Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · Judges · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
AND an Angel of the Lord came from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to goe up out of Egypt, &c. The sin of the Israelites being set forth before, V. 1.that they expelled not the Canaanites, but covenanted with them for tribute, now they are reproved for it, and threatned. Touching the Angel of the Lord said to come unto them, the Rabbins say it was Phinees who is called an Angel, because a messenger from God is foreign, an Angel, as the word signifieth. Lyra.Christian Expositors generally, that it was an Angel indeed; because he speaketh not like a Prophet, Thus saith the Lord, but as an Angel, I made you to goe out of Egypt, and when a Prophet is spoken of, he is so mentioned, as that it may certainly be known that such an one was sent. But why is hee said then to come from Gilgal, and not rather from heaven? Junius hereupon inferreth, Qu. Juniusthat it was not an Angel, but a man who is said to passe from one place to another, as an Angel is not, and because his vanishing away again is not spoken of; but the last of these reasons is of no force, seeing although sometime an Angel appearing is said to vanish againe, as Judg. 13. 19. yet at other times not, as Josh. 5. 13. Gen. 18. 33. Ch. 19. 22. And for that reason taken from his comming from Gilgal, it may well be understood to have been thus said, because hee appeared there before to Joshua, Ch 5. when hee said, that hee came as a Captain of the Lords Host. Wherefore mention is here made of that place, as wherein he had before so graciously shewed himself in their aide, that their ingratitude in falling from God might the more appeare. But for the place [Bochim] to which hee now came, if it bee demanded where that was? Divers Qu. Adrichomius.conjecture diversly. Adrichomius saith, it was within the lot of Benjamin neare unto Gilgal, calling it Clautomon, weeping: some at Shiloh, because the Tabernacle Junius.was there, and Sacrifices were here offered, v. 5. but it was unlawfull to offer in any other place then where the Tabernacle was. And at Sbiloh, because of the Tabernacle the people used to assemble together three times in the yeare, so that the whole Assembly of them might here be spoken unto. Lastly, others, that it was a Wood neare to Jerusalem, where David afterwards lay hid, 2 Sam. 5. 23.and a sign being given by the moving of the tops of the trees, issued out against the Philistims; because the Septuagint for Mulberry trees, have it foreign, neare the place of weeping, as Bochim in Hebr. signifieth. And Josephus saith, the High Priest prophesied in the Woods, which Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 7. c. 4.were called the place of weeping. And against the former opinion, that it was Shiloh, it is alledged, that Shiloh was never called Bochim after this, as it should have been, if the apparition had been there, according to v. 5. yet I think it most probable, that Shiloh was the place for the reasons brought before. For the reason objected, then the name should hereupon have been changed, it is easily answered, it was enough for a part of that place where the Assembly was held, to bee called Bochim, although the old name of the whole in generall were retained still. Lyra taking it for granted that this place was Lyra.not Shiloh, draweth an argument from hence to prove, that hee was an Angel that appeared, because otherwise it was unlawfull to have sacrificed here; but an Angel appeared to Manoah, hee likewise sacrificed in the place where hee appeared Judg. 13.unto him. And they that stand for another place besides Shiloh, hereby answer the reason brought before to prove it Shiloh, because otherwise they could not have sacrificed here, because howsoever ordinarily they might not sacrifice but at the place which the Lord chose for his Tabernacle, yet in extraordinary cases they might, as David in the threshing floore of Araunah, 2 Sam. 24. and Elias, 1 King. 18. But to these places alledged it may bee said, that Manoah and David had speciall direction, and Elijah was a Prophet inspired, but here without any such direction they offered sacrifices, which implyeth, that it was done in the ordinary place.
For the time when this Angel appeared, there is also a difference, some thinking that it was before Joshua his death, because v. 6. Joshua is spoken of Tostatus, Torniellus, Sallianus, Iunius. August. qu. 12. in l… Procopius, Cajetan.as dismissing the people from this Assembly, and then dying. Others, after his death, because the people are said to have served the Lord all the dayes of Joshua, and of the Elders that over-lived Joshua, v. 7. but this reprehension of them by the Angel was after their falling away, when they had made Leagues with the inhabitants of the Land, and suffered their Idolls and Altars to stand, which was, when for tribute they suffered them to live, Ch 1. It cannot bee, that during Joshua his life any such thing should be tolerated, or if against his will it had been done, hee would doubtlesse have reproved them for it in his last speeches, Josh. 23 and 24. Moreover, Joshua was by the Lord called off from warring any more with the enemy, to divide the Land, Josh. 13. 1. 7. and so there was an intermission of Warre the rest of his dayes; wherefore the Conquests made after, and putting of some to tribute, must needs be after his death, when the Israelites were more multiplyed, and this apparition was after that. And thus much is expressed, Judg. 1. 1. where it is said, After the death of Joshua, &c. As for Joshua his dying mentioned after this, it is done, saith Augustine, by recapitulation, to begin the Story from the first, and in the book of August. qu. 13. in Iudic.Joshua, their putting of the Canaanites to tribute, is mentioned by pre-occupation. It seemeth plainly to be a repetition of that, Josh. 24. 28, 29, 30. where Lyra.it is spoken to the same effect, as if it had been said, because v. 3. the Angel threatened, that the enemies left by their negligence, should bee as thornes in their sides; and their Gods suffered to remain, as snares unto them.
I will now shew from the beginning the order of these things fulfilled. First, they were dismissed by Joshua after a Covenant made to their inheritances, and possessed them, and in this good case they stood all his dayes, and of the Elders overliving him, because they yet served the Lord, and were not insnared by Idolls; but after this iniquity began to work upon the ground laid in sparing the Canaanites, &c.
Touching Gods prohibiting them to make Covenants with them, and command V. 2.to throw down their Altars, the transgressing against which they are here charged with, see Exod. 23. 32, 33. Exod. 34. 12, 15, 16. Deut. 7. 2, 3. Josh. 23. 12. also Exod. 23. 24. & 34. 13. Deut. 7. 25.
Wherefore I said, I will not drive them out from before you, but they shall be thornes in V. 3.your sides, and their Gods shall be a snare unto you; to this effect it was said, Josh. 23. 13. to which this hath reference.
These things being spoken by the Angel, the people wept, and hence the V. 4, 5.place was called Boch…m, weeping; so that it was called so before by anticipation, because, as Augustine hath it, this Book was written after this thing done, Augustine.and this name upon that place imposed. and they sacrificed there unto the Lord. They wept, saith Ferus, out of compunction for their sins, and sacrificed, to Ferus.shew their faith in Christ, that was to come, who was figured out in those sacrifices, so that here were two things required in true repentance, but the third, viz. the workes of faith, was wanting, and thus their repentance was frustrated, because that after this they amended not their lives. Wherefore wee must learn to doe all three, that God may forgive us. Sacrificing was sometime by peace-offerings in way of thankfulnesse for benefits received, and sometime by sin-offerings for the expiating thereof, and of this kind their sacrifices at this time doubtlesse were.
Joshua his dismissing of the people is repeated from Josh. 24. 28. and his dying V. 6, 7, 8, 9.and being buryed, and the peoples persevering in the service of God, &c. of all which enough upon that place.
And there arose another generation, which knew not the Lord, nor the workes that V. 10.he had done for Israel. Here is set downe the Originall of all the evills that followed, related in this Book, godly men were taken away, and an ignorant generation remained: intimating how necessary godly Governours and Pastors Note. are for the people; when such fail, godlinesse, and the knowledge of God faileth in the land, and all things tend to ruine. They are said not to have known the Lord, because they had not seen those famous and wonderful works August. qu. 15.wch he did in former times, so Augustine; and for the relation made hereof either they beleeved it not, or were unaffected herewith, so that they knew not the Lord to be better and more worthy to be served then the Gods of the Heathen.
And hereupon they did evill, and served other Gods, for which they were V. 11, 12.given over to divers oppressions by their enemies, but then God in mercy raised them up Judges to deliver them, and the Judge being dead, they sinned in like manner againe, which is the summe of all the relations following in this Book. Wherefore it is to bee understood that what is here said to v. 20. is the generall summe, after which follow the particulars in the residue of this book.
They served Baal and Ashteroth. Baal signifieth a Lord, and was the common V. 13.name of the chief God amongst the Heathen, who was Jupiter Belus, being set forth in divers Countreys with divers additions; and Baalim in the plurall number were all other heathen Gods called that were males, and the females Ashteroth, and when it is in the singular number Astarthe, Juno the chiefe Goddesse is set forth hereby; so Augustine, who will have Baal to be a Punick word, Aug. qu. 16. in Iudic.and saith, that Juno was set forth in the plurall number Ashteroth, because there were many images of the same Juno, called together Ashteroth, or Junoes. Others think, that by Astrate and Ashteroth Ʋenus was set forth, the Goddesse of Cicero lib. 3. de nat. Deorum. Theophilus. Plautus, Philo, Phavorinus, &c.the Sidonians, as Ashteroth is said to be, 1 Kings 11. 5. 33. 2 King. 23. 13. being so called from Astron the morning Starre, in the similitude whereof shee was worshipped. Plutarch is doubtfull whether it be Ʋenus or Juno. Lucianus thinketh that it was the Moon. The word foreign, from whence Ashteroth commeth, signifieth a flock of sheep being Ewes, in similitude of which this Idol was made, and worshipped by the Sidonians, so Pagninus out of R. D. and Jupiter of a Ramme.
And hee sold them into the hands of their enemies: If hee sold them, saith Augustine, V. 14. August. qu. 17.what price took he for them? and answereth by that, Psal. 44. 12. hee took no money for them. Wherefore he is said to sell them, when hee gave them into their hands who were wicked, and returned no thankes or Worship unto God as a price therefore. The Vulg. Latine hath it, they sold them, which Lyra expoundeth of their enemies, who tooke them and spoiled them Lyra.of their goods, and then sold them for slaves, but both Hebrew and Septusgint have it, hee sold them, referring it to God.
The Lords hand was against them as hee had said, and as hee had sworne unto them. To bee against them, if they transgressed, hee had threatned, Levit. 26. V. 15.and Deut. 28. but wee read not any where that hee sware it, wherefore it is to be held that this was done, but not hitherto expressed, but the expression of it reserved to this place.
But the Lord raised them up Judges to deliver them, but they would not hearken to their Judges, that is, constantly to leave their sinnes; for still when V. 17.any Judge was dead, they returned to their old wickednesse, v. 19. whereby is implyed, that they were contained in some obedience to God, whilst the Judge lived, by whom they were delivered; but afterwards they fell away againe.
For these their sinnes the anger of the Lord waxed hot against them, and he said, V. 20, 21.I will not henceforth drive out any of the nations which Joshua left, when hee dyed. This seemeth to make for that opinion, that the victories obtained, Judg. 1. and their inability to expell any more enemies out of their particular lots, and the reproofe of the Angel, Judg. 2. were before the death of Joshua. But it hath already beene plainly proved, that all this was done after Joshua his death; the meaning therefore is, that hee would not drive out any more of them, that were left, when Joshua dyed, then had beene already driven out. That Israel might by them bee proved, &c. which hee saith was the V. 22. V. 23.end of his not driving them out, but leaving them unsubdued in Joshua his dayes. Whereas David and Solomon afterwards brought and held them in subjection, it was not contrary to this threatning, for they remained even still in their dayes, although as a people brought under, but ready, when they should sin againe, to be a scourge unto Israel. For their being reserved to prove Israel, it is not meant, that the Lord might know, what they would doe, for hee knew all things from the beginning, but that it might appeare experimentally to themselves and to all men, whether they would doe good or evill by Lyra.their standing in a prosperous estate, or falling into misery, which should be a certaine proofe of their sinning.