Judges 10

Judges 10:3

Iair] Not that Iair, Num. XXXII. 41. Deut. III. 14. But of his posterity, and name.

Judges 10:4

Thirty Cities] That former Jair in the dayes of Moses, had but twenty three Cities, 1 Chron. II. 22. though the sonnes of Machir, the son of Manasseh, and the father of Gilead, and grandfather of this Iair, had among them sixty Cities, in the dayes of Moses, Iosh. XIII. 30, 31, 32. But here this Iair, the Judge, had thirty sonnes and they had thirty Cities, seven more then the former Iair had, all which they called by the same name of Havoth-Iair, as their progenitor had called his twenty three.

Judges 10:7

Philistines] In this time of their oppressing Israel, which was the sixth oppression; Sampson lived, and was a Judge, and began to deliver them, Ch. XIII. 5.

Ammon] This was the fifth oppression; And Iephthah was the Judge and deliverer.

Judges 10:8

And that year] The last of the eighteen of their oppressing the Israelites.

Eighteen years] Which years of oppression fell upon the two Tribes and a half beyond Iordan in Iairs time.

Judges 10:9

Passed over Iordan] In this eighteenth year the Ammonites proceeded further to invade the Tribes on this side Iordan. And then Iephthah doth vanquish them; and begin his sixe years of judging Israel. And all this stands well with the Chronologie of the times, viz: of two hundred ninty nine years in the Book of the Iudges; and of the four hundred and eighty mentioned, 1 King VI. 1.

Judges 10:12

The Sidonians] Divers of these Deliverances are not expressed in the holy History.

Judges 10:16

Grieved] Gods compassion to his people.

Judges 10:17

Mizpeh] There is mention of the Land of Mizpeh, under Hermon, Josh. XI. 3. But most commonly there were Citiet of that name; And those builded on hills or high places, as the word signifies, fit to set wath-towers upon, as our Beacons. We read of divers such in Scripture. One Mizpeh in Moab, 1 Sam. XXII. 3.

Another in Mount Gilead, in Manasseh, beyond Iordan, not farre from the Tribe of Gad, Josh. XIII. 26. Here Laban overtook Iacob, Gen. XXXI. 49. And here the Israelites encamped against the Midianites, in this text, Iudg. X. 17.

And Iephthah their Judge and General had his house here, Iudg. XI. 11, 29, 34. Another Mizpeh was in Iudah, Josh. XV. 38. Likely that re-built by Asa, 1 King. XV. 22. 2 Chron.

XVI. 6. But the most famous Mizpeh was that in Benjamin upon the border of it, Iosh. XVIII. 26. which was near the middle of the Land; and not farre from Shiloh, which stood East from it. This was a Place and City fit for general meetings and Assemblies of the Land. Thither all Israel assembled against the Benjamites, Iudg. XX. 1, 3. and XXI. 1.

There Samuel brought all Israel to publike Repentance, 1 Sam. VII. 5, 6. And thither likewise, as to Bethel and Gilgal, he came in crcuit from year to year; to judge Israel, ver. 16. There Saul was found out, and made King, 1 Sam. X. 17, 21. And there Gedaliah was Governour; so made by Nebuchanezzar; and there slaine by Ishmael, 2 King.

XXV. 3 23, 25.