Now these [are] the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, [even] as many [of Israel] as had not known all the wars of Canaan; Ver. 1. _Which the Lord left, to prove._] God proveth us by afflictions, _Non ut ipse sciat, sed ut scire nos faciat,_ not to better his own knowledge, but o... [ Continue Reading ]
Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; Ver. 2. _Might know, to teach them war._] At their own costs and to their damage, say some, that they might experiment what an evil and bitter thing war is; called th... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 3:3 [Namely], five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath. Ver. 3. _Five lords of the Philistines._] Three of them had been subdued; Jdg 1:18 but were now lost agai... [ Continue Reading ]
And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. Ver. 4. _And they were to prove._] See Judges 3:1 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: Ver. 5. _Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites._] No mention of the Girgasites: perhaps they were extinct, or gone into other parts for security.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. Ver. 6. _And served their gods._] See Nehemiah 13:26. _See Trapp on "_ Neh 13:26 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves. Ver. 7. _And served Baalim and the groves._] That is, In the groves. The devil purposely chose those dark places, called _Luci quia minime lucent,_ that his Tenebriones, ch... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years. Ver. 8. _Into the hand of Chusanrishathaim._] _Chusan impii,_ the Chaldee rendereth it; that is, Chusan t... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, [even] Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. Ver. 9. _And the Lord raised up a deliverer._] Heb., A saviour. A word so emphatical, that other tongues can h... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim. Ver. 10. _And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him._] Calling him to the work, and by he... [ Continue Reading ]
And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. Ver. 11. _And the land had rest forty years,_] _sc., _ From the death of Joshua to the death of Othniel, and the eight years of servitude under the Syrians being taken in, as it may be gathered from 1 Kings 6:1 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. Ver. 12. _And the children of Israel did evil, &c._] _Hoc est, rem non gratam Deo qui cuncta intuetur,_ saith Vat... [ Continue Reading ]
And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. Ver. 13. _And possessed the city of palm trees._] A poor city now, but there, belike, he had built some forts and earthworks; namely at Jericho, famous for palm trees, as Just... [ Continue Reading ]
So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. Ver. 14. Served Eylon … eighteen years.] Eight years they served Chusanrishathaim, Jdg 3:8 now Eglon eighteen, and afterwards Jabin twenty. With the froward God will wrestle; Psa 18:20 neither will God give to much punishing, t... [ Continue Reading ]
But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab. Ver. 15. _A Benjamite, a man left-handed._] _Scaeva fuit,_ and no less valiant... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh._ Ver. 16. _Upon his right thigh._] As more convenient for him that was left handed; as those that are right handed used always to wear their weapons on the left side. Hence... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon [was] a very fat man._ Ver. 17. _And Eglon was a very fat man._] And so the better mark for Ehud, and less able to resist. His soldiers also were fat men, and stewed in their own broth. Jdg 3:29... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present. Ver. 18. _He sent away the people that bare the present._] It was therefore no small present, the more to ingratiate. But he sent away the men that bare it, that he might the better accomplish his desig... [ Continue Reading ]
But he himself turned again from the quarries that [were] by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. Ver. 19. _From the quarries that were by Gilgal._] Or, Graven images; stone statues set up there to be worshi... [ Continue Reading ]
And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of [his] seat. Ver. 20. _I have a message from God unto thee._] Or, From the gods, for the word is plural; thy gods at Gilgal: but Elo... [ Continue Reading ]
And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: Ver. 21. _And thrust it into his belly._] This he did by an extraordinary call from God; Jdg 3:15 and therefore this example was traitorously misapplied to Ravillas, that desperate assassin, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ver. 22. _And the dirt came out._] Which was a sign of death. And here Ehud was a type of Christ, in that he alone slew Eglon, as Christ alon... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. Ver. 23. _And Ehud went forth through the porch._] Or, Gallery, or guard chamber, with a composed countenance and good courage proceeding from a good conscience, so that the courtiers had no suspici... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 24. _Surely he covereth his feet._] Or, He doth his easement, as Saul did in the cave. 1Sa 24:3 The Scripture thus clea... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ver. 25. _And they tarried till they were ashamed,_] viz., Of their long staying, and not lookin... [ Continue Reading ]
And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath. Ver. 26. _And Ehud escaped while they tarried._] So did Montgomery, Carnutensis, and other prime Protestants in the massacre of Paris, when lodging in the suburbs, and hearing the tumult within the city,... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 27. _He blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim._] He gave the alarm to those valiant and warlike men, such as are for m... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. Ver. 28. _And he said unto them, Follow after me._] This was captain-like spoken... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man._ Ver. 29. _All lusty._] _Heb., _ Fat and succulent. Tremellius rendereth it, Opulent, wealthy. These were those Lurdaines or Lord-Danes, that did eat of the fat and drink of th... [ Continue Reading ]
_So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years._ Ver. 30. _And the land had rest fourscore years._] That is, To the end of fourscore years, reckoning from the death of Othniel.... [ Continue Reading ]
And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel. Ver. 31. _And after him was Shamgar._] Who if he were not Judex, yet surely he was Vindex, renowned for this one thing only, that he slew so many of the enemy wit... [ Continue Reading ]