Commentaries, Commentary on Judges · Chapter 3 · Verses 9-11
9 And the children of Iſrael cryed vntounto the Lord: and the Lord ſtyrred vp a Sauiour to the children of Iſrael, and ſaued them, one Othoniel the ſonne of Chenez, Calebs yonger ſonne.
10 And the ſpirit of the Lord was vponupon him, and he iudged Iſrael, and he went out to warre, and the Lord deliuered Chuſan Riſeathaim kyng of Aram into his hande: and hys hande preuayled agaynſt Chuſan Riſeathaun.
11 And the lande had reſt .40. yeares: And Othoniel the Sonne of Chenez dyed.
Iſrael cryed vntounto the Lord, bicauſe they wer euil vexed, and moſt grieuouſly oppreſſed of the Sirians. They acknowledged now after their great hurt that ſtraunge Gods profited them nothing, yea rather they brought vponupon them the miſeries wherwith they were vrged. When they vnderſtoode that mans helpe was on eueryevery ſide cut of, they conuerting them ſelues vntounto the true God, called vponupon him. This is the fruite of miſeries as touching the elect, or rather the fruit of the goodnes of God, which by troubles calleth againe vntounto him, thoſe which are hys. Of Othoniel we hauehave ſpoken inough before. Now he is called a Sauiour, bicauſe he brought health vntounto the Iſraelites as ye other Iudges dyd,Othoniel was called a ſauiour and a redemer. which wer alſo called Sauiours, he was a ſhadow of Chriſt. But the Chaldey paraphraſt calleth him Porken, that is a Redemer. Which ſurname alſo rightly agreeth with Othoniel: bicauſe before it is ſayd that God ſold the Iſraelites: and when bondmen are ſold, they hauehave nede of one to redeme them.
For as much as before it was ſaid ye God raiſed vp Iudges,After what maner God raiſed vp Iudges. now is declared the maner & forme how he rayſed them vp. For it is written: And the ſpirite of the Lord was vponupon hym. For by the holy ghoſt wer not onelye geuen vntounto hym ſtrength, political wiſdome and warlyke artes, but alſo he was made the more certain of his calling. The Chaldey paraphraſt vnderſtandeth by the Spirit of God the power of prophecy.Dauid Kimhi. But Dauid Kimhi interpreteth it the gift of force & ſtrength. But I thinke that either interpretacion is to be allowed. For beſydes the ſtrength and power which was geuen the Iudges, they had alſo the iudgement and feeling of the wil of God, which pertained vntounto prophecy.
He iudged Iſrael. That is, he ſet them at liberty and was their Gouernour as touching ciuil thinges, and reſtored the pure worſhipping of God. In that it is aboue written that God ſold Iſrael to the king of Meſopotamia. And nowe again it is declared yt he deliuered the ſame king vntounto Othoniel, we may gather yt victories ar geuē at ye pleaſure of God, which alſo we hauehave often noted before.
R. Leui ben gerſon thinketh that in that ſupputation of .40.R. Leui ben geriſchon. yeares wherein the Iewes lyued peaceably vnderunder Othoniel were comprehended alſo the eyght yeares of ſeruitude which went before. But of this thing we wil ſpeake aboundantly in the hiſtory of Iiphtah. God is alſo to be called vponupon of ſynners.This place teacheth that men muſt call vponupon God, though they hauehave ſynned: which I therfore thought good to note, bycauſe ſinnes vſe much to feare away men from the inuocation of the name of God for this is the nature of ſynnes to alienate vsus frō God, vntounto whom we yet by praiers come againe. Wherfore ſeing theſe thinges are contrary, namely to be alienated from God, and to come vntounto him, it is wonder how they can be applyed to one, and the ſelfe ſame man.Auguſtine. And this maketh with it alſo which is written in the goſpel: God heareth not ſinners. Although Auguſtine wryte of that ſentēce, that it is found in dede in the holy ſcriptures, but it was ſpoken by hym whych was borne blynde, when his hart was not yet illuſtrate. Wherefore he iudgeth that that ſentence is not to be taken as a firme and certaine rule.A diſtinction of ſynners. But I would rather make a diſtinction betwene ſynners, for there are ſome, which when they cry vntounto the Lord, do repent, and from their hartes are ſory, for the euils which they hauehave committed. But ther are other which continue ſtil in their mynd and purpoſe to ſynne, and hauehave a very great delite therin. Farther I am not afeard to affirme, that god heareth thoſe ſynners which being repentant cry vntounto him with faith: wher as thoſe are repulſed which being hardened in their ſinnes and wāting faith do call vponupon god. Wherfore it appeareth that thoſe ſinners which come to god, and thoſe that depart from god are not ſinners of one ſort, bicauſe they which after they hauehave ſynned cal vponupon god by faith, & repent them of theyr ſynnes, are deuided from thoſe which ſtubbornly without repentaunce perſeuer in their ſynnes. For they although by wordes they cry vntounto god, yet in hart and mynde they are farre from him, ſo farre are they for to be ioyned vntounto him, or to come vntounto him by fayth and prayers.