Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 7 – Scripture 8
IVDGES.
CAP. III.
GOd gave them into the hands of the King of Mesopotamia,8 Hee sold them into the hand of Chushan-Rishathaim King of Mesopotamia. that they might be his tributaries, and slaves.
And God enabled him with the gifts of wisedome, and power to rescue,10 And the spirit of the Lord came upon him. and governe his people.
CAP. IV.
ANd Deborah was moved with the spirit of Prophesie & was extraordinarily raised up by God,4 Deborah a prophetesse the wife of Lapidoth shee judged Israel at that time. to give answers from God to Israel, and to give counsells, and directions to his people.
CAP. V.
O Lord,4 Lord when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, &c. thou shewd'st thy selfe marvelous in all the passages of Israel out of Aegypt; when thou wentest up before them from the land of the Edomites, both the heavens and the earth did both feele, and declare thy power; in all these were seene the wonderfull signes of thine almighty protection of thy people.
The very foundations of the mountaines were moved at thy presence; in so much as mount Sinai it selfe,5 The mountaines melted from before the Lord, even that Sinai frō before the Lord God of Israel. which had formerly shaken at the deliverie of thy law given upon it, did now againe (though farre distant) quake at the awfull manifestation of thy power.
In the daies of the late tyrans that enthralled and oppressed Israel,6 In the dayes of Shamgar the Son of Anath, in the dayes of Iael, the high wayes were unoccupied, &c. even from the time of Shamgars deliverance, till this of Iael; the waies were unfrequented, no man durst stirre out, for feare of their cruelty.
It was for their Idolatry,8 They chose new gods, then was warre in the gates. that God stirred up enemies against them, and brought this desolation to their cities.
I cannot but applaud, and blesse God,9 My heart is toward the governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people. for the forwardnesse, and chearefull courage of the chiefe rulers of Israel, in undertaking this warre.
10 Speake ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgement, and walke by the way.O ye, that are the chiefe leaders, and governers of the people, doe ye help me to praise our God, for our deliverance; and ye that are travailers, and traders abroad, joyne with me in this thanksgiving.
11 They that are delivered from the noyse of the archers in the places of drawing water; there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, &c. towards the villages of Israel; thē shall the people of the Lord goe downe to the gates.And ye the meanest of the people, even the drawers of water, in Israel, who for the danger of the enemie durst not stirre forth of your doores, doe you, being delivered from this feare, magnifie the great workes of God, who hath so freed all the villages of Israel, that now they may safely resort to their cities, whether for justice or trafique.
12 Lead thy captiuitie captive.Bring forth thy captives in a triumphant manner.
Most of the severall tribes did their parts in this conflict;14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek, after thee Benjamin among thy people: out of Machir came downe governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. some came from Ephraim, others from the borders of the Amalekites; and thou Benjamin, who art but a small tribe, wert not behinde the rest of Israel; Some from Manasseth (of whom Machir descended) who were chiefe rulers among the people, came forth; and the scribes of the Tribe of Zebulun were not wanting to this valiant service.
Also Barak, with his tribe of Nephthali, came readily,15 And also Barak hee was sent on foot into the valley, for the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. and with all the speed that his feet could make, into the field; As for those tribes of Reuben and Gad, who were by the lot of their inheritāce divided from the rest, there were great exceptions taken at their absence.
16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds to heare the bleatings of the flockes? for the divisions of Reuben were great searchings of heart.O ye of the tribes beyond Iordan, how could any of you sit still quiet among your flockes, and heards, when these great businesses were in hand; for the absence of Reuben great exceptions were taken, & diverse censures passed.
17 Gilead abode beyond Iordan, and why did Dan remaine in ships, &c?Gilead came not forth, but abode still at home beyond Iordan; and those of Dan were attending their merchandize, &c.
19 The Kings came and fought.The neighbour Kings came forth to ayd Jabin.
19 They tooke no gaine of money.They gained nothing by the warre.
The very cloudes and windes sought for us, against our enemies; and the starres of heaven, whose influence workes upon these creatures,20 They fought frō heaven, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. tooke part with us against Sisera.
21 O my soule, thou hast troden downe strength.O my soule, thou hast triumphed over all the strength of thine enemies.
23 Curse ye Meroz, said the Angell of the Lord, curse ye utterly the inhabitants of Meroz, because they came not to the help of the Lord, &c.The Angell of God, whose prophetesse I am, hath bidden me to call for your curses against Meroz, and the inhabitants thereof, who dwelling neare to the place where this battel was fought, and (as it were) within the noise of our trumpets, yet came not forth to our ayd.
CAP. VI.
DOe not worship or serve the gods of the Amorites.10 Feare not the gods of the Amorites.
For,22 For because I have seene an Angell of the Lord face to face. because I have seene an Angell of the Lord face to face in that visible forme which hee assumed, I shall surely die.
In the top of this rocke whereon I gave order unto thee before,26 VponUpon the top of this rocke, in the ordered place. to offer that thy sacrifice (which my fire consumed) in that place, which is already predisposed for this worke, offer thy burnt sacrifice, &c.
God raised up the heart of Gideon with courage,34 But this Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon. to undertake this warre, and with prudence to manage it.
CAP. VIII.
VVHat need yee contend for this;2 What have I now done in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better then the vintage of Abiezer. that later fact that ye Ephraimites have done, in chasing, and executing the Midianites is much more, then all that which we followers of Abiezer have done in joyning the battle, and routing these enemies.
Canst thou be so foolish,6 Are the hands of Zeba and Zalmnana now in thine hands, that wee should give bread to thine army. as to hope to subdue Zeba and Zalmunna, that we should cast away our victualls on thine armie, upon this vaine pretence?
I will beat your bodies with whippes of thornes,7 I will teare your flesh with the thornes of the wildernesse. and bryers, unto death.
With them he did (according as he had threatned) beate the elders of that city,16 And with them he taught the men of Succoth. for a warning unto the men of Succoth; who, by their example were taught, how dangerous it is to sleight Gods agents.
A thousand and seven hundred Shekells of Gold,26 A thousand and seven hundred Shekells of gold. whereof every one weighed an hundred and sixtie graines, which is two drammes and sixteene graines.
He put it (as a monument of that great victory and deliverance) in his city Ophrah;27 And put it in his citie, even in Ophrah; and all Israel went thither a whoring after it. but the people afterwards made an ill use of it; turning it to the service of their idolls, wherewith they were shamefully defiled.
CAP. IX.
WHich is pleasing to God in the use of his sacrifices, and to men in their feasts.13 Which cheareth God and man.
Let there be deadly dissension betweene Abimelech,20 Let fire come out from Abimelech, and devoure the men of Shechem, &c. and the men of Shechem; & let the one of them be used as a meanes to plague and destroy the other; let Abimelech burne the Shechemites, and let them kill him.
23 Then God sent an evill spirit betweene Abimelech, and the men of Shechem.Then God according to the imprecation of Jotham, did in his just judgement give way and power to Satan, to set discord betweene Abimelech and the men of Shechem.
28 Is not he the sonne of Ierubbaal? and Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him?Is not he the base sonne of Jerubbaal? and is not this unworthy Zebul his officer? if ye must serve, rather submit your selves to those that are the issue of the ancient Lords of this citie; then to this upstart generation.
In signe of an utter solitude and vastation, he sowed salt in the soile of the streets there;45 And sowed it with salt. as those which he would have continue desert and forlorne.
CAP. X.
16 And his soule was grieved for the misery of Israel.ANd God had compassion on the miseries that Israel had brought upon themselves by their idolatrie.
CAP. XI.
11 And Ieptha uttered all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh.ANd Jeptha, calling all the congregation together in Mispha, did before them repeate the covenant that was betweene him, and Israel, and called the Lord to witnesse of this their mutuall agreement.
24 Wilt not thou possesse that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possesse: So whomsoever the Lord our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possesse.Ye doe vainly worship Chemosh your false god, and when you have obtained a victory, or possession, ascribe it falsly to that your Idol, and thinke that you both doe, and ought to hold it of him; and is it not reason then, that when the only and true God (whom ye serve) gives us possession of the land of our enemies, we should enjoy it?
29 The Spirit of the Lord came upon Ieptha.God stirred up the courage of Jeptha, and put into him the spirit of fortitude, &c.
31 Whatsoever cōmeth forth of the doores, &c. shall surely be the Lords, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.Whatsoever commeth first out of my doores to meet me, &c. shall surely be consecrated to the Lord; and if it be ought that may be capable of being sacrificed, I will offer it up for a burnt sacrifice to God.
35 Thou hast brought me very low, &c. For I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot goe backe.Thou art now unwittingly a cause of much sorrow, and affliction to me; for I have made a vow to God concerning whatsoever should first come forth to meet me, and I cannot reverse it.
37 Let this thing bee done for me, let me alone two moneths, that I may goe up and downe upon the mountaines, and bewaile my virginity; I and my fellowes.Since thou hast vowed to consecrate me to God, I do also willingly yeeld to make good thy vow; onelyonly let me have two moneths respite to bewaile that virginity of mine (which will follow upon this vow of thine, and shall occasion this discomfort unto thee.)
And the daughters of Israel went yearely to condole with the daughter of Jeptha, foure dayes in a yeare.40 To lament (or speake with) the daughter of Jeptha.
CAP. XII.
YEe Gileadites are no better then base fugitives,4 Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, & among the Manassites. the scumme of two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, a mungrell generation, compounded of both; and living upon both; so as ye have no reason to stand out in a contestation with the noble tribe of Ephraim.
Give proofe of thy tribe, by thy speech;6 Say now Shibboleth. Thou wouldst passe over the ford of Jordan; pronounce that word which signifieth a Ford; say, Shibboleth, &c.
CAP. XIII.
THe Nazariteship of thy sonne shall beginne very early, even in the womb of thee his mother;4 Now therefore beware I pray thee, and drinke no wine nor strong drinke, and eate not any uncleane thing. thou shalt therefore neither eate nor drinke that which is in the law forbidden to these votaries, lest the child should, within thy womb, bee nourished with unlawfull sustenance.
And he began to have many instincts,25 And the spirit of the Lord beganne to move him at times in the campe of Dan, &c. and strong motions from God, at severall times, whereby he found himselfe set apart, and prepared for the great worke of delivering his people.
CAP. XIV.
HIs father,4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord, that hee sought an occasion against the Philistims. and his mother knew not that the Lord had purposely contrived it thus, that hereupon Sampson might take an occasion to fall foule upon the Philistims, and might have the advantage of the quarrell.
And the Lord indued him suddenly with an extraordinary measure of strength;6 And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him; and he rent him as he would have rent Kid. and he pulled the Lyon in peeces, with as much ease, as if it had beene a yong and tender kid.
If ye had not used the meanes of my wife for the knowledge of this secret.18 If ye had not plowed with my heifer, &c.
CAP. XV.
8 And he smote them hip and thigh.ANd he smote them both horse and foote; both those that used the thigh for seate, and those that used the hip for motion, &c.
14 And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him.And God put a miraculous measure of strength into him.
19 But God cleave an hollow place that was in the Iaw, (or Lehi) and there came out water.And God opened an hollownesse that was in that place, which was called, Lehi; or Jaw-bone; and there came out water.
CAP. XVI.
16 So that his soule was vexed unto death.SO as her importunity was an extreame and intolerable vexation to him.
CAP. XVII.
5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an Ephod, and Teraphim, &c. And consecrated one of his sonnes who became his Priest.ANd Micah had a Chappell in his house which hee consecrated to his gods, and made statues or Idols which he placed therein; and (in imitation of Gods own command to his Priests) made an Ephod for the Priest to weare in his devotions, and consecrated one of his sonnes (though of the tribe of Ephraim) to be his Priest.
13 Now know I that the Lord wil do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my Priest.I know I did amisse in consecrating one to bee my Priest, who is not of the tribe of Levi; but now I have made amends for that error; and now, I hope God will be favorable to me; seeing I have chosen a Priest out of the due Tribe.
CAP. XVIII.
6 Before the Lord is your way wherein ye go.GOd hath taken speciall notice of your journey to prosper it.
30 Vntill the day of the captivitie of the land.Untill the time that the Philistims prevailed against the Land.
CAP. XIX.
18 But I am now going to the house of the Lord.I Am travelling to Shiloh, where the Tabernacle of the Lord, and my imployment is.
22 Sonnes of Belial.Leud and debaucht men.
That we may abuse him to our lust.22 That we may know him.
If ye will needs be so outragious, take your pleasure on them rather; and bring this shame upon them.24 Humble them.
CAP. XX.
SEven hundred men,16 Seven hundred chosen men, left-handed, every one could sling stones at an haire breadth, and not misse. so skilfull that they could even with their left hand also weild their weapons; and so expert in the art of slinging, that they would not misse of the smallest marke.
Ye are over-confident, as of your cause, so of your strength; and therefore for your further humiliation,23 And the Lord said, goe up against him. I give way unto you to goe up against Benjamin; but I doe not incourage you with promise of successe.
CAP. XXI.
YEe have sufficiently kept your oath,22 For ye did not give unto them at this time that you should be guilty. in that ye did not voluntarily give your daughters to them, so as now if you shall connive at this violence, they are furnished with wives, and ye are guiltlesse.
RVTH.
CAP. I.
YOu know I am past the possibility of having any other sonnes,11 Are there yet any moe sonnes in my wombe that they may bee your husbands? that might raise a seed to their dead brethren.
My case is now altered,20 Call me not Naomi, call me Mara, &c. and so let my name be; I had a name when I was before with you, that sounded of pleasure, but now my present condition calls for a name of bitternesse.
CAP. II.
GOd so disposed of her choise,3 And her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging to Boaz. that she light upon a part of the field belonging to Boaz.
20 Who hath not left off his kindnesse to the living and to the dead.Who so lovingly continueth a kinde remembrance of his dead kinsman, my late husband Elimelech, and for his sake, of me.
CAP. III.
9 Spread therefore thy skirt over thine hand-maide; for thou art a neare kinsman.TAke thou me into thy protection, as mine husband, for thou art the man who by the law of God (as being one of the nearest kinsmen to my husband) hast right both to redeeme his inheritance, and to marry me, his widow.
CAP. IV.
6 I cannot redeeme it for my selfe, lest I marre my owne inheritance.I Cannot redeeme it for my selfe, lest if I should have one onelyonly sonne by Ruth, my inheritance should bee utterly extinguished, since that sonne must be accounted as my deceased kinsmans, and not mine.