Commentaries, Commentary on Judges · Chapter 12
¶The .xii. Chapter.
1 ANd the men of Ephraim gathered themſelues together, and paſſed ouer Northward, and ſayd vntounto Iiphtah: Why haſte thou paſſed ouer to fyghte agaynſte the children of Ammon, and haſte not called vsus to goe with the? We will therfore burne thee and thyne houſe with fyre.
2 And Iiphtah ſayde vntounto them: I and my people were at greate ſtrife with the children of Ammon, and when I called you, ye deliuered me not out of theyr handes.
3 So when I ſawe ye delyuered mee not, I put my lyfe in myne handes, and went vponupon the children of Ammon. And the Lord hath deliuered them into myne hande. But why are ye come vponupon me thys day, to fight agaynſt me?
4 Then Iiphtah gathered all the men of Gilead, and foughte agaynſt Ephraim. And the men of Gilead ſmote Ephraim, bycauſe they ſayd: Ye Gileadites are abiectes among the Ephramites, and among the Manaſſites.
5 And the Gileadites tooke the paſſages of Iordan before the Ephramites. And when the Ephramites that were eſcaped ſayd: Let me paſſe, the men of Gilead ſayd vntounto him: Art thou an Ephramite? If he ſayde, Nay:
6 Then ſayde they vntounto hym: Say now Schiboleth: but he ſayde Siboleth: for he coulde not ſo pronounce. Then they tooke him and ſlewe hym at the paſſages of Iordan, and there fell at that tyme of the Ephramites twoo and fourty thouſand.
HEre is a ſedicion ſet foorth vntounto vsus:The Ephraits wer veri proud the cauſe whereof was the pride of the Ephramites, whyche was ſo great, that they thought there was nothyng which was not due vntounto them. Euen the lyke did they vnderunder Gideon, as wee hauehave before heard in the .viii. chap. But nowe are they more inſolent, for they would not be content with Iiphtahs defence. Theſe Ephramites alſo did the like when they inſtituted Ieroboam king, againſt the houſe of Dauid. They which ar infected with pride, doo euermore endeuour themſelues to be aboue other,Cicero. and to excel them in dignity and other commodities. Cicero in his booke de Particionibus, ſayth that Pride followeth the loftynes of the minde, in aduauncing of his own thinges. They which are proude, are ſwelled like bodies that are puffed vp, which hauehave not ſounde fleſhe and ſinoes, but conſiſt of a vaine ſwelling. So the proude, although they excell not others in vertue,Pride & noblenes of minde accompared together. yet do they aduaunce them ſelues aboue them. The true noblenes of the mynde conſiſteth herein, that we ſhould contemne thinges vile, and be occupied about thoſe thinges, whych ar in deede great thinges. But they that are proude hauehave not a noble minde, but a vayne, for they ſtudy not for true glory, but for vaine glory, wherefore they are iuſtly called vaynglorious.foreign. Ariſtotle. And they which are infected with this diſeaſe of the mynde, the ſame men are enuious, as Ariſtotle teacheth in his .2. booke of Rethorikes, and he declareth that both the ambicious perſons, and the vayne glorious are enuious. Which thing Paul alſo to the Galathians confirmeth, wher he ſaith: be not ye made deſirous of vayne glory, prouoking and enuying one an other. Of enuy doo ſtraightway ſpring ſedicions. Wherfore by theſe two vices the Ephramites fel into ſedicion.
VVere gathered together. Not vndoubtedly by any order. For no lawful Magiſtrate aſſembled them together, but they were tumultuouſlye ſtyrred vp. And they paſſed ouer Northwarde. For they paſſed ouer Iordane, to inuade the Galaadites.
¶Of Sedicion.
BVt that of hautines and pride doo ariſe ſedicions, the Apoſtle in the .2. Pride is ioined with ſedicions.to the Corrin. the .xii. chap. very well declareth, foreign, where hee ioyneth hautynes with ſedicions. In what thng this vice chiefly conſiſteth, appeareth by the Code de ſedicioſis, in law .1. where it is thus had: They are counted ſedicious, which doo gather the people without anye certayne commaundement, and doo defende them againſt publike diſcipline. Yea & alſo many things hereunto belonging, may be had out of the Digeſtes, ad l. Iuliam de vi publica. In ſumme, thē chiefly is ſedicion, when by a tumult, they which ar of one & the ſelfe ſame company and body, doo mete out of ſundry partes, to fight together. This vice is in eſpecial contrary to peace and ciuil concord. For in ſedicion there are manye partes of one people, and the vnitye of Citizens is troubled and endaungered.
Wherin the vnity of citizens conſiſteth. Auguſtine.But that we may know in what thing the vnity of the people conſiſteth, let vsus geue eare vntounto Auguſtine in his ſeconde booke De ciuitate dei, who in hys xxi. chapter bryngeth ſomething out of the bookes of Cicero de Repub. that are woorthy to be knowen, where Scipio thus ſpeaketh: Wyſe men called not eueryevery company a people,What compani may be called a people. but a company aſſociated together by conſent of the law, and communion of vtility. Wherefore there are twoo handes of the people, one is that they agree in the ſame lawes of thynges diuine and humane: the other is, that they hauehave among themſelues a communion of publike vtility. Whoſoeuer ryſe vp agaynſt theſe thynges, maye iuſtlye be called ſedicious. Suche tumultes when they happen for doctrines of religion, or Eccleſiaſticall matters, are woont to be called ſchiſmes. And they are more grieuous offenders in thys wycked crime, namely of ſedicion, which firſt hauehave ſowed the matter, the cauſe and ſeedes thereof, althoughe the other alſo which are adherentes vntounto the authours thereof, are not vnguilty.
And although the people are twoo partes at the leaſt, which runne together in a ſedicion with contrary mindes, yet are not both parties guiltye of ſedicion: but onelyonly that part is to be accuſed of ſo great a wicked crime, whyche inuadeth the bondes of vnity, that is, common lawes and publike vtility. But they which reſiſt ſuch troubleſome men, are not to be counted ſedicious, but good Citizens. And hereby it is manyfeſt,We are falſely accuſed of the Papiſtes as ſedicious. how falſely we are accuſed of the Papiſtes as ſedicious, when as in very deede we deſyre to hauehave the lawes of Chriſtian Religion, which hauehave bene euen from the beginning receaued by the woorde of God, to remayne ſafe and perpecte: and we by all meanes procure to reedify the publike vtility of eternall ſaluation, and of the woorſhipping of God, which are on eueryſyde fallen in decay, which two thinges vndoubtedly, pertaine (as it is ſayd) vntounto good Citizens. But they hauehave to their power ouerthrowne theſe good thinges, and do continually hinder them. Wherfore they are iuſtlye and woorthely both to be accuſed. and alſo to be condemned of ſedicion.
What are the puniſhmentes of ſedicious perſons.But with what puniſhmentes this wicked crime is to be puniſhed, it is eaſely gathered, both out of the lawes of God, and the lawes of man. God puniſhed Dathan and Abiran with the opening of the earth, vponupon Core and his fellowes he ſent fyre, ſometimes alſo he vſed the ſtinging of Serpentes, and at length for this wicked crime aboue al other of the number of the Iſraelites, which wer ſixe hundred, three ſcore and ſixe thouſand, when they came out of Egipt, there diminiſhed ſo many in the ſpace of .40. yeares, that twoo onelyonly, namely Ioſua and Chaleb entred into the land of Chanaan. Alſo by the iudgement of God Abſolon came vntounto an euyl ende, and Syba the ſonne of Bichry, and Adonias, which moued ſedicion agaynſt Dauid. But the Romanes, as farre as we can gather out of Liui and Plutarch, dyd put to death the tenth man of ſedicious Soldiours. The Ciuill lawes, as it is had in the Code, in the title De Sedicionibus, l. 1. puniſhed thys wycked cryme with extreme puniſhment, that is to ſaye, with cutting of the head: or if they had a reſpect vntounto the dignity or condicion of the perſon, they that were ſedicious, were ſomtymes hanged on a forke, and ſomtimes throwne to wylde beaſts, or baniſhed into an Ilande, as it is written in the Digeſtes, De paenis, in the law Si quis aliquid.
The ingratitude of the Ephramites againſt IiphtahWherefore nowe that wee hauehave brieflye ſhewed the cauſes of thys troubleſome commocion, and hauehave defined the cryme of ſedicion, and declared the grieuouſneſſe thereof by the puniſhmentes, nowe lette vsus ſee howe ingrate the Ephramites were againſt Iiphtah. Hee, ſeing he had excellentlye well deſerued of Iſrael, they ought vndoubtedly by the lawe of iuſtice and honeſtye, to hauehave gone and met him, to hauehave ſoong ſonges of victory, and with great honour and prayſes hauehave exalted and commended him. For as much as iuſtice and honeſtye do require this, that we ſhould geue thankes vntounto them, which hauehave beſtowed benefites vponupon vsus. Nature followeth this order, that we ſhoulde conuert the effectes into their cauſes, for as much as they hauehave their conſeruacion and increaſe from thence, from whence they ſpring.
This therefore was due vntounto Iiphtah, The degres of benefites.for as muche as he ſhoulde hauehave had either the higheſt place, or next vntounto the higheſt, among thoſe that had well deſerued of the publike wealth. For firſt thou ſeeſt ſome, whiche when they beſtowe benefits, hauehave onelyonly a reſpect vntounto them ſelues. So doo ſhepeheards, neateherds and ſwineheardes, when they prouide paſtour for their cattel, which they hauehave charge ouer: for there they hunt onelyonly for their owne gayne and commoditye. Otherwiſe they hauehave no louelove to Oxen, ſhepe and ſwine. There be others which in doing good, hauehave a regarde both vntounto themſelues, and alſo vntounto them whom they doo helpe. For the poore doo ſerue ryche men and Princes, partlye bycauſe they louelove them, and partly to get ſome commodity at their handes. They are to be placed in the third degree, which doo in ſuche ſorte beſtow a benefit vponupon any man, that they looke for no recompence of him. It oftentimes happeneth that when we ſee one in miſery, we are touched with mercy, and we helpe him: which without doubt proceedeth of humanity. For as much as we are men, we thinke that nothing that is humane, but it pertayneth vntounto vsus. They are counted in the laſt and chiefeſt place, whiche benefite others euen with their owne griefe, hart, and loſſe. After which maner Chriſt did towardes vsus:Iiphtah touched almoſt the chiefeſt degree of good beneuolence. he redeemed mankinde, with the loſſe of his owne lyfe. VntoUnto whom Iiphtah after a ſorte is lyke, who brought the Iſraelites into liberty, & that to his great daunger, which he declareth by this forme of ſpeaking: I hauehave put my lyfe in my handes, that is, I hauehave not refuſed to endaunger my lyfe. Wherefore the Ephramites wer moſt ingrate, towardes ſo great a benefite.
The firſte place of ingrate men is,The degre… of ingrate men. when they recompence not againe good thinges beſtowed vponupon them. The ſeconde is, when they praiſe not, neyther allow thoſe thinges wel of good men, which are wel done vntounto them. The thyrde is of them which doo forget the benefites that they hauehave receaued. The fourth and woorſt of al is, when for benefites, iniury and hurtes ar rendred. After this maner the Ephramites behaued them ſelues towardes Iiphtah, who bicauſe hee had gotten the victory, would hauehave burnt him and al his. What other thyng is this, then to contemne both the benefites beſtowed, and alſo the benefit geuen? But theſe men are moſt of all vngrate, foraſmuch as in ſo doing, neither ar men onelyonly or other creatures deſpiſed, but God himſelfe is contemned. For whatſoeuer benefites we receaue of men, we hauehave them of God, which vſeth the labor of men to relieue the miſerable and afflicted. Wherfore they which are ingrate, are voide of charity, aſwel towardes God, as towardes men.
But thou wilt ſay: when men that beſtow benefites,Whyther benefites are to bee withdrawē frō the vnthankful doo ſomtimes light vponupon ingrate perſons, what ought they to doo? Shal they ſtraight way withdraw their benefites from them? Vndoubtedlye they deſerue this: but we muſt not ſo doo ſtraightway, bicauſe men, by reaſon nature is corrupt, are ſlow, neither are they without difficulty moued to doo their duty. Therfore we muſt go forward in wel doing: for he which is not moued to be thankefull with the firſt henefite, ſhal peraduenture be ſtyrred vp with the ſecond, third, forth, or fift. But if he al together ſtycke in his ingratitude, we may iuſtly withdraw from him our benefites, not moued therunto by hatred or deſyre of reuengement, but that he may be corrected, and that he doo not continually reproche the benefites, which ar the giftes of God. This thing doth God alſo, who by Hoſeas the Prophet ſayth vntounto the vnthankful Hebrues: I wyl geue vntounto you a heauen of braſſe, and an earth of yron. I wil take awaye from you my wooll and my flaxe. &c. bicauſe ye hauehave made them Baals thinges.
Thou wilt aſke perdauenture: why did Chriſt commaund vsus, that we ſhould be perfect like our heauenly father: which maketh his ſunne to aryſe as well vponupon the euil,Twoo kyndes of benefites of God. as vponupon the good, and as it is written in Luke. 6. chap. He is good towardes the ingrate? I anſwer: That this ſentence of the Lord, is not againſt the definicion now declared. For God hath two kindes of benefites. There are certaine which are principal, as the reuelacion of the Goſpell, fayth, iuſtification, & laſtly glorification or eternal lyfe. Theſe he geueth onelyonly to his. There are certaine other temporall and common giftes, whiche yet are in eſpeciall geuen for the electes ſake: but bicauſe without a miracle it is not poſſible that they ſhoulde come vntounto the good, vnles the euil be alſo made partakers of them, therefore he geueth them as wel to the one as to the other. How ſhould a ſhowre be prohibited, that it ſhoulde not moyſten the fieldes of the wicked? God might doo it in deede: but yet not without a miracle. And for as muche as he wyll not alwayes woorke miracles, he wil rather, that the vngodlye alſo ſhoulde bee partakers of theſe benefites, then that the good ſhould be deſtitute of commodities neceſſary for the lyfe.A ſimilitude. Kinges alſo doo not make eueryevery Citizen a Ruler, a Preſident, or other officer longing to a Magiſtrate, but onelyonly them that are iuſt & wiſe: which thing if they doo not, they execute not their office. But when they geue vntounto their people lyberall giftes, or a banquet, or diſtribute corne, bicauſe withoute great labour and griefe they cannot ſeperate the good Citizens from the euyll, therfore they beſtow ſuch thinges which are of this kinde, miredly vponupon al men, and choſe rather to deſerue wel of euyl citizens, then to defraud the good of their liberality, for whoſe ſakes they are chiefly moued to be bountiful towardes the people.How we ſhuld behaue our ſelues toward the ingrate. Let vsus alſo imitate this, that when we beſtow priuate thinges, although we light vponupon one that is ingrate, let vsus not ſtraightway withdrawe from hym our humanity, but let vsus behaue our ſelues in ſuch maner, as we hauehave before declared, that if he ſtubburnly proceede to be ingrate, let vsus at the length ceaſe for his correction, to beſtow any benefite vponupon him. But ſuch benefites as are common and publike, let vsus continually beſtow them, yea euen vponupon ye vngrate, as we are of God commaunded, and let vsus rather chuſe to hauehave our good thynges diſtributed to godly and holy men, then to ceaſe of from doing good, yt the euyll ſhould not be made partakers of them.
But now let vsus returne vntounto Iiphtah, whom the Ephramites offended moſt grieuouſly. Firſt, he is accuſed of them, bicauſe he went to the battail and called not them. This ſeemeth to be the coulour of their complaint, bicauſe people confederated together, ought not to take in hād any warre, before they hauehave called theyr fellowes, and made them of counſell. Iiphtah purgeth himſelfe of this falſe accuſation, and ſayth that they hauehave a falſe grounde, bicauſe he called them, but they denyed to come. But theſe men when they ſawe that by iuſte meanes they coulde not defende that whiche they obiected, they pleade not againſte him at the iudgement ſeate, neither by the order of law, but make a tumult, and ſediciouſly brag of ſuche complaintes.The ſaintes ar alwaies wrapped wyth newe troubles. And here we ſee the ſtate of holy men ſufficiently expreſſed, how they are alwayes wrapped with new troubles, ſo that they ar almoſt no ſooner paſſed out of one, but an other is at hand. But by the goodnes of God, euen that woorketh to good in vsus: for we ar ſo corrupt and viciate, that when thinges go proſperouſly with vsus, we are wonderfullye puffed vp, ſo that by our inſolency we are made intollerable: which thing that it ſhoulde not happen, God vſeth agayne to exerciſe the elect with troubles, after that he hath graū ted them ſome proſperity. Wherfore let none of vsus thinke, when we hauehave obtained any good ſucceſſe, that ſtraightway we muſt fight no more. Yea rather wee muſt prouide that then chiefly we may euen weary God with prayers, wherby he may bring to a perfect and abſolute ende, the good woorke that he hath already begone in vsus.
We muſt alſo marke the wyſdome of Iiphtah, how firſt he woulde proue all thinges, before he woulde take weapons againſt his brethren. Firſt he maketh hys Apologie, wherein he ſayth that he did not raſhlye moue warre, but bycauſe there was a very grieuous contencion betwene him and the Ammonites, and that he was muche oppreſſed by them, and therefore he could not abſtayne from weapons. Farther, he denyeth that he called them not. I cryed vntounto you (ſayth he) but when ye ſaued me not, I tooke in hande warre my ſelfe, to mine own great daunger. Wherefore he addeth, that God delyuered the Ammonites into hys handes, which myght hauehave bene a token that God diſalowed not his act. Which kynde of argument is in this place of force, for as much as he attempted no vniuſt thing: otherwyſe there can bee no firme reaſon deriued of it, bycauſe God ſometimes fauoureth the enterpriſes of the vngodly, by reaſon of his counſels, which are alwayes iuſt, but ſometimes hidden from vsus. Ieroboam the ſonne of Nabat was by a ſedicion created king ouer the ten Tribes, and obtayned that which with naughty conſcience he deſired. Nabuchad-Nezar alſo fought tirannouſly and ambiciouſlye agaynſt the Hebrues, and obtayned the victorye, when yet no man can allowe thoſe doinges as godly, bicauſe of the ſucceſſe of them.
The Ephramites were not content with this Apology. Wherefore Iiphtah fought againſt them, neither ouercame he his enemies onelyonly, but alſo followed the victorye, and that they ſhoulde not eſcape, he preuented them, and poſſeſſed the paſſages of Iordane.
He found out by a phraſe of their ſpeeche, who were Ephramites. They which would paſſe ouer, might peraduenture be either Rabenites or Gadites, or of half the tribe of Manaſſes. Therefore leaſt they ſhould be deceaued,Diuers properties or ſpeche … one and the … ſame toung. he tryed them by experience of their toung. Neither neede we to maruayle at the diuerſity of pronunciation among the Hebrues, when as eueryevery nacion, althoughe they vſe one common toung, yet hauehave they ſome differences in diuers partes therof. All the Grecians ſpake Greke, and yet among them the Iones, Attici, Dores, Acoles, and ſuch lyke, had ſome difference in their ſpeaking, and that a notable difference. The Preneſtines alſo which dwelt not farre from Rome (as we reade in Plautus) for Ciconia ſounded Konia. In Italy alſo there are at this day very manye differences of properties of ſpeche. But it may be doubted wherof they ſhould come.From whence the diuerſ…ty … the …roper…es in ſp…che is. Some anſwer that it commeth of cuſtome, which is not ſufficient inoughe: bycauſe we wil demaund againe why the firſte inhabiters of theſe places beganne ſo to ſpeake or to talke. Therefore there are other which being led by naturall reaſon, doo referre that diuerſitye vntounto the ayre, water, and ſundrye aſpecte of heauen. But we aſcribe the beginning of this thing to hauehave bene from the building of the Tower of Babel. For in the booke of Geneſis it is written, that the differences of tounges ſprang thereof, which as they are perfect & very great betwene nacion and nacion, ſo are they found to hauehave begon in eueryevery nacion.
They choſed this woorde Schiboleth, not raſhly, but ſuche a one as made very muche for this preſent matter. For it ſignifieth both an eare of corne, and alſo a paſſage of a Ryuer, as it is wrytten in the .xxi. chapter of Eſay. Wherefore when they were at the paſſages of Iordane, they put foorth this word, whereby they would proue whither the Ephramites ſhould paſſe ouer, which word ſhould ſignifye the paſſage it ſelfe. They might in deede hauehave tryed the ſame in many other woordes, if they would: but they proued it in a woorde, whoſe ſignification was agreable wyth the place.
Wherfore Iiphtah made ciuill war, but yet not vniuſt warre.Al ciuil war is not vniuſt. For he had the ſword, wherwith his duty was to punyſh not onelyonly the enemies, but alſo the citizens, when they offend either againſt the lawes of man, or the lawes of God. God had geuen him the victory. The Ephramites contemned it. God woulde hauehave the Galaadites pertaining to Manaſſes to poſſeſſe ye land: the Ephramites endeuoured to driue them out from thence, and to deſtroye them. They inuaded their borders, they reproched them, and called them the runnagates of Ephraim. As though they were to be counted as certaine fugitiue bondſclaues, if they were compared with the moſte noble Tribe of Ephraim. Or els they ſo called them, as thoughe at ſome other tyme they had made warre, and they as fugitiues eſcaped out of the battayle. But in the holye Scripture there is no ſuche battayle founde.
They alſo violated humane ryght and the lawes: for wyth weapons they inuaded thoſe that were condemned by no ryght, and they woulde take awaye the dominion ouer the Galaadites whych was geuen vntounto Iiphtah. The gift which was geuen vntounto Iiphtah, could not be reuoked.But gyftes can not be reuoked by anye humane ryght, vnleſſe peraduenture there happen any ingratitude. But that Iiphtah was not ingrate, the benefites whiche he beſtowed on his, doo declare. Yea and alſo in the Digeſtes (De donacionibus, in the lawe laſt ſaue one, in the Paragraphe Si quis) it is hadde, that a gyft geuen vntounto a man, for that that he hath delyuered the geuer from theeues, coulde not be reuoked not for ingratitude, if any ſhoulde happen. But Iiphtah delyuered hys, not onelye from theeues, but alſo from moſte grieuous enemies, from the Ammonites I ſay.
Wherefore the principallitye of hys Countrye being geuen hym, he coulde not iuſtly be ſpoyled of it. Whereunto thou mayeſt adde, that he was inſtituted a Iudge by God. Therefore he ought to defende both hym ſelfe and hys in puniſhyng wycked men. Let vsus in this place note the ſeuere iudgement of God, vponupon ſedicious and ingrate perſons.
7 And Iiphtah iudged Iſrael ſyxe yeares: then dyed Iiphtah the Gileadite, and was buryed in the Cities of Gilead.
8 After hym Iibzan of Bethlehem iudged Iſrael.
9 And he had .xxx. ſonnes, and .xxx. daughters, whych he ſent out, and tooke .xxx. daughters from abroade for his ſonnes. And he iudged Iſrael ſeuen yeares.
10 Then Iibzan dyed, and was buryed in Bethlehem.
11 And after hym Elon a Zebulonite iudged Iſraell, and he iudged Iſrael tenne yeares.
12 Then Elon the Zebulonite dyed, and was buryed in Aialon, in the lande of Zebulon.
13 After hym Abdon the ſonne of Hillel the Pirathonite iudged Iſrael.
14 And he had .xl. ſonnes, and .xxx. ſonnes ſonnes, that rode on. 70 Coltes. And he iudged Iſrael .viii. yeares.
15 Then died Abdon the ſonne of Hillel the Pirathonite: and was buryed in Pirathon, in the lande of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amelachites.
The Hebrewes fable that Iiphtah for hys wycked cryme, in kyllynge hys daughter,Nowe hee was buryed in the cities of Gilead. was ſo ſmytten of God that hys members rotted, and waſted away. And that when he walked throughe the Cities of Gilead, he loſt in euerye one of thoſe Cityes ſome part of his fleſhe. And therefore it is not ſayde that he was buryed in any one certayne place, but in the Cities of Gilead.
Other ſay that he was very deſirous of glory and renowne, and therfore he prouided to hauehave monumentes made for him in manye Cities of that Prouince. Theſe ar thyngs friuolous and ful of fables: which other Interpreters ſeing, do thus expounde that forme of ſpeaking, that In the Cityes of Gilead, is nothyng els, then in ſome one certayn of the Cities of Gilead. But I thinke that it might be that the principal Citye of the Gileadites was ſo builte, that it ſeemed to bee not one Citye, but many. Wherefore it myght bee ſayde in the plurall number Cityes. So in Hungary is a Citye called Quinque eccleſiae, whyche is fyue Cyties, and Siracuſae a Citye in Sicilia. So that Are Gilead was the proper name of one Citye.
After hym Iibzan iudged Iſrael. This man counted to be Boaz.Some coniecture that thys mā was that Boaz whych maryed Ruth: but that cannot be confirmed by any authoritye of the ſcripture. He had thirty ſonnes, and thirty daughters. And that we ſhoulde perceiue that they remayned long on lyue, it is ſayd that they were all by hym coupled in matrimony.
But bycauſe the actes of this Iudge, and of the other twoo, whych are afterwarde mencioned, were not (as it is to be thought) notable: therefore they are not ſpoken of. But thys Iudge was of the Tribe of Iuda, whych thyng Bethlehem hys Countrye declareth.
Elon, whych was Iudge after hym tenne yeares, was of the Tribe of Zabulon.
Abdon the ſonne of Hillel the Pirathonite, as the name of his country declareth, was an Ephramite, and he alſo was famous by his poſteritye: for he had fourtye Sonnes, and of them thirtye Neuewes. It is declared that they all came to rype age, for it is ſayde that they were all horſmen, who (as it is to be thought) in ryding compaſſed the ſydes of their father.To hauehave many Children is an excellent gift of God. Vnles a great number of children were an excellent gift of God, it ſhoulde not ſo diligentlye hauehave bene mencioned of in thoſe places. God promiſed vntounto his friend Abraham, that hys ſeede ſhould be increaſed lyke the ſtarres of heauen, and ſand of the ſea. Yea and Dauid alſo ſyngeth: Thy wyfe ſhall bee lyke a fruitfull vyne in the ſydes of thy houſe, and thy children lyke Olyue braunches, rounde about thy table. Priamus alſo is renowmed of the Poetes, bycauſe he had fyfty chyldren.The lawe of chyldren …ē the Roma… The Romanes made a lawe, called the law of three Chyldren. For if anye at Rome had three chyldren a lyue, they were excuſed from perſonall offices. Throughout Italy, to obtaine that liberty, foure were ſufficient. But in a Prouince, fiue wer required, as it is in the Code, of thoſe which hauehave deſerued an excuſe by the number of Chyldren, in the lawe de Perſonalibus, and Eosvero. But there are ſome whych doo hate plentiful fruite, bycauſe they hauehave no confidence in the goodnes of God, and doo diſpaire that they ſhoulh be able to nooryſhe them.They ſynn… whyche hat… plentifull iſſue. And there are other whiche are infected with this wicked affection, bycauſe they deſyre to auoyde the troubles of bryngyng them vp, and are afrayde that they ſhall leaue their Chyldren beggers behynde them. But thys thing happeneth vntounto them, bycauſe they doo euyll eſteeme the benefites of God, neyther vnderſtande they what great honour and dignity he geueth them,What is the dignitye of the Parentes. as often as they hauehave iſſue. As God is the Father of men: ſo alſo would he hauehave men to be the Parentes of men, that they ſhould vnderſtande by the fatherlye louelove or affection, what mynde and beneuolence God beares towardes vsus.