A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Commentary on the book of Judges · Chapter 10
Judges CHAP. X.
JUdges the Tenth relateth Iſrael's Relapſing and Repenting in general; for they enjoyed Peace under their Seventh Judge Tolah, and under their Eighth Judge Jair; but after them they Relapſed into Idolatry, and were oppreſſed by the Ammonites, &c. Therefore in this Chapter is the double State of Iſrael to be conſidered.
Firſt, The State of their Liberty. (1.) Under Judge Tola. And, (2.) Under Judge Jair, from ver. 1. to ver. 6.
The Remarks upon this firſt State be, Firſt, This Tola is deſcribed by his Parents, Anceſtors, Tribe, and Seat, ver. 1. and by his Life, Death and Burial, ver. 2. He thruſt not himſelf into this Office, as Abimelech the Uſurper had done, but was raiſed up by God, and was accordingly qualified to Reduce Iſrael into Right Order▪ (when notoriouſly diſordered by Abimelech's Tyranny) to aboliſh Idolatry, (which much abounded during Abimelech's Licentious Monarchy) and to Reſtore Religion to its Native Purity, &c. Here was work enough for Tola, though he had not (as we read) any Oppreſſing Enemies to deliver Iſrael from in his Day. N. B. He beareth the Name of the firſt born of Iſſacher, Gen. 46.13. A Tribe of a ſluggiſh Diſpoſition, Gen. 49.14. fitter for Subjection in Couching, than for Dominion in Commanding, and not much Memoriz'd in her Men, any where: Deborah doth indeed celebrate them in her Song, for having Valiant Princes and People that aſſiſted her, Judg 5.15. and David made great account of them in his Day, for their underſtanding in the times, &c. 1 Chron. 12.32. This Tola likely was ſuch an one foreign, by way of Eminency, who knew what Iſrael ought to do, and who by a prudent and pious Government, kept them from Sedition and Civil Wars, from Oppreſſion and Tyranny, as alſo from Idolatry for Twenty and Three Years, while he lived in Samaria, where likewiſe he lay buried. ver. 1, 2.
The Second Remark relateth to Judge Jair, who was a Man of great Wealth and Worth in Gilead, having Thirty Son, that were Lords of Thirty Cities, and that rode upon Thirty Mules of State, like Judges, or Men of the greateſt Figure and Quality, as Judg 5.10. and 12.14. 2 Sam. 13.29. and 18.9. 1 Kings 1.33.38, 44. and theſe were all Princes Subordinate to Judge Jair.
N. B. Note well. This was not that Jair whom Moſes mentioned, Numb. 32.41. for that was above Three hundred Years before this, and he had but Twenty Three ſmall Towns (Conquered from the Canaanites) 1 Chron. 2.22. But this Man's Sons had Thirty Cities, ſuppoſed to be the ſame with Addition, but now Wall'd about and Fortified, for this Judge Jair's Honour; and therefore were called Hanoth-Jair after his Name given them by his Honourable Anceſtors; and now both Increaſed, Beautified and Fortified in his Day. This Judge was of the Tribe of Manaſſeh, beyond Jordan, he Judged Iſrael Twenty and Two Years, appeaſing all Tumults (ſuch as had broke forth in Abimelech's Tyranny) reſtoring the true Religion, and adminiſtring Juſtice according to God's Law. N. B. The Sequel demonſtrates, that Judge Jair could not reclaim them all his Days, though he did his Endeavour. Then this Judge died, and ſo went to be Judged at the Tribunal of the Supream Judge, ver. 4, 5. Hebr. 9.27.
The Second State of Iſrael, was their State of Slavery, after a long State of Liberty: The Lord ſold them again into the hands of their Enemies: This State is deſcribed, (1.) By its Cauſe, ver. 6, 7. (2.) By its Adjuncts of Time, Perſons, and Place, ver. 8, 9. And, (3.) By its Effects, bringing Iſrael to Repentance, &c. ver. 10. to 16, &c.
The Firſt Remark hereupon is, The Moving Cauſe of their Bondage now was, the breaking forth of their old Itch of Idolatry, and that worſe than ever, after a long Reſtraint; for they Worſhip not only Baalim, and Aſhtaroth, as formerly, but they muſt have Cheimoſh, and Molcch, and Dagon alſo; mean while they quite forſook the Lord, becauſe his Service was too ſevere; but the Service of Idols was more Fleſh-pleaſing, allowing of Stage-Plays, Dancings, Comedies, Tragedies and ſuch like Mad Merriments; and becauſe they ſaw thoſe Idol-Worſhipers flouriſh in Wealth and Honour, while themſelves were Poor and Contemptible; and laſtly, becauſe themſelves were but few, compared with the Idolatrous World, therefore the Lord ſold them into the hands of thoſe, with whom they hoped to Ingratiate, by ſerving their Gods.
The Second Remark is, 'Tis ſaid, [That Year they vexed them,] ver. 8. both the Perſons vexing, and the time of their being vexed, are juſt matter of Inquiry.
As to the Perſons vexing, it is Anſwered, Though the Philiſtines be named in ver. 7. as well as the Ammonites, to be the vexing Perſons, yet in the History of Jephtab, the Ammonites were the principal Perſons that vexed Iſrael; and the Vexation of Iſrael by the Philiſtines muſt be reſerved to be diſcourſed upon, in the Hiſtory of Samſon, to which it properly and peculiarly belongeth; But as to the Year wherein the Ammonites began to vex Iſrael; though ſome do ſay, that time of their oppreſſing Iſrael Eighteen Years, began at Jair's Death to let them know, how great the loſs of a good Magistrate was by their forfeiting of him: Yet the Learned cannot concur with this Opinion, becauſe this inlargeth the time of the Judges, beyond the juſt bounds expreſſed, 1 Kin. 6.1. So that the greateſt part of Jair's Judgeſhip was Contemporary with this Affliction of Iſrael by the Ammonites, which Jair, though a good Man, could not poſſibly (with all his Prudence and Proweſs) redreſs: On the one hand Iſrael was now become ſo mad after their Idols, Jer. 50.38. that he could not work a thorough Reformation of Religion among them; and therefore God on the other hand gave a Commiſſion to the Ammonites to correct thoſe Tribes beyond Jordan about the fifth Year of Jair's Judgeſhip; and when the baſeneſs and backwardneſs of Iſrael was not reclaimed by ſundry Deliverances from the Enemies Incurſions under Jair's Conduct; then the Ammonites paſſed over Jordan into Canaan, ver. 9. and ſorely diſtreſſed Judah, Benjamin and Ephraim on this ſide Jordan, in all for Eighteen Years; becauſe the ſcab of Idolatry had ſpread it ſelf from the fifth Year of Jair, upon both ſides of Jordan, and continued to an Horrible Increaſe: In the ſame Year that Idolatry began to break out in Iſrael, the Ammonites began to break in upon them; and God would not Inable Jair to deliver them from their Oppreſſors, but gave them up to this ſad Oppreſſion.
The Third Remark is, The Bleſſed Effect of this long Slavery: Hereby Iſrael were recovered from Relapſes, and Reduced to Repentance. For,
Firſt, They cry to the Lord, ver. 10. which no doubt they had often done before, (a Beaſt will cry when hurt) but their former Cries were only the Fruits of Fleſh for their own eaſe, not of Faith for God's Favour. Now they cry with their whole Heart, and confeſſed their double Iniquity in particular, (and that with utmoſt Deteſtation) both of forſaking God, and of following Idols, ver. 10. Then the Lord was pleaſed to Expoſtulate the Caſe with them, upbraiding them with divers Deliverances.
(N. B. Note well. Some whereof are not Recorded in the Holy Hiſtory, to ſhew Iſrael had many more Favours from God's Hand than are upon Record) ver. 11.12, 13, 14. wherein the Lord Chriſt (appearing in an Humane Shape, as he had done before, Judg. 2.1. and 5.13. and 6.23.) tells then, He would ſhew them Mercy no more, that is, except they repent, as Revel. 2.5. and derides them for crying to their Idols, (which could not help them in their need) as Elias derided the Prieſts of Baal, 1 Kings 18.27. Hereupon Iſrael both Repents and Reforms, then puts themſelves into the Hands of God's Juſtice, in hope of his Mercy; and though we read not that the Lord gave them an Anſwer of Comfort, yet 'tis ſaid, He Repented upon their Repentance, and gave them Courage to Encamp againſt the Enemy, yet ſtill want they one to head them, ver. 15, 16, 17, 18.