The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 126 – Section 127
SECT. CXXVI.
THe ſeveral Tribes are now working themſelves into a ſettlement in their ſeveral lots, but are not careful to root out the Canaanites, but ſuffer'd them to live among them, notwithſtanding Gods Command which injoyned them utterly to deſtroy them, and root them out. And particularly the Children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebuſites that inhabited that part of Jeruſalem which was in their lot, viz. The Caſtle and Fort, [Joſh. 15.63.] ſo that the Jebuſites dwelt there unconquered till David's time, 2 Sam. 5.6, 7. And the Tribes of Ephraim and Manaſſeh went up againſt Bethel to take it, becauſe it belonged to their lot, Joſh. 16.2. And their Spies catch'd a man that came out of the City, and they told him, If he would ſhew them how they might enter the City, that is, ſome weak place thereof where they might make their Entry [the Gates being lock'd and bar'd] they would ſhew him mercy, and not only ſpare his life, but the lives of thoſe that belonged to him. The man hereupon did ſhew them where they might enter the City, and they entring accordingly, ſmote it with the edge of the Sword, but let the man*Non ut Rahab ſe ex fide Hebraeis adjungit, ſed avaritia ductus, aut pavore, prodidit Patriam, & Civitatem, cujus tamen excitat memoriam; ſic Salamina poſuit Teucer in Cypro. Nov. and all his Family go; ſo the man and his Company went among the Hittites, [who inhabited on the North-ſide of Mount Ephraim] and there (being as it ſeems a rich man) with his Family, Friends and Allies, (who were ſpared for his ſake) built a City and call'd it Luz, after the name of the City in which probably he was born and bred, that the memory of it might not periſh, but be preſerved to Poſterity. Further, that half-Tribe of Manaſſeh that dwelt in Canaan having diſabled themſelves by their Sins, and ſo deprived themſelves of God's Aſſiſtance, drave not out the Canaanites out of Bethſhean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, and Megiddo, but they would dwell there, either by Force or by Compoſition, ſee Joſh. 17.11, 12. And when the Iſraelites were grown ſtrong, and ſo by God's aſſiſtance might eaſily have driven them out, (if they had had an heart to ſet about it) they out of Sloth, Cowardlineſs or Covetouſneſs let them alone, on condition they would pay them Tribute. Neither did the Children of Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer, viz. out of the City, but they poſſeſſed it till Pharaoh took it, and burnt it, 1 Kings 9.16. Neither did Zebulun drive out the Canaanites out of his lot, but only made them Tributary, which ſhews that they might have ſubdued them, ſeeing they could force them to pay them Tribute; Neither did Aſher drive out the old Inhabitants out of his lot, but they were forc'd to live intermixed with them. Neither did Naphtali drive the Canaanites out of his portion, but only made them Tributary. And though the Children of Dan had at firſt prevailed againſt the Amorites, and poſſeſſed themſelves of their Country, yet afterwards the Amorites getting more ſtrength, recovered the beſt part of it; namely, the Vallies, and forced the Danites into the Mountains, (where being much ſtraitened, they took occaſion to enlarge their poſſeſſions, by making that Expedition unto Laiſh, mentioned Ch. 18.) but the more fruitful Mountains of Heres they would not be driven out of, till the Houſe of Joſeph aſſiſting the Danities, they ſo far prevailed, that they made them Tributary. And thus the Iſraelites, by their own ſloth, ſuffered themſelves to be hemmed in with thoſe accurſed Canaanites, contenting themſelves if they would pay them ſome ſmall Tribute. And this was the firſt ſtep of their defection from God, which did afterwards lead them into greater and groſſer Enormities.
Judg. 1. from 21. to the end.
SECT. CXXVII.
THe people of Iſrael now finding themſelves ſorely annoyed by the Canaanites in ſeveral parts of the Land, there was [it ſeems] an Aſſembly called of the Heads of all the Tribes to Shiloh, that they might Conſult what was fit for them to do in this caſe. The Lord was pleaſed to ſend the Angel of the Covenant to them in an Humane ſhape, (the ſame Angel that appeared to Joſhua at Gilgal, Joſh. 5.14. and therefore is here ſaid to come up from Gilgal) who ſharply reproves them for their remiſneſs and careleſneſs in executing the Commands of God. He tells them He brought them up out of Egypt into that good Land, and He would never break his Covenant with them, if they did not firſt break their Covenant with Him. He had commanded them, That they ſhould make no League with the Canaanites, Deut. 7.2. but ſhould throw down their Altars, Deut. 11.3. but they had not obeyed his Voice therein. Therefore (ſays he) I ſaid I will not drive out the Inhabitants of the Land before you, but they ſhall be as Thornes in your Sides, and their gods ſhall be a Snare unto you, to intangle you in their Idolatry to your perdition, Exod. 23.33. & 34.12. The people being convinc'd by the Angel's words of their great Sin, they lifted up their Voice and wept, and they called the place upon that occaſion Bochim, *Called ſo v. 1. by anticipation, and here from the event, becauſe the Iſraelites did weep abundantly in this place.viz. the place of Weepers. And here they offered Sacrifices to the Lord, to make Attonement for their ſins.
Judg. 2. from 1. to 6.