Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, Judges · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Verſ. 1. ANd after Abimelech, there aroſe to defend Iſrael, Tola the ſonne of Puah, &c.] Though there be no mention made of any enemies that invaded the land of Iſrael in the dayes of this Tola, the ſeventh Judge of Iſrael, if Abimelech be reckoned for one, yet it need not ſeem ſtrange that it ſhould be ſaid of him, that he aroſe to defend Iſrael, or to deliver Iſrael, as the word in the original may alſo be tranſlated: for it may well be that the land was invaded in his time by ſome of the neighbouring nations, though it be not expreſſed; and indeed conſidering that idolatry and ſuperſtition were ſo riſe in the land, all the time of Abimelechs three years tyranny, as is evident, chap. 8.33. and 9.4, 46. it is like enough that God did raiſe them up ſome adverſaries or other to plead the quarrell of his covenant, as in former times; but then beſides it might be ſaid, that he did deſend or deliver Iſrael, either becauſe he did happely compoſe the factious tumults and combuſtions that were raiſed in the land in Abimelechs time; or elſe, becauſe he retained them from their idolatry, which was a great deliverance, and thence it is ſaid that afterwards, the children of Iſrael did evill again in the ſight of the Lord and ſerved Baalim, &c. verſ. 6. or elſe, becauſe being raiſed of God to be Judge of Iſrael conſequently he was to deſend or deliver them in caſe any enemy ſhould riſe up againſt them, and oppreſſe them. As for the laſt clauſe of this verſe, where it is ſaid of this Tola, that he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim, though he were a man of Iſſachar, we need not ſtumble at that neither; for beſides, that the Iſraelites did not alwayes live in their own tribes, it is probable that in this place Tola lived for the more conveniency of executing judgement amongſt the people, Shamir in mount Ephraim being near upon in the midſt of the tribes within Jordan, and not farre too from the Tabernacle in Shiloh, which was another conſiderable advantage.
Verſ. 3. And after him aroſe Jair a Gileadite, &c.] To ſhew that this Jair, the eighth Judge of Iſrael was a man of great renown before he was raiſed to be Judge, it is noted in the following verſe, that he had thirty ſonnes, to wit, by ſeverall wives, that rode on aſſe-colts, as being princes and men of great place. See chap. 5.10. and that they had thirty cities called Havoth-Jair, that is, the villages of Jair. Now though there was one Jair, who at the firſt entring of the Iſraelites into Cannaan, above three hundred years before this, took all the countrey of Argob in the land of Gilead, and ſo the towns therein were called after his name, Havoth-Jair, Num. 33.41. And Jair the ſonne of Manaſſeh took the ſmall towns thereof, and called them Havoth-Jair. Deut. 3.14. Jair the ſonne of Manaſſeh took all the countrey of Argob, unto the coasts of Geſhuri, and Maachathi, and called them after his own name, Baſhan Havoth-Jair; yet this muſt needs be another Jair, and ſo perhaps theſe were other towns which had their names from this Jair the Judge of Iſrael, as the other had their names from the other Jair in Moſes time; and indeed, of thoſe that were called Havoth-Jair in Moſes time, there were but three and twenty, 1. Chron. 2.22. And Zegub begat Jair, who had three and twenty cities in the land of Gilead; yet moſt probable it is, that this man was deſcended of that Jair, and that coming to inherit ſo many of thoſe towns, which his Anceſtours had taken from the Amorites, the poſſeſſion or government whereof, he divided amongſt his thirty ſonnes, they were alſo in this regard called Havoth-Jair, the old name on a ſecond ground, being now renewed and confirmed on them, as we ſee the like in the note upon Gen. 26.33. However, this Jair was of that half tribe of Manaſſeh, that inhabited without Jordan, though he were raiſed to be Judge of all Iſrael; and doubtleſſe, one out of thoſe parts was purpoſely raiſed of God to be Judge, becauſe thoſe tribes without Jordan were to ſuffer ſo much in his dayes by the invaſion of the children of Ammon, verſ. 8. and therefore it was moſt ſit that he that was to be Judge, ſhould live amongſt them.
Verſ. 6. And the children of Iſrael did evil again in the ſight of the Lord, and ſerved Baalim, &c.] Concerning Baalim and Aſhtaroth, ſee the Notes, chap. 2.9, 13. The hainouſneſſe of the Apoſtacy of the Iſraelites at this time, above that of their forefathers is noted, firſt, by ſetting down not onelyonly generally that they worſhiped the idol-gods of the nations that were about them, Baalim and Aſhtaroth; but alſo particularly what a multitude of falſe gods they had now entertained, even the gods of all the nations about them, the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, the children of Ammon, and the Philiſtines, as indeed we find elſewhere, that theſe nations had for the moſt part ſome particular gods, as Rimmon was a god amongſt the Aſſyrians. 2. Kings 15.18. and Chemoſh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, 2. Kings 11.23. and Dagon the god of the Philiſtines, 1. Sam. 5.2. and ſecondly, that by degrees they did ſo wholly give themſelves to the worſhip of theſe falſe gods, that at length they quite laid by the worſhip of the true God in the Tabernacle built by Moſes, they forſook the Lord, and ſerved not him. When the Iſraelites began thus to Apoſtatize, it is not expreſſely ſaid, onelyonly thus much we may certainly conclude from the text, that though the death of Jair be mentioned in the verſe before, yet it was long before his death, even immediately after the death of Tola the former Judge; and that becauſe about foure years after this, Jair began to be Judge of Iſrael (through the juſt hand of God upon them for their idolatry) the Ammonites began their incurſions into their land, as is evident in the 8. verſe of this chapter.
Verſ. 7. And he ſold them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the children of Ammon.] So that they were invaded both on the eaſt and weſt; on the weſt by the Philiſtines, and on the eaſt by the children of Ammon, chap. 2.14.
Verſ. 8. And that year they vexed and oppreſſed the children of Iſrael: eighteen years, all the children of Iſrael that were on the other ſide Jordan, &c.] That is, the Ammonites having eighteen years before in the dayes of Jair oppreſſed the Iſraelites, by many incurſions and inrodes made upon them, and eſpecially thoſe tribes that lay without Jordan in the land of the Amorites, that year that jair died, they did again invade the land, and happely in a more ſore and greivous manner, then ever before did oppreſſe and cruſh the poore people in all parts of the kingdome; or elſe the meaning may be, that having eighteen years before by ſeverall incurſions oppreſſed the tribes without Jordan, that yeare that Jair died, encouraged by the death of their Judge, they began to vex and oppreſſe the Iſraelites in generall, even thoſe within Jordan alſo, as it is in the following verſe, Moreover the children of Ammon paſſed over Jordan, to ſight alſo againſt Judah and againſt Benjamin, and against the houſe of Ephraim, ſo that Iſrael was ſore diſtreſſed. However the eighteen years here mentioned, muſt neceſſarily be referred to the years of Jairs government, for that place 1. Kings 6.1. will not ſuffer the years of oppreſſion to be reckoned apart from the years of the Judges; as is before noted, chap. 3.11. and to the years following they cannot be referred, if we conſider, firſt, Iſraels repenting at preſent, verſ. 10. and verſ. 16. And the children of Iſrael cryed unto the Lord, ſaying, We have ſinned againſt thee, both becauſe we have forſaken our God, and alſo ſerved Baalim—And they put the strange gods from among them, and ſerved the Lord: and ſecondly, that Jephthah judged the people but ſix years, chap. 12.7. and did in the beginning of his government wholy vanquiſh the Ammonites, chap. 11.32, 33. and therefore in his time the people could not be under the oppreſſion of the Ammonites eighteen years.
Verſ. 11. And the Lord ſaid unto the children of Iſrael, &c.] To wit, either by an Angel, or by ſome Prophet, or perhaps by the high prieſt, who after enquirie made for them, returned this anſwer from the Lord; many deliverances are here mentioned which God had given them, which if they be not before particularly expreſſed, it is becauſe the Lord did many great things for them which are not written.
Verſ. 12. The Zidonians alſo, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites did oppreſſe you, &c.] We reade of a city called Maon, in the mountains of Judah, Joſh. 15.55. and of a wilderneſſe alſo ſo called, 1. Sam. 23.24. And they aroſe and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderneſſe of Maon. It is therefore likely that the Canaanites inhabiting there, or in the parts adjoyning, are here called Maonites.
Verſ. 13. Wherefore I will deliver you no more.] God ſpeaks here after the manner of men: the meaning is, that they deſerved no more help, and that he would deliver them no more, to wit, except they did truely repent and amend that which was amiſſe; for the condition of conditionall threatnings, is not alwayes expreſſed.
Verſ. 15. Do unto us whatſoever ſeemeth good unto thee, deliver us onelyonly we pray thee this day.] Thus, firſt, they acknowledged, that for their ſinnes God might juſtly deſtroy them: ſecondly, they did willingly ſtoop under his hand, and ſubmit themſelves to whatſoever he would do: and yet thirdly, they beſought the Lord, that if it might be, he would try them once more.
Verſ. 17. Then the children of Ammon were gathered together and encamped in Gilead.] That is, in the land of Gilead, as in verſ. 18. which they now claimed to belong to them, chap. 11. verſ. 13.
Verſ. 18. And the people and the Princes of Gilead ſaid one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight, &c.] Thus at firſt they proffered the principallitie of Gilead to any one that would undertake to lead them forth againſt the children of Ammon, till finding that no body would accept of it, they then ſent to Jephthah, as is related in the next chapter.