Judges 2

Chap. II. Ver. 1—23. Israel reproved, by an angel, for their apostacy and idolatry.—The term angel certainly signifies a messenger, whether terrestrial or celestial; and many commentators, both Jewish and Christian, consider this as of the former class—a prophet from Gilgal. But the language is so much like that of the great Angel of the Covenant, who appeared to Abraham, to Moses, and to Joshua, that it is difficult, if not impossible, to suppose these the words of any inferior being. ((Joshua 5:13).) It is remarkable also, that at a subsequent period, when the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, he is not called an angel, but in the original, “a man, a prophet:” and when he delivers his message, it is not in the first person, ‘I made you to go up,’ &c. but, “Thus saith the Lord,” &c. See (Judges 6:8). This angel “came from Gilgal,” and it is observable, that it was near the camp at Gilgal, in the plains of Jericho, that the Lord appeared to Joshua, to animate and encourage him soon after entering upon his office, and the mention of Gilgal seems intended to lead to the idea of this being the same person; and to remind them (as Bishop Patrick remarks) “of the solemn covenant they made with him by the renewing of circumcision in that place.” The substance of the message is two-fold; first, reproof for forming alliances with the Canaanites, and countenancing their idolatries; and secondly, a threat which we now find portends in no longer driving out the heathen from before them. The effect of this message is a temporary grief, even to weeping.

They wept plentifully, insomuch that the place was called Bochim, the place of weepers; and here they sacrificed unto the Lord; yet it does not appear that any general or permanent reformation was produced: their vows to Jehovah were soon forgotten, and they followed other gods, the idols of the nations which surrounded them, and with whom they mingled in religious rites. The anger of the Lord was then kindled against them, and he delivered them into the hands, first of one oppressor and then of another; yet when they were distressed by their enemies, and groaned under their oppressions, the Lord repented him of his punishments upon them, and raised them up judges and deliverers; still no sooner were they delivered, than they forgot his mercies, and returned to their idolatries; thus alternately sinning and repenting, till the Lord is at length provoked to withdraw his protecting

providence, and will no more drive out the Canaanites, but leave them among them, as the punishment of their crime. Nor is this conduct of the Lord confined to ancient times, or to God’s dealings with the Jews. It is a usual law of Providence, to punish sinners by their own vices; indolence, luxury, and licentiousness, produce a great part of the evils that men suffer in the present life, and may well be compared to thorns in the eyes, while the stings of a guilty conscience are like daggers in their hearts. Many good writers in viewing the Mosaic dispensation as typical of the Christian, have considered the remnant of Canaanites left in the land, as figurative of the remains of sin and corruption in believers; and we see no practical evil likely to arise from this idea, while it is remembered, that their extermination was decreed, and that every attempt to screen or to spare them, was sinful in the sight of God.

As good soldiers of Jesus Christ, we are commanded to make war with all the sinful propensities of flesh and blood; but “we wrestle not against flesh and blood (only,) but against principalities and powers; against the rulers of the darkness of this world; against spiritual wickedness in high places.” ((Ephesians 6:12).)

Chap. III. Ver. 1—31. Sundry nations left to prove Israel: and various successive deliverances.—It is well remarked by Scott, that “the more the heart of man is tried, the worse it proves;” and we have here explained the manner in which these Canaanites tempted Israel, which was by forming family alliances with them. “They (the Israelites) took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons;”

that is, the sons of the Canaanites; and perhaps they flattered themselves that by such means they could eventually gain possession of the country, without the labour or the danger of fighting. But the consequence invariably was, that the children of Israel were drawn into their idolatries; one great means of which probably was, the music and dancing which always formed a considerable part of their idolatrous festivals. By these compliances, however, the Lord’s anger was provoked against Israel, and “he sold them” into the hands of the king of Mesopotamia. This expression has an evident allusion to the authority which the ancient Jews gave to the creditor to sell his debtor, and to the judge to sell a criminal, to make reparation either for the debt or the offence.

(See (Exodus 22:3). (2 Kings 4:1).) But the Lord has a perpetual right of redemption over his people: after eight years, therefore, when they became sensible of their guilt, and cried for mercy, the Lord raised up a deliverer (or saviour) to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel, son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother; “and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and the land had rest forty years.” The next judge to Othniel was Ehud, of whom we know nothing but what is here related; and the manner in which he stabbed Eglon, has been represented as a base assassination. The merit of the action, however, depends entirely upon the authority under which he acted. The sacred writer represents him as a prophet especially raised up for the deliverance of this people, and sent by God with a message of death to their oppressor.

But there are in this case some special circumstances to be considered. Jehovah was the King, not only of all the earth, but of Israel in a peculiar sense—as a Theocracy: every invasion or resistance of his authority was therefore properly treason; and as He was the head both of the executive and judicial power, he had equal authority to execute his warrants by a prophet, or by an angel, or by death, the great executioner of mankind. On this subject, our readers may turn to our remarks on the destruction of the Canaanites; out of his seat. 21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 22 And the haft also 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.

23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. 24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber. 25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. 26 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 them.

But on this objection we may add, that it comes but with an ill grace from those who admire and eulogize the character of Brutus, who thus stabbed Caesar in the senate-house, while he professed to be his friend. Immediately on the death of Eglon, Ehud blew a trumpet in Mount Ephraim, and roused the nation to arms; the consequence of which was, the total defeat of Moab, and the slaughter of ten thousand men. The death of Eglon, who had perhaps been a great soldier, animated the Moabites on the one hand, equally as it animated the Israelites on the other: and the land had rest fourscore years, reckoning from the forty years before mentioned. Shamgar, the next Judge of Israel, was probably contemporary with Ehud. He appears to have been a farmer, like Cincinnatus, and by an extraordinary act of bravery, aided, as it should seem, by miraculous assistance, obtained, during the same period, an extraordinary victory over the Philistines.

Thus He who woundeth, y Jos. 17.15, 4 Deborah and Barak deliver them from Jabin and Sisera. 18 Jael killeth Sisera. AND the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead. 2 And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. 3 And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel. 4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. 5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in

A. M. 2699. B. C. 1305. mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? 7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. Israel, severely for their idolatries, was no less prompt to deliver them on their repentance.

“For the Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide; neither will he keep his anger for ever.” ((Psalms 103:8-9).)

Notes on the verses

Chap. II. Ver. 9. Timnath-heres was his own inheritance; and Eusebius says it was celebrated in his time for the tomb of Joshua.

Ver. 11—13. Baalim and Ashtaroth.—(Both plural) the gods and goddesses of the Canaanites.

Ver. 16. Raised up judges.—[The Shaphetim, were not judges in the usual sense of the term; but were heads or chiefs of the Israelites, raised up on extraordinary occasions, who directed and ruled the nation with sovereign power, administered justice, made peace or war, and led the armies over which they presided. Officers with the same power, and nearly the same name, were established in New Tyre, after the termination of the regal state; and the Suffetes of the Carthaginians, the Archons of the Athenians, and Dictators of the Romans, appear to have been nearly the same.]—Bagster.

Ver. 18. It repented the Lord.—That is, “He altered the course of his providence.” See Patrick. See note on (Genesis 6:6-7).

Chap. III. Ver. 2. To teach them war, at the least such, &c.—An additional reason is here given why certain remains of the Canaanites were left in Israel. For a similar reason, “Scipio Nasica voted, in the Roman Senate, against the destruction of Carthage, that Rome might not by the destruction of her rival, become disused to war, and sink into effeminacy.”

Ver. 8. Mesopotamia.—[Aram-naharayim, “Syria of the two rivers,” or Mesopotamia, “between the rivers,” is a famous province, situated between the Tigris and Euphrates. It is called by Arabian geographers, Maverannaher, “the country beyond the river;” and is now called Diarbek.]—Bagster.

Ver. 16. Of a cubit length.—This word is only here used, and, according to some, means a short cubit or span. So most of the versions.

Ver. 18. When he had made an end to offer the present.—It is probable that Ehud introduced himself to Eglon with a present, which was often attended with a great deal of parade and ceremony. The present was the tribute exacted of them, with some small gifts in addition, to throw him off his guard. When Ehud had presented his gifts or tribute, he dismissed his attendants, and turning back, demanded a private audience, which he obtained: and “all that stood by Eglon (his attendants) went out,” on the injunction to “keep silence,” which seems to mean, Retire; a matter of etiquette, when a private message was to be delivered.

Ver. 19. The quarries.—Margin, “Graven images,” i.e. of stone; but some think this refers to the monument of rough stones which Joshua erected in Gilgal, ((Joshua 4:20).)

Ver. 20. A summer parlour.—[Heb. a parlour of cooling.—The aleeyah, or upper chamber, seems to have been of the same description as the oleah of the Arabs, but properly ventilated, described by Dr. Shaw: “In most of their houses there is a smaller one annexed, which sometimes rises only one story higher than the house; at other times, it consists of one or two rooms and a terrace; while others that are built, as they frequently are, over arches or gateway, have, if we except the ground floor, which they want, all the conveniences that belong to the house itself.

There is a door of communication from them into the gallery of the house; besides another, which opens immediately from a privy staircase, down into the porch or street, without giving the least disturbance to the house. In these back houses strangers are usually lodged and entertained; and to them likewise the men are wont to retire from the noise and hurry of their families, to be more at leisure for meditation or diversions.”]—Bagster.

Ver. 24. He covereth his feet.—Margin, “He doth his easement.” So several versions; but perhaps the simple meaning is, he retired to sleep, when it was customary to cover up the feet. See (Ruth 3:7).

Ver. 31. With an ox-goad.—Maundrell saw, in this country, ox-goads eight feet long, and, at the bigger end, six inches in circumference. They were armed at the lesser end with a sharp prickle, for driving the oxen, and at the other with a small spade, or paddle of iron, for cleansing the plough from the clay that encumbers it in working.”—Orient. Lit. No. 79.

Harosheth of the Gentiles, (or nations.)—A woody part of the country, where great numbers of the defeated Canaanites took refuge, and in which they built afterwards various towns and cities.