Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them? _The Book of Judges,_] Who were God's lieutenants, extraordinarily raised up, as occasion required: for himseff still held t... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. Ver. 2. _And the Lord said,_] viz., By the ministry of the high priest. _ Judah shall go up._] A valiant, prudent, and hitherto a prosperous tribe, ever preferred according to Genesis 49:8, and with reference to... [ Continue Reading ]
And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him. Ver. 3. _And Judah said unto Simeon his brother._] Both by race, place, and grace. _ Come up with me._] Continue th... [ Continue Reading ]
And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men. Ver. 4. _And they slew of them in Bezek._] Saul's rendezvous. 1Sa 11:8 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this... [ Continue Reading ]
And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites. Ver. 5. _And they found Adonibezek._] Who had pompously called himself Lord of Bezek, after the name of his city, seeking thereby to immortalise himself upon his possession; _see _ Gen... [ Continue Reading ]
But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. Ver. 6. _But Adonibezek fled._] Excusing his flight, perhaps, as afterwards Demosthenes did. _Vir fugiens denuo pugnabit; _ He that now fleeth, may fight another time. _ And caught him._] _F... [ Continue Reading ]
And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered [their meat] under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died. Ver. 7. _And Adonibezek said._] Perhaps he repented a little, as did... [ Continue Reading ]
Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. Ver. 8. _Had taken it._] As also Hebron and Debir, while Joshua was yet alive, Joshua 10:42 _; _ Jos 15:63 which yet some hold to be there set down by way o... [ Continue Reading ]
And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley. Ver. 9. _Went down._] Being heartened by their former successes, but especially by that sweet promise in Judges 1:2 . Yet Michael the archangel, when cont... [ Continue Reading ]
And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before [was] Kirjatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai. Ver. 10. _And they slew Sheshai, &c._] Those huge giants were slain by such as seemed but grasshoppers unto them. See Joshua 11:21,22 . But... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. Ver. 11. _In the way of Cain_] The devil's patriarch, the first apostate; this was fulfilled literally in Alphonsus Diazius, who slew his brother John... [ Continue Reading ]
These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds _they are_ without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Ver. 12. _These are spots_] Or rocks, or muddy holes, that... [ Continue Reading ]
Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. Ver. 13. _Raging waves of the sea_] Unsettled, turbulent, and arrogant spirits; boldly belching out their abominable opinions and detestable doctrines. _ Wandering stars_]... [ Continue Reading ]
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, Ver. 14. _And Enoch also_] Enoch foretold the day of judgment before Noah the deluge. That day is longer before it comes, but shall be more terrible when it is come. _ Beho... [ Continue Reading ]
To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard _speeches_ which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. Ver. 15. _To convince all_] To set them down, to leave them excuseless, speechl... [ Continue Reading ]
And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which [lieth] in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people. Ver. 16. _And the children of the Kenite._] Elsewhere called Jethro, Hob... [ Continue Reading ]
And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah. Ver. 17. _And utterly destroyed it._] So that this city was twice utterly ruined, and therefore called Horma, devoted to destruction. “... [ Continue Reading ]
_Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof._ Ver. 18. _Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof._] But lost them again to the Philistines - “ _Non minor est virtus, quam quaerere, parta tueri._ ” How that they told you the... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out [the inhabitants of] the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. Ver. 19. _Drave out the inhabitants of the mountain._] Or, Possessed the mountain: for the same Hebrew word Jarash, signifies to... [ Continue Reading ]
And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak. Ver. 20. _And they gave Hebron._] See Joshua 14:6,7. _See Trapp on "_ Jos 14:6 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Jos 14:7 _"_ But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost... [ Continue Reading ]
And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day. Ver. 21. _And the children of Benjamin._] See Joshua 15:63 . Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lor... [ Continue Reading ]
And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD [was] with them. Ver. 22. _And the Lord was with them._] "The Lord, mighty in battle." And of some have compassion, making a difference: Ver. 22. _And of some_] Or (according to other copies), "Retell their false reasonings,... [ Continue Reading ]
And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city before [was] Luz.) Ver. 23. _Now the name of the city before was Luz,_] _i.e., _ An almond, or a filbert; perhaps from the plenty of such fruits there growing: like as Cerasus in Pontus had its name from cherries, Elaea from o... [ Continue Reading ]
And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy. Ver. 24. _And the spies saw a man come forth._] Whether upon his ordinary business, or to fall to the enemy, is uncertain. Now unto him that i... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family. Ver. 25. _And when he showed them the entrance,_] _i.e., _ Where and how they might best take it. _ But they let go the man and all his family._] Who if he... [ Continue Reading ]
And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which [is] the name thereof unto this day. Ver. 26. _And built a city._] Therefore it seemeth he was well rewarded, and not in counterfeit coin: as the Spaniard rewarded a countryman of ours who had b... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither did Manasseh drive out [the inhabitants of] Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. Ver. 27. See Josh... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out. Ver. 28. _They put the Canaanites to tribute._] When they could have cast them out: this they did out of covetousness, that root of all evil, neglecting the command of God to th... [ Continue Reading ]