THE BOOK OF JUDGES. _THIS Book is called_ Shophtim, שׁפטים Suffetes, _which word signifies an avenger, a deliverer. See Prideaux's Connect. vol. 1: p._ 92. _The book is generally divided into two parts; the first, comprising the history of the judges, from Othniel to Samson; the second, containing... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW, AFTER THE DEATH OF JOSHUA, IT CAME TO PASS— It is related in this chapter, in what state each of the tribes was after Joshua was dead; and some things, by the way, are resumed which had happened before, and which we have read in the Book of Joshua; as the taking of the cities of Hebron and Kirj... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDAH SHALL GO UP— This was the most numerous and most valiant of the tribes, Genesis 49:8.; and is commanded to go up, says Houbigant, because those nations were to be subdued which were in the lot of this tribe, as appears from the third verse, _Come up to me into my lot._... [ Continue Reading ]
IN BEZEK— _Bezek_ was a city of the tribe of Judah, and is thought to have been at a small distance from Bethlehem and Jerusalem. See 1 Samuel 11:8 and Wells's Geogr. vol. 2:... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY FOUND ADONI-BEZEK— Adoni signifies Lord, or Master; so that Adoni-bezek was evidently the _King,_ or _Lord,_ of Bezek. See Bochart's Hieroz. pars 1: lib. 2.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ADONI-BEZEK FLED— It is evident, that after the battle the king shut himself up in Bezek; that then this place was besieged; that the two confederated tribes took it; but that _Adoni-bezek_ having escaped thence, they sent detachments after him, who overtook and brought him back to the camp of t... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH HAD FOUGHT AGAINST JERUSALEM, &C.— The strong fortress on mount Sion continued in the hands of the Jebusites till the time of David. See Joseph. Hist. b. vi. c. 7. _Note;_ (1.) God often repays the wicked in their own coin. (2.) The proudest are not too high for God to hum... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JUDAH WENT AGAINST THE CANAANITES— See on Joshua 15:18. The expedition against Hebron seems placed here by way of recapitulation, on account of the other conquests of the tribe of Judah. The whole of this passage, perhaps, had better be rendered in the pluperfect; _Caleb had said,_ &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHILDREN OF THE KENITE, MOSES' FATHER-IN-LAW— The Kenites descended from Jethro had followed the Israelites into the land of Canaan, and were at first settled near the City of Palms, which is commonly thought to be the same with Jericho, celebrated for its palm-trees. See Shaw, vol. 2: p. 68 and... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT COULD NOT DRIVE OUT THE INHABITANTS, &C.— _But proceeded not to drive out,_ &c. Jun. Tremel. Wat. This version gives us the true sense of the passage. We are not to suppose that chariots of iron rendered the inhabitants of the valley invincible to a people aided and protected by Almighty God; bu... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH— Instead of בית _beth, house,_ the Cambridge Manuscript reads, _beni,_ the children, which seems to be the better reading, as the context is, _and they ascended,_ &c. The LXX and Arabick read _children._... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MAN WENT INTO THE LAND OF THE HITTITES, AND BUILT A CITY, AND CALLED THE NAME THEREOF LUZ— The land of the Hittites, probably, means some colony of that people settled in Syria or Arabia. The man, most likely, was himself a Hittite. His building a city is a certain proof that he was allowed to r... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY PUT THE CANAANITES TO TRIBUTE— Generally speaking, nothing could have prevented the Israelites from extirpating these nations, and, indeed, nothing could have excused them from doing so: but, preferring present peace to the obedience which they owed to God, they contented themselves with receiv... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER DID EPHRAIM DRIVE OUT THE CANAANITES— So far from it, they suffered them to enjoy among them all the privileges of a free people, even as if they had been allied; which is the meaning of the expression, to dwell among them, see 2 Kings 4:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE COAST OF THE AMORITES WAS FROM—THE ROCK— By _the rock,_ the Vulgate understands the city of Petra, in the Hebrew סלע _selang,_ which stood upon the confines of Idumaea, and was the capital of Arabia Petraea; Amaziah called it _Joktheel,_ 2 Kings 14:7. It is remarkable, that some of the old i... [ Continue Reading ]