Skip to main content

Full text of "The Book of Judges : with map, introduction and notes"

See other formats 


^Ije  Smaller 
c^ambriHae  fiible  Ux  3cl)ools 


JUDGES 


B  LA  C K 


IBS  13  05 


CamLritigi  Jibk  for  Stl^ools. 

"This  new  series  of  smaller  handhoohs  is  intended  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  junior  and  elementary  schools,  just  as  the  ^  Cam- 
hidge  Bible  for  Schools  and  Colleges'  and  the  ''Cambridge  Greek 
Testament '  supply  the  needs  of  senior  classes  and  older  students. 
The  Books  of  the  Bible  are  to  be  edited  by  the  same  editors  as  the 
corresponding  parts  of  the  earlier  senes.  It  is  hardly  necessary  for 
us  to  say  that  the  notes  give  evidence  of  the  accurate  scholarship 
conspicuous  in  the  larger  volumes:  and  the  condensation  and  simpli- 
fication of  the  commentaries  seem,  in  most  instances,  to  have  been 
skilfully  accomplished." — Educational  Times. 

"  r^e  notes  elucidate  every  possible  difficulty  with  scholarly  bre- 
vity and  clearness,  and  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  subject." — Satur- 
day Eeview. 

"Ife  can  cordially  recommend  this  series  of  text-books,  not  only 
to  those  for  whotn  it  is  primarily  intended,  but  also  to  the  clergy  and 
other  viorkers  for  use  in  Bible-classes." — Church  Eeview. 

^'Accurate  scholarship  is  obviously  a  charactenstic  of  their  pro- 
ductions, and  the  ivork  of  simplification  and  condensation  appears  to 
have  been  judiciously  and  skilfully  performed." — Guardian. 

"TF"e  should  be  glad  to  hear  that  this  senes  has  been  introduced 
into  many  of  our  Sunday  schools,  for  which  it  is  so  admirably 
adapted." — Christian  Leader. 

^' These  little  shilling  vohimes  are  exactly  ichat  is  i-equired." — 
Baptist  Magazine. 

"Xo  lover  of  the  Bible  can  well  afford  to  be  without  these  valu- 
able helps  to  study.  A  good  map  accompanies  each  volume,  and  the 
notes  are  scholarly,  clear,  and  suggestive." — Young  Man. 

Now  Ready.     Price  \s.  each  volume. 

Book  of  Joshua.    J.  S.  Black,  M.A. 

First   and   Second   Books    of   Samuel.     Rev.    Prof. 

KiRKPATRICK,    B.D. 

First  and  Second  Books  of  Kings.    Prof.  Lu.mby,  D.D. 
Gospel  according  to  St  Matthew.    Rev.  A.  Carr,  M.A. 
Gospel  according  to  St  Mark.   Rev.  G.  F.  Maclear,  D.D. 
Gospel  according  to  St  Luke.    Arch.  Farrar,  D.D. 
Gospel  according  to  St  John.    Rev.  A.  Plummer,  D.D. 
Acts  of  the  Apostles.    Rev.  Prof.  Lumby,  D.D. 

Hontion :  C.  J.  CLAY  and  SONS, 

CAMBRIDGE   UNIVERSITY  PRESS   WAREHOUSE, 

AVE   MARIA  LANE. 


€\)t  Camftriige  36fl)Ie  lot  ^t\)00l^ 
anU  Colleges;* 

General  Editor  :  J.  J.  S.  PEROWNE,  D.D., 
Bishop  of  Worcester. 


**It  is  difflcult  to  commend  too  highly  this  excellent  series."— Quaxdi&n. 

"  The  modesty  of  the  general  title  of  this  series  has,  we  believe,  led  many 
to  misunderstand  its  character  and  underrate  its  value.  27ie  books  are  well 
suited  for  study  in  the  upper  forms  of  our  best  schools,  but  not  the  less  are 
they  aaapted  to  the  wants  of  all  Bible  students  who  are  not  specialists.  We 
doubt  whether  any  of  tlie  numerous  popular  commentaries  recently  issued 
in  this  count)^  inll  he  found  more  serviceable  for  general  use." — Academy. 

Extra  Fcap.  8vo.  cloth,  with  Maps  when  required. 
Book  of  Joshua.    Eev.  G.  F.  Maclear,  D.D.     2s.  6d. 
Book  of  Judges.    Eev.  J.  J.  Lias,  M.A.     3s.  6d. 
Firsts  Second  Samuel.  Prof.KiRKPATEicK,B.D.  3s. 6d. each. 
First&i  Second  Books  of  Kings.  Prof.  Lumbt,  D.D.  3s.  6(2.  each. 
Book  of  Job.     Eev.  A.  B.  Davidson,  D.D.     5s. 
Fsalms.     Book  I.  i. — xli.     Prof.  Kirkpatrick,  B.D.     3s.  6d. 
Book  of  Ecclesiastes.     Very  Eev.  E.  H.  Plumptre,  D.D.     5s. 
Book  of  Jeremiah.     Eev.  A.  W.  Streane,  B.D.     4s.  6d. 
Book  of  Hosea.    Eev.  T.  K.  Cheyne,  M.A.,  D.D.     3s. 
Books  of  Obadiah  and  Jonah.     Arch.  Perowne.     2s.  6^. 
Book  of  nsicah.    Eev.  T.  K.  Cheyne,  M.A.,  D.D.     Is.  M. 
Haggai,  Zechariah  and  Malachi.    Arch.  Perowne.    3s.  6^. 
Book  of  nsalachi.    Archdeacon  Perowne.     Is. 
Gospel  according  to  St  IVEatthew.   Eev.  A,  Carr,  M.A.  2s.  %d. 
Gospel  according  to  St  Mark.  Ecv.G.F.IMacleaRjD.D.  2s.  6d. 
Gospel  according  to  St  Ziuke.     Arch.  Farrab,  D.D.     4s.  6d. 
Gospel  according  to  St  John.  Eev.  A.  Plummer,  D.D.  4s.  3c7. 
Acts  of  the  Apostles.    Eev.  Prof.  Lumby,  D.D.     4s.  6d. 
Bpistle  to  the  Romans.     Eev.  H.  C.  G.  Moule,  M.A.     3s.  6d. 
First  and  Second  Corinthians.  Eev.  J.  J.  Lias,  M.A.  2s.  each. 
Bpistle  to  the  Galatians.     Eev.  E.  H.  Perowne,  D.D.    Is.  Qd. 
Epistle  to  the  Ephesians.    Eev.  H.  C.  G.  Moule,  M.A.  2s.  6d. 
EpisUe  to  the  PhiUppians.  Eev.  H.  C.  G.  Moule,  M.A.  2s.  6d. 
Epistles  to  the  Thessalonians.    Eev.  G.  G.  Findlay,  B.A.    2s. 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.     Arch.  Farrar,  D.D.     3s.  %d. 
Epistle  of  St  Janxes.   Very  Eev.  E.  H.  Plumptre,  D.D.  Is.  6d. 
St  Peter  and  St  Jude.  Very  Eev.  E.  H.  Plumptre,  D.D.  2s.  6d. 
Epistles  of  St  John.     Eev.  A.  Plummer,  D.D.     3s.  6d. 
Book  of  Revelation.     Eev.  W.  H.  Simcox,  M.A.     3s. 

Other  Volumes  Preparing. 


Sontion :  C.  J.  CLAY  and  SONS, 

CAMBEIDGE   UNIVEESITY  PEESS  WAEEHOUSE, 

AVE   MAEIA  LANE. 


"i"^*^ 


<  1*1 


li.l        >  l^--" 


_itti4^niJ-X\  .  VGiei  ill  a:  J  s  ^  ^ 


t!H)t  Smaller  Cambnlisf  3iible  for 
gbrt)ooIs{. 


THE    BOOK 

OF 

JUDGES 

WITH  21 AP  INTRODUCTION  AND,  NOTES 

BY 

y 
JOHN    SUTHERLAND  BLACK,    M.A. 


EDITED  FOR   THE  SYNDICS   OF   THE   UNIVERSITY  PRESS. 


AT   THE    UNIVERSITY  PEESS. 


LONDON  :   C.   J.   CLAY  and   SONS, 

CAMBRIDGE   UNIVERSITY  PRESS   WAREHOUSE, 

AVE   MARIA  LANE. 

1892 

[All  liif/Jits  rei>erved.\ 


CTaittbritjge : 

PRINTED    BY    C.    J.    CLAY,    M.A.    &    SONS, 
AT   THE    UNIVERSITY   PRESS.      . 


CONTENTS. 


Introduction  :  page 

I  Title  and  Subject ^ 5 

II  Analysis 5 

III  Date   9 

IV  Israel  under  the  Judges  9 

Text  and  Notes 13 

Index lH 


*^*  The  Text  adopted  in  this  edition  is  that  of  Dr  Scrivener's 
Cambridge  Paragraph  Bible.  A  few  variations  from 
the  ordinary  Text,  chiefly  in  the  spelling  of  certain 
words,  and  in  the  use  of  italics,  will  be  noticed.  In  the 
notes,  the  renderings  of  the  Kevised  Version  of  1885 
are  printed  in  Clarendon  type. 

ABBREVIATIONS. 

A.V.       Authorised  Version  of  1611. 

R.V.       Revised  Version  of  1885. 

Heb.      The  original  Hebrew. 

LXX.  The  Septuagint :  (A)  Alexandrian  text ;  (B)  Vati- 
can text ;  (LuCi)  Lucian's  text. 

Syr.       Syriac  Version. 

Vulg.     The  Vulgate. 

Lit.        Literally. 

Arabic  Geographical  Terms  :  W.  or  Wady,  watercourse, 
especially  of  a  non- perennial  stream.  N.  or  Nahr,  perennial 
stream.     .T.  or  Jebel,  mountain. 

To  my  friend  Professor  W.  Robertson  Smith  I  am  indebted 

for  much  advice  and  assistance  generously  given  at  every  stage 

in  the  preparation  of  this  little  work,  and  very  specially  in 

connection  with  the'  notes  on  chaps,  v.  and  ix.     His  initials 

have  been  appended  to  some  hitherto  unpublished  emendations 

of  the  text  which  have  been  suggested  by  him. 

J.  S.  B. 
1st  Oct.,  1892. 

1—2 


INTRODUCTION. 


1.  Title  and  Subject.— The  Book  of  Judges  (Heb.  shophetim), 
so  called  because  it  has  the  exploits  of  the  Twelve  Judges  (see 
below)  for  its  main  subject,  comprises  along  with  the  first 
chapters  of  1  Samuel  the  history  of  Israel  from  the  settlement 
in  Canaan  to  the  establishment  of  the  monarchy  under  Saul. 
In  its  present  form  it  reads  as  a  direct  continuation  of  the 
Book  of  Joshua  (i.  1:  "it  came  to  pass  after  the  death  of 
Joshua"),  but  has  no  such  direct  link  of  connection  either 
with_the  Book  of  Samuel  which  follows  it  in  the  Hebrew  canon 
or  with  that  of  Kuth  which  succeeds  it  in  the  Greek,  Latin  and 
English  Bibles.  We  shall  see,  however,  when  we  proceed  to 
analyse  it,  that  the  greater  part  of  the  book  must  once  have 
existed  in  the  form  of  one  or  more  independent  narratives, 
which  were  afterwards  worked  into  the  continuous  series  of 
"the  Former  Prophets"  (Joshua,  Judges,  Samuel  1  and  2,  Kings 
1  and  2)  by  an  editorial  hand. 

2.  Analysis.— The  main  division  of  the  book,  viz.  the  history 
of  the  Twelve  Judges  (from  which  the  whole  has  its  name),  ex- 
tends from  ii.  6  to  xvi.  31.  It  is  preceded  by  a  short  account 
of  the  settlement  of  the  Hebrews  in  Canaan  (i.  1— ii.  5)  and 
followed  by  two  Appendices  (xvii.  1— xxi.  22).  Each  of  these 
sections  may  be  considered  separately. 

(rt)  The  first  section  (i.  1— ii.  5)  gives  a  summary  account 
of  the  settlement  of  Israel  in  Canaan  with  a  survey  of  the  parts 
of  the  land  occupied  by  the  Hebrews  and  those  in  which  the 
Canaanites  continued  to  hold  their  own.  The  siu-vey  is  not  quite 
complete :  i.  1—21  treats  of  Judah,  and  incidentally  of  Simeon 
and  Benjamin;  i.  22—29  of  Joseph;  the  following  verses 
(30—36)  deal  very  briefly  with  Zebulun,  Asher,  Naphtali  and 
Dan ;  and  the  section  closes  with  a  notice  of  the  transference 
of  the  ark  from  Gilgal  to  Bethel,  to  which  is  added,  probably 
by  a  later  hand,  an  account  of  a  revelation  admonishing  the 
people  of  the  evil  they  have  brought  on  themselves  by  mingling 
with  the  Canaanites:  see  notes  on  ii.  1—5.     It  is  important 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

to  note  that,  in  spite  of  ver.  1,  ch.  i.  covers  the  same  ground 
with  the  Book  of  Joshua.  "It  is  impossible  to  regard  the 
warlike  expeditions  described  in  this  chapter  as  supplementary 
campaigns  undertaken  after  Joshua's  death;  they  are  plainly 
represented  as  the  first  efforts  of  the  Israelites  to  gain  a  firm 
footing  in  the  centre  of  the  land  (at  Hebron,  Debir,  Bethel),  in 
the  very  cities  which  Joshua,  in  the  book  that  bears  his  name, 
is  related  to  have  subdued  (Josh.  x.  39).  And  this  is  confirmed 
by  the  circumstance  that  in  Judg.  ii.  1  the  'angel  of  Jehovah,' 
who,  according  to  Ex.  xiv.  24,  xxiii.  20,  xxxii.  34,  xxxiii.  2,  7 
seq. ,  must  be  viewed  as  having  his  local  manifestation  at  the 
headquarters  of  the  host  of  Israel,  is  still  found  at  Gilgal  and 
not  at  Shiloh  (Josh,  xviii.  1).  Here  then  we  have  an  account 
of  the  first  settlement  of  Israel  west  of  the  Jordan  which  is 
parallel  to  the  book  of  Joshua,  but  makes  no  mention  of  Joshua 
himself,  and  places  the  tribe  of  Judah  in  the  front.  The 
author  of  the  chapter  cannot  have  had  Joshua  or  his  history 
in  his  eye  at  all,  and  the  passage.  Josh.  xv.  13 — 19,  which 
corresponds  to  Judg.  i.  10 — 15,  20,  is  either  derived  from  our 
chapter,  or  from  an  earlier  source  common  to  both.  It  follows 
from  these  considerations  that  the  words,  '  Now  after  the 
death  of  Joshua'  in  Judg.  i.  1  are  from  the  hand  of  the 
editor,  who  desired  to  make  the  whole  book  of  Judges,  in- 
cluding chap,  i.,  read  continuously  with  that  which  precedes 
it  in  the  canon  of  the  earlier  prophets."  It  also  follows  that 
Judg.  i,  is  drawn  from  documents  of  great  antiquity  and  corre- 
sponding value.  From  it  we  learn  that  the  conquest  was  very 
partial  at  first,  and  that  the  ultimate  subjugation  and  absorp- 
tion (rather  than  extermination)  of  the  Canaanites  was  not  the 
result  of  two  or  three  campaigns  but  the  gradual  work  of 
centuries  (see  below,  sect.  4). 

{h)  The  Tivelre  Judges  (ii.  6 — xvi.  31).  This  section  may  be 
looked  on  as  a  book  by  itself.  It  has  a  plan  of  its  own  and  a 
separate  Introduction  :  ii.  6 — iii.  6  (see  Connn.).  Note  how  this 
introduction  begins  by  resuming  (ii.  6 — 10)  what  had  been  said 
in  Josh,  xxiv,  28—31,  thus  connecting  the  story  of  the  judges 
directly  with  the  Book  of  Joshua,  and  not  with  Judges  i.  1 — 
ii.  5  (cp.  the  similar  resumption  which  connects  Ezra  with 
Chronicles;  2  Chr.  xxxvi.  22  sq,,  Ezra  i.  1 — 3).  As  regards 
the  plan  of  the  section,  its  most  obvious  feature — already  fore- 
shadowed in  the  introduction — is  that  it  represents  the  history 
as  falling  into  a  succession  of  periods  of  foreign  oppression  (the 
punishment  of  tlie  people's  sin)  and  of  deliverance  and  pro- 
sperity under  a  judge  or  divinely  appointed  leader  raised  up  in 
answer  to  the  people's  penitent  prayer.  Thus  :  iii.  8,  God  is 
angry  with  Israel,  and  sells  them  into  the  hand  of  Chushan- 
Rishathaim  ;    ver.    9 — 11,   they  cry  to  the  Lord,   who  sends 


INTRODUCTION.  7 

Othniel  to  deliver  them,  and  the  land  has  rest  40  years; 
ver.  12—14,  Israel  again  does  evil  and  is  made  to  serve  the 
king  of  Moab  18  years;  ver,  15—30,  the  children  of  Israel  cry 
unto  the  Lord,  who  sends  Ehud  to  deliver  them,  and  the  land 
has  rest  80  years.  This  plan  however  is  strictly  carried  out 
only  for  six  oppressions  and  six  judges,  according  to  the  follow- 
ing scheme : 


OppreKnion 

Diirfttion 

Deliverer             Period  of  rest 

Chushan-Rishathaim 

8yrs. 

Othniel                         40  yrs. 

Moabites 

18    „ 

Ehud                             80  '  „ 

Canaanites 

20    „ 

Deborah  and  Barak     40     „ 

Midianites 

7    „ 

Gideon                          40     ,, 

Ammonites 

18    „ 

Jephthah                       6     „ 

Philistines 

40    „ 

Samson                       [20]  ^  „ 

111  206 

The  judges  named  in  this  table  are  commonly  called  the  six 
greater  judges.  The  names  of  the  other  six  (the  minor  judges) 
are  not  connected  with  any  vicissitudes  of  sin,  oppression  and 
repentance.     They  are  as  follows : 


Shamsar' 


0 


Tola 23 

Jair 22 

Ibzan 7 

Elon 10 

Abdon 8 

70 
As  the  history  now  reads  one  would  conclude  that  the  whole 
narrative  is  consecutive,  each  new  incident  being  introduced 
by  such  words  as  "and  after  him"  (iii.  31),  "and  again" 
(iv.  1),  &c.  But  here  the  difficulty  arises  that,  according  to 
1  Kings  vi.  1,  the  entire  period,  from  the  exodus  to  the  founda- 
tion of  the  temple  in  Solomon's  fourth  year,  is  but  480  years, 
or  12  generations  of  40  years  each.  But  the  wilderness  wander- 
ings and  the  reign  of  David  are  two  forties ;  while  the  period  of 
Joshua  and  the  elders,  and  that  of  Samuel  and  Saul,  though 
not  precisely  dated  in  our  texts,  cannot  be  much  less  than  two 
full  generations,  thus  leaving  for  the  judges  but  320  years, 
minus  the  four  years  of  Solomon,  i.e.  316.  This  is  precisely 
the  sum  of  the  years  of  the  oppressions  and  the  six  greater 
judges,  but  leaves  no  room  for  the  minor  judges,  who  thus 
seem  to  lie  outside  the  chronological  scheme  as  they  also  lie 

1  Tlie  years  of  Samson  are  included  in   "tlie  days  of  tlie  Pliilistines:" 
Judg.  XV.  20. 

2  Shamgar  is  not  formally  called  a  judge  and  no  period  of  rule  is  assigned 
to  liinj. 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

outside  the  cycle  of  oppressions  and  deliverances.  From  all 
this  it  appears  that  the  continuity  of  the  history  and  chrono- 
logical data  of  the  book  is  only  apparent.  Indeed  a  careful 
study  of  the  individual  narratives  soon  shows  us  that  many 
of  the  judges  had  only  a  limited  sphere  of  influence,  so  that 
two  or  more  of  them  may  very  well  have  been  contemporaneous. 
In  like  manner  several  of  the  oppressions  touched  only  a  part 
of  the  land  (see  Comm.).  It  is  evident  that  the  compiler  of  the 
book  had  access  to  a  number  of  traditions,  written  or  unwritten, 
referring  to  individual  heroes,  which  had  been  handed  down 
from  generation  to  generation  in  the  families  of  the  judges,  or 
among  their  tribesmen,  and  were  doubtless  rehearsed  from  time 
to  time  in  popular  gatherings  at  the  local  sanctuaries  and  else- 
where. Some  of  these  traditions  were  told  in  explanation 
of  ancient  poems  (Deborah)  or  of  local  usages  (Jephthah's 
daughter) ;  others  were  associated  with  the  graves  of  heroes 
(x.  2,  5,  xii.  7,  10,  12,  15) ;  others,  like  that  of  Samson,  have 
more  the  character  of  popular  winter  tales.  For  the  most  part 
the  compiler  set  down  these  stories  as  he  found  them ;  his  own 
hand  shows  itself  mainly  in  the  "  framework,"  which  gives  the 
narrative  its  apparent  unity  partly  by  means  of  short  connect- 
ing links  and  partly  by  larger  additions  enforcing  the  religious 
view  of  the  history  as  a  series  of  judgments  and  acts  of  grace  pro- 
portioned to  the  people's  sin  and  repentance.  Many  critics  are 
of  opinion  that  the  work  of  compilation  here  indicated  was  not 
effected  by  a  single  hand,  but  by  at  least  two  successive  editors, 
one  pre-Deuteronomic,  the  other  Deuteronomistic,  i.e.  writing 
after  Josiah's  reformation  (2  K.  xxiii.)  and  under  the  influence  of 
the  Book  of  Deuteronomy,  which  then  for  the  first  time  became 
the  public  law  of  Israel.  This  however  is  a  question  of  little 
importance  for  the  practical  understanding  of  the  book ;  it  is 
enough  for  the  student  to  distinguish  between  the  ancient 
separate  narratives  and  the  editorial  additions,  and  to  note  that 
the  latter  are  akin  in  tone  and  spirit  to  the  exposition  of  the 
religious  meaning  of  Israel's  history  given  in  Deuteronomy  i. 

(c)  Appendices :  (1)  Micah's  sanctuary  and  the  migration  of 
the  Danites  (xvii.,  xmi.) ;  (2)  the  crime  of  Gibeali  and  its 
punishment  (xix. — xxi.). 

These  narratives  are  independent  of  one  another  and  of  the 

^  According  to  Prof.  Driver  "the  parts  of  ii.  (5— xvi.  31  wliicli  eitlier  beloiijc 
wholly  to  tlie  Deuteronouiic  compiler  or  consist  of  cleiuents  which  have  been 
expanded  or  larjjely  recast  by  him,  are -ii.  11—23;  iii.  4 --(J;  7-11  (almost 
entirely:  there  are  no  di'lails  of  Otliniel's  judgeship  such  as  constitute  the 
narratives  resjiecting  Eliud,  Harak.  etc.) ;  12  15  a  ;  30  b  ;  iv.  1  -3 ;  v.  31  b  ;  vi.  1, 
7—10;  vii.  T>  b  (probably),  28  b,  33  34,  35  (based  on  ch.  ix.) ;  x.  6  -U.  17,  IS 
(based  on  cii.  xi.)  ;  xiii.  1;  xv.  20;  xvi.  31.  All  tliese  parts  are  connected 
together  by  a  similarity  of  ione  and  pliraseology,  wliich  stamjis  tiiem  as  the 
work  of  a  different  hand  from  that  of  tlie  author  (or  authors)  of  the  histories 
of  the  Judges  themselves"  (Iiitroil.  to  Lit,  of  Old  Test.  p.  158). 


INTEODUCTION.  9 

main  stock  of  the  book  with  which  they  are  not  brought  into 
chronological  connection.  They  interrupt  the  history  of  the 
Phihstine  oppression,  which  is  resumed  in  the  Book  of  Samuel. 
"The  first  narrative,  that  of  Micah  and  the  Danites,  belongs  to 
the  most  primitive  strata  of  the  Old  Testament  history,  and  is 
of  the  highest  interest  both  as  a  record  of  the  state  of  religion 
and  for  the  accurate  picture  it  gives  of  the  way  in  which  one 
tribe  passed  from  the  condition  of  an  invading  band  into  settled 
possession  of  land  and  city.  The  history  of  the  Levite  and  the 
Benjamites  is  of  quite  another  character,  and  presupposes  a 
degree  of  unity  of  feeling  and  action  among  the  tribes  of  Israel 
which  it  is  not  easy  to  reconcile  with  the  rest  of  the  book.  In 
its  present  form  this  episode  appears  to  be  not  very  ancient ; 
it  resembles  the  Book  of  Kuth  in  giving  a  good  deal  of  curious 
archaeological  detail  (the  feast  of  Shiloh)  in  a  form  which 
suggests  that  the  usages  referred  to  were  already  obsolete  when 
the  narrative  was  composed." 

3.  Bate. — From  what  has  been  said  it  ajDpears  that  the 
Book  of  Judges  contains  elements  of  very  various  date.  The 
song  of  Deborah  is  contemporary  with  the  events  to  which  it 
refers,  and  the  prose  narratives  contain  many  lively  traits 
which  must  have  been  derived  from  eyewitnesses ;  while  on  the 
other  hand  the  double  accounts  of  such  matters  as  the  war  with 
Midian  (see  Comm.)  are  most  naturally  explained  as  due  to 
fluctuations  of  oral  tradition  in  the  course  of  generations.  To 
the  compiler  of  the  history  of  the  Twelve  Judges  "the  days 
when  there  was  no  king  in  Israel"  belong  to  the  remote  past ; 
and  the  distance  between  his  point  of  view  and  that  of  the  con- 
stituent narratives  is  so  great  as  to  carry  us  far  down  into  the 
period  of  the  Kings.  It  has  been  already  observed  that  the  re- 
ligious philosophy  of  the  editorial  "  framework"  resembles  that 
of  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy,  which  points  to  the  period  after 
Josiah's  great  reformation.  The  appendix  (xviii.  30)  refers  to 
the  captivity  of  northern  Israel.  In  its  final  form  in  the  Canon 
the  Book  of  Judges  is  part  of  a  continuous  history  extending 
from  Joshua  to  the  Babylonian  Exile,  so  that  the  last  editor 
must  have  lived  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar. 

4.  Israel  under  the  Judges. 

(a)  Contact  with  the  Canaanites.  The  conquest  of  Western 
Palestine  was  begun  from  the  east,  where  after  traversing  the 
wilderness  the  Israelites  formed  their  first  settlements.  These 
lay  on  the  pastoral  and  agricultural  table-land  between  the 
deep  valley  of  the  Jordan  on  the  west  and  the  Syro-arabian 
desert  on  the  east,  and  extended  as  it  would  seem,  in  those 
early  days,  from  the  Arnon  on  the  south  to  the  Jabbok  on  the 
north  (for,  according  to  Judg.  x.  4,  the  permanent  settlement  of 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

the  Manassite  clan  of  Machir  to  the  north  of  the  Jabbok  took 
place  after  the  time  of  Joshua). 

Western  Palestine  was  entered  by  the  fords  opposite  Jericho, 
and  a  secure  footing  soon  afterwards  established  on  the  hill- 
country  of  Joseph,  Benjamin  and  Judah.  Here  the  Israelites 
occupied  an  almost  insular  position,  having  the  Philistines  and 
Canaanites  on  the  maritime  plain  to  the  west,  the  Canaanites 
in  the  plain  of  Esdraelon  and  valley  of  the  Jordan  on  the  north 
and  east,  and  the  Amalekites  or  other  nomadic  peoples  on  the 
south.  But  even  this  isolated  "hill-country"  of  theirs  was 
almost  bisected  by  a  chain  of  Canaauite  possessions  (Gezer, 
Jebus,  Ac),  and  was  further  broken  up  by  such  cities  as  the 
Canaanite  Shechem  in  its  very  heart. 

On  the  north  of  the  plain  of  Esdraelon  the  Israelites  also 
established  an  insulated  position,  having  the  Canaanites  on  the 
south,  the  Phoenicians  on  the  west,  and  the  Hittites  and  Syrians 
(Aramaeans)  on  the  north  and  east.  But  here  again  they  had 
not  all  their  island  to  themselves ;  there  were  Canaanites  every- 
where among  them,  and  in  the  territories  of  Asher  and  Naphtali 
these  were  the  numerically  predominant  element :  the  Israelites 
there  only  "dwelt  among  the  Canaanites"  (Judg.  i.  32,  33). 

The  Israelite  population  was  most  compact  in  the  country 
of  Joseph,  But  even  here  we  must  try  not  to  miss  the  full 
force  of  the  expression  that  "the  Canaanites  dwelt  among 
them."  For  the  close  contiguity  meant  a  continual  mutual 
influence,  tending  to  ever  closer  assimilation  and  to  the 
ultimate  absorption  of  the  one  in  the  other, — especially  after 
the  failure  of  the  last  attempt  of  the  Canaanites  under  Sisera 
to  establish  their  sovereignty  in  the  land.  The  final  issue 
was  that  the  Canaanites  disappeared  in  the  people  of  Jehovah ; 
but  this  was  not  fully  effected  till  the  days  of  the  kingship, 
and  in  the  meantime  the  conquered  race  had  made  a  deep 
and  ineffaceable  mark  on  its  conquerors.  In  passing  from 
nomadic  to  settled  life  the  Israelites  necessarily  learned 
agriculture,  architecture  and  other  arts  of  a  stable  society 
from  the  earlier  inhabitants ;  and  this  could  not  take  place 
without  their  being  exposed  to  many  subtle  influences  in  the 
sphere  of  religion.  In  all  ancient  societies  that  have  advanced 
beyond  the  nomadic  stage  husbandry  and  worship  are  very 
closely  bound  up  together,  the  chief  religious  occasions  being 
those  in  which  the  blessing  of  heaven  is  invoked  on  harvest, 
vintage,  and  other  seasons  of  the  agricultural  year.  So  it 
was  with  the  Canaanites,  and  among  the  Hebrews  in  like 
manner  the  feasts  of  the  passover  and  pentecost  were  in  great 
measure  harvest  feasts  and  that  of  tabernacles  associated 
with  the  vintage  (see  note  on  ix.  27).  One  sees  how  readily 
this  circumstance   would   lead  to  the  adoption  of  Canaanite 


INTEODUCTION.  11 

religious  observances.  The  '  framework '  of  the  Book  of 
Judges  is  full  of  references  to  the  corrupting  influence  of 
Canaanite  religion,  which  it  habitually^  expresses  by  saying 
that  the  Israelites  forsook  Jehovah  for  the  Baalim  and  Ash- 
taroth.  But  we  must  not  suppose  that  the  men  of  the  age  of 
the  judges  were  generally  conscious  of  any  deliberate  apostasy 
from  the  national  God.  Wholly  to  abstain  from  adopting 
Canaanite  forms  of  worship  while  accepting  the  Canaanite 
system  of  agriculture,  of  which  certain  religious  observances 
formed  an  integral  part,  would  have  required  a  clearer  reli- 
gious insight  than  the  mass  of  the  people  possessed ;  and 
hence  a  dangerous  confusion  between  the  attributes  of  Jehovah 
and  the  Baalim  might  ensue  without  any  conscious  act  of 
apostasy. 

(b)  Belations  with  surrounding  natiojis.  Though  the  record 
of  foreign  wars  and  oppressions  fills  a  considerable  space  in 
the  Book  of  Judges,  the  period  between  the  close  of  the 
Canaanite  wars  and  the  beginning  of  the  Philistine  oppression 
must  in  the  main  have  been  one  of  peaceful  development. 
The  wars  with  Amnion  and  Moab  touched  but  a  small  part  of 
the  country ;  and  the  inroads  of  the  Midiauites  were  soon 
checked.  Of  the  Mesopotamian  suzerainty  we  have  no  details, 
but  only  eight  years  are  assigned  to  it.  With  the  Phoenicians, 
whose  ports  formed  an  outlet  for  the  agricultural  produce  of 
Canaan,  the  Hebrews  were  habitually  in  peaceful  relations ; 
and  the  Syrians  on  the  north-east  were  not  yet  formidable 
neighbours.  Of  the  conditions  on  the  southern  frontier  we 
know  but  little ;  it  may  be  presumed  that  Judah  had  many 
struggles  with  the  Amalekites  and  other  southern  nomads, 
but  except  in  chap.  i.  our  book  scarcely  touches  on  the 
history  of  that  tribe,  which  is  not  even  named  in  the  song  of 
Deborah. 

(c)  Internal  Development :  social  and  religious  condition. 
When  the  Hebrews  entered  Canaan  they  were  rather  a  federa- 
tion of  tribes  than  a  compact  nation.  The  tribes  were  united 
by  the  recognition  of  their  common  descent,  and  still  more 
by  their  common  worship  of  Jehovah  ;  but,  except  when  the 
approach  of  a  formidable  enemy  compelled  them  to  act 
together,  their  unity  seldom  found  practical  expression  and 
was  often  overborne  by  local  jealousies.  The  tribes  them- 
selves were  subdivided  into  clans  and  local  communities,  each 
of  which  was  practically  an  independent  society.  This  is  the 
true  meaning  of  the  so-called  anarchy  of  the  period  of  the 
judges.  We  are  not  to  understand  that  there  was  no  law  and 
order ;  for  each  family  had  its  head,  and  each  community  its 
elders,  whose  authority,  backed  by  the  force  of  custom,  and 
if  necessary  by  an   appeal   to   the   sanctuary,  was  generally 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

respected.  We  know  from  the  example  of  other  Semitic 
societies  that  a  simple  pastoral  or  agricultural  community 
may  get  on  very  well  in  time  of  peace  without  a  formal 
executive ;  no  man  can  afford  to  defy  the  decisions  of  the 
elders  based  on  customary  law  and  supported  by  public 
opinion.  In  extreme  cases  the  community  claims  the  right 
of  banishing  a  member,  and  acts  of  gross  violence  are  dealt 
with  by  the  law  of  talio  or  of  blood  revenge.  It  is  only  in 
time  of  war  that  a  single  leader  becomes  indispensable  and  ia 
invested  by  general  consent  with  something  of  kingly  autho- 
rity which  a  man  of  wisdom  and  courage  may  often  retain 
throughout  the  whole  course  of  his  life.  Such  leaders  were 
Ehud  and  Barak,  Gideon  and  Jephthah ;  while  several  of  the 
minor  judges  were  perhaps  rather  heads  of  great  families, 
deriving  their  authority  from  the  distinction  of  their  birth 
and  the  number  of  their  relations  and  dependants. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  period  of  the  judges  the  ark  seems 
to  have  been  at  Bethel  (see  ii.  1,  note),  while  at  the  close  of 
the  same  period  it  was  at  Shiloh  (1  Sam.  iv.  3),  but  it  is  not 
expressly  mentioned  in  the  Book  of  Judges  save  in  xx.  27. 
The  worship  of  Jehovah  by  altar  and  sacrifice  was  in  no  way 
restricted  to  the  precincts  of  the  sanctuary  of  the  ark.  The 
worship  at  various  local  high-places  which  continued  to  be 
the  practice  of  Israel  throughout  the  monarchy  was  in  free 
use  from  the  first  occupation  of  Canaan  at  numerous  sanc- 
tuaries consecrated  either  by  some  divine  manifestation  or  by 
the  presence  of  some  sacred  object.  These  sanctuaries  were 
sometimes  in  private  hands  (Micah),  but  in  other  cases  they 
were  common  to  a  whole  family  or  community  (Ophrah). 
Their  furniture,  we  gather,  included  a  mav^eba  or  sacred 
pillar  (see  ix.  6,  note)  and  an  ephod  or  some  kind  of  sacred 
image  (see  viii.  27,  notes) ;  and  much  importance  was  attached 
to  the  presence  of  a  duly  qualified  priest,  conversant  with  the 
traditions  of  the  priestly  order.  For  this  kind  of  service 
Levites  were  preferred,  but  these  did  not  require  to  be  Levitea 
of  the  family  of  Aaron. 


THE   BOOK   OF 
JUDGES. 

NOW  after  the  death  of  Joshua  it  came  to  pass,  that  the  1 
children  of  Israel  asked  the  Lord,  saying,  Who  shall  go 
up  for  us  against  the  Canaanites  first,  to  fight  against  them  ? 
And  the  Loed  said,  Judah  shall  go  up  :   behold,  I  have  de-  2 
liyered  the  land  into  his  hand.    And  Judah  said  unto  Simeon  3 
his  brother,  Come  up  with  me  into  my  lot,  that  we  may  fight 
against  the  Canaanites;  and  I  likewise  will  go  with  thee  into 
thy  lot.     So  Simeon  went  with  him.     And  Judah  went  up ;  4 
and  the  Lord  delivered  the  Canaanites  and  the  Perizzites  into 


Part  I.  Chap.  I,  1— 11.  5.  Introductory.  The  Conquest  of 
Western  Canaan. 

On  the  relation  of  this  division  of  the  Book  of  Judges  to  the 
narrative  of  Joshua's  conquest  in  the  Book  of  Joshua,  see  Introd. 

1.  asled  the  Lord]  presumably  by  the  priestly  oracle  or  lot  of 
Unm  and  Thummim  (Numb,  xxvii.  21) ;  cp.  1  Sam.  xxviii.  6,  where 
other  means  of  learning  the  Divine  will  are  mentioned.  go  up] 

I.e.  from  Gilgal  in  the  deep  Jordan  valley;  see  note  on  ii.  1. 
Canaanites]  the  people  of  Western  Canaan.  On  the  name 
Canaanite,   see,   fm-ther,  notes  on  iii.  3,  5.  2.    Judah]   The 

precedence  and  prominence  here  and  ui  xx.  18  assigned  to  Judah 
do  not  appear  elsewhere  in  the  Book  of  Judges;  see  especially 
chap.  V.  the  land]  not  all  Canaan,  but  the  land  of  Judah— his 

*  lot ;     see  ver.  3,  and  cp.  ver;  27  ("  that  laud  ").  3.    wty  lot... 

'■{.!}  ■^^^^  "lot"  is  not  a  conquered  territory  assigned  to  a 
tribe,  but  a  territory  assigned  to  it  to  conquer.    Contrast  Josh.  xix.  1. 

4—21.    Conquest  of  Southern  Canaan  by  Judah  and  allies. 

4.  Perizzites]  These  were  Canaanites,  apparently  the  rural 
population— those  who  were  scattered  up  and  down  the  country  in 
villages  (perazoth)  as  distinguished  from  those  who  were  massed 
together  m  towns  or  "cities."  Cp.  Hivites,  the  inhabitants  of 
harroth  or  [tent]  "hamlets"  (x.  4).  Bezek]   As  the  expedi- 

tion  started  from  Gilgal  this  Bezek  must  have  lain  between  Gilgal 
and  Jenisalem  (if  it  was  not  Jerusalem  itself),  and  must  be  care- 
fully distmguished  from  the  Bezek  of  1  Sam.  xi.  8,  which  may  per- 
haps be  the  modern  Ibzik  (between  Shechem  and  Beth-shean).  It 
has  been  thought  by  some  that  the  words  "in  Bezek  "  here  and  in 
ver.  5  may  have  come  in  by  an  error,  the  proper  name  Adoni-bezek 


14  JUDGES,   I.   5—9. 

their  hand  :  and  they  slew  of  them  in  Bezek  ten  thousand 
r,  men.     And  they  found  Adoni-bezek  in  Bezek:  and  they  fought 

against  him,  and  they  slew  the  Canaanites  and  the  Perizzites. 
(i  But    Adoni-bezek    fled;    and    they  pursued   after  him,    and 

7  caught  him,  and  cut  off  his  thumbs  and  his  great  toes.  And 
Adoni-bezek  said,  Threescore  and  ten  kings,  having  their 
thumbs  and  their  great  toes  cut  off,  gathered  their  meat  under 
my  table :   as  I  have  done,  so  God  hath  requited  me.     And 

8  they  brought  him  to  Jerusalem,  and  there  he  died.  Now  the 
children  of  Judah  had  fought  against  Jerusalem,  and  had 
taken  it,  and  smitten  it  with  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and  set 
the  city  on  fire. 

y  And  afterward  the  children  of  Judah  went  down  to  fight 
against  the  Canaanites,  that  dwelt  in  the  mountain,  and  in 


being  wrongly  taken  to  mean  "lord  of  Bezek,"  and  this  leading 
to  the  further  assumption  that  he  fought  beside  his  own  city. 
5.  Adoni-hezeh]  This  is  the  reading  of  LXX.  also  in  Josh.  x. 
1,  3,  where  the  present  Hebrew  text  has  "  Adoni-zedek,  king  of 
Jerusalem.'"  The  name  Adoni-zedek  is  similar  to  Melchizedek,  and 
means  "lord  of  righteousness."  It  is  impossible  to  say  whether 
Adoni-zedek  or  Adoni-bezek  was  the  original  form  of  the  name  of 
the  king  who  was  known  to  tradition  as  the  first  enemy  of  the 
Hebrews  in  that  quarter  of  Palestme.  Yer.  7  (see  note)  perhai>s 
impUes  that  Jerusalem  was  the  capital  of  Adoni-bezek.  and 

they  sletc]  "We  are  not  to  understand  a  second  battle,  distinct  from 
that  in  ver.  4.  6.    cut  of  his  thumbs,  Sec]    So  as  to  make  him 

unfit  for  war.  A  similar  mutilation,  incapacitating  a  man  for 
auning  an  an-ow,  is  mentioned  in  1  Sam.  xi.  2.  In  like  manner  the 
Athenians  are  alleged  to  have  cut  off  the  thumbs  of  their  prisoners 
after  their  victory  over  the  Aeginetans,  so  as  to  unfit  them  for 
rowing,  7.     Threescore   and  ten]    A  round  number.      But 

the  title  'king'  [inelel)  was  given  even  to  very  petty  chieftauis. 
gathered]    Comp.  Ps.  civ.  28;  Mt.  xv.  27.  under  mi/  table] 

A  byperbolical  expression.  Like  dogs  they  fed  on  his  broken  meat. 
they  broufjht  him]  i.e.  presumably,  his  own  people,  who  still  held 
Jerusalem  (see  next  verse).  The  Israelites  therefore  seem  to  have 
let   him   go.  8.     had  f ought... taken. ..smitten]    or,    rather, 

fought,  took,  smote,  (RV.)  i.e.  after  tbe  death  of  Adoni-bezek. 
The  uiigramnuitical  translation  of  A.V.  is  due  to  its  inteiin'etation 
of  ver.  7,  according  to  which  it  is  the  victors  who  bring  Adoni-bezek 
to  Jerusalem.  From  xix.  12,  and  esi)ecially  from  2  Sam.  v.  6 — 9, 
we  learn  that  Jerusalem  did  not  fall  into  Israelite  hands  until 
David's  time,  and  our  verse  seems  to  be  an  anticipatory  notice  of 
this  victory.     See  also  ver.  21  below.  9.     vent  doi'-n]   The 

Hebrews,  like  the  Arabs,  speak  of  "going  down"  into  battle  with- 
out necessarily  implying  descent  to  lower  ground  (1  Sam.  xxvi.  10; 
Judg.  V.  11).  mountain... south. ..rallei/]   1\.\.  hill-country... 

South... lowland.  The  territory  of  Judah  is  in  Josh.  xv.  and 
elsewhere  regarded  as  divided  into  four  disthict  regions :  the  Negeb 


JUDGES,    I.    10.  15 

the  south,  aucl  in  the  valley.     And  Judah  went  against  the  nt 
Canaanites  that  dwelt  in  Hebron :  (now  the  name  of  Hebron 


or  South,  the  Lowland  or  Shephelah,  the  Hill-country  (Har),  and 
the  Wilderness  (Midbar).  Of  these  the  most  extensive  and  at  the 
same  time  the  least  valuable  is  the  Negeb  (lit.  "Dryness"),  con- 
sisting of  all  the  Judaean  territory  to  the  south  of  (say)  31°  16'  N., 
or  "the  mountain  ridge  which  commences  not  far  from  (the 
Judaeau)  Cannel,  and  runs  W.S.W.  to  the  latitude  of  Beer-sheba" 
(Robinson).  As  the  name  imphes,  it  is  comparatively  waterless, 
and  such  vegetation  as  it  has  is  chiefly  seen  during  the  short  spring 
season ;  on  the  south  it  imperceptibly  merges  into  the  stony  desert. 
In  ancient  tunes  it  seems  to  have  been  more  fertile  than  at  present, 
and  at  several  places  there  are  traces  of  sedentary  populations ;  but 
these  can  never  have  been  large,  and  most  of  the  inhabitants  were, 
as  all  now  are,  essentially  nomadic.  The  Shephelah  or  Lowland, 
the  most  valuable  part  of  the  Judaean  territory,  remained  almost 
continuously  for  the  greater  part  of  its  extent  in  the  hands  of  the 
Phihstines.  The  word  is  sometimes  translated  Plain,  but  not  quite 
correctly ;  in  point  of  fact  the  region  is  for  the  most  part  of  a  gently 
undulating  character  (cp.  "the  shoulder  of  the  Philistines  " :  Isa.  xi. 
14,  E.V.).  It  is  very  rich  in  pasture  meadows,  cornfields,  oliveyards, 
vineyards  and  gardens,  and  has  a  large  luunber  of  towns  and 
villages,  ahnost  invariably  pei-ched  on  comparatively  elevated  sites. 
About  l(i  or  20  miles  from  the  sea-coast  begin  the  "  slopes  "  (Josh. 
X.  40,  E.V.)  which  mark  the  transition  from  the  Shephelah  to  the 
Hill-countiy  of  Judah.  The  backbone  of  the  Hill-country  consists 
of  a  limestone  ridge,  separating  the  waters  flowing  to  the  Mediter- 
ranean from  those  which  drain  eastwards  to  the  Dead  Sea;  it 
attains  a  maximum  elevation  of  over  3,000  feet  about  Hebron. 
The  hills  are  sometimes  bare,  but  more  often  covered  with  herbage 
and  shrubbery;  the  lower  slopes  are  admirably  adapted  for  the 
culture  of  the  vine,  and  the  valleys  are  often  very  fertile.  The 
Wilderness  of  Judah  consists  of  the  eastern  versant  of  the  central 
ridge.  The  descent  is  very  steep,  and,  except  along  the  crest  of  the 
ridge  and  at  a  few  oases  where  there  are  springs  near  the  edge  of 
the  Dead  Sea,  almost  absolutely  bare  and  barren.  To  tliis  region 
belong  the  wildernesses  of  Tekoa  ('2  Chron.  xx.  '20),  Ziph  (1  Sam. 
xxiii.  14  sq.,  xxvi.  2),  Maon  (1  Sam.  xxiii.  24  sq.),  and  En-gedi 
(1  Sam.  xxiv.  1).  Of  the  towns  mentioned  below,  Hebron  lay  in  the 
hill-counti*y  ;  Debir  is  here  (ver.  15)  reckoned  to  the  south,  or 
Negeb,  but  in  Josh.  xv.  49  it  is  reckoned  to  the  hill-country  ;  prob- 
ably it  may  be  taken  as  approximately  marking  the  border.  Gaza, 
Ashkelon  and  Ekron  (ver.  18)  were  of  course  in  the  "lowland." 
10.  Judah]  or,  as  in  Josh.  xv.  14,  "  Caleb,"  i.e.  the  Calibbites,  a 
branch  of  the  Kenizzites  (see  ver.  12).  Li  ver.  20  Judah  gives 
Hebron  to  Caleb.  Hebron,  formerly  Kirjath-arba  ("  city  of  Arba,''  or 
perhaps  "  Fourfold  town,"  comp.  Tripolis),  now  Karyat  el-Khalil, 
i.e.  "  city  of  [Abraham]  the  friend  "of  God] ,"  one"  of  the  most 
famous  towns  of  the  Bible,  lies  in  the  "hill-country  of  Judah,  3,000 
feet  above  sea-level,   about   18  m.   S.    bv  W.    from    Jenisalem. 


16  JUDGES,   I.    11—15. 

before  was  Kirjath-arba:)  and  they  slew  Sbeshai,  and  Ahiman, 

11  and  Talmai.  And  from  thence  he  went  agamst  the  inhabitants 
of  Debir:  and  the  name  of  Debir  before  7cas  Kirjath-sepher. 

12  And  Caleb  said,  He  that  smiteth  Kirjath-sepher,  and  taketh  it, 

13  to  him  will  I  give  Aclisah  my  daughter  to  wife.  And  Othniel 
the  son  of  Kenaz,  Caleb's  younger  brother,  took  it:  and  he 

14  gave  him  Achsah  his  daughter  to  wife.  And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  she  came  to  him,  that  she  moved  him  to  ask  of  her 
father  a  field :   and  she  lighted  from  off  her  ass ;  and  Caleb 

15  said  unto  her,  Wliat  wilt  thou  ?    And  she  said  unto  him,  Give 

According  to  Nu.  xiii.  22  it  was  founded  seven  years  before  Zoaii 
in  Egypt.  It  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the  patriarchal  history, 
and  was  one  of  the  places  visited  by  Caleb  and  Joshua  in  their 
survey  of  Canaan  as  spies  (Nu.  xiii.  22).  It  is  enumerated  among 
the  cities  of  refuge  in  Josh.  xx.  7,  and  among  the  priestly 
cities  in  Josh.  xxi.  11 — 13.  As  the  burial-place  of  Abraham, 
it  is  still  sacred  both  with  Jews  and  with  Mohammedans. 
Comp.  with  the  present  passage  Josh.  xv.  13,  14.  A  different 
account  of  the  capture  of  Hebron  is  given  in  Josh,  x,  36,  37,  where 
Joshua  and  all  Israel  with  him  are  said  to  have  smitten  it  with  the 
edge  of  the  sword,  "its  king  and  all  the  souls  that  were  therein." 
Bheshai,  etc.]  LXX.  adds  "the  sons  of  Anak."  See  ver.  20;  also 
Nu.  xiii.  22,  and  Josh.  xv.  14.  11.    Debir,  formerly  Kirjath- 

sepher  and  Kirjath-saimah  (Josh.  xv.  49),  lay  in  the  hill-country 
(Josh.  XV.  49),  or  (ver.  15;  Josh.  xv.  19)  in  the  south,  of  Judah;  its 
site  has    not    been    identified.  12.     Caleb]     the  son  of 

Jephunneh,  the  prince  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  whose  name  occurs  so 
often  in  the  Book  of  Numbers.  Thougli  by  adoption  or  naturaliza- 
tion a  memlier  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  he  was  by  birth  a  son  of 
Kenaz,  i.e.  a  Kenizzite  (Josh.  xiv.  6).  The  Kenizzites  are  men- 
tioned m  Gen.  xv.  19,  20  among  the  ten  alien  nationalities  whose 
territory  was  given  to  the  children  of  Abraham.  They  were  them- 
selves descendants  of  Abraham  (through  Eliphaz  the  Edomite; 
Gen.  xxxvi.  11).  They  ulthnately  settled  in  the  Negeb  of  Palestine, 
and  thougli  of  Edomite  descent  became  merged  in  the  tribe  of 
Judah.  13.     Othniel,  son  of  Kenaz  and  younger  brother  of 

Caleb,  was  the  uncle  of  Achsah  if  these  tenns  of  relationship  be 
taken  literally.  But  "son"  and  "brother"  are  both  used  in 
Hebrew  scmiewliat  widely;  thus,  in  Gen.  xiv.  6,  Lot,  Abraham's 
nephew,  is  sjioken  of  as  his  brother.  Othniel  reappears  in  iii.  9 
as  the  first  of  the  "judges."  He  survived  all  the  other  elders 
that  outlived  Joshua  by  48  years.  In  Josh.  x.  38,  39  the  capture 
and  destruction  of  Debir  are  attributed  to  all  Israel.  14. 

cowif]  i.e.  was  conducted  to  her  husband  in  the  wedding  pro- 
cession, ahe  moved  him]  A  very  slight  change  in  tlie  Hebrew 
text  gives  the  LXX,  rendering:  "he  moved  [i.e.  instigated]  her." 
a  field]  a  tract  of  land  (as  a  dowry).  liifhted]  in  token  of 
reverence  ;  cp.  Gen.  xxiv.  (U.  a.s.s]  cp.  v.  10.  Horses  were 
fii-st  used  by  the  Israelites  hi  the  days  of  Solomon,  and  then  oiUy 


JUDGES,   I.    10—18.  17 

me  a  blessing  :  for  thou  hast  given  me  a  south  land ;  give  me 
also  springs  of  water.  And  Caleb  gave  lier  the  upper  springs 
and  the  nether  springs. 

And  the  children  of  the  Kenite,  Moses'  father  in  law,  went  u; 
up  out  of  the  city  of  palm  trees  with  the  children  of  Judah 
into  the  wilderness  of  Judah,  which  lieth  in  the  south  of  Arad  ; 
and  they  went  and  dwelt  among  the  people.     And  Judah  went  17 
with  Simeon  his  brother,  and  they  slew  the  Canaanites  that 
inhabited  Zephath,  and  utterly  destroyed  it :  and  the  name  of 
the  city  was  called  Horniah.     Also  Judah  took  Gaza  with  the  ih 
coast  thei'eof,  and  Askelon  with  the  coast  thereof,  and  Ekron 

for  purposes  of  war.  15.     a  blessing]  i.e.  a  (parting)  present ; 

op.  Gen.  xxxiii.  11 ;  2  Kings  v.  15.  hast  f/iven  me,  etc.]  hast 

set  me  in  the  land  of  the  South  (R.V.)  i.e.  in  the  waterless 
Negeb.  sjjrixgs']  or  reservoirs — of  course  along  with  the  ad- 

jacent land  which  they  rendered  tillable.  16.    The  Kenites, 

the  branch  of  the  Midianites  to  which  Zipporah  the  wife  of  Moses 
belonged.  In  part  at  least  they  accompanied  the  Israelites  in  their 
journeyings  (Nu.  x.  29  sq.)  and,  as  we  are  here  told,  ultimately 
settled  within  the  borders  of  Judah  and  became  merged  in  that 
tribe.  According  to  Judg.  iv.  11  (cp.  note)  at  a  later  date  there  was 
a  branch  of  the  Kenites  also  near  Kedesh  within  the  borders  of 
Naphtali.  citi/  of  palm  trees]  i.e.  Jericho  (Dt.  xxxiv.  3).     For 

the  capture  of  Jericho,  see  Josh.  vi.  wilderness  of  Judah]   see 

note  on  ver.  9.  the  south  of  Arad]  "  the  Negeb  of  [i.e.  around] 

Arad."  Arad  is  the  mod.  Tell  Ai-ad,  18  m.  S.  from  Hebron. 
among  the  people]  On  the  evidence  of  some  MSS.  of  LXX.  (cp. 
1  Sam.  XV.  6)  some  critics  are  inclined  to  read  here  "  among  the 
Amalekites."  The  Hebrew  word  for  "  people  "  {Uim)  is  the  first  two 
letters  of  the  name  Amalek.  17.     Zephath,  or  Hormali  (see 

also  Nu.  xxi.  3 ;  Josh.  xv.  30 ;  xix.  4),  is  placed  by  many  modern 
scholars  at  the  mod.  Esb&ta  or  Sebaita  (lat.  30°  52'  N.,  long.  31°  41' 
E.),  24  m.  N.N.E.  from  'Ain  Kudais  (Kadesh).  Zephath  was 
"utterly  destroj-ed "  (lit.  "devoted"  or  "accursed"),  whence 
according  to  this  writer  its  new  name,  meanuig  "Anathema," 
"Devotion,"  "Destruction."  The  root  is  the  Heb.  iirm,  the  word 
appUed  so  often  in  Josh.  vi.  to  denote  persons  or  thmgs  devoted 
to  destruction  in  honour  of  Jehovah.  In  Arabic  the  same  root  is 
used  of  consecrated  things  and  persons  generally — of  sanctuaries 
like  the  Haram  at  Jerusalem,  or  of  pilgiims  under  a  vow  which 
temporarily  withdraws  them  from  common  life  (cp.  harem).  18. 
Judah  tooh]  LXX.  has  "Judah  took  not,"  a  reading  more  in 
accordance  with  the  facts  as  stated  in  ver.  19,  and  also  in  Josh, 
xiii.  2,  where  the  whole  country  of  the  Philistines  is  included  in  the 
"  very  much  land  "  that  remained  to  be  possessed  after  Joshua  had 
finished  his  conques's.  Gaza,  the  mod.  Ghazzah,  2^  m.  from  the 
sea-coast,  "the  last  inhabited  place  on  the  way  from  Phoenicia  to 
Egjqjt,  at  the  beginning  of  the  desert  "  (Arrian),  is  never  otherA\  ise 
than  Philistine  in  any  of  the  historical  books.     The  same  remark 

JUDGES  2 


18  JUDGES,   I.   19—22. 

\9  with  the  coast  thereof.  And  the  Lokd  was  with  Judah ;  and 
he  drave  out  Die  inhabitayits  0/ the  mountain;  but  could  not 
drive   out   the  inhabitants   of  the  valley,  because  they  had 

20  chariots  of  iron.     And  they  gave  Hebron  unto  Caleb,  as  Moses 

21  said:  and  he  expelled  thence  the  three  sons  of  Anak.  And 
the  children  of  Benjamin  did  not  drive  out  the  Jebusites  that 
inhabited  Jerusalem ;  but  the  Jebusites  dwell  with  the  children 
of  Benjamin  in  Jerusalem  unto  this  day. 

22  And  the  house  of  Joseph,  they  also  went  up  against  Beth-el: 


applies  to  AsJcelon  or  rather  Ashkelon,  the  mod.  Askalan,  on  the 
sea-coast,  12  m.  N.  from  Gaza,  and  to  Ehron,  the  mod.  'Akir,  the 
most  northerly  of  the  Philistine  towns,  in  31°  51'  '5  N.  lat.,  5  m.  E. 
from  Jabneli  (Yebnah)  and  9  m.  from  the  sea-coast.  The  LXX. 
adds  the  name  of  Ashdod  to  this  list.  coasC]  E.V.  border,  i.e. 

territory.  19.    mountaiii]   R.V.  hill-country.     See  ver.  9, 

note.  valley]  or  valley  land,  Heb.  ^emek,  must  here  be  practically 

synonymous  with  Shephelah  in  ver.  9.  chariots  of  iro)i]   not 

necessarily  Avholly  of  iron,  but  as  contrasted  with  the  rude  agricul- 
tural waggons,  such  as  may  still  be  seen  in  some  parts  of  modern 
Europe,  of  which  even  the  wheels  and  axles  were  entirely  of  wood. 
They  may  perhaps  have  been  derived  by  the  Canaanites  from  the 
Egyptians  (1  K.  x.  28,  29).  In  ancient  warfare  their  function  was 
somewhat  comparable  to  that  of  artillery  ui  modern  times.  Chariots 
were  first  used  by  the  Israelites  under  Solomon.  In  the  language 
of  the  prophets  to  trust  in  chariots  is  to  trust  m  man's  resources 
rather  than  in  God's  help  (Isa.  xxxi.  1 ;  Ps.  xx.  7,  &c.).  20. 

as  Moses  said]  E.V.  had  spoken.  See  Nu.  xiv.  24;  Dt.  i.  36. 
In  Nu.  xiii.  22  it  is  stated  that  the  spies  went  up  by  the  South  and 
came  to  Hebron.  Anak]   The  children  of  Anak  at  Hebron  and 

in  Philistia  (cp.  Josh.  xi.  21,  22;  xiv.  12;  xv.  13;  xxi.  11),  like  the 
Rephaim  and  Avviia  who  were  found  by  the  Israelites  in  Western 
Palestine,  were  not  held  to  be  Canaanite ;  they  appear  to  have  be- 
longed to  an  earlier  stock  which  by  the  time  of  the  Israehte 
invasion  had  already  been  almost  entirely  expelled  or  absorbed  by 
the  more  recent  Canaanites  and  Philistines.  21.    This  verse 

is  almost  identical  with  Josh.  xv.  63,  except  that  here  Benjamin  is 
substituted  for  Judah.  In  Josh.  xv.  8  and  xviii.  28  also  Jerusalem  is 
reckoned  as  belonging  to  Benjamin.  It  was  immediately  to  the 
north  (i.e.  on  the  Benjamite  side)  of  the  frontier  line  as  laid  dowu 
in  the  Book  of  Joshua.  That  the  Jebusites  were  not  exterminated 
by  Da\id  but  continued  to  form  an  element  in  the  population  of 
Jerusalem  appears  from  2  Sam.  xxiv.  18,  and  especially  from  Zech. 
ix.  7.  The  words  unto  this  day  imply  that  the  verse  was  written 
after  the  time  of  David  and  before  the  Babylonian  Captivity. 

22—36.  Conquest  of  Northern  Canaan  by  the  house  of  Joseph 
and  other  tribes.  The  capture  of  Bethel  (vv.  22 — 26)  by  the  house 
of  Joseph — an  event  not  exjn-essly  mentioi.ed  in  the  Book  of 
Joshua,  though  perliaps  implied  in  Josh.  viii.  17 — is  the  only  inci- 
dent in  the  conquest  that  is  particularised;  no  further  exploits  of 
Joseph  (Ephraini  and  Mauasseh)  or  of  the  other  tribes  are  given, 


JUDGES,   I.   28—27.  19 

and  the  Lord  wcik  with  them.     And  the  house  of  Joseph  sent  23 
to  descry  Beth-el.    (Now  the  name  of  the  city  before  teas  Luz.) 
And  the  spies  saw  a  man  come  forth  out  of  the  city,  and  they  24 
said  unto  him,  Sliew  us,  we  pray  thee,  the  entrance  into  the 
city,  and  we  will   shew  thee  mercy.     And  when  he  shewed  2o 
them  the  entrance  into  the  city,  they  smote  the  city  with  the 
edge  of  the  sword ;  but  they  let  go  the  man  and  all  his  family. 
And  the  man  went  into  the  land  of  the  Hittites,  and  built  a  21, 
city,  and  called  the  name  thereof  Luz  :   which  is  the  name 
thereof  unto  this  day. 

Neither  did  Manasseh  drive  out  the  inhabitants  of  Beth-  27 
shean  and  her  towns,  nor  Taanach  and  her  towns,  nor  the 


the  iucompleteness  of  the  ultimate  result  being  all  that  the  historian 
here  seeks  to  impress  upon  us.  A  few  additional  fragmentary 
details  from  a  very  ancient  source  are  given  in  Josh.  xvii. 
Benjamin  and  Issachar  as  well  as  Levi  are  omitted  from  the 
present  brief  account  of  the  conquest. 

22.  Beth -el]  mod.  Beit  in,  2890  feet  above  sea-level,  10  miles  N. 
from  Jerusalem.  It  is  reckoned  to  Benjamin  in  Josh,  xviii.  13,  22, 
but  here,  and  perhaps  also  hi  Josh.  xvi.  2,  to  Joseph  (Ephraim). 
In  the  other  historical  books  it  always  belongs  to  the  northern 
kingdom,  except  for  a  short  time  under  Abijah  (2  Clu*.  xiii.  19). 
23.    descri/]    R.V.  spy  out.  Luz]   t.e.  "almond."     See  Gen. 

xxviii.  19.  24.     the  entrance]  the  point  where  its  defences  were 

weakest,  or  where  it  could  be  most  easily  surprised.  sJien- 

thee  men-;/]    R.V.  deal  kindly  with  thee.  26.    Luz]   Of  this 

second  Luz  in  the  land  of  the  Hittites,  i.e.  the  Canaanite  districts 
of  Coelesyria  which  were  never  occupied  by  Israel,  nothing  is 
known.  27.    Jlfanasseh]   Of  the  territory  of  Western  Manasseh 

even  as  defined  with  some  detail  in  the  Book  of  Joshua  (xvii.  7  sqq.) 
we  can  say  little  more  than  that  it  was  bounded  on  the  north,  east, 
and  south,  by  Asher,  Issachar  and  Ephraim  respectively,  and 
that  after  deduction  of  the  towns  and  adjacent  territories  (comp. 
Josh.  xvii.  11)  which  are  emmierated  in  this  verse,  it  cannot  have 
been  very  extensive.  Beth-shean  or  Beth-shau,  mod.  Beisau, 

320  feet  below  sea-level,  lay  in  a  well-watered  and  fertile  part  of  the 
Jordan  valley  at  the  base  of  the  mountains  of  Gilboa  and  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Wady  Jalud,  which  leads  gently  up  from  the  Jordan 
to  Zerhi  ( Jezreel).  It  is  about  3  miles  from  the  Jordan,  and  was  an 
important  stage  on  the  road  from  Damascus  to  Egji)t,  and  also 
from  Damascus  by  Shechem  to  Jerusalem  and  Hebron.  It  is  men- 
tioned under  the  reigns  of  Saul  (1  Sam.  xxxi.  10  sqq.),  David  (2  Sam. 
xxi.  12),  and  Solomon  (1  Kings  iv.  12).  The  Greek  name  Scytho- 
polis  by  which  it  was  known  from  the  Macedonian  period  (2  Mace, 
xii.  29 — 31  &c.)  probably  records  the  fact  (or  belief)  that  some  of 
the  Scythian  invaders  of  the  7th  century  b.c.  had  settled  there.  In 
the  time  of  our  Lord  it  was  one  of  the  most  important  cities  of  the 
so-called  Decapolis.  towns]   lit.  "daughters," /.^.  dependencies. 

Taanach]     mod.    Ta'annk,   on   the   southern    side   of   the   Kisbon 

2-2 


20  JUDGES,   I.    28—80. 

inhabitants  of  Dor  and  her  towns,  nor  the  inhabitants  of 
Ibleam  and  her  towns,  nor  the  inhabitants  of  Mep;iddo  and 
her  towns  :   but   the   Canaanites   would   dwell  in  that  land. 

2;{  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Israel  was  strong,  that  they  put 
the  Canaanites  to  tribute,  and  did  not  utterly  drive  them  out. 

2!>  Neither  did  Ephraim  drive  out  the  Canaanites  that  dwelt  in 
Gezer ;    but    the   Canaanites   dwelt  in   Gezer   among   them. 

30  Neither  did  Zebulun  drive  out  the  inhabitants  of  Kitron,  nor 


valley,  607  feet  above  sea-level,  4^  m.  S.E.  from  Lejjiln  (Megiddo). 
Comp.  Josh.  xii.  *21;  xvii.  11;  xxi.  25.  The  distance  from  the 
Kishon  is  about  3  miles.  Like  Megiddo,  Taanach  is  mentioned  on 
the  Egyptian  monuments.  JJor]  mod.  Tenturah,  one  of  the 

maritime  cities  of  the  plain  of  Sharon,  about  37  miles  north  from 
Joppa,  in  a  very  fertile  country.  The  Phoenician  inscription  of 
Eshmunazar  speaks  of  "Dor  and  Joppa,  the  rich  cornlands  in  the 
plaui  of  Sharon."  Ibleam]  called  Bileam  m  1  Chr.  vi.  70,  the 

mod.  Bh'  Bel'ameh,  about  a  mile  to  the  south  of  Jenm  (En-ganuim). 
It  was  here  that  Ahaziah  was  wounded  in  his  flight  from  Jezreel 
(2  K.  ix.  27),  and  Ibleam  was  also  the  scene  of  the  mm*der  of  Zecha- 
riah  the  son  of  Jeroboam  II.  by  Shallum ;  see  2  K.  xv.  10,  where 
LXX.  (Luc.)  establishes  the  reading  "in  n)leam"  (bbl'm)  instead  of 
"before  the  people"  (kbl'm).  Megiddo]     The  Roman  Legio, 

mod.  Lejjiln,  11  m.  N.W.  from  En-gannini,  and  4i  m.  N.W.  from 
Taanach,  on  two  little  hills  (552  feet)  on  the  edge  of  the  plain  of 
Esdraelon,  commanding  one  of  the  most  important  passes  south- 
ward, was  an  important  station  on  the  route  from  Damascus  to 
Egypt,  and  is  mentioned  on  the  Egyptian  monuments  in  a  waj'  that 
shows  it  must  have  been  fortified  from  very  early  times.  Solomon 
made  it  one  of  his  strongholds  (1  K.  ix.  15).  Here  king  Ahaziah 
died  (2  K.  ix.  27)  after  his  flight  from  Jezreel.  It  was  in  the  plain 
])elow  Taanach  and  Megiddo  that  Sisera  was  defeated  by  Barak 
(Judg.  V.  19),  and  in  the  same  neiglil)ourhood  Josiah  was  defeated 
and  slain  by  Pharaoh-necoh  (2  K.  xxiii.  29,  30).  would  direlf] 

i.e.  were  determined  to  dwell.  28.  vas  waxen  strong]  Perhaps 
not  till  the  time  of  Solomon;  comp.  1  K.  ix.  20  sciq.  trihiite] 

E.V.  taskwork,  i.e.  forced  labour,  or  tribute  of  personal  service 
such  as  was  exacted  of  the  Israelites  themselves  in  Egypt  (Ex.  i.  11 ; 
comp.  Mt.  V.  41).  29.  Ephraim]  For  the  territory  of  Ephraim 
see  Josh.  xvi.  .5 — 10.  Gezer]  mod.  Tell  el-Jezer,  on  a  liill  750 

feet  above  sea-level,  6  m.  E.  from  Ekron  and  14  m.  from  the  sea. 
The  utter  destruction  of  its  king  and  people  is  mentioned  in  Josh.  x. 
33,  and  according  to  Josh.  xxi.  21,  it  was  assigned  to  the  Levites. 
In  1  Chr.  vi.  67  it  is  enumerated  along  with  other  "cities  of  refuge." 
It  is  mentioned  in  the  Philistine  wars  of  David  (2  Sam.  v.  25; 
1  Chr.  xiv.  16),  and  after  having  been  taken  by  the  king  of  Egj'pt 
(1  K.  ix.  15)  it  was  given  for  a  portion  to  his  daughter,  the  wife  of 
Solomon.  Solomon  fortified  it  (1  K.  ix.  17),  and  as  Cfazara  it  is  fre- 
quently mentioned  in  the  Maccabean  wars  (1  Mace.  iv.  15  Arc). 
30.     Zehuhm]     The  territory  of  Zebulun,  as  defined  in  the  Book 


JUDGES,    I.    31,    32.  21 

the  Inhabitants  of  Nahalol ;  but  the  Canaanitcs  dwelt  among 
them,  and  became  tributaries.     Neither  did  Asher  drive  out  3i 
the  inhabitants  of  Accho,  nor  the  inhabitants  of  Zidon,  nor  of 
Ahlab,  nor  of  Achzib,  nor  of  Helbah,  nor  of  Aphik,  nor  of 
Rehob  :   but  the  Asherites  dwelt  among  the  Canaanites,  the  32 


of  Joshua  (xix.  10 — 16),  lay  to  the  north  of  the  Kishon  valley,  and 
included  Nazareth,  Chisloth-tabor,  Daberath,  Gath-bepher,  and 
Reminou.  Momit  Tabor  was  at  the  junction  of  the  territories  of 
Issachar,  Zebidun  and  Naphtali.  KitroJi]     Unknown;  comp. 

Kattatli  (Josh.  xix.  15).  Xahalol]     Unknown;  comp.  Nahallal 

(Josh.  xix.  15).  trihutanes]   E.V.  tributary ;  marg.  "subject 

to  taskwork."         31.    Asher]    See  v.  17.  Accho]    R.V.  Acco, 

mod.  St  Jean  d'Acre,  is  clearly  mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament 
only  here,  but  perhaps  also  once  stood  in  Josh.  xix.  30  where  we 
now  read  Ummah;  see  LXX.  and  Syr.  Also  in  Mic.  i.  10  "weep 
not  at  all"  should  perhaps  be:  "weep  not  in  Acco;"  so  most 
scholars  since  Reland,  after  LXX.  It  stands  on  a  small  promontory 
at  the  northern  extremity  of  the  Bay  of  Acre,  26  m.  S.  from  Tyre. 
It  was  called  Ptolemais  by  one  of  the  Egyj^tian  Ptolemies,  and  by 
this  name  it  is  mentioned  in  Acts  xxi.  7.  Zidon  {i.e.  "fisher's 

town  "),  called  "Great  Zidon"  in  Josh.  xi.  8,  xix.  28,  was  hi  ancient 
tunes  the  most  important  city  of  Phoenicia  (hence  "Sidonian" 
equivalent  to  "Phoenician:"  Dt.  iii.  9;  1  K.  xvi.  31;  comp.  Iliad 
vi.  289  seq.  &c.).  It  is  the  modern  Saida,  midway  between  Tyre 
and  Berytus  (Beynlt).  Ahlab]  '  UnknouTi.  Achzib]  mod. 

ez-Zib,  on  the  sea-shore,  9  m.  N.from  Acco.  Helbah']  Unknown. 
Aphik,  or  Aphek  (Josh.  xix.  30),  is  probably  the  same  as  the 
Aphek  mentioned  m  Josh.  xii.  18,  where  recent  critics  emend  the 
verse  so  as  to  read:  "the  king  of  Aphek  in  the  [plain  of]  Sharon, 
one."  This  Aphek  in  Sharon  is  doubtless  the  city  at  which  the 
Philistines  assembled  their  forces  for  war  with  Israel  before  the 
battles  of  Eben-ezer  (1  Sam.  iv.  1),  and  Gilboa  (1  Sam.  xxix.  1),  and 
from  which,  at  a  later  date,  the  Syrians  of  Damascus  made  repeated 
attacks  on  Samaria  (1  K.  xx.  26,  30;  2  K.  xiii.  17).  That  it  lay  in  a 
lowland  plain  is  clear  from  1  K.  xx.  23,  and  that  the  plain  m  wliicli 
it  lay  Avas  that  of  Sharon  appears  from  the  LXX.  (Luc.)  reading  of 
2  K.  xiii.  22 :  "and  Hazael  took  the  Philistme  from  his  [Jehoahaz's] 
hand  from  the  Western  Sea  to  Aphek."  It  lay  on  the  verge  of 
Philistia,  i.e.  in  Sharon,  and  it  would  seem  that  both  in  Benhadad's 
and  in  Hazael's  time  the  Sjaians  avoided  the  difficulties  of  a  direct 
attack  on  the  central  mountain-land  of  Canaan  by  striking  into  the 
maritime  plain  south  of  Carmel,  and  so  securuig  the  mastery  of  the 
fertile  coast-land  without  having  to  besiege  Samaria.  Their  route 
would  ni  fact  be  the  present  great  road  from  Damascus  to  Eamleh 
through  Megiddo.  At  Aphek,  somewhere  in  the  north  of  the  Sharon 
plain,  they  had  a  great  military  post,  from  which  they  coidd  direct 
tlieir  armies  either  against  Samaria  or  against  the  Philistines  (2  K. 
xii.  17).  Behob]    UnknoAvai.     Comp.  Nu.  xiii.  21;  2  Sam.  x.  6, 

8.  It  is  not  the  Beth-rehob  of  xviii.  28,  which  lay  far  outside  the 
limits  of  Asher.  32.    dicelt  aiaony  the   Canaanites  the  in- 


22  JUDGES,   1.   33—36. 

inhabitants  of  tbe  land :   for  they  did  not  drive  them  out. 

33  Neither  did  Naphtali  drive  out  the  inhabitants  of  Beth- 
shemesh,  nor  the  inhabitants  of  Beth-anath  ;  but  he  dwelt 
among  the  Cauaanites,  the  inhabitants  of  the  land :  never- 
theless the  inhabitants  of  Beth-shemesh  and  of  Beth-anath 

34  became  tributaries  unto  them.  And  the  Amorites  forced 
the  children  of  Dan  into  the  mountain  :  for  they  would  not 

35  suffer  them  to  come  down  to  the  valley  :  but  the  Amorites 
would  dwell  in  mount  Heres  in  Aijalon,  and  in  Shaalbim : 
yet  the  hand  of  the  house  of  Joseph  prevailed,  so  that  they 

Si)  became  tributaries.  And  the  coast  of  the  Amorites  icas  from 
the  going  up  to  Akrabbim,  from  the  rock,  and  upward. 


habitants]  This  expression  shows  very  clearly  how  incomplete  was 
Israel's  hold  on  that  part  of  the  country.  33.    Xaj)htali\    The 

territory  of  this  tribe  (Josh.  xix.  32 — 39)  included  Eamah,  Iron, 
Hazor,  and  Kadesh.  Beth-shemesh]    \5iik.\\ovn\.     It  is  to  be 

distinguished  from  the  Beth-shemesh  ('Ain  Shems)  of  1  Sam.  vi.  9, 
which  is  jierhaps  alluded  to  in  ver.  35  {q.  v.).  Beth-anath]    Pos- 

sibly the  mod.  'Ainitha,  12  m.  S.  from  the  Litaui  river.  Beth- 
shemesh  and  Beth-anath  are  named  respectively  from  the  local 
worship  of  the  sun-god  (Shemesh)  and  the  goddess  Anath,  a  Phoe- 
nician deity  afterwards  identified  with  the  Greek  Athena.  direlt 
among  &c.]     See  ver.  32,  note.  tributaries]     See  ver.  30,  note. 

34.  forced  &c.]  Even  in  the  mountain,  where  they  had  taken 
temporary  hold,  the  children  of  Dan  were  not  mnuolestcd  (comp. 
Josh.  xix.  47  LXX.);  and,  as  we  shall  see  (xviii.  1  sqq.),  the  mass 
of  the  tribe  migrated  northwards  during  the  days  of  the  judges. 
Amorites]    See  iii.  5.  35.    would  dwell]    See  above,  ver.  28, 

note.  in  motmt  Heres  in  Aijalon,  &c.]    E.V.  in  mount  Heres, 

in  Aijalon,  itc.  Heres]   Unknown.   But  as  heres  is  a  synonym 

of  shemesh  ('smi'),  "the  mountain  of  the  sun"  was  perhaps  adjacent 
to  the  Judaean  Beth-shemesh  ("temple  of  the  sun").  If  Beth- 
shemesh  be  really  the  place  intended,  it  is  easy  to  understand  how 
the  Amorites  were  unwdluig  to  part  with  it,  and  (having  chariots) 
were  able  to  hold  it.  It  lies  at  a  height  of  917  feet  al)ove  sea-level 
on  the  south  side  of  the  W.  Surar,  and  within  the  limits  of  the  hill- 
country  of  Judah;  "a  noble  site  for  a  city — a  low  plateau  at  the 
junction  of  two  fine  plains  "  (Bohinson).  Aijalon  is  spoken  of 

as  Danite  in  Josh.  xix.  42.  It  is  the  mod.  Yalo,  situated  on  a  ridge 
on  the  south  side  of  the  l)road  level  valley  now  known  as  the  Merj 
Ibn  'Omer.  It  is  alluded  to  in  connection  with  the  famous  battle  of 
Beth-horon  (Josh.  x.  12)  and  is  mentioned  in  the  Philistine  wars  of 
David.  It  was  fortified  by  Relioboaui  (2  Chr.  xi.  10)  and  taken 
from  king  Ahaz  by  the  Philistines  (2  Chr.  xxviii.  18).  The  context 
here  seems  to  imply  that  it  was  reckoned  as  belonging  to  the  north- 
ern kingdom.  Shaalbim]  Unknown.  See  Josh.  xix.  42,  wliere 
it  is  called  Shaalabbin.  It  is  mentioned  along  with  Beth-shemesh 
"in  the  hill-country  of  Ephraim"  in  1  K.  iv.  9.  tributaries] 
See  ver.  30,  note.             36.    Aynorites]    The  context  would  lead  us 


JUDGES,   II.    1.  23 

Aud  an  angel  of  the  Lord  came  up  from  Gilgal  to  Bocliim,  2 
and  said,  I  made  you  to  go  up  out  of  Egypt,  and  have  brought 


to  expect  "Edomites"  rather  than  "Aniorites"  here,  and  some 
trace  of  this  liaving  been  the  original  reading  is  found  in  LXX. 
Very  little  change  in  the  Hebrew  is  involved.  Akrahlnm]   "  The 

ascent  of  Akrabbim"  ("Scorpion-pass"),  or  Maaleh-acrabbim  (see 
Josh.  XV.  2)  is  not  known;  it  must  have  been  one  of  the  passes  out 
of  the  Southern  Ai-abah  (the  southward  contmuation  of  the  trough 
or  hoUow  of  the  Dead  Sea)  into  the  waste  mountain  country  to  the 
west.  the  rock]    Heb.  Sel'a.     Probably  the  word  is  here  used 

as  a  proper  name,  and  Sela  or  Petra,  the  capital  of  Edom  (2  K.  xiv. 
7;  Isa.  xvi.  1),  is  intended.  vjncard]  i.e.  "fm'ther." 

II.    1 — 5.    From  Gilgal  to  Bocliim. 

1.  an  anyeJ]  R.V.  the  angel.  In  accordance  with  Ex.  xxiii. 
20  sq.,  xxxh.  34  sq.,  xxxih.  2;  Nu.  xx.  16,  where  "the  angel  of 
Jehovah"  goes  before  the  host  of  Israel  and  is  symbohsed  by  the 
ark  (Nu.  x.  35,  36),  this  clause  probably  refers  to  the  removal  of  the 
ark  from  Gilgal,  where  it  had  stood  during  the  earher  stages  of  the 
conquest,  to  a  point  further  up  in  the  interior  of  the  country.  Many 
old  interpreters,  particularly  the  Rabbins,  took  the  word  "augel" 
here  to  mean  "prophet" ;  cp.  below,  vi.  8 ;  also  Hagg.  i.  13.  Gih/al] 
mod.  Jiljul  or  Jiljuheh,  3  m.  S.E.  from  TeU  es-Sultan  (ancient 
Jericho)  was  the  headquarters  of  Israel  and  first  station  of  the  ark 
after  crossing  the  Jordan  (Josh,  iv.,  v.),  and  frequently  appears  as  a 
place  of  sacrifice  or  high  place  in  the  subsequent  history  (see  1  Sam. 
xi.  14,  15,  xiii.  7  sqq.,  xv.  21).  Perhaps,  like  most  of  the  high  places 
whose  worship  is  condeimied  by  the  prophets  as  corrupted  by 
idolatrous  practices  borrowed  from  the  Canaainte  worship  of  the 
Baalim,  it  had  been  a  Canaanite  sanctuaiy  before  it  became  a 
Hebi-ew  laoly  place.  Comp.  Hos.  iv.  15  and  Am.  iv.  4,  5,  where  the 
worship  of  Gilgal  is  condemned,  and  see  below  (iii.  19),  where 
mention  is  made  of  the  stone  idols  (A.V.  "quarries")  at  Gilgal. 
Bochim]  i.e.  "weepers."  LXX.  has  "to  the  weeping  place  and 
to  Bethel."  The  place  seems  to  have  been  near  Bethel;  perhaps 
the  same  as  Allon-bachuth  ("oak  of  weeping")  which  was  "below 
Bethel;"  see  Gen.  xxxv.  8  and  cp.  below,  xx.  23.  As  Bethel  was  a 
pati-iarchal  sanctuary,  its  vicinity  was  an  appropriate  station  for 
the  ark.  aiid  mid]    Before  these  words  the  Hebrew  text 

showed  a  lacuna,  which  the  ancient  copyists  have  scrupulously 
noted,  markhig  it  in  the  Hebrew  text  by  a  circle,  which  ui  modern 
printing  would  be  represented  as  follows:  "And  the  angel  of  the 

Lord  came  up  from  Gilgal  to  Bochim And  he  said,"  &c.     Most 

critics  consider  that  the  words  from  "And  he  said,"  in  ver.  1,  down 
to  the  middle  of  verse  5,  are  later  than  the  rest  of  the  passage,  and 
that  what  originally  stood  in  the  more  ancient  -^Titer  was  simply 
tlie  short  statement  that  the  angel  of  Jehovah  went  up  (before  the 
children  of  Israel)  from  Gilgal  to  Bochim,  and  that  they  sacrificed 
there  unto  Jehovah.  The  inserted  passage  (1  h—b  a)  is  not,  like  its 
parallel  (Ex.  xxxiv.  12  sqq.),  a  warning  against  sins  the  people  were 
likely  to  fall  hito,  but  an  indictment  for  sins  actually  coumiitted,— 


24  JUDGES,   II.   2—8. 

you  unto  the  land  which  I  sware  unto  your  fathers ;   and  I 

2  said,  I  will  never  break  my  covenant  with  you.  And  ye  shall 
make  no  league  with  the  inhabitants  of  this  land ;  you  shall 
throw  down  their  altars :  but  ye  have  not  obeyed  my  voice : 

3  why  have  ye  done  this  ?  Wherefore  I  also  said,  I  will  not 
drive  them  out  from  before  you ;  but  they  shall  be  as  thorns 
in   your   sides,   and  their  gods  shall  be  a  snare  unto  you. 

4  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  angel  of  the  Lord  spake 
these  words  unto  all  the  children  of  Israel,  that  the  peojjle 

5  lift  up  their  voice,  and  wept.  And  they  called  the  name 
of  that  place  Bochim :  and  they  sacrificed  there  unto  the 
Lord. 

6  And  when  Joshua  had  let  the  people  go,  the  children  of 
Israel  went   every  man  unto  his  inheritance  to  possess  the 

7  land.  And  the  people  served  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  Joshua, 
and  all  the  days  of  the  elders  that  outlived  Joshua,  who  had 
seen  all  the  great  works  of  the  Lord,  that  he  did  for  Israel. 

«  And  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun,  the  servant  of  the  Lord,  died, 


an  indictment  which  would  have  been  appropriate  at  any  subsequent 
stage  ill  the  story  of  our  book,  but  at  this  point  appears  to  be  pre- 
matm*e  (contrast  ver.  7),  and  at  any  rate  is  not  explained  by  anything 
mentioned  in  chap.  i.  /  made  you  to  go  uji]     The  granunatical 

form  of  this  verb  in  Hebrew  shows  that  the  begimiing  of  the  sen- 
tence has  been  lost.  2.  mahe  no  league]  R.V.  covenant. 
Cp.  Ex.  xxxiv.  12  sqq.  The  only  recorded  instance  of  a  covenant 
with  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  is  that  made  Avith  the  Gibeonites 
(Josh,  ix.),  but  the  occuiTence  was  doubtless  conniion  enough. 
have  not  obeyed]  The  Manassite  altar  of  Baal  at  Oiilirah  (vi.  '1'^) 
and  the  Canaanite  temple  of  Baal-berith  at  Shechem  (ix.  4)  are 
faraihar  after-examples  of  this  disobedience.  3.  I  said] 
Better,  "I  have  said"  or  "I  say";  cp.  Josh,  xxiii.  13.  as 
thorns]  These  words  in  the  E.V.  are  supplied,  doubtless  con-ectly, 
from  Nu.  xxxiii.  55,  Josh,  xxiii.  13,  the  figure  employed  being  that 
of  a  man  forcing  his  way  through  a  thorny  jmigle.  But  some 
ancient  versions  (e.g.  LXX.)  have:  "shall  be  adversaries  unto  you." 
This  involves  the  change  of  a  letter  in  the  Hebrew  text.  a 
snare]    Comp.  Ex.  xxiii.  33,  xxxiv.  12 ;  Josh,  xxiii.  13 ;  Judg.  viii.  27. 

Part  II.    Chap.  II.  6— XVI.  31.    The  Twelve  Judges. 

Section  i.  Ch.  II.  6 — III.  6.  Introductory.  General  survey  of 
the  coiirse  of  the  history  after  the  conquest.  (1)  Closing  years  of 
Joshua,  ii.  (i — 10;  (2)  General  account  of  the  causes  and  conso- 
quences  of  the  subsequent  troubles  of  Israel  from  "  enemies  round 
about,"  ii.  11 — 19;  (3)  Another  general  account  of  the  causes  of 
Israel's  troubles  through  the  nations  which  had  been  left  in  Canaan 
by  Joshua  (ii.  20 — iii.  6). 

6 — 10.     Comp.  Josh.  xxiv.  28 — '^\,  nm\  see  Introd.  6.    let  go] 

R.V.   sent  away.  7.    served  the   Loith]    Contrast  ii!  2. 


JUDGES,   II.   9—14.  26 

hchuf  an  huncli-ed  and  ten  years  old.     And  they  buried  him  in    9 
tlie  border  of  his  inheritance  in  Timnath-heres,  in  the  mount 
of  Ephraim,  on  the  north  side  of  the  hill  Gaash. 

And    also    all    that    generation   were  gathered  unto   their  lo 
fathers  :  and  there  arose  another  generation  after  them,  which 
knew  not  the  Lokd,  nor  yet  the  works  which  he  had  done  for 
Israel.     And  the  children  of  Israel  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  ii 
Lord,  and  served  Baalim :  and  they  forsook  the  Lord  God  of  12 
their  fathers,  which  brought  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
and  followed  other  gods,  of  the  gods  of  the  people  that  were 
round   about   them,   and  bowed  themselves  unto  them,  and 
provoked  the  Lord  to  anger.     And  they  forsook  the  Lord,  and  13 
served  Baal  and  Ashtaroth.     And  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  14 


great  works]    E.V.,  more  literally,  great  work.  9.    Timnath- 

heres]  called,  by  inversion  of  the  Hebrew  consonants,  Timnath- 
serah  m  Josh.  xix.  50,  xxiv.  30.  Its  site  m  the  hill-country  of 
Ephraim  has  not  been  identified,  unless  it  be  the  Thamua  of  Jose- 
phus  and  Plmy,  which  is  represented  by  the  mod.  Tibneh,  10  m 
N.W.  from  Bethel. 

11— 19»  lu  these  verses  the  editor  of  the  Book  of  Judges  points 
out,  m  a  spu-it  closely  akm  to  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy,  the  moral 
and  rehgious  meanmg  of  the  old  stories  of  the  heroes  of  Israel, 
oee  Introd. 

11.  Baalim]  E.V.  the  Baalim,  i.e.  the  Baals  or  gods  of  par- 
ticular localities  worshipped  by  the  Canaanites.  The  word  Baal 
[ha  at)  means  "lord"  or  "owner,"  and  the  various  tribes  and  com- 
munes of  Northern  Semites  apphed  it  each  to  its  o\v\\  chief  di\inity. 
At  one  time  the  Israelites  bestowed  it  as  a  title  of  honom-  on  their 
own  national  God,  Jehovah,  whence  such  proper  names  as  Eshbaal 
and  Menbaal,  both  meaning  "man  of  Baal"  or,  vu-tually,  "man  of 
God."  It  was  not  till  Hosea's  time  that  any  danger  or  impropriety 
was  seen  in  the  use  of  this  ambiguous  word;  that  prophet,  in 
speaking  of  the  days  when  Israel's  religion  shall  have  been  purified, 
says  that  the  people  shaU  no  longer  caU  Jehovah  their  Baal  (Hos.  ii. 
16, 17).  A  literal  interpretation  of  the  precept  to  "make  no  mention 
ot  the  name  of  other  gods"  (Ex.  xxiii.  13)  afterwards  led  to  the 
substitution  of  Bosheth  ("shameful  thing")  for  Baal  in  the  case  of 
historical  names;  hence  arose  the  forms Ishbosheth,  Mephiboshetb, 
Jerubbesheth,  &c.  The  golden  calves  at  Bethel  and  Dan  were 
originaUy  called  Baahm,  though  held  to  represent  Jehovah.  In  the 
present  passage  the  various  local  gods  of  the  Canaanites  as  opposed 
to  Jehovah  are  meant.  12.    people]   E.V.  peoples.    For  an 

emmieration  of  these  see  x.  6.  13.     This  verse  is  now  usually 

regarded  as  a  later  insertion.  Note  that  the  author,  while  sub- 
stantially repeating  what  precedes,  speaks  not  of  many  local  Baalun 
^]-^^  ^}-^  ^^*^'  Pei'iiaps  the  Tyrian  Baal  (Melcarth),  against  whom 
i^hjah  did  battle.  Ashtaroth]   E.V.  the  Ashtaroth ;  comp. 

X.  6,  "the  Baalim  and  the  Ashtaroth."  Ashtaroth  is  the  plural  of 
Ashtoreth  (Astarte,  Assyr.  Ishtar),  the  name  of  the  gi-eat  Semitic 


26  JUDGES,   II.   15—20. 

hot  against  Israel,  and  he  delivered  them  into  the  hands  of 
spoilers  that  spoiled  them,  and  he  sold  them  into  the  hands 
of   their   enemies  round  about,  so  that  they  could  not  any 

15  longer  stand  before  their  enemies.  Whithersoever  they  went 
out,  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  against  them  for  evil,  as  the 
Lord  had  said,  and  as  the  Lord  had  sworn  unto  them :  and 

Hi  they  were  greatly  distressed.  Nevertheless  the  Lord  raised 
up  judges,  which  delivered  them  out  of  the  hand  of  those  that 

17  spoiled  them.  And  yet  they  would  not  hearken  unto  their 
judges,  but  they  went  a  whoring  after  other  gods,  and  bowed 
themselves  unto  them :  they  turned  quickly  out  of  the  way 
which  their  fathers  walked  in,  obeying  the  commandments 

18  of  the  Lord  ;  but  they  did  not  so.  And  when  the  Lord  raised 
them  up  judges,  then  the  Lord  was  with  the  judge,  and 
delivered  them  out  of  the  hand  of  their  enemies  all  the  days 
of  the  judge :  for  it  repented  the  Lord  because  of  their 
groanings  by  reason  of  them  that  oppressed  them  and  vexed 

19  them.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  judge  was  dead,  that 
they  returned,  and  corrupted  themselves  more  than  their 
fathers,  in  following  other  gods  to  serve  them,  and  to  bow 
down  unto  them  ;  they  ceased  not  from  their  own  doings,  nor 

2(1  from  their  stubborn  way.  And  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was 
hot  against  Israel ;  and  he  said,  Because  that  this  people  hath 
transgressed  my  covenant  which  I  commanded  their  fathers, 

goddess  whose  worship  travelled  from  Assyria  and  Babylon  to 
Syria  and  Phoenicia,  and  thence  to  the  Israelites  (1  Sani.  vii.  3; 
1  K.  xi.  5,  33;  2  K.  xxiii.  13)  and  the  Phihsthies  (1  Sam.  xxxi.  10). 
In  many  Canaanite  cults  she  was  worshipped  along  with  the  local 
Baal  as  his  wife,  and  the  plural  refers  to  the  multiplicity  either 
of  her  local  forms,  or  of  her  images.  14.    sold]    See  Dt.  xxxii. 

30.  The  figure  recurs  frequently  in  Judges  (iii.  8,  iv.  2,  x.  7);  see 
also  1  Sam.  xii.  9.  enemies  round  ahouf]    Comp.  ver.  12,  note. 

16.  jud;/es]  The  Heb.  word  is  shophet  and  reappears  in  the 
Punic  sufet,  the  title  borne  by  the  chief  magistrates  of  Carthage  (in 
Latin  writers,  sxfes).  Onlinarily  it  implies  magisterial  and  judicial 
functions  (Dt.  xvi.  18;  Ex.  xviii.  1.3—26;  comp.  1  Sam.  viii.  5,  "a 
king  to  judge  us") ;  but  here  it  is  used  in  a  connection  which  sug- 
gests the  meaning  rinde.r  rather  than  judex,  being  practically 
synonymous  with  "deliverer"  or  "saviour;"  see  also  iii.  9,  10,  15, 
and  Neb.  ix.  27.  This  is  the  primary  sense  of  the  word  in  the 
expression,  "The  Lord  is  our  Judge."  17.    This  verse,  like 

ver.  13,  is  now  usually  regarded  as  a  later  insertion. 

II.  20 — III.  6.  Tbis  explanation  of  the  history  differs  from  that 
given  in  ii.  11 — 19  in  several  important  respects.  (1)  The  provo- 
cation is  represented  as  having  been  given,  once  for  all,  before  the 
completion  of  the  conquest  of  Palestine.  (2)  The  instruments  of 
Divine  punishment  are  not  the  nations  round  about  Canaan,  but  the 
nations  that  remain  within  Canaan  itself;  they  are  not  called  in  by 


JUDGES,  II.   21— m.   a.  27 

and  have  not  hearkened  unto  my  voice  ;  I  also  will  not  hence-  21 
forth   drive  out  any  from  before  them  of  the  nations  which 
Joshua  left  when  he  died  :   that  through  them  I  may  prove  22 
Israel,  whether  they  will  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord  to  walk 
therein,  as  their  fathers  did  keep  it,  or  not.     Therefore  the  23 
Loud  left  those  nations,  without  driving  them  out  hastily ; 
neither   delivered   he  them  into  the  hand  of  Joshua.     Now  3 
these  are  the  nations  which  the  Lord  left,  to  prove  Israel  by 
them,  even  as  many  of  Israel  as  had  not  known  all  the  wars 
of  Canaan ;  only  that  the  generations  of  the  children  of  Israel  2 
might  know,  to  teach  them  war,  at  the  least  such  as  before 
knew  nothing  thereof:    naviehj,  five  lords  of  the  Philistines,  3 
and   all  the  Canaanites,  and  the  Sidonians,  and  the  Hivites 


a  special  providence,  but  it  is  soon  resolved  to  suffer  them  to  con- 
tinue as  a  permanent  means  of  discipline.  (3)  Tlie  purpose  for 
which  they  are  intended  is  not  wholly  punitive.  Their  continued 
presence  is  represented  either  as  being  a  means  of  moral  discipline 
("that  by  them  I  may  prove  Israel  whether  they  will  keep  the  way 
of  the  Lord  to  walk  therein,"  ii.  22,  cp.  iii.  4)  or  as  furnishing  each 
new  generation  with  the  means  of  pi-actising  the  art  of  war  ("  to 
prove  Israel  by  them... only  that  the  generations  of  Israel  might 
know,  to  teach  them  war,  at  the  least  such  as  beforetime  knew 
nothing  thereof,"  iii.  1,  2).  These  two  different  senses  of  the  word 
"prove"  have  been  thought  by  some  to  show  tbat  even  this  section 
is  of  composite  origui.  The  different  enumerations  of  the  "nations 
which  were  left,"  as  given  in  iii.  3  and  iii.  5,  point  to  a  similar 
inference. 

3.  lords ^  'H.eh.  .senimm,  the  official  title  uniformly  given  in  the 
Old  Testament  to  the  princes  of  the  Philistine  pentarchy.  The 
same  word  is  translated  "axle"'  in  1  K.  vii.  30.  Comj).  cardinal 
honi  cardo,  "a  hinge."  Philistines]     These  were  an  alien 

people  who  had  migi*ated  from  Caphtor  (Am.  ix.  7),  perhaps  Cyprus 
or  Caria,  and  seem  to  have  arrived  in  Canaan  not  long  before  the 
Israelite  invasion  from  the  East.  They  are  perhaps  the  same  as  the 
Pulosata  who  appear  as  enemies  of  the  Egyptians  in  Canaan  in  the 
time  of  Eameses  HI.  all  the  Canaanites]    Fi'om  the  order  of 

the  eiuimeration,  which  seems  to  be  geographical,  we  are  probably 
to  understand  here  those  Canaanites  who  held  the  low  country 
between  the  territoiy  of  the  Philistines  and  that  of  the  Zidonians 
(plain  of  Sharon,  plain  of  Esdraelou).  But  perhaps  vv.  1 — 3  may 
originally  have  fonned  the  sequel  to  Ch.  i.,  in  which  case  the 
expression  "all  the  Canaanites"  would  naturally  become  limited 
to  the   Canaanites  mentioned    in    that    chapter.  Sidonians] 

or  Zidonians.  These  were  also  Canaanites.  Indeed  all  those 
whom  the  Greeks  called  Phoenicians  called  themselves  Canaan- 
ites. Ilirites]  Cp.  i.  4,  note.  The  Hivites  are  met  with 
at  Shechem  (Gen.  xxxiv,  2),  in  the  region  of  Gibeon  (Josh.  ix.  7), 
and  on  the  slopes  of  Hermon,  ui  Josh.  xi.  3.  These  Northern 
Hivites  (or  Hittites  as  tbey  are  called  in  Josh.  xi.  3,  LXX. ;  comp. 


28  JUDGES,   III.   4— G. 

that  dwelt  in  mount  Lebanon,  from  mount  Baal-hermon  unto 

4  the  entering  in  of  Hamath.  And  they  were  to  prove  Israel  by 
them,  to  know  whether  they  would  hearken  unto  the  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord,  which  he  commanded  their  fathers 
by  the  hand  of  Moses. 

5  And  the  children  of  Israel  dwelt  among  the  Canaanites, 
Hittites,    and    Amorites,   and    Perizzites,   and    Hivites,    and 

6  Jebusites :  and  they  took  their  daughters  to  be  their  wives, 
and  gave  their  daughters  to  their  sons,  and  served  their  gods. 


i.  26,  note)  are  here  meant,  and  their  seats  are  more  precisely 
defined  as  occupying  the  eastern  slope  of  Lebanon  and  the  upland 
valley  of  Coelesyria  which  separates  Lebanon  from  Hermon  and 
Antilibanus,  as  far  north  as  the  frontier  of  Hamath.  Mount 

Baal-hervi07i]  i.e.  Mount  Hermon,  lit.  the  mountain  of  the  local  god 
of  Hermon,  perhaps  the  same  deity  who  gave  his  name  to  Baal-gad, 
the  later  Paneas  (see  Josh.  xi.  17).  entering  in']   or  frontier. 

Hamath]  afterwards  Epiphaneia,  the  mod.  Hama,  on  the  Orontes, 
seat  of  a  Canaanite  kingdom  which  became  tributary  to  Israel  in 
David's  time  (2  Sam.  viii.  9,  10).  The  frontier  of  Hamath  is  com- 
monly spoken  of  as  the  northern  limit  of  the  land  of  Israel  (Nu.  xiii. 
21 ;  IK.  viii.  65 ;  cp.  Am.  vi.  2).  Compare  below,  xviii.  28,  note.  5. 
E.y.  punctuates  the  Canaanites ;  the  Hittite,  and  the  Amorite, 
&c.,  the  five  nations  enumerated  being  regarded  as  branches  of  the 
Canaanites.  Comp.  Gen.  x.  15,  16,  where  no  fewer  than  eleven 
"sons,"  i.e.  branches,  of  Canaan,  are  enimierated.  Of  these,  five 
are  Phoenician  trading  communities—rZidou,  Ai-ca,  Sin,  Aradus, 
Simyra — which  never  became  subject  to  Israel.  The  Hamathites 
also  (see  above)  retained  their  independence,  except  in  the  time  of 
David,  till  they  became  subjects  of  the  Assj'rian  Empire.  Of  the 
widespread  Hittites  (see  i.  26,  note)  we  kudw  from  other  sources 
than  the  Bible  that  they  touched  the  Euphrates  at  Carchemish. 
The  four  other  Canaanite  names  in  the  classical  passage  in  Genesis 
are  those  of  the  Jebusites  (see  i.  21,  note,  and  below),  the  Amorites 
(see  below),  the  Hivites  (see  above,  ver.  3)  and  the  Girgashites,  of 
whom  nothing  definite  is  known,  excei)t  that  they  must  have  been 
completely  obliterated  at  an  early  date.  The  Perizzites  (see  i.  4) 
are  not  mentioned  in  Gen.  x.  15,  16.  Amorites]  an  ancient 

synonym  for  Canaanites,  commonly  applied  by  Hebrew  writers  to 
the  branches  of  the  Canaanite  stock  on  both  sides  of  the  Jordan 
tbat  were  completely  contpun-ed  and  had  wbolly  disappeared.  In 
the  Tell  el-Amarna  tablets,  older  than  tlie  Exodus,  Aniurri  appears  to 
be  the  common  name  for  Palestine.  Jehnsites]    For  the  Jebu- 

sites of  Jerusalem  see  i.  21.  Northern  Jebusites  seem  to  be  alluded 
to  in  Josh.  xi.  3,  but  of  these  notliing  is  known.  took  their  datigh- 
ters  itc]  Intermarriage  with  tlie  Canaanites  was  a  chief  cause  of 
the  introduction  of  new  and  foreign  elements  into  the  religion  of 
Jehovah.  Tbe  tendency  to  such  intermarriages  was  not  finally  jnit 
down  till  the  time  of  Nehemiah,  and  tliough  the  practice  is  here  by 
imphcation  condemned  (cp.  Josh,  xxiii.  12)  the  earlier  history  shows 


JUDGES,   III.   7—11.  29 

And  the  children  of  Israel  did  evil  iu  the  sight  of  the  Lokd,   7 
and  forgat  the  Lord  their  God,  and  served  Baalim  and  the 
groves.      Therefore  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  hot  against  H 
Israel,  and  he  sold  them  into  the  hand  of  Chushan-rishathaim 
king    of    Mesopotamia :    and   the   children   of    Israel   served 
Chushan-rishathaim  eight  years.     And  when  the  children  of  9 
Israel  cried  unto  the  Lord,  the  Lord  raised  up  a  deliverer  to 
the  children  of  Israel,  who  delivered  them,  even  Othniel  the 
son  of  Kenaz,  Caleb's  younger  brother.     And  the  spirit  of  the  i<» 
Lord  came  upon  him,  and  he  judged  Israel,  and  went  out  to 
war:    and  the   Lord   delivered   Chushan-rishathaim   king   of 
Mesopotamia  into  his  hand ;  and  his  hand  prevailed  against 
Chushan-rishathaim.      And  the  land   had  rest   forty  years,  n 
And  Othniel  the  son  of  Kenaz  died. 

that  unions  of  this  kind  were  entered  into  by  many  excellent 
persons. 

Part  II.  Sect.  ii.    Chap.  HI.  7— XVI.  31.     The  Tireire  Judges. 

7 — 11.     Othniel,  the  first  of  the  Judges. 

This  narrative  exemplifies  from  point  to  point  the  general  re- 
mai-ks  in  ii.  11 — 19,  with  which  passage  it  should  be  carefully 
compared;  it  is  largely  from  the  hand  of  the  editor;  see  In  trod. 
p.  8,  footnote.  7.    the  grores]  11. V.  the  Asheroth,  pi.  of 

Asherah.  In  the  worship  of  the  local  sanctuaries  of  Cana;in  (which 
it  was  the  achievement  of  the  prophets,  first  to  restrain  and  after- 
wards to  repress),  every  altar  had  an  asherah  beside  it.  The  mean- 
ing of  this  word  has  been  much  disputed ;  but  from  Dt.  x\i.  21 
C'thou  shalt  not  plant  an  asherah  of  any  kind  of  wood  [or,  'an 
asherah,  any  kind  of  tree']  beside  the  altar  of  Jehovah")  we  see 
tliat  it  must  have  been  either  a  living  tree  or  a  tree-like  i)ost ; 
probably  either  fonn  was  at  first  admissible.  It  is  not  properly  the 
name  of  a  goddess,  like  Ashtoreth  (Astartej ;  see  ii.  13.  8. 

Chushan-rishathaim]  K.V.  Cushan-rishathaim.  Of  this  king 
nothmg  further  is  known,  either  from  the  Bible  or  the  monuments, 
and  the  narrative  here  is  singularly  lacking  in  detail.  Mesopotamia 
is  the  country  between  the  Eupln-ates  and  the  Tigris,  nortli  of  the 
alluvial  plain  of  Babylonia.  The  Hebrew  expression  is  Ai-am- 
naharaim,  i.e.  "  Syrm  of  the  two  rivers."  Perhaps  it  does  not 
uiclude  all  Mesopotamia,  but  only  the  district  between  the  rivers 
Euphrates  and  Chaboras,  the  country  of  Laban  and  Bethuel.  The 
recently  discovered  tablets  of  Tell  el-Amarna  show  that  there  were 
frequent  political  relations  between  Mesopotamia  and  Canaan,  even 
at   a   date  much  earlier  than  this.  9.    deliverer]  R.V. 

saviour;  cp.  ver.  10  and  see  above,  ii.  16,  note.  Othniel] 

See  1.  13,  note.  10.    the  spirit  of  the  Lord]  Not  the  spirit  of 

prophecy,  but  the  spirit  of  heroism  ("counsel  and  might:"  Isa.  xi. 
2),  which  in  the  Old  Testament  view  is  not  man's  own,  but  proceeds 
from  God. 


30  JUDGES,   III.    12—17. 

12  And  the  cbildren  of  Israel  did  evil  again  in  the  sight  of  the 
LoKD  :  and  the  Lord  strengthened  Eglon  the  king  of  Moab 
against  Israel,  because  they  had  done  evil  in  the  sight  of  the 

13  Lord.  And  he  gathered  nnto  him  the  children  of  Amnion 
and  Amalek,  and  went  and  smote  Israel,  and  possessed  the 

14  city  of  palm  trees.     So  the  children  of  Israel  served  Eglon  the 

15  king  of  Moab  eighteen  years.  But  when  the  children  of  Israel 
cried  unto  the  Lord,  the  Lord  raised  them  up  a  deliverer, 
Ehud  the  son  of  Gera,  a  Benjamite,  a  man  lefthanded :  and 
by  him  the  children  of  Israel  sent  a  present  unto  Eglon  the 

i(i  king  of  Moab.     But  Ehud  made  him  a  dagger  which  had  two 

edges,  of  a  cubit  length  ;  and  he  did  gird  it  under  his  raiment 

17  upon  his  right  thigh.     And  he  brought  the  present  unto  Eglon 


12 — 30.     Khud,  the  second  of  the  Jiidges. 

12.  Fglon]  The  Moabites  had  kings  long  before  the  Israelites. 
At  the  time  of  the  Israelite  conquest  the  country  north  of  the 
Arnon,  which  was  once  theirs  but  had  been  taken  from  them  by  the 
Amorites,  was  assigned  to  Eeuben  and  Gad ;  but  the  Moabites  did 
not  relinquish  their  earlier  claim  and  soon  pressed  northwards 
again.  For  centuries  they  were  in  ahiiost  uninterrupted  possession 
of  most  of  this  territory.  Here  we  find  them,  with  the  help  of  their 
allies,  extending  their  conquests  into  Western  Palestine,  over  the 
territory  of  Benjamin  at  least,  their  western  stronghold  being 
Jericho.  13.     Amvion]   Moab's  closely  related  neighbour  on 

the  N.E.  Auiaiek]   one  of  the  nomadic  peoples  on  the  border 

of  Judah.  The  Israelites  regarded  Amalek  as  a  very  ancient 
nation  (Nu.  xxiv.  20),  indeed  as  aboriginal  (1  Sam.  xxvii.  8),  and 
as  their  hereditary  enemy  (Ex.  xvii.  14).  Nothing  is  known  of  its 
origin,  for  the  Edomite  Amalekites  (Gen.  xxxvi.  12,  16)  can  onlj' 
1)6  a  detached  branch  of  the  nation  which  had  joined  itself  to  the 
children  of  Esau.  ritj/  of  palm  trees]  i.e.  Jericho  (i.  16).     (Con- 

trast Josh.  vi.  26.  15.     deJirerer]  E.V.  saviour;  see  ver.  9. 

Ehud  is  not  mentioned  elsewhere  in  Scripture.  Gera  was  one  of 
the  ten  "  sons,"  or  clans,  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  according  to  Gen. 
xlvi.  21;  hi  1  Chr.  viii.  3 — 5,  Gera  is  "son"  of  Bela  the  sou  of 
Benjamin.  lefthanded]  Lefthandedness  was  a  speciality  of 

the  Benjamites  ;  cp.  xx.  16.  a  j)  re  sent]  Heb.  minhah,  a  word 

specially  used  [a)  of  gifts  of  homage  or  tribute  presented  to 
sovereigns;  (/>)  of  offerings  of  sacred  homage  presented  at  the 
altar.  As  the  Israehte  did  homage  to  his  God  of  the  fruits  of  the 
earth,  which  he  owed  to  the  Divine  blessing  (Dt.  xxvi.  1  sqq.), 
minhah  came  to  be  the  technical  name  for  a  cereal  oblation  (A.V. 
"  meat  offering.")  Ver.  18  shows  that  Ehud's  minhah  was  of 
some  bulk,  and  was  probably  paid  in  kind.  The  place  to  which  it 
was  brought  is  not  mentioned;  there  is  no  I'eason  for  assuming 
that   it   was   Jericho.  16.     dai/(/er]    Heb.   hereb,  the  usual 

word  for  the  short  Hebrew  sword,  and  so  it  is  translated  in  R.V. 
cuhit]  Heb.  (jomed.  The  word  occurs  only  here,  and  interi)reters 
differ  as  to  its  meaning.     LXX.  takes  it  to  be  a  span  or  half  a 


JUDGES,   III.    18—25.  Bl 

king  of  Moab :  and  Eglon  u'o.s  a  very  fat  man.     And  when  18 
he  had  made  an  end  to  offer  the  present,  he  sent  away  the 
people  that  bare  the  present.     But  he  himself  turned  again  U) 
from   the   quarries  that  icere  by  Gilgal,   and  said,  I  have  a 
secret   errand   unto   thee,    0   king:    who   said,   Keep  silence. 
And  all  that  stood  by  him  went  out  from  him.     And  Ehud  2(i 
came  unto  him ;   and  he  was  sitting  in  a  summer  parlour, 
which  he  had  for  himself  alone.     And  Ehud  said,  I  have  a 
message  from  God  unto  thee.     And  he  arose  out  of  Jiis  seat. 
And  Ehud  put  forth  his  left  hand,  and  took  the  dagger  from  2i 
his  right  thigh,  and  thrust  it  into  his  belly  :  and  the  haft  also  2-2 
went  in  after  the  blade ;  and  the  fat  closed  upon  the  blade,  so 
that  he  could  not  draw  the  dagger  out  of  his  belly ;  and  the 
dirt  came  out.     Then  Ehud  went  forth  through  the  porch,  2.3 
and  shut  the  doors  of  the  parlour  upon  him,  and  locked  them. 
When  he  was  gone  out,  his  servants  came ;  and  when  they  24 
saw  that  behold,  the  doors  of  the  parlour  'were  locked,  the}' 
said,  Surely  he   covereth  his   feet   in   his   summer  chamber. 
And   they  tarried  till   theij  were   ashamed  :   and   behold,  he  2.5 


cubit ;  the  other  ancient  versions  render  as  in  A.V.  18.    sevt 

a7i-ai/]  so  as  to  secure  their  safety  in  case  his  desperate  enteiimse 
should  fail.  19.    quarries]  R.V.  marg.  "  graven  images,"  or 

stone  idols.  Gilgal]   See  ii.  1,  note.     Here,  near  one  of  the 

important  fords  of  the  Jordan,  we  know  there  were  memorial 
stones  (Josh.  iv.  20) ;  and  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  place 
had  been  an  ancient  seat  of  Canaanite  worship.  Some  interpreters 
however  think  that  here  we  ought  to  understand  not  the  Gilgal  of 
Josh.  iv.  19,  but  that  of  Josh.  xv.  7 :  "the  Gilgal  [i.e.  stone  circle 
or  menhir] ,  which  is  opposite  the  ascent  of  Adummini " — the  sharp 
rise  near  the  middle  of  the  road  from  Jericho  to  Jerusalem,  in  the 
wild  country  where  the  parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan  is  localised. 
This  view  we  must  necessarily  take  if  we  assume  Jericho  as  the 
scene  of  Eglon's  assassination ;  for  of  course  Ehud's  retreat  must 
have  been  westward.  that  stood  hy]  his  personal  attendants, 

not  the  court,  for  we  learn  from  next  verse  that  he  was  in  his 
private  chamber.  20.    summer  parlour]  R.V.  marg.  "  uppiT 

chamber  of  cooling."  Light  airy  cabins  on  the  house-roof,  for  uso 
by  the  imnates  in  siunmer,  are  still  to  be  seen  in  some  parts  of 
Syria.  his  seat]  Heb.  "  the  chair"  or  throne  ;  cp.  note  on  v. 

10.  22.    fat]  Heb.  heleb  ;  more  exactly,  the  midriff,  or  the  fat 

of  the  midrifif.  so  that  he  could  not,  &c.]   Heb.  "For  he  did 

not  draw  forth  the  sword  out  of  his  belly  ;  and  he  [Ehud]  went  out 
into  the parshedon  "  (see  next  note).  23.  through  the  porch]  Heb. 
"went  out  into  the  misderun."  The  last  clause  of  ver.  22  and  the 
first  of  ver.  23  say  the  same  thing,  and  it  would  seem  either  that 
parshedon  was  meant  to  be  explanatory  of  viisdervn  or  vice  versa. 
To  us  unfortunately  both  words  are  equally  obscure,  but  from  the 
context  they  probably  mean  something  hke  "  porch."        24.  When 


32  JUDGES,   m.   20—31. 

opened  not  the  doors  of  the  parlour ;  therefore  they  took  a 
key,  and  opened  them :  and  behold,  their  lord  was  fallen  down 

26  dead  on  the  earth.  And  Ehud  escaped  while  they  tarried, 
and  passed  beyond  the  quarries,  and  escaped  unto  Seirath. 

27  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  was  come,  that  he  blew  a 
trumpet  in  the  mountain  of  Ephraim,  and  the  children  of 
Israel  went  down  with  him  from  the  mount,  and  he  before 

28  them.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Follow  after  me  :  for  the 
LoKD  hath  delivered  your  enemies  the  Moabites  into  your 
hand.  And  they  went  down  after  him,  and  took  the  fords  of 
Jordan  toward  Moab,  and  suffered  not  a  man  to  pass  over. 

29  And  they  slew  of  Moab  at  that  time  about  ten  thousand  men, 
all  lusty,  and  all  men  of  valour ;  and  there  escaped  not  a  man. 

30  So  Moab  was  subdued  that  day  under  the  hand  of  Israel. 
And  the  land  had  rest  fourscore  years. 

31  And  after  him  was  Shamgar  the  son  of  Anath,  which  slew 


Ehud  was  gone  out,  Eglon's  servants  came.  25.    a  l-etj]  Xl.V. 

the  key.  "Every  door  is  furnished  with  a  wooden  lock... A 
number  of  small  iron  pins  (four,  five,  or  more)  drop  into  corre- 
sponding holes  in  the  sliding  bolt,  as  soon  as  the  latter  is  pushed 
into  the  hole  or  staple  of  the  door-post.  The  key  also  has  small 
pins,  made  to  correspond  with  the  holes,  into  which  they  are  intro- 
duced to  open  the  lock :  the  former  pins  being  thus  pushed  uj),  the 
bolt  may  be  drawn  back.  The  wooden  lock  of  a  street-door  is  com- 
moidy  about  fourteen  inches  long ;  those  of  the  doors  of  apart- 
ments, cupboards,  ttc,  are  about  seven  or  eight  or  nine  niches" 
(Lane,  jMod.  K;/i/j>liavs).  26.    passed  hei/ond]   This  perhaps 

might  be  translated  "  crossed  [the  river]  at"  ;  so  also  in  Gen.  xxxii. 
31  [Heb.  32]  :  "crossed  [the  river]  atPenuel."  the  quarries] 

see  ver.  19.  Seirath']  rather  "  the  Seh-ah."     Unknown.     The 

name  indicates  "  rough"  or  "shaggy"  country,  and  would  apply  to 
almost  any  part  of  the  eastern  slope  of  Benjamui  or  even  of 
Ephraim.  From  iv.  5  we  see  that  the  expression  "hill-country  of 
Ephraim"  can  mclude  the  territory  of  Benjamin.  Perhaps  the 
Avord  Seirah  is  not  a  proper  name  at  all,  and  ought  to  be  translated 
simply  "the  bush,"  "the  jungle."     Cp.  Josh.  xv.  10.  27. 

'mountain... mount]  R.Y.  hill-country.  went  dovn]   See  i. 

1;  ii.  1.  28.    ton-ard  j\foat>]  R.V.  against  the  Moabites; 

obviously,  at  any  rate,  so  as  to  prevent  the  return  to  Moab  of  those 
Moabites  who  held  Jericho  and  other  parts  of  Western  Palestine. 
29.  all  lusti/,  and  all,  &5c.]  E.Y.  every  lusty  man  and  every 
man  of  valour.  It  was  a  complete  extermination  of  the  Moabite 
garrison.  30.    was  subdued]  so  far,  that  is,  as  its  occupation 

of  Western  Palestine  was  concerned. 

31.     S7iamf/ar,  the  third  of  the  Jnd<ies. 

after  him]  i.e.  after  Ehiid.  Some  such  clause  as:  "and  Ehud 
the  son  of  Gera  died"  (cp.  ver.  11)  has  fallen  out,  and  can  still  be 
traced  in  LXX.     Ver.  31  appears  to  be  an  insertion  and  disturbs 


JUDGES,   IV.    1,   2.  33 

of  the  Philistines  six  hundred  men  with  an  ox  goad  :  and  he 
also  delivered  Israel. 

And  the  children  of  Israel  again  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  4 
Lord,  when  Ehud  was  dead.     And  the  Lord  sold  them  into  2 
the  hand  of  Jabiu  Icing  of  Canaan,  that  reigned  in  Hazor  ;  the 
captain  of  whose  host  was  Sisera,  which  dwelt  in  Harosheth 


the  context ;  iv.  1  was  originally  consecutive  with  iii.  30.  In  some 
copies  of  LXX.  Enegar  or  Samegar,  i.e.  Shamgar,  is  placed  after 
Samson  in  xvi.  31.  Shamgav,  the  son  of  Anath,  is  named  in 

V.  6,  but  in  such  a  way  as  suggests  that  he  lived  in  the  days  of  the 
Mldiauite,  not  of  the  Philistine  oppression.  It  is  usually  supposed 
by  critics  that  he  was  introduced  here  by  the  second  redactor  to 
make  up  the  mmiber  of  twelve  judges,  after  it  had  come  to  be  felt 
that  Abimelech  was  not  justly  entitled  to  be  reckoned  to  their 
number.  Shamgar  is  perhaps  a  Hittite  name ;  it  occurs  as  Sangar 
in  the  Assyrian  uiscriptions  as  having  been  borne  by  princes  of  the 
Hittite  Idngdoms  on  the  upper  Euphrates.  Shamgar  is  not  here 
expressly  called  a  judge,  but  only  a  "deliverer"  or  "saviour." 
of  the  Philistines]  lit.  "  he  smote  the  Philistines,  six  hundred 
men."  ox  goad]  taken  by  some  interpreters,  surely  by  an 

excess  of  refinement,  as  a  merely  symbolical  expression  to  denote 
that  he  led  untrained  peasants  against  the  practised  warriors  of 
Philistia. 

rV.  1 — V.  31.     Deborah,  the  fourth  of  the  Juihjes  ;  her  song. 

1.     when  Ehud  loas  dead]   See  iii.  31.  2.     Ja7>j»]  Jabiu 

king  of  Hazor  is  mentioned  in  Josh.  xi.  as  having  headed  a  power- 
ful confederation  of  the  kings  of  Northern  Canaan  against  the 
Israelites  under  Joshua.  He  was  defeated  and  slain  and  his  power 
utterly  broken  at  Hazor.  The  Jabin  here  mentioned  is  spoken  of 
as  "  king  of  Canaan"  (vv.  2,  23,  24)  who  also  ruled  at  Hazor  ;  but 
it  is  not  to  be  inferred  from  this  that  he  was  the  sole  Canaanite 
king  in  the  country.  All  the  evidence  we  possess  goes  to  show  that 
the  Canaanite  population  continued  long  after  the  conquest  to  be 
divided  mto  a  large  number  of  petty  states,  eveiy  considerable  city 
indeed  having  an  independent  ruler  or  "  king."  Hazor  lay 

near  the  waters  of  Merom  and  there  is  some  probability  in  the 
suggested  identification  with  Tell  Kureibeh  (1680  feet  above  sea- 
level),  1\  m.  S.  from  Kedesh.  The  word  Hazor  probably  means, 
l)runarily,  "  a  sheepfold,"  an  enclosure  of  thorny  branches,  or  of 
stone.  This  Hazor  is  mentioned  as  having  been  burnt  by  Joshua 
(Josh.  xi.  11).  It  was  fortified  by  Solomon,  and  its  inhabitants 
were  carried  captive  by  Tiglath-Pileser  (2  K.  xv.  29).  Hisera] 

See  note  on  v.  20.  Harosheth  of  the  Gentiles  [or  '  nations,'] 

where  Sisera  "dwelt"  and  no  doubt  exercised  the  authority  of  a 
"  king,"  has  been  somewhat  doubtfully  identified  with  the  mod.  TeU 
Harothieh,  "an  enormous  double  mound... situated  just  below  the 
point  where  the  Kishon  in  one  of  its  turns  beats  against  the  rocky 
base  of  Carmel,  leaving  no  room  even  for  a  footpath,  A  castle 
there  effectually  commands  the  pass  up  the  vale  of  the  Kishon  into 

JUDGES  3 


34  JUDGES,   IV.   3-G. 

3  of  the  Gentiles.  And  the  children  of  Israel  cried  unto  the 
Lord  :  for  he  had  nine  hundred  chariots  of  iron ;  and  twenty 

4  years  he  mightily  oppressed  the  children  of  Israel.  And 
Deborah,  a  prophetess,  the  wife  of  Lapidoth,  she  judged  Israel 

3  at  that  time.  And  she  dwelt  under  the  palm  tree  of  Deborah 
between   Eamah   and  Beth-el  in   mount  Ephraim :    and  the 

«  children  of  Israel  came  up  to  her  for  judgment.  And  she  sent 
and  called  Barak  the  son  of  Abinoam  out  of  Kedesh-naphtali, 

Esdraelon...The  immense  double  tell  is  still  covered  with  the 
remains  of  old  walls  and  buildings"  (Thomson).  The  site  thus 
described  lay  in  territory  that  the  Israelites  had  never  been  able  to 
subdue  (see  above,  i.  27).  With  the  expression  Harosheth  of  the 
Gentiles,  or  nations,  compare  "the  nations  of  Gilgal"  or  "  Goiim 
in  Gilgal"  of  Josh.  xii.  23.  Gilgal  in  this  expression  seems  but  a 
fonn  of  the  word  Galilee;  cp.  "Galilee  {Oelil)  of  the  nations"  in 
Isa.  ix.  1.  3.    chariots  of  iron']   See  i.  19,  note.  4. 

'Deborah  {i.e.  "bee")  was  the  name  also  of  Kebekah's  nurse,  who 
was  buried  below  Bethel  under  the  "  oak  of  weeping."  The  phrase- 
ology of  V.  1.5  seems  to  suggest  that  Deborah  the  prophetess  be- 
longed to  the  tribe  of  Issachar.  Laindoth]  or  rather  Lappi- 
doth:  cp.  lapindirn,  "lightnmgs;"  Ex.  xx.  18.  juch/ed]  As  a 
prophetess  she  made  Israel  to  "  know  the  statutes  of  God  and  His 
laws"  (see  Ex.  xviii.  l(i).  In  this  instance  the  magisterial  or 
judicial  implications  of  the  word  are  more  prominent  than  those 
indicated  in  ii.  10.  5.  chrelt]  E.V.  sat.  7;a//«  iree]  Suui- 
larly  Saul  holds  his  court  at  Gibeah  under  a  tree  (1  Sam.  xxii.  6). 
Judges  and  seers,  as  was  natural,  usually  had  then"  seats  at  places 
of  public  resort  such  as  sanctuaries  and  asj-lums;  and  these,  again, 
usually  were  associated  with  sacred  trees  (cp.  iii.  7,  note).  In 
Palestine  the  sacred  tree  was  most  commonly  an  oak  or  terelimth  ; 
cp.  the  memorial  oak  of  Deborah,  Kebekah's  nurse,  below  Bethel 
(Gen.  XXXV.  8),  and  the  "oak  of  Tabor"  (1  Sam.  x.  8,  E.Y.).  The 
date  palm,  however,  also  flourishes  well  in  Palestine,  not  only  in 
the  sub-tropical  climate  of  the  Jordan  valley,  where  its  fruit  comes 
to  full  maturity,  but  also  in  the  more  elevated  parts  of  the  comitry 
(see  Neh.  viii.  15;  cp.  Baal-tamar,  near  Gibeah,  below,  xx.  33). 
Rainah,  mod.  er-Eam,  2,600  feet  above  sea-level,  5  m.  N.  from 
Jerusalem,  the  birth-place  of  Samuel  (1  Sam.  i.  1),  afterwards 
known  as  Puuuathaim  (1  Mace.  xi.  34),  in  Greek  Arimathaea  (Mk. 
XV.  43 ;  Job.  xix.  38).  It  was  a  Benjamite  town  (Josh,  xviii.  2.5 ; 
cp.  below,  xix.  13).  Bethel  (see  i.  23,  note),  5  m.  N.  from  Ramali, 
was  also  Benjamite  (Josh,  xviii.  25).  Both  Eamah  and  Bethel 
are  here  reckoned  to  the  "hill-country  of  Ephraim;  '  cp.  iii.  26. 
6.  Barak]  lit.  "lightning."  The  word  occurs  as  a  proper  muue 
also  in  Palmyrene  and  South  Arabian  inscriptions.  Compare  the 
well-known  Carthaginian  surname  Barcas.  Abinoam]  lit. 
"father  of  graciousness:  '  ci).  Naomi  and  Naaman.  Kedesh- 
naphtali,  also  known  as  Kedesh  in  (ialilee,  the  mod.  Kedcs,  1,587 
feet  above  sea-level,  about  3  :n.  to  the  west  of  the  marshy  tract  at 
the  north  end  of  the  waters  of  Merom  and  2^  m.  N.  of  Tell 


JUDGES,    IV.   7,   8.  35 

and  said  unto  him,  Hath  not  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  com- 
manded, saying,  Go  and  draw  toward  mount  Tabor,  and  take 
witli  thee  ten  thousand  men  of  the  children  of  Naphtali  and 
of  the  children  of  Zebulun  ?  And  I  will  draw  unto  thee  to  7 
the  river  Kishon  Sisera,  the  captain  of  Jabin's  army  with 
his  chariots  and  his  multitude;  and  I  will  deliver  him  into 
thine  hand.  And  Barak  said  unto  her,  If  thou  wilt  go  with  8 
me,  then  I  will  go:  but  if  thou  wilt  not  go  with  me,  then  I 

Khureibeh  (Hazor?).  The  name  impUes  that  it  was  a  sanctuary 
and  so  a  suitable  rendezvous;  for  the  ancient  Hebrews  always 
opened  a  campaign  with  sacrifice,  which  in  Hebrew  idiom  is  called 
"  consecrating  the  war."  The  close  proximity  of  Kedesh  to  Hazor 
reminds  of  Altdorf  and  Zwhig  Uri  in  the  legend  of  Tell.  the 

Loud  God  of  hraelP\  lit.  "Jehovah,  God  of  Israel."  She  appeals  to 
his   national  religion.  draw   toward]    rather,   "occupy" 

Mount  Tahor]  on  the  borders  of  Issachar  and  Zebulim,  an  isolated 
hill,  1,843  feet  above  sea-level,  near  the  north-eastern  extremity  of 
the  valley  of  Jezreel,  from  which  it  is  shut  off  by  Little  Hermoii 
(see  vn.  1,  note).  ten  thousand  vien']    In  v.  8,  the  entire 

levy  of  Israel  is  estunated  at  40,000  men ;  whence  we  may  uifer 
that  Barak  could  command  the  full  force  of  the  northern  tribes 
Naphtali... Zchulwi]  Kedesh,  the  city  of  Barak,  was  in  the  terri- 
tory of  Naphtah ;  that  of  Zel)iilun  adjoined  Naphtali  on  the  south 
and  south-west.  In  the  song  of  Deborah  and  Barak  (see  below) 
several  other  tribes  are  represented  as  taking  part  in  this  A\ar  of 
liberation.  7.    /  will  dram  ..I  will  deliver]  It  is  Jehovah  who 

speaks  through  His  prophetess.  river]  Heb.  nahal,  usually 

rendered  "brook"  or  torrent  (Job  vi.  15).  Kishon]  ie 

"crooked"  or  "meandermg;"  the  stream  (mod.  Mnkatta')  which 
drains  the  Esdraelon  basin  and  falls  into  the  Bay  of  Acre  near 
Haifa.  It  can  hardly  be  called  perennial,  except  for  the  last  two  or 
three  miles  of  its  coiu-se,  after  it  has  received  the  waters  of  the 
fountains  of  the  Sa'adiyeh,  which  flow  from  the  base  of  Mount 
Carmel  within  three  miles  from  Haifa.  But  during  winter  and 
epring  and  after  sudden  stonns  of  rain  it  often  has  a  considerable 
volume  of  water.  In  its  upper  part  it  has  two  main  branches 
which  unite  at  a  point  about  half-way  between  Leijun  (Me'dddo) 
and  Iksra  (Chisloth-tabor).  The  larger  of  these  rises  at  Jen  in  and 
IS  fed  by  a  series  of  springs  along  the  base  of  the  mountains  of 
Manasseh,  especiaUy  near  Lejjiln  (Megiddo),  while  the  other  (mod 
W.  el  MuwOli),  usually  regarded  as  the  more  important,  comes 
down  from  the  hills  to  the  west  of  Chisloth-tabor  (the  watershed 
here  is  represented  by  a  hne  from  Chisloth-tabor  to  Endor)  It 
does  not  appear  whether  either  of  these  bore  the  name  of  Kishon  in 
ancient  tunes ;  the  modern  name  Mukatta-  seems  to  apply  only  to 
the  united  stream.  In  the  Old  Testament  the  Kishon  is  not  men- 
tioned except  in  comiection  with  the  present  occurrence  (ver  13 
V.  21 ;  Ps.  Ixxxiii.  9)  and  with  Elijah's  slaughter  of  the  prophets  of 
Baal  (1  K  xvhi.  40).  8.     LXX.  adds:  ''for  I  know  not  the 

day  m  which  the  Lord  will  send  his  angel  with  me  witb  good 


3—2 


36  JUDGES,   IV.   9—15. 

9  will  not  go.  And  she  said,  I  will  surely  go  with  thee :  not- 
withstanding the  journey  that  thou  takest  shall  not  be  for 
thine  honour ;  for  the  Lord  shall  sell  Sisera  into  the  hand  of 
a   woman.     And   Deborah  arose,   and   went  with   Barak   to 

10  Kedesh.  And  Barak  called  Zebulun  and  Naphtali  to  Kedesh ; 
and  he  went   up   with  ten  thousand  men  at  his  feet  :   and 

11  Deborah  went  up  with  him.  Now  Heber  the  Kenite,  ichich 
was  of  the  children  of  Hobab  the  father  in  law  of  Moses,  had 
severed  himself  from  the  Kenites,  and  pitched  his  tent  unto 

12  the  plain  of  Zaanaim,  which  is  by  Kedesh.  And  they  shewed 
Sisera  that  Barak  the  son  of  Abinoam  was  gone  up  to  mount 

13  Tabor.  And  Sisera  gathered  together  all  his  chariots,  even 
nine  hundred  chariots  of  iron,  and  all  the  people  that  were 
with  him,  from  Harosheth  of  the  Gentiles  unto  the  river  of 

14  Kishon.  And  Deborah  said  unto  Barak,  Up;  for  this  is  the 
day  in  which  the  Lord  hath  delivered  Sisera  into  thine  hand : 
is  not  the  Lord  gone  out  before  thee  ?     So  Barak  went  down 

15  from  mount  Tabor,  and  ten  thousand  men  after  him.  And 
the  Lord  discomfited  Sisera,  and  all  his  chariots,  and  all  his 
host,  with  the  edge  of  the  sword  before  Barak ;  so  that  Sisera 


success";  cp.  ver.  11.  9.  not  be  for  thine  honour]  or,  "  the  glory 
of  the  expedition  shall  not  be  thine.''  10.    called]  The  Hebrew 

form  used  is  specially  applied  to  the  caUiiig  out  of  the  national 
militia.  Zehuhin  and  Xaphtali]  cp.  ver.  6,  note.  vent 

vj)]  to  Mount  Tabor,  a  natm-ally  strong  post,  commanding  the 
upper  valley  of  the  Kishon.  It  is  known  to  have  been  fortified  in 
the  time  of  Antiochus  the  Great,  and  also  during  the  Jewish  wars 
of  the  first  century,  and  the  Crusades.  11.    Xoic  Heher,  &c.] 

Heb.  "Now  Heber  the  Kenite  had  separated  himself  from  Kain  [i.e. 
the  Kenites] ,  to  wit  from  the  sons  of  Hobab  the  father-in-law  of 
Moses."  From  Nu.  x.  29,  compared  with  Ex.  ii.  18,  we  should 
rather  conclude  that  Hobab,  the  eponym  of  this  branch  of  the 
Kenites,  was  Moses's  brother-in-law;  but  the  "sons  of  Hobab" 
are  here  spoken  of  as  a  clan,  in  which  connection  it  is  obviously  mi- 
important  whether  they  be  called  the  children  of  Moses's  father-in- 
law,  or  of  his  brother-in-law.  We  have  already  seen  (i.  13)  that  in 
ethnological  lists  names  of  relationship  are  used  somewhat  vaguely. 
vnfo  the  plain,  &c.]  Heb.  "As  far  as  the  oak  in  Zaanannim." 
That  is,  in  the  course  of  their  wanderings  this  family  of  the  Kenites 
(who  were,  by  birth  and  habit,  nomads)  had  come,  pitching  their 
tents  now  here,  now  there,  as  far  north  as  to  the  neighbourhood  of 
Kedesh-naphtali,  at  a  well-known  oak  or  terebmth  which  stood  in 
Zaanamiim.  For  Zaanannim  (Josh.  xix.  33)  the  text  here  has 
Zaanaim,  but  the  longer  and  probably  more  correct  form  of  the 
name  is  given  in  the  margin.  13.     unto  the  river  of  Kishon] 

Barak  (ver.  14)  marched  down  from  Tabor  to  dispute  the  passage 
of  the  river  ;  cp.  v.  19  sqq.  15.     .so  that  Sisera,  ttc.J     K.V. 

and  Sisera,  iSrc.    Presumably  Barak  had  manoeuvred  so  as  to 


JUDGES,   IV.   16—22.  37 

lighted  down  off  liis  chariot,  and  fled  away  on  his  feet.     But  IH 
Barak  pursued  after  the  chariots,  and  after  the  host,   unto 
Harosheth  of  the  Gentiles  :    and  all  the  host  of  Sisera  fell 
upon  the  edge  of  the  sword ;  and  there,  was  not  a  man  left. 
Howbeit  Sisera  fled  away  on  his  feet  to  the  tent  of  Jael  the  17 
wife  of  Heber  the  Kenite:  for  there  icas  peace  between  Jabin 
the  king  of  Hazor  and  the  house  of  Heber  the  Kenite.     And  ih 
Jael  went  out  to  meet  Sisera,  and  said  unto  him,  Turn  in,  nay 
lord,  turn  in  to  me;  fear  not.     And  when  he  had  turned  in 
unto  her  into  the  tent,  she  covered  him  with  a  mantle.     And  if» 
he   said   unto   her.  Give  me,  I  pray  thee,  a  little  water  to 
drink ;  for  I  am  thirsty.     And  she  opened  a  bottle  of  milk, 
and  gave  him  drink,  and  covered  him.     Again  he  said  unto  20 
her,  Stand  in  the  door  of  the  tent,  and  it  shall  be,  when  any 
man  doth  come  and  inquire  of  thee,  and  say.  Is  there  any 
man  here  ?  that  thou  shalt  say,  No.     Then  Jael  Heber's  wife  21 
took  a  nail  of  the  tent,  and  took  a  hammer  in  her  hand,  and 
went  softly  unto  him,  and  smote  the  nail  into  his  temples, 
and  fastened  it  into  the  ground  :  for  he  was  fast  asleep  and 
weary.     So  he  died.     And  behold,  as  Barak  pursued  Sisera,  22 
Jael  came  out  to  meet  him,  and  said  unto  him,  Come,  and  I 

bring  the  hostile  chariots  into  gi-ound  where  they  could  not  move 
freely.  On  foot  Sisera  was  less  conspicuous  and  could  strike  uito 
some  path  off  the  main  Une  of  pursuit.  In  what  du-ection  he  fled  is 
uncertaiu,  for  we  are  not  told  where  Heber's  tent  at  this  time 
stood.  16.     unto  Harosheth]   i.e.  down  the  valley  of  the 

Kishou.  17.     the  tent  of  Jael]   Many  centuries  later,  among 

the  northern  Arabs,  the  tent  belonged  to  the  wife  and  not  to  the 
husband.  x'^ace]   No  blood-feud  such  as  might  subsist  even 

between  a  gi-eat  king  and  the  most  insignificant  nomad  sept.  _  That 
Jael,  as  the  sequel  shows,  did  not  consider  this  "peace"  as  binding 
on  her,  is  consistent  ^ith  what  we  know  otherwise  of  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  wife  in  early  nomadic  society.  From  ch.  v.  H  we 
may  conclude  that,  on  the  contrary,  her  father's  house  was  at  feud 
with  Sisera.  18.    ?»fl«/Ze]  rug,  blanket,  or  coverlet;  Heb. 

semicah  (here  only).  19.    a  hotfle  of  mill]  Heb.  "the  skin  of 

milk,"  which  stood  in  every  nomad  tent,  and  was  both  meat  and 
di-ink  to  the  inmates.  In  the  East  A\ine,  water,  oil,  milk,  and  the 
like,  are  usually  (and  especially  among  nomads)  carried  in  skins 
that  have  been  tanned  whole.  The  legs  are  sewn  up,  and  the  neck 
tightly  closed  with  a  cord.  In  Ps.  cxix.  83,  Mt.  ix.  17,  &c.,  the 
reference,  as  here,  is  to  a  vessel  of  this  description,  and  not  to  "the 
bottle  of  potters"  (Isa.  xxx.  14,  marg.).  21.     a  nail  of  the  tent] 

Heb.  "the  tent  peg,"  i.e.  one  of  the  pegs  used  for  fixing  the  tent 
ropes.  a  hammer]  Heb.  "  the  hammer,"  viz.,  the  wooden 

mallet  used  for  (h'iving  the  tent  pegs  into  the  ground.  for  he 

7'-rt.s'  fast  asleep,  etc.]  K.V.  for  he  was  in  a  deep  sleep ;  so  he 
swooned  and  died.  22.    as  Barak jjurdued]  Heb.  "and  so 


38  JUDGES,   IV.   22— V.   1. 

will  shew  thee  the  man  whom  thou  seekest.  And  when  he 
came  into  her  tent,  behold,  Sisera  lay  dead,  and  the  nail  icas 

23  in  his  temples.     So  God  subdued  on  that  day  Jabin  the  king 

24  of  Canaan  before  the  children  of  Israel.  And  the  hand  of 
the  children  of  Israel  prospered,  and  prevailed  against  Jabin 
the  king  of  Canaan,  until  they  had  destroyed  Jabin  king  of 
Canaan. 

5  Then  sang  Deborah  and  Barak  the  son  of  Abinoam  on  that 
day,  saying, 

Barak  came  up  in  pursuit  of  Sisera.""  24.    x^rospered,  andprc- 

taihd]  more  exactly,  "continued  to  be  bard  [heavy]  upon  Jabin," 
i.e.  after  the  defeat  of  Sisera  the  power  of  the  northern  Canaanites 
continued  to  decline  until  they  were  entirely  reduced  before  Israel. 

Ch.  V.  The  song  of  Deborah  and  Barak  (or  rather,  of  Deborah ; 
see  ver.  1). 

This  remarkable  poem,  which,  it  is  evident,  must  have  been 
composed  under  the  immediate  influence  of  the  events  to  which  it 
relates,  constitutes  the  oldest  part  of  the  Book  of  Judges.  In 
places  its  meaning  is  doubtful,  or  obscure,  partly  owing  to  the 
somewhat  imperfect  state  of  the  text ;  but  we  have  no  difficulty  ui 
understanding  it  sufficiently  to  be  able  to  appreciate  its  gi-eat  lyric 
and  (h-amatic  qualities — its  impetuous  rapidity,  its  vivid  and  pic- 
turesque suggestiveness,  the  brevity  and  compression,  yet  com- 
pleteness, with  Avhich  it  developes  its  theme.  Apart  from  its  literary 
distinction,  it  has  a  high  historical  value  from  the  light  it  inci- 
dentally throws  on  the  social  condition  of  Israel  at  the  time  of  its 
composition.  As  regards  its  authorship  there  seems  to  be  no  con- 
clusive reason  for  rejecting  the  very  ancient  tradition  accc^rding  to 
which  it  was  composed  by  Deborah,  even  though  we  should  fail  to 
detect  the  peculiarly  femniine  traits  that  have  been  seen  by  some  in 
the  allusions  to  Jael,  Sisera's  mother,  and  the  like,  and  even  though 
we  should  be  constrained  to  admit  that  probably  Deborah  nowhere 
speaks  in  it  in  the  first  person  as  the  composer  (see  notes  on  vv.  3, 
7, 12).  In  its  mechanical  structure  the  main  feature  to  be  observed 
is  the  parallelism  which  it  shows  in  conunon  with  all  Hebrew 
poetry,  and  more  particularly  the  progressive  i)arallelism  which  is 
seen  in  such  clauses  as : 

From  heaven  fought  the  stars; 

From  their  courses  fought  [they]  with  Sisera; 
or: 

Through  the  window  she  looked  forth  and  cried ; 

The  mother  of  Sisera  through  the  lattice. 
The  elaborate  schemes  of  strophe  and  antistrophe,  and  the  exact 
subdivisions  of  the  song  as  a  whole  into  accurately  balanced  mTitually 
corresponding  verses  which  have  l)een  suggested  (but  with  no  sort 
of  agreement)  by  various  critics  are  prol)ai)ly  imaginary. 

1.  Til  is  verse  is  of  course  not  an  integral  part  of  the  original 
song,  but  is  due  to  the  editor.  The  poem  itself  he  had  probably 
found  in  one  or  other  of  those  ancient  collections  of  poetry  which 


JUDGES,   V.   2—4.  39 

Praise  ye  the  Lord  for  the  avenging  of  Israel, 

When  the  people  willingly  offered  themselves. 

Hear,  0  ye  kings  ;   give  ear,  O  ye  princes  ; 

I,  even  I,  will  sing  unto  the  Lord  ; 

I  will  sing  praise  to  the  Lord  God  of  Israel. 

Lord,  when  thou  wentest  out  of  Seir, 

When  thou  marchedst  out  of  the  field  of  Edom, 


are  cited  in  the  Old  Testament  under  such  titles  as  "the  Book  of 
Jashar,"   "the  Book  of  the  Wars  of  Jehovah."  samj]   3rd 

sing.  fern,  not  3rd.  pi.  Deborah,  not  Barak,  is  the  chief  singer. 
2.  for  the  avenging  of  Israel]  This  vague  and  paraphrastic  ren- 
dering is  due  to  the  Targum.  The  words  literally  mean  "for  that 
flowing  locks  (jjenVoth)  were  worn  in  Israel" ;  and  the  leading  word 
is  the  same  as  in  Nu.  vi.  5  where  it  is  said  of  the  Nazarite  that  "he 
shall  not  let  the  locks  {pera')  of  his  head  grow  long,"  and  in  Ezek. 
xliv.  20  where  the  priests  are  forbidden  to  "  suffer  their  locks  (pera^) 
to  grow  long."  The  expression  in  all  three  cases  refers  to  the 
ancient  and  wide-sju-ead  practice  of  vowing  to  keep  the  head  unshoni 
until  certain  conditions  had  been  fulfilled  (cp.  Acts  xviii.  18).  The 
priests  were  prohibited  from  makuig  such  vows  because  they  might 
interfere  with  the  regular  discharge  of  the  priestly  functions ;  but 
with  warriors  in  jirimitive  tunes  the  unshorn  head  was  a  usual 
mark  of  their  consecration  to  the  work  they  had  undertaken,  and 
their  locks  remained  untouched  till  they  had  acliieved  their  enter- 
prise or  had  perished  in  the  attempt  (cp.  Ps.  lxA*iii.  21).  War 
amongst  most  jirimitive  peoples  is  a  sacred  function,  and  this  was 
specially  the  case  in  Israel  where  Jehovah  was  the  God  of  Hosts.  The 
clause  before  us,  then,  is  most  probably  to  be  interpreted  in  the 
light  of  the  parallel  expression:  "when  [or  rather,  "for  that"]  l^he 
people  willingly  oifered  themselves,"  and  the  entire  verse  to  be 
taken  as  an  expression  of  thanks  to  Jehovah  that  the  people  had 
been  inspired  with  patriotic  and  martial  zeal.  The  E.V.  rendering 
("  for  that  the  leaders  took  the  lead  in  Israel ")  is  supported  by  LXX. 
(A)  and  assixmes  a  secondary  sense  of  the  root  7>era'  as  implying  the 
idea  of  prominence;  cp.  Dt.  xxxii.  42,  Avhere  the  expression  "from 
the  hairy  (pera')  head  of  the  enemy"  is  rendered  in  A.V.  "from  tlie 
beginning  of  revenges  upon  the  enemy,"  and  in  R.V.  "from  the  head 
of  the  leaders  of  the  enemy."  3.    hings...priuees]    A  challenge 

to  all  the  non-Israelite  world  within  heai-ing  (cp.  Ps.  ii.  10).  /, 
even  I]  It  is  Israel  who  speaks  (as  in  Ex.  xv.) ;  Jehovah  has  proved 
his  title  to  supremacy.  sing  praise]     The  word  implies  the  ac- 

companiment of  a  stringed  instrument,  and  is  equivalent  to  the 
Greek  xf/dWeiv,  whence  "psalm."  the  Lord  God  of  Israel] 

Rather:  "Jehovah,  the  God  of  Israel,"  who  is  addressed,  not  by  a 
title  but  by  his  proper  name. 

4,  5.  The  coming  of  Jehovah  for  the  deliverance  of  his  people. 
The  imagery  is  that  of  a  thunderstorm,  in  which  he  is  described  as 
descenduig  upon  Sinai  his  earthly  seat,  and  thence  advancing  north- 
ward by  way  of  Seir  or  Edom  to  the  fi«ld  of  battle.  The  later  pro- 
phets thought  of  Zion  as  God's  dwelling-place  (Am.  i.  2;  Isa.  ii.  3; 


40  JUDGES,   V.   5—7. 

The  earth  trembled,  and  the  heavens  dropjied, 

The  clouds  also  dropped  water. 

The  mountains  melted  from  before  the  Lord, 

Even  that  Sinai  from  before  the  Lokd  God  of  Israel. 

In  the  days  of  Shamgar  the  son  of  Anath, 

In  the  days  of  Jael,  the  highways  were  unoccupied. 

And  the  travellers  walked  through  byways. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  villages  ceased,  they  ceased  in  Israel, 

Ezek.  xliii.  7);  but  with  the  old  Israelites  it  was  Sinai  that  was 
*^the  niouut  of  Jehovah"  (Nu.  x.  33),  "the  mountain  of  God"  (Ex. 
iii.  1,  iv.  27,  xviii.  5),  out  of  which  his  help  came.  This  view  still 
survives  in  such  passages  as  Dt.  xxxii.  2  and  Hab.  iii.  3,  as  well  as 
here.  Seir.,.Edom]    The  expressions  are  synonymous.    Edom 

corresponds  to  "  Temau  "  ('  south '),  the  southern  horizon  of  Palestine, 
in  Hab.  iii.  3.     Behind  it  lay  Sinai.  earth  tremhled  etc.]     Cp. 

Ps.  Ixviii.  8.  5.    melted]  or,  as  E.V.,  flowed  down  [with 

water]  ;  soVulg.  (from  root  nzl);  better,  as  LXX.  and  K.Y.  marg., 
quahed  (from  root  zll).  This  interpretation  is  also  to  be  preferred 
in  Isa.  Ixiv.  1,  3. 

6 — 8.  Tliese  verses  paint  m  a  few  vigorous  strokes  the  helpless 
distress  of  Israel  under  the  Canaanite  oppression.  The  condition 
described  is  much  the  same  as  mider  the  Phihstine  oppression  in  the 
days  of  Saul.  The  Hebrews  are  disarmed  (ver.  8;  cp.  1  Sam.  xiii. 
19 — 22)  and  helpless  before  the  anued  bands  which  phmdered  the 
villages  and  highAvays,  destroying  all  industry  and  traffic.  The 
Canaanites,  we  see,  had  not  estabhshed  a  regular  sovereignty  over 
Israel:  for  that  they  were  too  weak  even  in  Deborah's  days.  While 
the  general  picture  is  intelligible  and  vivid,  several  details  in  these 
verses  are  obscure,  and  the  text  seems  to  have  suffered  some  cor- 
ruption. 

6.  The  complete  prostration  of  Israel  here  described  presupposes 
a  long  struggle  in  which,  it  would  seem,  Shamgar  and  Jael  had 
played  a  leading  part  against  the  Canaanites.  In  iii.  31  an  exploit 
of  Shamgar  against  the  Phihstines  is  recorded;  and  we  may  sup- 
pose that  the  Philistines  at  this  period  were  suborduiate  allies  of 
the  Canaanites.  The  mention  of  Jael  is  very  interesting;  for  it 
appears  to  show  that  there  was  an  ancient  feud  between  Jael  and 
Sisera,  and  that  the  heroine  had  already  won  distinction  by  her 
patriotism.  the  highways  were  unoccupied]     Perhaps  rather 

"the  caravans  [or  'travelling  companies';  Isa.  xxi.  13]  ceased" 
(pts).  The  Canaanites  connuanded  and  pillaged  the  main  roads 
and  all  traffic  was  forced  into  by-paths.  7.    7'he  inhabitants  of 

the  villages]  The  Hebrew  word  penrSm,  wliich  occurs  again  in 
ver.  11  but  nowhere  else  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  has  puzzled  all 
interi)reters  ancient  and  modern,  is  taken  by  A.V.  to  be  a  collective 
noun,  "villages,"  "villagers,"  akin  to  the  name  Perizzites  (see  i.  4). 
This  suits  well  here,  but  not  in  ver.  11,  where  tlie  Hebrew  will  not 
bear  the  sense  "towards  the  inhabitants"  itc.  E.V.  takes  the  word 
to  be  properly  an  abstract  noun,  "rule,"  passing  hei*e  into  the  con- 
crete sense  "rulers,"  a  very  precarious  rendering.     Perhaps  A.V.  is 


JUDGES,  V.   8—10.  41 

Until  that  I  Deborah  arose, 

That  I  arose  a  mother  in  Israel. 

They  chose  new  gods ;  8 

Then  ivas  war  in  the  gates  : 

Was  there  a  shield  or  spear  seen 

Among  forty  thousand  in  Israel  ? 

My  heart  is  toward  the  governors  of  Israel,  9 

That  offered  themselves  willingly  among  the  people. 

Bless  ye  the  Lokd. 

Speak,  ye  that  ride  on  white  asses,  lu 

Ye  that  sit  in  judgment, 


substantially  right  here,  but  in  that  case  the  text  of  ver,  11  is 
con*upt.  /  Deborah  arose]     Perhaps  the  verb  is  really  an 

archaic  form  of  the  2nd  pers.  feni.  "thou  Deborah  didst  arise." 
Elsewhere  in  the  song  Deborah  is  spoken  of  in  the  '2nd  or  3rd 
person.  8.     Thei/  cho.-ie  &c.]    The  Hebrew  of  this  and  the 

following  clause  does  not  yield  any  good  sense.  Professor  llobert- 
son  Smith  suggests  an  emendation  which  would  give  tbe  rendering : 
"  The  joyful  noise  of  the  new  moons  ceased ;  the  defenders  of  the 
gates  were  no  more."  sj^ear]  or  lance  {romaft),  a  woi-d  which 

in  the  older  Hebrew  literature  occurs  only  in  poetry,  but  in  the 
later  books  takes  the  place  of  hanith  ("spear  ")  in  prose  also.  The 
full  equipment  of  the  wai'rior  is  sword  {Jiereb;  iii.  21),  spear  [romah 
or  hanith),  and  shield;  see  1  Sam.  xiii.  22;  Isa.  ii.  4  &c.  It  is  pro- 
bable that  the  bulk  of  Barak's  troops  were  armed  chiefly  with  short 
swords,  bows,  slings,  or  even  ruder  and  more  primitive  weapons. 
forty  thousand]  This  figure,  mentioned,  it  is  clear,  as  reiiresenting 
the  entire  fighting  strength  of  the  nation,  is  quite  in  harmony  with 
2  Sam.  vi.  1,  where  the  whole  levy  of  Israel  in  the  time  of  David  is 
put  at  30,000  men,  but  accords  hardly  so  well  with  Ex.  xii.  37,  38 ; 
Nu.  i.  45 — 47,  or  xx.  2  below,  where  the  figures  respectively  are 
600,000,  603,550  (exclusive  of  Levites)  and  400,000  (exclusive  of 
Benjamin  and  probably  also  of  Levi). 

9 — 11.  A  tribute  of  admiration  and  gratitude  to  the  brave  volun- 
teers who  by  their  appeal  to  arms  had  won  back  the  freedom  of 
their  country. 

9.     Cp.  ver.  2.  10.    Speah]  i.e.  of  the  revival  of  patriotism 

and  martial  courage  in  Israel.  The  three  classes  here  addressed 
are  representative  of  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  people  in  the  coni- 
mmiity — the  patrician  and  plebeian  orders,  so  to  speak.  irhite] 

The  colour  meant  seems  to  be  not  pure  white  but  a  hght  dust  colom- 
with  a  tinge  of  red.  In  the  cities  of  the  Ai-abian  East  "  the  ass  is  a 
riding  beast  for  grave  and  considerable  persons"  (Doughty,  ii.  482) 
and  white  asses  are  most  highly  esteemed.  In  Alej^po  the  white 
donkey  "is  reserved  for  Pashas,  Imams  and  tbe  richest  of  rich 
merchants"  (Blunt,  Z.V  J.  Tribes  i.  20S)).  in  judgment]     This 

rendering  follows  an  ancient  tradition,  but  departs  from  the  Hebrew. 
Nor  is  K.V.  "on  rich  carpets"  supported  by  satisfactory  proof, 
"on  garments"  would  be  a  more  defensible  rendering,  and  gives  a 


42  JUDGES,   V.    11,    12. 

And  walk  by  the  way. 

11  They  that  ore  delivered  from   the  noise  of   archers  in  the 

places  of  drawing  water, 
There  shall  they  rehearse  the  righteous  acts  of  the  Lord, 
Even  the  righteous  acts  towards  the  inhabitants  of  his  villages 

in  Israel : 
Then  shall  the  people  of  the  Lord  go  down  to  the  gates. 

12  Awake,  awake,  Deborah  : 
Awake,  awake,  utter  a  song : 
Arise,  Barak, 

And  lead  thy  captivity  captive,  thou  son  of  Abinoam. 


tolerable  sense;  for  in  the  East  well-to-do  people  have  more  clothes 
than  they  need  for  wear,  and  so  can  sit  on  part  of  their  wardrobe ; 
cp.  2  K.  ix.  13,  for  the  use  of  mantles  to  sit  on.  11.    Thfij  that 

are  delivered  ttc]  The  general  sense  aimed  at  by  this  free  para- 
phrase is  given  with  closer  adherence  to  the  HelT.  by  E.V.  Far 
from  the  noise  of  archers,  in  the  places  of  drawing  water, 
i.e.  "far  from  scenes  of  battle  and  bloodshed,  in  the  morning  and 
evening  talk  by  the  peaceful  village  fomitains,  shall  the  heroic 
deeds  of  the  brave  patriots  continue  to  be  mentioned  and  praised." 
But  the  rendering  "archers"  is  not  certain.  Some  would  render, 
connecting  the  words  with  the  preceding  verse:  "speak  [God's 
praises]  for  the  noise  [glad  shouts]  of  them  that  diA'ide  the  prey  in 
the  places  ttc."  rehearse]     Celebrate,  or  praise ;  a  somewhat 

rare  word,  used  also  in  xi.  40.  righteous  acts  of  the  Lord]     Cp. 

1  Sam.  xii.  7;  Mic.  \i.  5.  The  righteous  acts  of  Jehovah  are  the 
victories  l)y  which  he  shews  his  loyalty  to  his  covenant  with  Israel. 
toicards  the  inhahitaiits  &:c.]  1\.\.  of  his  rule  in  Israel.  Tliis 
is  perhai>s  best,  if  the  text  is  sound ;  see  note  on  ver.  7.  The  present 
text  is  as  old  as  LXX.  but  a  very  slight  change  in  the  letters  as 
written  at  that  tune  would  give  the  sense  "  in  the  redemption  of 
Israel."  shall  the  peoj^le  of  the  Lojtn]  or,  "the  people  of  Je- 

hovah went  down."  to  the  r/ates]  i.e.  to  the  outposts  or 

frontier  cities  of  the  land  held  by  the  Hebrews.  This  clause  anti- 
cipates in  brief  what  is  said  hi  detail  in  vv.  12 — 18. 

12 — 18.  The  musteruig  of  the  tribes.  Among  the  tribes  sum- 
moned response  was  made  by  Ephraim.  Benjamin,  Macliir  (Manas- 
seh),  Zebulun,  and  Issachar;  wliile  Keuben,  Gilead  (Gad).  Dan  and 
Aslier  kept  aloof.  Judah  and  Simeon  are  not  named  at  all;  those 
two  tribes  were  quite  apart  from  the  others,  as  indeed  they  continued 
to  be  down  to  the  time  of  David. 

12.  This  verse,  or  at  least  the  first  clause,  is  usually  taken  as 
parenthetic,  and  the  expression  understood  as  used  by  the  propbetess 
to  .stimulate  her  own  lyric  ardour  in  the  middle  of  her  song.  But 
the  words  are  more  probably  a  sumuions  to  the  fight,  and  are  liere 
dramatically  introduced  to  indicate  tlie  share  Deborah  had  at  the 
time  in  rousing  the  fighting  ardour  of  the  people  by  her  prophetic 
songs.  For  the  musical  accompaniments  of  ancient  prophecy,  com- 
jiare  1  Sam.  x.  5.  had  thy  captiriti/  ca2>(ive]  or  rather,  with  a 


JUDGES,    V.    13—15.  43 

Then  he  made  him  that  remaineth  have  dominion  over  the  13 

nobles  among  the  people  : 
The  Lord  made  me  have  dominion  ovei*  the  mighty. 
Out  of  Ephraim  was  there  a  root  of  them  against  Amalek  ;      14 
After  thee,  Benjamin,  among  thy  people ; 
Out  of  Machir  came  down  governors, 

And  out  of  Zebulun  they  that  handle  the  pen  of  the  writer. 
And  the  princes  of  Issachar  loere  with  Deborah ;  15 


slight  change  in  the  Hebrew  vowels:  "lead  captive  thy  captors" 
(cp.  Isa.  xiv.  2).  Apart  from  the  hardship  and  humiliation  he  shared 
with  the  whole  nation,  Barak  in-obably  had  some  special  personal 
grievance  to  avenge.  (Compare  the  case  of  Gideon,  below,  viii,  18.) 
The  meaning  of  the  expression  on  the  E.V.  rendering  is,  of  course, 
"  take  thy  prisoners  "  ["captivity  "  being  equivalent  to  "  captives"] . 
13.  Then  he  made  &c.]  Better,  as  in  E.V.,  neglecting  the  tra- 
ditional pointing:  "Then  came  down  a  remnant  of  the  nobles  [and 
of]  the  people.  Jehovah  came  down  for  me  against  the  mighty." 
Some  scholars  also  propose  to  change  the  traditional  accentuation, 
and  so  avoid  the  difficult  ellipsis  "  of  the  nobles  [and  of]  the  people," 
rendering  thus:  "Then  came  down  a  remnant  of  the  nobles;  the 
people  of  Jehovah  came  do^\^l"  &c. — For  this  use  of  the  word 
"came  down"  see  i.  9.  14.     (was  there)  a  roof  of  them  af/aiust 

A  maJeTc] ,  or  rather,  as  E.V.  [came  dowai]  they  whose  root  is  in 
Amalek.  An  obscure  expression:  possibly  the  text  is  in  some  dis- 
order. We  have  no  direct  CAadence  of  any  connection  between 
Ephraim  and  Amalek ;  but  perhaps  the  verse  may  be  taken  along 
with  xii.  15  as  shewing  that  the  hill-country  of  Ephraim  had  once 
wholly  or  partially  belonged  to  Amalek.  After  thee]    i.e. 

after  Ephrami   [came]  Benjamin.  amonij  th>/  peoj'le]   lit. 

"among  thy  peoples,"  i.e.  "clans."  Apparently  Benjamin,  the 
younger  brother  of  Joseph,  served  lander  the  banner  of  Ephraim. 
Jifachir]  the  first-born  of  Manasseh  (Gen,  1.  2;^;  Josh.  xvii.  1). 
According  to  Josh.  xvii.  1,  Machir  and  his  descendants  received 
(northern)  Gilead  and  Bashan ;  but  in  Nu.  xxvi.  '29  sqq.  Abiezer, 
Helek,  Azriel,  Shechem,  Hepher  (afterwards  represented  by  the  five 
daughters  of  Zelophehad)  and  Shemida  are  all  descendants  of 
Machir,  and  these,  according  to  Josh.  xvii.  5.  6,  had  ten  lots  in 
Western  Palestine.  There  can  be  no  doubt  tliat  by  Machir  here 
Western  Manasseh  is  meant.  It  would  seem  indeed  as  if  Machir 
did  not  actually  l)egi]i  to  occupy  its  territory  to  the  east  of  Jordan 
until  the  time  of  Jair  (x.  4).  f/ovenwrs]  i.e.  military  leaders, 

each  of  course  with  his  own  contingent  of  followers.  Zehxdun'\ 

See  i.  30.  the  pen  of  the  vrifer]     So  Targ.  and  Syr.     But  all 

modern  interpreters  agi-ee  in  rendering:  "the  marshal's  staff." 
The  word  denoting  a  writer  or  scribe  {sAjtlier)  also  denotes  a  kind  of 
military  ofticer.  as  in  2  K.  xxv.  19,  Jer.  lii.  25,  wbere  we  read  of 
"the  principal  scribe  of  the  host,"  or,  rather,  of  tbe  "scribe,  the 
cai)tain  of  the  host,"  who  mustered  the  people.  15.     This  verse 

is  full  of  difficulty.  In  the  first  clause  A.V.  gives  a  good  sense,  but 
departs  from  the  Heb.,  which  has  the  strange  expression   "my 


44  JUDGES,   V.    16,    17. 

Even  Issachar,  and  also  Barak  : 

He  was  sent  on  foot  into  the  valley. 

Fox'  the  divisions  of  Eeiiben  there  were  great  thoughts  of  heart. 
i(i      Why  abodest  thou  among  the  sheepfolds. 

To  hear  the  bleatings  of  the  flocks  ? 

For  the  divisions  of  Reuben  there  ivere  great  searchings  of 
heart. 
1/      Gilead  abode  beyond  Jordan : 

And  why  did  Dan  remain  in  ships  ? 

Asher  continued  on  the  sea  shore. 


princes  in  Issachar"  (K.V.  marg.).  In  the  second  clause  neither 
A.V.  nor  R.V.  ("as  was  Issachar  so  was  Barak")  is  satisfactory, 
but  nothing  better  can  be  got  from  the  text  as  it  stands.  The  last 
clause  may  bear  the  sense:  "He  was  hm-ried  [lit.  'flung']  mto  the 
valley  by  his  feet";  i.e.  he  rushed  headlong  into  the  fray  as  if  his 
feet  carried  hmi  away;  cp.  Job  xviii.  8.  Or,  since  the  distinction  of 
sing,  and  plm*.  is  not  always  marked  in  old  Hebrew  writmg,  we  may 
render  Avith  R.V. :  "Into  the  valley  they  rushed  forth  at  liis  feet" 
(cp.  iv.  10 ;  viii.  5,  Heb.;  '2  Sam.  xv.  16,  Heb.).  In  either  case  the  valley 
is  the  battlefield  in  the  plain  of  Esdraelon.  The  last  clause  of  the 
verse  goes  Avith  what  follows  in  vv.  16, 17,  where  the  tribes  that  took 
no  part  in  the  conflict  are  taunted  for  their  inactivity.  For 

the  cUrisions  of  Eeuhen]  Rather,  as  in  R.V.",  By  the  water- 
courses of  Reuben  (though  some  would  render :  "  in  the  divisions," 
taking  the  word  in  its  topographical  sense  as  equivalent  to  shires 
or  districts).  The  Reubenite  territory  was  well  supj)Ued  with 
water,  and  was  "a  place  for  cattle":  see  Nu.  xxxii.  1;  2  K.  iii.  4. 
thouf/hts]  R.V.  resolves,  the  same  word  which  in  Isa.  x.  1  is 
rendered  "decrees."  Reuben's  great  resolves  are  here  spoken  of 
sarcastically.  They  came  to  nothing  (see  ver.  16);  the  "native  hue 
of  resolution"  was  "sicklied  o'er  with  the  pale  cast  of  thought." 
The  whole  clause  is  repeated  in  ver.  16  with  a  trifling  change  which 
gives  "searchings  of  heart"  (hqry)  for  (hqqy).  The  same  ex- 
pression should  doubtless  stand  in  both  clauses,  or  more  probably 
the  clause  in  ver.  16  was  originally  a  various  readuig  to  our  verse. 
16.    ahoclest]    Translate:  "satest."  hlratingsof}   R.V.  and 

all  modern  interpreters  give  pipings  for.  A  pastoral  idyll. 
searchings  of  heart]  This  is  commonly  taken  of  consultations 
ending  in  nothing.  But,  in  Hebrew,  "to  search  a  man'  is  to  sound 
him  and  see  what  is  in  his  heart  (1  Sam.  xx.  12,  marg.;  Prov.  xxviii. 
11),  and  so  we  may  here  understand  that  there  was  much  sounding 
of  one  another's  courage  but  no  man  was  found  to  make  a  brave 
resolve.  17.     dUcad]     Here  used  as  equivalent  to  tlie  Gadite 

territory.  Dan']     The  northern  Dan  is  plainly  meant.     The 

allusion  however  to  this  tribe  as  "reniaining  [lit.  'sojourning']  in 
ships"  is  very  obscure;  for,  like  the  men  of  Lai.sli  whom  they  dis- 
possessed, the  Danites  were  by  the  necessities  of  their  situation 
remote  from  maritime  pursuits  whether  as  shipowners  or  as  hired 
sailors.    Perhaps  the  text  is  corrupt.  Asher  continued]  or  sat 


JUDGES,   V.    18,   19.  45 

And  abode  in  his  breaches. 

Zebulun  and  Naphtali  were  a  people  that  jeoparded  their  18 

lives  unto  the  death 
In  the  high  places  of  the  field. 

The  kings  came  and  fought,  19 

Then  fought  the  kings  of  Canaan 

still,  on  the  shore  (or,  at  the  haven)  of  the  sea.  and  abode  in  Ms 

breaches]  or,  "by  his  creeks."  The  territory  of  Aslier  (Josh.  xix. 
24 — 31)  extended  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Mount  Carmel  north- 
ward to  Tyre  and  Sidon.  The  principal  harbours  or  inlets  along 
this  sea-board  are  Acco,  Achzib,  Tyre,  Sarepta,  Sidon,  and  none  of 
these  were  held  by  Israelites  (i.  31),  so  that  Asher's  command  of  the 
coast  can  have  been  but  partial.  18.    Xaphtali]     See  i.  33. 

in  the  high  places  of  the  field']  The  allusion  is  not  to  the  field  of 
battle,  but  smiply  to  the  territory  held  by  these  two  tribes.  Its 
highland  character,  differing  from  that  of  Issachar,  gave  them  com- 
parative unmimity  from  Canaanite  attack.  All  the  more  disinter- 
ested and  praiseworthy  was  their  conduct.  E.V.  gives  the  verse  in 
its  Hebrew  order  as  follows:  Zebulun  was  a  people... And 
Naphtali  upon  the  high  places  c^-e.  The  sense  is:  "Zebulun 
and  Naphtali,  upon  the  high  places  of  the  land,  were  a  people  that 
jeoparded,"  &c. 

19 — 23.  The  battle,  victory,  and  pursuit.  The  battle  took  place 
at  "  Taanach"  (see  i.  27),  or,  rather,  at  a  point  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Kishou  opposite  Taanach,  but  more  than  3  miles  distant  from 
it.  The  Israelites  had  come  down  from  Moimt  Tabor,  and  we  may 
suppose  Sisera  and  his  army  to  have  advanced  up  the  vaUey  from 
the  west  to  meet  them.  No  details  of  the  actual  encounter  are 
given,  but  it  would  seem  as  if  bad  weather  had  favom-ed  the 
Israelites  (cp.  the  battle  of  Beth-boron:  Josh.  x.  11),  and,  in  par- 
ticular, that  violent  rains  had  raised  the  rivulets  and  streams  so  as 
to  make  the  Canaanite  chariots  unmanageable.  A  portion  of  the 
Canaanite  army  sought  to  gain  Taanach  or  some  other  stronghold 
on  the  southern  edge  of  the  vaUey  by  struggling  through  the 
unusually  swollen  Kishon,  and  many  perished  in  the  attempt^. 
Others  rushed  in  wild  confusion  straight  westward  along  the  plain, 
and  the  Israelites,  having  no  cavalry,  were  not  able  to  give  effective 
pursuit.  If  the  inhabitants  of  Meroz  (which  must  have  lain  at  a 
point  from  which  by  a  prompt  movement  it  might  have  been 
possible  to  cut  off"  the  fugitives:  see  below)  had  "come  to  the  help 
of  Jehovah"  by  uiterceptuig  the  enemy's  flight,  the  destruction  of 
the  Canaanites  would  have  been  much  more  complete. 

1  A  similar  disaster  happened  iu  the  ueighboiirliood  to  numbers  of  tlie 
Turkish  troops  after  tlieir  defeat  by  the  French  in  the  so-called  "  battle  of 
Mount  Tabor"  (10  April,  1799)  "Kleber  was  posted  at  Fftleh  [about  1  ni.  N.W. 
from  Shunem  :  see  .Map],  and  with  his  corps  of  about  1500  men  kept  in  check  the 
whole  Syrian  army  of  at  least  25,000  men.  The  French,  formed  in  a  square, 
fought  from  sunrise  till  noon,  when  Napoleon  hastened  to  their  aid  with  600 
men.  The  Turks,  thinking:  that  a  large  army  was  approaching,  took  to  flight ; 
many  were  killed,  and  others  were  drowned,  there  being  an  inundation  at  the 
time  caused  by  the  overflow  of  a  small  brook  here."    (Baedeker-Socin.) 


40  JUDGES,   V.   20—23. 

In  Taanach  by  the  waters  of  Megiddo  ; 
They  took  no  gain  of  money. 

20  They  fought  from  heaven  ; 

The  stars  in  their  courses  fought  against  Siseru. 

21  The  river  of  Kishon  swept  them  away, 
That  ancient  river,  the  river  Kishon. 

0  my  soul,  thou  hast  trodden  down  strength. 

22  Then   were   the   horsehoofs   broken  by   the   means   of   the 

pran  sings, 
The  pransings  of  their  mighty  ones, 

23  Curse  ye  Meroz,  said  the  angel  of  the  Lokd, 
Curse  ye  bitterly  the  inhabitants  thereof ; 
Because  they  came  not  to  the  help  of  the  Lord, 
To  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty. 


19.  v-aters  of  Megiddo']  i.e.  the  Kishon.  In  like  manner  the 
plain  was  called  "the  valley  of  Megiddo"  (Zech.  xii.  11;  2  Chi\ 
XXXV.  22),  after  one  of  the  principal  strongholds  by  which  it  was 
commanded;  see  i.  27.  thei/ tooL  no  gain  in  momi/]   Their 

expedition  brought  them  no  profit.    A  meiosis.  20.     Theg 

fought]  i.e.  the  stars.  in  their  courses]  lit.  "from  their  paths" 

(xx.  31,  32).  It  is  not  necessary  to  find  here  a  hint  of  the  belief, 
Avidely  spread  among  the  ancient  Senates,  and  most  highly  de- 
veloped among  the  Babylonians,  that  the  stars  were  living  sentient 
things.  Among  the  ancients  everywhere  the  changes  of  the  season 
and  of  weather  (which  in  Palestine  follows  the  season  much  more 
steadily  than  with  us)  were  marked  by  the  movements  of  the  stars. 
The  sense  therefore  is  that  season  and  weather  lent  their  aid  to 
discomfit  Sisera,  viz.,  by  swelling  the  streams.  J^isera']  The 

song  of  Deborah  knows  nothing  of  Jabiu.  To  the  singer,  Sisera 
is  the  real  head  of  the  Canaanites ;  not  merely  a  local  kinglet  but 
a  chief  over  princes,  for  in  ver.  29  his  mother's  attendants  are 
"princesses"  and  in  v.  30  (note)  she  herself  is  "the  queen." 
21.     Kishon]  see  iv.  7.  ancient]  cp.  Dt.  xxxiii.  15:  "ancient 

mountains."  0  nu/  soid  itc]  better,  as  E.V.,  O  my  soul, 

march  on  with  strength.  The  cry  with  which  the  victor  c-alls 
upon  himself  and  his  troops,  though  faint,  still  to  pursue.  Cp.  ver. 
12.  22.     A  fine  onomatopoetic  description  of  the  galloping 

flight  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  {m/ddaharoth  dahanUh  abbiran. 
Translate:  "then  did  the  liorsehoofs  beat,  as  the  strong  ones 
galloped  away."  23.     Curse. ..curse  bitterlg]  contrast  ver.  24. 

Mero:-]  Unknown.  A  site  corresponding  to  that  of  tlie  modern 
El-Mezra'a,  between  Sluniem  and  Nazareth,  would  perhaps  meet 
the  conditions,  but  the  names  have  nothing  in  connnon.  angel 

of  the  Lord]  The  individual  leader,  tbought  of  as  going  before  the 
armies  of  Israel;  see  iv.  11,  and  cp.  ii.  1.  the  hefj>  of  the  JjOrd] 

The  cause  was  Jeliovab's  (see  especially  ver.  13),  and  the  enemies 
of  Israel  are  also  Lis  enemies  (ver.  31).  against]     Some  would 

render  "among." 


JUDGES,    V.   24—28.  47 

Blessed   above  women   shall   Jael   the   wife   of   Heber   the  24 

Kenite  be, 
Blessed  shall  she  be  above  women  in  the  tent. 
He  asked  water,  aud  she  gave  him  milk ;  25 

She  brought  forth  butter  in  a  lordly  dish. 

She  put  her  hand  to  the  nail,  2(> 

And  her  right  hand  to  the  workmen's  hammer ; 
And  with  the  hammer  she  smote  Sisera,  she  smote  off  his 

head, 
When  she  had  pierced  and  stricken  through  his  temples. 
At  her  feet  he  bowed,  he  fell,  he  lay  down  :  07 

At  her  feet  he  bowed,  he  fell : 
Where  he  bowed,  there  he  fell  down  dead. 
The  mother  of  Sisera  looked  out  at  a  windoAv, 


24—27.     The  deed  of  Jael. 

The  defeated  general,  separated  from  his  troops,  arrives  on  foot, 
unattended,  at  Jael's  door,  and  asks  for  water.  She  brings  hmi  a 
large  bowl  of  milk  instead,  and  as  he  stands  and  (b-inks  strikes  him 
dead  with  a  hammer.  The  less  accurate  accoxmt  of  her  deed  hi  ch. 
iv.  seems  to  have  arisen  from  misunderstandmg  of  the  poem. 
The  moraUty  of  the  action  has  been  greatly  discussed,  but  too 
much  by  modern  standards,  and  on  the  assumption  that  Sisera  had 
a  right  to  reckon  on  friendly  treatment  at  Jael's  hands.  It  is  plam 
that  her  Israelite  contemporaries,  who  knew  all  the  circimistances 
saw  in  her  conduct  nothing  but  what  was  perfectly  regiUar  and 
honom-able.  They  gave  her  their  hearty  admiration  and  gratitude 
(Cp.  note  on  v.  6). 

24.     Heber  the  Kenite]  See  iv.  11.  amon<i']  Heb.  "above." 

women  in  the  tent]  nomad  women.  25.     He]  It  is  taken  for 

granted  that  every  listener  will  know  who  is  intended.  viilk... 

bntfey]   not  two  distinct  items:  "butter"  [hemah)  can  also  mean 
"sour  milk.';  lordhf]  t.f. 'ample.'   *  The  great  basin  (same 

word  as  m  vi.  38)  in  which  the  milk  stood  to  sour.  26.     the 

nail]  ht.  "the  peg,"  i.e.  the  handle  of  the  hammer:  see  the  paraUel 
clause.     Translate : 

She  put  her  hand  to  the  peg. 

And  her  right  hand  to  the  workman's  hammer, 

And  with  the  hammer  she  hammered  Sisera,  she  broke  his  head, 

Yea,  she  crushed  and  pierced  his  temples. 

27.  lay  doii:n]\\i.''\iij:'     liender  the  verse: 
At  her  feet  he  sank  down,  he  fell,  he  lay: 
At  her  feet  he  sank  down,  he  fell ; 

Where  he  sank  down,  there  he  fell  overcome. 
28—30.     Sisera's  mother.     She  sits  with  sleepless  anxiety  at  the 
palace  wmdow,  waitmg  for  the  tiduigs  of  victoiy  which  he  neither 
brings  nor  sends.     Her  prmcesses  vainly  reassure  lier  as  they 
picture  a  rich  booty  of  embroidered  garments  and  of  slaves. 

28.  The  order   of  the  clauses  is,  as  in  R.Y.,  Through   the 
window  she  looked  forth,  and  cried ;  The  mother  of  Sisera 


2« 


48  JUDGES,   V.   29— VI.   1. 

And  cried  through  the  lattice, 

Why  is  his  chariot  so  long  in  coming  ? 

Why  tarry  the  wheels  of  his  chariots  ? 

29  Her  wise  ladies  answered  her, 

Yea,  she  returned  answer  to  herself, 

30  Have  they  not  sped  ?  have  they  not  divided  the  prey  ; 
To  every  man  a  damsel  or  two  ; 

To  Sisera  a  prey  of  divers  colours, 

A  prey  of  divers  colours  of  needlework, 

Of  divers  colours  of  needlework  on  both  sides, 

Meet  for  the  necks  of  tJiem  that  tahe  the  spoil? 

31  So  let  all  thine  enemies  perish,  0  Lord  : 

But  let  them  that  love  him  be  as  the  sun  when  he  goeth 
forth  in  his  might. 
And  the  land  had  rest  forty  years. 
6      And  the  children  of  Israel  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord: 


[cried]  through  the  lattice.  29.     ladies]  or  rather,  "  prin- 

cesses." The  expression  iuii)lies  the  high  rank  of  Sisera ;  see  ver. 
20,  note.  Yea]   The  particle  is  adversative,  and  the  clause 

ought  probably  to  be  rendered,  as  in  R.V.  luarg. :  "yet  she  re- 
peateth  her  words  unto  herself,"  ver.  30  being  supposed  to  be 
spoken,  not  by  Sisera's  mother  in  her  deep  anxiety,  but  by  the 
princesses  to  reassm-e  her.  30.    .S7>e(/]  lit.  "  fomul."     The 

form  of  the  question  implies  that  an  affirmative  answer  is  expected. 
The  choicer  spoils  only  ai'e  mentioned.  The  special  i)resent  of  the 
chief  (cp.  below,  viii.  24)  is  to  consist  of  pieces  of  richly  dyed  and 
embroidered  apparel,  obtained,  we  may  conjectm-e,  from  Babylonia 
or  Phoenicia.  a  in-cij  of  divers  colours]  or  rather,  "  a  spoil  of 

dyed  garments."  Dor,  a  few  miles  off,  on  the  other  side  of  Carmel, 
was,  it  is  to  be  remembered,  a  principal  seat  of  the  production  of 
the  costly  murex  dye.  dirers  colours  of  nee  die  wo  rl]  dyed  gar- 

ments embroidered.  needlework  on  both  sides]  embroidered  on 

l)otli  sides.  for  the  necls  &c.]  lit.  "for  the  neck  of  the  spoil." 

Various  explanations  of  this  obscure  expression  have  been  offered. 
Perhaps  it  is  best  ^\ith  Ewald  to  read  nhe(/al  ("queen";  same  word 
as  in  Ps.  xlv.  9 ;  Neb.  ii.  6)  instead  of  shelal  ("  spoil ").  This 
reading,  if  adopted,  further  confirms  what  has  been  remarked 
above,  on  ver.  20. 

VI.  1— ^^:II.  35.     Gideon,  the  fifth  of  the  Judges. 

The  story  of  Gideon  as  it  now  lies  before  us  seems  to  have  been 
drawn  from  at  least  two  sources.  The  oldest  of  these  is  represented 
by  the  fragment  (vui.  4 — 21)  describing  the  pursuit  of  Zebali  and 
Zahnunna.  It  jiresupposes  the  occasion  of  Gideon's  pursuit  to 
have  been  a  raid  of  these  Midianite  princes  upon  the  territory  to 
the  west  of  Jordan,  in  the  course  of  which  they  had  put  to  death 
certain  brothers  of  Gideon  (sons  of  his  mother).  In  his  pursuit  he 
is  accompanied  by  three  hundred  of  his  own  clansmen  (Abiezrites). 
He  comes  up  with  the  Midianites  on  the  fruige  of  the  Syrian  desert, 


JUDGES,   VI.   2.  49 

and  the  LoitD  delivered  them  into  the  hand  of  Midian  seven 
years.     And  the  hand  of  Midian  prevailed  against  Israel :  and  2 
because  of  the  Midianites  the  children  of  Israel  made  them 
the  dens  which  are  in  the  mountains,  and  caves,  and  strong 


avenges  his  brethren  1)y  putting  the  two  princes  to  death,  and  re- 
ceives as  his  portion  of  the  spoil  the  earrings  taken  from  the  enemy. 
A  fuller  account  of  Gideon  is  contauied  in  vi.  '2 — viii.  .3.  It  tells 
how  Gideon  was  divinely  called  to  deliver  Israel  from  the  Midiauite 
scourge,  how  apin-oaching  from  the  heights  of  Manasseh  he  sur- 
prised the  camp  of  the  enemy  in  the  plain  and  put  them  to  flight, 
and  how  the  Ephraimites  being  afterwards  summoned  seized  the 
fords  of  Jordan  and  captured  and  slew  Oreb  and  Zeeb.  But  this 
fuller  account  is  not  itself  all  of  one  piece,  having  probably  received 
occasional  additions  from  the  hand  of  the  editor  and  perhaps  other 
sources. 

VI.  1 — 32.    Gideon's  preparation  for  his  work. 

1.  Midian']  From  Gen.  xxv.  2,  4,  6  we  see  that  the  Israelites 
regarded  the  Midianites  as  near  relations, — as  near  as  the  Ishmael- 
ites  at  least.  Indeed  in  ch.  viii.  24  they  are  actually  called  Ishmael- 
ites.  Their  seat  is  vaguely  indicated  m  Gen.  xxv.  6  as  being  in  "  the 
east  country,"  by  which  we  are  to  understand  Northern  Arabia  and 
the  Syro-arabian  desert.  They  were  nomads,  and  figm-e  sometimes 
as  plundering  hordes,  sometimes  as  carrying  on  a  i)eaceful  caravan- 
traffic  by  means  of  their  camels  in  which  their  wealth  chiefly  con- 
sisted (Gen.  xxxvii.  28,  36 ;  Isa.  Ix.  6).  In  Ex.  ii.  and  xviii.  we 
meet  with  them  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Sinai ;  the  name  Madian  is 
still  attached  to  a  district  on  the  Arabian  shore  of  the  Red  Sea, 
south  of  the  gulf  of  Akaba.  2.    In  all  ages,  when  the  govern- 

ment has  been  weak,  Palestme  has  been  exposed  to  the  annual 
raids  of  Bedouins,  who  usually  make  no  attempt  to  conquer  or  settle 
the  country.  Thomson,  writing  about  the  year  1856,  says:  "Their 
system  of  desolation  is  worked  out  after  this  fashion :  They  pitch 
their  tents  in  the  viciiiitj'  of  a  village,  and  m  such  numbers  as  to 
bid  defiance  to  the  inhabitants.  Of  course  their  camels  and  flocks 
roam  over  the  unfenced  plain  and  devour  a  large  part  of  the  grain 
while  growing;  and  when  it  is  ripe  they  either  steal  it  or  com- 
pel the  fanners  io  j)resent  them  a  heavy  per  centage  as  the  price 
of  their  j'l'otection.  From  the  village  itself  chickens,  eggs,  sheep, 
cows  and  even  horses  disappear,  and  can  never  be  recovered. 
Many  of  the  inhabitants  soon  move  oflf  to  escape  from  these 
annoyances,  and,  the  village  being  thereby  weakened,  the  Arabs 
provoke  a  quarrel ;  some  one  is  wounded  or  killed,  and  then  the 
place  is  sacked  and  burned.  The  end  aimed  at  is  now  reached, 
and  the  land  belongs  henceforth  to  the  lawless  Ishmaelites."  The 
"dens"  (ver.  2)  which  the  Israelites  "made  them  '  are  i)robably 
rock-hewn  excavations  such  as  are  still  used  by  the  Syrian  peasantry 
to  conceal  their  grain  from  the  tax-gatherer  or  enemy  (Jer.  xli.  8) ; 
the  cattle  would  be  diiven  into  the  "  strougholds "  or  mountaui 
fastnesses.    Open  villages  are  helj^less  against  the  Bedouin  nomads, 

JUDGES  4 


50  JUDGES,   VI.   3—11. 

3  holds.  And  so  it  was,  when  Israel  had  sown,  that  the  Midian- 
ites  came  up,  and  the  Amalekites,  and  the  children  of  the  east, 

4  even  they  came  up  against  them  ;  and  they  encamped  against 
them,  and  destroyed  the  increase  of  the  earth,  till  thou  come 
unto  Gaza,  and  left  no  sustenance  for  Israel,  neither  sheei), 

5  nor  ox,  nor  ass.  For  they  came  up  with  their  cattle  and  their 
tents,  and  they  came  as  grasshoppers  for  multitude  ;  for  both 
they  and  their  camels  were  without  number  :  and  they  entered 

fi  into  the  land  to  destroy  it.  And  Israel  was  greatly  impoverished 
because  of  the  Midianites ;   and  the  children  of  Israel  cried 

7  unto  the  Lord.     And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  children  of 

8  Israel  cried  unto  the  Lord  because  of  the  Midianites,  that  the 
Lord  sent  a  prophet  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  which  said 
unto  them,  Thus  saitli  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  I  brought  you 
up  from  Egyi^t,  and  brought  you  forth  out  of  the  house  of 

9  bondage  ;  and  I  delivered  you  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Egyptians, 
and  out  of  the  hand  of  all  that  oppressed  you,  and  drave  them 

10  out  from  before  you,  and  gave  you  their  land ;  and  I  said 
unto  you,  I  am  the  Lord  your  God ;  fear  not  the  gods  of  the 
Amorites,  in  whose  land  ye  dwell :  but  ye  have  not  obeyed  my 
voice. 

11  And  there  came  an  angel  of  the  Lord,  and  sat  under  an  oak 
which  icas  in  Ophrah,  that  j^crtaincd  unto  Joasli  the  Abi-ezrite: 

but  the  simplest  fortification  checks  them.  3.     and  so  it 

a-as,  when  &c.]  The  Hebrew  exjjresses  that  this  took  place  re- 
peatedly through  a  series  of  years.  Amalekitety]  see  iii. 
13.  children  of  the  eatif]  a  general  expression  for  all  tlie  in- 
habitants of  the  Syi'o-arabian  desert,  who  were  regarded  by  the 
Israehtes  as  near  relations,  descended  from  Abraham  by  Hagar, 
Keturah,  and  other  concubines  (Gen.  xxv.  6).  The  Midianites 
themselves  were  "children  of  the  east."  The  present  verse,  as 
also  ver.  3H  and  vii.  12,  represents  the  invaders  as  consisting  of  one 
of  those  confederations  of  Arab  tribes  which  are  freipxently  formed 
for  purposes  of  war  and  plunder ;  but  the  mam  body  of  the  narra- 
tive in  both  sources  speaks  only  of  Midianites.  ,  4.  till  thou 
come  unto  iiaza]  As  tlie  Midianites  made  their  incursions  from  the 
east  and  north-east,  this  is  a  most  graphic  expression,  Gaza  being 
the  most  south-westerly  i>oint  of  Canaan;  see  i.  18,  note.  5. 
rirasshopperii]  K.V.  locusts.  Cp.  vii.  12,  whei'e  their  camels  ai'e 
said  to  be  as  the  sand  in  }muiber. 

7 — 10.  These  verses  are  commonly  assigned  to  the  Deuterouo- 
niistic  editor. 

8.  ajn-ojdiet]  His  message  is  similar  to  that  of  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  in  ii.  1,  2.  10.     Aiiioritrs\    See  iii.  5.  note.  11.     And 

there  came  Arc]  R.V.  And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came.  an 

oak]  K.Y.  the  oak,  the  well-known  sacred  tree  whieh  was  doubt- 
less pointed  out  by  suljsetpient  tradition  as  the  seat  of  the  revela- 
tion, beside  the  local  altar  (ver.  24).  Ophrah^  An  unidentified 


JUDGES,   VI.    12—18.  51 

and  his  son  Gideon  threshed  wheat  by  the  winepress,  to  hide  it 
from  the  Midianites.     And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  u 
unto  him,  and  said  unto  him,  The  Lord  is  with  thee,  thou 
mighty  man  of  valour.      And  Gideon  said  unto  him,  0  my  13 
lord,  if  the  Lord  be  with  us,  why  then  is  all  this  befallen  us  ? 
and  where  be  all  his  miracles  which  our  fathers  told  us  of, 
saying.  Did  not  the  Lord  bring  us  up  from  Egypt  ?  but  now 
the  Lord  hath  forsaken  us,  and  delivered  us  into  the  hands 
of  the  Midianites.     And  the  Lord  looked  upon  him,  and  said,  14 
Go  in  this  thy  might,  and  thou  shalt  save  Israel  from  the 
hand  of  the  Midianites:  have  not  I  sent  thee?     And  he  said  15 
unto  him,  O  my  Lord,  wherewith  shall  I  save  Israel  ?  behold, 
my  family  is  poor  in  Manasseh,  and  I  am  the  least  in  my 
father's  house.     And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Surely  I  will  be  i« 
with  thee,  and  thou  shalt  smite  the  Midianites  as  one  man. 
And  he  said  unto  him,  If  now  I  have  found  grace  in  thy  sight,  I7 
then  shew  me  a  sign  that  thou  talkest  with  me.     Depart  not  IH 

locality  in  Western  Manasseh,  spoken  of  in  ver.  15  as  insignificant ; 
but  at  one  period  in  the  history  of  Israel  it  must  have  been  a  well- 
known  sanctuary  and  considerable  place  of  pilgrunage  (viii.  27). 
All  trace  of  it  seems  to  have  disappeared ;  for  the  identification 
with  Fer'ata,  5  m.  S.W.  from  Nabulus  (see  xii.  13,  note)  is  im- 
possible, that  pertained  7i)ifo  Joanh]  Joash  therefore  was 
the  hereditary  chieftain  of  the  vUlage.  the  Abieznte]  Abiezer 
being  a  clan  of  Western  Manasseh  (Josh.  xvii.  2).  threshed] 
11. \.  was  beating  out.  In  ordinary  times  the  corn  would  have 
been  threshed  out  by  the  treading  of  cattle  on  the  open  floor  on 
the  top  of  some  neighbouring  hUL  It  was  only  poor  people  who 
beat  out  their  scanty  store  of  grain  with  a  stick  (cp.  Kuth  ii.  17). 
bi/  the  vine-2)ress]  R.V.  in  the  wine-press,  i.e.  concealed  in  the 
rock-cut  tank  on  the  hill-side,  in  which  the  grapes  were  trodden. 
12.  iiii(/hfi/  man  of  valour]  The  salutation  of  Gideon  as  a  "stout 
warrior"  foreshadows  tlie  substance  of  the  message.  13. 
miracles]  E.V.  wondrous  works.  The  A.V.  translation 
"miracle"  is  not  amiss  if  it  be  understood  that  in  the  Biblical 
sense  every  display  of  God's  power  and  grace  may  be  so  named, 
whether  it  breaks  through  a  law  of  nature  or  not.  14.  the 
LonT)]  i.e.  the  angel  of  the  Lord.  The  variation  is  not  uncommon; 
see  Gen.  xvi.  7,  18;  xxii.  11,  12;  Ex.  iii.  2,  7;  Judg.  xiii.  18,  22. 
thin  thy  mif/ht]  The  angel  recognises  Gideon's  natural  valour; 
but  it  is  the  Divine  mission  that  secures  his  success.  15.  0 
III  If  Lord]  The  Hebrew  word  as  pointed  {Jdo)iat,  not  Adoni]  im- 
plies that  Gideon  knew  himself  to  be  adch-essing  the  Divine  Lord. 
wherewith]  or,  "by  what  means"  (cp.  xvi.  5)..  nn/  famih/  is 
yoor  &c.]  lit.  "my  clan  [or,  'thousand']  is  the  Aveakest  in  Man- 
asseh." father's  hovse]  not  household,  Imt  sub-clan  ;  see  Josh, 
vii.  17.  Though  Gideon  belonged  to  the  chiefly  family,  he  was  not 
the  natural  leader  of  his  clan  while  his  father,  and  perhaps  elder 
brothers,  were  alive.               17.    thou]  emphatic  :  E.V.  that  it  is 

4—2 


52  JUDGES,   VI.   19-25. 

lience,  I  pray  thee,  until  I  come  unto  thee,  and  bring  forth 
my  present,  and  set  it  before  thee.  And  he  said,  I  will  tarry 
until  thou  come  again, 
ly  And  Gideon  went  in,  and  made  ready  a  kid,  and  unleavened 
cakes  of  an  ephah  of  flour :  the  flesh  he  put  in  a  basket,  and  he 
put  the  broth  in  a  pot,  and  brought  it  out  unto  him  under  the 

20  oak,  and  presented  it.  And  the  angel  of  God  said  unto  him, 
Take  the  flesh  and  the  unleavened  cakes,  and  lay  tJiem  upon  this 

21  rock,  and  pour  out  the  broth.  And  he  did  so.  Then  the  angel 
of  the  LoKD  put  forth  the  end  of  the  staff  that  was  in  his  hand, 
and  touched  the  flesh  and  the  unleavened  cakes:  and  there 
rose  up  fire  out  of  the  rock,  and  consumed  the  flesh  and  the 
unleavened  cakes.     Then  the  angel  of  the  Lord  departed  out 

22  of  his  sight.  And  when  Gideon  perceived  that  he  ivas  an  angel 
of  the  Lord,  Gideon  said,  Alas,  O  Lord  God!  for  because  I 

23  have  seen  an  angel  of  the  Lord  face  to  face.  And  the  Lord 
said  unto  him,  Peace  be  unto  thee;  fear  not:  thou  shalt  not  die. 

24  Then  Gideon  built  an  altar  there  unto  the  Lord,  and  called  it 
Jehovah-shalom :  unto  this  day  it  is  yet  in  Ophi'ah  of  the  Abi- 
ezrites. 

25  And  it  came  to  pass  the  same  night,  that  the  Lord  said  unto 

thou  that  talkest.  18.    }>resent'\  or  "offering''  (Heb. 

minhah ;)  see  iii.  15,  note.  The  translators  seem  to  have  avoided 
the  usual  technical  word  here,  though  not  in  xiii.  19,  because  the 
"present"  included,  it  would  appear,  a  kid,  which  would  of  course 
constitute  a  burnt- offering  i'oJah),  not  a  "  meat-oflfering."  19. 

imleavened  cakes']   See  Ex.  xxiii.  18.  ejihah]   The  estimates 

of  the  Hebrew  ephah,  aU  based  on  somewhat  uncertam  data,  vary 
from  over  eight  to  luider  three  English  gallons :  the  tentli  part  of 
an  ephah  of  flour  was  the  meat-offering  that  accompanied  the  daily 
burnt-offering  (Nu.  xxviii.  5).  broth]   Li  old  times,  as  in 

Ai'abia  stiU,  boiling  was  the  usual  method  of  cooking  flesh  (1  Sam. 
ii.  l.S;  Mic.  iii.  3).  20.     this  rock]   Heb.  "  j'onder  rock,"  pohit- 

ing  to  it  as  he  spoke.  })onr  out  the  broth]  as  a  drink-offering. 

The  drink-offering  of  the  later  ritual  is  always  wine  (Nu.  xv.  5). 
Drink-offerings  of  water  are  mentioned  in  1  Sam.  vii.  6,  and  2  Sam. 
xxiii.  16;  cp.  the  connuentators  on  John  vii.  87.  21.     sta_f] 

The  angels  in  the  older  Hebrew  literature  always  ajipear  in  the 
guise  of  men ;  hence  the  staff,  which  the  Hebrew  traveller,  like  the 
modern  Bedouin,  was  never  Avithout  (Mark  vi.  8).  departed] 

presumably  in  the  flame;  see  xiii.  20.  22.     an  aiujel]  E.Y.  the 

angel.  "  for  becai(se  I  have  seen]  E.V.  forasmuch  as  I  have 
seen.  Cp.  xiii.  23;  Gen.  xvi.  13;  xxxii.  30;  Ex.  xx.  19;  xxxiii. 
20;  Isa.  vi.  .5.  23.    peace  &:(:.]   Hence  (ver.  21)  the  name 

"Jehovah-shalom,"'  i.e.  "  the  Lord  is  peace."  24.     inito  this 

daif]  In  Northern  Israel  the  local  sanctuaries  continued  down  to 
the  captivity  (722  B.C.). 

25 — 32.    A  fuller  but  independent  account  of  Gideons  altar,  pre- 
smnably  from  a  different  source. 


JUDGES,   VI.  26—33.  53 

him,  Take  thy  father's  young  bullock,  even  the  second  bullock 
of  seven  years  old,  and  throw  down  the  altar  of  Baal  that  thy 
father  hath,  and  cut  down  the  grove  that  is  by  it :  and  build  an  2« 
altar  unto  the  Lord  thy  God  upon  the  top  of  this  rock,  in  the 
ordered  place,  and  take  the  second  bullock,  and  offer  a  burnt 
sacrifice  with  the  wood  of  the  grove  which  thou  shalt  cut  down. 
Then  Gideon  took  ten  men  of  his   servants,  and  did  as  the  27 
Lord  had  said  unto  him:  and  so  it  was,  because  he  feared  his 
father's  household,  and  the  men  of  the  city,  that  he  could  not 
do  it  by  day,  that  he  did  it  by  night.     And  when  the  men  of  -jh 
the  city  arose  early  in  the  morning,  behold,  the  altar  of  Baal 
was  cast  down,  and  the  grove  was  cut  do^vn  that  was  by  it,  and 
the  second  bullock  was  offered  upon  the  altar  that  was  built. 
And  they  said  one  to  another,  Who  hath  done  this  thing?  2!» 
And  when  they  inquired  and  asked,  they  said,  Gideon  the  son 
of  Joash  hath  done  this  thing.     Then  the  men  of  the  city  said  3«i 
unto  Joash,  Bring  out  thy  son,  that  he  may  die :  because  he 
hath  cast  down  the  altar  of  Baal,  and  because  he  hath  cut  down 
the  grove  that  was  by  it.     And  Joash  said  unto  all  that  stood  3i 
against  him,  Will  ye  plead  for  Baal?  will  ye  save  him?  he  that 
will  plead  for  him,  let  him  be  put  to  death  whilst  it  is  yet  morn- 
ing: if  he  be  a  god,  let  him  plead  for  himself,  because  one  hath 
cast  down  his  altar.    Therefore  on  that  day  he  called  him  Jerub-  32 
baal,   saying,   Let  Baal  plead  against  him,  because  he  hath 
thrown  down  his  altar. 

Then  all  the  Midianites  and  the  Amalekites  and  the  children  33 

25.  even  the  second  huUoc^  There  seems  here  to  be  some  dis- 
order in  the  text,  but  no  satisfactory  restoration  has  as  yet  been 
suggested.  If  the  reading  "  second"  bullock  is  correct,  the  word 
must  be  used  m  some  technical  sense  to  the  meaning  of  Avhich  we 
have  not  the  key.     LXX.  has  "  fatted  bullock."  altar  of  Baal] 

Ut.  "  altar  of  the  [local]  Baal."  The  narrative  distinguishes  the 
local  god  from  Jehovah  in  the  manner  of  Hosea  and  the  prophets ; 
but  this  distinction  was  not  clearly  present  to  the  mass  of  un- 
enlightened Israelites  in  ancient  times.  (irore']  Heb.  asherah  ; 
See  iii.  7,  note.  26.  this  rock]  R.V.  this  stronghold  (Heb. 
mdoz).  In  ver.  20  the  word  is  sela'  ("rock").  ?'»  the  ordered 
jilace]  an  obsciu-e  expression.  R.V.  has  in  the  orderly  manner ; 
R.V.  marg.  "  with  that  pertaiuuig  to  it."  27.  took  ten  men  of 
his  servants]  Perhaps  this  formed  part  of  the  directions  in  Ver.  25, 
which  have  now  become  confused.  his  fathers  household] 
Heb.  "father's  house":  see  ver.  15.  31.  Will  ye  plead  &c.] 
The  pronoun  is  here  emphatic.  Joash  means  to  say:  "It  is  not 
your  business,  but  the  Baals;  it  would  be  irreverent  to  a  degree 
worthy  of  death  to  interfere  in  a  matter  which  is  entirely  the  god's 
affair." 

VI.  33— VIII.  3.    The  Midianite  invasion  ;  Gideon's  campaign. 

33.    Amalekites  &c.]   See  ver.  3,  note.  vjent  over]  viz.  the 


54  JUDGES,   VI.   34— Til.   1. 

of  the  east  were  gathered  together,  and  went  over,  and  pitched 
."'.4  in  the  valley  of  Jezreel.   But  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon 

Gideon,  and  he  blew  a  trumpet ;  and  Abi-ezer  was  gathered  after 
35  him.     And  he  sent  messengers  throughout  all  Manasseh;  who 

also  was  gathered  after  him :  and  he  sent  messengers  unto 

Asher,  and  unto  Zebulun,  and  unto  Naphtali;  and  they  came 

up  to  meet  them. 
3<;      And  Gideon  said  unto  God,  If  thou  wilt  save  Israel  by  mine 

37  hand,  as  thou  hast  said,  behold,  I  will  put  a  fleece  of  wool  in 
the  floor;  and  if  the  dew  be  on  the  fleece  only,  and  it  he  dry 
upon  all  the  earth  beside,  then  shall  I  know  that  thou  wilt  save 

38  Israel  by  mine  hand,  as  thou  hast  said.  And  it  was  so:  for  he 
rose  up  early  on  the  morrow,  and  thrust  the  fleece  together, 
and  wringed  the  dew  out  of  the  fleece,  a  bowl  full  of  water. 

S9  And  Gideon  said  unto  God,  Let  not  thine  anger  be  hot  against 
me,  and  I  will  speak  but  tJiis  once :  let  me  prove,  I  pray  thee, 
but  this  once  with  the  fleece ;  let  it  now  be  dry  only  upon  the 

40  fleece,  and  upon  all  the  ground  let  there  be  dew.  And  God  did 
so  that  night :  for  it  was  dry  upon  the  fleece  only,  and  there 
was  dew  on  all  the  ground. 

7  Then  Jerubbaal,  who  is  Gideon,  and  all  the  people  that 
were  with  him,  rose  up  early,  and  pitched  beside  the  well  of 

Jordan.  valley']  Heb.  ^emeh  ;  see  i.  19,  note.  Jezreel]  mod. 

Zei-'iu,  lies  at  a  height  of  402  feet  above  sea-level,  hi  lat.  32°  83'  N., 
ahuost  upon  the  watershed  between  the  valley  of  the  Kishon, 
which  drains  to  the  Mediterranean,  and  the  valley  of  the  Jalud, 
which  descends  by  Beth-shean  to  the  Jordan.  Modern  geographers 
are  not  agreed  which  of  these  valleys  is  here  meant  by  the  valley  of 
Jezreel,  but  the  better  opinion  (see  Josh.  xvii.  16)  is  that  the  vaUey 
of  Jezreel  is  that  to  the  west,  either  the  whole  Merj  ibn  '  Amir,  west 
of  Gilboa,  or  the  south-eastern  part  of  it.  34.  came  npon  Gideon] 
lit.  "clothed  itself  with  Gideon,"  i.e.  entered  into  him.  The  ex- 
pression is  quite  different  from  that  applied  to  Samson  ui  xiv.  6  ifcc. 
blew  a  tnimjiet]   Cp.  iii.  27.  vas  (fathered]  lit.  "followed  the 

call."  35.     Manasseh]   Gideon's  own  tribe.  and  he  sent 

vtessenffers  &c.]  Asher,  Zebulun  and  Naphtali  lay  on  the  other  side 
of  the  valley  in  which  the  enemy  was  encamped.  Then"  levies 
therefore  could  not,  and  did  not,  immediately  join  Gideon's  people, 
but  advancing  towards  them  menaced  the  enemy  from  behind. 

36 — 40.  The  deposition  of  dew  depends  on  the  cooling  of  the 
earth's  surface,  and  objects  on  that  surface,  relatively  to  the 
atmo.sphere.  In  certain  circumstances  tliere  is  a  natural  jiossibility 
of  a  fleece  on  a  threshing  area  becoming  saturated  with  dew  while 
the  rest  of  the  floor  remains  dry ;  tliere  is  none  whatever  of  the 
fleece  remaining  thy  while  the  surrounding  threshing  area  is  wetted 
with  dew. 

VII.  1.  rose  uj)  earhj]  i.e.  simply,  besthred  themselves;  cji. 
Zeph.  iii.  7;  Jer.  vii.  13;  xi.  7.  Gideon  was  posted  (cp.  ver.  8)  at 
some  point  in  the  mountains  of  Manasseh  which  border  the  plain 


•JUDGES,   VII.   2—5.  55 

Harod :  so  that  the  host  of  the  Midianites  were  on  the  north 
side  of  them,  by  the  hill  of  Moreh,  in  the  valley.     And  the  2 
Lord  said  unto  Gideon,  The  people  that' are  with  thee  are  too 
many  for  me  to  give  the  Midianites  into  their  hands,  lest  Israel 
vaunt  themselves  against  me,   saying,  Mine  own  hand  hath 
saved  me.     Now  therefore  go  to,  proclaim  in  the  ears  of  the  3 
people,  saying.  Whosoever  is  fearful  and  afraid,  let  him  return 
and  depart  early  from  mount  Gilead.     And  there  returned  of 
the  people  twenty  and  two  thousand;  and  there  remained  ten 
thousand.     And  the  Lord  said  unto  Gideon,  The  people  are  4 
yet  too  many ;  bring  them  down  unto  the  water,  and  I  will  try 
them  for  thee  there:  and  it  shall  be,  tliat  of  whom  I  say  unto 
thee,  This  shall  go  with  thee,  the  same  shall  go  with  thee;  and 
of  whomsoever  I  say  unto  thee,  This  shall  not  go  with  thee, 
the  same  shall  not  go.     So  he  brought  down  the  people  unto  5 
the  water:  and  the  Lord  said  unto  Gideon,  Every  one  that 
lappeth  of  the  water  with  his  tongue,  as  a  dog  lappeth,  him 

of  Jezreel  on  the  south,  and,  naturally,  beside  a  fountain.  The 
precise  localities  are  unknown ;  for  the  hill  of  Moreh  ("  the  hill  of  the 
revealer")  is  not  mentioned  again,  and  Harod  reappears  only  in  the 
adjective  "Harodite"  (2  Sani.  xxiii.  25;  also  1  Chr.  xi.  27,  cor- 
rected). Some  recent  writers  wotild  identify  the  well  of  Harod 
with  the  great  fountain  near  Jezreel,  now  'Ain  Jalud,  which  is  the 
source  of  the  stream  descending  from  Jezreel  to  the  Jordan  past 
Beth-shean,  and  sujjpose  the  hill  of  Moreh  to  be  one  of  the  si)urs  of 
Little  Hermon.  But  the  camp  of  the  Midianites  lay  further  to  the 
west  (see  vi.  33,  note),  and,  as  Gideon's  object  was  to  surprise  them, 
he  cannot  have  posted  himself  m  the  very  midst  of  the  plains  over 
which  the  vast  herds  of  the  enemy  roved  (see  vi.  5).  host] 

E.V.  camp.  The  Heb.  mahaneh  (cp.  Mahanaim,  i.e.  "two  hosts," 
or  "two  camps "j  has  both  senses,  and  the  word  is  translated 
sometimes  "host"  and  sometimes  "camp"  in  the  com'se  of  the 
present  narrative. 

2 — 8.  The  process  of  elimination  here  described  reduces  Gideon's 
host  to  a  small  band,  consisting,  as  we  may  infer  from  viii.  2, 
mainly  of  his  own  clansmen  of  Abiezer. 

3.    fearful  and  afraid]     Cp.  the  law  in  Dt.  xx.  8.  depart 

early]  E.V.  depart;  marg.  "go  round  about."  The  verb  so 
translated  occurs  only  here.  Gilead]    Probably  this  difficult 

expression  is  a  ijroverbial  one;  tbe  key  to  its  meaning  has  been 
lost.  4.    //•//]    lit.  "smelt,"  as  silver  is  "tried"  or  "smelted." 

The  word  is  the  same  as  that  used  in  Ps.  xii.  6 ;  Isa.  i.  25.  The 
cowardly  having  been  eliminated  from  Gideon's  host,  a  further 
selection  is  made  of  those  men  who  are  least  liable  to  be  attacked 
by  violent  thirst, — an  important  requisite  in  a  hot  wilderness  pursuit. 
5.  irith  his  toii(/i(e,  as  a  dog  lappeth]  The  readmg  has  been  sug- 
gested: "that  lappeth  of  the  water  [with  his  hand:  see  ver.  6]  as  a 
dog  lappeth  with  his  tongue"  ;  this  at  least  gives  the  sense.  The 
idea  plainly  is  of  one  who  is  accustomed  to  slake  his  thirst  as 


56  JUDGES,  VII.   6—15. 

shalt  thou  set  by  himself ;  likewise  everj'  one  that  boweth  down 

6  upon  his  knees  to  drink.  And  the  number  of  them  that 
lapped,  putting  their  hand  to  their  mouth,  were  three  hundred 
men:  but  all  the  rest  of  the  people  bowed  down  upon  their 

7  knees  to  drink  water.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Gideon,  By 
the  three  hundred  men  that  lapped  will  I  save  you,  and  deliver 
the  Midianites  into  thine  hand :  and  let  all  the  other  people  go 

8  every  man  unto  his  place.  So  the  people  took  victuals  in  their 
hand,  and  their  trumpets :  and  he  sent  all  the  rest  of  Israel 
every  man  unto  his  tent,  and  retained  those  three  hundred 
men :  and  the  host  of  Midian  was  beneath  him  in  the  valley. 

!»  And  it  came  to  pass  the  same  night,  that  the  Lord  said  unto 
him,  Arise,  get  thee  down  unto  the  host ;  for  I  have  delivered 

10  it  into  thine  hand.     But  if  thou  fear  to  go  down,  go  thou  with 

11  Phurah  thy  servant  down  to  the  host:  and  thou  shalt  hear 
what  they  say;  and  afterward  shall  thine  hands  be  strengthened 
to  go  down  unto  the  host.  Then  went  he  down  with  Phurah 
his  servant  unto  the  outside  of  the  armed  men  that  were  in  the 

12  host.  And  the  Midianites  and  the  Amalekites  and  all  the 
children  of  the  east  lay  along  in  the  valley  like  grasshoppers 
for  multitude ;  and  their  camels  were  without  number,  as  the 

13  sand  by  the  sea  side  for  multitude.  And  when  Gideon  was 
come,  behold,  there  ivas  a  man  that  told  a  dream  unto  his  fellow, 
and  said.  Behold,  I  dreamed  a  dream,  and  lo,  a  cake  of  barley 
bread  tumbled  into  the  host  of  Midian,  and  came  unto  a  tent, 
and  smote  it  that  it  fell,  and  overturned  it,  that  the  tent  lay 

14  along.  And  his  fellow  answered  and  said,  This  is  nothing  else 
save  the  sword  of  Gideon  the  son  of  Joash,  a  man  of  Israel: 
for  into  his  hand  hath  God  delivered  Midian,  and  all  the  host. 

15  And  it  was  so,  when  Gideon  heard  the  telling  of  the  dream, 

opportunity  offers,  without  loss  of  time.  8.    S'o  the  people 

took  victuals]  The  Heb.  cannot  bear  this  sense.  Translate  with 
LXX.  and  other  ancient  authorities,  changing  one  letter  of  the 
text:  "so  they  [the  three  lunidred]  took  the  \ictuals  of  the  people 
[who  had  been  sent  home] ,  and  their  trumpets."  loito  his  tent] 

a  common  expression,  not  to  be  taken  literally,  for  going  home; 
see  1  K.  xii.  16;  and  cp.  below,  xix.9,  xx.  8,  beneath  hiui]   See 

note  on  ver.  1. 

9.  f/et  thee  iloini  unto]  or  rather,  perhaps,  as  in  E.V.  margin, 
"against."  The  prei)osition  {he)  here  and  in  ver.  11  is  different  from 
that  in  ver.  10  (.'«/).  In  the  present  verse  Gideon  is  actually  com- 
manded and  encouraged  to  make  the  decisive  attack  at  once  (see 
ver.  11).  It  is  only  when  he  hesitates  that  he  is  allowed  to  begin 
by  making  a  reconnaissance  along  with  Phurah.  10.    loito  the 

host]     See  preceding  note.  outside]    ll.V.  outermost  part, 

i.e.  as  far  as  the  outposts.  12.    Cp.  vi.  5.  13.    a  cake 

of  barley  bread]  emblematic  of  the  Israelite  peasantry,  barley  being 


JUDGES,   Vn.   IG— 19.  57 

and  the  interpretation  thereof,  that  he  worshipped,  and  returned 
into  the  host  of  Israel,  and  said,  Arise;  for  the  Loud  hath 
deUvered  into  your  hand  the  host  of  Midian.     And  he  divided  16" 
the  three  hundred  men  into  three  companies,  and  he  put  a 
trumpet  in  every  man's  hand,  with  empty  pitchers,  and  lamps 
within  the  pitchers.    And  he  said  unto  them.  Look  on  me,  and  17 
do  likewise :  and  behold,  when  I  come  to  the  outside  of  the  camp, 
it  shall  be  that,  as  I  do,  so  shall  ye  do.     When  I  blow  with  a  ik 
trumpet,  I  and  all  that  are  with  me,  then  blow  ye  the  trumpets 
also  on  every  side  of  all  the  camp,  and  say,  llie  sword  of  the 
Lord,  and  of  Gideon.     So  Gideon,  and  the  hundred  men  that  i!> 
irere  with  him,  came  unto  the  outside  of  the  camp  in  the 
beginning  of  the  middle  watch;  and  they  had  but  newly  set  the 

the  bread-stuff  of  the  poorer  class  (cp.  2  K.  vii,  1).  14.    This 

would  imply  that  the  prowess  of  Gideon  was  ah'eady  known  to 
some  of  the  Midiauites.  15.    vwrHhipped]  thi-ew  himself  on 

the  gi-omid  in  adoration.  16.   pitchevfi]    The  oi'dinary  earthen- 

ware vessel  for  can-ying  water  (Gen.  xxiv.  14  Szc.)  or  keeping  meal 
(1  K.  xvii.  12 — 16:  E.V.  "barrel").  lamps]  R.V.  torches;  same 
word  as  is  rendered  "firebrand  "  in  xv.  4.  "  The  zjlbit,  or  ^glul  of  the 
police,  used  frequently  to  go  about  the  metropolis  by  night,  often 
accompanied  by  the  executioner  and  the  shealegee  or  bearer  of  a 
kind  of  torch  called  shealeh,  which  is  still  in  use.  This  torch  burns, 
soon  after  it  is  lighted,  without  a  flame,  except  when  it  is  waved 
through  the  air,  when  it  suddenly  blazes  forth :  it  therefore  answers 
the  same  purpose  as  our  dark  lantern.  The  burning  end  is  some- 
times concealed  in  a  small  pot  or  jar,  or  covered  with  somethuig 
else,  when  not  required  to  give  light;  but  it  is  said  that  thieves 
often  smell  it  in  time  to  escape  meeting  the  bearer"  (Lane,  Mod. 
Egyptians).  17.     Zoo/.;  on  7??ej  ».e.  "Observe  what  I  do."    His 

chief  reliance  nmst  however  have  been  on  the  trimipet  signal 
(ver.  18).  The  attack  was  to  be  made  by  night  by  three  distinct 
companies,  separated  by  considerable  space  and  an  intervening 
army.  Success  depended  on  the  darkness.  outside]  See  ver.  11. 
18.  «//  that  are  vith  me]  one  of  the  companies  of  a  hundi*ed 
(ver.  19).  The  sword]  supplied  from  ver.  20.     But  R.V.  takes 

the  words  as  they  stand,  and  renders:  For  the  Lord  and  for 
Gideon.  The  battle-cry  of  the  heathen  Arab.s  in  like  manner  is 
taken  sometimes  from  the  name  of  the  tribal  god,  sometimes  from 
that  of  the  tribe  itself  or  its  leader.  19.    middle  vatch]    The 

Jews,  like  the  Babylonians  and  the  Greeks,  had  only  three  night 
watches  (comp.  Lam.  ii.  19:  "at  the  begimmig  of  the  watches;" 
Exod.  xiv.  24;  1  Sam.  xi.  11:  "in  the  morning  watch").  The 
Romans  had  four,  and  it  is  their  practice  that  is  presupposed  in  the 
expressions  employed  in  Mk.  xiii.  35;  Lu.  xii.  38;  Mt.  xiv.  25; 
Mk.  vi.  48.  The  beginning  of  the  middle  watch  here  would  be 
about  10  p.m.  thei/  had  but  neichj  Szc]  The  enemy  would  thus 

be  somewhat  more  on  the  alert  than  at  the  end  of  a  watch.  But 
the  slight  bustle  within  the  camp  connected  with  the  change  of 


58  JUDGES,    YII.   20—23. 

watch :  and  they  blew  the  trumpets,  and  brake  the  pitchers 

20  that  were  in  their  hands.  And  the  three  companies  blew  the 
trumpets,  and  brake  the  pitchers,  and  held  the  lamps  in  their 
left  hands,  and  the  trumpets  in  their  right  hands  to  blow 
7cithal:  and  they  cried,  The  sword  of  the  Lord,  and  of  Gideon. 

21  And  they  stood  every  man  in  his  place  round  about  the  camp : 

22  and  all  the  host  ran,  and  cried,  and  fled.  And  the  three  hun- 
dred blew  the  trumpets,  and  the  Lord  set  every  man's  sword 
against  his  fellow,  even  throughout  all  the  host:  and  the  host 
fled  to  Beth-shittah  in  Zererath,  and  to  the  border  of  Abel- 

23  meholah,  unto  Tabbath.  And  the  men  of  Israel  gathered 
themselves  together  out  of  Naphtali,  and  out  of  Asher,  and  out 
of  all  Manasseh,  and  pursued  after  the  Midianites. 

watch  would  be  itself  a  signal  to  Gideon's  two  detached  parties  to 
prepare  for  the  sileuce  after  the  watch  had  been  set — a  silence  to 
be  broken  by  the  blast  of  his  trmnpets  and  the  shout  of  his  men. 

20.  2'he  sioord  of]   or  rather,  as  in  R.Y.  marg.,  "A  sword  for." 

21.  and  cried,  and  /led]  So  the  margin  of  the  Hebrew  text. 
The  text  itseh  has  (E.V.)  and  they  [Gideon's  men]  shouted  and 
put  them  to  flight.  22.  E.V.  and  they  blew  the  three 
hundred  trumpets.  eren  tJuvnghont  all  the  host]  E.V.  and 
against  all  the  host.  The  Midianite  swords,  in  Midianite  liands, 
were  for  the  Lord  and  for  Gideon.  to  Beth-sldttah  in  Zererath 
&c.]  E.V.,  more  exactly,  as  far  as  Beth-shittah  towards  Ze- 
rerah,  as  far  as  the  border  (Heb.  "lip  "  or  "bank")  of  Abel- 
meholah,  by  Tabbath.  The  repeated  expression  "as  far  as" 
perhaps  indicates  the  fii'st  points  where  a  rally  was  attempted. 
Ahcl- meholah]  {i.e.  "meadow  of  dancing"),  a  spot  in  the  chstrict  of 
Beth-sheau  (1  K.  iv.  12),  was  the  home  of  Elislia  the  prophet 
(1  K.  xix.  16)  and  probably  also  of  Adi-iel  the  son  of  Barzillai  "the 
Meholatliite"  (1  Sam.  xviii.  19;  2  Sam.  xxi.  8).  According  to 
Jerome  it  lay  in  the  valley  of  the  Jordan  10  Eoman  miles  to  the 
south  of  Beth-shean.  This  points  to  a  locality  at  or  near  the  place 
("  lip  ")  where  the  W.  Malih,  coming  down  from  the  'Ain  Malih, 
joins  the  Jordan  valley  "under  a  low  ridge,  like  a  windrow" 
(Eobinson).  The  eastward  flight  of  the  Midianites  would  neces- 
sarily take  place  down  the  Beth-shean  valley ;  and  in  it,  or  in  the 
lower  parts  of  the  Jordan  valley,  the  other  places  mentioned  in  the 
present  verse  must  be  sougJit.  Of  Tabbath  nothing  is  known. 
Zererah  is  not  again  mentioned:  but  probably'  we  ought  to  read 
Zeredah,  Avhich  accorduig  to  2  Chr.  iv.  17,  compared  with  1  K.  vii. 
46,  is  identical  with  or  adjacent  to  Zarcthan,  a  i)oint  in  the  Jordan 
valley  in  the  region  of  Beth-shean  (1  K.  iv.  12).'  Zeredah,  the  birth- 
place of  Jeroboam,  is  piobably  a  different  place,  for  it  lay  Avithiu 
the  tribe  of  Ephraim  (1  K.  xi.  26).  JUth-shittah,  the  first  rallying 
place  of  the  Midianites,  may  conceivably  (as  Eobinson  suggests)  be 
the  modern  Shutta,  on  the  north  side  of  the  valley,  halfway  between 
Jezreel  and  Beth-shean.  But  we  cannot  lay  much  weight  on  the 
similarity  of  names  derived  from  so  connuon  a  plant  as  the  acacia 
{ahittali).            23.   gathered  themselves]  i.e.  followed  the  summons 


JUDGES,   VII.   24— VIII.   5.  59 

And  Gideon  sent  messengers  throughout  all  mount  Ephraim,  24 
saying,   Come  down  against  the  Midianites,  and  take  before 
them  the  waters  unto  Beth-barah  and  Jordan.     Then  all  the 
men  of  Ephraim  gathered  themselves  together,  and  took  the 
waters  unto  Beth-barah  and  Jordan.     And  they  took  two  prin-  25 
ces  of  the  Midianites,  Oreb  and  Zeeb ;  and  they  slew  Oreb  upon 
the  rock  Oreb,  and  Zeeb  they  slew  at  the  winepress  of  Zeeb, 
and  pursued  Midian,  and  brought  the  heads  of  Oreb  and  Zeeb 
to  Gideon  on  the  otlier  side  Jordan.     And  the  men  of  Ephraim  8 
said  unto  him,  Why  hast  thou  served  us  thus,  that  thou  call- 
edst  us  not,  when  thou  wentest  to  fight  with  the  Midianites  ? 
And  they  did  chide  with  him  sharply.     And  he  said  unto  them,  2 
What  have  I  done  now  in  comparison  of  you?     Is  not  the  glean- 
ing of  the  grapes  of  Ephraim  better  than  the  vintage  of  Abi- 
ezer?     God  hath  delivered  into  your  hands  the  princes  of  Mi-  3 
diau,  Oreb  and  Zeeb:  and  what  was  I  able  to  do  in  comparison 
of  you?     Then  their  anger  was  abated  toward  him,  when  he 
had  said  that. 

And  Gideon  came  to  Jordan,  and  passed  over,  he,  and  the  4 
three  hundred  men  that  were  with  him,  faint,  yet  pursuing 
them.     And  he  said  unto  the  men  of  Succoth,  Give,  I  pray  you,  5 


to  battle ;  comp.  vi.  35,  note.  24.    all  the  hill  country  of 

Ephraim.  The  northern  txnbes,  which  were  aheady  in  movement 
(vi.  35),  would  occupy  the  northern  passages  of  the  Jordan;  thus 
Gideon  foresaw  that  the  fugitives  must  turn  southwards,  and  could 
be  mtercepted  by  a  rapid  movement  on  the  part  of  the  Ephraimites. 
the  loaters]  the  fords  of  the  Jordan.  as  far  as  Beth- 

barah,  even  Jordan.  Beth-barah  is  unknown.  From  the  context 
it  must  have  been  one  of  the  most  southern  fords  of  the  river, 
25.  tiro  princes]  Heb.  " the  two  prmces."  Oreb  (i.e.  "raven") 
was  killed  at  "Kaven's  Kock"  (Isa.  x.  26),  Zeeb  (i.e.  "wolf")  at 
"Wolf's  Lair."     Neither  locality  is  known.  winepress]    or 

"wine  vat,"  the  vessel  or  rock-cut  excavation  under  the  press, 
which  receives  the  must.  brought  the  heads]     So  David  cuts 

off  Goliath's  head  as  a  trophy  (1  Sam.  xvii.  51 ;  cp.  also  2  Sam.  xx. 
22;  2  K.  X.  7).  to  Gideon  heyond  Jordan]  our  first  inti- 

mation tliat  Gideon  hunself  had  crossed.  VIII.  1 — 3.     A 

similar  incident,  but  with  a  different  issue,  is  related  in  xii.  1 — 6. 
In  both  cases  the  Ephraimites  probably  had  a  share  in  the  booty  in 
then*  mind,  but  they  were  also  jealous  of  the  preeminence  over 
Manasseh  which  they  had  held  since  the  time  of  Joshua;  cp.  Gen. 
xlviii.  13,  14.  2.     [/leaning]  cp.  xx.  45. 

4 — 21.  The  pmsuit  and  captm-e  of  Zebah  and  Zalmunna :  from 
another  somx-e, — probably  older,  to  judge  from  its  more  primitive 
colour. 

4.  passed  over]  Heb.  "passing  over"  or  "in  his  passage." 
5.  Succoth]  i.e.  "thickets"  or  "booths."  According  to  Josh.  xiii. 
27  there  was  a  Succoth  eastward  of  Jordan,  in  the  fonner  terri- 


60  JUDGES,  VIII.   G— 8. 

loaves  of  bread  unto  the  people  that  follow  me ;  for  they  he  faint, 

and  I  am  pursuing  after  Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  kings  of  Midian. 

(>  And  the  princes  of  Succoth  said,  Are  the  hands  of  Zebah  and 

Zalmunna  now  in  thine  hand,  that  we  should  give  bread  unto 

7  thine  army?  And  Gideon  said,  Therefore  when  the  Lord  hath 
delivered  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  into  mine  hand,  then  I  will 
tear  your  flesh  with  the  thorns  of  the  wilderness  and  with  briers. 

8  And  he  went  up  thence  to  Penuel,  and  spake  unto  them  like- 
wise:  and  the  men  of  Penuel  answered  him  as  the  men  of 


tory  of  Sihon  king  of  Heslibon;  and  1  K.  vii.  46;  2  Chr.  iv.  7, 
which  speak  of  Solomon's  foundries  in  the  clay  ground  between 
Succoth  and  Zarethan,  certainly  suggest  that  there  was  one  also  on 
the  Canaan  side  of  the  river.  Neither  here  nor  in  Gen.  xxxiii.  17 
is  there  anything  to  compel  the  inference  that  the  Succoth  east  of 
Jordan  is  intended.  There  is  much  to  be  said  for  the  view  that 
here  we  have  to  do  Avith  the  western  Succoth,  which  has  been  with 
very  great  probability  identified  by  Kobinsou  with  the  ruin  called 
Sakut,  close  to  the  presmued  site  of  Abel-meholah  (see  above). 
"  The  eastern  bank  of  the  lower  Jordan  valley  opposite  to  us  was 
precipitous,  apparently  nearly  150  or  200  feet  high,  and  the  river 
was  running  close  under  it,  about  half  a  mile  distant  from  us.  The 
water  of  the  river  was  not  in  sight  because  of  the  bushes  and  trees. 
...Quite  a  number  of  places  were  visible  from  Sakut... Tabor  and 
Duliy  (Little  Hermon)  we  could  see  as  we  looked  up  through  the 
great  valley  of  Zerin.  In  the  eastern  mountauis  W.  Yiibis  was  over 
against  us ;  and  the  great  break  of  W.  Zerka  or  the  Jabbok  was  also 
in  view. ...Near  the  foot  of  the  bluff  of  Siikiit,  towards  the  east, 
there  breaks  out  a  beautiful  fountain  of  pure  and  sparkling  Avater, 
under  the  shade  of  a  thicket  of  fig-trees"  (Robinson).  the 

peojjJe  that  folhno  vie]  lit.  "the  people  at  my  feet';  cp.  iv.  10. 
6.  in  thine' ha lul]  i.e.  in  thy  grasp.  The  motive  of  the  refusal 
was  fear  of  the  Midianites  and  distrust  of  Gideon's  power  to 
protect  agahist  them.  7.     tear]    lit.  "  thresh " ;  see  Am.  i.  3. 

thorns]  I)escribing  the  route  to  the  N.W.  of  Sakiit,  Eobinsou 
speaks  of  "a  region... full  of  grass,  wild  oats  and  thistles,  with  an 
occasional  thornbush.  The  soil  was  like  that  of  an  Ohio  bottom. 
The  grass  intermingled  with  tall  daisies,  and  the  wild  oats  reached 
to  the  horses'  backs,  while  the  thistles  sometimes  overtopped  the 
riders'  heads... In  some  places  it  was  difficult  to  make  our  way 
through  this  exuberant  gi'owth."  briers]     Heb.  harhinini, 

only  here  and  in  ver.  16.  A  word  of  uncertain  meanuig  which  is 
left  untranslated  in  most  LXX.  texts,  Imt  in  that  of  Lucian  is  ren- 
dered Tpi(io\oi,  which  can  mean  either  thorns  or  threshing  instni- 
ments  (comp.  Lat.  tribulum,  whence  "tribulation").  On  this  latter 
interpretation,  cp.  2  Sam.  xii.  HI.  8.     Penuel]  or  Peniel  (Gen. 

xxxii.  81)  i.e.  "face  of  God,"  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Jabbok 
(W.  Zerka),  the  scene  of  Jacob's  wrestling, — whence  the  name, 
according  to  Gen.  xxxii.  HO  ("I  have  seen  God  face  to  face").  It  is 
here  spoken  of  as  a  fortified  place  with  a  tower ;  according  to  1  K. 


JUDGES,   VIII.   9—16.  61 

Succoth  had  answered  him.     And  he  spake  also  unto  the  men  of    !» 
Penuel,  saying,  When  I  come  again  in  peace,  I  will  break  down 
this  tower.     Now  Zebah  and  Zahnunna  were  in  Karkor,  and  m 
their  hosts  with  them,  about  fifteen   thousand   men,  all  that 
were  left  of  all  the  hosts  of  the  children  of  the  east :  for  there 
fell  an  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  men  that  drew  sword. 
And  Gideon  went  up  by  the  way  of  them  that  dwelt  in  tents  ii 
on  the  east  of  Nobah  and  Jogbehah,  and  smote  the  host:  for 
the  host  was  secure.     And  when  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  fled,  he  12 
pursued  after  them,  and  took  the  two  kings  of  Midian,  Zebah 
and  Zalmunna,  and  discomfited  all  the  host. 

And  Gideon  the  son  of  Joash  returned  from  battle  before  the  13 
sun  was  up,  and  caught  a  young  man  of  the  men  of  Succoth,  14 
and  inquired  of  him  :  and  he  described  unto  him  the  princes  of 
Succoth,  and  the  elders  thereof,  even  threescore  and  seventeen 
men.     And  he  came  unto  the  men  of  Succoth,  and  said.  Be-  lo 
hold  Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  with  whom  ye  did  upbraid  me, 
saying,  Are  the  hands  of  Zebah  and  Zahnunna  now  in  thine 
hand,  that  we  should  give  bread  unto  thy  men  that  are  weary? 
And  he  took  the  elders  of  the  city,  and  thorns  of  the  wilderness  I'j 


xii.  25  it  was  refortified  by  Jeroboam  I.,  a^iparently  with  the  in- 
tention that  it  should  become  the  chief  town  of  his  kingdom  beyond 
Jordan.  The  site  has  not  been  identified;  biat,  considering  what 
Jeroboam  thought  of  it,  it  ought  not  to  be  beyond  the  reach  of  con- 
jecture Avere  we  once  better  acquainted  with  the  topography  of  the 
district.  10.    Karkor,  where  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  with  their 

shattered  host  at  last  drew  breath  with  some  feeling  of  security,  is 
unidentified.  It  lay  eastward  or  south-eastward  of  Penuel,  and  in 
the  wilderness,  for  Gideon  reached  it  "by  the  Avay  [or  caravan 
route]  of  them  that  dwelt  in  tents  [i.e.  the  nomads]  on  the  east  of 
Nobah  and  Jogbehah.'"  11.    Nobah  luust  have  been  near  Jog- 

behah. Nu.  xxxii.  42  suggests  that  there  were  two  Nobahs,  the 
second  of  which  was  also  known  as  Kenath.  This  is  the  mod. 
Kanawat,  on  the  W.  slope  of  the  Jebel  Hauran,  4068  feet  above  sea- 
level,  in  m"  34'  E.  long.,  32"  48'  N.  lat.  Jogbehah,  near  the  Nobah 
of  our  text,  was  oiie  of  the  Gadite  towns  (Nu.  xxxii.  35),  and  is 
usually  identified  with  the  mod.  Jubehiit,  3468  feet  above  sea-level, 
about  6  ra.  N.N.E.  from  'Amman  (Eabbath-amnion),  on  the  road  to 
es-Salt  (Ramoth-gilead).  was  seciire^  i.e.  kept  no  guard. 

13.  before  the  sun  was  iq:>]  Eather,  "turned  back  from  the 
battle  [i.e.  ceased  his  jiursuit]  at  the  ascent  of  Heres."  Heres  is 
an  unidentified  point.  14.    and  caught]     Here  we  must 

begin  a  new  sentence:  "And  he  caught,"  viz.,  on  liis  way  back. 
(f escribed]  lit.  "wrote  down."  We  are  probably  to  understand 
a  written  list  rather  than  a  detailed  verbal  descrii^tion  of  each  of 
the  seventy-seven  men  referred  to.  princes. ..elders]     What 

distinction,  if  any,  there  is  here  between  princes  and  elders  is 
not  clear.    The  latter  are  the  sheikhs  or  leading  men  of  families. 


62  JUDGES,   VIII.    17—23. 

17  and  briers,  and  with  them  he  tau.^ht  the  men  of  Succoth.  And 
he  beat  down  the  tower  of  Penuel,  and  slew  the  men  of  the  city. 

18  Then  said  he  unto  Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  What  manner  of  men 
toere  they  whom  ye  slew  at  Tabor?  And  they  answered.  As 
thou  art,  so  icere  they;  each  one  resembled  the  children  of  a 

1!)  king.  And  he  said,  They  were  my  brethren,  even  the  sons  of 
my  mother :  as  the  Lokd  liveth,  if  ye  had  saved  them  alive,  I 

20  would  not  slay  you.  And  he  said  unto  Jether  his  firstborn, 
Up,  and  slay  them.     But  the  youth  drew  not  his  sword:  for  he 

21  feared,  because  he  teas  yet  a  youth.  Then  Zebah  and  Zalmunna 
said,  Fase  thou,  and  fall  upon  us:  for  as  the  man  is,  so  is 
his  strength.  And  Gideon  arose,  and  slew  Zebah  and  Zalmun- 
na, and  took  away  the  ornaments  that  were  on  their  camels' 
necks. 

22  Then  the  men  of  Israel  said  unto  Gideon,  llule  thou  over  us, 
both  thou,  and  thy  son,  and  thy  son's  son  also :  for  thou  hast 

23  delivered  us  from  the  hand  of  Midian.  And  Gideon  said  unto 
them,  I  will  not  rule  over  you,  neither  shall  my  son  rule  over 


16.  taught']  Some  ancient  authorities  have  "  threshed,"  the  readmg 
of  ver.  7.  17.    heat  down]    He  would  reach  Penuel  before 

Succoth,  but  might  prefer  to  chastise  the  open  town  of  Succoth 
before  laying  siege  to  the  fortress  of  Penuel.  18.     ]Vhat 

manner  of  men  &c.]  The  slaying  of  Gideon's  brethren  is  not  men- 
tioned in  chaps,  vi.  and  \\\.,  and  from  them  we  should  not  have 
giaessed  that  Gideon's  resort  to  anus  and  i^ersistent  jjursuit  of  the 
flying  enemy  were  stimulated  by  the  potent  motive  of  blood  revenge 
(ver.  19).  Tahor]    The  slaiaghter  at  Tabor  was  probably  an 

incident  m  the  advance  of  the  Midianites  into  the  plain  of  Esdraelon. 
chi/dren  of  a  Icing]  This  is  hardly  a  mere  compliment.  Among 
the  nomads,  where  the  common  people  are  often  badly  fed  in  child- 
hood, superior  physique  is  one  of  the  accepted  marks  of  nobler  birth. 

20.  As  late  as  the  fourth  Christian  century,  as  we  learn  from 
Nilus,  the  Arabs  of  the  Sinaitic  desert  charged  youths  with  the 
slaughter  of  prisoners,  to  accustom  them  to  deeds  of  blood  (W.  P.  S.). 

21.  as  the  man strength  (or  "valour")]   i.e.  courage  for  such 

an  act  camiot  be  expected  of  one  who  is  not  yet  a  man.  The 
Midianites  await  with  manly  composure  the  inevitable  f)peration  of 
the  law  of  blood.  ornaments]  "little  moons"  or  crescent-shajied 

amulets,  such  as  the  Bedouins  still  attach  to  their  riding  cattle. 
Compare  the  modern  horseshoe  on  the  stable-door.  In  Isa.  iii.  18 
the  same  name  ("round  tires  like  the  moon")  is  applied  to  an  orna- 
ment or  amulet  worn  by  women. 

22 — 35.     Gideon's  closing  j'ears. 

22.  men  of  Israel]  This  expression  need  not  be  taken  as  in- 
cluding Jndah  or  any  of  the  other  tribes  liitberto  unnamed  in  this 
story.  liiile  thou. ..and  thy  son  il'c]   The  dawning  of  the  idea 

of  a  hereditary  monarchy.  23.    1  n-ill  not  rule... the  Loan 

shall  rule]  The  story  of  Abimelech  (see  below),  however,  shows  that 


JUDGES,   VIII.   2i— 26.  63 

you:  the  Lokd  shall  rule  over  you.     And  Gideon  said  unto  24 
them,  I  would  desire  a  request  of  you,  that  you  would  give  me 
every  man  the  earrings  of  his  prey.     (For  they  had  golden  ear- 
rings, because  they  icere  Ishmaelites.)    And  they  answered,  25 
We  will  willingly  give  them.     And  they  spread  a  garment,  and 
did  cast  therein  every  man  the  earrings  of  his  prey.     And  the  2(i 
weight  of  the  golden  earrings  that  he  requested  was  a  thousand 
and  seven  hundred  shekels  of  gold ;  beside  ornaments,  and  col- 
lars, and  purple  raiment  that  ivas  on  the  kings  of  Midian,  and 


certam  rights  of  sovereignty  actually  were  exercised  by  Gideon 
and  bis  family  (see  note  on  ix.  2),  about  the  transmission  of  which 
there  was  a  question  after  bis  death.  At  any  rate  neither  in 
Gideon's  time  nor  in  the  succeeding  generations  was  there  anything 
approaching  to  what  could  be  called  a  theocracy.  The  view  that 
the  kingship  is  an  mfringement  of  the  Di\ine  sovereignty  (cp.  1 
Sam.  viii.  6  sqq;  x.  18  sqq.)  appears  only  in  a  few  passages  in  the 
old  history.  More  commonly  the  anarchy  of  the  period  of  the 
judges  is  represented  as  disastrous,  and  the  kingship,  especially 
that  of  the  bouse  of  David,  as  a  good  gift  of  God.  24. 

give  vie]  "In  ancient  Ai-abia  the  chief  took  the  fourth  part  of  the 
spoils  of  war,  and  bad  also  certain  other  perc^uisites,  j)articularly 
the  right  to  select  for  himself,  before  the  divisi(m,  some  special  gift 
{safaya),  such  as  a  damsel  or  sword.  Among  the  Hebrews,  in  like 
manner,  the  chief  received  a  liberal  share  of  the  booty  (1  Sam.  xxx. 
20),  including  some  choice  gift  corresponding  to  the  safaya  (Judg. 
V.  30;  viii.  24)."    W.  K.  Smith,  iie/.  q/>SVm7e.s%  p.  440.  ear- 

rings] K.V.  marg.  "noserings."  The  Hebrew,  nezem,  may  mean 
either.  It  is  "nosering,"  esi)eciaUy,  in  Gen.  xxiv.  47,  Isa.  iii.  *21, 
Ezek.  xvi.  12,  Prov.  xi.  22;  "earring"  in  Gen.  xxxv.  4,  Ex.  xxxii. 
2,  Prov.  XXV.  12.  Here  it  clearly  means  "  earring,"  as  noserings 
are  seldom  worn  by  men,  and  never  by  men  of  Semitic  race. 
preg']  E.V.  spoil,  stripped  from  the  slain.  Ishmaelites] 

nomadic  "Arabs;"  a  wider  word  than  "Midianites";  cp.  vi.  1, 
note.  Earrings  were  also  worn  by  the  Assyrians  (see  the  monu- 
ments), but  not  by  the  Hebrews.  The  point  however  lies  partly  in 
the  word  "golden,"  Arabia  being  then  celebrated  for  the  abundance 
of  its  gold.  Auriferous  rocks  have  been  found  by  recent  travellers 
in  Madian,  but  the  alluvial  gold  seems  now  to  be  exhausted. 
25.  garment]  Heb.  simhrh,  the  blanket-shaped  piece  of  woollen 
cloth  which  was  worn  as  a  mantle  over  the  tunic  (kuttoneth)  or 
waistcloth  {eztjr).  26.     a  thousand  and  seven  hundred  of  gold] 

i.e.  shekels.  Accoi'duig  to  the  latest  investigations  (Ridgeway)  the 
oldest  Hebrew  shekel  was  prol)ably  a  weight  of  130  gi-ains.  Thus 
the  gold  shekel  would  be  equivalent  to  the  Homeric  talent,  the  con- 
ventional value  of  an  ox.  The  English  sovereign  contains  113 
gi-ains  of  pure  gold.  For  the  Hebrew  silver  shekel  see  below  on  ix. 
4.  ornaments]  see  ver.  21.  collars]  R.V.  pendants 

(Heb.  netiphOth,  lit.  "di-ops");  see  Isa.  iii.  19  ("chains";  II. V.  "pen- 
dants"), picriile]  Heb.  argaman,  red  purple,  as  distinguished 


64  JUDGES,   Vm.   27—33. 

27  beside  the  chains  that  icerc  about  their  camels'  necks.  And 
Gideon  made  an  ephod  thereof,  and  put  it  in  his  city,  even  in 
Ophrah  :  and  all  Israel  went  thither  a  whoring  after  it :  which 

28  thing  became  a  snare  unto  Gideon,  and  to  his  house.  Thus 
was  Midian  subdued  before  the  children  of  Israel,  so  that 
they  lifted  up  their  heads  no  more.  And  the  country  was  in 
quietness  forty  years  in  the  days  of  Gideon. 

2<>      And  Jenabbaal  the  son  of  Joash  went  and  dwelt  in  his  own 
3(1  house.     And  Gideon  had  threescore  and  ten  sons  of  his  body 

31  begotten:  for  he  had  many  wives.  And  his  concubine  that 
was  in  Shechem,  she  also  bare  him  a  son,  whose  name  he 

32  called  Abimelech.  And  Gideon  the  son  of  Joash  died  in  a  good 
old  age,  and  was  buried  in  the  sepulchre  of  Joash  his  father, 

33  in  Ophrah  of  the  Abi-ezrites.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  soon  as 
Gideon  was  dead,  that  the  children  of  Israel  turned  again,  and 


from  violet  or  blue  puri)le  [teheleth),  both  made  with  the  costly 
murex  dye.  chains]  Heb.  "neck  chains,''  for  ornament.     In 

Cant.  iv.  9  the  word  is  used  of  a  woman's  neck  chain.  27. 

ephod^  The  most  familiar  use  of  this  wox*d  is  as  denoting  a  part  of  the 
priestly  dress  which  was  made  of  linen.  But  the  present  ephod  was 
made  of  gold,  or  plated  with  that  metal,  and  the  word  "a  whoring" 
implies  that  it  was  a  kind  of  idol.  Cp.  Isa.  xxx.  22,  where  the  word 
"ornament"  (R.V.  "plathig")  is  in  the  Hebrew  aphuddah,  the 
word  ephod  with  a  feminine  termination.  aU  Israel]  see  vi. 

11 ;  also  above,  ver.  22.  a  snare]    See  ii.  3.     AVe  are  not  to 

suppose  that  Gideon  himself  saw  in  this  worship  anything  incon- 
sistent with  his  perfect  loyalty  to  Jehovah,  whom  he  acknowledged 
in  the  name  he  gave  to  his  youngest  son  (Jotliam,  t'.r.  "Jehovah  is 
perfect  ").  That  all  images  were  inconsistent  with  Jehovah-worship 
was  a  truth  that  daAvned  on  the  Israelites  but  slowly.  The  prophets 
Hosea,  Isaiah  and  Micali  all  l)ear  witness  to  the  fact  that  down  to 
the  Assyrian  period  images  formed  a  regular  part  of  the  furniture 
of  "houses  of  God"  in  the  kingdom  of  Judah  as  well  as  in  that  of 
Israel.  28.     lifted  vp  their  heads  no  nwre\  It  was  probably 

about  the  same  time  that  the  Mi(hanites  received  another  crushing 
blow  "hi  the  field  of  Moab'  at  the  hand  of  theEdomites;  Gen. 
xxxvi.  35.  29.     direlt  in  his  on-n  house    i.e.  was  not  again 

called  into  the  field.  30.     mani/  n-ires]   (rideon,  like  David, 

after  he  had  ])ecome  a  man  of  wealth  and  consideration,  sought  to 
establish  and  extend  his  influence  by  inmierous  matrimonial  alli- 
ances. 31.  his  concubine]  called  his  slave-girl  in  ix.  18. 
Apparently  she  was  a  Canaanite;  see  ix.  1,  2,  28,  and  notes. 
Jhinielech]  i.e.  "father  of  a  king."  By  naming  him  Gideon  ac- 
knowledged him  as  his  son,  and  the  contrast  l)etween  l»is  name 
("father  of  a  king")  and  his  estate  ("son  of  a  handmaid')  is  hardly 
accidental. 

33 — 35.    Not  part  of  the  main  narrative,  but  the  editor's  antici- 
patory simnnary  and  appreciation  of  the  events  of  chap,  ix. 


JUDGES,   VIII.   34— IX.   3.  G5 

went  a  whoring  after  Baalim,  and  made  Baal-berith  their  god. 
And  the  cliildren  of  Israel  remembered  not  the  Lord  their  God,  34 
who  had  delivered  them  out  of  the  hands  of  all  their  enemies 
on  every  side:  neither  shewed  they  kindness  to  the  house  of  35 
Jerubbaal,  namely,  Gideon,  according  to  all  the  goodness  which 
he  had  shewed  unto  Israel. 

And  Abimelech  the  son  of  Jerubbaal  went  to  Shechem  unto  9 
his  mother's  brethren,  and  communed  with  them,  and  with  all 
the  family  of  the  house  of  his  mother's  father,  saying,  Speak,  I  2 
pray  you,  in  the  ears  of  all  the  men  of  Shechem,  Whether  is 
better  for  you,  either  that  all  the  sons  of  Jerubbaal,  2chich 
are   threescore  and  ten  persons,  reign  over  you,  or  that  one 
reign  over  you?  remember  also  that  I  am  your  bone  and  your 
flesh.     And  his  mother's  brethren  spake  of  him  in  the  ears  of  3 
all  the  men  of  Shechem  all  these  words :  and  their  hearts  in- 


33.    Baali/ti]   the  Baalim;   see  ii.  11.  Baal-herith]  or 

El-berith,  the  local  god  of  the  Cauaauites  of  Shechem  (ix.  4,  46). 
To  what  extent  the  Israehtes  became  involved  in  his  worship  may 
be  learned  from  the  following  chapter. 

IX.    King  Abimelech. 

1.  iSJiechem]  mod.  Ntibulus,  1870  feet  above  sea-level,  occupies  a 
central  jiosition  in  the  hill-country  of  Ephraim,  where  the  road 
from  Hebron  and  Jerusalem  to  the  north  (see  below,  xxi.  19),  is 
crossed  by  one  of  the  trade  routes  from  Gaza  to  Damascus.  The 
valley  of  Shechem  between  Ebal  and  Gerizim  has  been  spoken  of 
by  travellers  as  the  paradise  of  the  Holy  Land.  It  is  frequently 
mentioned  in  the  patriarchal  histories  (Gen.  xii.  0;  xxxiii.  18  s(jq.; 
xxxiv.  2  &c.)  in  such  a  way  as  shows  that  it  must  have  been  a 
sanctuaiy  from  ancient  times,  and  in  tlie  Book  of  Joshua  it  is 
spoken  of  as  a  city  of  refuge,  a  Levitical  city,  and  the  resting-place 
of  the  bones  of  Joseph  (xxi.  21 ;  xxiv.  32).  It  was  the  scene  of  the 
meetmg  of  the  ten  tribes  at  which  Jeroboam  was  chosen  king  (1  K. 
xii.  1  sqq.),  and  was  for  some  time  his  capital.  After  the  exile  it 
became  the  prmcipal  city  of  the  Samaritan  community,  and  the 
seat  of  their  schismatic  worship  on  Mount  Gerizim.  honae  of 

?ns  mother's  father]  lit.  "his  mother's  father-house,"  i.e.  his 
mother's  clan.  2.  men  of  Shechem]  Heb.  ba'alim  (lit.  "owners," 
or  landholders),  an  expression  used  also  by  the  Phoenicians  to 
denote  free  citizens ;  so  throughout  this  chapter.  In  \'iii.  5  &c. 
("men  of  Succoth"),  the  word  is  different.  From  ver.  28  {([.v.)  it 
seems  almost  certain  that  these  "  men'  of  Shechem  were  of  Canaanite 
descent  (Haraorites),  and  that  it  was  only  after  the  total  destruc- 
tion of  the  city  by  Abimelech  (ver.  45)  that  an  Israelite  town  was 
formed  on  the  spot.  Ml/ether  is  better  &c.]  The  question 

shows  that  Gideon  had  wielded  some  kind  of  sovereignty  which 
would  naturally  be  transmitted  to  his  sons  collectively;  many 
examples  in  Semitic  history  show  that  in  the  absence  of  a  formal 
sovereignty  the  influence  of  a  numerous  and  wealthy  family  tends 

JUDGES  5 


66  JUDGES,   IX.   4-6. 

clined  to  follow  Abimelech ;  for  tbey  said,  He  is  our  brother. 

4  And  they  gave  him  threescore  and  ten  pieces  of  silver  out  of  the 
house  of  Baal-berith,  wherewith  Abimelech  hired  vain   and 

5  light  persons,  which  followed  him.  And  he  went  unto  his 
father's  house  at  Ophrah,  and  slew  his  brethren  the  sons  of 
Jerubbaal,  heinci  threescore  and  ten  persons,  upon  one  stone : 
notwithstanding  yet  Jotham  the  youngest  son  of  Jerubbaal  was 

6  left ;  for  he  hid  himself.  And  all  the  men  of  Shechem  gather- 
ed together,  and  all  the  house  of  Millo,  and  went,  and  made 
Abimelech  king,  by  the  plain  of  the  pillar  that  was  in  Shechem. 


to  become  little  less  than  kingly.  4.  threescore  and  ten  [pieces, 
i.e.  shekels]  of  silvei-]  At  this  period,  and  indeed  down  to  the  Exile, 
the  shekel  was  a  Aveight,  not  a  coin  (cp.  Gen.  xxiii.  16).  When 
the  Jews  began  to  coin  money  of  their  own  imder  Simon  Mac- 
cabaens  (b.c.  141)  the  silver  shekel  was  struck  on  the  Phoenician 
standard  and  weighed  about  220  gi-ains,  a  little  more  than  the 
English  half-crown  of  218  grains.  The  weight  of  the  silver  shekel 
in  earlier  times  has  been  much  disputed,  the  main  question  being 
whether  the  unit  was  about  130  grains  (so  Eidgeway :  see  note  on 
viii.  26),  or  twice  as  great  (258  grains,  according  to  Petrie).  The 
small  sum  mentioned  in  the  passage  before  us  can  hardly  have 
done  more  than  furnish  earnest  monej'  to  Abimelech's  mercenaries 
(cp.  xvii.  10,  below,  where  examples  of  the  purchasing  power  of  the 
shekel  are  cited).  house  of  Baal-berith']  In  antiquity  there  was 

no  sharp  line  between  public  treasux-e  and  temple  treasure.  Conse- 
crated treasures  were  protected  (so  far)  from  private  peculation,  but 
remained  available  for  occasions  of  public  need  (1  K.  xv.  18;  2  K. 
xviii.  15;  2  Sam.  viii.  11).  So  at  Athens  the  public  treasure  lay  in 
the  inner  chamber  of  the  Parthenon.  Iiyht  persons]  "  restless" 

or  "hot-headed"  ("unstable":  Gen.  xlix.  4).  5.    npon  one 

stone]  a  deliberate  and  cold-blooded  massacre, — perhaps  with  some 
of  the  forms  of  a  public  execution.  Jotham]  See  viii.  27,  note. 

6.  aU  the  house  of  Millo]  Heb.  "all  Beth-millo."  The  Millo  at 
Jerusalem  was  a  fortress  (2  Sam.  v.  9;  1  K.  xi.  27).  Here  also  we 
must  understand  a  fortified  quarter  of  Shechem,  or  a  fortified 
village  near  it.  hi'if/]   This  was  an  attempt  to  estabhsh  a 

semi-Canaanite  domination  in  central  Palestine,  and  was  necessarily 
foredoomed  to  failure,  since  the  Hebrews  were  by  far  the  stronger 
element  in  this  part  of  the  country.  From  data  subsequently  sup- 
plied by  this  chapter  (see  especially  vv.  22,  25,  note,  and  55,  where 
Abimelech's  followers  are  called  the  "men of  Israel")  we  may  infer 
that  Abimelech  soon  perceived  that  he  had  more  to  giin  by  reign- 
ing as  an  Israelite  in  virtue  of  his  father's  blood,  than  l)y  favouring 
the  Canaanites,  the  peojile  of  his  mother.  jflain]  Heb.  "  oak," 

i.e.  tbe  sacred  tree  mentioned  in  Gen.  xii.  6,  7,  Dt.  xi.  30,  Josb. 
xxiv.  26.  In  Gen.  xii.  6  this  "  secular  tree "  of  Shechem  is  called 
"the  oak  of  the  revealer."  pillar]  R.V.  marg.  has  "garrison" 

(Heb.  viurrah),  but  A.V.  is  doubtless  right;  ci).  Josh.  xxiv.  26, 
where  the  great  stone  under  the  oak  of  the  sanctuary  at  Shechem 


JUDGES,   IX.   7—15.  67 

And  when  they  told  it  to  Jotham,  he  went  and  stood  in  the   7 
top  of  mount  Gerizim,  and  lift  up  his  voice,  and  cried,  and 
said  unto  them,  Hearken  unto  me,  you  men  of  Shechem,  that 
God  may  hearken  unto  you.     The  trees  went  forth  on  a  time  to    8 
anoint  a  king  over  them;  and  they  said  unto  the  olive  tree, 
Keign  thou  over  us.     But  the  ohve  tree  said  unto  them,  Should    9 
I  leave  my  fatness,  wherewith  by  me  they  honour  God  and  man, 
and  go  to  be  promoted  over  the  trees?     And  the  trees  said  to  lo 
the  fig  tree,  Come  thou,  and  reign  over  us.     But  the  fig  tree  ii 
said  unto  them,  Should  I  forsake  my  sweetness,  and  my  good 
fruit,  and  go  to  be  promoted  over  the  trees  ?     Then  said  the  12 
trees  unto  the  vine.  Come  thou,  and  reign  over  us.     And  the  13 
vine  said  unto  them.  Should  I  leave  my  wine,  which  cheereth 
God  and  man,  and  go  to  be  promoted  over  the  trees?     Then  14 
said  all  the  trees  unto  the  bramble,  Come  thou,  and  reign  over 
us.    And  the  bramble  said  unto  the  trees,  If  in  truth  ye  anoint  15 
me  king  over  you,  then  come  and  put  your  trust  in  my  shadow : 
and  if  not,  let  fire  come  out  of  the  bramble,  and  devour  the 


is  expressly  mentioned.  The  usual  name  of  such  a  stone  is 
maqgeha.  Hosea  (iii.  4)  speaks  of  the  maggeha  as  an  invariable 
feature  of  the  northern  sanctuaries  of  his  time.  Such  stones  were 
at  once  rude  altars  to  which  the  sacrificial  blood  was  apphed,  and 
memorials  or  symbols  of  the  presence  of  the  deity. 

7 — 20.  Jotham's  parable  and  curse.  Fables  or  parables  from 
trees  were  familiar  to  the  Hebrews.  Another  is  given  in  2  K.  xiv. 
9 ;  compare  also  1  K.  iv.  33,  where  proverbs  or  parables  derived 
from  trees  are  probably  meant. 

7.  Genzim,  the  hill  to  the  south  of  Shechem,  rises  about  1000 
feet  above  tbe  to'mi.  "  Several  lofty  precipices  of  Gerizim  literally 
overhang  the  city,  any  one  of  which  would  answer  Jotham's  pur- 
pose. Nor  would  it  be  difficult  to  be  heard,  as  everybody  knows 
who  has  hstened  to  the  public  crier  of  villages  in  Lebanon.  In  the 
stilhiess  of  evening,  after  the  people  have  returned  home  from  their 
distant  fields  he  ascends  the  mountain  side  above  the  place,  or  to 
the  roof  of  some  prominent  house,  and  there  '  hf ts  up  his  voice  and 
cries'  as  Jotham  did "  (Thomson).  9.    wherewith  h\i  me  &c.] 

"even  I  by  whom,"  or, perhaps,  "which  God  [or,  rather,  gods]  and 
man  honour  in  me."  For  the  sacrificial  use  of  oil,  see  Nu.  xv.  4, 
Lev.  ii.  1,  6,  7;  and  for  its  use  as  an  unguent,  Ps.  xxiii.  5.  to 

he  promoted]  to  wave  to  and  fro;  so  w.  11,  13.  13.    wine] 

lit.  "must,"  or  new  wine.  cheereth  God\  or,  rather,  "gods." 

This  conception  of  one  of  the  functions  of  sacrifice  is  not  confined 
to  the  rudest  peoples ;  it  appears  often  in  the  Old  Testament,  and 
had  to  be  combated  by  psalmists  and  prophets;  see  for  example 
Ps.  1.  14.    all]  There  is  a  touch  of  sarcasm  here.  hramhle] 

Heb.  'atad,  some  kind  of  rhamnus,  of  which  there  are  many  species 
in  Palestme.  15.    imt  your  trust]  i.e.  shelter  yourselves. 

let  Jire  come  out]   The  thorny  underwood  can  give  no  shade  to  the 


68  JUDGES,   IX.    10—25. 

i«  cedars  of  Lebanon.  Now  therefore,  if  ye  have  done  truly  and 
sincerely,  in  that  ye  have  made  Abimelech  king,  and  if  ye  have 
dealt  well  with  Jerubbaal  and  his  house,  and  have  done  unto 

17  him  according  to  the  deserving  of  his  hands;  (for  my  father 
fought  for  you,  and  adventured  his  life  far,  and  delivered  you 

18  out  of  the  hand  of  Midian:  and  ye  are  risen  up  against  my 
father's  house  this  day,  and  have  slain  his  sons,  threescore  and 
ten  persons,  upon  one  stone,  and  have  made  Abimelech,  the 
son  of  his  maidservant,  king  over  the  men  of  Shechem,  because 

19  he  /s  your  brother;)  if  ye  then  have  dealt  truly  and  sincerely 
with  Jerubbaal  and  with  his  house  this  day,  then  rejoice  ye  in 

20  Abimelech,  and  let  him  also  rejoice  in  you :  but  if  not,  let  fire 
come  out  from  Abimelech,  and  devour  the  men  of  Shechem, 
and  the  house  of  Millo ;  and  let  fire  come  out  from  the  men  of 
Shechem,  and  from  the  house  of  Millo,  and  devour  Abimelech. 

21  And  Jotham  ran  away,  and  fled,  and  went  to  Beer,  and  dwelt 
there,  for  fear  of  Abimelech  his  brother. 

'22, 23  When  Abimelech  had  reigned  three  years  over  Israel,  then 
God  sent  an  evil  spirit  between  Abimelech  and  the  men  of 
Shechem ;  and  the  men  of  Shechem  dealt  treacherously  with 

24  Abimelech  :  that  the  cruelty  done  to  the  threescore  and  ten 
sons  of  Jerubbaal  might  come,  and  their  blood  be  laid  upon 
Abimelech  their  brother,  which  slew  them  ;  and  upon  the  men 
of  Shechem,  which  aided  him  in  the  killing  of  his  brethren. 

25  And  the  men  of  Shechem  set  liers  in  wait  for  him  in  the  top 
of  the  mountains,  and  they  robbed  all  that  came  along  that 

lofty  cedars,  but  a  fire  beginnmg  in  it  may  devour  the  whole  forest; 
cp.  Isa.  ix.  18.  The  application  to  Abimelech  is  obvious,  and  in- 
cludes an  allusion  to  his  base  birth  (cp.  ver.  18).  The  modern 
Eastern  view,  which  takes  no  account  of  the  condition  of  a  man's 
mother,  is  due  to  Mohammedanism,  and  had  no  place  among  the 
ancient  Semites.  16.     sinceref;/]   i.e.  dealt  loyally  towards  the 

house  of  Gideon;  see  ver.  19.  17.     adrent ii red  hi<i  life  farl 

lit.  "cast  his  life  before  him";  the  image  is  that  of  a  warrior 
chargmg  the  enemy  in  advance  of  his  men. 

21 — 57.  The  fulfilment  of  Jotham's  curse  in  the  destruction, 
first  of  Shechem  and  tl)en  of  Abimelech.  Many  particulars  of  the 
nan-ative  are  obscure,  jjartly  fnmi  want  of  detail  as  to  the  persons 
engaged,  and  the  antecedents  of  the  incidents  recorded,  and  partly 
also  from  textual  difficulties. 

21.  Beer']  Perhaps  Beer-sheba,  the  remotest  corner  of  Palestine, 
and  beyond  the  reach  of  Abimelech.  22.     Israel]  cp.  ver.  (i. 

23.  (!od  se/it  an  eril  spirit]  cp.  1  Sam.  xvi.  14;  1  K.  xxii.  *21 
sqq.;  also  1  K.  xii.  15.  25.     Hers  in  vait  for  him]  either,  to 

assassinate  him,  or,  (dativus  incommodi)  to  aimoy  him,  viz.  by 
rendering  the  high  roads  insecure.  thei/  robbed^    Shechem  lay 

at  the  crossing  of  two  great  through  roads,  and  had  counnercial 
interests.    That  the  Shechemites  felt  they  were  injuring  Abime- 


JUDGES,   IX.   26—30.  69 

way  by  them  :   and  it  was  told  Abimelech.     And  Gaal  the  2« 
son    of    Ebed    came   with   his   brethren,    and   went    over   to 
Shechem :  and  the  men  of  Shechem  put  their  confidence  in 
him.     And  they  went  out  into  the  fields,  and  gathered  their  27 
vineyards,  and  trode  the  grapes,  and  made  merry,  and  went 
into  the  house  of  their  god,  and  did  eat  and  drink,  and  cursed 
Abimelech.     And  Gaal  the  son  of  Ebed  said,  Who  is  Abime-  28 
lech,  and  who   is   Shechem,  that  we  should  serve  him?    is 
not  he  the  son  of  Jerubbaal?   and  Zebul  his  officer?   serve 
the  men  of  Hamor  the  father  of  Shechem  :   for  why  should 
we   serve  him  ?     And  would  to  God  this  people  were  under  2!> 
my  hand ;   then   would   I   remove  Abimelech.     And  he  said 
to  Abimelech,    Increase   thine   army,    and  come   out.      And  3o 
when  Zebul  the  ruler  of  the  city  heai-d  the  words  of  Gaal  the 


lech  by  interfering  with  the  through  traffic  implies  that  the  latter 
was  aiming  at  a  kingship  over  the  whole  country ;  and  it  may  be 
presumed  that  in  the  pursuit  of  this  larger  object  he  had  offended 
the  Shechemites  by  iudiffei*ence  to  their  special  mterests,  perhaps  by 
prohibiting  them  from  le\'ying  dues  (octroi)  on  through  traffic. 
it  v-as  fold]  Abimelech  therefore  was  absent  from  Shechem,  pre- 
sumably in  pursuit  of  some  scheme  of  aggi'andisement.  Shechem 
was  still  nominally  subject  to  hmi,  and  the  machinations  of  the 
Shechemites  were  not  meant  to  reach  his  ears.  26.     hrefhren] 

probably  in  the  sense  of  "partisans."  Gaal,  of  whom  nothing  is 
known  except  from  our  chapter,  was  the  leader  of  an  armed  band 
like  that  with  which  Abimelech  (above,  ver.  4),  Jephthali  (below, 
xi.  3),  and  David  himself  (1  Sam.  xxAai.  8  sqq.)  laid  the  foundations 
of  their  power.  their  confidence']  i.e.  were  encouraged  by  the 

presence  of  this  force  to  adopt  a  more  openly  hostile  attitude  to- 
wards Abimelech.  27.  made  viernj\  K.V.  held  festival. 
(Heb.  hilh'illni).  Etymologically  the  word  is  connected  with  the 
"hallelujah"  of  the  Psalms,  and  with  the  Arabic  tahlil,  "  religious 
shouthig"  (at  the  sanctuary).  We  are  therefore  to  understand  a 
festival  of  thanks  for  the  vintage,  accompanied  with  shouts  of 
praise.  28.  An  extremely  difficult  verse.  The  text  is  prob- 
ably not  quite  sound,  and  perhaps  Ave  should  read  (with  the  aid  of 
LXX.):  "Who  is  Abimelech,  and  who  is  [the  ruler  of]  Shechem, 
that  we  should  serve  him  ?  Have  not  the  son  of  Jerubbaal,  and 
Zel)ul  his  officer,  enslaved  the  men  of  Hamor  the  father  of  Shechem  ? 
but  why  should  we  serve  him  ?"'  In  any  case  the  "we  "  is  empliatic, 
and  appears  to  denote  Gaal  and  his  men  in  contradistinction  to  the 
Hamorites.  29.  and  he  said  &c.]  According  to  the  following 
verses  the  notice  of  the  revolt  at  Shechem  was  conveyed  to  Abune- 
lech  by  Zebul  Avithout  Gaals  knowledge.  We  can  hardly  therefore 
suppose  that  our  verse  speaks  of  an  open  challenge  to  Abimelech 
by  Gaal.  The  omission  of  a  single  jot  from  the  text  gives  the 
folloAving:  "then  would  I  remove  [i.e.  depose]  Abimelech,  and 
would  say  to  Abimelech,  Inci-ease  thine  army  and  come  out "  [i.e. 
meet  me  in  battle].    So  LXX.  30.    the  niler  of  the  city] 


70  JUDGES,   IX.    31—30. 

31  son  of  Ebed,  his  anger  was  kindled.  And  he  sent  messengers 
unto  Abimelech  privily,  saying.  Behold,  Gaal  the  son  of 
Ebed  and  his  brethren  be  come  to  Shechem  ;  and  behold,  they 

32  fortify  the  city  against  thee.  Now  therefore  up  by  night,  thou 
and  the  people  that  is  with  thee,  and  lie  in  wait  in  the  field  : 

33  and  it  shall  be,  that  in  the  morning,  as  soon  as  the  sun  is  up, 
thou  shalt  rise  early,  and  set  upon  the  city  ;  and  behold, 
tchen  he  and  the  people  that  is  with  him  come  out  against 
thee,  then  mayest  thou  do  to  them  as  thou  shalt  find  occasion. 

34  And  Abimelech  rose  up,  and  all  the  people  that  were  with 
him,   by  night,  and  they  laid  wait  against  Shechem  iji  four 

35  companies.  And  Gaal  the  son  of  Ebed  went  out,  and  stood 
i7i  the  entering  of  the  gate  of  the  city  :  and  Abimelech  rose 
up,  and  the  people  that  wei'e  with  him,  from  lying  in  wait. 

36  Arid  when  Gaal  saw  the  people,  he  said  to  Zebul,  Behold, 
there  come  people  down  from  the  top  of  the  mountains.  And 
Zebul  said  unto  him,  Thou  seest  the  shadow  of  the  mountains 

37  as  if  they  were  men.  And  Gaal  spake  again  and  said.  See 
there  come  people  down  by  the  middle  of  the  land,  and 
another   company   come   along  by   the  plain   of  Meonenim. 

38  Then  said  Zebul  unto  him.  Where  is  now  thy  mouth,  where- 
with thou  saidst.  Who  is  Abimelech,  that  we  should  serve 
him  ?  IS  not  this  the  people  that  thou  hast  despised  ?  go  out, 

33  I  pray  now,  and  fight  with  them.     And  Gaal  went  out  before 


Doubtless  the  head  of  a  leading  Sliechemite  family,  who  in  Abime- 
lech's  absence  guided  the  affairs  of  the  town.  In  ver.  28  Gaal  calls 
him  Abimelech's  "officer;"  but  we  can  hardly  doubt  that  he  was 
involved  in  the  secret  machinations  of  the  Shecheniites  against  the 
king,  and  that  his  resolution  to  warn  the  latter  against  Gaal  was 
due  less  to  loyalty  than  to  jealousy  of  the  open  bid  for  the 
sovereignty  of  Shechem  made  by  Gaal  in  ver.  2S.  In  the  sequel 
Abhnelech  takes  the  hint  as  regards  Gaal,  but  evidently  he  had  no 
confidence  in  Zebul,  who  seems  to  have  perisbed  in  the  destruction 
of  the  town.  31.    jn-irily]  R.V.  craftily.     He  was  playing  a 

double  game.  foi'tify]  R.V.  constrain  the  city  [to  take 

part]  against  thee.  Both  renderings  are  somewhat  precarious. 
33.  as  thou  .shalf  Jind  occafiioii]  lit.  "as  thine  hand  shall  find," 
i.e.  as  thou  art  able.  he  and  the  i>eoj)If]  i.e.  Gaal  and  his  parti- 

sans. Here  Zebul  seems  to  promise  that  he  will  holdback  the  mass 
of  the  Shecheniites  from  following  Gaal.  35.     Ii/iii(/  in  irait} 

R.V.  the  ambushinent.  37.    hi/  the  middle]  lit.  "from 

beside  the  navel  of  the  land.''  A  definite  locality  so  named  must 
be  meant.  The  same  designation  [yi]^  o/unfiuXu^)  was  api)lic(l  by  tlie 
Cireeks  to  Delphi.  plain  of  Mcoiifnim]  t)r  rather  "augurs' 

oak,"  the  same  as  the  "oak  of  the  revealer"  (A.V.  "plain  of 
Moreh  ");  see  ver.  6,  note.  39.     hr/ore^   The  natural  meanuig 

of  this  is,  "at  the  head  of."  But  the  subsequent  context  scarcely 
admits  any  stronger  sense  than  "  in  the  sight  of"  (see  notes  on  vv. 


JUDGES,   IX.   40—48.  71 

the    men   of   Shechem,   and   fought   witli   Abimelech.      And  40 
Abimelech   chased  him,  and  he  fled  before  him,  and  many 
were  overthrown  and  wounded,  even  unto  the  entering  of  tlie 
gate.     And  Abimelech  dwelt  at  Arumah :   and  Zebul  thrust  41 
out   Gaal  and  his  brethren,  that   they  should  not  dwell  in 
Shechem.     And   it   came   to  pass  on  the  morrow,   that  the  42 
people  went   out   into   the   field;   and  they  told  Abimelech. 
And  he  took  the  people,  and  divided  them  into  three  com-  45 
panies,  and  laid  wait  in  the  field,  and  looked,  and  behold,  the 
people  were   come   forth   out   of  the  city ;   and   he   rose  up 
against  them,   and   smote  them.     And   Abimelech,  and   the  44 
company  that  ivas  with  him,  rushed  forward,  and  stood  in  the 
entering  of  the  gate  of  the  city  :  and  the  two  other  companies 
ran  upon  all  the  people  that  were  in  the  fields,  and  slew  them. 
And   Abimelech  fought  against   the  city  all  that  day ;   and  45 
he  took  the  city,  and  slew  the  people  that  ivas  therein,  and 
beat  down  the  city,  and  sowed  it  with  salt.     And  when  all  the  4(; 
men  of  the  tower  of  Shechem  heard  that,  they  entered  into  a 
hold  of  the  house  of  the  god  Berith.     And  it  was  told  Abime-  47 
lech,  that  all  the  men  of  the  tower  of  Shechem  were  gathered 
together.     And  Abimelech  gat  him  up  to  mount  Zalmon,  he  48 

41,  42).  41.    Arumali]   Unknown.     Perhaps  it  is  represented 

by  the  mod.  el-'Onna,  6  m.  S.S.E.  from  Shechem,  where  there  are 
ruins.  Possibly  it  may  be  the  same  as  the  Ru7iiah  of  2  K.  xxiii.  36. 
An  easy  emendation  would  give  "Abimelech  returned  to  his  am- 
bushment "  (W.  E.  S.)  Zehnl  thrust  out  G'aal]  after  his  defeat. 

The  expulsion  of  Gaal  implies  that  Zebul  had  reestabUshed  his 
ascendency  in  the  city,  and  designed  to  make  peace  with  Abimelech, 
Had  the  Shechemites  meant  war,  they  would  not  have  parted  with 
a  useful  band  of  auxiliaries.  Abimelech  on  the  other  hand  was 
resolved  to  treat  the  Shechemites  as  deadly  enemies.  42.     the 

l)eople  went  out  into  the  Jield]  Hardly  for  battle  (see  the  preceding 
verse);  perhaps  to  complete  the  vintage.  They  seem  to  have 
thought  tliat  Abimelech  and  his  forces  had  drawn  oflf.  the\i 

?oW]  i.e.  Abimelech's  scouts  told.  44.    companif]  Ht.  "com- 

panies," as  in  R.V.,  but  A.V.  gives  the  right  sense.      "  ^eUs\ 

R.V.  field,  as  in  ver.  33.  45.    soared  it  tcitk  salt]  A  figurative 

action,  symbolizing  complete  and  final  devastation.  A  salt  land 
"is  not  sown,  nor  beareth,  nor  any  grass  groweth  therein"  (Dt. 
xxix.  23).  Cp.  Zeph.  ii.  9;  Job  xxxix.  6  (E.V.  "salt  land");  Ps. 
cvii.  34  (R.V.  "  a  fruitful  land  into  a  salt  desert");  Jer.  xvii.  6  ("a 
salt  land  and  not  inhabited").  Shecliem  however  speedily  re- 
covered. 4€.  the  tower  of  Shechem]  Heb.  Mujdal  Shechem,  a 
dependency  of  Shechem,  prol)al)ly  so  called  from  the  fortified 
temple  of  El-berith.  a  hold]  R.V.  the  hold.  the 
god  Berith]  Heb.  El-berith,  the  same  as  Baal-berith;  see  above. 
48.  Zalmon]  i.e.  "shady."  A  wooded  hill  near  Shechem  nuist 
be  intended.    It  is  by  a  mere  coincidence  that  a  bill  to  the  south  of 


72  JUDGES,   IX.    I'J— 57. 

and  all  the  people  that  were  with  him ;  and  Abimelech  took 
an  axe  in  his  hand,  and  cut  down  a  bough  from  the  trees,  and 
took  it,  and  laid  it  on  his  shoulder,  and  said  unto  the  people 
that  loere  with  him,  What  ye  have  seen  me  do,  make  haste, 

49  and  do  as  I  have  done.  And  all  the  people  likewise  cut  down 
every  man  his  bough,  and  followed  Abimelech,  and  put  them 
to  the  hold,  and  set  the  hold  on  fire  upon  them  ;  so  that  all 
the  men  of  the  tower  of  Shechera  died  also,  about  a  thousand 
men  and  women. 

50  Then   went   Abimelech   to  Thebez,  and  encamped  against 

51  Thebez,  and  took  it.  But  there  was  a  strong  tower  within  the 
city,  and  thither  fled  all  the  men  and  women,  and  all  they  of 
the  city,  and  shut  it  to  them,  and  gat  them  up  to  the  top  of 

52  the  tower.  And  Abimelech  came  unto  the  tower,  and  fought 
against  it,  and  went  hard  unto  the  door  of  the  tower  to  burn 

53  it  with  fire.     And  a  certain  woman  cast  a  piece  of  a  millstone 

54  upon  Abimelech's  head,  and  all  to  brake  his  skull.  Then  he 
called  hastily  unto  the  young  man  his  armourbearer,  and  said 
unto  him.  Draw  thy  sword,  and  slay  me,  that  men  say  not  of 
me,  A  woman   slew  him.     And  his  young  man  thrust  him 

55  through,  and  he  died.  And  when  the  men  of  Israel  saw  that 
Abimelech  was  dead,  they  departed  every  man  unto  his  place. 

5«  Thus  God  rendered  the  wickedness  of  Abimelech,  which  he 

57  did  unto  his  father,  in  slaying  his  seventy  brethren  :  and  all  the 

evil  of  the  men  of  Shechem  did  God  render  upon  their  heads : 

and  upon  them  came  the  curse  of  Jotham  the  son  of  Jerubbaal. 


Shechem  is  at  present  known  by  the  name  of  a  Mohammedan  samt, 
Selmaii  (Suleiman  or  Solomon)  el  Farsi.  50.     Then  iccnf  &c.] 

lit.  "And  Abimelech  went."  It  is  not  necessarily  implied  that  the 
siege  of  Thebez  was  connected  with  the  revolt  of  the  Shechemites. 
Thebez]  Abimelech's  siege  of  Thebez.  is  referred  to  in  2  Sam.  xi.  21. 
The  town  still  existed  mider  the  same  name  in  the  days  of  Eusebius 
and  Jerome,  who  define  its  position  as  less  tlian  IB  K.  m.  from 
Shechem  on  the  road  to  Beth-shean.  It  is  rejiresented  by  the  mod. 
Tfibas,  a  large  village  10  ni.  in  a  straight  line  N.E.  from  Nabulus 
and  about  2  m.  S.W.  from  Tahlsa  (Tirzah).  51.    top]  R.V. 

roof.  52.     hard  inito]  i.e.  close  up  to;  cp.  "hard  after," 

"hard  by."  to  burn  if]    repeating  his  (•xi)loit  at  Shechem. 

53.  a  piece  of  a  millstone]  E.V.  an  upper  millstone;  lit.  "the 
riding  piece"  of  a  handmill  or  quorn.  oil  to  brake]  an  obsolete 

Enjjjlisli  expression.     The  to  here  represents  the  Saxon  particle  te-, 
equivalent  to  the  Germ,  cf/--,  meaning  "asunder"  "in  pieces." 
all]  i.e.  completely.  54.     aruiourhearcr]  cp.  1  Sam.  xxxi.  1. 

slai/ jne]  more  exactly,  "  slay  me  outright."  The  Hebrew  word  is 
that  used  for  despatching  a  wounded  man  (1  Sam.  xiv.  18;  xvii. 
51).  So  the  caliph  Abd  al-l\Ialik  was  dissuaded  from  punishing  hi.s 
father's  murderess  lest  people  should  know  that  a  woman  had 
killed  him  (W.  E.  S.).  57.    the  curse  of  Jotham.}   See  ver.  20. 


JUDGES,   X.   1—6.  73 

And  after  Abimelech  there  arose  to  defend  Israel  Tola  the  10 
son  of  Puah,  the  son  of  Dodo,  a  man  of  Issachar;  and  he 
dwelt  in  Shamir  in  mount  Ephraim.     And  he  judged  Israel  2 
twenty  and  three  years,  and  died,  and  was  buried  in  Shamir. 

And  after  him  arose  Jair,  a  Gileadite,  and  judged  Israel  3 
twenty  and  two  years.     And  he  had  thirty  sons  that  rode  on  4 
thirty  ass  colts,  and  they  had  thirty  cities,  which  are  called 
Havoth-jair  unto  this  day,  which  are  in  the  land  of  Gilead. 
And  Jair  died,  and  was  buried  in  Camon.  5 

And  the  children  of  Israel  did  evil  again  in  the  sight  of  the  « 

X.  1,  2.     Tola,  the  sixth  of  the  Judges. 

1,  defend]  the  word  usually  rendered  "deliver"  or  "save." 
The  EugUsh  translators  seem  to  have  preferred  the  less  aggressive 
word  as  the  narrative  mentions  no  war  in  Tola's  day.  Tola] 

Both  Tola  and  Puah  or  Puvvah  occur  also  as  tiie  names  of  "sous" 
of  Issachar,  i.e.  clans  within  that  tribe  (Gen.  xlvi.  13;  Nu.xxvi.23; 
1  Ch.  vii.  1).  Dodo]     This  might  be  rendered:  "his  [i.e. 

Abimelech's]  uncle."  If  this  is  the  true  meaning,  "uncle"  must  be 
taken  in  a  loose  sense  ("father's  kinsman  ")  and  the  connection  will 
be  through  Gideon's  uterine  brothers  (viii.  IS,  compared  vnth  Josh. 
xix.  22,  where  we  see  that  Tabor  was  hicluded  in  the  territory  of 
Issachar).  tSha)nir]    in   the  hill  country  of  Ephraim.     The 

site  is  unknown,  unless  perhaps  the  name  be  an  archaic  form  of 
Shomron  (Samaria). 

3 — 5.     Jair,  the  seventh  of  the  Jtidrfes. 

3.  Jair  (cp.  Jairus ;  Mk.  v.  22)  was  a  Gileadite,  of  the  tribe  of 
Manasseh  (Nu.  xxxii.  41 ;  Dt.  iii.  14;  IK.  iv.  13).  4.    as.s-  coltn] 

Cp.  i.  14,  V.  10.  Havoth-jair]  or  rather  Havvoth-jair,  i.e. 

"hamlets  of  Jair,"  probably  scattered  over  the  pastoral  comitry  in 
the  N.W.  of  Peraea.  in  the  land  of  Gilead]  not  in  the  narrower 

sense  of  the  word,  according  to  Avhich  Gilead  was  bounded  on  the 
north  by  the  Yarmiik,  but  (see  Dt.  iii.  14;  Josh.  xiii.  30)  in  what 
was  properly  Bashan,  north  of  that  river,  bordering  on  the  Ai-amaeau 
settlements  of  Geshur  and  Maacah.  From  Nu.  xxxii.  41 ;  Dt.  iii.  14 
we  learn  that  this  district  was  granted  to  Manassites  by  Moses,  but 
here  we  see  that  the  actual  occupation  was  effected  much  later 
(comp.  V.  14,  note).  From  1  Chr.  ii.  21,  22  it  appears  that  the 
Jairite  braucla  of  Manasseh  was  mixed  with  a  strain  of  Hezronites, 
i.e.  half-settled  nomads.  The  number  of  the  hamlets  varied ;  here 
they  are  30 ;  in  Josh.  xiii.  60  there  are  60,  and  in  1  Cbr.  ii.  22  there 
are  23.  5.     Camon]  one  of  the  Havvoth-jair.     The  site  is  uu- 

known.  A  place  named  Ka/xous  or  Kafxovv  is  mentioned  by  Polybius 
(v.  70)  in  conjunction  with  Pella,  as  having  been  taken  by  Antiochus 
the  Great. 

X.  6 — XII.  7.     Jephthah,  the  eighth  of  the  Jicdf/ea. 

The  story  of  Jephthah  itself  is  comparatively  brief  and  admits  of 
being  told  in  few  words.  The  apparent  length  of  the  naiTative  is 
due :  (1)  to  the  introduction  (x.  6 — 18),  by  the  Deuteronomistic  re- 
dactor, which  is  a  very  characteristic  example  of  his  manner  (see 


74  JUDGES,   X.   7-lG. 

Lord,  aud  served  Baalim,  aud  Ashtaroth,  and  the  god^  of 
Syria,  and  the  gods  of  Zidon,  and  the  gods  of  Moab,  and 
the  gods   of  the  children  of   Ammon,  and  the  gods  of  the 

7  Philistines,  and  forsook  the  Lord,  and  served  not  him.  And 
the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  hot  against  Israel,  and  he  sold 
them  into  the  hands  of  the  Philistines,  and  into  the  hands  of 

8  the  children  of  Ammon.  And  that  year  they  vexed  and 
oppressed  the  children  of  Israel:  eighteen  years,  all  the 
children  of  Israel  that  ivere  on  the  other  side  Jordan  in  the 

9  land  of  the  Amorites,  which  is  in  Gilead.  Moreover  the 
children  of  Ammon  passed  over  Jordan  to  fight  also  against 
Judah,   and    against    Benjamin,   and   against    the   house   of 

10  Ephraim ;  so  that  Israel  was  sore  distressed.  And  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  cried  unto  the  Lord,  saying,  We  have  sinned 
against  thee,  both  because  we  have  forsaken  our  God,  and 

]i  also  served  Baalim.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  the  children 
of  Israel,  Did  not  I  deliver  you  from  the  Egyptians,  and  from 
the  Amorites,  from   the  children  of  Ammon,   and  from  the 

12  Philistines  ?  The  Zidonians  also,  and  the  Amalekites,  and 
the  Maonites,  did  opi^ress  you ;  and  ye  cried  to  me,  and  I 

13  delivered  you  out  of  their  hand.  Yet  ye  have  forsaken  me, 
and  served  other  gods :  wherefore  I  will  deliver  you  no  more. 

14  Go  and  cry  unto  the  gods  which  ye  have  chosen ;  let  them 

15  deliver  you  in  the  time  of  your  tribulation.  And  the  children 
of  Israel  said  unto  the  Lord,  We  have  sinned :  do  thou  unto 
us  whatsoever  seemeth  good  unto  thee  ;   deliver  us  only,  wo 

ui  pray  thee,  this  day.  And  they  put  away  the  strange  gods 
from   among  them,  and  seryed  the  Lord  :    and  his  soul  was 


Introd.),  and  (2)  to  the  account  of  the  historical  and  legal  argimient 
between  Jephthah  and  the  Amorites  as  to  the  rightful  ownership  of 
the  territory  between  the  Arnon  and  the  Jabbok  (xi.  1*2 — 29). 

6.  Baalim,  and  Ashtaroth]  the  Baalim  and  Ashtaroth;  see 
ii.  11,  note,  and  ii.  13,  note.  Tlie  general  sense  of  this  verso  is 
that  they  worshipped  tlie  gods  of  all  tlieir  lieathen  neighbours. 
7.  hands  of  the  L  hilistines]  See  also  ver.  11,  and  comp.  iii.  3,  31. 
The  Philistines  and  the  Anunonites  were  still  the  most  dangerous 
enemies  of  Israel  in  the  time  of  Saul  and  David.  8.     in  that 

t/ear...ei(/hteen  i/ears]  It  is  difficult  to  resist  the  impression  that 
these  two  incongruous  clauses  originally  belonged  to  different  nar- 
ratives. 9.  passed  orer  Jordan]  Of  this  attack  of  the  Ammon- 
ites on  the  western  tribes  nothing  is  heard  in  the  sequel.  Jephthah 
is  the  hero  of  eastern  Israel.  11.     rhilisfines]     See  ver.  7. 

12.  Zidonians]  No  record  has  come  down  to  ns  of  wars  between 
the  Heltrews  and  the  Phoenicians  of  Zidon.     Amalekites]   See  iii- 

13,  vi.  3.  Maonites]  a  nomad  people,  mentioned  in  association 
with  Amalek  in  1  Cbr.  iv.  U  (K.V.;  cp.  iv.  13);  they  have  been  con- 
jectuvally  identified  with  the  Ma'in,  whose  inscriptions  have  been 
found  in  N.  Arabia,  though  the  centre  of  then*  power  lay  m  the  South. 


JUDGES,   X.    17— XI.   3.  75 

grieved  for  the  misery  of  Israel.  Then  the  children  of  Amnion  17 
were  gathered  together,  and  encamped  in  Gilead.  And  the 
children  of  Israel  assembled  themselves  together,  and  encamped 
in  Mizpeh.  And  the  people  and  princes  of  Gilead  said  one  to  i« 
another,  What  man  is  he  that  will  begin  to  fight  against  the 
children  of  Ammon  ?  he  shall  be  head  over  all  the  inhabitants 
of  Gilead.  _ 

Now  Jephthah  the  Gileadite  was  a  mighty  man  of  valour,  11 
and  he  was  the  son  of  a  harlot :  and  Gilead  begat  Jephthah. 
And  Gilead's  wife  bare  him  sons ;  and  his  wife's  sons  grew  up,    2 
and  they  thrust  out  Jephthah,  and  said  unto  him,  Thou  shalt 
not  inherit  in  our  father's  house ;  for  thou  art  the  son  of  a 
strange  woman.     Then  Jephthah  fled  from  his  brethren,  and  3 
dwelt  in  the  land  of  Tob :  and  there  were  gathered  vain  men 


17.  ]\ri:q)€lL]  E.V.  Mizpah,  i.e.  "watch-tower,"  or  Mizpeh  of 
Gilead,  also  called  Eamath-niizpeh  (Josh.  xiii.  26),  Ramotli-gilead 
(Dt.  iv.  43;  Josh.  xx.  8,  xxi.  38,  &c.),  Ramah,  or  rather  "the 
Eamah  "  {'2  K.  viii.  29),  and  Gilead  (Hos.  vi.  8,  xii.  11 ;  comp.  below, 
xii.  7,  note)  or  Galeed  (Gen.  xxxi.  48),  stood,  as  the  name  implies,  on 
a  commanding  site  on  the  GileacUte  plateau.  It  was  from  early  times 
a  noted  sanctuary  (Gen.  xxxi.  45 — 49 ;  Hos.  v.  1),  and  always  an 
important  strategical  position.  Kamoth  in  Gilead  is  mentioned  in 
Deuteronomy  and  Joshua  as  a  city  of  refuge  (Dt.  iv.  43  ;  Josh.  xx.  8j 
and  m  Joshua  (xxi.  38)  as  a  Levitical  city.  It  was  the  capital 
of  one  of  Solomon's  twelve  provmces  (1  K.  iv.  13).  It  figures  largely 
m  the  history  of  the  wars  of  the  kings  of  Israel  with  the  Aramaeans 
of  Damascus  (1  K.  xxii.;  2  K.  viii.  28— ix.  1),  and  as  Maspha  is 
mentioned  in  1  Mace.  v.  35  as  having  been  taken  by  Judas  Macca- 
baeus  from  the  Ammonites.  It  is  of  course  to  be  distinguished 
from  the  Mizpeh  (mod.  Neby  Samwil)  of  xx.  1.  According  to  Euse- 
bius  Kamoth-gilead  lay  15  Roman  miles  to  the  west  of  Rabbath- 
ammon  ('Amman).  The  site  has  not  been  quite  satisfactorily  iden- 
tified, but  may  be  taken  as  represented  more  or  less  exactly  by  the 
mod.  es-Salt,  2900  feet  above  sea-level,  "  on  the  slope  of  a  bill  which 
is  crowned  with  a  castle,"  10  m.  S.  from  the  Jabbok,  and  11  m.  E. 
from  the  Jordan,  the  capital  of  the  Belka,  and  a  seat  of  commerce. 

18.  ihe  peoiile  and  princes]  R.V.  the  people,  the  princes. 
The  princes  representmg  the  people.  They  are  called  "  elders  "  in 
ch.  xi.     Cp.  viii.  14,  note. 

XL  1.  Noio  Jephthah]  Here  begins  the  older  nan-ative,  to 
which  the  preceding  verses  are  an  editorial  introduction. 

Gilead  1>e(/at]  Gilead  is  not  the  name  of  an  individual,  but  of  a 
district,  or  tlie  population  of  that  district,  taken  collectively.  The 
general  sense  of  vv.  1,  2  accordingly  must  be  that  Jephthah  was  a 
true-born  (iileadite  only  on  the  father's  side,  and  that  therefore  his 
"brethren,"  i.e.  the  Gileadites  of  pure  race,  called  hi  ver.  7  the 
"  elders"  of  Gilead,  did  not  acknowledge  him  as  one  of  themselves; 
cp.  note  on  ix.  15.  a  harlot]  a  foreigner;  cp.  ver.  2.     Harlots 

of  Hebrew  blood  were  not  tolerated.  3.     Tob]    If,  with  E.V., 


70  JUDGES,   XI.   4—13. 

4  to  Jepbthah,  and  went  out  with  him.  And  it  came  to  pass 
in   process  of  time,  that  the  children  of  Amnion  made  war 

5  against  Israel.  And  it  was  so,  that  when  the  children  of 
Amnion  made  war  against  Israel,  the  elders  of  Gilead  went  to 

<i  fetch  Jephthah  out  of  the  land  of  Tob :  and  they  said  unto 
Jephthah,  Come,  and  be  our  captain,  that  we  may  fight  with 

7  the  children  of  Amnion.  And  Jephthah  said  unto  the  elders 
of  Gilead,  Did  not  ye  hate  me,  and  expel  m€  out  of  my  father's 
house?  and  why  are  ye  come  unto  me  now  when  ye  are  in 

8  distress?  And  the  elders  of  Gilead  said  unto  Jephthah, 
Therefore  we  turn  again  to  thee  now,  that  thou  mayest  go 
with  us,  and  fight  against  the  children  of  Amnion,  and  be 

9  our  head  over  all  the  inhabitants  of  Gilead.  And  Jephthah 
said  unto  the  elders  of  Gilead,  If  ye  bring  me  home  again 
to  fight  against  the  children  of  Amnion,  and  the  Lord  deliver 

JO  them  before  me,  shall  I  be  your  head?  And  the  elders  of 
Gilead  said  unto  Jephthah,  The  Lord  be  witness  between  us, 

11  if  we  do  not  so  according  to  thy  words.  Then  Jephthah  went 
with  the  elders  of  Gilead,  and  the  people  made  him  head  and 
captain  over  them  :  and  Jephthah  uttered  all  his  words  before 
the  Lord  in  Mizpeh. 

12  And  Jephthah  sent  messengers  unto  the  king  of  the  children 
of  Ammon,  saying,  ^Vllat  hast  thou  to  do  with  me,  that  thou 

13  art  come  against  me  to  fight  in  my  land?  And  the  king  of 
the  children  of  Ammon  answered  unto  the  messengers  of 
Jephthah,  Because  Israel  took  away  my  land,  when  they  came 
up  out  of  Egypt,  from  Anion  even  unto  Jabbok,  and  unto 
Jordan  :    now   therefore  restore  those  landu  again  peaceably. 


we  read  "men  of  Tob"  in  2  Sam.  x.  6,  8,  this  district  must  have 
lain  to  the  north  or  north-east  of  Gilead  and  probably  in  Aramaean 
(Syrian)  territory.  Compare  also  the  Tobiniu  or  Tubium  of  1  Mace, 
v.  13.  rain  men]  i.e.  wild  fellows;  cp.  ix.  4.  irent 

out  vith  him]  as  brigands  or  partisans;  cp.  1  Sam.  xxvii.  8  sqq. 
5.  elders']  Cp.  viii.  14,  x.  18.  10.  ii-itneas]  lit.  "hearer;"  both 
witness  and  judge.  11.     alf  his  n'ords]  all  that  he  had  to  say. 

Tlie  projier  se(iuel  and  explanation  of  this  expression  seems  to  be 
found  in  ver.  30,  tlie  context  being  intermitted  in  vv.  12 — 29  by  an 
historical  and  legal  argument  which  seems  to  be  no  integral  i)art  of 
the  original  )iarrative.  The  custom  of  ancient  writers  to  throw 
tlieir  own  reflections  on  historical  situations  into  the  form  of 
speeches  is  too  farnihar  to  cause  difficulty,  and  in  the  Old  Testament 
snch  speeches  seem  frecpiently  to  have  been  inserted  by  editors  as 
heli)s  to  understand  the  lesson  of  the  nan-ative. 

12.    at/aivst  me  itc.J     It.V.  unto  me,  to  fight  against  my 
land.  13.     Arnou....lahhok.. .Jordan]    The  territory  here  de- 

fined is,  broadly  speaking,  tlia'  of  Eeul)en  and  Gad,  which  before 
the  conquest  had  belonged  to  the  Amorites  (ver.  'IT).  The  southern 
portion  had  once  been  Moabite,  and  became  Moabite  again  (cp.  iii. 


JUDGES,   XI.    14—23.  77 

And  Jephtbah  sent  messengers  again  unto  the  king  of  the  14 
children  of  Ammon :  and  said  unto  him,  Thus  saitli  Jephthah,  15 
Israel  took  not  away  the  land  of  Moab,  nor  the  land  of  the 
children  of  Amnion  :    but  when  Israel  came  up  from  Egypt,  ]« 
and   walked  through  the  wilderness  unto  the  Red  sea,  and 
came  to  Kadesh ;  then  Israel  sent  messengers  unto  the  king  17 
of  Edom,  saying,  Let  me,  I  pray  thee,  pass  through  thy  land  : 
but  the  king  of  Edom  would  not  hearken  thereto.     And   in 
like  manner  they  sent  unto  the  king  of  Moab  :  but  he  would 
not  consent :  and  Israel  abode  in  Kadesh.     Then  they  went  I8 
along   through   the  wilderness,  and   compassed   the   land  of 
Edom,  and  the  land  of  Moab,  and  came  by  the  east  side  of 
the  land  of  Moab,  and  pitched  on  the  other  side  of  Arnon,  but 
came  not   within   the   border  of  Moab  :   for  Arnon  ivas  the 
border   of  Moab.      And   Israel   sent   messengers  unto  Sihon  in 
king  of  the  Amorites,  the  king  of  Heshbon ;  and  Israel  said 
unto  him,  Let  us  pass,  we  pray  thee,  through  thy  land  into 
my  place.     But  Sihon  trusted  not  Israel  to  pass  through  his  20 
coast :  but  Sihon  gathered  all  his  people  together,  and  pitched 
in  Jahaz,  and  fought  against  Israel.     And  the  Lord  God  of  21 
Israel  delivered  Sihon  and  all  his  people  into  the  hand  of 
Israel,  and  they  smote  them :  so  Israel  possessed  all  the  land 
of  the  Amorites,  the  inhabitants  of  that  country.     And  they  22 
possessed   all   the  coasts  of  the  Amorites,  from  Arnon  even 
unto  Jabbok,  and  from  the  wilderness  even  unto  Jordan.     So  23 

12,  note).  The  districts  in  dispute  between  Israel  and  Ammou 
must  have  lain  on  the  eastern  frontier,  but  it  would  seeiu  from 
Jephthah's  reply  (ver.  15),  and  also  from  ver.  24,  where  Chemosh 
the  god  of  Moab,  and  not  Milcom  or  Molech  the  god  of  Ammon 
(2  Sam.  xii.  30;  1  K.  xi.  5,  33  ;  2  K.  xxiii.  13;  Jer.  xhx.  1,  3),  is 
spoken  of  as  the  divine  lord  of  the  enemy,  that  the  author  of  this 
speech  conceived  Ammon  to  speak  m  the  name  of  all  the  children 
of  Lot.  16.    unto  the  lied  sea]  viz.  at  Ezion-geber,  at  the  head 

of  the  Gulf  of  Akaba ;  see  Nu.  xxxiii.  36.  Kadesh]  or  Kadesh- 

barnea  (Josh.  x.  41),  also  called  En-mishpat  ("  well  of  judgment :  " 
Gen.  xiv.  7),  and  "  the  water  of  Meribah"  (Nu.  xx.  13),  lay  to  the 
south  of  Canaan  and  west  of  the  Edonute  coimtry.  Most  modern 
scholars  are  inclined  to  place  it  at  'Aiu  Kudais  in  lat.  30°  31  N., 
long.  343  31' E.  17.    sent  messengers]  viz.  after  the  affair  of 

the  spies  and  the  failure  of  the  people  to  effect  an  entrance  into 
Canaan  from  the  south;  cp.  Nu.  xx.  14  sqq.  and  Dt.  i.  46 — ii.  9. 
18.  the  other  stde]  i.e.  the  northern.  19.  unto  Sihon]  Nu.  xxi. 
21  sqq.  Heshbon]  See  ver.  26.  ?»//  place]  Western  Palestine. 
20.    coast]    R.V.  border,  as  in  ver.  18.  Jahaz]    Unknown. 

See  Josh.  xiii.  13  ;  Nu.  xxi.  23.  It  was  Moabite  before  the  time  of 
Omri,  and  became  so  again  in  the  time  of  Meslia  (about  350  b.c.  ; 
aee  the  Moabite  stone);  it  was  Moabite  also  in  Isaiah's  time  (Isa. 
XV.  xvi.),  and  in  Jeremiah's  (Jer,  x^lviii.).  22,    the  ioilderness] 


78  JUDGES,  XL   24—30. 

now  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  hath  dispossessed  the  Amorites 
from  before  his  people  Israel,  and  shouldest  thou  possess  it  ? 

24  Wilt  not  thou  possess  that  which  Chemosh  thy  god  giveth 
thee  to  possess?      So  whomsoever  the  Lord  our  God  shall 

25  drive  out  from  before  us,  them  will  we  possess.  And  now 
art  thou  any  thing  better  than  Balak  the  son  of  Zippor,  king 
of  Moab  ?  did  he  ever  strive  against  Israel,  or  did  he  ever  fight 

26  against  them,  while  Israel  dwelt  in  Heshbon  and  her  towns, 
and  in  Aroer  and  her  towns,  and  in  all  the  cities  that  be  along 
by  the  coasts  of  Arnon,  three  hundred  years  ?  why  therefore 

27  did  ye  not  recover  tJiern  within  that  time?  Wherefore  I  have 
not  sinned  against  thee,  but  thou  doest  me  wrong  to  war 
against  me :  the  Lord  the  Judge  be  judge  this  day  between 

28  the  children  of  Israel  and  the  children  of  Amnion.  Howbeit 
the  king  of  the  children  of  Ammon  hearkened  not  unto  the 
words  of  Jephthah  which  he  sent  him. 

29  Then  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  Jephthah,  and  he 
passed  over  Gilead  and  Manasseli,  and  passed  over  IMizpeh  of 
Gilead,  and  from  Mizpeh  of  Gilead  he  passed  over  iinto  the 

30  children  of  Ammon.  And  Jephthah  vowed  a  vow  unto  the 
Lord,  and  said,  If  thou  shalt  without  fail  deliver  the  children 


the  Syro-arabian  desert ;  cp.  ver.  13,  note,  24.     Chemosh  thy 

gocr\  The  name  of  the  tutelary  deity  of  the  Moabites  (1  K.  xi.  7,  33; 
2  K.  xxiii.  13;  Jer.  xlviii.  7,  13).  The  Moabites  are  called  the 
people  of  Chemosh  in  Nu.  xxi.  29 ;  Jer.  xlviii.  46.  These  passages 
have  been  illustrated  and  confirmed  by  the  famous  Moabite  stone. 
Observe  the  strictly  local  and  national  character  here  ascribed  both 
to  Chemosh  and  to  Jehovah.  Each  deity  comes  and  goes  with  his 
peculiar  people.  25.    Balak]     See  Nu.  xxii. — xxiv.  fiu^'t 

against  them]   There  should  be  a  full-stop  here.  26.    TIeshhon] 

mod.  Hesban,  2954  feet  above  sea-level,  about  23  m.  N.  from  the 
Ai'uon  and  16  m.  E.  from  tlie  Jordan.  Aroer']  mod.  'Ar'air,  on 

the  northern  "edge  of  the  valley  "  of  the  Anion,  about  11  m.  E.  from 
the  Dead  Sea  (Josh.  xii.  2,  xiii.  16).  coasts  of  Anion]  R.V.  side 
of  Arnon.  v-hi/  therefore  itc]  E.V.  three  hundred  years; 

wherefore  &c.  The  figure  in  this  argimient  from  pveserii)tiou  is 
a  round  one.  According  to  the  present  chronology  of  the  Book  of 
Judges  there  were  301  years  from  the  first  year  of  Cushan-risha- 
thaira's  oppression  to  the  beginning  of  that  of  the  Ammonites. 
27.    the  Jiid(ie]  of  all  the  earth  ;  cp.  Gen.  xviii.  25. 

29.  Eesumption,  to  bring  back  the  narrative  to  the  point  at 
which  it  had  been  left  at  ver.  11.  pas.sed  orer]  (three  times): 
"passed  unto."  (Ulead  and  (eastern)  Manasseh]  The  terms 
are  here,  roughly  speaking,  synonymous. 

30.  roired  a  ron''^.  To  sacrifice  a  child  in  moments  of  great 
danger  is  a  feature  common  to  the  religions  of  most  of  the  heathen 
Semites.  A  Biblical  example  is  2  K.  iii.  27.  Centuries  later  Jere- 
miah finds  it  necessary  to  protest  that  Jehovah  had  never  «njoiued 


JUDGES,   XI.   31—37.  79 

of  Ammon  into  mine  hands,  then  it  shall  be,  that  whatsoever  3i 
Cometh  forth  of  the  doors  of  my  house  to  meet  me,  when  I 
return  in  peace  from  the  children  of  Ammon,  shall  surely  be 
the  Lord's,  and  I  will  offer  it  up  for  a  burnt  offering.     So  32 
Jephthah  passed  over  unto  the  children  of  Ammon  to  fight 
against  them ;  and  the  Lord  delivered  them  into  his  hands. 
And    he    smote   them   from  Aroer,   even   till   thou   come   to  3i 
Minnith,  even  twenty  cities,  and  unto  the  plain  of  the  vine- 
yards,  with   a  very  great  slaughter.     Thus   the   children   of 
Ammon  were  subdued  before  the  children  of  Israel, 

And  Jephthah  came  to  Mizpeh  unto  his  house,  and  behold,  34 
his  daughter  came  out  to  meet  him  with  timbrels  and  with 
dances :  and  she  was  his  only  child  ;  beside  her  he  had  neither 
son  nor  daughter.     And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  saw  her,  35 
that  he  rent  his  clothes,  and  said,  Alas,  my  daughter,  thou 
hast  brought  me  very  low,  and  thou  art  one  of  them  that 
trouble  me :  for  I  have  opened  my  mouth  unto  the  Lord,  and 
I  cannot  go  back.     And  she  said  unto  him.  My  father,  if  thou  3(; 
hast  opened  thy  mouth  unto  the  Lord,  do  to  me  according 
to  that  which  hath  proceeded  out  of  thy  mouth  ;  forasmuch  as 
the  Lord  hath  taken  vengeance  for  thee  of  thine  enemies,  eveyi 
of  the  children  of  Ammon.     And  she  said  unto  her  father,  37 
Let  this  thing  be  done  for  me :  let  me  alone  two  months,  that 
I  may  go  up  and  down  upon  the  mountains,  and  bewail  my 


such  sacrifices  (Jer.  xix.  5).  31.    vhatsoever']  or,  rather, 

"whosoever"  (R.V.  marg.).  A  human  being  is  intended — one  of 
his  house-mates.  my  houfie']    at   Mizpah ;    see  ver.   34. 

33.  Minnith]  Unidentified.  According  to  the  Onomastica  it  lay 
4  K.  m.  from  Heshbon  on  the  road  to  Eabbath-anunon,  i.e.  towards 
the  N.E.  Wlieat  of  Minnith  was  an  article  of  commerce  between 
Israel  and  Tyre  (Ezek  xxvii.  17),  but  it  seems  doubtful  whether 
this  Minnith  is  the  same  with  that  in  Ezekiel.  the  lyJain  [or 

meadowj  of  the  vinei/ards']  R.V.  Abel-cheramim.  Unidentified. 
According  to  Eusebius  it  lay  6  E.  ni.  from  Eabbath-ammon,  and 
even  in  his  time  was  a  vine-growing  place. 

34 — 40.    Jephthah' s  daughter. 

34.  to  meet  him]  We  can  hardly  doubt  that  she  did  this  in  a 
spirit  of  self-devotion,  fully  aware  of  her  father's  vow.  timbrels'} 
hand-drums  or  tambom'ines,  such  as  are  still  used  to  accompany 
Spanish  dances;  Ex.  xv.  20;  1  Sam.  xviii.  6.  35.    The  possi- 

bility that  his  daughter  might  be  the  first  to  meet  him  can  hardly 
have  been  absent  from  Jephthah's  mind  when  he  made  the  vow; 
but  at  that  time  his  personal  feelings  were  swallowed  up  in  his 
sense  of  the  gravity  of  the  crisis.  37.    go  np  and  down]   Heb., 

as  E.V.,  depart  and  go  down,  which  gives  no  good  sense ;  by 
omission  of  a  single  "jot"  hi  the  Hebrew  we  get  the  excellent 
sense:  "that  I  may  go  and  wander  at  large  on  the  mountains" 
(W.  E.  S.).  bewail  my  virginity]  in  that  she  must  die  un- 


80  JUDGES,   XI.   38— XII.   3. 

38  virginity,  I  and  my  fellows.  And  he  said,  Go.  And  he  sent 
her  away  for  two  months :  and  she  went  with  her  companions, 

V.)  and  bewailed  her  virginity  upon  the  mountains.  And  it  came 
to  pass  at  the  end  of  two  months,  that  she  returned  unto  her 
father,  who  did  with  her  accordbuj  to  his  vow  which  he  had 
vowed :   and   she  knew  no  man.      And  it  was  a  custom  in 

40  Israel,  tliat  the  daughters  of  Israel  went  yearly  to  lament  the 

daughter  of  Jephthah  the  Gileadite  four  days  in  a  year. 
12      And  the  men  of  Ephraim  gathered  themselves  together,  and 
went  northward,  and  said  unto  Jephthah,  Wherefore  passedst 
thou  over  to  fight  against  the  children  of  Ammon,  and  didst 
not  call  us  to  go  with  thee?  we  will  burn  thine  house  upon 

2  thee  with  fire.  And  Jephthah  said  unto  them,  I  and  my 
jDeople  were  at  great  strife  with  the  children  of  Ammon ;  and 
when  I  called  you,  ye  delivered  me  not  out  of  their  hands. 

3  And  when  I  saw  that  ye  delivered  me  not,  I  put  my  life  in  my 
hands,  and  passed  over  against  the  children  of  Ammon,  and 
the  Lord  delivered  them  into  my  hand :  wherefore  then  are 


married  and  childless.  39.    hneiv]  E.V.  had  known,  i.e.  was 

never  married.  40.    to  lament]  E.V.  to  celebrate ;  same 

word  as  in  eh.  v.  11,  where  it  is  rendered  "rehearse."  It  is  much 
to  be  wislied  that  more  were  known  of  this  amiual  four  daj's'  "cele- 
bration "  of  Jephtliah's  daughter  by  the  women  of  Israel.  It  clearly 
was  the  characteristic  festival  associated  in  historical  times  with 
the  local  sanctuary  of  Mizpah,  and  in  more  than  one  respect  must 
have  i-eseiabled  the  amiual  mourning  of  the  Phoenician  women  for 
Adonis  (Taimnuz ;  Ezek.  viii.  14),  and  still  more  closely  the  com- 
memoration of  the  sacrifice  of  a  virgin  (goddess)  referred  to  by 
classical  authors  as  observed  at  the  Syrian  Laodicea.  The  fact  that 
the  name  of  Jephthah's  daughter  was  associated  with  an  annual 
celebration  of  the  kind  is  of  itseh  enough  to  refute  the  idea  that  she 
was  not  really  sacrificed  but  only  dedicated  to  perpetual  virginity. 

XII.  1 — 6.     War  between  Gilead  and  Ephraun. 

The  causes  of  this  civil  war  are  left  m  obscurity,  for  it  seems  that 
even  the  flimsy  pretext  alleged  by  the  Ephi*aiiaites — that  they  had 
not  been  invited  to  take  part  in  the  expedition  against  the  Am- 
monites— was  quite  baseless  (ver.  2).  Its  explanation  is  to  be 
sought  in  deep  and  long-standing  tribal  jealousy, — if  it  be  not  sufti- 
cieiitly  accounted  for  by  a  desire  for  a  share  in  the  booty  (cp.  viii. 
1-3). 

1.    wenf]  or  "crossed"  [the  Jordan].  north  ward]  or  per- 

haps, "  to  Zaphon  "  (R.V.  marg.).  Cp.  Josh.  xiii.  27,  where  Zaphon 
(unknown)  is  enumerated  along  with  other  places  "in  the  valley  [of 
Jordan],"'  such  as  Beth-haram  and  Beth-nimrah  and  Succoih, 
which  had  belonged  to  the  kingdom  of  Sihon.  Mizpah,  where 
Jephthah  was  for  at  least  two  months  after  the  close  of  the  Am- 
monite war  (see  xi.  34,  39),  certainly  was  not  north  of  Ephraim, 
though  the  greater  part  of  (iilead  was.  we  icill  hum  thine 


JUDGES,   XII.   4—11.  81 

ye  come  up  unto  me  this  day,  to  fight  against  me?     Tlien   4 
Jephthah  gathered  together  all  the  men~  of  Gilead,  and  fought 
with    Ephraira :    and    the   men   of  Gilead   smote  Ephraim, 
because   they  said.  Ye   Gileadites   are   fugitives   of  Ephraim 
among  the  Ephraimites,  and  among  the  Manassites.     And  the   5 
Gileadites  took  the  passages  of  Jordan  before  the  Ephraimites : 
and    it  was  so,    that   when   those   Ephraimites   which   were 
escaped  said,  Let  me  go  over ;  that  the  men  of  Gilead  said 
unto  him,  Art  thou  an  Ephraimite?     If  he  said,  Nay;  then  6 
said    they  unto    him,    Say  now    Shibboleth :    and    he    said 
Sibboleth :   for  he   could  not    frame   to   pronounce    it  right. 
Then  they  took  him,  and  slew  him  at  the  passages  of  Jordan  : 
and  there  fell  at  that  time  of  the  Ephraimites  forty  and  two 
thousand.     And  Jephthah  judged   Israel   six  years.      Then   7 
died  Jephthah  the  Gileadite,  and  was  buried  in  one  of  the 
cities  of  Gilead. 

And  after  him  Ibzan  of  Beth-lehem  judged  Israel.     And  he  8,9 
had  thirty  sons,  and  thirty  daughters,  whom  he  sent  abroad, 
and  took  in  thirty  daughters  from  abroad  for  his  sons.     And 
he  judged  Israel  seven  years.     Then  died  Ibzan,  and  was  lo 
buried  at  Beth-lehem. 

And  after  him  Elon,  a  Zebulonite,  judged  Israel;  and  he  ii 

liotise]  Cp.  below,  xiv.  15 ;  xv.  6.  4.     Ye  Gileadites  &c.]  In 

these  words  tribal  antipathy,  we  readily  see,  exi^resses  itself  in 
scorn  and  coutenii)t ;  but  their  precise  meaning  is  obscure.  Prob- 
ably the  text  is  corrupt.  Tlie  original  LXX.  omitted  all  that 
follows  the  first  "Ephraim."  A  modern  coimneutator  suggests 
that  the  words  "ye  are  fugitives  of  Ephraim"  originally  stood  in 
ver.  6,  and  were  spoken  by  the  Gileadites.  5.    tooh  the 

passayes  of  Jordan  before']  lit.  "  took  the  fords  of  Jordan  towards 
Ephrauu."  6.    Shibboleth']  Various  dialectical  peculiarities  of 

this  kind  were  observable  even  in  so  small  a  country  as  Palestine. 
Peter's  Galilean  speech  "bewrayed"  him  in  Jerusalem  (Matt.  xxvi. 
73).  It  is  said  that  in  the  Sicilian  Vespers  (1282)  Frenchmen  were 
detected  by  their  inability  to  say  "  ceci  e  ciceri."  fortji  and 

two  thousand]  In  David's  time,  less  than  a  century  afterwards,  the 
whole  levy  of  Israel  was  30,000  men  (2  Sam.  vi.  1).  Cp.  below, 
chaps.  XX.,  xxi.  7.     in  [one  of]  the  cities  of  O'i/rad]  A  slight 

change  of  text  gives  the  reading  of  LXX.:  "in  his  city  {'inj) 
Gilead,"  i.e.  Mizpali;  see  above,  x.  17. 

8 — 10.     Ibzan,  the  ninth  of  the  Jndijes. 

Bethlehem]  Doubtless  the  Zebulunite  Bethlehem  (Josh.  xix.  I5j, 
which  has  been  identified  with  the  mod.  Bot-Lahm,  7  m.  W.  by  N. 
from  Nazareth.  The  southern  and  as  yet  less  important  Bethlehem 
is  in  Judges  (xvii.  7;  xix.  1)  called  Bethlehem-jiulah.  The  name  of 
Ibzan  is  perhaps  connected  in  some  way  witli  the  town  of  Abez  or 
Ebez  (Josh.  xix.  20),  which  lay  near  the  northern  Bethlehem. 

11, 12.     FAon,  the  tenth  of  the  Judyes. 

JUUGKS  <> 


82  JUDGES,   XII.   12— XIII.    1. 

12  judged  Israel  ten  years.     And  Elon  the  Zebulouite  died,  and 

was  buried  in  Aijalon  in  the  country  of  Zebulun. 
J 3      And  after  him  Abdon  the  son  of  Hillel,  a  Pirathonite,  judged 

14  Israel.  And  he  had  forty  sons  and  tliirty  nephews,  that  rode 
on  threescore  and  ten  ass  colts :  and  he  judged  Israel  eight 

15  years.  And  Abdon  the  son  of  Hillel  the  Pirathonite  died,  and 
was  buried  in  Pirathon  in  the  land  of  Ephraira,  in  the  mount 
of  the  Amalekites. 

13      And  the  children  of  Israel  did  evil  again  in  the  sight  of  the 

12.  Aijalon']  The  Zebulunite  Aijalon  is  not  mentioned  elsewhere. 
The  consonants  are  the  same  as  those  of  the  judge's  name,  and  the 
word  might  eqnallj'  well  be  pronounced  Elon,  in  which  case  the 
judge  is  the  eponymus  of  his  city ;  cp.  Gen.  iv.  17. 

13 — 15.     Ahdon,  the  clerenfh  of  the  Judges. 

14.  nej)heii\s]  in  the  now  obsolete  sense  of  "grandchildren"  (ne- 
potes);  Heb.  "  sons'  sons."  ass  colts]  see  x.  4;  also  v.  10. 

In  other  words,  he  was  head  of  a  large  and  wealthy  family. 
15.  Pirathon]  This  place  is  mentioned  in  1  Mace.  ix.  50  as  Phara- 
thoni  or  Pharathon,  "a  strong  city  in  Jiidiea" — the  Judjx^a  of  that 
period  had  an  extended  frontier — which  was  fortified  by  Bacchides. 
Robinson  identifies  it  with  the  mod.  Fer'ata,  about  5  m.  S.W.  from 
Nabulus  (Shechem).  Amalelifes]  see  v.  14,  note. 

Xin,  1— XVI.  31.     Samson,  the  ticel/th  of  the  Judges. 

This  popular  story  of  a  popular  hero,  occupying  nearly  a  fifth  of 
the  whole  space  of  the  Book  of  Judges,  is  not  only  the  longest  but 
also  the  simplest  of  all  its  narratives.  It  bears  no  traces  of  beuig 
derived  from  a  variety  of  written  som'ces,  and,  if  we  except  xiii.  1, 
XV.  20,  and  xvi.  31,  is  ahnost  free  from  editorial  additions.  The  two 
last-cited  verses  are,  along  Avith  xiii.  5,  the  oidy  passages  in  which 
he  is  spoken  of  as  a  "judge  "  or  "  deliverer  "  of  Israel.  So  far  as 
appears,  his  talents  were  not  in  the  least  magisterial  or  judicial,  or 
even,  strictly  speaking,  military.  He  never  so  far  as  we  know 
made  the  least  attempt  at  an  organised  resistance  against  the  forces 
of  the  Philistines.  His  story,  which  comes  before  us  probably  in 
nearly  the  same  form  as  that  in  which  it  had  long  been  orally 
current,  tells  the  i)ersonal  exploits  of  a  local  hero,  i)hysically 
powerful  but  in  intellectual  and  moral  character  weak  and  almost 
half-witted,  whose  strongest  motives  were  neither  religion  nor 
patriotism  but  the  purely  self-regarding  passions  of  love  and 
revenge.  Some  exjiositors  have  sought  to  give  the  narrative  a 
systematic  character,  and  have  fancied  they  detected  in  it  a  series 
of  twelve  adventures  or  labours,  somewhat  comparable  to  those  of 
Hercules,  with  whom  it  was  at  one  time  usual  to  liken  Samson. 
But  it  is  certain  that  neither  the  first  narrator  nor  the  last  editor 
had  any  idea  of  giving  the  story  any  such  synnnetry.  It  is  worthy 
of  notice  that  the  localities  connected  with  the  name  of  Samson, 
which  are  nuich  more  clearly  and  definitely  given  than  in  the  case 
of  any  of  the  other  narratives  in  tlie  Book  of  Judges,  are  all  con- 
tained within  an  area  of  which  Gaza,  Ashkelon,  Timnath,  Eshtaol 


JUDGES,   XIII.   2-10.  83 

Lord  ;   and  the  Lokd  delivered  them  into  the  hand  of  the 
Phihstines   forty  years.     And   there  was  ^   certain   man   of  2 
Zorah,  of  the  family  of  the  Danites,  whose  name  was  Manoah ; 
and  his  wife  was  barren,  and  bare  not.     And  the  angel  of  the  3 
Lord  appeared  unto  the  woman,  and  said  unto  her,  Behold 
now,  thou  art  barren,  and  bearest  not:  but  thou  shalt  con- 
ceive, and   bear  a  sou.     Now  therefore  beware,  I  pray  thee,    4 
and  drink  not  wine  nor  strong  drink,  and  eat  not  any 
unclean  thing.-  for  lo,  thou  shalt  conceive,  and  bear  a  son";   5 
and  no  rasor  shall  come  on  his  head  :  for  the  child  shall  be 
a  Nazarite  unto  God  from  the  womb  :  and  he  shall  begin  to 
deliver  Israel  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Philistines.     Then  the  c 
woman  came  and  told  her  husband,  saying,  A  man  of  God 
came  unto  me,  and  his  countenance  was  like  the  countenance 
of  an  angel  of  God,  very  terrible :  but  I  asked  him  not  whence 
he  2vas,  neither  told  he  me  his  name :  but  he  said  unto  me,   / 
Behold,  thou  shalt  conceive,  and  bear  a  son ;  and  now  drink 
no  wine  nor  strong  drink,  neither  eat  any  unclean  thinq :  for 
the  child  shall  be  a  Nazarite  to  God  from  the  womb  to  the 
day  of  his  death. 

Then  Manoah  intreated  the  Lord,  and  said,  0  my  Lord,  let   fi 
the  man  of  God  which  thou  didst  send  come  again  unto  us, 
and  teach  us  what  we  shall  do  unto  the  child  that  shall  be 
born.     And  God  hearkened  to  the  voice  of  Manoah ;  and  the  '•> 
angel  of  God  came  again  unto  the  woman  as  she  sat  in  the 
field:  but  Manoah  her  husband  was  not  with  her.     And  the  i" 


and  Etam  (near  Bethlehem?)  mark  the  extreme  limits,  and  most 
of  them  are  placed  in  the  little  valley  of  Sorek  (W.  Surar),  at  and 
above  Tunuath. 

1.  did  evil  af/ain]  cp.  iii.  7,  12;  iv.  l;.vi.  1;  xi.  6,  and  see 
Infrod. 

2 — 25.     Samson's  birth  and  early  years, 

2.  ZoraJi]  or  Zoreah,  mod.  Sar'a,  on  a  commanding  site,  117(» 
feet  above  sea-level,  on  the  north  side  of  the  -valley  of  Sorek  (W. 
Sm-ar).  Cp.  notes  on  ver.  25  and  xviii.  12.  fa  mill/]  here 
synonymous  witli  "tribe"  (cp.  xviii.  11,  19);  for,  acco'rdhig'to  Gen. 
xlvi.  2;},  the  tribe  of  Dan  liad  no  more  than  one  family.  3. 
the  aw/el  of  the  Loan]  see  ii.  1.     In  hmnan  form,  see  ver.  6.  - 

4.  sfroiuf  drink]  Heb.  .s//tt'«/-,— whence  the  English  "cider" 
through  Lat.  sicera,— the  fermented  juice  of  any  otlier  fruit  than 
the  grape.  vnclean]  Food  by  eating  which  slie  would  con- 

tract ceremonial  impurity.  5.     Na-Mnte]    see  Nu.  vi.  and 

compare  note  on  v.  2  above.  The  peculiarity  of  tlie  Nazarite  vow 
in  the  case  of  Samson  (compare  those  of  Samuel  and  John  the 
Baptist)  is  that  it  is  a  lifelong  vow,  and  undertaken  not  by  himself 
but  by  his  parents  on  his  behalf.  hcjin  to  deliver]   The  work 

begun  by  Samson  was  can-ied  on  by  Saul  and  completed  by  David. 
6.     very  terrible]    or  awe-inspiring.  12.    wto  let  &c.] 

G— 2 


84  JUDGES,   XIII.    11—19. 

woman  made  haste,  and  ran,  and  shewed  her  husband,  and 
said   unto   him,  Behold,  the  man   hath   appeared  unto  me, 

11  that  came  unto  me  the  other  day.  And  Manoah  arose,  and 
went  after  his  wife,  and  came  to  the  man,  and  said  unto  him, 
Art   thou  the  man  that  spakest  unto  the  woman?     And  he 

12  said,  I  am.  And  Manoah  said,  Now  let  thy  words  come  to 
pass.     How  shall  we  order  the  child,  and  how  shall  we  do 

13  unto  him?     And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  said  unto  Manoah,  Of 

14  all  that  I  said  unto  the  woman  let  her  beware.  She  may  not 
eat  of  any  thing  that  cometh  of  the  vine,  neither  let  her  drink 
wine  or  strong  drink,  nor  eat  any  unclean  thing :  all  that  I 

15  commanded  her  let  her  observe.  And  Manoah  said  unto  the 
angel  of  the  Lord,  I  pray  thee,  let  us  detain  thee,  until  we 

i«  shall  have  made  ready  a  kid  for  thee.  And  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  said  unto  Manoah,  Though  thou  detain  me,  I  will  not 
eat  of  thy  bread :  and  if  thou  wilt  offer  a  burnt  offering,  thou 
must  offer  it  unto  the  Lord.     For  Manoah  knew  not  that 

17  he  was  an  angel  of  the  Lord.  And  Manoah  said  unto  the 
angel  of  the  Lord,  What  is  thy  name,  that  when  thy  sayings 

18  come  to  pass  we  may  do  thee  honour?  And  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  said  unto  him,  Why  askest  thou  thus  after  my  name, 

II*  seeing  it  is  secret?  So  Manoah  took  a  kid  with  a  meat 
offering,  and  offered  it  upon  a  rock  unto  the  Lord  :  and  the 


R.V.  marg.  "now  when  thy  words  come  to  pass"  &:c.  How 

shall  (fee]  i.e.  what  niles  shall  we  observe  or  enforce  ui  couueetiou 
Avith  him.  14.     ana  thing  that  cometh  of  the  vine^  Cp.  Nu.  \'i. 

4 ;  "  nothing  that  is  made  of  the  grape  vine,  from  the  kernels  even 
to  the  husk."  This  prohibition  included  the  "dibs"  or  boiled  grape 
juice,  often  called  "honey"  in  Scripture,  which  was,  and  is,  a  com- 
mon condiment  eaten  with  bread  by  the  Syrian  peasantry.  15. 
make  ready  a  kid]  an  expression  of  hospitality,  on  a  humbler  scale 
than  that  of  Abrabam,  who  made  ready  a  calf ;  Gen.  xviii.  7.  In 
this  as  in  other  points  the  narrative  is  closely  parallel  to  that  of 
Ch.  vi.  16.  bread}  or  rather  "food;  '  the  flesh  of  the  kid  is 
meant.  viKst  of er]  raihev:  "mayest  offer.  '  The  angel,  still 
keeping  bis  incognito,  says  in  substance  :  "  I  will  not  eat  with  thee ; 
but  if  thou  art  minded  to  offer  a  burnt  offering  to  Jehovah,  thou 
mayest  do  so."  17.  do  thee  honour]  perhaps  by  naming  the 
child  after  him  ;  or  more  probably  by  sending  a  present.  18. 
secret]  K.V.  wonderful,  in  the  sense  of  supernatural  and  beyond 
man's  comprehension;  see  Ps.  cxxxix.  6,  where  the  same  word  is 
used.  For  the  refusal  of  tlie  angel  to  give  his  name,  compare  Gen. 
xxxii.  29.  In  the  Old  Testament  names  of  angels  (Michael  and 
Gabriel)  are  found  only  in  the  late  Book  of  Daniel.  19.  vith 
a  meat  offering]  i.e.  with  its  accompaniment  of  unleavened  cakes ; 
cp.  vi.  I'i  sqq.  a  rod]  Heb.  "  tbe  rock,"  known  to  local  tradi- 
tion, called  in  ver.  20  "the  altar,"  and  probably  used  as  such  by 
sul>sequent  generations,  being  consecrated  by  this  theopbany.    For 


JUDGES,   XTTI.   20- XIV.    1.  85 

a7igel  did  wondrously ;  and  Manoah  and  his  wife  looked  on. 
For  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  flame  went  up  toward  heaven  20 
from  off  the  altar,  that  the  angel  of  the  Lord  ascended  in  the 
flame  of  the  altar.     And  Manoah  and  his  wife  looked  on  it, 
and  fell  on  their  faces  to  the  ground.     But  the  angel  of  the  2J 
Lord  did  no  more  appear  to  Manoah  and  to  his  wife.     Then 
Manoah    knew   that   he   n-as   an   angel    of  the   Lord.      And  22 
Manoah  said  unto  his  wife,  We  shall  surely  die,  because  we 
have  seen  God.     But  his  wife  said  unto  him,   If  the  Lord  2:1 
were  pleased  to  kill  us,  he  would  not  have  received  a  burnt 
offering  and  a  meat  offering  at  our  hands,  neither  would  he 
have  shewed  us  all  these  things,  nor  would  as  at  this  time  have 
told  us  sucJi,  th  171(18  as  these. 

And  the  woman  bare  a  son,  and  called  his  name  Samson  :  24 
and  the  child  grew,  and  the  Lord  blessed  him.    And  the  spirit  25 
of  the  Lord  began  to  move  him  at  times  in  the  camp  of  Dan, 
between  Zorah  and  Eshtaol. 

And  Samson  went  down  to  Timnath,  and  saw  a  woman  in  14 


the  use  of  a  rude  block  of  stone  as  an  altar  compare  Ex.  xx.  2.5 ;  1 
Sam.  xiv.  33  sqq.  unto  the  Loud;  and  the  angel  did  irondrouslt/] 

The  Hebrew  scarcely  admits  of  this  sense;  LXX.  (A),  with  the 
change  of  one  letter,  gives:  "to  the  Lord  who  doeth  wonth-ous 
things."  21.    The  first  sentence  of  this  verse  is  a  parenthesis. 

22.     Cp.  vi.  2'2.  23.    as  at  this  time]   R.V.  at  this 

time.  24.     >Samson]  z.e.  "  solar,"  or,  perhaps,  "  little  sun," 

from  scheme sh  or  shamsh  ('sun');  cp.  Shimshai  (Ezr.  iv.  8,  17). 
The  pronunciation  Samson  (Shamshon)  which  we  have  from 
the  LXX,  and  Vulg.  is  more  primitive  than  the  ShimsliOn  of  the 
jn-esent  Hebrew  text.  25.     to  more  him  at  times]   K.V.  to 

move  him.  A.V.  is  somewhat  paraphrastic,  but  the  Hebrew  verb 
seems  to  imply  intermittency.  carnp  0/  Dan]  "We  learn  from 

x\iii.  12  (cp.  i.  8-1)  that  the  Danites  had  not  acquired  any  secure 
settlement  in  this  quarter ;  the  camp  of  Dan  was  probably  their 
standing  rendezvous  in  their  frequent  struggles  with  Canaanites 
and  Philisthies.  Eshtaol]  mod.  Eshii'a,  878  feet  above  sea- 

level,  2|  m.  N.E.  from  Zorah. 

XIV.  Samson's  marriage-feast;  his  riddle  and  wager.  How  the 
riddle  was  found  out  and  the  wager  paid. 

1.  vent  doirn  to  Timnath]  Timnath  or  Timnah,  mod.  Tibneh, 
stands  at  a  height  of  800  feet  above  sea-level,  on  the  south  side  of 
the  W.  Surar  (valley  of  Sorek),  3  m.  W.  from  Beth-shemesh  and 
about  3^  m.  S.W.  from  Zorah,  which  is  higher  up  ("went  down," 
"came  up").  It  is  mentioned  in  Josh.  xv.  10  as  marking  the 
northern  frontier  of  Judah;  but  in  Josh.  xix.  43  it  is  reckoned  to 
Dan.  The  population,  as  we  see,  was  (partly  at  least)  Philistine. 
According  to  2  Chr.  xxviii.  18  it  was  seized  and  occupied  by  Philis- 
tines in  the  reign  of  Ahaz;  and  Josephus  {Ant.  v.  8,  5)  calls  it  a 
city  of  the  Philistmes.    It  seems  to  have  been  a  place  of  some 


86  JUDGES,   XIV.   2—7. 

2  Timnath  of  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines.  Aud  lie  came 
up,  and  told  his  father  and  his  mother,  and  said,  I  have  seen 
a  woman  in  Timnath  of  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines:  now 

3  therefore  get  her  for  me  to  wife.  Then  his  father  and  his 
mother  said  unto  him,  Is  there  never  a  woman  among  the 
daughters  of  thy  brethren,  or  among  all  my  people,  that  thou 
goest  to  take  a  wife  of  the  uncircumcised  Philistines  ?  And 
Samson  said  unto  his  father,  Get  her  for  me ;  for  she  pleaseth 

4  me  well.  But  his  father  and*  his  mother  knew  not  that  it 
vms  of  the  Lord,  that  he  sought  an  occasion  against  the 
Philistines :   for  at  that  time  the  Philistines  had  dominion 

5  over  Israel.  Then  went  Samson  down,  and  his  father  and 
his    mother,    to    Timnath,   and    came    to    the  vineyards   of 

6  Timnath  :  and  behold,  a  young  lion  roared  against  him.  And 
the  spirit  of  the  Lord  came  mightily  upon  him,  and  he  rent 
him  as  he  would  have  rent  a  kid,  and  he  had  nothing  in  his 
hand  :  but  he  told  not  his  father  or  his  mother  what  he  had 

7  done.  And  he  went  down,  and  talked  with  the  woman;  and 
she  pleased  Samson  well. 


strategic  importance,  being  mentioned  by  Sennacherib  as  Ta-am- 
na-a,  and  as  taken  and  destroyed  by  bini  after  the  battle  of  Eltekeh, 
immediately  before  bis  siege  of  Ekron.  2.    (let  her  for  me']   Cp. 

Gen.  xxiv.  4;  xxxiv.  4,  (fee.  3.     the  daiu/hters  of  thij  brethren] 

"agnates."  Among  the  ancient  Israelites,  as  now  among  the 
modern  Arabs,  marriages  between  kinsfolk  were  preferred.  Thus 
Laban  says  to  Jacob  (of  Rachel)  (Gen.  xxix.  19) :  "It  is  better  that 
I  give  her  to  thee  than  that  I  should  give  her  to  another  man." 
4.  that  he  souyht  an  occasion]  i.e.  that  what  he  desired  would 
prove  an  occasion  of  quarrel  with  the  Philistines.  5.  ■rineijards] 
Cp.  oliveyards,  xv.  5  (R.V.).  "  Thnuath  still  exists  on  the' plain, 
and  to  reacli  it  from  Zorah  you  must  descend  through  wild  rocky 
gorges, — just  where  one  would  expect  to  find  a  lion  in  those  days 
when  wild  beasts  were  far  moi-e  conunon  than  at  present.  Nor  is 
it  more  remarkable  that  lions  should  be  met  with  in  such  places 
than  that  fierce  leopards  should  now  mahitain  their  position  in  the 
thickly  settled  parts  of  Lebanon,  and  even  in  these  very  mountains, 
within  a  few  hundred  rods  of  large  villages.  Yet  such  I  know  is 
the  fact...  There  were  then  vineyards  belonging  to  Tinmath,  as 
there  now  are  in  all  these  hamlets  along  the  base  of  the  bills  and 
upon  the  mountain  sides.  These  vineyards  are  very  often  far  out 
from  the  villages,  climbing  up  rough  wadies  and  wild  cliffs,  in  one 
of  which  Samson  encountered  the  young  lion"  (Thomson).  6. 

came  mifihtibj]  a  conunon  expression  for  a  sudden  access  of  inspira- 
tion or  divine  enthusiasm.  A.V.  renders  indifferently  "came  "  and 
I' came  mightily  "  (see  1  Sam.  x.  10;  xi.  G).  There  is  nothing  religious 
in  tliis  inspiration ;  tbougli  ascribed  to  Jehovali  as  the  soin-ce  of  all 
might  it  is  not  spiritual  in  the  New  Testament  sense  of  that  word. 
In  1  Sam.  xviii.  10  an  evil  spirit  from  God  "came  mightily"  (R.V.) 


JUDGES,   XIV.   8-15.  87 

And  after  a  time  he  returned  to  take  her,  and  he  turned  » 
aside  to  see  the  carcase  of  the  lion  :  and  behold,  there  tvas  a 
swarm  of  bees  and  honey  in  the  carcase  of  the  lion.     And  he   !> 
took  thereof  in  his  hands,  and  went  on  eating,  and  came  to 
his  father  and  mother,  and  he  gave  them,  and  they  did  eat : 
but  he  told  not  them  that  he  had  taken  the  honey  out  of 
the   carcase  of  the  lion.     So  his  father  went  down  unto  the  io 
woman  :   and   Samson  made  there  a  feast ;   for  so  used  the 
young  men  to  do.     And  it  came  to  pass,  when  they  saw  him,  ii 
that   they  brought  thirty  companions  to  be  with  him.     And  i^ 
Samson  said  unto  them,  I  will  now  put  forth  a  riddle  unto 
you:  if  you  can  certainly  declare  it  me  within  the  seven  days 
of  the  feast,  and  find  it  out,  then  I  will  give  you  thirty  sheets 
and  thirty  change  of  garments :  but  if  ye  cannot  declare  it  13 
me,  then  shall  3^e  give  me  thirty  sheets  and  thirty  change  of 
garments.     And  they  said  unto  him,  Put  forth  thy  riddle,  that 
we  may  hear  it.     And  he  said  unto  then: ,  h 

Out  of  the  eater  came  forth  meat. 

And  out  of  the  strong  came  forth  swe«  tness. 
And  they  could  not  in  three  da3^s  exj  )und  the  riddle.     And  is 
it   came   to   pass   on  the   seventh  day,  that   they  said  unto 
Samson's  wife.  Entice  thy  husband,  that  he  may  declare  unto 


upon  Saul.  8.    retnj-iied]  went  down  to  Timnah  again,  accom- 

panied by  his  parents,  to  celebrate  his  marriage.  a  swann  of 

bees]  We  may  suppose  that  the  bones  of  the  lion  had  been  picked 
bare,  and  the  hide  baked  and  ahnost  tanned  m  the  sun.  10. 

a  feast ;  for  so  used  &c.]  In  all  parts  of  the  East  marriage-feasts 
are  unportant,  and  protracted  so  far  as  the  means  of  the  parties 
pennit.  The  statement  that  in  those  days  the  bridegroom  used  to 
provide  the  feast  seems  to  imply  that  in  the  writer's  own  time  this 
was  (lone  by  the  friends  of  the  bride.  11.    v-hf.n  they  saw  him] 

When  the  bride's  people  saw  what  a  dangerous  fellow  he  would  be 
in  his  cups  they  thought  it  well  to  invite  under  the  name  of 
groomsmen  a  considerable  troop  of  their  own  nation.  We  are  told 
that  in  the  Lebanon  to  this  day  the  sports  at  a  marriage-feast  fre- 
quently end  in  quarrels  and  bloodshed.  12.  riddle]  cp.  1  K. 
X.  1;  2  Chr.  ix.  1.  The  word  is  sometimes  used  as  equivalent  to 
"parable"  or  "proverb,"  the  idea  of  obscurity  and  mystery  bemg 
prominent  (Prov.  i.  6;  Ezek.  xvii.  2;  Ps.  xlix.  4;  Ixxviii.  2).  The 
propounding  and  solving  of  riddles  was,  and  still  is,  one  of  the 
standing  anmsements  of  marriage-feasts  in  the  East.  certainly] 
This  word  is  superfluous  and  rightly  omitted  in  K.V.  sheets] 
or  linen  wrappers,  probably  used  as  waist-cloths;  cp.  Isa.  iii.  23 
("fine  linen");  Prov.  xxxi.  24  ("she  maketh  linen  garments");  and 
Mark  xiv.  51.  ffarmeuts]  See  viii.  25,  note.  15.  serenth] 
LXX.  and  Syr.  have:  "on  the  fourth  day,  " — certainly  with  great 
probability  (see  ver.  14  :  "they  could  not  in  three  days"),  and  with 


88  JUDGES,   XIV.   IG— XY.    1. 

us  the  riddle,  lest  we  burn  thee  and  thy  father's  house  with 
fire  :  liave  ye  called  us  to  take  that  we  have  ?  is  it  not  so  ? 
}(>  And  Samson's  wife  wept  before  him,  and  said,  Thou  dost  but 
hate  me,  and  lovest  me  not  :  thou  hast  put  forth  a  riddle  unto 
the  children  of  my  people,  and  hast  not  told  it  me.  And  he 
said  imto  her.  Behold,  I  have  not  told  it  my  father  nor  my 

17  mother,  and  shall  I  tell  it  thee?  And  she  wept  before  him 
the  seven  days,  while  their  feast  lasted :  and  it  came  to  pass 
on  the  seventh  day,  that  he  told  her,  because  she  lay  sore 
upon  him :  and  she  told  the  riddle  to  the  children  of  her 

18  people.  And  the  men  of  the  city  said  unto  him  on  the  seventh 
day  before  the  sun  went  down. 

What  is  sweeter  than  honey  ? 
And  what  is  stronger  than  a  lion  ? 
And  he  said  unto  them, 

If  ye  had  not  plowed  with  my  heifer, 
Ye  had  not  found  out  my  riddle. 

19  And  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  him,  and  he  went  down 
to  Ashkelon,  and  slew  thirty  men  of  them,  and  took  their 
s^Doil,  and  gave  change  of  garments  unto  them  which  ex- 
pounded the  riddle.     And  his  anger  was  kindled,  and  he  went 

20  up  to  his  father's  house.  But  Samson's  wife  was  given  to  his 
companion,  whom  he  had  used  as  his  friend. 

15      But  it  came  to  pass  within  a  while  after,  in  the  time  of 


the  change  of  only  one  letter  in  the  Hebrew.  bum  thee]   This 

seems  to  have  been  a  favourite  threat  in  those  rude  times ;  cp.  xii. 
G;  XV.  6.  It  is  characteristic  that  a  menace  of  the  kind  (it  was 
seriously  meant)  did  not  seem  disproportionate  to  the  annoyance  of 
having  to  contribute  each  a  second-hand  (ver.  19)  plaid  and  a 
second-hand  waist-cloth  to  the  wardrobe  of  the  bridegi'ooni. 
16.  ^hall  I  tell  it  thee?]  That  tlie  relation  of  Imsband  and  wife  is 
less  intimate  tlian  relations  of  blood  is  the  common  feeling  of  the 
Semite  East  to  this  day;  but  a  different  view  of  the  marriage  state 
is  held  forth  in  Gen.  ii.  24.  17.     the  seeen  daijs]  an  inexact 

expression  for  "the  rest  of  the  seven  days."  lai/  sore  upon 

htvi]  i.e.  pressed  him  sore,  as  R.V.  18.     he/ore  the  sun  vent 

doini]  It  is  doubtful  whether  the  words  can  bear  this  sense.  A 
sliglit  change  in  the  Hebrew  would  give  :  "  before  he  went  into  the 
chamber"  (cp.  xv.  1).  The  Eastern  husband  is  not  introduced  to 
the  bridal  chamber  till  the  close  of  the  last  day  of  the  marriage- 
feast.  _  19.  came]  See  ver.  6.  Ashkelon]  See  i.  18. 
spoil]  in  the  sense  of  the  Latin  exuviae — the  clothes  they  wore. 
Cp.  2  Sam.  ii.  21,  Avhere  it  is  translated  "armour."  change] 
Heb.  "the  cliange",  i.e.  the  promised  change. 

XV.  Samson  s  revenge  upon  the  Philistines,  first  for  the  loss  of 
his  Avife  and  afterwards  for  her  murder.  His  cajjtivity  and  deliver- 
ance. Slaughter  of  the  Philistines  at  Lebi.  The  springing  of 
En-hakkore. 


JUDGES,  XY.   2-8.  89 

wheat  harvest,  that  Samson  visited  his  mfe  with  a  kid ;  and 
he  said,  I  will  go  in  to  my  wife  into  the  chamber.     But  her 
father  would  not  suffer  him  to  go  in.     And  her  father  said,  2 
I  veiily  thought  that  thou  hadst  utterly  hated  her ;  therefore 
I  gave  her  to  thy  companion :  is  not  her  younger  sister  fairer 
than  she  ?  take  her,  I  pray  thee,  instead  of  her.     And  Samson  3 
said  concerning  them,  Now  shall  I  be  more  blameless  than 
the  Philistines,  though  I  do  them  a  displeasure.     And  Samson  4 
went  and  caught  three  hundred  foxes,  and  took  firebrands, 
and  turned  tail   to  tail,  and  put   a  firebrand  in  the  midst 
between  two  tails.     And  when  he  had  set  the  brands  on  fire,  5 
he  let  them  go  into  the  standing  corn  of  the  Philistines,  and 
burnt  up  both  the  shocks,  and  also  the  standing  corn,  with 
the  vineyards   and   olives.     Then  the  Philistines  said,  Who  G 
hath  done  this  ?     And  they  answered,  Samson,  the  son  in  law 
of  the  Timnite,  because  he  had  taken  his  wife,  and  given  her 
to  his  companion.     And  the  Philistines  came  up,  and  burnt 
her  and  her  father  with  fire.     And  Samson  said  unto  them,  7 
Though  ye  have  done  this,  yet  will  I  be  avenged  of  you,  and 
after  that  I  will  cease.     And  he  smote  them  hip  and  thigh  « 
with  a  great  slaughter  :  and  he  went  down  and  dwelt  in  the 
top  of  the  rock  Etam. 

1.  vheat  harvest']  In  Canaan  the  "weeks  of  harvest"  (Jer.  v.  24) 
are  the  seven  between  Passover  and  Pentecost,  or,  as  we  should  say, 
between  Easter  and  Whitsuntide.  The  barley  harvest  comes  first ; 
wheat  harvest  follows.  vith  a  lid]  to  make  a  feast ;  cp.  Gen.  xxvii. 
9,  14,  xxxviii.  17;  1  Sam.  xvi.  20;  Liike  xv.  29;  also  vi.  19,  xiii.  If), 
above.  3.  Xon-  shall  I  &e.j  R.Y.  This  time  shall  I  be  blame- 
less in  regard  of  the  Philistines  when  I  do  them  a  mis- 
chief; or,  perhaps:  "I  will  clear  accounts  with  the  Philisthies." 
4.  foxes]  No  one  who  knows  the  habits  of  the  fox  will 
underrate  the  difficulty  of  capturing  three  hun(h-ed  of  them,  even  in 
a  district  where  they  abound.  Jireh rands]  or  "torches;"  same 

word  as  in  vii.  16.  Amongst  the  practices  observed  in  celebrating 
the  Konian  Cerealia  was  that  of  sending  off  foxes  with  flaming 
torches  attached.  The  legendary  origui  of  the  custom  (an  accidental 
conflagi-ation  arising  oiat  of  a  boy's  frolic  with  a  fox)  is  related  l)y 
Ovid  {Fasti  iv.  681  sqq.).  hetireeu  fico  tails]   ll.V.  between 

every  two  tails.  The  object  of  the  tying  seems  to  have  been  to 
prevent  each  fox  from  making  straight  for  its  own  den.  vith] 

Heb.  "  and  even."  6.    her  father]    Many  Hebrew  MSS.  and 

also  LXX.  (A)  have:  "her  father's  house,"  as  in  xiv.  15. 
7.     Thou;/h  ye  <kc.]    R.Y.  If  ye  do  after  this  manner  surely  I 
will  be  avenged  of  you.  8.    hip  and  fhli/h  j  nin-oxevhial 

expression,  perhaps  derived  from  wrestling,  but  the  sense  has  not 
been  clearly  made  out.  top]    R.Y.  cleft;  same  word  as  in 

Isa.  ii.  21,  Ivii.  5,  and  different  from  that  in  xvi.  3.  roch  Ktavi] 

This  lay  apparently  in  the  hill-country  of  Judah ;  it  has  not  been 


90  JUDGES,   XV.   9—17. 

9      Then  the  PhiUstines  went  up,  and  pitched  in  Judah,  and 

10  spread  themselves  in  Lehi.  And  the  men  of  Judah  said.  Why 
are  ye  come  up  against  us?  And  tliey  answered,  To  bind 
Samson  are  we  come  up,  to  do  to  him  as  he  hath  done  to  us. 

11  Then  three  thousand  men  of  Judah  went  to  the  top  of  the 
rock  Etam,  and  said  to  Samson,  Knowest  thou  not  that  the 
Philistines  are  rulers  over  us?  what  is  this  tJuit  thou  hast 
done  unto  us?     And  he  said  unto  them,  As  they  did  unto  me, 

12  so  have  I  done  unto  them.  And  they  said  unto  him.  We  are 
come  down  to  bind  thee,  that  we  may  deliver  thee  into  the 
hand  of  the  Pliilistines.     And  Samson  said  unto  them,  Swear 

13  unto  me,  that  ye  will  not  fall  upon  me  yourselves.  And  they 
spake  unto  him,  saying.  No ;  but  we  will  bind  thee  fast,  and 
deliver  thee  into  their  hand:  but  surely  we  will  not  kill  thee. 
And  they  bound  him  with  two  new  cords,  and  brought  him 

14  up  from  the  rock.  And  when  he  came  unto  Lehi,  the  Phi- 
listines shouted  against  him  :  and  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  came 
mightily  upon  him,  and  the  cords  that  were  upon  his  arms 
became  as  flax  that  was  burnt  with  fire,  and  his  bands  loosed 

15  from  off  his  hands.  And  he  found  a  new  jawbone  of  an  ass, 
and  put  forth  his  hand,  and  took  it,  and  slew  a  thousand  men 

Hi  therewith.     And  Samson  said, 

With  the  jawbone  of  an  ass,  heaps  upon  heaps, 
With  the  jaw  of  an  ass  have  I  slain  a  thousand  men. 

27  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  had  made  an  end  of  speaking, 


identified,  but  its  locality  is  perhaps  to  bo  sought  near  the  Etam 
described  by  Josephus  as  lying  GO  stadia  to  the  S.  of  Jenisalein, 
and  as  having  been  beautified  with  gardens  and  waterworks  by 
Solomon — tbe  mod.  Artas,  in  the  AVadyArtas,  which  is  overhung  by 
barren  mountains.    It  is  about  half  a  day's  journey  from  Zorah. 

9.  spread  themselces]  Comp.  2  Sam.  v.  18,  'I'l.  The  i)hrase  seems 
to  imi)ly  a  large  host  and  extended  camp.  Lehi]  See  ver.  17 
below.  It  seems  to  have  been  a  suitable  rendezvous  for  a  Philistine 
invasion  of  Judah,  for  in  2  Sam.  xxiii.  11  also  we  read  of  an  assem- 
bling of  PhiHsline  armies  "at  Lehi"  (A.V.  "into  a  troop"). 

10.  hiiid\  i.e.  make  prisoner  of.  11.  u-ent  to  the  tojt]  R.V. 
went  down  to  the  cleft;  cp.  vv.  I'l,  18.  12.  Sn-ear  nnto 
vie  &c.]  He  is  anxious  not  to  compromise  his  countrymen  with  the 
Philistines,  and  unwilling,  unless  in  the  utmost  extremity,  to  lay 
violent  hands  on  any  of  them.  13.  hrou<fht  him  ?</>]  See 
ver.  11.  14.  came  miyhtihj']  See  xiv.  6,  19.  /oo.se</]  lit. 
"melted."  15.  a  neir  jaiishone]  not  yet  so  dried  in  the  sun  as 
to  be  brittle.  sleir  a  thuusaiid  /iien]  In  several  Arabian  stories 
the  ja\vl)one  of  a  camel  serves  in  like  manner  as  an  improvised 
weapon,  but  not  with  such  deadly  results.  16.  heaps  upon 
heaps]  lit.  "  an  heap,  two  heaps."  The  translation  is  somewhat 
precarious.     The  Hebrew  contains  a  jilay  upon  the  word  for  "  an 


JUDGES,   XV.    18— XVI.   3.  01 

that  he  cast  away  the  jawbone  out  of  his  hand,  and  called  that 
place  Eaniath-lehi. 

And  he  was  sore  athirst,  and  called  on  the  Lord,  and  said,  i« 
Thou  hast  given  this  great  deliverance  into  the  hand  of  thy 
servant :  and  now  shall  I  die  for  thirst,  and  fall  into  the  hand 
of  the  uncii-cumcised?    But  God  clave  a  hollow  place  that  was  ui 
in  the  jaw,  and  there  came  water  thereout ;  and  when  he  had 
drunk,  his  spirit  came  again,  and  he  revived  :   wherefore  he 
called  the  name  thereof  En-hakkore,  which  is  in  Lehi  unto 
this  day.     And  he  judged  Israel  in  the  days  of  the  Philistines  2(» 
twenty  years. 

Then  went  Samson  to  Gaza,  and  saw  there  a  harlot,  and  16 
went   in    unto   her.      And    it  was    told   the   Gazites,    saying,    2 
Samson  is  come  hither.     And  they  compassed  liim  in,  and 
laid  wait  for  him  all  night  in  the  gate  of  the  city,  and  were 
quiet  all  the  night,  saying,  In  the  morning,  when  it  is  day,  we 
shall  kill  him.     And  Samson  lay  till  midnight,  and  arose  at  3 

ass"  {hamdr).  17.    called  that jdace]  or,  "and  men  called  that 

place,"  Eamath-lehi,  z.^.  "jawbone-height."  18.    deliverance 

into]  or,  victory  by.  uiicircuntcised]  a  common  opprobrious 

epithet  applied  by  Israel  to  the  Philistines.  Most  of  the  nations 
around  Israel  appear  to  have  practised  circumcision — notably  the 
Ishmaelite  Ai'abs  and  other  descendants  of  Abraham ;  also  the 
Egyptians  and  iirobably  the  older  races  of  Canaan,  who  bad  long 
been  under  Egyptian  influence.  The  Philistines  (see  iii.  3)  were 
newcomers.  19.     a //o//o/r  2>?«cf  /7/a^  (was)  in  the  jair\   R.V. 

The  hollow  place  [Heb.  "mortar"]  that  is  in  Lehi,  i.e.  the 
mortar-sbaped  depression  containing  the  spring  of  En-bakkore.  So 
the  Phoenician  quarter  of  Jerusalem,  perhaps  occupying  the  liead  of 
the  Tyropoeon  valley,  is  called  "the  mortar  "  (Maktesb) ;  Zepb.  i.  11. 
he  called]  or  "men  call."  En-hakkore]  lit.  "the  foimtain 

of  the  caller."  One  might  also  render  "Partridge  spring,"  for  the 
partridge,  which  abounds  on  these  biUs,  is  named  in  Hel)re\v  "the 
caller."  In  like  manner  it  has  been  suggested  tbat  "the  jawbone 
height  "  was  originally  so  designated  from  its  conflgiu-ation,  like  the 
promontory  on  tbe  coast  of  Laconia  in  Greece  called  Onugnatbus, 
i.e.  "jawbone  of  an  ass."  If  this  be  so,  tbe  names  were  adapted 
to  the  story  in  popular  tradition. 

XVI.  Samson  at  Gaza;  in  tbe  valley  of  Sorek;  and  agani  at 
Gaza.     His  death. 

1.  Gaza]  See  i.  18.  Samson's  repeated  intrigues  of  this  de- 
scription are  very  inconsistent  with  tbe  spirit  of  Biblical  religion; 
but  they  form  one  of  tbe  many  points  of  contact  between  tbe  rude 
times  of  the  Judges  and  tbe  heroic  i)eriod  of  Arabian  beatbenisni. 
2.  And  it  traa  told]  These  nec»>ssary  words  are  found  in  LXX. 
though  not  in  tbe  present  Hebrew  text.  laid  vait  for 

him  all  ni</ht]  To  have  entered  tbe  bouse  where  be  was  by  night 
would  have  been  against  custom;  see  Josh.  ii.  3;  1  Sam.  xix.  11. 
In  the  moniing  Sec]    ll.V.   [Let  be]  till  morning  light, 


92  JUDGES,   XVI.   4—12. 

midnight,  and  took  the  doors  of  the  gate  of  the  city,  and  the 
two  posts,  and  went  away  with  tliem,  bar  and  all,  and  put 
tJwm  npon  his  shoulders,  and  carried  them  up  to  tlie  top  of  a 
hill  that  is  before  Hebron. 

4  And  it  came  to  pass  afterward,  that  he  loved  a  woman  in 

5  the  valley  of  Sorek,  whose  name  was  Delilah.  And  the  lords 
of  the  Philistines  came  up  unto  her,  and  said  unto  her.  Entice 
him,  and  see  wherein  his  great  strength  lieth,  and  by  what 
means  we  may  prevail  against  him,  that  we  may  bind  him  to 
afflict  him  :   and   we   will  give  thee  every  one  of  us  eleven 

6  hundred  pieces  of  silver.     And  Delilah  said  to  Samson,  Tell 
■  me,  I  pray  thee,  wherein  thy  great  strength  lieth,  and  where- 

7  with  thou  mightest  be  bound  to  afflict  thee.  And  Samson 
said  unto  her,  If  they  bind  me  with  seven  green  withs  that 
were  never  dried,  then  shall  I  be  weak,  and  be  as  another 

8  man.  Then  the  lords  of  the  Philistines  brought  up  to  her 
seven  green  withs  which  had  not  been  di'ied,  and  she  bound 

9  him  with  them.  Now  there  were  men  lying  in  wait,  abiding 
with  her  in  the  chamber.  And  she  said  unto  him.  The 
Philistines  he  upon  thee,  Samson.  And  he  brake  the  withs, 
as  a  thread  of  tow  is  broken  when  it  toucheth  the  fire.     So  his 

10  strength  was  not  known.  And  Delilah  said  unto  Samson, 
Behold,  thou  hast  mocked  me,  and  told  me  lies  :  now  tell  me, 

11  I  pray  thee,  wherewith  thou  mightest  be  bound.  And  he  said 
unto  her,  If  they  bind  me  fast  with  new  ropes  that  never  were 
occupied,    then   shall   I   be   weak,  and   be   as   another  man. 

12  Delilah  therefore  took  new  ropes,  and  bound  him  therewith, 
and  said  unto  him,  The  Philistines  he  upon  thee,  Samson, 


then  we  will  kill  him.  3.    toolc  the  doors  &c.]  lit.  "laid 

hold  of  the  folding  doors.''  &:c.  The  fortifications  seem  to  have 
l)een  somewhat  i)riinitive  ; — perhaps  a  mud  wall,  for  the  doors  had 
posts  instead  of  being  swung  on  sockets  in  the  stone-work.  a 

hill]  R.V.  the  mountain, — the  sky-hne  of  tlie  "hill-country  of 
Judaea  "  as  seen  from  Gaza,  looking  towards  Hebron.  be/ore 

IJehron]  lit.  "in  front  of,"  i.e.  as  one  comes  from  (ia/a.  4.     in 

the  rallei/]  Zorah,  Mahaneh-dan,  Eslitaol,  Timnah,  were  all  in  this 
valley.  Delilah]    It  seems  to  be  implied  that  she  was  a  Pliilis- 

tine.  5.    lonh]     See  iii.  3,  note.  a/^Yjc^]  or  "hmuble," 

i.e.  bring  into  weakness  and  subjection.  7.     viths]    R.V. 

withes.  Better:  "fresh  bow-strings."  These  were  made  of  gut, 
and  so  would  become  brittle  when  dry.  A.V.  follows  LXX.  (A),  and 
also  Josephus,  wlio  supposes  that  the  flexible  runners  of  the  vine 
are  meant.  9.    Isoio  there  were  kc]    Heb.  "now  the  liers  in 

wait  were  sitting  for  her  [i.e.  awaiting  her  signal]  in  the  inner 
chamber."  chamber']     Same  word  as  in  xv.  1,  and  in  ver.  1*2, 

below;  see  also  xiv.  18,  note.  toucheth]  lit.   'sinelleth." 

11.    occupied]  i.e.  "used."    R.V.,  more  literally,  wherewith  no 


JUDGES,  XVI.    13-21.  93 

And  there  were  liers  in  wait  abiding  in  the  chamber.     And  he 
brake  them  from  off  his  arms  like  a  thread.     And  Delilah  said  u 
unto   Samson,   Hitherto  thou  hast  mocked  me,  and  told  me 
lies :    tell  me  wherewith  thou  mightest  be  bound.     And  he 
said  unto  her,  If  thou  weavest  the  seven  locks  of  my  head  with 
the  web.     And  she  fastened  it  with  the  pin,  and  said  unto  14 
him,  The  Philistines  he  upon  thee,  Samson.     And  he  awaked 
out  of  his  sleep,  and  went  away  with  the  pin  of  the  beam, 
and  with  the  web.     And  she  said  unto  him,  How  canst  thou  1.5 
say,  I  love  thee,  when  thine  heart  is  not  with  me  ?  thou  hast 
mocked  me  these  three  times,  and  hast  not  told  me  wherein 
thy  great   strength   Vieth.     And   it   came   to  pass,   when  she  h; 
pressed  him  daily  with  her  words,  and  urged  him,  so  that  his 
soul  was  vexed  unto  death ;  that  he  told  her  all  his  heart,  and  17 
said  unto  her,  There  hath  not  come  a  rasor  upon  mine  head ; 
for  I  have  been  a  Nazarite  unto  God  from  my  mother's  womb : 
if  I  be  shaven,  then  my  strength  will  go  from  me,  and  I  shall 
become  weak,  and  be  like  any  other  man.     And  when  Delilah  m 
saw  that  he  had  told  her  all  his  heart,  she  sent  and  called  for 
the  lords  of  the  Philistines,  saying,  Come  up  this  once,  for  he 
hath   shewed  me  all  his  heart.     Then  the  lords  of  the  Phi- 
listines came  up  unto  her,  and  brought  money  in  their  hand. 
And  she  made  him  sleep  upon  her  knees ;  and  she  called  for  a  if> 
man,  and  she  caused  him  to  shave  off  the  seven  locks  of  his 
head ;  and  she  began  to  afflict  him,  and  his  strength  went 
from  him.      And   she   said,    The   Philistines   be   upon   thee,  20 
Samson.     And  he  awoke  out  of  his  sleep,  and  said,  I  will  go 
out  as  at  other  times  before,  and  shake  myself.     And  he  wist 
not  that  the  Lord  was  departed  from  him.    But  the  Philistines  21 


work  hath  been  done.  13.     the  veh]  or,  more  precisely,  the 

"  warj),"  Samson's  long  hair  fonuing  the  woof.  14.    fastened 

(it)  irith  the  pill]  or,  i)erhaps,  "tapped  with  the  pin"  (as  a  signal). 
What  the  "pin  "  here  means  is  not  clearly  made  out.  A  sort  of  pin 
or  wooden  spatula  was  used  by  the  ancients  instead  of  the  modem 
lay-cap  to  push  the  woof  home  and  make  the  web  firai ;  and  the  first 
clause  of  the  verse  has  been  supposed  to  refer  to  this  operation- 
On  the  other  hand  the  "pm  of  the  beam"  in  the  second  clause 
seems  to  be  some  fixed  portion  of  the  loom  which  Samson  tore 
away ;  but  here  the  translation  and  even  the  reacUng  are  question- 
able. 16.  pressed  hint]  Cp.  xiv.  17  (same  word).  17.  if 
I  he  shai-e)i]  The  inviolate  hair,  "the  head  of  his  separation"  (or, 
"  consecration  '),  Nu.  vi.  7,  1>,  18,  was  the  most  essential  featiu-e  in 
tlie  NazarHe's  vow.  It  was  to  be  shaved  only  when  the  days  of  his 
consecration  were  at  an  end  (Nu.  vi.  l.S).  18.  vioueij]  Heb. 
"  the  (promised)  money."  19.  caufted  hun  to  share  of]  Heb. 
"she  shaved  off;"  perhaps  we  should  read,  with  a  change  of  one 
letter  :  "  and  he  shaved  off."        began  to  afflict  him]  i.e.  "  hiunbled  " 


94  JUDGES,   XVI.  22—29. 

took  him,  and  put  out  his  eyes,  and  brought  him  down  to 
Gaza,  and  bound  him  with  fetters  of  brass;  and  he  did  grind 

22  in  the  prison  house.  Howbeit  the  hair  of  his  head  began  to 
grow  again  after  he  was  shaven. 

23  Then  the  lords  of  the  Phihstines  gathered  them  together 
for  to  offer  a  gi-eat  sacrifice  unto  Dagon  their  god,  and  to 
rejoice  :   for   they  said,  Our  god  hath  delivered  Samson  our 

24  enemy  into  our  hand.  And  when  the  people  saw  him,  they 
praised  their  god  :  for  they  said,  Our  god  hath  delivered  into 
our  hands  our  enemy,  and  the  destroj-er  of  our  country,  which 

25  slew  many  of  us.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  their  hearts 
were  merry,  that  they  said,  Call  for  Samson,  that  he  may 
make  us  sport.  And  they  called  for  Samson  out  of  the  prison 
house ;  and  he  made  them  sport :  and  they  set  him  between 

2«  the  pillars.  And  Samson  said  unto  the  lad  that  held  him 
by  the  hand,  Suffer  me  that  I  may  feel  the  pillars  whereupon 

27  the  house  standeth,  that  I  may  lean  upon  them.  Now  the 
house  was  full  of  men  and  women ;  and  all  the  lords  of  the 
Philistines  were  there ;  and  there  xoere  upon  the  roof  about 
three  thousand  men  and  women,  that  beheld  while  Samson 

28  made   sport.      And  Samson  called  unto  the  Lord,  and  said, 

0  Lord  GoiJ,  remember  me,  I  pray  thee,  and  strengthen  me,  I 
pray  thee,   only  this   once,  0  God,  that  I  may  be  at  once 

2y  avenged  of  the  Philistines  for  my  two  eyes.  And  Samson 
took  hold  of   the  two  middle  pillars  upon  which  the  house 

(see  ver.  5)  him  for  the  first  time.  21.    j>«/  out  his  eifes]  a  very 

common  mutilation  both  in  ancient  and  mediaeval  times.      Cp. 

1  Sam.  xi.  2;  '2  K.  xxv.  7.  did  f/rind]  Grinding  with  a  hand- 
mill  was  menial  work  (Isa.  xlvii.  2),  usuaUy  assigned  to  women 
(Ex.  xi.  5;  Mt.  xxiv.  41).  It  is  possible  tliat  Samson  may  have 
been  employed  at  one  of  the  larger  description  of  mills  ("  ass  mills:  " 
cp.  Mt.  xviii.  6;  Luke  xvii.  2;  Kev.  xviii.  21,  22)  for  which  greater 
strength  was  required.  23.  Jhir/on]  the  chief  god  of  the  Phi- 
listine confederation ;  comp.  1  Sam.  v.  2  sqq. ;  1  Chr.  xx.  10 ;  1  Mace. 
x.  83  sqq.,  xi.  4).  It  is  coimnonly  infen-ed  from  1  Sam.  v.  4  that  he 
was  figured  with  the  body  of  a  fish  but  the  hands  and  face  of  a  man. 
His  worship  was  not  peculiar  to  the  Philistines;  it  has  been  con- 
jectured to  be  identical  with  that  of  the  Babylonian  god  Dakan. 
25.  .y)ort\  Apparently  he  was  called  upon  to  make  some  exhi- 
bition of  his  agility  or  strength.  25,  26.  the  pillars. ..the 
house]  "The  house"'  is  presumably  not  the  temple  itself  but  a 
banqueting  house  (li.'ihJcah)  attached  to  it,  such  as  was  also  fouiid  at 
the  sanctuary  of  Ramah  (1  Sam.  ix.  22:  A.V.  "parlour'  ;  K.V. 
"guest-cliaml)er").  It  was  so  large  tlmt  the  roof  was  suppoi'ted 
by  a  row  of  pillars.  27.  three  tl/ousand]  LXX.  (B)  "seven 
Inindred."  Variations  in  numbers  of  this  kind  are  frctinent  in  the 
text  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  the  conunouer  tendency  of  copyists 
was  to  exaggerate. 


JUDGES,   XVI.   30— XVII.    I.  96 

stood,  and  on  which  it  was  borne  up,  of  the  one  with  his  right 
hand,  and  of  the  other  with  his  left.  And  Samson  said.  Let  3o 
me  die  with  the  Philistines.  And  he  bowed  himself  with  all 
his  might ;  and  the  house  fell  upon  the  lords,  and  upon  all 
the  people  that  ivere  therein.  So  the  dead  which  he  slew  at 
his  death  were  moe  than  they  which  he  slew  in  his  life.  Then  3i 
his  brethren  and  all  the  house  of  his  father  came  down,  and 
took  him,  and  brought  him  up,  and  buried  him  between  Zorah 
and  Eshtaol  in  the  buryingplace  of  Manoah  his  father.  And 
he  judged  Israel  twenty  years. 

And  there  was  a  man  of  mount  Ephraim,  whose  name  was  17 
Micah.     And  he  said  unto  his  mother,  The  eleven  hundred  2 
shekels  of  silver  that  were  taken  from  thee,  about  which  thou 
cursedst,  and  spakest  of  also  in  mine  ears,  behold,  the  silver 
is  with  me ;  I  took  it.     And  his  mother  said.  Blessed  he  thou 
of  the  Lord,  my  son.     And  when  he  had  restored  the  eleven  3 
hundred  shekels  of  silver  to  his  mother,  his  mother  said,  I  had 
wholly  dedicated  the  silver  unto  the  Lokd  from  my  hand  for 
my  son,  to  make  a  graven  image  and  a  molten  image :  now 
therefore   I  will   restore   it   unto  thee.     Yet  he  restored  the  -t 
money  unto  his  mother  ;   and  his  mother  took  two  hundred 
shekels  of  silver,  and  gave  them  to  the  founder,  who  made 
thereof  a  graven  image  and  a  molten  image  :  and  they  were  in 

Pakt  hi.  Chap.  XYII.  1— XXI.  25.  Two  appendices:  (A) 
Micah  and  the  Sanctuary  of  Dan  ;  (B)  Gibeah  and  the  tribe 
OF  Benjamin. 

Appendix  A.  Ch.  XVII.,  XVIII.  Micah's  sanctuary  in  the  hill- 
country  of  Ephraim,  and  how  it  was  transferred  against  his  will  to 
Dan.  Apart  from  a  few  editorial  notes  and  comments  (such  as  xvii. 
6,  xviii.  12/;,  xviii.  30,  31),  and  perhaps  one  longer  passage  (xvii. 
2 — i),  the  whole  forms  one  contmuous  narrative. 

1.    mount]  i.e.  "hill-country  of."  Micah]    or,  more  fully 

(here  and  in  ver.  4),  Micayahii,  i.e.  "  who  is  like  Jeliovali,"  essentially 
the  same  word  as  the  name  Michael  ("  who  is  like  God  ?  ").  A  third 
form  of  the  name  is  Micaiah  (1  K.  xxii.  8,  and  elsewhere).  This 
Micah  was  a  Jehovah-worshipper,  as  his  nanxe  shows,  though  his 
sanctuaiy  contained  images;  cp.  above,  viii.  27.  2.  about  v-hich 
cfec]  R.V.  about  which  thou  didst  utter  a  curse  [maig.  "  an 
adjuration"]  and  didst  also  speak  it  in  mine  ears.  The 
ancient  belief  was  that  such  curses  came  home  to  the  guilty  party. 
/  took  it]  Add  here,  from  end  of  ver.  3,  the  displaced  clause :  "  now 
therefore  I  will  restore  it  unto  thee."  Blessed  he  thou  etc.] 

removing  the  curse.  3.    I  had  vTiolly  dedicated]    Heb.  "I 

do  dedicate."  from  my  hand]  i.e.  "from  my  possession." 

noii"^  therefore  Sze.]  This  clause  should  be  traiisferr£d  to  ver.  2. 
4.  Yethe  Szc]  E.V.  And  when  he... his  mother  took.  In 
substance  a  repetition  of  ver.  3.  and  they  vere^    Heb.,  as 

K.V.,  "and  it  was."    This  seems  to  suggest  that  we  are  to  under- 


96  JUDGES,   XVII.   5—10. 

5  the  house  of  Micah.  And  the  man  Micah  had  a  house  of 
gods,  and  made  an  ephod,  and  teraphim,  and  consecrated  one 

G  of  his  sons,  who  became  his  priest.  In  those  days  there  luas 
no  king  in  Israel,  but  every  man  did  that  which  was  right  in 
his  own  eyes. 

7  And  there  was  a  young  man  out  of  Beth-lehem-judah  of  the 
family  of  Judah,  who  ivas  a  Levite,  and  he  sojourned  there. 

8  And  the  man  departed  out  of  the  city  from  Beth-lehem-judah 
to  sojourn  where  he  could  find  a  place :  and  he  came  to  mount 

9  Ephraim  to  the  house  of  Micah,  as  he  journeyed.  And  Micah 
said  unto  him,  Whence  comest  thou  ?  And  he  said  unto  him, 
I  am  a  Levite  of  Beth-lehem-judah,  and  I  go  to  sojourn  where 

10  I  may  find  a  place.  And  Micah  said  unto  him,  Dwell  with 
me,  and  be  unto  me  a  father  and  a  priest,  and  I  will  give  thee 

stand  not  two  images  but  a  single  figure  of  carved  wood  adorned 
with  metal  work.  Yet  m  xviii.  17, 18,  the  graven  and  molten  images 
seem  to  be  distinct.  The  narrative  does  not  enable  us  to  form  a 
precise  notion  of  the  furniture  of  Micali's  shrine.  5.    In  point 

of  form  this  verse  seems  to  attach  itself  to  ver.  1  rather  than  to 
ver.  4,  and  many  critics  regard  verses  2 — -l  as  an  insertion  in  the 
original  text.  a  house  of  <jods]  or  "of  God,"  i.e.  a  temple. 

ephod]    See  viii.  27,  note.  teraphim]     See  1  Sam.  xix.  13 — 16 

(K.V.),  XV.  23  (E.V.);  2  K.  xxiii.  24  (E.V.);  Hos.  iii.  4;  Zech.  x.  2 
(R.V.).  The  etymology  of  the  word  is  obscure.  It  is  api)lied  to  a 
kind  of  images,  with  something  of  a  human  figure  (1  Sam.  xix.  13), 
used  in  domestic  and  public  worship,  and  esiiecially  associated  with 
the  arts  of  divination  (Zech.  x.  2;  Ezek.  xxi.  21  (ll.V.)).  The  last- 
cited  passage  shows  that  teraphuu  were  used  in  Babylonia  also. 
Ephod  and  teraphim  were  a  standing  part  of  the  furniture  of  a 
sanctuary  in  the  time  of  Hosea  (iii,  4),  and  l)oth  seem  to  have  been 
used  in  consulting  the  sacred  oracle ;  see  1  Sam.  xiv.  18  (K.V.  mai'g. : 
"bring  hither  the  ephod");  1  Sam.  xxiii.  9.  consecrated]  or 

"installed  ;  '  Heb.  "  filled  the  hands  of."  one  of  his  sons]    Cp. 

Ex.  xxiv.  5  where,  prior  to  the  institution  of  a  regular  priesthood, 
sav'rifices  are  offered  by  the  young  men  of  the  children  of  Israel. 
7.    Beth-lehem-judah]  Cp.  xii.  8,  note.    It  is  the  mod.  BL-t-lahm,  5  m. 
S.  from  Jerusalem.  of  the  fumihi  of  Judah]    The  words  are  a 

note  on  Beth-lehem-judah ;  the  Heb.  consonants  (cp.  Josh.  vii.  17) 
admit  the  easier  rendering:  "one  of  the  denies  [or  "cantons"]  of 
Judah  ;  "  see  LXX.  (B).  sojourned]  i.e.  lived  among  the  Ju- 

daeans  as  a  stranger  under  their  protection.  The  Levites  had  no 
tribal  inheritance  (Dt.  xviii.  1),  but  lived  scattered  through  the  land 
(Dt.  xviii.  6);  compare  the  prediction  (Gen.  xlix.  7).  10.     a 

father]  See  also  xviii.  H);  the  first  instance  of  the  bestowal  of  this 
title  of  honoiu'  on  a  priest.  It  is  now  common  througbout  Christen- 
dom ;  examples  are  the  Syx'iac  ahha,  whence  ahhat,  <ihhot,  and  tlie 
(rreek  and  Latin  jiaiia  or  po/ie,  a  title  borne  in  the  Greek  Cburch  by 
every  jiarish  priest.  The  designation  "fatber  "  was  also  borne  by 
prophets  (2  K.  vi.  21,  xiii.  14)  and  governors  (Isa.  xxii.  21 ;  Gen. 


JUDGES,   XYII.   11— XVIII.   5.  97 

ten  shekels  of  silver  by  the  year,  and  a  suit  of  apparel,  and 
thy  victuals.     So  the  Levite  went  in.     And  the  Levite  was  ii 
content  to  dwell  with  the  man ;  and  the  young  man  was  unto 
him  as  one  of  his  sons.     And  Micah  consecrated  the  Levite;  12 
and  the  young  man  became  his  priest,  and  was  in  the  house  of 
Micah.     Then  said  Micah,  Now  know  I  that  the  Lord  will  do  1.^ 
me  good,  seeing  I  have  a  Levite  to  mij  priest. 

In  those  days  there  icas  no  king  in  Israel:  and  in  those  days  18 
the  tribe  of  the  Danites  sought  them  an  inheritance  to  dwell 
in;  for  unto  that  day  all  their  inheritance  had  not  fallen  unto 
them  among  the  tribes  of  Israel.     And  the  children  of  Dan  sent  2 
of  their  family  five  men  from  their  coasts,  men  of  valour,  from 
Zorah  and  from  Eshtaol,  to  spy  out  the  land,  and  to  search  it; 
and  they  said  unto  them,  Go,  search  the  land:  who  when  they 
came  to  mount  Ephraim,  to  the  house  of  Micah,  they  lodged 
there.     When  they  were  by  the  house  of  Micah,  they  knev/  the   3 
voice  of  the  young  man  the  Levite  :  and  they  turned  in  thither, 
and  said  unto  him,  Who  brought  thee  hither?  and  what  makest 
thou  in  this  place?  and  what  hast  thou  here?     And  he  said  4 
unto  them.  Thus  and  thus  dealeth  Micah  with  me,  and  hath 
hired  me,  and  I  am  his  priest.    And  they  said  unto  him,  Ask  5 

xlv.  8).  ten  [shekels]  of  stiver]    See  note  on  ix.  4.    We  are  to 

understand  that  the  salary  was  liberal.  For  the  purchasing  power 
of  silver  in  old  Israel  the  following  passages  may  be  compared :  Ex.  . 
xxi.  32  (30  shekels  a  fair  price  for  a  slave) ;  Dt.  xxii.  29  (50  shekels 
the  "dowTy  "  to  be  paid  in  certaui  circumstances  for  a  wife) ;  Judg. 
ix.  4;  1  Sam.  ix.  8  (a  quarter  of  a  shekel  a  suitable  present  for  a 
prophet) ;  2  K.  vii.  1  (one  seali,  or  three  ephahs,  of  fine  flour  for  a 
shekel,  and  two  seahs  of  barley  for  a  shekel  in  time  of  plenty). 
stilt]  not  the  same  word  as  "  a  change"  (xiv.  6).  11.    one 

of  his  son,i]  i.e.  was  treated  as  a  member  of  the  family.  _  12. 

consecrated]  See  ver.  5.  13.  In  all  early  religions  great  weight 
is  laid  on  the  correct  performance  of  ritual  functions.  Among  the 
Hebrews  the  Levitical  priests  were  the  special  depositaries  of  ritual 
tradition  (Dt.  xxxiii.  10 ;  Mai.  ii.  7,  8). 

XYin.  1.  all  then-  inheritance]  The  inserted  "  all "  of  A.V.  is 
unnecessary  and  incon-ect.  The  Danites  were  at  this  time  striving 
to  make  good  their  hold  of  the  region  that  seemed  to  have  fallen  to 
their  lot  (see  Josh.  xix.  40),  but  without  success  (see  above,  i.  34). 
They  appear  to  have  held  httle  more  than  the  two  towns  of  Zorah 
and  Eshtaol  (cp.  w.  2,  11,  below).  2.    famili/]  see  xiii.  2. 

note.  from  their  coasts]  R.V.  from  their  whole  number, 

i.e.  represe}iting  all  parts  of  the  tribe.  lodyed  there]  passed 

the  night ;  not  as  Micah's  guests ;  see  next  verse.  3.    hnev; 

the  voice]  Bethlehem,  the  Levite's  former  residence,  is  less  than 
a  day's  march  from  the  Danite  settlements ;  cp.  xv.  8,  note. 
what  makest  thou]  in  modern  Enghsh :  "  what  are  you  doing 
here?"  v-hat  hast  thou]  i.e.  y<h&.ih\isiness.  5.    ash 

JUDGES  7 


98  JUDGES,  XVIII.   6—11. 

counsel,  we  pray  thee,  of  God,  that  we  may  know  whether  oiir 

6  way  which  we  go  shall  be  prosperous.  And  the  priest  said  unto 
them,  Go  in  peace:  before  the  Lord  is  your  way  wherein  ye 

7  go.  Then  the  five  men  departed,  and  came  to  Laish,  and  saw 
the  people  that  tcere  therein,  how  they  dwelt  careless,  after  the 
manner  of  the  Zidonians,  quiet  and  secure ;  and  tbei-e  was  no 
magistrate  in  the  land,  that  might  put  them  to  shame  in  any 

.    thing ;    and  they  loere  far  from  the  Zidonians,  and  had  no 

8  business  with  any  man.  And  they  came  unto  their  brethren 
to  Zorah  and  Eshtaol :    and  their  brethren  said  unto  them, 

.9  What  say  ye  ?  And  they  said,  Arise,  that  we  may  go  up  against 
them  :  for  we  have  seen  the  land,  and  behold,  it  is  very  good : 
and  are  ye  still?  be  not  slothful  to  go,  aiul  to  enter  to  possess 

10  the  land.  ^Vhen  ye  go,  ye  shall  come  unto  a  people  secure,  and 
to  a  large  land  :  for  God  hath  given  it  into  your  hands  ;  a  place 
where  there  is  no  want  of  any  thing  that  is  in  the  earth. 

11  And  there  went  from  thence  of  the  family  of  the  Danites, 


counsel]  viz.  by  ephod  and  teraphim ;  see  above,  xvii.  5.  6. 

the  priest  said]  after  having  consulted  the  oracle  for  them. 
before  the  Lord]   i.e.,  countenanced  by  hmi.     Conversely,  Jehovah 
is  said  to  "hide  his  eyes"  from  Avhat  is  disi)leasmg  to  Him  (Isa.  i. 
15;  cp.  Isa.  xxxiii.  15).      The  curse  of  Cain  is  that  he  is  to  be 
hidden  from  the  face  of  Jehovah  (Gen.  iv.  14).  7.     Laish] 

mod.  Tell  el-Kady  (Arab.  "hUl  of  the  judge;"  cp.  Hebr.  dan, 
"judge"),  now  an  extensive  mound,  overgrown  with  brushwood,  at 
the  western  foot  of  which  rises  a  considerable  streani,  el-Leddau, 
the  largest  of  the  three  branches  which  go  to  form  the  Jordan. 
The  Tell  hes  about  500  feet  above  sea-level,  in  lat.  33*^  15'  N.  and 
commands  the  rich  plain  of  the  Huleh  ("the  valley  that  lieth  by 
Beth-rehob;"  ver.  28).  See  Gen.  xiv.  14;  1  K.  xii.  28—30;  xv.  20; 
2  Chr.  xvi.  4.  careless]  R.V.  in  security.  manner 

of  the  Zidonians]  The  Phoenicians,  protected  on  one  side  by  the 
sea  and  on  the  other  by  Mount  Lebanon,  were  exempt  from  the 
constant  feuds  to  which  most  of  the  petty  Canaauites  were  ex- 
posed. But  perhaps  it  is  implied  that  the  men  of  Laish  were  a 
merchant  conmiunity  like  the  Zidonians,  or  even  a  Phoenician 
colony.  Their  city  lay  on  the  great  trade  route  between  Damascus 
and  the  Phoenician  coast,  and  the  last  clause  of  the  verse  seems  to 
imply  that  they  might  have  expected  succour  from  the  Zidonians 
had  there  been  time  to  bring  it.  no  ina<iistratc  in  the  land] 

E.V.  none  in  the  land  possessing  authority  (marg.  "  power  of 
restraint").  The  whole  clause  is  obscure.  The  general  sense 
seems  to  be  that  they  had  no  foreign  oppressor  to  fear,  unless 
indeed  the  text  is  corrupt,  and  originally  ran  (as  many  critics  sup- 
pose) nearly  as  the  last  clause  of  ver.  10.  biu^iiiiess]  Heb. 
"word."  The  special  sense  here  required  seems  to  be  "alliance;" 
see  ver.  28.  The  phrase  certaiiUy  does  not  exclude  the  supposition 
that  they  were  a  commercial  people.             11,    family]  see  xiii,  2, 


JUDGES,   XVIII.   12—18.  99 

out  of  Zorah  and  out  of  Eshtaol,  six  hundred  men  appointed 
with  weapons  of  war.     And  they  went  up,  and  pitched  in  Kir-  12 
jath-jearim,  in  Judah  :  wherefore  they  called  that  place  Maha- 
neh-dan  unto  this  day :  behold,  it  is  behind  Kirjath-jearim. 
And  they  passed  thence  unto  mount  Ephraim,  and  came  unto  13 
the  house  of  ]\Iicah,     Then  answered  the  five  men  that  went  14 
to  spy  out  the  country  of  Laish,  and  said  unto  their  brethren, 
Do  ye  know  that  there  is  in  these  houses  an  ephod,  and  tera- 
phim,  and  a  gi'aven  image,  and  a  molten  image  ?  now  therefore 
consider  what  ye  have  to  do.     And  they  turned  thitherward,  15 
and  came  to  the  house  of  the  young  man  the  Levite,  evenunto 
the  house  of  Micah,  and  saluted  him.     And  the  six  hundred  i« 
men  appointed  with  their  weapons  of  war,  which  were  of  the 
children  of  Dan,  stood  hy  the  entering  of  the  gate.     And  the  17 
five  men  that  went  to  spy  out  the  land  went  up,  and  came  in 
thither,  and  took  the  graven  image,  and  the  ephod,  and  the 
teraphim,  and  the  molten  image :  and  the  priest  stood  in  the 
entering  of  the  gate  with  the  six  hundred  men  that  were  ap- 
pointed with  weapons  of  war.     And  these  went  into  Micah's  i« 


note.  six  hundred  men]   This  is  not  an  expedition,  but  a 

migration ;  see  ver.  21.     The  Danites  who  remained  were  probably 
not  numerous,  and  were  ultimately  absorbed  in  the  tribe  of  Judab, 
to  which  Zorah  and  Eshtaol  are  reckoned  in  Josh.  xv.  33. 
appointed]  E.V.  girt.  12.     Eitjath-Jeanm]  in  Judah,  also 

called  Kirjath,  Baalah,  or  Kirjath-baal  (Josh.  xv.  9,  60;  1  Cbr. 
xiii.  6),  the  mod.  ^^aryet  el-'Enab  ("town  of  grapes"),  lies  at  a 
height  of  2385  feet  above  sea-level,  7^  m.  "W.  by  N.  from  Jerusalem, 
and  about  6^  E.  by  N.  (up  the  W.  Ghurab)  from  Eshtaol. 
Mahaneh-daii]  This  topographical  note  on  Mahaneh-dan  presents 
some  difficulty.  In  xiii.  25  that  place  is  said  to  lie  between  Zorah 
and  Eshtaol,  i.e.  at  least  7  or  8  m.  from  Kirjath-jearim  and  in  the 
very  heart  of  the  Dauite  territory.  behind]  i.e.  to  the  west  of. 

14.  ansiuered]  or  rather  "  took  up  speech,"  exactly  like  "then  up 
spake"  in  the  old  ballads.  in  these  houses]  Micah  was  a 

wealthy  man  with  many  dependants,  and  therefore  his  dwelling 
consisted  of  a  complex  of  houses,  sm-rounded  with  a  wall  and  gate ; 
see  ver.  17.  consider]  a  dehcate  hint.  15.    saluted]  E.V. 

asked  him  of  his  welfare.  The  usual  Hebrew  salutation  (see 
2  K.  iv.  26)  was :  "  Is  it  well  with  thee  ?  "  16.    stood  by  the 

enterin;/  of  the  gate]  in  conversation  with  the  priest  (or  Levite), 
according  to  ver.  17,  as  translated  in  A.V.  17.    i?i  thither] 

viz.  into  Micah's  bouse  (of  gods)  according  to  ver.  18.  graven 

image,  and  the  ephod']  Hebr.  "graven  image  of  the  ephod." 
vith  the  si.c  hundred  men]   The  Hebrew  can  hardly  bear  this  sense. 
There  is  some  coiTuptiou  in  the  text.  18.    and  these  Sec] 

Heb.  "now  these  [i.e.  according  to  ver.  17a,  the  five  spies]  were 
gone  into  Micah's  house  "  &c.  The  proceedings  in  vv.  15 — 18  are 
not  very  clear  even  in  the  English,  which  itself  glosses  some  diffi- 

7—2 


100  JUDGES,  XVIII.   19—28. 

house,  and  fetched  the  carved  image,  the  ephod,  and  the  tera- 
phim,  and  the  molten  image.     Then  said  the  priest  unto  them, 

19  What  do  ye?  And  they  said  unto  him,  Hold  thy  peace,  lay 
thine  hand  upon  thy  mouth,  and  go  with  us,  and  be  to  us  a 
father  and  a  priest :  is  it  better  for  thee  to  be  a  priest  unto  the 
house  of  one  man,  or  that  thou  be  a  priest  unto  a  tribe  and  a 

20  family  in  Israel?  And  the  priest's  heart  was  glad,  and  he  took 
the  ephod,  and  the  teraphim,  and  the  graven  image,  and  went 

21  in  the  midst  of  the  people.  So  they  turned  and  departed,  and 
put  the  little  ones  and  the  cattle  and  the  carriage  before  them. 

22  And  when  they  were  a  good  way  from  the  house  of  Micah,  the 
men  that  were  in  the  houses  near  to  Micah's  house  were  gather- 

23  ed  together,  and  overtook  the  children  of  Dan.  And  they  cried 
unto  the  children  of  Dan.  And  they  turned  their  faces,  and 
said  unto  Micah,  What  aileth  thee,  that  thou  comest  with  such 

24  a  company  ?  And  he  said,  Ye  have  taken  away  my  gods  which 
I  made,  and  the  priest,  and  ye  are  gone  away :  and  what  have 
I  more?  and  what  is  this  that  ye  say  unto  me.  What  aileth 

25  thee  ?  And  the  children  of  Dan  said  unto  him,  Let  not  thy 
voice  be  heard  among  us,  lest  angry  fellows  run  upon  thee,  and 

2G  thou  lose  thy  life,  with  the  lives  of  thy  household.  And  the 
children  of  Dan  went  their  way  :  and  when  Micah  saw  that  they 
were  too  strong  for  him,  he  turned  and  went  back  unto  his 

27  house.  And  they  took  the  things  which  Micah  had  made,  and  the 
priest  which  he  had,  and  came  unto  Laish,  unto  a  people  that 
were  at  quiet  and  secure :  and  they  smote  them  with  the  edge 

28  of  the  sword,  and  burnt  the  city  with  fire.  And  there  was  no 
dehverer,  because  it  ivas  far  from  Zidon,  and  they  had  no  busi- 
ness with  any  man  ;  and  it  was  in  the  valley  that  lieth  by  Beth- 


culties  of  the  Hebrew.  A  reconstruction  of  the  text  has  been  pro- 
posed, according  to  which  the  five  spies  hold  their  acquaintance  the 
Levite  in  talk  while  the  armed  men  enter  the  temple  and  cany  off 
the  sacred  objects.  19.    tribe... famihi]  here  synonymous  ;  see 

xiii.  2,  note.  20.    he  tool-'\   It  was  proper  that  the  sacred 

objects  should  be  earned  by  the  priest  (cp.  Josh.  iii.  8;  1  Sam.  xiv. 
18,  (fee).  21.    the  carriaf/e]  in  modern  English  :  "  the  bag- 

gage."    Cp.  1  Sam.  xvii.  "22;  Isa.  x.  28;  Acts  xxi.  15.  be/ore 

theiii]  anticipating  pursuit  and  an  attack  from  the  rear.  22. 

the  houses]  inhabited  by  Micah's  dependants;  compare  "house- 
hold" (ver.  25).  23.  comest  vith  xuch  a  co>»i>ani/]  lit.  "art 
gathered  together."  Here  and  in  ver.  25  there  is  a  gi-im  touch  of 
humour  in  the  Danites'  atlectation  of  innocence.  25.  an;/ri/ 
felloirs]  Heb.  "men  Intter  of  sour*;  2  Sam.  xvii.  8:  "chafed  in 
their  minds."  27.  a  people  quiet,  as  in  ver.  7.  28. 
Beth-rehob]  Unidentified;  the  seat  of  one  of  the  small  Aramaic 
kingdoms  at  the  base  of  Mount  Hennon  (2  Sam.  x.  l>),  also  called 
Eehob  (2  Sam.  x.  8;  Nu.  xiii.  21).    The  present  note  defining  the 


JUDGES,   XVIII.   29— XIX.   1.  101 

rebob.     And  they  built  a  citj',  and  dwelt  therein,  and  they  called  £9 
the  name  of  the  city  Dan,  after  the  name  of  Dan  their  father, 
who  was  born  unto  Israel :  howbeit  the  name  of  the  city  ica.s 
Laish  at  the  first.     And  the  children  of  Dan  set  up  the  graven  3o 
image  :  and  Jonathan,  the  son  of  Gershom,  the  son  of  Manas- 
seh,  he  and  his  sons  were  priests  to  the  tribe  of  Dan  until  the 
day  of  the  captivity  of  the  land.     And  they  set  them  up  Micah's  31 
graven  image,  which  he  made,  all  the  time  that  the  house  of 
God  was  in  Shiloh. 
And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  when  there  was  no  king  in  19 

situation  of  Dau  by  reference  to  another  place  was  probably  added 
after  the  destruction  of  that  city ;  cp.  ver.  30.  built  a  city] 

better:  "  rebuilt  the  city."  30.    set  up']  Heb.  "  set  up  for 

themselves,"  i.e.  as  an  object  of  worship.  Henceforward  Dan  gi-ew 
in  importance  as  an  Israehtic  sanctuary,  and  it  obtained  special 
state  recognition  from  king  Jeroboam  (1  K.  xii.  28),  who  placed 
here  one  of  his  calves  of  gold.  Note  that  the  sanctuary  of  Dan, 
like  that  at  Jerusalem,  is  constituted  by  the  transference  to  it  of  cer- 
tain sacred  objects  ;  the  origin  of  most  Hebrew  holy  places  is  traced 
to  a  theophany  or  divine  manifestation.  Jonathan]  We  here 

learn  for  the  first  time  the  name  of  Micah's  Levite.  Manasseh] 

The  true  reading  of  the  Hebrew  seems  to  be  "Moses"  (as  E.V.), 
who  was  father  of  Gershom  (Ex.  ii.  22 ;  xviii.  3).  lu  the  Massoretic 
text  a  suspended  N  is  inserted  thus— M^SHH,  changing  the  conson- 
ants of  "Moses"  (MoSHeH)  into  those  of  "Manasseh"  (MeNaSH- 
[SHjeH).  The  suspended  N  in  the  archetype  of  our  Hebrew  copies 
seems  to  be  due  to  the  scruple  of  a  transcriber  who  felt  sm-e  that 
no  gi-andson  of  Moses  could  possibly  have  undertaken  the  function 
here  described.  Of  course  "  son  of  Gershom  "  may  mean  grandson 
or  other  descendant,  so  that  the  expression  does  not  help  us  to  fix 
the  date  of  the  foundation  of  the  sanctuary  at  Dan.  captivity  of 
the  land]  either  the  captivity  of  734  B.C.,  when  Tiglath-pileser  de- 
peopled  Galilee  and  the  districts  to  the  north  (2  K.  xv.  29),  or  that  of 
722  B.C.,  when  Samaria  was  taken  and  the  kingdom  of  Israel  finally 
destroyed  (2  K.  xviii.  9):  the  latter  is  most  probably  meant. 
31.  Shiloh]  quite  a  different  date  from  that  in  the  precedmg  verse. 
The  temple  at  Shiloh  seems  to  have  been  destroyed  soon  after 
the  battle  of  Eben-ezer  and  the  capture  of  the  ark  (1  Sam.  iv.  10, 11; 
cp.  Jer.  vii.  12,  14).  In  the  time  of  Saul  Eh's  descendants  are  no 
longer  at  Shiloh  but  at  Nob  (1  Sam.  xxi.  1;  xxii.  11,  19).  Vv.  30 
and  31  camiot  be  by  the  same  hand,  and  we  have  here  a  clear 
example  of  the  way  in  which  notes  and  comments  were  added  from 
time  to  time  to  Biblical  narratives. 

Axipendi.v  B.  Cbap.  XIX.— XXI.  Hoav  the  iniquity  of  Gibeah 
had  almost  led  to  the  extenmnation  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  and 
how  this  calamity  for  Israel  was  averted. 

The  story  seems  to  have  been  told  in  more  than  one  form :  note 
the  repetitions  in  xix.  9,  126  and  13,  and  especially  in  ch.  xx.  The 
narrative  in  its  present  shape  is  manifestly  of  a  very  late  date. 


102  JUDGES,   XIX.   2—10. 

Israel,  that  there  was  a  certain  Levite  sojourning  on  the  side  of 
mount  Ephraim,  who  took  to  him  a  concubine  out  of  Beth-le- 

2  hem-judah.  And  his  concubine  played  the  whore  against  him, 
and  went  away  from  him  unto  her  father's  house  to  Beth-lehem- 

3  judah,  and  was  there  four  whole  mouths.  And  her  husband 
arose,  and  went  after  her,  to  speak  friendly  unto  her,  and  to 
bring  her  again,  having  his  servant  with  him,  and  a  couple  of 
asses  :  and  she  brought  him  into  her  father's  house  :  and  when 
the  father  of  the  damsel  saw  him,  he  rejoiced  to  meet  him. 

4  And  his  father  in  law,  the  damsel's  father,  retained  him ;  and 
he  abode  with  him  three  days :  so  they  did  eat  and  drink,  and 

5  lodged  there.  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  fourth  day,  when 
they  arose  early  in  the  morning,  that  he  rose  up  to  depart :  and 
the  damsel's  father  said  unto  his  son  in  law.  Comfort  thine 

6'  heart  with  a  morsel  of  bread,  and  afterward  go  your  way.  And 
they  sat  down,  and  did  eat  and  drink  both  of  them  together : 
for  the  damsel's  father  had  said  unto  the  man.  Be  content,  I 
pray  thee,  and  tarry  all  night,  and  let  thine  heart  be  merry. 

7  And  when  the  man  rose  up  to  depart,  his  father  in  law  urged 

8  him :  therefore  he  lodged  there  again.  And  he  arose  early  in 
the  morning  on  the  fifth  day  to  depart :  and  the  damsel's  fa- 
ther said,  Comfort  thine  heart,  I  pray  thee.     And  they  tarried 

9  until  afternoon,  and  they  did  eat  both  of  them.  And  when  the 
man  rose  up  to  depart,  he,  and  his  concubine,  and  his  servant, 
his  father  in  law,  the  damsel's  father,  said  unto  him,  Behold 
now,  the  day  draweth  towards  evening,  I  pray  you  tarry  all 
night:  behold,  the  day  groweth  to  an  end,  lodge  here,  that  thine 
heart  may  be  merry ;  and  to  morrow  get  you  early  on  your  wa\-, 

10  that  thou  mayest  go  home.     But  the  man  would  not  tarry  that 


The  early  history  of  Benjamin  would  at  all  times  be  listened  to 
with  interest  m  connection  with  the  fact  tluit  Saul,  the  first  king  of 
Israel,  sprang  from  that  tribe.  From  the  days  of  the  prophet 
Hosea  onwards  no  favoui*able  impression  of  the  reign  or  ante- 
cedents of  Saul  was  cherished;  see  Hos.  ix.  9  ("they  have  deeply 
cornipted  themselves,  as  in  the  days  of  Gibeah"),  and  Hos.  x.  9 
"0  Israel,  thou  hast  sinned  from  the  days  of  Gibeah"). 

XIX.     The  Levite  and  his  concubine. 

1.    sojourni/i(/]  cj).  xvii.  7,  note.  o)i  the  side  of]   The  Heb. 

means  rather  :  "  in  a  remote  corner."  co^icubine']  presumably 

by  purchase  from  her  father;  cp.  Ex.  xxi.  7  sqq.  Beth-lehem- 

jtidah]  see  xvii.  7  ;  xii.  8,  note.  3.     friendhj']  E.V.  kindly; 

Ut.  *'  to  her  heart."  she  hrowjht  him]  LXX.  (X)  has  "he  came 

to."  5.     Comfort  thine  heart]  a  true  picture  of  the  importunity 

of  Oriental  liospitality.      .  8.    and  they  tarried  &c.]  E.V.  and 

tarry  ye  until  the ^day  decline th.  both  of  them]   The 

woman  does  not  sit  at  the  table  with  the  men.  So  still,  in  the 
East,  the  women  generally  serve  the  men,  eating  afterwai-ds  by 


JUDGES,   XIX.   11—18.  103 

night,  but  he  rose  up  and  departed,  and  came  over  against 
Jebus,  which  is  Jerusalem ;  and  there  were  with  him  two  asses 
saddled,  his  concubine  also  toas  with  him.     And  when   they  li 
2cere  by  Jebus,  the  day  was  far  spent;  and  the  servant  said 
unto  his  master,  Come,  I  pray  thee,  and  let  us  turn  in  into 
this  city  of  the  Jebusites,  and  lodge  in  it.     And  his  master  12 
said  unto  him.  We  will  not  turn  aside  hither  into  the  city  of  a 
stranger,  that  is  not  of  the  children  of  Israel ;  we  will  pass  over 
to  Gibeah.     And  he  said  unto  his  servant.  Come,  and  let  us  13 
draw  near  to  one  of  these  places  to  lodge  all  night,  in  Gibeah, 
or  in  Eamah.     And  they  passed  on  and  went  their  tcay ;  and  14 
the  sun  went  down  upon  them   when  they  were  by  Gibeah, 
which,  helonrieth  to  Benjamin.     And  they  turned  aside  thither,  15 
to  go  in  and  to  lodge  in  Gibeah :  and  when  he  went  in,  he  sat 
him  down  in  a  street  of  the  city :  for  there  was  no  man  that 
took  them  into  his  house  to  lodging. 

And  behold,  there  came  an  old  man  from  his  work  out  of  I6 
the  field  at  even,  which  was  also  of  mount  Ephraim ;   and 
he    sojourned  in   Gibeah  :    but  the   men   of  the   place   were 
Benjamites.     And  when   he  had  lift  up  his  eyes,   he  saw  a  17 
wayfaring  man  in  the  street  of  the  city:  and  the  old  man 
said.  Whither  goest  thou  ?  and  whence  comest  thou  ?     And  he  18 
said  unto  him.  We  are  passing  from  Beth-lehem-judah  toward 
the  side  of  mount  Ephraim;  from  thence  am  I:  and  I  went 
to  Beth-lehem-judah,  but  I  am  now  going  to  the  house  of  the 

themselves.  10.    Jehus,  which  is  Jerusalem]   See  i.  8  ;  also 

below,  ver.  12.  11.    far  spent']   The  journey  from  Bethlehem 

to  Jerusalem  is  usually  reckoned  at  about  2  hours.  12. 

Gibeah]  mod.  Tell  el-Ful,  3  m.  N.  of  Jerusalem ;  it  was  one  of  the 
principal  townis  of  the  Benjamites  (ver.  14,  &c.).  It  is  the  "  Gibeah 
of  Saul "  of  the  Books  of  Samuel,  where  also  it  is  once  (1  Sam.  x.  5) 
called  "the  hill  [Gibeah]  of  God."  13.     one  of  these  places  to 

lodge]   Heb.  "  one  of  the  [neighbouring]  places  to  lodge." 
Bamah]  see  iv.  5.  note.  14.    hy  Gibeah]    The  mam  road 

passes  under  the  hill  of  Gibeah  and  does  not  enter  the  town. 
15.    and  when  he  went  in  &c.]   E.V.  and  he  went  in  and  sat 
him  down  &c.  a  street]  E.V.  the  street;  cp.  Gen.  xix.  2. 

The  open  pubhc  place,  most  probably  at  the  gate,  is  intended.  In 
those  early  days  there  were  no  public  khans  or  caravanserais,  and, 
unless  private  hospitality  was  otfered,  the  passing  traveller  had  no 
other  way  of  availing  himself  of  the  shelter  and  protection  of  the 
"city."  The  contingency  was  one  against  which  the  traveller  was 
always  provided ;  nor  was  the  hardship  excessive.  People  m  that 
cUmate  are  accustomed  to  sleep  on  the  ground  and  in  the  open  air ; 
and  om-  Levite  had  A\ith  bim  a  supply  of  aU  that  was  necessary 
(see  ver.  19), — straw  and  provender  for  the  asses,  and  bread  and 
wine  for  himself  and  his  two  fellow-ti-avellers.  18.     to  the 

hoii.se  of  the  Lord]   If  the  reading  is  correct  this  would  be  an  un- 


104  JUDGES,  XIX.    19—29. 

19  Lord  ;  and  there  is  no  man  that  receiveth  me  to  house.  Yet 
there  is  both  straw  and  provender  for  our  asses;  and  there  is 
bread  and  wine  also  for  me,  and  for  thy  handmaid,  and  for 
the  young  man  which  is  with  thy  servants:  there  is  no  want 

20  of  any  thing.  And  the  old  man  said,  Peace  be  with  thee  ; 
howsoever  let  all  thy  wants  lie  upon  me;  only  lodge  not  in  the 

21  street.  So  he  brought  him  into  his  house,  and  gave  provender 
unto  the  asses :  and  they  washed  their  feet,  and  did  eat  and 

22  drink.  Noic  as  they  were  making  their  hearts  merry,  behold, 
the  men  of  the  city,  certain  sons  of  Belial,  beset  the  house 
round  about,  and  beat  at  the  door,  and  spake  to  the  master  of 
the  house,  the  old  man,   saying,  Bring  forth  the  man  that 

23  came  into  thine  house,  that  we  may  know  him.  And  the 
man,  the  master  of  the  house,  went  out  unto  them,  and  said 
unto  them,  Nay,  my  brethren,  7iay,  I  pray  you,  do  not  so 
wickedly ;  seeing  that  this  man  is  come  into  mine  house,  do 

24  not  this  folly.  Behold,  here  is  my  daughter  a  maiden,  and 
his  concubine;  them  I  will  bring  out  now,  and  humble  ye 
them,  and  do  with  them  what  seemeth  good  unto  you :  but 

25  unto  this  man  do  not  so  vile  a  thing.  But  the  men  would  not 
hearken  to  him:  so  the  man  took  his  concubine,  and  brought 
her  forth  unto  them ;  and  they  knew  her,  and  abused  her  all 
the  night  until  the  morning :    and  when  the  day  began  to 

26  spring,  they  let  her  go.  Then  came  the  woman  in  the 
dawning  of  the  day,  and  fell  down  at  the  door  of  the  man's 

27  house  where  her  lord  was,  till  it  was  light.  And  her  lord  rose 
up  in  the  morning,  and  opened  the  doors  of  the  house,  and 
went  out  to  go  his  way  :  and  behold,  the  woman  his  concubine 
ivas  fallen  down  at  the  door  of  the  house,  and  her  hands  were 

2ii  upon  the  threshold.  And  he  said  unto  her.  Up,  and  let  us 
be  going.  But  none  answered.  Then  the  man  took  her  up 
upon  an  ass,  and  the  man  rose  up,  and  gat  him  unto  his 
place. 

2.')      And  when  he  was  come  into  his  house,  he  took  a  knife, 

truth,  uttered  to  create  sympathy.  But  LXX.  is  perhaps  right  in 
readmg  "  to  my  house."  19.    procenderl^  i.e.  fodder,  from  Lat. 

praehenda,  "  things  to  be  supplied."  bread  and  vine'  see  Gen. 

xiv.  18.  21.    ^>rore«(i?er]  Heb.  "  mixed  fodder,"  as  distin- 

guished from  mere  chopped  straw.  Even  the  asses  were  treated 
well.  washed  their  feet]   To  sujiply  this  refreslunent  is  one  of 

the  duties  of  a  good  host  (Gen.  xviii.  4 ;  Luke  vii.  44).  22, 

S071S  of  Belial]  E.V.  niarg.  "base  fellows";  ht.  "sons  of  worthless- 
ness."  The  word  Belial  is  never  a  i)roper  name  in  Hebrew;  the 
expression  is  an  ichom  for  which  there  are  many  parallels,  such  as 
"son  of  affliction"  for  an  afflicted  person  (Prov.  xxxi.  6  marg.), 
"son  of  possession"  for  possessor  (Gen.  xv.  2,  E.Y.),  "son  of  oil" 
for  very  fruitful  (Isa.  v.  1).  25.    tool  his  concubine]  E.Y.  laid 


JUDGES,   XIX.   30— XX.   5.  105 

and  laid  hold  on  his  concubine,  and  divided  her,  together 
with  her  bones,  into  twelve  pieces,  and  sent  her  into  all 
the  coasts  of  Israel.  And  it  was  so,  that  all  that  saw  it  30 
said.  There  was  no  such  deed  done  nor  seen  from  the  day  that 
the  children  of  Israel  came  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  unto 
this  day  :  consider  of  it,  take  advice,  and  speak  your  minds. 

Then  all  the  children  of  Israel  went  out,  and  the  congrega-  20 
tion   was   gathered  together  as  one  man,  from  Dan  even  to 
Beer-sheba,  with  the  land  of  Gilead,  unto  the  Lord  in  Mizpeh. 
And  the  chief  of  all  the  people,  even  of  all  the  tribes  of  Israel,    2 
presented  themselves  in  the  assembly  of  the  people  of  God, 
four  hundred  thousand  footmen  that  drew  sword.     (Now  the   3 
children  of  Benjamin  heard  that  the  children  of  Israel  were 
gone  up  to  Mizpeh.)     Then  said  the  children  of  Israel,  Tell 
us,  how  was  this  wickedness?     And  the  Levite,  the  husband   4 
of  the  woman  that  was  slain,  answered  and  said,  I  came  into 
Gibeah  that  belongeth  to  Benjamin,  I  and  my  concubine,  to 
lodge.     And  the  men  of  Gibeah  rose  against  me,  and  beset   5 
the  house  round  about  upon  me  by  night,  and  thought  to  have 
slain  me  :  and  my  concubine  have  they  forced,  that  she  is 


hold  of.        29.    together  vyith  her  bones]  E.V-  limbby  limb;  lit. 
"according  to  her  bones."  into  all  the  coasts]  E.Y.  through- 

out all  their  borders ;  cp.  1  Sam.  xi.  7  sqq. 

XX.     The  pmaishment  of  Benjamin. 

1.  the  congregation]  Heb,  'edah,  the  word  used  in  later  parts  of 
the  Old  Testament  for  the  national  assembly  of  all  Israel  as  a 
religious  conununity.  It  is  hardly  used  by  any  historical  writer 
prior  to  the  restoration  from  Babylon.  Dan]  orLaish;  see 

xviii.  7,  note.  Beer-sheha~  mod.  Bh*  es-Seba,  on  the  W.  es- 

Seba,  28  m.  S.W.  from  Hebron,  in  about  31"  10'  N.  lat.  "  From 
Dan  to  Beer-sheba"  is  a  standing  expression  for  the  whole  land  of 
Israel.  The  distance  in  a  direct  line  is  rather  over  140  miles. 
Gilead]  here  used  as  in  Nu.  xxxii.  29,  Dt.  xxxiv.  1,  Josh.  xxii.  9, 
1  K.  iv.  19,  in  the  largest  sense,  to  denote  the  whole  of  Eastei*n 
Palestine  from  the  Arnon  to  Mt.  Hermon,  as  distinguished  from 
Canaan  proper.  In  the  narrower  sense  Gilead  as  distinguished 
from  Bashan  lay  south  of  the  Yanniik.  Mizpeh]  or  Mizpah, 

mod.  Neby  Samwil,  2935  feet  above  sea-level,  on  a  conspicuous  site 
4^  m.  N.W.  fx-om  Jerusalem.  It  was  the  meetuig-place  of  the 
assemblies  called  by  Samuel  (1  Sam.  vii.  5;  x.  17).  See  also  1  K. 
XV.  22 ;  2  K.  xxv.  23 ;  Jer.  xl,  6  ;  Neb.  iii.  7,  19).  It  is  of  course  to 
be  distinguished  from  Mizpeh  of  Gilead ;  see  above,  x.  17,  note. 
2.  chief]  E.Y.  chiefs;  lit.  "corner-stones."  The  same  word  is 
used  in  1  Sam.  xiv.  38;  Isa.  xix.  13  ("the  corner-stone  of  her 
tribes"  E.V.) ;  Zech.  x.  4  ("from  him  shall  come  forth  the  corner 
stone').  four  hundred  thousand]   Compare  the  40,000  of  ver.  8, 

above,  and  the  30,000  chosen  men  of  Israel  in  David's  tune  (2  Sam. 
vi.  1).    Here  we  have  an  average  of  exactly  40,000  to  each  tribe. 


106  JUDGES,   XX.   6—17. 

6  dead.  And  I  took  my  concubine,  and  cut  her  in  pieces,  and 
sent  her  throughout  all  the  country  of  the  inheritance  of 
Israel :  for  they  have  committed  lewdness  and  folly  in  Israel. 

7  Behold,  ye  are  all  children  of  Israel ;   give  here  your  advice 

8  and  counsel.  And  aU  the  people  arose  as  one  man,  saying, 
We  will  not  any  of  vs  go  to  his  tent,  neither  will  we  any  of  us 

9  turn  into  his  house.     But  now  this  shall  be  the  thing  which 

10  we  will  do  to  Gibeah;  we  icill  go  np  by  lot  against  it ;  and  we 
will  take  ten  men  of  an  hundred  throughout  all  the  tribes  of 
Israel,  and  an  hundred  of  a  thousand,  and  a  thousand  out 
of  ten  thousand,  to  fetch  victual  for  the  people,  that  they  may 
do,  when   they  come   to   Gibeah   of  Benjamin,  according  to 

11  all  the  folly  that  they  have  wrought  in  Israel.  So  all  the 
men  of  Israel  were  gathered  against  the  city,  knit  together 
as  one  man. 

12  And  the  tribes  of  Israel  sent  men  through  all  the  tribe  of 
Benjamin,  saying,  What  wickedness  is  this  that  is  done  among 

13  you?  Now  therefore  deliver  its  the  men,  the  children  of  Belial, 
which  ai-e  in  Gibeah,  that  we  may  put  them  to  death,  and  put 
away  evil  from  Israel.  But  the  children  of  Benjamin  would 
not  hearken   to   the   voice  of  their  brethren  the  children  of 

14  Israel  :  but  the  children  of  Benjamin  gathered  themselves 
together   out   of  the  cities  unto  Gibeah,  to  go  out  to  battle 

15  against  the  children  of  Israel.  And  the  children  of  Benjamin 
were  numbered  at  that  time  out  of  the  cities  twenty  and  six 
thousand  men  that  drew  sword,  beside  the  inhabitants  of 
Gibeah,  which   were   numbered   seven  hundred  chosen  men. 

16  Among  all  this  people  there  xcere  seven  hundred  chosen  men 
lefthanded  ;    every  one   could  sling  stones  at  a  hair  breadth, 

17  and  not  miss.  And  the  men  of  Israel,  beside  Benjamin,  were 
numbered  four  hundred  thousand  men  that  drew  sword  :  all 
these  were  men  of  war. 

Benjamin  and  Levi  being  of  course  excluded.  8.    tent...hotise] 

synonymous  ;  ci).  vii.  8.  9,  10.     The  Hebrew  of  these  verses 

is  difficult  and  the  text  seems  to  be  in  some  disorder.  It  is  not 
clear  whether  we  are  to  mulerstaiul,  with  A.Y.,  that  the  lot  Avas 
used  to  choose  men  to  victual  the  host,  or  that  a  certain  number  of 
warriors  were  chosen  by  lot  to  do  the  actual  fighting.  10. 

Gibeah']  the  Heb.  text  has  Geha,  but  this  is  obviously  a  mistake  for 
Gibeah.  Geba,  mod.  Jeb'a,  was  also  a  Benjamite  town,  about 
3  m.  N.E.  from  Gibeah.  11.     the  citij]  i.e.  Gibeah.  12. 

inhe]  lit.  "  tribes";  cp.  1  Sam.  ix.  21  (R.Y.  marg.).  is  done] 

I.e.  hath  been  done.  13.    put  airay  evil]  hy  ■\^\n\\^\in\e\\i. 

Cp.  Dt.  xiii.  .5;  xvii.  12;  xxii.  22.  15.     twenty  and  six]   LXX. 

(A)  and  Yulg.  have  "twenty  and  five;  "  cp.  ver.  35.  16.     left- 

handed]  Cp.  above,  iii.  15.  Ambidextrous  warriors  are  spoken  of  in 
1  Chr.  xii.  2,  but  the  plu'ase  here  does  not  admit  of  such  an  iuterpre- 


JUDGES,   XX.   18—26.  107 

And  the  children  of  Israel  arose,  and  went  up  to  the  house  18 
of  God,  and  asked  counsel  of  God,  and  said,  ^Vhich  of  us  shall 
go  up  first  to  the  battle  against  the  children  of  Benjamin? 
And  the  Lord  said,  Judah  shall  go  up  first.     And  the  children  19 
of   Israel   rose  up  in   the   morning,   and   encamped   against 
Gibeah.     And  the  men  of  Israel  went  out  to  battle  against  20 
Benjamin  ;  and  the  men  of  Israel  put  themselves  in  array  to 
fight  against  them  at  Gibeah.     And  the  children  of  Benjamin  21 
came  forth  out  of  Gibeah,  and  destroyed  dozen  to  the  ground 
of   the  Israelites  that   day  twenty  and   two   thousand  men. 
And  the  people  the  men  of  Israel  encouraged  themselves,  and  22 
set   their  battle  again  in  array  in  the  place  where  they  put 
themselves  in  array  the  first  day.     (And  the  children  of  Israel  23 
went  up   and  wept  before  the  Lord  until  even,  and  asked 
counsel  of   the  Lord,  saying.  Shall  I  go  nj)  again  to  battle 
ac^ainst  the  children  of  Benjamin  my  brother  ?     And  the  Lord 
said.  Go  up  against  him.)     And  the  children  of  Israel  came  24 
near  against  the  children  of  Benjamin  the  second  day.     And  2.) 
Benjamin  went  forth  against  them  out  of  Gibeah  the  second 
day,  and   destroyed   dozen   to   the  ground  of  the  children  of 
Israel    again    eighteen  thousand  men;   all   these   drew   the 
sword.     Then   all  the  children  of  Israel,  and  all  the  people,  26 
went  up,  and  came  unto  the  house  of  God,  and  wept,  and  sat 
there  before  the  Lord,  and  fasted  that  day  until  even,  and 
offered  burnt  offerings  and  peace  offerings  before  the  Lord. 


tation.  18.    to  the  house  of  God]  E.V.  to  Bethel  (and  so  w 

26,  31;  xxi.  2).  Etymologically  Bethel  means  "house of  God.  but 
the  name  is  never  apphed  to  other  sanctuaries,  e.g.  Shiloh,  which 
seems  to  have  been  in  the  mind  of  our  translators.  The  ark  (see 
^■y  27,  28)  was  at  this  time  at  Bethel.  Judah  Jirst\   Cp.  i.  2. 

22,  23.     These  verses  ought  to  be  transposed.       ^       23.    hejore 
the  Lord]  i.e.  before  the  ark,  at  Bethel;  cp.  ii.  1,  LXX. 
Benjamin  my  brother]  The  common  sentiment  of  antiquity  was  that 
war  against  kmsfolk  was  impious.    The  Israehtes  seek  an  assurance 
that  their  defeat  has  not  arisen  from  this  cause.  25.    eighteen 

thousand  men]  These,  with  the  22,000  in  ver.  21,  make  a  total  of 
40  000,— a  tenth  of  the  whole  armed  force  of  Israel  (ver.  2).^  As  ap- 
pears from  the  sequel,  the  losses  of  Benjamin  up  to  this  point  have 
been  (practically)  nil.  26.    the  children  of  Israel]  i.e.  the 

combatants.  and  all  the  people]  i.e.  the  non-combatants,— oirt 

men,  women  and  children.  burnt  offerings]   Offerings  m  winch 

the  whole  carcase  of  the  victmi  was  consumed  on  the  altar,  in  old 
Israel  they  occurred  comparatively  seldom  and  had  special  signifa- 
cance  as  atoning  sacrifices  (Mic.  iv.  6,  7 ;  1  Sam  vn.  9;  Job  i  o). 
peace  offerings]  Heb.  shelamrm,  as  distinguished  from  burnt  offer- 
ings were  sacrifices  of  which  the  flesh  was  consumed  by  the 
worshippers  in  a  sacrificial  feast  after  the  blood  and  the  fat  had 


108  JUDGES,  XX.   27—33. 

27  And  the  children  of  Israel  inquired  of  the  Lord,  (for  the  ark 

28  of  the  covenant  of  God  was  there  in  those  days,  and  Phinehas, 
the  son  of  Eleazar,  the  son  of  Aaron,  stood  before  it  in  those 
days,)  saying.  Shall  I  yet  again  go  out  to  battle  against  the 
children  of  Benjamin  my  brother,  or  shall  I  cease?  And  the 
Lord    said.   Go  up ;   for  to  morrow  I  will  deliver  them  into 

29  thine  hand.     And  Israel  set  liers  in  wait  round  about  Gibeah. 

30  And  the  children  of  Israel  went  up  against  the  children  of 
Benjamin    on   the   third   day,   and   put   themselves   in   array 

31  against  Gibeah,  as  at  other  times.  And  the  children  of  Ben- 
jamin went  out  against  the  people,  and  were  drawn  away 
from  the  city ;  and  they  began  to  smite  of  the  people,  and 
kill,  as  at  other  times,  in  the  highways,  of  which  one  goeth 
up  <o  the  house  of  God,  and  the  other  to  Gibeah  in  the  field, 

32  about  thirty  men  of  Israel.  And  the  children  of  Benjamin 
said.  They  are  smitten  down  before  us,  as  at  the  first.  But 
the  children  of  Israel  said,  Let  us  flee,  and  draw  them  from 

33  the  city  unto  the  highways.  And  all  the  men  of  Israel  rose 
up  out  of  their  place,  and  put  themselves  in  array  at  Baal- 
tamar  :  and  the  liers  in  wait  of  Israel  came  forth  out  of  their 


been  offered  on  the  altar.  27.     the  arh  of  the  covenant]   The 

ark  (or  chest)  of  the  covenant  is  described  in  Ex.  xxv.  10 — 16; 
xxxvii.  1 — 5  (where  read  "acacia"  for  "shittun"  and  "feet"  for 
"  corners").  Cp.  also  Ex.  xl.  20,  where  we  read  that  Moses  placed 
within  the  sacred  chest  "  the  testimony,"  i.e.  the  two  tables  of 
stone  containing  the  words  of  the  covenant ;  see  1  K.  viii.  9. 
Hence  it  is  indifferently  called  "  the  ark  of  the  testiinonj'  "  and  "  the 
ark  of  the  covenant."  Its  oldest  name,  as  we  gather  from  the 
books  of  Samuel  and  the  more  ancient  parts  of  the  Hexateuch, 
seems  to  have  been  "the  ark  of  Jehovah."  28.    Phinehas,  the 

son  of  Eleazar]  See  Nu.  xxv.  7  sqq. ;  Josh.  xxii.  13  sqq.  This  would 
fix  the  date  of  these  occui'rences  as  belonging  to  the  age  imme- 
diately following  that  of  Joshua,  and  before  the  time  of  Ehud. 
stood  before]  A  usual  expression  for  the  attitude  of  service;  see 
Gen.  xH.  46 ;  1  K.  i.  28 ;  x,  8 ;  Dan.  i.  5 ;  1  K.  xvii.  1 ;  xviii.  15 ; 
Deut.  X.  8.  To  stand  before  Jehovah  is  one  of  the  peculiar  func- 
tions of  the  priesthood ;  Ezek.  xliv.  13,  15 ;  Jer.  xxxiii.  IS,  21,  22. 
29.  round  about]  except,  of  course,  on  the  .side  from  which  the 
open  attack  was  made.  31.     houne  of  Ood]  i.e.  Bethel,  as 

above.  to  Gibeah  in  the  field]  or  "  through  the  field."     The 

first  "highway"  is  probably  the  main  road  from  Jerusalem  to 
Bethel,  one  of  the  chief  highways  of  Palestine,  which  passes  under 
the  hill  of  Gibeah  and  westward  of  the  town;  the  second  will  then 
be  a  branch  leading  from  the  main  road  to  the  town ;  cp.  xix.  14. 
33.  Baal  -tamar]  Identified  in  the  OnomaMtica  with  a  liamlet 
called  in  those  days  Beth-tamar,  quite  near  Gibeah.  Its  exact 
position  is  unkno-svni.     The  name  means  "Baal  of  the  palm  tree;" 


JUDGES,   XX.   34—42.  109 

places,  even  out  of  the  meadows  of  Gibeah.  And  there  came  34 
against  Gibeah  ten  thousand  chosen  men  out  of  all  Israel, 
and  the  battle  was  sore  :  but  they  knew  not  that  evil  teas 
near  them.  And  the  Lord  smote  Benjamin  before  Israel :  35 
and  the  children  of  Israel  destroyed  of  the  Benjamites  that 
day  twenty  and  five  thousand  and  an  hundred  men :  all  these 
drew  the  sword. 

So  the  children  of  Benjamin  saw  that  they  were  smitten  :  36 
for  the  men  of  Israel  gave  place  to  the  Benjamites,  because 
they  trusted  unto  the  Hers  in  wait  which  they  had  set  beside 
Gibeah.     And    the  liers   in   wait  hasted,   and  rushed   upon  37 
Gibeah ;    and  the   liers  in  wait   drew  themselves  along,  and 
Bmote   ail   the   city  with  the  edge  of  the  sword.     Now  there  38 
was  an  appointed  sign  between  the  men  of  Israel  and  the  liers 
in  wait,  that  they  should  make  a  great  flame  with  smoke  rise 
up  out  of  the  city.     And  when  the  men  of  Israel  retired  in  39 
the  battle,  Benjamin  began  to  smite  and  kill  of  the  men  of 
Israel   about  thirty  persons :    for  they  said.   Surely  they  are 
smitten  down  before  us,  as  in  the  first  battle.     But  when  the  40 
flame  began  to  arise  up  out  of  the  city  with  a  pillar  of  smoke, 
the  Benjamites  looked  behind  them,  and  behold,  the  flame  of 
the  city  ascended  up  to  heaven.     And  when  the  men  of  Israel  41 
turned  again,  the  men  of  Benjamin  were  amazed  :   for  they 
saw  that  evil  was  come  upon  them.     Therefore  they  turned  42 
their   hacks   before  the   men   of  Israel  unto  the  way  of  the 
wilderness ;   but   the  battle  overtook  them ;   and  them  which 


cp.  above,  iv.  5.  the  vieadoics  of  Gibeah]  Heb.  Maareh-geha. 

The  word  ma^areh  occurs  only  here,  and  the  translation  is  exceed- 
ingly precarious.  LXX.  (A),  with  a  slight  change  of  the  Hebrew, 
has:  "to  the  west  of  Gibeah."  34.     there  came  against]  or 

rather,  as  in  E.V.,  there  came  over  against,  that  is,  in  open 
battle,  taking  up  the  whole  attention  of  the  Benjamites.  near 

them]  lit.  "  touching  them."  35.    The  open  battle  thus  an- 

nihilated the  entire  force  of  Benjamin  (see  ver.  15),  save  1600,  or, 
on  the  other  readuig  of  ver.  15,  save  600  men.  Compare  ver.  46, 
which  gives  25,000  as  the  number  of  slain,  and  600  as  survivors. 

36 — 46.  These  verses  give  a  second  account  of  the  destruction 
of  the  Benjamites  with  some  variation  in  detail,  and  a  remarkable 
similarity  to  the  account  of  the  taking  of  Ai  in  Josh.  viii. 

37.     dreio  themselves  along]  i.e.  (h-ew  on.  38.    aflame]  R.V. 

cloud,  and  so  ver.  40.  40.    flame. ..with  a  2nllar]  E.Y.  cloud 

...in  a  pillar.  the  flame  of  the  city]  K.V.  the  whole  of  the 

city  went  up  [in  smoke]  to  heaven.  41.     n-a.^  come]  lit. 

"touched"  (as  ver.  34).  42.    the  vildemesx]  fleeing  in  a 

north-easterly  direction ;  see  ver.  45.  Tlie  whole  eastern  versant 
of  the  mountains  of  Benjamin  is  wild  and  baiTen.  them  which 

came  &c.]  The  translators  assume  that  the  cities  referred  to  are  the 


110  JUDGES,   XX.   43— XXI.   3. 

cavie  out  of  the  cities  they  destroyed  in  the  midst  of  them. 

43  Thus  they  inclosed  the  Benjamites  round  about,  and  chased 
them,  and   trode   them  down  with  ease  over  against  Gibeah 

44  toward  the  sunrising.     And  there  fell  of  Benjamin  eighteen  ' 

45  thousand  men ;  all  these  were  men  of  valour.  And  they 
turned  and  fled  toward  the  wilderness  unto  the  rock  of 
Rimmon  :  and  they  gleaned  of  them  in  the  highways  five 
thousand   men ;    and   pursued  hard  after  them  unto  Gidom, 

Ah  and  slew  two  thousand  men  of  them.  So  that  all  which  fell 
that  day  of  Benjamin  were  twenty  and  five  thousand  men  that 

47  drew  the  sword ;  all  these  zcere  men  of  valour.  But  six 
hundred  men  turned  and  fled  to  the  wilderness  unto  the  rock 

48  Rimmon,  and  abode  in  the  rock  Rimmon  four  months.  And 
the  men  of  Israel  turned  again  upon  the  children  of  Benjamin, 
and  smote  them  with  the  edge  of  the  sword,  as  well  the  men 
of  every  city,  as  the  beast,  and  all  that  came  to  hand :  also 
they  set  on  fire  all  the  cities  that  they  came  to. 

21      Now  the  men  of  Israel  had  sworn  in  Mizpeh,  saying.  There 
shall  not  any  of  us  give  his  daughter  unto  Benjamin  to  wife. 

2  And  the  people  came  to  the  house  of  God,  and  abode  there  till 

3  even  before  God,  and  lift  up  their  voices,  and  wept  sore ;  and 

Benjamite  cities,  still  held  by  Benjamites.  R.V.  has  they  which 
came  out  of  the  cities  destroyed  them,  the  meaning  in  this 
case  being  that  the  " cities"  north  and  east  of  Gibeah  were  ah-eady 
in  Israelite  hands.  Neither  translation  corresponds  satisfactorily 
to  the  present  Hebrew,  which  is  probably  coi-rui)t.  43.     v:it\ 

ea.se]  R.V.  at  [their]  resting  place;  marg.,  "at  Menuhah." 
The  text  is  still  defective.  to/rard  tie  sunnsin;/]  i.e.  toward 

the  wilderness.  44.    eighteen  thousand]   i.e.  in  the  principal 

action;  see  next  verse.  45.    Rimmon']  This  rock  is  defined  by 

Eusebius  as  15  R.  m.  from  Jerusalem,  and  has  been  identified  with 
considerable  certainty  as  corresponding  to  the  modern  Rammun, 
situated  on  and  aromid  the  summit  of  a  conspicuous  chalky  hill 
3§m.  E.  from  Bethel,  and  8A  m.  N.N.E.  from  Gibeah,  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  Benjamm.  (/leaned]  cp.  viii.  2.  Gidom]  Unknown. 
Presumably  between  Gibeah  and  Rinmion.  46.  twotty  andjire 
thousand]  Cp.  \^'.  15,  45.  48.  as  n-ell  the  men  of  every  citij 
as]  R.V.  both  the  entire  city  and.  The  text  is  obscure,  and 
A.V.  involves  at  least  a  change  in  the  pointing  of  the  Hebrew. 
came  to  hand]  lit.  "  was  found."  all  the  cities]  The  entire 
Benjamite  population  had  been  laid  under  the  ban  (cp.  Dt.  ii.  34 1. 
In  the  general  destruction  all  the  women  even,  marriageable  and 
married  alike,  had  been  put  to  the  sword  (xxi.  16). 

XXI.     How  wives  were  got  for  the  six  hmidred  survivmg  Ben- 
jamites. 

1.     had  sicorn]   Cp.  ver.  18.  Mizpth]   See  xx.  1,  note.  2. 

the  house  of  God]  R.V.  Bethel.       abode]  R.V.  sat,  as  in  xx.  26. 
joept  sore]  Between  the  deeds  related  in  xx.48,  and  in  xxi.  11,  such 


JUDGES,   XXI.   4—12.  Ill 

said,  0  Lord  God  of  Israel,  why  is  this  come  to  pass  in  Israel, 
that  there  should  be  to  day  one  tribe  lacking  in  Israel  ?     And   4 
it  came  to  pass  on  the  morrow,  that  the  people  rose  early,  and 
built   there  an   altar,  and   offered  burnt  offerings  and  peace 
offerings.      And  the  children   of  Israel   said,   Who   is   there    5 
among  all   the   tribes   of  Israel   that  came  not  up  with  the 
congregation   unto  the  Lord?     For   they  had  made  a  great 
oath  concerning  him  that  came  not  up  to  the  Lord  to  Mizpeh, 
saying,  He  shall  surely  be  put  to  death.     And  the  children  of   (5 
Israel  repented  them  for  Benjamin  their  brother,  and  said, 
There  is  one  tribe  cut  off  from  Israel  this  day.     How  shall  we    7 
do  for  wives  for  them  that  remain,  seeing  we  have  sworn  by 
the  Lord  that  ice  wiU  not   give  them  of  our  daughters  to 
wives?     And  they  said.  What   one   is  there  of   the  tribes  of   8 
Israel  that  came  not  up  to  Mizpeh  to  the  Lord  ?     And  behold, 
there    came    none   to   the  camp   from  Jabesh-gilead  to   the 
assembly.     For  the  people  were  numbered,  and  behold,  there   9 
xcere   none   of   the  inhabitants  of  Jabesh-gilead  there.     And  lo 
the   congregation   sent  thither  twelve  thousand  men  of  the 
valiantest,  and  commanded  them,  saying.  Go  and  smite  the 
inhabitants  of  Jabesh-gilead  with  the  edge  of  the  sword,  with 
the  women  and  the  children.     And  this  is  the  thing  that  ye  ii 
shall  do,    Ye   shall   utterly  destroy   every   male,    and   every 
woman  that  hath  lien  by  man.     And  they  found  among  the  12 
inhabitants  of  Jabesh-gilead  four  hundred  young  virgins,  that 
had    known    no   man   by  lying  with   any   male :    and   they 
brought  them  unto  the  camp  to  Shiloh,  which  is  in  the  land 


tenderness  of  feeling  is  surprising.  4.    huilt  there  an  altar] 

Every  sanctuary  had  an  altar,  but  not  necessarily  an  altar  suffi- 
cient for  a  great  national  sacrifice.  burnt  oferings  and  peace 
oferiuiis]  cp.  xx.  26.  5.  v:ith  the  congregation']  K.V.  in  the 
assembly.  So  also  in  ver.  8,  as  in  xx.  2.  8.  Jabesh-gilead] 
an  important  town  (Josephus  calls  it  the  metropohs)  of  Gilead. 
According  to  Eusebius  it  lay  on  the  eastern  tableland,  6  K.  m.  from 
Pella  on  the  road  to  Gerasa.  Accordmg  to  1  Sam.  xxxi.  12  it  was 
within  a  night's  march  from  Beth-shean.  The  name  appears  to  sur- 
vive in  the  W.  Yabis,  an  eastern  tributary  of  the  Jordan,  and 
Robinson  suggests  that  the  site  may  have  been  at  the  modern 
ed-Deir  on  a  hiU  on  the  south  side  of  the  wady,  some  three  hours 
from  the  Jordan,  on  the  road  from  Beth-shean  to  Gerasa.  Jabesh 
was  again  an  inhabited  place  in  the  time  of  Saul.  The  incidents 
narrated  in  this  chapter  may  help  to  explain  the  close  relations 
bet3-een  the  men  of  Jabesh-gilead  and  that  king.  assembly] 
as  in  ver.  5.  9.  For  the  people  etc.]  K.V.  For  when  the 
people  were  numbered,  behold  ic.  11.  utterly  destroy] 
cp.  XX.  48.  See  i.  17,  note.  12.  unto  the  camp  to  Shiloh] 
On  Shiloh  see  xviii.  31,  note,  and  ver.  19,  below.    Here  apparently 


112  JUDGES,   XXI.   13—21. 

13  of  Canaan.  And  the  whole  congregation  sent  some  to  speak  to 
the  children  of  Benjamin  that  were  in  the  rock  Eimmon,  and 

14  to  call  peaceably  unto  them.  And  Benjamin  came  again  at 
that  time ;  and  they  gave  them  wives  which  they  had  saved 
alive  of  the  women  of  Jabesh-gilead  :  and  yet  so  they  sufficed 

15  them  not.  And  the  people  repented  them  for  Benjamin, 
because  that  the  Lord  had  made  a  breach  in  the  tribes  of 
Israel. 

lb"  Then  the  elders  of  the-  congregation  said,  How  shall  we  do 
for  wives   for   them  that  remain,  seeing  the  women  are  de- 

17  stroyed  out  of  Benjamin?  And  they  said,  There  7nust  he  an 
inheritance   for  them   that   be  escaped  of  Benjamin,  that  a 

18  tribe  be  not  destroyed  out  of  Israel.  Howbeit  we  may  not 
give  them  wives  of  our  daughters :  for  the  children  of  Israel 
have  sworn,  saying,  Cursed  be  he  that  giveth  a  wife  to  Ben- 

19  jamin.  Then  they  said.  Behold,  there  is  a  feast  of  the  Lord 
in  Shiloh  yearly  in  a  place  which  is  on  the  north  side  of 
Eeth-el,  on  the  east  side  of  the  highway  that  goeth  up  from 

20  Beth-el  to  Shechem,  and  on  the  south  of  Lebonah.  Therefore 
they  commanded  the  children  of  Benjamin,  saying.  Go  and 

21  lie  in  wait  in  the  vineyards ;  and  see,  and  behold,  if  the 
daughters  of  Shiloh  come  out  to  dance  in  dances,  then  come 


it  is  thought  of  as  a  permanent  camp  like  Gilgal  or  Mahaneh-dan. 
which  is  in  the  land  of  Canaan]  as  distmguislied  from  Jabesh- 
gilead,  which  was  in  Gilead.  This  expression,  and  also  the  topo- 
gi'aphical  note  in  ver.  19,  shows  that  Shiloh  had  become  a  site  of 
merely  antiquarian  interest.  13.    f<ent  some  to  .speak]  lit.  "sent 

and  spake."  ^o  ca//y><'flcca/>///]  lit.  "proclaim  peace."  14. 

came  again]  or  "returned,"  i.e.  to  fellowship  with  the  cormnon- 
wealth  of  Israel.  ?';n-e6']  lit.  "the  women."  17.    destroi/ed 

out  of  Israel]  or,  "blotted  out."  The  word  is  not  the  same  as  in 
ver.  16.  19.     a  feast  of  the  Lord  in  Shiloh  yearhj]   Cp.  1  Sam. 

i.  3,  21,  where  a  yearlj'  pilgrimage  to  Shiloh  is  mentioned.  This 
was  at  the  close  of  the  period  of  the  Judges,  and  the  ark  was 
then  at  Shiloh.  In  our  narrative  the  ark  is  at  Bethel,  and  the 
festival  at  Shiloh  appears  to  have  a  very  local  reputation.  vhich 
is  on  the  north  side  S:c.]  Detlnition  of  the  situation  of  Shiloh,  the 
mod.  Seilun,  2230  feet  above  sea-level,  about  9i  m.  from  Bethel, 
and  11. f,  m.  S.  from  Shechem.  Lebonah]  mod.  el-Lubl)an. 

about  1  hr.  N.W.  from  Seiliin.  21.     in  dances]   Heb.  "in  the 

dances,"  i.e.  in  the  annual  festal  dances.  Dancing  (to  the  sound  of 
the  tabret  or  flute)  is  frequently  mentioned,  or  implied,  as  an  ele- 
ment of  religious  festivity,  both  at  the  local  shrines  and  at  Jenisalem 
itself.  Compare  the  dance  of  Mabanaim  (Cant.  vi.  13,  K.V.) ;  the 
name  Abel-meholah  (above,  vii.  22);  the  story  of  Miriam  (Ex.  xv. 
20) ;  also  1  Sam.  x.  ;') ;  Isa.  xxx.  29;  Ps.  Ixviii.  25;  cxlix.  3;  cl.  4. 
The  Mishna  [Taanith,  ad  fin.)  speaks  of  two  days  of  the  year,  in 
late  summer  and  autumn,  in  which  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem 


JUDGES,   XXI.   22—25.  113 

ye  out  of  the  vineyards,  and  catch  you  every  man  his  wife  of 
the   daughters   of  Shiloh,  and   go  to  the  land  of  Benjamin. 
And  it   shall  be,  when  their  fathers  or  their  brethren  come  22 
unto  us  to  complain,  that  we  will  say  unto  them.  Be  favour- 
able unto  them  for  our  sakes  :  because  we  reserved  not  to  each 
man  his  wife  in  the  war :  for  ye  did  not  give  unto  them  at 
til  is   time,  that   3'ou   should  be  guilty.     And  the  children  of  23 
Benjamin    did   so,  and   took    them   wives,  according  to  their 
number,  of  them  that  danced,  whom  they  caught :  and  they 
went   and  returned  unto  their  inheritance,  and  repaired  the 
cities,  and  dwelt  in  them.    And  the  children  of  Israel  departed  :^4 
thence  at  that  time,  every  man  to  his  tribe  and  to  his  family, 
and  they  went  out  from  thence  every  man  to  his  inheritance. 
In  those  daj's  there  icas  no  king  in  Israel :  every  man  did  that  25 
which  was  right  in  his  own  eyes. 


Avent  forth  and  danced  in  the  vineyards,  inviting  the  attention  of 
would-be  suitors.  Here  also  the  dance  m  the  vineyards  seems  to 
imply  that  the  feast  was  in  autvmni,  the  vuitage  season;  cp.  ix.  27. 
At  Megara  and  other  places  in  Greece  sunilar  dances  are  still  prac- 
tised at  Easter-tide.  22.  Be  favourable... guilty]  These  words 
seem  fairly  to  represent  the  general  sense  required.  The  Shilouites 
were  not  to  be  responsible,  but  would  have  to  accept  accomplished 
facts.  Neither  A.V.  nor  E.V.  is  quite  satisfactory  as  a  rendering 
of  the  present  Hebrew  text,  Avhich  seems  to  be  in  some  disorder. 


JUDGES 


IXDEX. 


^bdon,  82 

Ahel-clu'raniim,  79 

Abel-meliolali,  58 

Abiezur,  51 

Abiraelecli,  6i 

Abinoaiu,  34 

Acclio,  21 

Acbzib,  21 

Adoni-bezck,  l-l 

Aijaloii,  22 

Aijaloii,  in  Zebulim,  82 

Akrabbiiii,  23 

Allon-bacliiith,  23,  34 

Aiiialek,  30,  43 

Ainnion,  30 

Ainoritos.  22,  28 

Anak,  cliildrcu  of,  l5 

Angel  of  Jebovah,  23 

Angels,  aspect  of,  52 ;  names  of,  84 

Aphik,  21 

Ark  of  tiio  Covenant,  12, 10^ 

Arad,  17 

Aroer,  78 

Aruniali,  71 

Asber,  44,  45 

Asberotli,  29 

Asbkelon,  IS 

Asbtarotli,  25 

Askelon,  See  Asiikclou 

Asses,  wliite,  41 

liaal,  Raalim,  25 

„      worsliip  of,  10,  11,  53 
Baalim  ("landbolders"),  05 
liaal-beritli,  65 
IJaal-gad,  2S 
J>aal-bernion,  28 
]{aal-tamar,  lOS 
Hanqueting  bouse  (lixhkah),  94 
Harak,  34 
Harley  bread,  50 
Jiedouins  in  Palestine,  49 
Beer,  6S 
IJeersbeba,  105 
Belial,  sons  of.  104 
Betli-anatli,  22 
I'.etb-barali,  59 
IJetbel,  1!»,  34.  107 
Jk'tblebem,  81 
Ik'tldebem-judali,  9(5 
Jietb-millo,  6tJ 
Bctb-rebob,  loO 
Betli-sbean,  19 
Jietb-slieniesb,  22 
Betb-sliittab,  5>. 


Bezek,  13 

Blessing,  17 
Bocbim,  23 
Buttle,  37 
Bramble.  67 
JJriers,  60 
Burnt  offerings,  107 

Caleb,  16 

Cam  on,  73 

Camp  of  Dan,  See  Mabaneli-dan 

Canaan,  conquest  of,  9 

Canaanites,  9,  13,  27,  28 

Captivity  (v.  12),  42 

Captivitv  (xviii.  30),  101 

Carriage,  100 

Cliains,  64 

Ciiariots,  18 

Cbemosli,  78 

Cbildren  of  the  East,  5u 

Chronology  of  Judges,  7 

Chushan-rishathaim,  29 

Collars,  63 

Congregation  of  Israel,  105 

Conquest  of  Canaan,  9 

Criers,  i>ublic,  67 

Cubit,  30 

Dagger,  30 

Dagon,  94 

Dan,  .See  Laisli 

Dances,  religious.  112 

Danites,  22.  44.  97 

Date  of  Judges,  9 

Debir,  16 

Deborah.  34.  38,  41,  42 

Deuteronomic  elements  in  Judges, 

Dew,  54 

Dodo,  73 

Dor,  20,  48 

Drink  offerings.  52 

Dyed  garments,  4^ 

Earrings,  63 
Ildomites,  23 
Ehud.  30 
tkron,  IS 
Elders.  61 
Elon,  81,  82 
En-hakkore,  91 
Ephah,  52 
Ephod,  12,  64 
Eshtaol,  85 
Etaui,  89,  90 


Father,  as  title  of  lionour,  % 

Gaal,  69 

Garment  (.limMi),  fiS 
Gaza,  17,  50 
Geba,  lOfJ 
Gerizini,  6" 
Gezer,  20 
Gibeah, 103 
Gideon,  48 
Gilead,  73, 105 
Gilgal,  23,  31,  34 
Groves,  See  Aslierotl. 

llama th,  28 
liarod,  well  of,  55 
Haroshoth,  33 
Havotli-jair,  73 
Hazor,  33 
Heber,  3(! 
Hebron,  15 
Heres,  mount,  22 
Heres,  ascent  of,  61 
Hermon,  Mount,  28 
Heslibon,  78 

Hill-countrv  of  Judali,  15 
Hiimiini,  (39 
Hittites,  19.  27,  2S 
Hivites,  13,  27 
Hobab,  36 
normal  J,  17 

Ibleam,  20 

Tbzan,  81 

Image  worship,  12,  64 

Ishmaelites,  49,  63 

Jabesh-Kilead,  111 
Jabin,  33 
Jael,  37,  40,  47 
Jahaz,  77 
Jair,  73 

Jebusites,  18,  28 
Jeiiiithah,  73 

Jeplitliah's  daughter,  79,  80 
Jerusalem.  14,  18 
Jezreel.  valley  of,  54 
JoKbehah,  61 
Jotham,  64,  67 
Judge,  26 

Judges,  the  greater,  7 
1,        the  minor,  7 

Kadesh-barnea,  77 
Karkor,  61 
Kedesh-naiihtali,  34 
Kenites.  17 
Kenizzites,  16 
Kev.  32 
King,  14,  33 

Kirjath-arba,  See  Hebron 
Kirjath-jearim,  99 
Kirjath-sannah,  See  Debir 
Kirjath-sepher,  See  Debir 
Kishon,  35,  45 


INDEX. 

Laish,  98 

Lamps  in  pitchers,  6V 

Lapidoth,  34 

Lebonah, 112 

Lehi,  90,  91 

Levites,  12,  96 

Locks,  worn  long  in  war,  3!^ 

Lord  (Philistine),  27 

Lowland  of  Judah,  15 

Luz,  See  Bethel 

Luz  (Hittite),  19 

Macceba,  12,  67 

Machir,  43 

Madian,  49,  63 

Mahaneh-dan,  85,  9S 

Manasseh,  19 

Manasseh  (Moses),  101 

Mantle,  37 

Maonites,  74 

Marriage  feast,  8? 

Meat  offering,  30 

Megiddo,  20 

Melcarth,  25 

Meonenim,  oak  of,  70 

Meroz,  45,  46 
Mesopotamia,  29 
Micah,  9,  95 
Midianites.  49,  64 
Milk,  37,  47 
Millo,  house  of,  66 
Millstone,  upper,  72 
Minhah,  30 
IMinnith,  79 
Miracle,  51 
Misderon,  31 
Mizpeh,  in  Gilead,  75 
Mizpeh  (Neby  Samwil),  105 
Moabites,  30 
Moreh,  hill  of,  55 
Moreh,  oak  of,  66,  70 
Mountain,  See  IIill-countr> 

Nail,  of  tent,  37,  47 
Naphtali,  22 
Nazarite,  39,  83,  93 
Negeb,  15 
Xobah,  61 

Ophrah,  50,  51 
Oreb,  59 
Ornaments,  62 
Othniel,  16,  29 

Palm  tree,  34 

Palm  trees,  citv  of,  17 

Parables,  67,  87 

Parlour,  31 

Parshedon,  31 

Peace  offerings,  107 

Pen,  43 

Penuel.  60 

Perazon,  40 

Perizzites,  13 

Philistines,  27 

Phoenicians,  See  Zidoniaua 


115 


116  INDEX. 

Pillar,  sacred,  66^  67 

Pirathon,  82 

Present  {minhah),  30,  52 

Princes,  61 

Prisoners  slain  by  youths,  62 

Provender,  10-1 

Ptolemais,  See  Accho 

Purple,  63 

Quarries  of  Gilgal,  31 

Ramab,  34 
Hamath-lehi,  91 
lU'uben,  44 
Riddles,  87 
Righteous  acts,  49 
Rinimon,  110 
Rock,  the,  See  Sela 

Sacrifices,  hunian,j8 

Salt,  sowing  with,  71 

Salutation,  99 

Samson,  82  ;  name  of,  85 

Searchings  of  heart,  44 

Seirath,  32 

Sela,  23 

Shamgar,  33 

Shechem,  66,  68 

Shechem,  oak  of,  66 

Shechem,  tower  of,  71 

Sheets,  87 

Shekel,  63,  66,  97 

Shephelah,  See  Lowland 

Shibboleth,  81 

Shiloh,101, 112 

Sinai,  the  mount  of  Jehovah,  40 

Sisera,  46 

South  of  Judah,  15 

Spear,  41 

Spoil,  63,  88 

„     distribution  of,  63 
Staff,  52 

Stars,  courses  of  the,  46 
Strong  drink,  83 


Succoth,  59,  00 
Sword,  30,  41 

Taanach,  20 
Tabbath,  58 
Tabor,  Mount,  35,  36 

battle  of,  4d 
Tabor,  oak  of,  34 
Tent,  37 
Teraphim, 96 
Thebez,  72 
Thorns,  24,  60 
Threshing,  51 

Thumbs,  mutilation  of,  14    . 
Timbrels,  79 
Timnath,  or  Tinmah,  85 
Timnatli-heres,  25 
Tob,  75,  76 
Tola,  73 

Torches  in  pitchers.  67 
Treasury,  public,  66 
Trees,  sacred,  29,  34 
Tribute,  20 

Valley  {shephelah),  15 
Valley  ('emek),  18 
A'ineyards,  86 

Watches,  night,  57 
Wilderness  of  Judah,  15 
Withs,  92 
Writer,  43 

Zaanaim,  36 

Zaanannim, 36 

Zalmon,  Mount,  71 

Zaphon,  80 

Zebul,  69,  70 

Zebulun,  20,  21 

Zcphath,  17 

Zererah  or  Zererath,  68 

Zidon,  Zidonians,  21,  27,  74,  98 

Zorah,  83 


CAMBRIDGE:  PRINTED  BY   C.   J.   CLAY,   M.A.   AND   ^oNS,  AT  THE  CNIVKKSITY  PRESS. 


7^ 


Cfte  Cambrftffe  2ftle  for  ^rboalg 
ana  Colleges^* 


Tbe  B 

is  clear  an 
require,  ai 
suggested  " 
Magazine. 

I.  Sait- 
with  whic 
appointed  _ 
looked  wit 
contains  t 
great  impr 
which  sch 
volume,   u_ 
difficulty  c 
the  commf 
the  Biblica" 

II.  Sai 
is  in  mere  ~ 
for  its  pm 
prove  the- 
questions 
and  the  a]_ 
knowledge 
favourably 
made  the  - 
unlimited 
The  notes_ 
irrelevant ; 
in  value  be 
and  that  o~ 
hand  sourc 

I.  Kinr 

mend  thes 
purchase  tL 
Quality  is 
and  Trowe 

II.  Kir~ 
suited  for  ^ 

The  Br 
is,  it  is  far 
Dr  Davids- 
ledge,  his 
power  havi_ 
worthy  of  1 
of  many  y 
uuderstanc" 
world."— 2 


Date  Due 


"TheC 

The  in  trod ... 

English  Churchman. 


VlxllllV/llUljr       ^lUVtblLOl. 


OPINIONS  OF  THE  PRESS  (continued). 

"St  Matthew,  edited  by  A.  Caru,  M.A.  Tlie  Book  of 
Joshua,  edited  by  G.  F.  Maclear,  D.D.    The  General  Epistle 

of  St  James,  edited  by  E.  H.  Plumptre,  D.D.  The  iutroductions 
and  notes  are  scliolarly,  and  generally  such  as  young  readers  need 
and  can  appreciate.  The  maps  in  both  Joshua  and  Matthew  are 
very  good,  and  all  matters  of  editing  ai'e  faultless.  Professor 
Plumptre's  notes  on  '  The  Epistle  of  St  James'  are  models  of  terse, 
exact,  and  elegant  renderings  of  the  original,  which  is  too  often 
obscured  in  the  authorised  version." — Nonconformist. 

"St  Mark,  with  Notes  by  the  Kev.  G.  F.  Maclear,  D.D. 
Into  this  small  volume  Dr  Maclear,  besides  a  clear  and  able 
Introduction  to  the  Gospel,  and  the  text  of  St  Mark,  has  comi)ressed 
many  hundreds  of  valuable  and  helpful  notes.  In  short,  he  has 
given  us  a  capital  manual  of  the  kind  required — containing  all 
that  is  needed  to  illustrate  the  text,  i.e.  all  that  can  be  drawn  from 
the  history,  geography,  customs,  and  manners  of  the  time." — 
Expositor. 

"  St  Luke.  Canon  Farrar  has  supphed  students  of  the  Gospel 
with  an  admirable  manual  in  this  volume.  It  has  all  that  copious 
variety  of  illustration,  Ingenuity  of  suggestion,  and  general  sound- 
ness of  interpretation  which  readers  are  accustomed  to  expect  from 
the  learned  and  eloquent  editor." — The  Spectator. 

"  (1)  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  By  J.  Rawson  Lumby,  D.D. 
(2)  The  Second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  edited  by  Professor 
Lias.  The  introduction  is  pithy,  and  contains  a  mass  of  carefully- 
selected  information  on  the  authorship  of  the  Acts,  its  designs,  and 

its  sources The  Second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  is  a  manual 

beyond  all  praise,  for  the  excellence  of  its^  pithy  and  pointed 
annotations,  its  analysis  of  the  contents,  and  the  fulness  and  value 
of  its  introduction." — Examiner. 

"  The  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  It  is  seldom  we  have  met 
with  a  work  so  remarkable  for  the  compression  and  condensation 
of  aU  that  is  valuable  in  the  smallest  possible  space  as  in  the 
volume  before  us.  Within  its  limited  pages  we  have  '  a  sketch  of 
the  Life  of  St  Paul,'  we  have  further  a  critical  account  of  the  date 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  of  its  language,  and  of  its  genuine- 
ness. The  notes  are  numerous,  full  of  matter,  to  the  point,  and 
leave  no  real  difficulty  or  obscurity  unexplained." — The  Examiner. 

Hebrews.  "We  heartily  commend  this  volume  of  this 
excellent  work." — Sunday  School  Chronicle, 

The  Epistles  of  St  John.  By  the  Rev.  A.  Plummer,  M.A., 
D.D.  "This  forms  an  admirable  companion  to  the  'Commentary 
on  the  Gospel  according  to  St  John,'  which  was  reviewed  in  The 
Churchman  as  soon  as  it  appeared.  Dr  Plummer  has  some  of  the 
highest  quaUfications  for  such  a  task ;  and  these  two  volumes,  their 
size  being  considered,  will  bear  comparison  with  the  best  Commen- 
taries of  the  time." — The  Churchman. 


Ronton:  C.  J.  CLAY  and  SONS, 

CAMBRIDGE   UNIVERSITY  PRESS  WAREHOUSE, 

AVE   MARIA  LANE. 


BS1305 .B627 

The  Book  of  Judges  :  with  map, 

Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00037  1965