A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Commentary on the book of Judges · Chapter 8
Judges, CHAP. VIII.
JƲdges the Eighth hath for its Subject, the Manners, State, and Death of Gideon. Firſt, He is deſcribed by his Manners, and that is Two fold. (1.) For his Vertue. And (2.) For his Vice.
Firſt, His Vertue is Three-fold. (1.) His Prudence in pacifying the Ephraimites, ver. 1, 2, 3. (2.) His Juſtice and Severity both againſt the Citizens of Succoth and of Penuel, ver. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. where the Cauſe of his Threatning them, with (what he Threatned) is related, and the Execution thereof, ver. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. and againſt Zebah and Zalmunna, the Kings of Midian, whom he purſued, took and executed, ver. 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21. (3.) His Modeſty in refuſing Regal Honour, when it was tendred to him, ver. 22, 23.
Firſt, The Remarks upon Gideon's Vertues are,
Firſt, Great was Gideon's Prudence in appeaſing the Wrath of the Ephraimites, with a ſoft, meek, and humble Anſwer, which might have coſt Iſrael even a worſe War, a Civil Uncivil War, than this with the Midianites; had they not met with a Man of a milder Temper than themſelves; the Men of Ephraim (being a proud People, Iſa. 11.13. preferr'd above Manaſſeh's Tribe (whereof Gideon was) in Jacob's Patriarchal Bleſſing, Gen. 49.19, 20.) took it as an high affront in Gideon to them that he had not call'd them to his help againſt Midian, as well as the Tribes of Manaſſeh, Aſher and Zebulon, Judg. 6.34, 35. And for this ſlight they being pricked with Pride, from a Conceit of their Strength and Number, they then chide him ſharply, ver. 1. N. B. He pacifieth their furious Anger by a ſoft. gentte, and humble Anſwer, ver. 2, 3. According to Solomon's Saying, Prov. 17.1. and 25.15. the halians have a Proverb. [Duro con Duro non Fa' bon Muro.] Hard with hard, never makes good Wall: A Flint may be broke upon a Cuſhion, and the force of a Cannon Bullet may be ſmothered by a Wool-pack: Gideon threw Milk and not Oyl upon the flames of their Fury, which Jephtah would not do afterwards, Chap. 12. where thoſe proud Ephraimites meet with their Match with a Witneſs; but here mild Gideon hears high Words and hard Cenſures from thoſe Ambitious Accuſers, yet returns a ſmooth Anſwer, doing little leſs than aſcribe the Victory to them under God; who (he tells them) had given the Conquer'd Kings into their Hands, whereas he had but the Gleanings of the common Soldiers: Herewith (as well it might) their Anger was abated.
Here we may obſerve, That the moſt and firſt faulty are frequently moſt free and forward, and will be firſt in excepting and exclaiming: Gideon had more cauſe to ſay ſo to them, than they to him, [Why have ye ſerved me thus?] in coming no ſooner with your Aſſiſtance in the common Cauſe, and to help the Lord againſt the Mighty, for which neglect Meroz was Curſed, Judg. 5.23. And when Pride had begot Envy in Ephraim, which made them chide Gideon, [Bechazkah,] Hebr. in fortitudine, with much vehemency; they ſhould rather have Extoll'd him for his Valour, and Bleſſed God for his Victory; whereof, perhaps, thoſe Ephraimites (prick'd on with Pride and Envy) never thought on.
The Second Remark upon Gideon's Vertues, is,
Firſt, His Juſt Severity, and Act of Juſtice upon the Citizens of Succoth and Penuel: Gideon purſues the Remnant of the Midianites over Jordan, comes to Succoth (not that in Egypt. Numb. 33.5. Exod. 12.37. but that which Jacob call'd ſo, Gen. 33.17. Joſh. 13.27. and Pſal. 60.8.) in the Tribe of Gad, and gently requeſts of them, not like a Conquerour with his Commands, and not Arms, nor Dainties, but a little Bread▪ and not for himſelf, but for his Fellows and Followers, who were now faint with their Purſuit; and this he begg'd of Iſraelites too, who were themſelves Embark'd in the ſame bottom with him, and would have had their ſhare in his Conqueſts: All theſe made their Inhumanity to Gideon the groſſer, ver. 4, 5, 6. The Princes of Succoth do not only deny him ſo reaſonable a Requeſt, but alſo do ſcornfully Deride him, as Churliſh Nabal did David afterwards in the like caſe, 1 Sam. 25.10.11. Thoſe Proud Princes laugh at his fool hardy Undertaking; as if he with his Three Hundred faint and weary Soldiers were likely to Encounter and Conquer the two Kings of Midian with Fifteen Thouſand Men at their Heels, and withal they might fear, that Zeba and Zalmunna might recruit, and return upon them, (for all Gideon's weak and weary handful could work to hinder it) and revenge themſelves of Succoth for relieving their Enemies.
N. B. This Repulſe from Brethren, and Refuſal of ſuch an Act of Mercy, as is a common kindneſs to meer Strangers, moved not meek Gideon a little, as Nabal's Churliſhneſs, in the like kind, did moſt highly incenſe Holy David. Hereupon Gideon threatens them with moſt Severe and Juſt Revenge, for their Treacherous Deſerting the Common Cauſe of Iſrael, and for their favouring God's Enemies, who had ſo long Tyrannized over them, by this Act which they did in ſuch a Proud, Scornful and Contemptible manner, ver. 7. And Penuel giving Gideon no better a Treat, but rather worſe, for they having a ſtrong Tower in which they truſted, and which they probably pointed at to ſhew it Gideon, not only their Rulers, as at Succoth, but even the Common People alſo, gave the like Scornful Taunt to him; whereupon he threatned them with the ſame Severity, and with Demoliſhing of their Tower (wherein they placed their confidence) into the bargain, ver. 8, 9. And Gideon was as good as his word, for that very night he Conquers the Kings of Midian, and early next Morning he comes to execute upon Succoth (before they could hear of his Victory, to ſhut their Gates againſt him) what he had threatned for their upbraiding him, &c. ver. 13, 14. And becauſe this Juſt Man would not puniſh the Innocent with the Guilty, therefore learns he the Names of thoſe Proud Princes and Elders of the City, that had ſo ſinn'd both againſt God and againſt Man, and finding them to be Threeſcore and Seventeen, he taught them better Manners than to be ſo Barbarous to their weak any weary Brethren, and tore them with Thorns, and tortured them till they died; and he ſlew the Men of Penuel, who had been equally guilty with the Elders of Succoth, and therefore their Puniſhment muſt be alike Capital in both: Only the Tower of Penuel was beaten down, becauſe it was the ground of their Confidence, or rather Impudence in ſcorning Gideon, ver. 15, 16, 17.
The Second Act of Juſtice Gideon executed, was upon Zeba and Zalmunna, the two Kings of Midian (after Ephraim had executed the other two, Oreb and Zeeb, and brought their Heads to him, Judg. 7.25.) for Midian had many Kings, we read of Five Kings of Midian in Moſes's time, Numb. 31.8. Thoſe two Kings Gideon purſues after his firſt Nights Conqueſt, keeps no common Road with his Three Hundred weak and weary Men, but went by the way of them that dwelt in Tents.] ver. 10, 11. Among whom probably he might meet with better Succour than he had at Succoth and Penuel; however God ſtrengthened his Men for what he call'd them unto: This Demonſtrates that God had qualified Gideon with much Dexterity in Military Matters, and with excellent skill in improving Politick Stratagems: He had no due to Hannibal's Character, Vincere ſcis Hannibal, uti Victoriâ neſcis.
Gideon knew better (than he) both how to win, and how to wear a Victory: More like this brave General was to Julius Caeſar, of whom Lucian ſaith, [Nil Actum Credens, dum quid Supereſſet agendum.] He thought nothing was done, while any thing remained that was yet undone: Gideon accordingly well knew, that now was his time, and he took it without delay to compleat his Victory, while the Conſternation of the laſt Nights Conqueſt continued upon that odd eſcaped Remnant, which yet were at this time grown ſecure, and laid down to ſleep, being wearied with their haſty Flight all the Day before, and never expecting that Gideon could purſue them, when got ſo far from the place of the laſt Nights Battel, and ſo near their own Countrey, without reſting his Army ſome part of that day, being ſo tired with their hard Service, and their great Slaughter, therefore is it ſaid, [the Hoſt was ſecure,] ver. 11. And therefore was it that Gideon then aſſaulted them in the very next Night of their Security; well knowing, not only that the weakneſs of his Army appeared not to the Enemy by Night, which Day-light would have diſcovered, and ſo have encourag'd them to have waged War againſt them; but alſo, becauſe the terrour of the laſt Nights Defeat ſtill lay with force upon them; ſo Gideon fetch'd a compaſs, and falls upon them on the East-ſide of their Army where they never feared an Enemy, and their Security uſher'd in their Deſtruction: The like Cry being now likely made on their ſecond Onſet, [the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon.] This affrighted them the more, becauſe of its ſad effects the Night before. Gideon ſmote the Hoſt, takes the two Kings Captive, and returns early next Morning to Succoth, as before, ver. 12, 13. And now he brings Zeba, and Zalmunna (after he had ſhewed them, as his Capitves to Succoth and Penuel, who had upbraided him with them, that they were not yet in his Hands) to be Judged by the General, according to Martial Law.
N. B. And in order hereunto he asks them, [What manner of Men were they, whom ye ſlew at Tabor?] in which Mount many Iſraelites hid themſelves at the Midianites Inroad and Invaſion, Judg 6.2. and ſome of them were found out in their Holes and Holds and were ſlain there, whom Gideon ſuſpected might be his Brethren, becauſe he miſſed them, and could hear no Tidings of them, therefore he makes Enquiry, [What was the Outward Shape and Quality of thoſe Men, whom they ſlew at that Mount?] The two Captive Kings anſwered him, That they were like [Beni Hammelech] Hebr. the Children of a King, brave portly Men, and of a Majeſtick Carriage and Countenance, ver. 18. By this Deſcription of theirs (which was only to Ingratiate themſelves with the Conquerour) Gideon plainly underſtood, that the Men Murthered by thoſe Kings of Midian, were his Brethren, whom he knew to have a ſtately Comportment like himſelf, though all of them were of a mean Family, Judg. 6.14, 15. Hereupon Gideon paſſeth Sentence upon them, That both of them ſhould Die, ver. 19. making their Murther the moving Cauſe thereof: Seeing his Brethren's Beauty had not moved them to no more Lenity, but ſo barbarouſly to Butcher them in cold Blood; therefore he was by the Law, Deut. 19.6, 12. the avenger of their Blood: Otherwiſe thoſe Kings being not Canaanites, he was not obliged to kill them, unleſs by that Law, Numb. 31.2, 3.
Now though Gideon had found out a moving Cauſe, yet wants he an Inſtrumental Cauſe to kill thoſe two Captive and Condemned Kings: Hereupon he calls forth Jether his Firſt-born, (and ſo the beginning of his Strength, Gen. 49.4.) to be his Executioner, ver. 20. This Commiſſion he gave his Son both to animate him in the uſe of his Arms againſt God's Enemies, and to Inure him in Manly Warlike work from his Youth, as likewiſe to make him have ſome ſhare with himſelf in the Honour of the Victory: Thus Joſhua had Honoured his Captains, Joſh. 10.24. But Jether, not from any neglect of his Father's Command, but meerly from his own Youthful fear, refuſed the Office.
N. B. Note well, Firſt, The two Kings were glad of their not Dying by the Hands of a Boy; which, as it was more Ignominious and Diſhonourable to Die by ſuch an Hand, ſo it would put them to more torment, before the weak hand of a Boy could haggle them to Death; therefore they deſire Gideon to diſpatch them himſelf, ver. 12. looking upon it both more eaſie and Honourable to Die by the Hands of a Valiant Man like themſelves, who were likely, of a tall Stature, of a fierce Countenance, and of an Undaunted Magnanimous Diſpoſition, (which might well affright Young Jether to fall upon them) as appeareth by their not fearing to Die at all, ſo they might but Die by Noble Hands.
N. B. Note well, Secondly, And this is not always the Sign of a good Cauſe, and of a good Conſcience, for the Old Roman Spirit hath oft bid defiance to Death; and the like Fool-hardy Frame hath been found in the Devil's Martyrs in our Days.
The Third Vertue that Gideon is commended for here, is his Modeſty and Humility in refuſing that Regal Honour which the Iſraelites would have conferr'd upon him, as well as offer'd it to him, as a Reward of his Glorious and Miraculous Deliverance he had wrought for them, ver. 22, 23. wherein they requeſted his Compliance to have an Hereditary Kingdom ſettl'd upon himſelf and upon his Family. This was ſo fair an offer, as few would have refuſed to be King of the Land, which was more than to be a Judge, extraordinarily called only, and guided by the Sanedrim; but here Abſolute Power is tendered to him, and God needed not be conſulted about his Succeſſor, for the Crown muſt be ſetled upon his Son, and upon his Son's Son for ever. Here Gideon's humble and modeſt Refuſal is highly commendable; ſaying, [Neither I, nor my Son, but the Lord ſhall Rule over you] As he hath hitherto done in a ſpecial manner by Judges, whom he hath particularly appointed, and directed by Ʋrim and Thummim, and hath wonderfully aſſiſted in many former Marvelous Deliverances; therefore I will not take upon me the Place and Power of a King, over God's People, nor entail it upon my Sons after me, but the Regal Rights ſhall yet (for all me and mine) remain ſtill in God's Hand, until he be pleaſed to alter the Government himſelf according to his Promiſe, Deut. 17 14, 15. So that upon this ground did Gideon refuſe their offer of Kingſhip, (after which it ſeems Iſrael had an early Itch long before Saul) becauſe he knew it entrenched upon God's Royal Prerogative; and had he accepted of their Electing him King, this would have been no leſs than their Rejecting of God, for God's Raigning over them, as it is expreſly ſaid, 1 Sam. 8.6, 7. and 12.12. for then God had not continued to be own'd as the Special King of the Hebrews, but only as a General Lord over them, as he is over all other Nations of the World; and this odious Itch after Kingly Government (which now only exerted it ſelf, without any conſulting with God about it) did powerfully break forth in Saul and Samuel's Day.
Now having ſhewed in the firſt place Gideon's Threefold Vertue, take a View of his Vice in the ſecond place, ver. 24, 25, 26, 27. No doubt but Gideon was a good Man; becauſe.
Firſt, He ſtands Inrolled among the Saints of the greateſt Magnitude, Heb. 11.32.
Secondly, He is ſaid to die in a good Old Age ver. 32. here, as Abraham is ſaid to do, Gen. 25.8. And,
Thirdly, He kept Iſrael by his good Conduct all his Days, from that Horrible Apoſtacy and Idolatry they backſlided into aſſoon as he was dead, ver. 33. here. N.B. Yet was he not perfectly a good Man, but this piece of Ambition and Vain-Glory was found in him, that he muſt make ſome laſting Monument of his Miraculous Victory, without any Warrant (we read of) from God for ſo doing; For here Gideon begs one Golden Ear-ring, a Man which they had taken in the Spoils from the Iſhmalites (as the Midianites were promiſcuouſly called, Gen. 37.25, 28, 36.) this was eaſily granted to him, who had juſt now refuſed a Crown and Kingdom: Their Gold Ear-rings came tumbling in abundantly to the weight of one Thouſand and Seven Hundred Shekels of Gold, beſides the Collars (like the Moon) about their Camels Necks, which he took, ver. 21. of ſome part hereof he made an Ephod, probably with a good Intention for God's Glory; this might make it the more excuſable, but ſtill a good Aim alone, cannot make a good Action; Peter had a good Aim in cutting off the Ear of Malchus, and Paul Aimed at God's good Service, while he perſecuted his Church, and this Act caſts an Aſperſion here upon all his former Acts, and ſeems to be added here to ſtain the Glory of them, if not to Stigmatize the Act it ſelf; however the Iſſue and Event of it doth intimate no leſs.
Firſt, As to the Act. (1.) An Ephod ſeems to be much leſs congruous for a Monument of Victory, than his Erecting of a Pillar would have been as Samuel did, 1 Sam. 7.12. &c. (2.) Nor was it lawful to ſet up an Ephod in Ophrah, (though God had indulg'd him upon an Emergency to build an Altar there, Judg. 6.26. So he might preſume to grace his Altar (without Divine Direction) with an Ephod, ſeeing an Ephod was proper only for the Tabernacle then in Shilo, and for the uſe of the High-Prieſt.
Secondly, As to the Event of it, Gideon gave the occaſion hereby of Iſrael's Will-Worſhip, Superſtition and Idolatry after his Death, unto which he knew they were ſo naturally and generally addicted, nor was it only a Stumbling-block to the People, but it became likewiſe a Snare to his own Family; for this was the cauſe which moved God to ſuffer ſo many Tragical Stories befalling his Poſterity after his Death, whereof the next Chapter, Chap. 9. giveth a moſt ſad account.
The Second Branch of Gideon's Deſcription (after that of his Manners, Vertuous and Vitious) is his double State and Fortune.
Firſt, Publick, in procuring Peace to Iſrael for Forty Years, ver. 28, 29. Reckoning them from the Death of Deborah; the Country was quiet from the noiſe of War, no Clamours of Soldiers, no claſhing of Weapons, no ſounding of Trumpets, with any Alarms for Battles, no loud Acclamations from the Conquerors, nor ſad Exclamations of the Conquered, or wounded Captives, &c. Every Man ſat under his own Vine, and drank under his own Fig-tree, and there was none to make them afraid: This was a tranſcendent Favour of God, after Seven Years Slavery, had it been well improved by Man: Midian was ſo ſubdued, they could never make head again, and though Gideon went and dwelt in his own Houſe, yet was it not privately in his Father's Houſe, as he did before, nor ſo publickly as a King in his Court, as the People deſired, but in a middle State as a Judge, for the preſervation of their Religion and Liberties to his Dying Day, as is intimated, ver. 33.
Secondly, His Private Capacity: Wherein God bleſs'd him with Threeſcore and Ten Sons all lawfully begotten by his Body, and none of them Adopted only, ver. 30. and he had one Son by his Concubine, who moved him to call his Name Abimelech, which ſignifies [my Father the King,] probably out of her Pride, and out of deſign to have him a King, though his Father had refuſed it, ver. 31. That deſign breaks forth in the next Chapter. This Eighth Chapter cloſes up with the Third Branch of Gideon's Deſcription, to wit, his Death and Burial, and Iſrael's Horrible Apoſtacy after it, ver. 32, 33, 34, 35. Their Piety died with Gideon.