Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, Judges · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Verſ. 2. ONelyOnly that the generation of the children of Iſrael might know to teach them warre, &c.] Two reaſons were given in the latter end of the foregoing chapter, why the Lord did not wholly caſt out the Canaanites out of the land in the dayes of Joſhua, and here now a third is added. Some conceive indeed the meaning of this clauſe to be this, that by leaving the Canaanites amongſt them, God would now let this wicked generation know to their coſt what warre is; their fathers, by the extraordinary help which the Lord afforded them, did ſoon vanquiſh their enemies, and knew not the miſery that warre uſually brings with it, but this their degenerate poſterity, being now forſaken of God, ſhould know to their ſorrow what warre is. But according to our tranſlation, I conceive the meaning of the words to be rather this, that God left theſe inhabitants of the land unexpelled, that the future generations might hereby be made carefull to train up their people in martiall diſcipline, that ſo they might be the better able to perform what God had enjoyned them, in not ſuffering any of the Canaanites to remain in the the land. And this it is, I conceive, that in theſe words the holy Ghoſt doth chiefly aim at, not ſo much their teaching the people the skill of the warre, as their intention therein, to wit, that they might obey the Lords command in driving out the remainder of this people.
Verſ. 3. Namely, five Lords of the Philiſtines, &c.] Here the nations are reckoned that were not caſt out of Canaan; and the firſt mentioned are the five Lords of the Philiſtines, to wit, the Lords of Aſhdod, Gaza, Askelon, Gath, and Ekron; indeed three of theſe cities were at firſt taken by the men of Judah after the death of Joſhua, to wit, Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron; but it ſeems the Philiſtines ſoon recovered them again. See chap. 1.18.
Verſ. 5. And the children of Iſrael dwelt amongſt the Canaanites, &c.] from the eleventh verſe of the foregoing chapter unto this place, we have had a ſummary deſcription of the ſtate of Iſrael in the dayes of the Judges; and here now the Authour of this ſtory enters upon the particular ſtory of Othniel, the firſt of the Judges, telling us in the firſt place what their ſinnes were that brought them into that bondage, out of which Othniel delivered them.
Verſ. 7. And ſerved Baalim and the groves.] That is, the idols which they ſet up and worſhipped in the groves.
Verſ. 8. And he ſold them into the hand of Cuſhan-riſhathaim king of Meſopotamia.] See the note chap. 2.14.
And the children of Iſrael ſerved Cuſhan-riſhathaim eight years.] It ſeems to me evident, that for ſome years after the death of Joſhua the people continued conſtant in the worſhip of the true God, chap. 2.7. And the people ſerved the Lord all the dayes of Joſhua, and all the dayes of the Elders that out-lived Joſhua, &c. and doubtleſſe ſome few years it was after they fell to idolatry ere God ſold them into the hand of this king of Meſopotamia; and therefore how long after the death of Joſhua theſe eight years began, of Iſraels bondage under the king of Meſopotamia, we cannot ſay.
Verſ. 9. And when the children of Iſrael cryed unto the Lord, the Lord raiſed up a deliverer, &c.] The word in the Hebrew ſignifieth a ſaviour, but thereby is meant, one that delivered them from the bondage they were in, and this was Othniel, who was the ſonne of Calebs brother, and withall his ſonne in law, as being married to Achſah his daughter, chap. 1.13. for that noble exploit of his in taking Debir; and this was the honour of the children of Judah, that the firſt judge after Joſhua, was of their tribe, the Lord therein making good that prophecy of Jacob, Gen. 49.8. Judah thou art he whom thy Brethren ſhall praiſe, thine hand ſhall be in the neck of thine enemies, thy fathers children ſhall bow down before thee. Many hold that Othniel became Judge of Iſrael immediately after the death of Joſhua; but me thinks it is clear in this place that it was not till towards the end of the eight years of Iſraels bondage under Cuſhan-riſhathaim king of Meſopotamia; for it is ſaid, that then the children of Iſrael cryed unto the Lord, and thereupon God raiſed up Othniel to be a deliverer, that is, God did then, by a ſpeciall inſtinct of his Spirit, ſtirre him up to make warre againſt this tyrant, for the deliverance of his people, and furniſhed him with all neceſſary gifts and graces of his Spirit, both for the vanquiſhing of the enemie, and for the government of the people, which it ſeems upon this occaſion he took upon him. But yet, if Othniel took Debir, and thereupon married Calebs daughter whilſt Joſhua was yet living, as many Expoſitours hold he did, hereby we may probably gather, that it was not many years after Joſhuas death ere the Iſraelites were thus oppreſſed by this king, and ſo thereupon Othniel was raiſed up of God to be their Judge.
Verſ. 10. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him.] That is, God by his Spirit did poure forth upon him an extraordinary meaſure of all gifts requiſite for the ſervice he was to undertake; and withall, did ſecretly but mightily work upon his ſpirit, in moving him to undertake that ſervice for which he had fitted him.
Verſ. 11. And the land had reſt fourty years.] That is, unto the expiration of fourty years, to wit, from the death of Joſhua. It is a great queſtion amongſt Expoſitours, whether the years wherein the Iſraelites are ſaid in this book to have been in bondage under thoſe nations that prevailed over them, and the years wherein the Judges are here ſaid to have judged Iſrael, and wherein the land is ſaid to have been in reſt, are to be accounted as ſeverall diſtinct years, or no; and ſo it is in this particular place, ſome holding that the land had reſt fourty years under Othniels government, after thoſe eight years wherein the king of Meſopotamia had tyrannized over them, and others holding that both the eight years of the bondage of Iſrael under Cuſhan-riſhathaim, and the foregoing years wherein the Iſraelites lived without a Judge, under the joynt-government of their Elders, and had not yet by their ſinnes brought themſelves into bondage, are to be all comprehended under the fourty years here mentioned; and indeed theſe laſt I conceive are in the right, unqueſtionably, as may be thus made evident. It is expreſſely ſaid, that from the Iſraelites going out of Egypt, to the building of the Temple in the fourth yeare of Solomons reigne, there were but four hundred and eighty years, 1. Kings 6.1. And it came to paſſe in the foure hundred and fourſcore yeare, after the children of Iſrael were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth yeare of Solomons reigne, &c. that he began to build the houſe of the Lord. Now firſt, if to the fourty years of the children of Iſraels wandring in the wilderneſſe, and the ſeventeen years of Joſhua, we adde the ſeverall years of Iſraels bondage mentioned in this book of Judges: and ſecondly, the years wherein the land is ſaid to have reſted: and thirdly, the ſeverall years of the Judges from Abimelech to Eli: and fourthly, the years of Eli, Samuel, and David, we muſt ſay then, that there were well nigh ſix hundred years from the Iſraelites going out of Egypt, to the building of the Temple in the fourth year of Solomons reigne, (yea though we allow no time of diſtance between the death of Joſhua and the eight years of Cuſhan-riſhathaims tyranny, which would be abſurd) and this cannot ſtand with that place, 1. Kings 6.1. Beſides, in one place of this book it is plain, that the years of the Judges are confounded with thoſe of the enemies oppreſſing the land, namely, chap. 15.20. where it is ſaid of Samſon, that he judged Iſrael in the dayes of the Philistines twenty years, and why therefore may it not be ſo with the other Judges too? I make no queſtion therefore, but under the fourty years here mentioned, And the land had reſt fourty years, we muſt comprehend both the eight years of Iſraels bondage under the king of Meſopotamia, and all the years before that bondage of the Iſraelites, even from the death of Joſhua. The main objection againſt this is, how the land can be ſaid to have reſted fourty years, if part of thoſe fourty years it was waſted with war, and the people held under a miſerable bondage? But to this I anſwer, 1. That it is not unuſuall in the Scripture to denominate a full number of years, from that which is properly true onelyonly of the greater part of that number, as we ſee Gen. 35.26. where after the naming of the twelve ſonnes of Jacob, this clauſe is added, Theſe are the ſonnes of Jacob that were born to him in Padan-Aram, and yet Benjamin is mentioned amongſt them, who was not born in Padan-Aram, but in the land of Canaan; and ſo likewiſe, Acts 7.14. where it is ſaid, that Joſeph ſent and called his father and all his kindred, threeſcore and fifteen ſouls, and yet indeed there went but threſcore and tenne of them at that time into Egypt, Gen. 46.27. and ſo again, Exod. 12.40. where it ſaid, that the ſojourning of the children of Iſrael, who dwelt in Egypt, was foure hundred and thirty years, and yet they were not in Egypt above two hundred and fifteen years. And 2. that the meaning of theſe words, And the land had reſt fourty years, may be, that the land had reſt unto the end of fourty years, to wit, counting the fourty years from the death of Joſhua to the death of Othniel; and ſo indeed Junius tranſlates theſe words uſque ad quadrageſimum annune, unto the expiration of fourty years, for ſo the like expreſſion we find, chap. 14.17. where it is ſaid of Samſons wife, that ſhe wept before him the ſeven dayes while the feaſt lasted, and yet the meaning is onelyonly, that ſhe wept to the ending of thoſe ſeven dayes, to wit, from the time he refuſed to tell her the meaning of his riddle.
Verſ. 12. And the Lord ſtrengthened Eglon the King of Moab againſt Iſrael, &c.] That is, he gave him courage and ſtrength to invade Iſrael, and proſpered his attempts againſt them, whereas otherwiſe happely they would have been afraid to meddle with a people that had been ſo victorious.
Verſ. 13. And went and ſmote Iſrael, and poſſeſſed the city of palm-trees.] That is, Jericho, Deut. 34.3. Jericho was indeed wholly burnt by the Iſraelites, Joſh. 6.24. and was not rebuilt till Ahabs dayes, 1. Kings 16.43. but the meaning therefore is, that this Eglon King of Moab, having vanquiſhed the Iſraelites in battell, poſſeſſed himſelf of the land and territory thereabouts where the city Jericho formerly ſtood; and either built ſome ſtrong fort there, or poſſeſſed himſelf of ſome fort that might he there before, and that to the end he might have the command of the foords of Jordan, both becauſe there was the paſſage over towards his own countrey the land of Moab; and becauſe by this means he ſhould be the better able to keep the Iſraelites within Jordan, and thoſe without, from joyning their forces together againſt him: and hence it was, that when Ehud began to raiſe the countrey againſt the Moabites, after he had ſlain Eglon their king, the firſt thing they did was to take the foords of Jordan, verſ. 28. They went down after him, and took the foords of Jordan towards Moab, and ſuffered not a man to paſſe over.
Verſ. 14. So the children of Iſrael ſerved Eglon King of Moab eighteen years.] How long it was after the death of Othniel ere theſe eighteen years of the Iſraelites bondage under Eglon began, it is not expreſſed; onelyonly this is clear, that firſt the Iſraelites revolted to idolatry after Othniels death, and then the Lord brought Eglon againſt them for it. However, obſervable it is, that whereas their firſt bondage under Cuſhan-riſhathaim king of Meſopotamia continued but eight years, ver. 8. this next under Eglon continued eighteen years; and ſo the next too after that under Jabin king of Canaan, continued twenty years, chap. 4.3. Twenty years he mightily oppreſſed the children of Iſrael: and thus when lighter corrections did no good the next were ſorer and of longer continuance; and becauſe they abuſed Gods readineſſe to repent and withdraw his hand when they cried unto him, he continued the next judgements the longer upon them.
Verſ. 15. The Lord raiſed them up a deliverer, Ehud the ſonne of Gera, a Benjamite, a man left-handed.] Some conceive, that this laſt particular of his being left-handed, is purpoſely expreſſed, to intimate by what weak means and diſpiſed inſtruments God is wont many times to effect his greateſt works; but becauſe it is generally held, that no men are ordinarily more able and ſtrong and fit for any ſervice then left-handed men, (whence it is noted, chap. 20.16. that amongſt the children of Benjamin there were ſeven hundred choſen men left-handed, every one could ſling ſtones at an hairs breadth, and not miſſe,) therefore I conceive that this is here noted of Ehud, the ſecond judge that God raiſed to the Iſraelites, to imply rather the fitneſſe of the inſtrument whom God choſe for this ſervice of killing Eglon, to wit, in that the ſtroke of ſuch men is far the more harder either eſpied or guarded. When Ehud began firſt to be judge of Iſrael, it is not expreſſed: Some conceive that Ehud was judge immediately after Othniels death, and that he was their judge both in the time of their apoſtaſie after Othniels death, and likewiſe all the eighteen years that the Iſraelites were in bondage under Eglon king of Moab; and whereas it is here ſaid, that when the children of Iſrael cryed unto the Lord, the Lord raiſed them up a deliverer, Ehud the ſonne of Gera; they take the meaning hereof to be onelyonly this, that God raiſed up the ſpirit of Ehud their judge, to undertake the deliverance of the Iſraelites from their bondage, and not that he was then firſt raiſed to be their judge. But methinks, according to the plain order of the words, it ſhould rather ſeem that upon the crying of the Iſraelites to the Lord, when they had been eighteen years under the bondage of Eglon, the Lord ſtirred him up to undertake their deliverance; and thereupon afterwards he became their judge.
And by him the children of Iſrael ſent a preſent unto Eglon king of Moab.] Which Ehud embraced as a fit opportunity for the killing of Eglon, becauſe it would make him to be the leſſe ſuſpected.
Verſ. 16. But Ehud made him a dagger (which had two edges) of a cubit length, and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.] Having reſolved with himſelf to kill Eglon, he provided him a dagger accordingly; concerning which it is noted, 1. That it had two edges, that it might peirce the more readily, and make the more deadly wound. 2. That it was but of a cubit length, to wit, that it might be the better carried unſeen under his garment. and 3. That he did gird it upon his right thigh, namely for the conveniency of drawing it forth with his left hand; as for the ſame reaſon thoſe that are right-handed uſe alwayes to wear their weapons on their left ſide.
Verſ. 17. And Eglon was a very fat man.] This is expreſſed to intimate, that hereby Ehud had the better advantage to do what he intended; for being ſuch a corpulent and unwieldy man, he was the leſſe able to decline the ſtroke which Ehud gave him; and beſides the wound was like to be the more deadly.
Verſ. 18. And when he had made an end of offering the preſent, he ſent away the people that bare the preſent.] Theſe words, he ſent away the people, may imply the greatneſſe of the preſent, becauſe there were ſo many to bear it to the king: he ſent them away before he would do the act he intended (going himſelf along with them till he came to Gilgal, and then returning again) both that being alone he might the more conveniently accompliſh his deſigne, and alſo that they might be out of danger, and himſelf not be incumbred with care for them, when he was to ſlie for his life.
Verſ. 19. But he himſelf turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and ſaid, I have a ſecret errand to thee, O king.] The word tranſlated quarries, may alſo be traſlated graven images, as it is in the margine of our bibles; and indeed it might well be that this Moabitiſh king had ſet up certain idols in Gilgal, either to vex the Iſraelites therewith, (who happely eſteemed Gilgal the more, becauſe there their forefathers had been circumciſed, and there the Tabernacle was for many years together,) or elſe that the Iſraelites might be wonne to worſhip them; or elſe by way of honouring his idol-gods, as it were teſtifying hereby, that by their help he had entred ſucceſſefully upon the land of Iſrael; and then the mention that is here made of theſe images may be, to intimate one reaſon amongſt other, wherewith God ſtirred the ſpirit of Ehud againſt Eglon, namely, becauſe he had ſet up his idol-gods in the land of Iſrael. But if we reade the word as it is in our bibles, quarries, that is, pits out of which they cut hewed ſtones for their buildings, then doubtleſſe the drift of this clauſe is onelyonly to ſhew how far Ehud went back with thoſe that went with him, before he returned again to the king of Moab. As for thoſe firſt words which he ſpake to Eglon when he came back to him, I have a ſecret errand to thee, O king, it might be truly ſaid in relation to that which he had to do; an errand he had which was to be delivered to him in ſecret, though not by word of mouth, but by the ſtroke of his dagger; and it was from God from whom he had his commiſſion. Yet ſurely Ehud intended that Eglon ſhould underſtand him ſo, as if in his return home he had been ſent back with ſome meſſage of great ſecreſie, which he was now come back to deliver. Neither yet can we ſay that Ehud did evil in this his diſſembling with Eglon, and that becauſe he had no doubt his call and warrant from God for what he did.
Who ſaid, Keep ſilence, &c.] That is, he bad Ehud forbear delivering his errand, till his ſervants and attendants were gone out of the room.
Verſ. 20. And he was ſitting in a ſummer parlour, which he had for himſelf alone.] That is, wherein Eglon uſed to be private by himſelf; which is added, that it may not ſeem ſtrange that his ſervants waited ſo long without after Ehud was gone, it was becauſe it was a room wherein he uſed ordinarily to be alone by himſelf.
And Ehud ſaid, I have a meſſage from God unto thee. And he aroſe out of his ſeat.] Ehud had told the king before, ver. 19. that he had a ſecret errand unto him, (concerning which ſee the note there:) now he addes that the meſſage he brought him was from God, partly perhaps that being aſtoniſhed with that word, he might take the leſſe heed to the drawing out of his dagger; but eſpecially no doubt, becauſe whilſt the king was ſitting he could not ſo certainly give him ſuch a ſure and deadly wound with one ſtroke as he deſired to do; and he hoped that at the mention of a meſſage from God, either out of aſtoniſhment or in reverence to God, from whom the meſſage was brought, he would not fail to ariſe out of his ſeat; as indeed it proved, And he aroſe, ſaith the Text, out of his ſeat. So far did thoſe blind ſuperſtitious heathens reverence the very name of God, that though Eglon was a king, and withall a groſſe unweildy man, yet hearing of a meſſage from God, he aroſe out of his ſeat.
Verſ. 21. And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger, &c.] Ehud was extraordinarily called of God to do this, verſ. 15. When the children of Iſrael cryed unto the Lord, the Lord raiſed them up a deliverer, Ehud the ſonne of Gera, a man left-handed. Nor is this therefore any warrant for the aſſaſſination of Princes, though tyrants and oppreſſours of the people.
Verſ. 22. And the dirt came out.] It is rendred in the margine of our bibles, It came out at the fundament, thereby meaning, that he ſtruck with ſuch ſtrength that the dagger that went in at his belly, came out behind at his fundament; but becauſe the dagger was but of a cubit length, verſ. 16. and the king was ſuch a fat groſſe man, I rather think that it is better tranſlated as it is in our text, that the dirt came out, meaning his excrements; for though this be uſuall with men that die any violent death, yet I conceive it is noted here to the reproch of this tyrant, who by the juſt judgement of God was now left tumbling in his own dung, that had ſo many years oppreſſed the people of God.
Verſ. 23. Then Ehud went forth through the porch.] This his going out the way that he came is expreſſed, to note the compoſedneſſe of his ſpirit after this that he had done; as one that knew well that he had done nothing but what was pleaſing to God, & that having done nothing but what God had called him to do, God would ſecure and ſhield him in his way, he went quietly through the kings guard and other ſervants, not diſcovering in his countenance the leaſt diſquiet or perplexitie of mind.
And ſhut the doores of the parlour upon him, and locked them.] That is, he pulled too the doore and locked it, to wit, either by clapping too the doore, as ſpring-locks uſe to ſhut, or with the key which he might carry away with him: for that which is ſaid verſ. 25. may be meant of another key which the kings ſervants might have in their keeping; and this he did that whilſt his ſervants waited long for the opening the doore, he might have the more time to eſcape away, before they came to know their maſter was ſlain: as we ſee it fell out, verſ. 26. And Ehud eſcaped while they tarried, and paſſed beyond the quarries, and eſcaped unto Seirath.
Verſ. 24. They ſaid, Surely he covereth his feet in his ſummer chamber.] Or, he doth his eaſement, as it is in the margine: the long garments which the Hebrews wore looſe about them, when they ſunck down with their bodies to the ground for that purpoſe, covered their feet: and hence is this phraſe, ſurely he covereth his feet: and again, 1. Sam. 24.3. And he came to the ſheep-cotes by the way where was a cave, and Saul went in to cover his feet. Yet there is another expoſition of this phraſe, Surely he covereth his feet in his ſummer chamber, that is, ſurely he hath laid himſelf down to ſleep in his ſummer chamber; and many reaſons move me to approve of this rather then the former, though the whole current of Expoſitours take the former to be unqueſtionably the meaning of the words: For firſt, it is moſt probable that the kings ſummer chamber was a place where he uſed ſometimes in the daytime to lay himſelf down to reſt a while: ſecondly, there was more reaſon why his ſervants ſhould wait long for the opening of his doors (as it is ſaid they did, verſ. 25. even till they were aſhamed) out of an opinion that he was laid to ſleep in his ſummer chamber, then out of opinion that he was all that while eaſing himſelf: thirdly, the reaſon given why it ſhould be ſaid of him that in eaſing himſelf he covereth his feet, to wit, becauſe in doing that, as they ſunk down with their bodies their long garments covered their feet, ſeems farre more forced, then that which is given why thoſe that are laid down to ſleep in the day time, ſhould be ſaid to cover their feet; to wit, becauſe they uſed to caſt ſome covering over their feet when they laid themſelves down to ſleep, and went not into a bed, whence it is ſaid of Ruth when ſhe went to lie down by Boaz, as he lay ſleeping at the end of his heap of corn, Ruth 3.7. that ſhe uncovered his feet, and laid her down: and fourthly, becauſe where the ſame phraſe is uſed in ſpeaking of Sauls going into a cave where David and his men were, 1. Sam. 24.3. Saul went in to cover his feet; it may beſt of all be underſtood that Saul went in to lie down and ſleep there for a while, becauſe it is hard to ſay how David ſhould there cut off the skirt of his robe and not be perceived, if he had not been aſleep.
Verſ. 25. And they tarried till they were aſhamed.] That is, till they were aſhamed they had tarried ſo long, or that they were ſo perplexed that they knew not what to think or ſay or do.
Verſ. 30. And the land had reſt fourſcore years.] That is, to the end of fourſcore years, to wit, from the death of Othniel. See the note above, verſe 11.
Verſ. 31. And after him▪ as Shamgar the ſonne of Anath, which ſlew of the Philiſtines ſix hundred men with an ox-goad.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, with ox-goads; for conceiving it improbable that one man with an ox-goad ſhould ſlay ſo many hundred Philiſtines, they hold the meaning of this clauſe to be onelyonly this, that the Philiſtines making ſome in road into the land of the Iſraelites, Shamgar did on a ſudden raiſe the countrey thereabouts, & that they having no other arms did with their ox-goads ſet upon the Philiſtines & ſlew ſix hundred of them; but becauſe it is not probable that the Iſraelites that bordered upon the Philiſtines ſhould be thus unprovided of arms, nor is it any more incredible that Shamgar ſhould make ſuch a havock amongſt the Philiſtines with an ox-goad, then that Sampſon ſhould do the like with the jawbone of an aſſe, therefore I rather think that as the letter of text runnes, Shamgar by the wondrous help of God did alone perform this admirable exploit. It is not expreſſed whether Shamgar judged Iſrael or no, yet becauſe it is ſaid And after him was Shamgar the ſonne of Anath, therefore it is commonly held that he was the next Judge after Ehud: onelyonly they ſay it was but for a very ſhort time, and thence it is that there is no mention of the lands reſting under him, and the ſtory of Deborah in the following chapter begins as if ſhe were the next after Ehud, there being no mention made there of Shamgar at all, verſ. 1. And the children of Iſrael did evill in the ſight of the Lord when Ehud was dead. However this miraculous deliverence which he wrought for the Iſraelites was certainly after Ehuds death, for then, it ſeems, the people returned to their former ſinnes, and the Lord ſuffered the Philiſtines thereupon to invade the land, but then he alſo delivered them miraculouſly by this worthy, till finding that they would not be warned by theſe things he ſold them into the hands of Jabin, as it is expreſſed in the following chapter.