INTRODUCTORY (JUDGES 1:1 TO JUDGES 3:4) Division 1, Judges 1:1 to Judges 2:5. This section of the book contains a brief recapitulation of the early conquest of Palestine, told from a somewhat different point of view from that of Joshua 7-21, and supplying much that is there not mentioned. From thes... [ Continue Reading ]
THE STORY OF THE JUDGES. OTHNIEL. EHUD. SHAMGAR 1-6. Israel's actual relations with the Canaanites.... [ Continue Reading ]
WARS OF CANAAN] i.e. those waged by Joshua, after whose death (Judges 2:21) the career of victory was made to cease by Jehovah.... [ Continue Reading ]
A third reason for the survival of the heathen in Canaan, in addition to those given in Judges 2:1; and in. Judges 2:22; Judges 3:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILISTINES] see Intro. § 5. The Philistines occupied the lowland in the SW. Their five cities formed a confederacy: see Judges 16:5, etc., and 1 Samuel 6:16. At the death of Samuel their power extends far into central Palestine (1 Samuel 31:10). ALL THE CANAANITES] in the more restricted sense, the... [ Continue Reading ]
See on Judges 1:1; Judges 3:3. To these six 'nations' of Canaan the Girgashites are often added.... [ Continue Reading ]
HISTORY OF THE JUDGES (JUDGES 3:5 TO JUDGES 16:31) On this, the main section of the book, see Intro. § 2 and List of Oppressions and Judges. The larger part of the book is concerned with six of the Judges, one of whom is not properly a Judge at all (Abimelech), and in the case of another (Samson) i... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. Exodus 34:16; Nehemiah 13:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GROVES] RV 'the asheroth.' The word (another plural) means the sacred poles set up near an altar, which were common in Seniitic worship (even Solomon's temple had' pillars': see on 1 Kings 7:21). Here, however, actual goddesses seem to be intended, perhaps regarded as symbolised by the poles.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHUSHAN-RISHATHAIM] The Heb. word means 'Ethiopian of double iniquity.' The real name must be hidden behind this expression. MESOPOTAMIA] see on Genesis 24:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
OTHNIEL] cp. Judges 1:13... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD] used here and elsewhere of the inspiration which makes a man capable of great and apparently superhuman exploits and achievements: Judges 6:34; Judges 11:29; Judges 14:6; Judges 15:14 : cp. also Exodus 31:3. 12-30. Eglon and Ehud.... [ Continue Reading ]
MOAB] the high plateau on the E. of the Dead Sea: cp. 2 Kings 3:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
AMMON] N. of Moab: the Amalekites (Genesis 36:12) are called Edomites. They occupied the desert between Sinai and S. Palestine. The Kenites formed one of their nomad clans, but on the whole their enmity to Israel was constant: cp. 1 Samuel 15:2; hence their readiness to join Eglon's invasion. CITY O... [ Continue Reading ]
LEFTHANDED] lit. 'lamed in his right hand.' Hence the success of his ruse: but Judges 20:16 seems to show that ambidexterity is all that is meant: cp. also 1 Chronicles 12:2. PRESENT] i.e. tribute.... [ Continue Reading ]
DAGGER] RV 'sword,' about 14 in. in the blade. Being, on his right thigh (convenient for his left hand) the guards would not notice it.... [ Continue Reading ]
BROUGHT] RV 'offered,' as in 1 Chronicles 12:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
QUARRIES] RM 'graven images,' perhaps carved stones. Once beyond these (cp. Judges 3:26), though only 2 m. from Jericho, Ehud knew that he was safe.... [ Continue Reading ]
SUMMER PARLOUR] RM 'upper chamber of cooling': a room on the flat roof of an Oriental house; in this case enclosed so that the interior was not visible from outside.... [ Continue Reading ]
No meaning can be obtained from the Heb. words at the end of this v.... [ Continue Reading ]
LOCKED] i.e. bolted (as in the East at present).... [ Continue Reading ]
SEIRATH] unknown.... [ Continue Reading ]
MOUNTAIN] i.e. hillcountry. The men of Ephraim (Joshua's tribe) are recognised as the leaders in Israel: cp. Judges 8:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
TOWARD MOAB] RV 'against the Moabites,' i.e. to prevent their returning.... [ Continue Reading ]
For the expression TEN THOUSAND, cp. Judges 1:4; Judges 4:6; Judges 7:3; Judges 20:34.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOURSCORE] two full generations.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHAMGAR] the first of the 'minor' Judges. The name is mentioned in Judges 5:6, though not as a 'saviour.' No Philistine oppression is mentioned till later. AN OX GOAD] would be an efficient substitute for a spear—a sixfoot staff tipped with a spike: cp. Judges 15:14; AND 2 Samuel 23:21.... [ Continue Reading ]