Commentaries, Commentary on Judges · Chapter 3 · Verse 15
15 And the children of Iſraell cryed vntounto the Lorde: and the Lord ſtirred them vp a Sauioure Ehud the ſonne of Gera, the ſonne of Iemini, a man hauing an impedimente in hys ryght hande, and by hym the children of Iſraell ſente a preſente vntounto Eglon the Kyng of Moab.
The kindneſſe and mercy of God is farre greater than the kindneſſe and mercy of men. For if any through their own default fal into any miſeryes,The kindneſſe of God is farre greater thā the mercye of men. men for the moſte parte hauehave no compaſſion on them. Which manifeſtly appeareth in ye Romane lawes, in the Digeſtes de depoſito vel contra. In the lawe, bona fides, it is ordayned that a pledge ſhoulde not bee reſtored, but ſhoulde bee geuen to the treaſorye, when he whiche owed the pledge doth ſo offende, that he deſerueth baniſhemente, bycauſe that he ſuffred it thorough hys owne default, and therefore is it meete that he ſhoulde bee punyſhed with pouertye. A woman alſo, if ſhe committe aduoutrye, dyd not only looſe her dowery, but alſo ſhe cā clayme none of her huſbands goods, bicauſe through her own default ſhe falleth into that miſery: which is alſo written in Decretalibus, title de conſuetudine, chap. Ex parte. But god is ſo merciful and long ſuffring that he ſaith in Ieremy: I will do that, which none of you wil do. No huſband would receaue againe a wife which he hath repudiated, eſpecially for adultery ſake. But I, ſo that thou wilte returne, will take thee againe, although thou haſt moſt filthilye played the harlot with thy louers. This goodneſſe of god ought we alſo to follow not only to hauehave cōpaſſion on thoſe,It is not lawful by violence to deliuer thoſe which ar alredy fallen into the power of the Magiſtrate. which wtout their own fault are thruſt into miſeries but of thoſe alſo which for their faults are chaſtiſed. Wherefore we ought to be gentle towardes them, but yet ſo farre as good lawes wil ſuffer: which I therfore adde, leſt hereupon any ſhould thinke that ſuch as are condemned to death or are captiues for wicked actes whiche they hauehave committed might be deliuered againſt the wil of the Magiſtrates. Chriſt commaunded, that we ſhould forgeue the repentant ſinner, not once nor ſeuen tymes, but ſeuenty times ſeuen times: this doth he himſelf toward his people: thei fal in dede oftentimes, and moſt filthily ſinne, and yet when they retourne the heauenly Father both receaueth and alſo deliuereth them.
He rayſed them vp a Iudge, Ehud the ſonne of Gera. The cōmon tranſlation hath Aioth. Why the Latin & Greke tranſlation hauehave corrupted propre names.But that is meruaile, for both in the Greeke and alſo the Latin tranſlation, very many propre names are corrupted. As Iſaac, Ezechiell, Ezechias, Nabuchodonoſor, &c, for both thoſe Nations abhorring from hard kinde of ſpeaking hauehave leuifyed and mitigated the Hebrue woordes after the forme of their own ſpeche. And this man of whom we entreate, came (as the holy hiſtory declareth) of the tribe of Beniamin. For the familye of Iemini, whereof he was borne, belonged vntounto the tribe of Beniamin.
Hauing an impediment in hys ryght hand. The common Latine edition hath turned it Ambidextrum, that is, one which vſeth both handes a like, which interpretation the Hebrewe phraſe ſuffreth not, whiche is thus: Ater iad lamino, Why ſome are lefthanded.that is, ſhut or taken in his right hande. And in the Latin alſo we ſaye claudum, quaſi clauſum, that is, lame. And there are two cauſes alledged, why ſome are lefthanded. For eyther it commeth of cuſtome from their childhode, or ells by ſome impediment in the right part. But I would thinke that ye cuſtome of vſing the left hand from a childe commeth of ſome impediment, bycauſe peraduenture ſome pores of ye body are ſhut or ſtopped, by which ye ſpirites whiche are inſtrumentes of mouing, can not eaſlye hauehave their courſe to the ſinowes and to the brawnes of the right hand. Otherwiſe children ſhould of their own accord be prone to vſe the right hand, for as much as in creatures, by order of nature, ye right part is much ſtronger thā ye left. Neither do Iat this preſent ſpeake of thoſe which do of purpoſe practiſe to vſe the left hand, that therby whē nede requireth they may hauehave both handes ready. For that ſerueth little to oure matter, for the hiſtory by expreſſe wordes declareth that this Ehud had an impedimente in hys right hand. Yet let vsus remember, yt god for the executing of noble dedes & enterpriſes for the moſt part choſeth the weake & vnapt ones, as the firſt epiſtle to the Corin. teſtifieth: Brethren, ſee to your calling: how yt not many noble men, not many wiſe men, not many mighty men, are choſen, but God hath choſen the foliſhe things of the world, to put to ſhame the wiſe, & he hath choſen the weake things, to ouerthrow things yt are mighty, & alſo vile things, and thinges of no reputation hath God choſē to confound things of reputation, yt no fleſh ſhould be glorified in his ſight, &c. For as much as the glorye of God ſhoulde eaſlye bee darkened by the power & wiſedome of men. Wherfore yt that glory might excel, he hath elected the folyſheneſſe of preaching, he hath alſo choſen vntounto himſelfe rude Apoſtles, and weake and feable men, by whom he myghte ſhewe forth hys wonderfull workes. Howbeit bycauſe that which was now done by Ehud ſeemeth to be done by crafte, ſubtilitye and guile, it is declared what occaſion God gaue of this noble dede.
And by him the children of Iſraell ſent a preſent vntounto Eglon. God would therfore hauehave this meſſanger choſē, that he might the eaſlier come to the preſence of the King. And I ſuppoſe that the preſent which they ſent vntounto Eglon was not the ordinary tribute which they payd, but ſome honorable gift, ther by to make the King more fauourable towards thē, or els to obtayne ſomewhat at his hands. For tribute is called by an other woord of the Hebrewes than by this word Minchah. For that word is deriued of this verbe Nachah, Minchah.which is to bring, or to offre. Wherfore Minchah ſignified not only an oblation, which was appointed for ſacrifices, but alſo a preſent, and gift preſented vntounto noble men. And for that cauſe in the booke of Geneſis, thoſe thinges whiche Iacob as a gifte ſent vntounto his brother Eſau, before he came vntounto him, are called by ye ſame name. And when Ehud ſaw, that he was called to a weighty and perilous enterpryſe, although he nothing doubted of the ſucceſſe thereof, yet he diligentlye weyghed with himſelfe the daungers to the end he myght the more prudently auoyde them. The callyng of GOD cauſeth vsus to hauehave a ſure confidence, but yet it nothyng letteth, but that we maye meditate howe we maye warely, and wyſely execute it. Ehud therefore reuoluing with himſelfe the thynges that were to be done, cauſed that thyng to bee made for him, whiche the holy hiſtorye by theſe wordes declareth.