Commentaries, Commentary on Judges · Chapter 1 · Verses 5-7

Commentaries · Commentary on Judges · Chapter 1 · Verses 5-7

p. 115 And they founde Adonibezek in Bezek, & they fought agaynſte him and ſlewe the Chananites and Pherezites.

6 And Adonibezek fled, and they followed after him & caught him and cut of the thombes of his handes and of his feete.

7 And Adonibezek ſayd: 70 kynges hauing the thombes of theyr handes and feete cut of, gathered their meat vnderunder my table: As I hauehave done, ſo God hath done to me agayne: and they brought hym to Ieruſalem, and there he died, &c.

After mencion made of the victorye it is here more expreſſed by partes, for the place of the battaile is expreſſed namely Bezek: Bezek.but where this Bezek ſhould lye it is not very certain. For there was a certaine Bezek whiche was a city belonging to the tribe of Manaſſes whiche was ſituate 17. myle from Sichem as ye go to Bethſan. Ierome.And Ierome teſtifieth that in his tyme there were two Townes which were called by this name. And it is not very likely that Iuda and Symeon would paſſe with their hoſte to the tribe of Manaſſes, whē their purpoſe was only to ridde the Chananites out of their owne lottes. Vnleſſe peraduenture, that king whiche was called Adonibezek althoughe his kyngdome were in the tribe of Manaſſe claymed and vſurped by violent tyranny many places in the inheritaunce of Iudah and Simeon. This kyng had prepared an hoſte to go agaynſt Iudah and Simeon, and to let them from recouering of their own. Which thing being knowen, Iudah and Symeon made towarde him, that he ſhould not entre into their borders. Wherfore it chaunced y^t they fought with him not farre frō his kingly citie Bezek, or els it is to be thought that this Bezek was a certain citie either in the tribe of Iudah or els of Simeon, wherof is no mencion made in any other place.

Malchiſedech Adoniſedech.This kyng was called Adoni-bezek whiche is a compounde name, wherin y^e leter Iod is placed betwene two wordes as Malchi-ſedech, Adoni-ſedech, euē as R. Selomo teſtifieth. This king ſemeth to hauehave fled, for that he ſawe his hoſte both ſlayne to the number of ten thouſande men, and to turne their backes and flye, he would therfore ſaue him ſelfe by flight, but he was brought backe agayn by the Iſraelites and ſuffred moſt grieuous puniſhement, as he had iuſtely deſerued.Bohan. Behonoth. For they cut of the thombes both of his handes and of his feete. This word Bohan ſignifieth in the Hebrew a thombe, & it is in the feminine gender, wherfore it is ſaid in the plurall nomber Behonoth. Although R. Dauid Kimhi do interprete that worde into fyngers, and the Chaldey paraphraſt doth interprete it anckles.

And Adoni-bezek ſaid: 70 kings. This tyranne acknowledgeth the iudgement of God, but whether he ſpake this of true faith or pure repentaunce, it can not be knowen by the wordes of our hiſtory. But it is moſt lykely, bycauſe he called not vponupon God, implored not his mercy, neither ſhewed any tokens of true conuerſion,The law of rē dring lyke for lyke. that rather anguiſh did extorte from him this his true ſayeng, than the godly feling of the minde. We gather hereby that the lawe of rendring like for like ſemeth euen to the wicked by the light of nature, iuſt & right, which at the length wil they or nill they are compelled to acknowledge the iudgemēts of God. For they hauehave certein principles of that which is right and honeſt written in their hartes, although they expreſſe, not the ſame in dedes. But euen as Paul hath written to the Romaines they holde the truth of God after a certeine ſorte captiue in vnrighteouſneſſe, & when they knew the righteouſneſſe of God, neither was it hidden from them, that they whiche do ſuch thinges are worthy of death, yet for all that they not onelyonly do them, but alſo they conſent to them whiche do them.

As I hauehave done, ſo God hath done to me agayne. Bycauſe he ſpake of gods iudgementes, therfore in naming of god he vſed not this worde Iehouah but Elohim. The name Iehouah and the name Elohim.By whiche worde the ſcripture vſeth rather to ſet forth the myght and iuſtice of god, than his mercy. This moſt cruell tyranne confeſſeth, that he had moſt cruelly cut of the feete of 70. kinges, and brought them to that poynte, y^e they were faine to gather their meate vnderunder his table. It is not to be laughed or hiſſed at as a lye, bycauſe in that prouince beyng not very large were 70. kinges.EueryEvery citie in the olde tyme had their king. For it may be that at that tyme that cuſtome was in vſe, that eueryevery citie had his king. Neither ought the gouernment of a king to be ſeparated from other formes of gouernmentes by largeneſſe or bredth of borders, but in what ſocietie or multitude of men ſoeuer it be,Definition of a kyng. Iuſtine. where as any one mā is lawfully made gouernour, ſo that he depend not of any other ſuperiour power, the ſame man may by good right be called king, yea and as Iuſtinus writeth, eueryevery king before Ninus tyme was content with the boundes and limites of his owne citie. And ſuch a cuſtome if I ſhould ſpeake the trouth I can not but greatly commende.It is not profitable to hauehave large kyngdomes.

For what ſhall it profit kinges moſt amplye to dilate the territory of their empyre, when as afterward they are ouerwhelmed with ouer much weight therof, neither are they able to gouerne it by reaſon and counſell. But what ſhould man do? The Monarches in theſe dayes are ſo ſet on fire with ſuch great ambition, p. 12that they hauehave not a reſpect how many they are able to gouerne, but onelyonly hauehave a regarde to this, how many they may reigne ouer. Neither doth this diſeaſe (whiche is the more to be lamented) raigne onelyonly in worldly princes,The Biſhops ſeke to hauehave large dioceſſes but it is alſo moſt filthyly ſpred abroade in the Churche where Byſhoppes couet by all meanes to hauehave moſt large dioceſſes, of whiche (although they neuer looke to them) they may receaue moſt plentifull fruites.

But nowe I returne to the matter and aſke the cauſe why the Iſraelites did cut of the thombes of the handes and feete of Adonibezek. Wherfore Adonibezeb was ſo maymed of the Hebrues.R. Leui aunſwereth to this interrogation, and ſayth that it was therfore done, that the cruell Tirant might be made altogether vnapt to do any thing, and eſpecially to make warre. For they whiche are ſo inaymed are neither able to drawe ſworde, neither to take or ouercome any man in battaille. Moreouer by this ſo ſharpe puniſhment other princes whiche were yet remayning might eaſely be made affeard to lifte any weapon agaynſt the Iſraelites. Theſe thinges are ſomewhat lykely, but the wordes of the ſame tyranne teache vsus that we muſt conſider ſome deeper cauſe, namely that it was ſo done by the prouidēce of god, that cruell and bloudy princes ſhould not at the length eſcape the iudgemēt of God, yea rather they ſhould hauehave experience on them ſelues of that whiche they had committed agaynſt others. And in that thing bycauſe it is good ſometymes to be taught by the example of wicked men, God would now alſo admoniſhe vsus by this Adonibezek. He teacheth vsus that we ſhould not muche ſtaye in inferiour cauſes whiche are nexte vntounto vsus,We muſt not ſtaye in the inferior cauſes but rather cōſider the higheſt cauſes. but rather by theſe examples ſtrayght wayes to lift vp the eyes of the mynde to conſider the wonderful and moſt highe iuſtice of the decrees of God. The ſelfe ſame moſt cruel tyranne doth not aſcribe vntounto the Iſraelites that they had feabled hym by cutting of his handes and feete, but by and by ſayeth. As I hauehave done to other, ſo God hath done to me agayne. Which ſame thing alſo Chriſt hath taught vsus, for this alſo was his ſentēce, With what meaſure ye meate, with the ſame ſhall other meate vntounto you.

Of this lawe of rendring like for like, let the cruel tyrannes of our tyme be affeard, whiche neuer make an end of killing, tearing, and burning of holy and innocent mē, as thoughe wiſedome neuer admoniſhed them: By what ſoeuer a man ſinneth, by the ſame alſo is he puniſhed. Neither hauehave they at any tyme heard Habakuc the holy prophet cryeng thus.Why tyrannes do ſo cruelly rage? Bycauſe thou haſt ſpoyled many nations, others alſo ſhall ſpoyle thee. Thoſe be bloudy tyrannes, when they do ſo extremely rage, being altogether vnmindful of humane chaunces, neuer thincking how the ſame thinges may happen vntounto them ſelues, wherwith they do ſo cruelly afflicte others. For if they would remember this, they would vſe them ſelues more mekely not only toward innocent men, but alſo euē to them which are giltie & iuſtly condemned by them. Let vsus learne in all thinges whiche ſhal happen, what ſoeuer they be, to conſider as well the iudgementes of god as alſo his goodneſſe, and therby we ſhall get good matter either of repentaunce, or els of thankes geuing.

But there is a doubt, why the Iſraelites killed not this king by and by,Why Adonibezek was not by and by ſlayne of the Iewes. and why they brought him to Ieruſalem, there to die miſerably? I aunſwere, to teſtifie vntounto all men, that he being woūded was not gloriouſly killed in the battaille, for his horrible tyrāny deſerued not ſo famous an end of this life. Neither is it to be meruealed that when he came to Ieruſalē he was not holpen by the diligence and remedies of Phiſitians: for the Iewes did it not of cruelty, but bicauſe they were affeard to violate the commaundement of god, who commaunded that all their enemies the Chananites ſhould be ſlayne eueryevery one, amongeſt whom this Adonibezek deſerued not one death but a thouſand: beſides that, it was done that his moſt ſhameful end might be an exāple to al mē. He worthily therfore being maimed and deſpiſed, departed this life in a moſt famous citie. But it ſemeth to be demaunded, for what cauſe when he had ſo vilye maymed 70. kinges he would alſo hauehave them vnderunder his table to gather their meat there? He did it ſurely to the ſetting forth of his victories, and alſo whē he ſhould eate meate, he would not onelyonly refreſhe his body with meate and drinke, but he would alſo reioyce his haulty and proude minde after a certein horrible ſort, he thought to him ſelfe that he had the fruition of no vulgare pleaſure, when as in his dayly banckets he renued after a ſorte by that terrible ſight the victoryes which he had hitherto gotten.Sapor King of the Perſians. We read of the like example of one Sapor king of the Perſians, who when he had taken in warre Valerian the Emperour of the Romaines and father of Galien he bounde him w^t an Iron chayne and drew him with him, & ſet his feete vpō his backe, as oftē as he would get vp vpō his horſe. Tamerlanes alſo king of the Scythians, Tamerlanes.caried about with him a tyranne of the Turckes taken by him and incloſed in an Iron cage.Tirannes are infected with boaſting and cruelty. By theſe and ſuch like examples we ſe that the mindes of cruel tyrannes are wonderfully ſicke of the diſeaſes of vayne glory and cruelty.

And hereby we gather that to much cruelty doth greatly diſpleaſe god: and therof I thincke it came to paſſe that as wel by gods lawes as by mās (I ſpeake but of thoſe whiche are counted iuſt & honeſt) certain puniſhmētes were preſcribed for crimes according to the grieuouſneſſe of thē, whereby iudges had y^e leſſe libertie geuen them to exerciſe tyranny.Puniſhmentes are rather to be diminiſhed thā augmented. Yea & the lawyers added this rule, that puniſhmentes ſhould rather be diminiſhed by iudges thā augmented: whiche is for all y^t to be vnderſtād, as much as the nature of the faulte & cōmoditie of the publicque wealth ſuffereth, whiche I therfore ſpeake, bycauſe ſome times thoſe cōditions which cōmonly they call circūſtaunces, make the crime ſo terrible and horrible, y^t the iudges muſt nedes there augment the puniſhments whiche hauehave ben preſcribed by the lawes, & that to the entēt to feare away others frō ſo grieuous miſchieuous dedes, & ſo Dauid when Nathā the prophet declared vntounto him an execrable & horrible thing, he decreed a more grieuous puniſhment againſt him that was guiltie, than the law had ordeyned for common thieues & ſtealers of cattel.Three kyndes of death in the lawe of God. I hauehave therfore made menciō of theſe, bycauſe there were in y^e law thre kindes of death appointed for euil doers, I meane, hanging, ſtoning, & burning, vntounto which ſome Hebrues adde the fourth, namely the puniſhment of the ſword: but bycauſe there is no mencion made therof in the lawe (as farre as I know) I hauehave therfore left it out. We read that Adonias, Ioab & Agab king of Amalech & many other were thruſt thorough with ſwordes, But we finde it not preſcribed by any lawe or precept that the guiltie ſhould be put to death by the ſword. Seing I ſay the matter is ſo,The Hebrues vſed an extraordinary punyſhment in their tentes. we ſe that the children of Iſrael vſed nowe in their tentes a certein extraordinary kinde of puniſhmēt againſt the king Adonibezek. And I beleue they did it not w^tout the inſtinction of god. For god would puniſh the cruelty of this tyranne w^t an exquiſite puniſhmēt, which was neuertheleſſe of rendring like for like, which kinde of wicked doing to the entent we may the caſelyer auoyde, it ſhall not be grieuous vntounto vsus to ſpeake ſomewhat of it.

From whence this word cruelty is deriued.This word cruelty is deriued either of this latin word Cruor, which ſignifieth bloud, wherin cruel mē like wild beaſtes do delite, either of Crudae earnes which ſignifieth rawe fleſh, which fierce & barbarous people ſomtimes do eate, & may be defined to be a vicious habite wherby we are inclined to ſharpe & hard things aboue reaſon.The definition of crueltye. And ſomtimes it happeneth y^e cruelty is coūted for a pleaſure, w^t which wicked affectiō or habite how tyrānes hauehave ſometimes ben infected, it is manifeſtly to be ſene by many exāples. This holy hiſtory ſetteth now before our eyes this Adonibezek, & the euāgelicall hiſtory maketh mēciō of Herode. The Ethnike poetes hauehave made report of the cruelty of Atreus & Thyeſtes: p. 13and the moſt horrible wicked act of Xerxes king of the Perſians is ſet forth by Seneca in his third booke de ira, & .xvii.The cruelty of Xerxes. chap. which Xerxes when a certain man named Pithius, who had well deſerued at hys handes, came vntounto him and deſyred him to ſpare him one of his fyue ſonnes which he had, and he bad him as though he would graunt him his requeſt, to choſe him whom he lyſted to abide at home from battaile. And he did as he was bidden. But this moſt cruell tyranne commaunded that the yong man whom he had choſen ſhould be drawen one ſyde of him one way, and an other the other waye, ſo that at the length he was torne a ſunder, of the whych one part hee commaunded to be faſtened in one corner of the way, by the which the ſouldiours ſhoulde go, and the other in an other corner, ſaying that after this ſorte he purged his hoſte. But not long after he was with much diſhonour ouercome and beaten of the Grecians, and conſtrayned to flie through heapes and dead carcaſes of his own men.Silla. Silla baniſhed an infinite nomber of Citizens of Rome, but at the length he was moſt horribly eaten vp of Lyfe. Euen after the lyke ſort dyed that moſt cruel Herode, as it is manifeſtly declared by Ioſephus. VntoUnto this moſt wicked vice, clemēcy is directly cōtrary, which as a wonderful vertue doth maruailouſly wel agree w^t princes, & is a ſinguler ornamēt of Chriſtian men. Auguſtine in his boke of .83.Auguſtine. What clemencye is. Certayn fooliſh mercy. Queſt. in y^e Queſt. 31. defineth it thus. It is an habite wherby men ſtyrred vp to hatred agaynſt any man, are through goodnes kept backe. This vertue is a meane betwene cruelty and fooliſh mercy. I cal it fooliſh mercy, by which our mynde is ſo moued wyth other mens miſeries, that it declineth from ſound counſell and iuſt reaſon. And we are ouercome with this affection for this cauſe, by reaſon wee woulde neuer ſuffer ſuch thinges wherwith we ſee others afflicted iuſtly and worthily, and becauſe we our ſelues abhorre from ſuch thinges, we therfore leaue of from puniſhing y^e guilty.Mercy is a profitable affectiō Mercy in dede is an affection profitably planted in our hartes of God, whereby we are ſtyrred vp to helpe and defende others. But we muſt take heede, that by it we be not made ſo ſoft and effeminate, wherby we ſhould commit any thing againſt the commaundementes and wyl of God.Prepoſterous mercy is condemned in holy letters. The holy ſcriptures reprehend Achab king of Samaria, bicauſe he ſpared Benadad king of Siria. Of whom he ſaid: if he be on lyue, he is my brother. They condemne Saul alſo by the voyce of Samuel the prophet, bicauſe he ſaued Agag kyng of Amaleck o… lyue. And euen as it was ſaid vntounto an other by the meſſenger of God:Whether ſyns are to be pardoned. Seneca. Thy ſoule ſhalbe for his ſoule, ſo Saul being a litle before placed by God in the kyngdome, was depriued therof. What ſhal we do then? Shall we not forgeue ſynnes? Seneca in his ſecond booke of clemency and .6. chap. writeth: Pardon (ſayth he) is a remiſſion of puniſhment due, by which he is forgeuen which ought to hauehave bene puniſhed. Wherfore he thincketh it is not a wyſe mans part to geue pardon, bicauſe a wyſe man wyl neuer commit any thyng whych ought not to be done, or leaue any thyng vndone which ought to be done. This reaſon of his ſeemeth to be very good and effectuall enough. But leaſt we ſhould be deceiued therby, we muſt here ſet a profitable diſtinction of perſons, that is of God, of princes,God maye forgeue ſynnes. and of priuate men. No man ought to doubt, but that god may forgeue whom he wyl, whē as he is not bound to any other mans lawes. Wherfore in forgeuyng he is not ſayd to remit that which he ought to hauehave puniſhed. Beſydes this, he hath not ſo forgeuen men their faultes,A Magiſtrate ought not to ſuffer faultes vnpuniſhed. but that he hath puniſhed them in hys onelyonly begottē ſonne Chriſt. But we muſt otherwiſe thinke of the Magiſtrate, to whō it is not lawful to forgeue the puniſhmentes of ſynnes, bicauſe he is commaunded to geue iudgement by the lawes. To whom neuertheleſſe it is graunted eyther to releaſe or to aggrauate the puniſhmentes according to the wayght and quantity of the crimes. Wherfore when he that is guilty is not wythout hope of amēdement, neither hath geuouſly offēded, the magiſtrate is contented w^t an eaſier puniſhmēt, & ſomtimes he addeth ſom reprofe or ſom ſharper admoniti…. Wherfore let him neuer leaue ſynnes vnpuniſhed, & the ſame mā in puniſhing is not cruel, yea he rather correcteth, amēdeth, & healeth. Which worke is both iuſt and alſo moſt milde, ſo far is it that it ſhould be aſcribed to fiercenes or cruelty.Seneca. Many executions ar a diſhonour to the magiſtrate. Howe priuate men ſhould forgeue iniuries. I wyl alſo adde this by the way which is written of the ſame Seneca, that to hauehave many executions is no leſſe diſhonor to the Magiſtrates, than many corpes are to the Phiſitions. But now cōcerning priuate men, me thinketh it muſt be anſwered thus: It is their duty to forgeue iniuries don to them ſelues, neyther can Seneca his ſaying take place in them, namely that a wiſe man wil leaue nothing vndone that ought to be done, bycauſe reuengement is forbidden them by the law of almighty God. And they are commaunded after a ſorte to puniſh ſuch as ſinne againſt them, in admoniſhing (I meane) and reprouing them. And they are wylled to be content with that puniſhment when thoſe which hauehave offended them are amended and made whole. But cōtrarily if they perceiue that they be ſtubborne, they by the cōmaundement of God ought to complain to the church, by whom at the laſt they are excluded, vnleſſe they wil be obedient to it. And when they are excluded out of the church, they maye alſo be accuſed to the Magiſtrate. In which thing yet is nothing cōmitted againſt clemency, bycauſe this is the mynde and purpoſe of them which accuſe, namely vtterlye to take away euyl according to Gods commaundement by al meanes poſſible. And theſe thinges are now ſufficient concerning cruelty and alſo clemency.

They whych worke of fayth obtain the promiſes.Bycauſe Iudah and Simeon obtayned the victory according to the promyſes of the oracle, it ſhalbe our part diligently to conſider and marke, that they which worke with faith by the woord of God do without doubt obtaine his promiſes. For God hath not left thoſe deſtitute of his ayde, which hauehave endeuoured them ſelues to go forward faithfully in their vocation. The promiſes of God ſurelye are conſtant, and although heauen & earth ſhould at any time vary or be chaunged, yet ſhal they alwaies be firme. And therefore when as man is pronounced to be a lyer, God contrary wiſe muſt bee confeſſed and celebrated as moſte true. Neither is there any thing found ſo hard or difficult, but that by faith it maye be performed. Wherfore it is very well written in the .xi. chap. to the Hebrewes, that the ſaintes by faith hauehave ouercome kingdomes, and obteyned the victorye. That ſentence certainly hath a principal reſpect vntounto theſe hiſtories of the Iudges. This ought to be ſo manifeſt and playne vntounto vsus, that for the obtaynyng of the promiſes of God,We attayn not to the promiſes of God by merites. we ought to attribute nothing to our own workes and merites. Yea, let vsus rather bee aſſured, that what ſo euer happeneth vntounto vsus, that the ſame commeth onelyonly of the goodnes of God, which promiſed the ſame. Our endeuour alſo and labour are required therunto by the ſcriptures, as we ſee here alſo to be done, where the victory is geuen to Iudah and Simeon when they fought, and not when they ceaſed. Not bycauſe God could not hauehave geuen them the victory ouer their enemyes, although they had done nothing, as ſometimes he dyd: but he hath decreed, to bring vsus by the croſſe and labours after hys accuſtomed maner, to the rewardes which he freely promiſed. Neither yet for al that, that our ſtudies and labours are required as cauſes to obtayne the promyſes, when as God doth geue vntounto vsus frely, and of his own mere liberality thoſe thinges which he hath promiſed vsus. This is principallye true in thoſe promiſes, which do wholy paſſe mans capacity, as are eternal life, and regeneration. For they beyng the chiefe and laſt endes of our vocations, doo farre and muche paſſe the dignitye and pryce of our woorkes,Promiſes of the Goſpel and of the law. though they bee moſt perfect. And there is a certayne profitable and neceſſary diſtinction, whych is not to be forgotten, namelye that ſome promyſes are of the lawe, and other ſome of the Goſpell. And this is the nature of promiſes of y^e Goſpel to be offred vtterly frely to men. But to promiſes of the law ſome worke is euer anexed. And y^e is required to be p. 14moſt perfect & abſolute in all pointes. Which bicauſe we can not performe, … altogether fal down vnderunder our burthen, neyther can we attaine to theſe pro… ſes of the lawe in reſpecte they are of the law.Promiſes of the law are not vayne. Thou wilt ſay thē that this kin… of promiſes of the law is vaine? Not ſo, how is it y^e they be not geuen in va… if none can attaine vntounto thē? They are to this end ſet forth, y^e mē vtterly leau… the confidence of workes, ſhould hope to obtaine thē by fayth in Chriſt: Whic… when it is done, they are chaunged frō promiſes of the law into promiſes of … Goſpell. And although they be frely graunted,In euangelical promiſes although they be frely geuen yet muſt we work as though they were legal. yet in atteining vntounto thē we … our endeuor & ſtudye no leſſe than if they were promiſes of the law. But yet … touching thoſe good thinges whiche endure but for a time and paſſe not ma… ſtrength & labour and the rewardes of them are temporall it is not to be deny but y^t our workes are much auayleable. For it is ſayd that they are oftentim… gottē by them. Although alſo in obtayning them y^e fauor of god is nedeful th… unto, which is aboundauntly beſtowed on thē which worke by y^e word of God by faith. Which thing is manifeſtly ſene of y^e readers of this hiſtory: for it decireth that god graunted y^e victory to a fewe Iewes being ſtraungers and you… ſouldiers, agaynſt ſtrong & warlike men, many more in number than they, of monſtrous ſtature, and inhabiting moſt ſtrong fenced cities and caſtles.