!, and might have hoped to have exchanged them for the kings now in his hand; but wfaeo he fouiM they had been all slain, he decretn the death o( their murderers. There is something in this aceoint similar to that in the 12th £neis of Virgil— When Tamos was overthrown, and supplkatefl for his life, and £iMsa was inelined to spare himt he saw the bait of bis frknd i Pallas, wtiom Tunus had slain, and which be now wsn ' as a trophy: this imnwdjalaly determined die TVnsa lo sacnfico the life of Turinu t<> tbe Baanes of his frteikL n» Btoty IB well told; —
■imd slaT them. But the youth drew not hi? ■word: K>r befeared, because he vaa yet a youth.
21 Then Zebah and Zalmuana said, Rise thou, and &U upon ua: for aa the man is, so is hia Btrength. And Gideon arose, and ■ slew Zebah andZalaiunna,' and took away the " orjia- ■nents that v>ere on their coomIb' necks.
£^ % Then the meBorierael said untoQideon, Rule thou over ue, both thou, and thr son, and thy son's son also: for thou haat delivered ub from the hand of Midian.
23 And Gideon said unto. them, I will not rule over yon, neither shall niy eon rule over you: ■ the Lord Bhall ruie over you.
£4 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the ear-rings of his prey. (For they had KOkten ear-rin^B, 'because tLey were Ishmael-
25 And they answered. We will willln|rly give them. And tney spread a garment, anddid cast therein every man the ear-rings of his iwey.
SSalmunaa vtiieh induced JEtieat to kill ISimua: and perfat^ tbe amamenU vbtdi he took froin their camels' neokai raw 21. w«re aome of the ipoils of his slaughtered
Vene 20. He taid vnto JeOur hiMfint-honi] By the ancient lam of war, priaonen taken in war might be either slain, acrid, or kept for ilatea. To put a captive eaeny to oaatb bo exeetUion^r was rei(uifed. 0%d»n ^Mjm Zdiah and Zalmunna with his own hand. So Samutt is said to have hewn Agag in pieces, 1 Sun. zv. 82. Beniak slew Joab, 1 Kings u. 26. Saul orders his goaids to Slav ihe prints who bad contributed to the escape of Da.iid, 1 Sam. xxiii. 17.; and David caused one oi Im attendaats to slay the Amolekile who pretended to have abun SauL 2 Sam. i. 16.
TeneZl. Tktn ZAah and Xidmunna said, Rue ihmtj andfoB. upon us] It was disgraced to fall by tbe hands of a duld; and the death occasioned by the blows of mob a person nust be much more lingering and tormentiag. Some have even employed children to despatch cai>- tivea. Civiiit, a Boman knight, headed a revolt of tne Gauls against Rome, in the year of the city 824. Of him Taeitut says, Hitl. lib. iv. c. 61. PertbatUT partnito JUio guoadam capltvorum, tagitti* jacuiUifue pueritibua figcndot obluliae; " He is Said to have given to his little eon some prisoners, as butif to be shot at, with little darts •nd arrows." "Diis was for their greater torment and dishonour; and to inure bis child to blood 1 CouM any thing tike tbia have been Che design of Gideon 1
7%« omamaiU Ihot were on their camda' iwefes.] Tlie heads, neck& bodies^ and 1^^ of camels, horses, ana elepbanls, are highly ornamented in the eastern coontrieaj and, indeed, this was common, from the remotest antiquity, in all countries. Virgil refers (o it as a thing long before his time, who ihos describes the horses given Ving LatinoM 10 the amboaMJors of fneas. JSn. lib. vii. ver. 274.
Inemat oitra atiprtti pteunu Upctlft Aiatt jiMntim atnitoia wawi gwrfwlJ nM manfiilrHm, maniMt «m6 imHba*
Instead of omamcnf^, the Seplaagint translates mv BcwMMf. Ihe creKcnts, or hal^moont t add this is followed yriac and Arabic The wordkip of tlie tnoon was very ancient; and, with that of (he «un, constituted the eartiMt idolaUy of mankind. We learn from ver. 24. that the lahmaeliies, or Arabs, as they are termed hj the T^irgum, Syriae, and Arabic, had golden ear-rings, and probably a ereseeni in each; for it is well known that the Ishmael. ites, and tbe Arabs who descended from them, were addicted very early to the worship of the nioim.* and so attached were tbey to this superstition, that, altiiough Mohammed deatrOTeo the idolatrous use of Ihe creeeent, yet it was universany borne in their ensigns, and on the tops of their mosques; as well as in various ornaments.
Verse 22. Rule Ihoa over us, btriA thoa, and thy son, and Iky ton'» son] That is, become our king, and let die crown He hereditary in diy mmily. What a weak, fbolish,
S6 And the weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred ghekeU of gold; besides ornaments, and p collars, and purple raiment that leaa on the kings of Midian, and besides the ohains that itrere about their camels* necks.
87 And Gideon * made an ephod thereof, and pat it in liis city, even 'ia Ophrah; and all Israel ■went thither u whoring after it: which thing became ' a Biiare unto Gideon, and to his house.
23 Tf Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, bo that they lilled up their heads no more. " And tbe country was in quiet* nesB forty years in the days of Gideon.
.29 ^ Ami Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
30 And Gideon had " threescore and ten sons * of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
31 ' And his concubine that was in Shechem.
and tnconstant people, were these I Aa yet their government was a tkeocrdcy; and now, dazzled widi the success of a man ^o was only an instrument in the hands oF God to deliver them from their enemies tbey wished to throw off the divine yoke, and shackle themselves with anlm- Umited hetediuuy monarchy! An unlimited monarchy isacurse; a ttmiUd monuehy may be a blessing; the latter may be an appointment of God; the former never can. Those who cast off tbeir allegiance to their Maker are guilty of folly and eztravaganoe of every kind.
Verse 23. The Loan AaU rule over jou.] Few, with such power their command, would have acted as Oideaii. His speech calls them back to tbeir first principles g and should have excited in them both shame and contrition.
Verse 24. Gite me every man the ear-ringa tif his preif] The epoilt taken from their enemtes in this wamre. TIhs is a transaetion very like to that of the Israelites and Aaron; when they brought him iheirgoUUn ear-rinn^ out of which he made the moUen eaif, Exod. xxziL Sua. Whether Gideon des^^ed this ephod for an inatrament <£ worship, or merely as-a trophy, is not very clear. It is most likely that lie had inleiwed to estabhah a place worship at Ophrah; and he took this oceasioD U provide theproper sacerdotal vestments.
Veree 26. The weight qf the golden ear-ringa wot a thmuand and seven hundred shekels of gold] Takinc the shekel at halj" an tmvce weight, the sum of the gold collected in ear-rings was seventy-ihrfe pounds four ounces; and worth, aa gold now rates, £3300 sterling.
'Riis computation of the weight of the golden ear-ringa, taken from the slaughtered Isnmaelilss, will bring to Uie reader's mind the slou^ier of the Roman knights the Cardia^niana, at the battle of Cannmt bom whoM spoils Hannibal seni three buAtUoi gold rings to tbe ei^ of Carthage 1
Verse 2t. Oideon made an ephod thereqf] That is, he made an ephod oui qf Ihit mass of gold; but he could not employ it all in makirw this one garment, for it is not likely that any man could wear a coat of nearly one hundred pounds weight. It is likely that he made a whole tabernacle service in miniature out of Ibis gold.
AU Israel went thither a whoring <\fler if] His form of speech often occurs; and has been onen explained. The whole Jewiflli nation is represented as being untied to God aa a wife is-to her husband. Any act of idolatry is considered as a breach fteir eotmant with God, as an act of tcAoredom is the breach of the tnarrio?c agreement between man and'wife. God calls himself the Aus&antf of the Jewish nation; and ibeir idolatriee, acta at icAorcdom, adultery, and fomieiUitm. All Israel paid idolatrous worship to the eidiod, or sacerdotal establishment, made by. Gideon at Ophrah; and this is called going a whoring qfter it; see on ver. 33. For a description of the ephod, see Exod. xxv. 7. and for the other garments of the priests, see Exod. xzviii. 4, Ac
Verse 28. Forty years in Ae dam of Gldion\ The Midianites were so completely humbled, that ttwy could make head no more against Israel during the forty years in which the government of Gideon laatM.
Wtaat name he eaUed AbimettA} That is, myfa&er taking I or, my father hath reigned. This name waa 633 I
Am aou died * in a grood old age, and waa bu- '■"'^ ried in the aepulehre of Joash his father, • in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrite«.
33 And it came to ^aaa, ''as soon as Gideon was dead, that the cmldren of Israel returned again, and < went a whoring aHer Baalim, and made Baal-berith their gooT
34 And the children of Israel * remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the handa of all their enemies on every •ide:
. 35 ' Neither ebowed they kindaeM to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, accordiog to all the goodneas Trtiieh be had showed unto
AND AUmelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, unto
doufatltw given by the motfitr^ and bo it ahould be understood here t ifae wished to nusn Iter son to the nipreme govaminent, end therefore gave him a naiae vfaich mi^t serve to atimulate hiin to seek that which she hoped M should enjoy in hia tuber's right. See the following ehapter.
Verse 32. Oideon — died in a good old Supposed 10 have been A. H. 2799. Before Christ 12D6.
Vene 33. A wlwring aJUr Baalim] This term has vrc^»bly a different meaning here to what it has ver. 7. t for it is very likely that, in most parts of the pagan worship, there were many imptm- riles; mt that going a tailoring q/ter Baalim may be taken in a liUmtl sense.
Baal-berUK] Literally, the Lord qf Oi* cop«nanf; the same as Japittrfadcria, or Mareury, among the Romaos; tba deity, whose business it was to preside over eompacl*, Itagua, treatit*, cwenanJs, dbc Some of die vertioiu undorsiand it as U' the Isiaelilea had made a covenant, or wnement, tokawe Baal/or Oieir Qod: so dw Voloatx, fitrautenmigw cum Baalfadum iit t—ei eU in drum.
Verse 34. Hemmbered not the Losd Iheir Qod] They attributed their deliverance to some other cause; and did Dot give htm the glory of their salvaiioa,
Vove 36. IVeilher whowtd Uta/ kindneta to the houte jfi— Gideon] They were both itnthanl(ful and un/toly. Thoog^ they had the clearest proo& of Ood's power ami ROodiMss before their eye% yet they forjgot him. And al' Uwa^ th^ wen under the greatest cAligationa to Gideon, aitd were onoe so sensible of tlMm, that they offered to settle (be kingdom on him and his iomily, yet diey foivot him also; for, beeomiDg./bsB to Ooo, toBf oould not k frimdt to HAW.
Jerubbaa], namely, Gideon] Ttovt is improper: it dbouM be Jerubbaal Gideon; as we say Simon P§ttr i or odl any mao by his Oiriatian and tumamt.
'Vbm oncienta, particularly St. Amfrross and Sl 4tigu«- Wn, have endeavoured to find out a parallel between our blessed Lord and Oideon. Wa have already uen what Origm has made of the whole account; who is followed in the main by the above Latin fathers. As I believe no such parallel was Intended by the Spirit of Ood, I must be excused from going into their details. It ia no credit, either to Christ or Christiani^, to be compared to such persons and their transactions.
\. Of Gideon, tha most we can say is that which the angel said: he waa a mighty man ^ valour.
2. He was also a true patriot t ne loved his country, and hazarded his life for it: and yet he would not stir tUl he had the most incontestable proofs that Ood would, by supernatural assistance, make him victorious.
3. He was most evidectly dinnteruted, and void of ambitim: he refiised the kingdom when it was offered to him, and to his heirs after him. But, consistently with the belief he had in Ood, he could aot accept it, as tlus would have been a cxnnplete alteration of the Jewish coosttaotioa, which acknowledged no ruler but God himself.
*his mother's brethren, and commtmed wkh them, and with all the fainflyof the bouie ef lue mother's father, saying^
2 Speak, I pray you, m the ears of all the men of Shechem, » Whether t» better for yon, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are ' threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or tbat one reign over you? remember aUo that I am ^ your bone and your flesh.
3 And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Sbeehem all these words: and their hearts inclined 'to follow Abimelech; lor they said. He ie our ■ brother.
4 And they gave him threescoreand ten inecea pf silver out of the house of "Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired " vain and tight peraonSr which followed him.
5 And he went unto his fitther'a booae ' at Ophrah, and i slew his brethren, the sons of Jeruobaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone; notwitstanding, yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was'left; for he hid hims^.
6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went,uid made Abimelech kinc, ' by the phun of the pit lar that vas in Shecnem.
derstood: prttobly it was done widi no rqwebawiUs design. But the act was totally wroag; he had nodinas authority to make such an inao*ation in the relwisas wcrship of his country. Hie ark was at Shechem; aad IhsTV was ths proper and only accredited priesL oc^ therefore, ean never be excused, wbatcTer may be sail of his motive.
6. His private character does not appear to hovs bosa very ejtemplaiy: he hod many wive*; and seventy som bv them, besides one by a concubine, which he l^t at Shechem; whwe be wosoften oUiged togoaa,jMlfi;te the purpose oi administarfaig josties. In Aoit, UMra is Bcaroely a trait in bis ebmetet werthy to ba eompand with any thing in the conduct of ths BeMemer cf mankind.
6. Parallels to Christ, and the werit of his Spirit in tits solvation of men. have been diligently sought in the Sacred Writings^ by both commentators and fveochen;. end w have hul viriamiiioua treatises on types and aatit^pee: and how little has sound doeirine oc- inie piety derived froa themi 11m7 have often served 10 tmsetiie the famer, and have been rather inimical, than favourable, to the inteiasls of die latter. When the Spirit of Ood a^s such things ore fypea, and such things are' aihgbriM, it is our duty to believe and examine: when men produce their typos and metaphors, it may be our du^ to do«^>t — be snspteioas — and pass oo.
Versa 1. AbinuUeh-'igmt to SkaAem] We hove abso^ seen that Abimelech was Ibeson of Gideon, by hiseoneubine at Shechem. His going thither immediately after his Esther'a dcaith was to induce his townsmen to proclaim him governor, in the place of his &dier. Shechem was ths residence of his mother, and of all her relatives.
Terse 2. Wkeihrr is better for you, eHkerAat aU tk* sons] This was a poverliil argument: Whether will yoa have seventy QriaiiC% or only ms? For, as he had no ^it to the Koveramen^ and God olcne was King at thstt time in Israel; so he must support his usurpearule by whatever means were most likely to effeet it; a usurped government is generally supported by oppression and the sword.
Terse 3. A is otir bro^rJ\ We shall be raised te places of trust under him; and our ci^ will be tba c^Mi of thekingdmn.
yflrse4. Tbwseer<and<sn|Meees4^silMr] Pn*^^ AeluUt and this was the whole of his exehemier. As ftui was now usurpmg the goveniment of Ood, he Mgins with a cmtribuiion from the idol temple. A work begun uader the name and influence of the devil, is not Kkelj lo end to the glory of God, or to the welfare of man.
Hired vain and lig^ pereona] mnjn DWisi anatliim rtykim upoehazim, "worthless and dissohua men persons who were living on the public aad bad nothing to lose. Such was the foundation of nis Jotsi govemmeot. By a cunniw management of mdk nsoala most revolutions have been orou^t about.. V«rse B. SUm kU Mkrm] His btothm hf iha
7 7f A nd when they told U to Jothaa^ he went and stood in the top of '1110111)1 Gemim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them. Hearken unto me, ye menofSbechem, that God may hearken unto you.
8 < The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, <■ Reign thou over us.
9 But the olive tree said unto them. Should I leave my fatness, * wherewith by me they honour Ood and man, aod * go to be promoted over the trees?
fcther'a side, ch. vtii 30. Tbia was a usual way of >eeuring an ill-gotten throne; the perwn who had no right deatroytng a]l those that had right, thai he might have do competitoriL
Ytt Jolham — uxM /^A] That ii, all the seventy were killed except Jothain, iriber» were Dot aeventy oeMa Jotbain. All the histories of all the natioiis of the earth are full of cnieltiea aimilar to those of Abimelech: coueins, unc1e«, brothers, hosbsnds, and fathers, have been murdered by their cousins, nephews, brothers, wives, and childrm, in order that they might have the undisturbed possesmaa of an ill-gotien throne. Europe, Asia, aod Africa, eon witness sll caia. Even now, some of dieae horribly irf>- tainsd govsnuneBis exisL
Tene& And t^Vt* fume <tf MUh] \f Mittohtika name of a plaee, it is nowhere else mentioned in the Shered Writtn|^ But it is probably the name of a person of note and influence in the citv of Shechem; TTie men of SheekttH, and flu Jatnily of MUlo.
Terse 7. Stood in the lop qf moniU Gtrixim\ Oerixim sod Ebal were mounts very near to each other ( the former lyioc to the nord^ the lalter to the south; and ut the foot of them Shechem.
Uiat God mm/ hearken unto you.} It u>pesrs that Jothara received this messa^ from God; and that he spoke on this occasion by divine mn>iration.
Verse & TTie trtea vmt forth on a time] This is the ddeot, and, without exception, the but fabia or ap<4ogut in the world See the obsHvations at the end of Uiia dhspler.
It is not to be aupposed Aat a ftble, if well fanned, r6- <pures much illustration: every part of this, a few expressurns excepted, illustrates itself and tells its own meaning.
TV anoint a king) Hence it appears, that aTioinixTig was usual in the installuion of kmgs long before there was any Idog in Israel g for there is much evidence Uiat the bsok of Judges was written before the days of fifaul •■d David.
71U sitfee Itm] Hie oHm was the moat tu(/U of all the tiws in the field or forest, as the brambU was the meanest and most worthless.
Verse 9. WhertwWi — th^ honour Chd and man] I believe the word o^nVM elokim here, should be translated goda I for the parable seems to be accommodated to the MbntMwm state of the Sbechemites. Thus it was imderatood far the VulgaU, Arabic, and others. It is tnie that oKse 0il was often used in the service of Ood: dw priests were anointed with it; the lamps in the tabernacle aghted widi it; alffioat'all tlie oSerii^ of fine flour, cakes prepind in the pan, &c. had oil minsled wid) them; therefore Jotham migfat say that loUh it iney honour Ood; and as priesto, prophets, and kingoi were anointed, and their offiee was the most honourable, he might wiih propriegr my, Uurettitk they honour man. But I am penuaaad he used the term in the first sense. See on ver. 13.
Verse 11. But the Jig tree said — Should I foraaJce my upsrtiiw] lie fruit of the fi^ tree is the eweeteet, or most UaeiouM, of all fruits. A full ripe fig, in iTs own climate, hasan indescribable sweetness; so much oo, that it is almost impossible to eat them, till a considerule time after ifa^ are gathered from the trees, and have gone through SB artificial preparation. Hiis I nave oftsn noticed.
Verse 13. Which eheereth Ood and man} I believe OffjM Siohim here is to be taken in the some sense proposed on verse 9. Vast libations of ^uu, as well as much of, were used in heathenish sacrifices and offerings; andj it was their opinion that the gods aetuaUy partook Qt, ancT wart detightad bodi with the irine and od. Tbo Pagan nythology fiirnishea the most exquisite teine* to its gods IB heaven i and hence the ntetar and ambrosia so much talked o( and praised by the ancients. It is not reasonable to aappose that Jotham makes any reference here to the nerineM, oblations, and perfumes, offered to tlw true Ood. Htia lanjaage the idolatrous ffliechemitea could scarcely
10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees f
12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
13 And the vine said unto them. Should I leave my wine, ' which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
14 Then said all the trees unto the * Inramble, Come thou, ajvi reign over us.
understand. What could the worshippers of Baal-herith know of ihe wor^ip of the God who gave hie law to Moses? And it is not very likely that Jotham himself was we]] acquainted with the sacred rites of the Moeaie religion, as they had been little preached in hie time.
Verse 14. Tlun oaid all 0ie trees utUo the brnmUe} The word ibm ata^ whidi we translsle branilde, is suppoaed to mean the r&intRK^ which is the lawest of tbom^ producing dreadful spike^ similar to darts, ate ntodorel on Psa. Iviii. 10.
Hiere ia much of the moral of this foble contained in the different kinds of trees mentioned. 1. The olive, tlie most proJUable tree to its owner; having few equals, either for food or medicine. 2. lie fig tree, one of tlie most ^rui^ui of trees, and yielding one of the most delicious fruits, and superior to all others for sweeinese. 3. The rtne, which alone yields a liquor, which, when properly prepared, and taken in strict moderation, is friendly both 10 the body and mind of ma£i: having a most direct tendency to invigor^ both. 4. Trie bramble, or thorn, which, however useful as a hedge, ia dangerous to come near; and is here the emblem m an impious cruel, and Mfpressive Idnr. As the olite,fig, and vine, are said in this fable to renise the royaltjr, because, in consequence they intimate they should lose their oim privileges i we learn, that to ht invested with pmpsr, for the public good, can be no priinUge to the sovereign. If he aischarge theoffice faithfully^ it will plant his pUlov with thorns, fit! his soul with anxious cares, rob him of rest and quiei, and, in a word, will be to him a source of distress and misery. All this is represented here under (be emblem of the trees losing (heir Jfitoe««, their stoeetness, kdA good fruits, aoA their (A«mn^ irtjlusnce. In short we see, from this most sensible fable, that the ben^ent, benevolent, and highly iQuminaied mind, is ever averse from the love of power) and that those who do seek are die thoughtless, the vain, the ambitious, and those who wish for power merely for the purpose of self-gTatifieaUon; persons who have neither the disposition nor the humledge to use power for the advantage of the community; ana who, while they boast great things, and roake great pretensions and promises, are tlte tyrants of the people i and oft^ through their ambition, like the bramble in the fkble, kindle a flame of foreign or domeatie war, in which their sul^eols are consumed. Hie I are moat loreioiy aesenoea tty a poet or our own, whom equal, in describing the inward workings of the human heart, 19 all varieties of character and circumstaneea^haa never appeared, eidier in ancient or modem times.' Hear what be puts in the mouth of two of his care-worn kings 1
I aleeplessniri)ts,and corroding cares, of BoveRtghty, oat foreOily oeseribed by a poet of our own, whose
15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, ikf.n come and
8nt your trust in my ^ shadow; and if not, ' let re come out of the bramble, and devour the
16 Now, therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech kin^, and if ye have dealt well witli Jerubbaal and hiB houBe, and have done unto him according to the deserving of hia hands;
17 (For my father fought for you, and • adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;
18 ' And ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slam his eons, threescore and ten persons, apon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)
19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then
• rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:
20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shecbem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Milto, and devour Abimelech.
21 And Jothmu ran away, and fled, and went to f Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
t„StM 23 Then ^ God sent an evil spirit i.o)TiB»«t, between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem 'dealt treacherooaly with Abimelech;
34 * That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which ■ aided him in the killing of hia brethren.
Tb DM Uk balm, IlK npin, and ibt tall, Tb> (Bord, ihe mue, ibi ana taqutel, "On bUMUiiKl nbaiif nU and Pml, "RHCUoad liik nuniingTmllM king, na IliniM hs riu on, lur the lUi o[ pomp Ttau bwu IBOB ibe ni^ ihon of Un> urnU, No, DO! all (fiiM, ihHiHaneow eenuMiT, Not all Uw^. Uil >o bnTm^alleal,
Tbia ia precis^y tbc same seniiment expressed in the denialof the olive, fig Uee, cmd vine.
Terse 16. Come and vut your trust in my akadow] The vaia boaat of the wotud-be sovereign; and of the man who li nAiog to be put into pover trf the suffiroges of the people. JUI promUea, no verformancc
LiUfin comt out of the oram&Ie] A strong catacbresis. The bnunble vu too low to give afielter to any tree; and BO fu from being able to coiuunu others, that the sinalleat fire will reduce it to atkea, and that in the thorieet tinu. Hence the very traiuUory mirth of fools is said to be Uke IheeradUing tjf lWn« unier a pot. Abimelech was die bnmblet and the cedars of Lebanon all the noble* and peopie of Israel.- Could diey, therefore, suppow, that aueh a low-bom, uneducated, cm),«ad murderous man, could be a)>roper protector, or a bumane governor ^ He who could imorue his hands in the blood ot bis brethren, in order to i^t into power, was not likely (o stop at any means to steure that power when poasessed. It, therefore, they took him for their king, they might rest assured that desolation and blood would mark tlie whole of ^ reign.
The condensed moral of the whole fable is this: — Weak, worthless, and wicked men, will ever be foremost to thrust themaelvea into power; and, in the end, to bring ruin upon dieoselrea, and on the unhappy people over v^om they preside.
Verse 70. La fire conu out fron AbimeUdi] At the diom, or bramble, may be the means of kindling other wood, because it may be easily ignited; so shall Abimelech be the cause of kindling a Jire of civil discord among you, that shall eonsiune the rulers and great men of your country. A pro^eticdeclarationof whatwouldtakeplace.
25 And the men of Shechem set Hets m wjfit for him in the top of the mountains, anS thc^ robbed al! that cnitie along that way fay them 3 and it was told Abimelech.
26 And Gaal llie son of Ebed came with hia brethren, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
27 And tliey went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grape*, and made " merrY, and went into ' the house of their god, and did eat and diink, fmd cursttl Abimelech.
28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who?# Abimelech, and who it Shechem, ttutt we should serve him? is not he the son of Jert^bbaal 1 and Zebul his officer? Serve Uie men of vl^unw the father of Shechem; for why should we serve him?
29 And 1 would to God this people were under my hand! then wojild I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase ttiine army, nod come out.
30 Tf And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was ' kindled..
31 And he sent messenf ers xmto Abimelech ■privily, fiaying. Behold, Gaal the eon o£ EJoed and his brethren be come to Shec^iem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee.
32 Now therefore up by nivht, thou and the geoj>le that t> with thee, and lie in wait in the
33 And it shall be, that in the morning, bb bood as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and get upon the city; and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them tas thou abalt finJ occasion.
34 1[ And Abimelech rose uj), and all the people that were with him, bv mght, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and
nil in 1 111 riiiiii n rut r bit rm t in iin n irr.n iiWi mjiiji
Slace of this name, which he thinks to be that to which oiham fl6d, and supposed 1o be the same as Michmaalv 1 Sam. xiv. It is situated, he says, toward the south, m an eoav declivicv; and hasa^ountoin of excellent water, at the bottom of the hill, from which iihoa takes its name.
Verse 23. Ood aait an evil spirit} He permitted jealousies to take place, which produced bctiooa; and these factions produced insurrecticnu, civil comentions^ and slaughter.
Verse 26. TV men qf Shechem aa iters in wit] It pleased God to puniA this bod man by the veiyjaenaM who had contributed to his iniquitous elevation. So Qoi often makes the iostrumeols of men's shis dta means of their punishmeut. It is likely that alihou^ Abimelech bad his chief residence at l^udum, yet ha trequenUy went to Ophrah, the city of his father; his claim to which tbete was none to oppose, as be had slain all his brethren. It was probably in his passage between those two ploMs that the Shecbemiles had posted cut-throats^ in order to assaasinate him: aa such men had no mtval principle, they rob* bed and plundered all who came that way.
Verse ^6. Goal the eon i{f Ebeti] Of this peraon we know no more than is here told. He was protwUy one of the descendants of the Canaanil«s, who ho)>ed, from die state of the public mind, and their disaffection to ALiur lech, to cause a revolution, and thus te restore lbs aacieK government as it was uttder £mmor, the Ikiberof AiribMb
Verse 28. Zebul Ma <tgUxr] vripa pekido, bis am^Br t probably govemer of Shechem in Ids absence,
Verse ^ Would to Ood ihie people vxre under my Aand] The very words and conduct of a sly, hypocrilicu iemogogue.
Increase thine armv, and come out] When he found his party strong, and the public feeling warped to hia mia, then he appears to have sent a challeoge to Abimctocfa, M come out Eutd fight him.
VeraeSl. 71iet/fortify^eUifagaiiutOue]Vaitr'pntence of repairing the walls and towers they were aebnUj putting the place in a Mate of defence, unending toseiseaa the government as soon as they should find Ahindecb
stood in the entering of the gate of the city; and AbiiAeleeh rose up, and the people that were with him. from lying in wait.
36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebol, Behold, there come peopfe down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him. Thou seeat tho shadow of the mountains as if they were men.
37 And Gaal spake again and eaid, See, there come people down by the "middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of ' Meonenifflu
38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where iff now thy mouth, wherewith thou ' saidst. Who is Abimelecfa, that' we should serve him? la not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I'pray now, and fight with them.
39 Ai^ Gaal went out before the men of Bhechera, and fought with Abimelech.
40 And Abimelech chased him, and be fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even nato the entering of the gate.
41 And Abimelech dwelt at ArumEUi: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and hia brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
42 Anditcametojiass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in. the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city: Euul he rose up against tbemt and smote them.
44 And Abimelech, and the companjr that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them.
45 And Abimelech fought against the city aH that day; and ■ he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, Emd 'beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
46 T And when all the men of the tower of
47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount ' Zalmon, he and ali the people that were with him; and Abimciech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and tooK it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.
- 49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the nold, and set the hold on nre upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Snechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
50 U Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to themi apd gat them up to the top of tho tower.
52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and. fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53 And a certain womaji "cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelcch's head, and all to break his skull.
54 Then "he called hastily unto the young man his armour-bearer, and said unto him. Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every mail unto his i^ace.
56 ^ ' Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came ' the curee of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
ooming sgainBt them. Fortifying the city may mean, oedocing toe iohabitanta from their loyalty to Abinwleoh.
Verse 35. Stood tn Ch« mter^ig ig Ae f ate] Havins proJ^^^ot wrae intimatioo <tf the aedgiu of Zebul aiu
Terse37. ArAipIoin^f JII!»n«niiR] Some translate, fry tha -aay tff Ihe oakt, or oaken groves: others, b]f Vu ttay of th4 magiciaiUf or regardert nf timet, as la our margin. Probably it vas a ploes ia vbieh augun and aootoiayers dwelt.
Terse 46. And towed ii wWiaait.} Intending that the destiuetioB of this city should be a,perpetwit memorial of his aebievemmts. The Mtt was not designed M render it bamn, aa some have imagined; for who would tliink of eoUimtiBg a city? But as tatt is an emblem of ineorrupttm and perpefu£ly, it waa no donbt designed (o perpetuale the raeraorial of this transaction; and Us a token that he wished this desolation to be Vernal, lliis sowing a plaee with tali, was a custom in different nations to exprcM ptmuuunt deaoiaiiim and abhorrmea. Sigonin* observes, that when the cityof MUan was taken, in A. D. 1103; Ihe walls were razed, and U was sown wUk «att. And Braniom* informs us, that it was an anotent custom in Ptaowe to sow A« Aotw« of a man ictUk foU, who had bee D declared a^raifor to his king. Charles IX. king of France, dte most boae and perfidious of human beings, caused the booae of the Adtnir€U Cologrti (whom he and the diike of OttiMt caused 10 be murderra, with thousands more of ProiestBa(& on the eve of St. Bartholomew, 1572,) to bt torn wUhtaul How ntany houses have been since soim with miUin f^rtmee, by dw just judgments of Ood, in revenge for the massacre of the Protestants on the eve of SuButholomew! Yet for aU tMa OotPa araOt U not tunud away; but his hand ia wlretdied out sHU.
Tsne 46. A hold houMt qftha god Beritk] This must mean the predneU of the temple, as we find there were a thousand men and wtHnen together in that place.
YeraefiS. ApUatf amiiUtone] ain r/^n pelaek raxb, a pitee qf a cliariUiiiluti! but the word is used in other pneea for tQipsr wtUUtmut, and is so understood here by Ihe ViUgait, S^taagmt, l^rttu, and Arabic.
And all to break his tkuU.} A moat nonsensical version of v>^3f>i HN fwt vaiarila eih gttl^aUo, which is literally, And sA« bra&e, or fractured hu ahiU. PlutanA, in hia Life of Pvrrhus, ofaeerves, that this king was killed at the siege of lliebes, by a piece tf a tile, which a tcoman threw upon his bead.
Verse 54. Drav tky eaord, and alay me\ Itwasadisgraee to be killed by a woman; on this account, Seneca, me tragedian, deplwes the death of Hercules: —
O lurpi /''"•a t fnaina Hmvaiia meit
"O dishonourable fiitel a woman is reported to have been the author of the death of Hercules. jUHmelech was alao afraid, that if lie felt thus mortally woundied into the hands of hia enemies, they might treat him with cruelty and insult.
cide Abimelech, and the unprincipled men of Shechem, had the iniquity visited upon them, of w;hich ihey had been guil^. Man's judgment may be avoided; but there is no escape from the juctetnents oi Ood.
I HAVS said that the nble of Jotham is the oldest, and perhaps the beat, in the world: and have referred for otlicr particulars to tlie end of the chapter.
On the general subject of fable, apulo^ej and parable^ Ihe reader will find a considerable uiasertation at ilie end of Matt. ch. xiii. I shall add but a few diinga here; and diey ahall reftr to the oldest collection of fables extant. These are td Indian origin i and are preserved in (he Sanacreet, from which they nave been translated into dificrent languages, both Astatic and European, uitder vtu'ious titles. I'he collection is called Hiiopadeaa, and the author Ve^noo Sarma; but thoy are known in Europe by 7'As Talee ana Fable* <f Bidpay, or Pilpau, on ancient Indian philowpher. Of this collection Sir Wm. Jones takes the following notice:— '"Hie Fables of Veshnoo Sarma, whom we ridiculously call Pilpay, arc the most beautiluL if not the most ancient, collection of apologues in the world. They were first tr&nsUted from the Sanscreet, in the sixth century, by Bnzartimmihr, or bright a* the sun, the chief physicmn, and aftcrwanl (he vizir, of the great Anuthirwan t 637 7^ I
Mn Um Indlin ntwfic^inM Ood, ud um Mim3intotbe hutaar ikt FhiUaiaa •■dAnKaiM<i(itiun]run,a— a. Thy hnnMi II— iwJ»>siMd OoJ wpww
Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount JBphraim.
kalnt ^ 'A'lui he judged Israel twenty and iBEMd.i>. three years, and died, and was buried aii»Tdu in Shamir. I otrof va. 3 ^ And Eifter him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Isrsiel twenty and two
4 And he had thirty sons that ^rode on thirty
mOi.Uu aUatm af Jair. Uamk 41.
and are extant under varioua namea, in more than twenty laaguuwea. But their original title ia ifitopadeaa, or anueaoU Sutntelim: and as the very exiatence of JBnf^ whom the Araba believe to have been an J£y«nnjan, appear* rather doubtful; I am not diainelined to auppoae that the firat moral fable* which appeared in Europe were of Indian or jEAiapiati origin.
Mr. Frazer, in hia colleciion of Onental M8S, af the end of bia hiatory of Nadir Shah, gives us the feUowing aeeount of ihia curioua and inatnicEive work.
"Tba ancient Bnhmina of India, after a good deal of time and labour, compiled a treatise, (which they called KurtiUc Dumnik,) in which were inserted the choicest treasure* of wisdom, and the moat perfect nilea for governing a people. Thia book they presented to their rajahs, who kept it wiih the greataat aecrecy and care. About the time of Mahamme^B birth, or the latter end of the sixth century, NoUhtnan the Just, who then reigned in Persia, discovered a great inchnation to see that book; for which purpose Air.zuv>a, a physician, who had a surpriaiog talent in learning several langusecfl, particularly Sans- /territt, was intrMuccd to him as the moat proper person to be employed to get a copy of it. He went to India, whu«, aiter some years' ata^, and great trotibte, he procured it. It was translated mto the Pehluvi (the ancient Penian language) by him and Buxrjumdtr, the vizir. NoUlurvan, tmt after, and all his sUGCesson^ the Peraian kings, had this book in hish esteem, and took the greatest care to keep it secret. At last Abu Jaffer Hfuruour zu Nikky, who was the second caliph of the Abassi reign, by great aearch, got a copy of it in tne Pekltivi language, and ordered Imam Haas&n Ahdal Mokaffa, who was the moat learned of the age, to translate it into Arabic. Hiia prince «ver after made it his guide, not only in affiuis relatmg to the ROwnmentjbut alao in private life.
"inthe year 380orJ9e^ra, sultan Mahmud Qhaxipai it into verse; and af^rward, in the rear 616, In order of Skeram Shah ben MoMoud, that which Abdal Mokuffa had iransloied was- re-translated into Persic by Abdul Mala Nasser AUah Mustofi; and thia is that KaUla Dumna, whi^ is now extant. As this latter bad too manvArabie verses «nd obsolete phrases in it, AMana AH ben "Beaattn Vatt, at the request of.Emfr SMii, keeper of the seals to sultan.Bbssetn Afirzo, put it into a more modem style, and gave it the title of Anuor SMli.
"In the year 1002, the great Hoghul Jalal 8 Din Mohommed Akbar ordered his own secretary and vizir, the learned A&t^ Faxl, to illuetrale the obscure passages, ■bridge the long digression, and put it into such a style as would be moat familiar to all capacities; whidt he aoetyrdiiwly did, and gave U the name of Ayor Danish, or the CVdertm o^ mMfsm." "nius &r Mr. Fraxer under the word Avar DaniA.
" In the year 1 709 (says Dr. WUkint) the Kulila Dumna, the Persian venrion of Abut Afala Nasatr Allah Mua- aea colts, and the/ had thir^ cities, > whi called ■ Havoth-jair unto this day, which the land of Gllead.
5 And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.
6 H And " the chUdren of Israel did * evil again in the sight of the Lord, and ad i:^ u,. " served Baalim, and Aehlarolh. and A„S^«. P the gods of Syria, and the gods of L.2!l=!i*!- ■) Zidon. and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the IiOhd, and served not biin.
7 And the anger of the Loan was hot against Israel, and he '' sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammoa
8 And that year they vexed and * oppressed
tqfi, made in the 615th ^ar of the Hegira, was translated into /VencftjWith the title of Lea ConaeHa el lea Maximta de Piipay, PAtiosophe ht^en, aur tea divara Btata de la VU, This edition resembles the HUepadaaa more than any odier then ieen; and is evidentlv the immediate original of the English " Inalruetive ana entarlalning Fwea of Pilpay, an ancient Indian Philoaophar" which in 1776, had g<me through Jive editions.