Judges 10
DOYLY— his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.] God had compassion on the miseries which the Israelites brought on themselves by their idolatry. Bp. Hall.
Judges 10:12
- — the Maonites.] Another nation of the children of the East, that, together with the Amalekites, assisted the Midianites. Dr. Wells.
Judges 10:14
- Go and cry unto the gods] After reproaching them for their vile stupidity and ingratitude, under the course of His mercies, forgivenesses, and deliverances; He bids them go and seek their refuge from the senseless idols, which they had worshipped so long, and so often. Pyle. It was an argument of a most perverse and incorrigible temper, and that which made the sin of the children of Israel so sinful above all measure, that, after so many signal deliverances, and so many terrible judgments, they fell into the same again. This circumstance it was which incensed God against them so highly on this occasion, and made Him upbraid them so severely. Abp. Tillotson.
Judges 10:16
- And they put away the strange gods] This is the most remarkable repentance and reformation, of which we read in the history of the judges; and it seems to be so serious, that, in the time of the three judges who succeeded Jephthah, we read nothing of their relapsing into idolatry. As their repentance was sincere, so the expression of the Divine compassion towards them, namely, “that His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel,” is the strongest that we meet with; although every one knows that the Divine nature is not capable of grief, properly so called; but the meaning is, that He
Judges 10:17
- — in Mizpeh.] There were several towns of this name in Canaan; this was on the east of Jordan, in Gilead, under mount Hermon; mentioned before at Josh. xi. 3. Dr. Wall, Bp. Patrick.
Judges 10:18
- — the people and princes of Gilead] Meaning the Gadites and Manassites, who inhabited the land of Gilead. Bp. Patrick. Chap. XI. ver. 1. — of an harlot:] Called “a strange woman,” ver. 2, a concubine-wife, or one who was a stranger, of a different nation. Pyle, Dr. Wells. Among the Jews, if persons of a foreign nation embraced the law, their children were not stained; and on this account Jephthah complains of the injustice of his expulsion, ver. 7. Bp. Patrick.