Notes on Judges
From the Original 1599 Geneva Bible Notes

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Jud 1:1

1:1 Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel {a} asked the LORD, saying, {b} Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?

(a) By the judgment of Urim; Read Ex 28:30, Nu 27:21, 1Sa 28:6
(b) Who shall be our captain?

Jud 1:3

1:3 And Judah said unto Simeon his {c} 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.

(c) For the tribe of Simeon had their inheritance within the tribe of Judah, Jos 19:1.

Jud 1:6

1:6 But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and {d} cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

(d) This was God's just judgment, as the tyrant himself confesses, that as he had done, so did he receive, Le 24:19,20.

Jud 1:8

1:8 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 {e} city on fire.

(e) Which was later built again, and possessed by the Jebusites, 2Sa 5:6.

Jud 1:10

1:10 And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before [was] Kirjatharba:) and they slew {f} Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

(f) These three were giants, and the children of Anak.

Jud 1:14

1:14 And it came to pass, when she came [to him], that she moved him to ask of her father a field: {g} and she lighted from off [her] ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou?

(g) Read Jos 15:18.

Jud 1:16

1:16 And the children of the {h} 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.

(h) This was one of the names of Moses father in law, read Nu 10:29.

Jud 1:18

1:18 Also Judah took {i} Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.

(i) These cities and others were later possessed by the Philistines, 1Sa 6:17.

Jud 1:21

1:21 And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that {k} inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.

(k) For after the tribe of Judah had burnt it, they built it again.

Jud 1:27

1:27 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: {l} but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

(l) Wherefore God permitted the Canaanites to still dwell in the land, read Jud 3:5.

Jud 1:30

1:30 Neither did {m} Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.

(m) That is, the tribe of Zebulun as is also to be understood of the rest.

Jud 1:32

1:32 But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them {n} out.

(n) But made them pay tribute as the others did.

Jud 1:35

1:35 But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the {o} hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.

(o) Meaning, when he was stronger than they.

Jud 1:36

1:36 And the coast of the Amorites [was] from the going up to Akrabbim, from the {p} rock, and upward.

(p) Or Selah, which was a city in Arabia.

Jud 2:1

2:1 And an {a} angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.

(a) That is, messenger, or prophet, as some think, Phinehas.

Jud 2:6

2:6 And when Joshua had {b} let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.

(b) After that he had divided to every man his portion by lot, Jos 24:28.

Jud 2:7

2:7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great {c} works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.

(c) Meaning, the wonders and miracles.

Jud 2:9

2:9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in {d} Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.

(d) Heres, by turning the letters backward is Sereh, as in Jos 24:30.

Jud 2:11

2:11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served {e} Baalim:

(e) That is, all manner of idols.

Jud 2:13

2:13 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and {f} Ashtaroth.

(f) These were idols, which had the form of a ewe or sheep among the Sidonians.

Jud 2:15

2:15 {g} Whithersoever they went out, the {h} hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

(g) In all their enterprises.
(h) The vengeance.

Jud 2:17

2:17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the {i} way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; [but] they did not so.

(i) Meaning, from the true religion.

Jud 2:18

2:18 And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings {k} by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

(k) Seeing their cruelty.

Jud 2:21

2:21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the {l} nations which Joshua left when he died:

(l) As the Hivites, Jebusites, Amorites, etc.

Jud 2:22

2:22 That through them I may {m} prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep [it], or not.

(m) So that both outward enemies and false prophets are but a trial to prove our faith, De 13:3, Jud 3:1.

Jud 3:1

3:1 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 {a} wars of Canaan;

(a) Which were achieved by the hand of God, and not by the power of man.

Jud 3:2

3:2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew {b} nothing thereof;

(b) For they trusted in God and he fought for them.

Jud 3:6

3:6 And they took {c} their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

(c) Contrary to God's commandment, De 7:3.

Jud 3:7

3:7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the {d} groves.

(d) Or Ashteroth, trees or woods erected for idolatry.

Jud 3:10

3:10 And the {e} 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.

(e) He was stirred up by the Spirit of the Lord.

Jud 3:11

3:11 And the land had rest {f} forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

(f) That is, 32 under Joshua and 8 under Othniel.

Jud 3:12

3:12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD {g} strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

(g) So that the enemies of God's people have no power over them, but by God's appointment.

Jud 3:19

3:19 But he himself turned again from the {h} quarries that [were] by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep {i} silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

(h) Or, as some read from the places of idols.
(i) Till all be departed.

Jud 3:30

3:30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the {k} land had rest fourscore years.

(k) Meaning, the Israelites.

Jud 3:31

3:31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox {l} goad: and he also delivered Israel.

(l) So that it is not the number, nor the means that God regards, when he will get the victory.

Jud 4:2

4:2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of {a} Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host [was] Sisera, which dwelt in {b} Harosheth of the Gentiles.

(a) There was another Jabin, whom Joshua killed and burnt his city Hazor, Jos 11:13.
(b) That is in a wood, or strong place,

Jud 4:4

4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she {c} judged Israel at that time.

(c) By the spirit of prophesy resolving controversies and declaring the will of God.

Jud 4:6

4:6 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel {d} 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?

(d) And revealed to me by the spirit of prophecy.

Jud 4:8

4:8 And Barak said unto her, {e} If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, [then] I will not go.

(e) Fearing his own weakness and his enemies power, he desires the prophetess to go with him to assure him of God's will from time to time.

Jud 4:11

4:11 Now Heber the Kenite, [which was] of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent {f} unto the plain of Zaanaim, which [is] by Kedesh.

(f) Meaning, that he possessed a great part of that country.

Jud 4:14

4:14 And Deborah said unto Barak, {g} Up; for this [is] the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

(g) She still encourages him to this enterprise by assuring him of God's favour and aid.

Jud 4:17

4:17 Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of {h} Heber the Kenite: for [there was] peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

(h) Whose ancestors were strangers, but worshipped the true God, and therefore were joined with Israel.

Jud 4:20

4:20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, {i} Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

(i) That is, Sisera.

Jud 4:21

4:21 Then Jael Heber's wife took a {k} nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

(k) That is, the pin or stake, by which it was fastened to the ground.

Jud 4:22

4:22 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her [tent], behold, Sisera lay {l} dead, and the nail [was] in his temples.

(l) So he saw that a woman had the honour, as Deborah prophesied.

Jud 5:2

5:2 Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the {a} people willingly offered themselves.

(a) That is, the two tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali.

Jud 5:6

5:6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were {b} unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

(b) For fear of the enemies.

Jud 5:7

5:7 [The inhabitants of] the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a {c} mother in Israel.

(c) Miraculously stirred up by God to pity them and deliver them.

Jud 5:8

5:8 They chose new gods; then [was] war in the gates: was there a {d} shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

(d) They had no heart to resist their enemies.

Jud 5:10

5:10 Speak, ye that ride on {e} white asses, ye that sit {f} in judgment, and walk by the way.

(e) You governors.
(f) Or by Middin, as in danger of your enemies.

Jud 5:12

5:12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead {h} thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

(h) That is, they who kept your people in captivity.

Jud 5:14

5:14 Out of Ephraim {i} [was there] a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

(i) Joshua first fought against Amalek, and Saul destroyed him.

Jud 5:15

5:15 And the princes of Issachar [were] with Deborah; even {l} Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben [there were] great {m} thoughts of heart.

(l) Even the whole tribe.
(m) They marvelled that they did not cross the Jordan to help them.

Jud 5:17

5:17 {n} Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his {o} breaches.

(n) She reproves all those who did not come to help their brethren in their time of need.
(o) Either by hearing of the sea, or by mining,

Jud 5:19

5:19 The kings came [and] fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of {p} money.

(p) They won nothing, but lost all.

Jud 5:21

5:21 The river of Kishon {q} swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

(q) As a broom does to the filth of the house.

Jud 5:23

5:23 Curse ye {r} Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

(r) It was a city near Tabor, where they fought.

Jud 5:25

5:25 He asked water, [and] she gave [him] milk; she brought forth {s} butter in a lordly dish.

(s) Some read churned milk in a great cup.

Jud 5:29

5:29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, {t} she returned answer to herself,

(t) That is, she comforted herself.

Jud 5:30

5:30 Have they not sped? have they [not] divided the prey; to every man a damsel [or] two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, [meet] {u} for the necks of [them that take] the spoil?

(u) Because he was chief of the army.

Jud 5:31

5:31 So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but [let] them that love him [be] as the {x} sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

(x) Shall grow daily more and more in God's favour.

Jud 6:2

6:2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: {a} [and] because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which [are] in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.

(a) For fear of the Midianites, they fled into the dens of the mountains.

Jud 6:4

6:4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto {b} Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

(b) Even almost the whole country.

Jud 6:6

6:6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the {c} children of Israel cried unto the LORD.

(c) This is the purpose of God's punishments, to call his to repentance, that they may seek help from him.

Jud 6:13

6:13 And Gideon said unto him, {d} Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where [be] all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

(d) This came not from distrust, but from weakness of faith, which is in the most perfect: for no man in this life can have a perfect faith: yet the children of God have a true faith, by which they are justified.

Jud 6:14

6:14 And the {e} LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy {f} might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

(e) That is, Christ appearing in visible form.
(f) Which I have given to you.

Jud 6:17

6:17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me {g} a sign that thou talkest with me.

(g) So that we see how the flesh is the enemy of God's calling, which cannot be persuaded without signs.

Jud 6:19

6:19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an {h} ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought [it] out unto him under the oak, and presented [it].

(h) Of Ephah, read Ex 16:36.

Jud 6:21

6:21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that [was] in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire {i} out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.

(i) By the power of God only, as in the sacrifice of Elijah, 1Ki 18:38.

Jud 6:25

6:25 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock {k} of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that [is] by it:

(k) That is, as the Chaldea text writes, fed seven years.

Jud 6:26

6:26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the {l} grove which thou shalt cut down.

(l) Which grew about Baal's altar.

Jud 6:28

6:28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that [was] by it, and the {m} second bullock was offered upon the altar [that was] built.

(m) Meaning, the fat bull, which was kept to be offered to Baal.

Jud 6:31

6:31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? {n} he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst [it is yet] morning: if he [be] a god, let him plead for himself, because [one] hath cast down his altar.

(n) Thus we ought to justify those who are zealous of God's cause, though all the multitude are against us.

Jud 6:34

6:34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and {o} Abiezer was gathered after him.

(o) The family of Abiezer, of which he was.

Jud 6:36

6:36 And Gideon said unto God, {p} If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,

(p) This request proceeds not from infidelity, but that he might be confirmed in his calling.

Jud 6:40

6:40 And God did so that night: for it was {q} dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

(q) By which he was assured that it was a miracle of God.

Jud 7:2

7:2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that [are] with thee [are] too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel {a} vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

(a) God will not that any creature deprive him of his glory.

Jud 7:4

7:4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people [are] yet [too] many; bring them down unto the water, and I will {b} try them for thee there: and it shall be, [that] of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

(b) I will give you a proof to know those who will go with you.

Jud 7:5

7:5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; {c} likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

(c) Let them depart as unfit for this enterprise.

Jud 7:7

7:7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the [other] {d} people go every man unto his place.

(d) That is, the 31,000 and 700. See Jud 7:3,6.

Jud 7:9

7:9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, {e} get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

(e) Thus the Lord by various means strengthens him, that he faint not in so great an enterprise.

Jud 7:13

7:13 And when Gideon was come, behold, [there was] a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a {f} cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

(f) Some read, a trembling noise of barley bread: meaning, that one of no reputation would make their great army tremble.

Jud 7:15

7:15 And it was [so], when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he {g} worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

(g) Or, gave God thanks, as it is in the Chaldea text.

Jud 7:16

7:16 And he divided the three hundred men [into] three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps {h} within the pitchers.

(h) These weak means God used to signify that the whole victory came from him.

Jud 7:18

7:18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that [are] with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, {i} [The sword] of the LORD, and of Gideon.

(i) That is, the victory shall be the Lord's and Gideon's his servant.

Jud 7:20

7:20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The {k} sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

(k) Shall destroy the enemies.

Jud 7:22

7:22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his {l} fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, [and] to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

(l) The Lord caused the Midianites to kill one another.

Jud 7:24

7:24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the {m} waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.

(m) Meaning, the passages or the fords so they could not escape.

Jud 7:25

7:25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at {n} the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

(n) These places got their names from the acts that were done there.

Jud 8:1

8:1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, {a} Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.

(a) They began to object, because he had the glory of the victory.

Jud 8:2

8:2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of {b} you? [Is] not the {c} gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

(b) Who have slain two princes, Oreb and Zeeb.
(c) This last act of the whole tribe is more famous, than the whole enterprise of one man of one family.

Jud 8:5

8:5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, {d} loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they [be] faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

(d) Or, some small portion.

Jud 8:6

8:6 And the princes of Succoth said, [Are] the {e} hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?

(e) Because you have overcome a handful, do you think to have overcome the whole?

Jud 8:9

8:9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again {f} in peace, I will break down this tower.

(f) Having gotten the victory.

Jud 8:10

8:10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna [were] {g} in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand [men], all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.

(g) A city east of Jordan.

Jud 8:11

8:11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in {h} tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.

(h) He went by the wilderness where the Arabians dwelt in tents.

Jud 8:13

8:13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle {i} before the sun [was up],

(i) Some read, the sun being yet high.

Jud 8:19

8:19 And he said, They [were] my brethren, [even] the {k} sons of my mother: [as] the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.

(k) We all came from the same womb: therefore I will be revenged.

Jud 8:21

8:21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for {l} as the man [is, so is] his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that [were] on their camels' necks.

(l) Meaning, that they would be freed from their pain at once, or else have a valiant man put them to death.

Jud 8:22

8:22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy {m} son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.

(m) That is, thy posterity.

Jud 8:24

8:24 And Gideon said unto them, {n} I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they [were] Ishmaelites.)

(n) His intent was to show himself thankful for this victory by restoring religion, which because it was not according to God's command, turned to their destruction.

Jud 8:27

8:27 And Gideon made an {o} ephod thereof, and put it in his city, [even] in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

(o) That is, such things as pertained to the use of the tabernacle. See ephod, Ex 28:4,6 Jud 17:5 1Sa 2:18, 2Sa 6:14,.

Jud 8:32

8:32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in {p} Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

(p) A city belonging to the family of the Ezrites.

Jud 8:33

8:33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made {q} Baalberith their god.

(q) That is, Baal, to whom they had bound themselves by covenant.

Jud 8:35

8:35 Neither {r} shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, [namely], Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

(r) They were unmindful of God and unkind to him, by whom they had received so great a benefit.

Jud 9:1

9:1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his {a} mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,

(a) To practice with his kinsfolk for attaining the kingdom.

Jud 9:2

9:2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether [is] better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, [which are] threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I [am] your {b} bone and your flesh.

(b) Of your kindred by my mother's side.

Jud 9:5

9:5 And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and {c} slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, [being] threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

(c) Thus tyrants to establish their usurped power, spare not the innocent blood, 2Ki 10:7, 2Ch 21:4.

Jud 9:6

9:6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of {d} Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that [was] in Shechem.

(d) Which was as the town house, or common hall, which he calls the tower of Shechem in Jud 9:49.

Jud 9:8

9:8 {e} The trees went forth [on a time] to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

(e) By this parable he declares that those that are not ambitious, are most worthy of honour and that the ambitious abuse their honour both to their own destruction and others.

Jud 9:15

9:15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, [then] come [and] put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let {f} fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

(f) Abimelech will destroy the nobles of Shechem.

Jud 9:19

9:19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, [then] {g} rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:

(g) That he is your king, and you his subjects.

Jud 9:23

9:23 Then God {h} sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:

(h) Because the people consented with the king in shedding innocent blood, therefore God destroys both one and the other.

Jud 9:27

9:27 And they {i} went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode [the grapes], and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.

(i) Before they were afraid of Abimelech's power, and did not dare go out of the city.

Jud 9:29

9:29 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to {k} Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

(k) Braggingly, as though he had been present, or to his captain Zebul.

Jud 9:36

9:36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the {l} shadow of the mountains as [if they were] men.

(l) You are afraid of a shadow.

Jud 9:39

9:39 And Gaal {m} went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.

(m) As their captain.

Jud 9:43

9:43 And he took the {n} people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people [were] come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.

(n) Which were in his company.

Jud 9:45

9:45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that [was] therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with {o} salt.

(o) That it should be unfruitful and never serve to any use.

Jud 9:46

9:46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], they entered into an hold of the house of the god {p} Berith.

(p) That is, of Baniberith, as Jud 8:33.

Jud 9:49

9:49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put [them] to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem {q} died also, about a thousand men and women.

(q) Meaning, that all were destroyed as well as those in the tower.

Jud 9:54

9:54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man {r} thrust him through, and he died.

(r) Thus God by such miserable death takes vengeance on tyrants even in this life.

Jud 9:57

9:57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the {f} curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

(f) For making a tyrant their king.

Jud 10:4

10:4 And he had thirty sons that {a} rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which [are] in the land of Gilead.

(a) Signifying, they were men of authority.

Jud 10:8

10:8 And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, {b} all the children of Israel that [were] on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which [is] in Gilead.

(b) As the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh.

Jud 10:10

10:10 And the children of Israel {c} cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.

(c) They prayed to the Lord, and confessed their sins.

Jud 10:11

10:11 And the LORD {d} said unto the children of Israel, [Did] not [I deliver you] from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?

(d) By stirring them up some prophets, as in Jud 6:8.

Jud 10:15

10:15 And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, {e} this day.

(e) That is, from this present danger.

Jud 10:16

10:16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and {f} served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

(f) This is true repentance, to put away evil, and serve God aright.

Jud 11:2

11:2 And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou [art] the son of a {a} strange woman.

(a) That is, of a harlot as in Jud 11:1.

Jud 11:3

11:3 Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of {b} Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and {c} went out with him.

(b) Where the governor of the country was called Tob.
(c) Joined with him, as some think, against his brethren.

Jud 11:5

11:5 And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the {d} elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:

(d) Or, ambassadors, sent for that purpose.

Jud 11:6

11:6 And they said unto Jephthah, {e} Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.

(e) Men are often forced to ask for help from them, whom before they refused.

Jud 11:7

11:7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and {f} expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?

(f) Often those things which men reject, God chooses to do great enterprises by.

Jud 11:20

11:20 But Sihon {g} trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.

(g) He trusted them not to go through his country.

Jud 11:24

11:24 Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the {h} LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.

(h) For we should believe and obey God more than you your idols.

Jud 11:26

11:26 While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that [be] along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover {i} [them] within that time?

(i) Meaning their towns.

Jud 11:27

11:27 Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge {k} be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.

(k) To punish the offender.

Jud 11:29

11:29 Then the {l} Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over [unto] the children of Ammon.

(l) That is, the spirit of strength and zeal.

Jud 11:30

11:30 And Jephthah {m} vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,

(m) As the apostle commends Jephthah for his worthy enterprise in delivering the people, He 11:32 so by his rash vow and wicked performance of the same, his victory was defaced: and here we see that the sins of the godly do not utterly extinguish their faith.

Jud 11:34

11:34 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with {n} timbrels and with dances: and she [was his] only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

(n) According to the manner after the victory.

Jud 11:35

11:35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he {o} rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.

(o) Being overcome with blind zeal, and not considering whether the vow was lawful or not.

Jud 11:37

11:37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and {p} bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.

(p) For it was counted as a shame in Israel, to die without children, and therefore they rejoiced to be married.

Jud 12:1

12:1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went {a} northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call {b} us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.

(a) After they had passed Jordan.
(b) Thus ambition envies God's work in others as they did against Gideon, Jud 8:1.

Jud 12:3

12:3 And when I saw that ye delivered [me] not, {c} I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

(c) That is, I ventured my life, and when man's help failed, I put my trust only in God.

Jud 12:4

12:4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites [are] fugitives of Ephraim {d} among the Ephraimites, [and] among the Manassites.

(d) You ran from us, and chose Gilead, and now in respect to us you are nothing.

Jud 12:6

12:6 Then said they unto him, Say now {e} Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce [it] right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

(e) Which signifies the fall of waters, or an ear of corn.

Jud 12:8

12:8 And after him {f} Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

(f) Some think that this was Boaz the husband of Ruth.

Jud 13:2

13:2 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name [was] Manoah; and his wife [was] {a} barren, and bare not.

(a) Signifying that their deliverance came only from God, and not by man's power.

Jud 13:5

13:5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a {b} Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

(b) Meaning he should be separate from the world, and dedicated to God.

Jud 13:6

13:6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God, very {c} terrible: but I asked him not whence he [was], neither told he me his name:

(c) If flesh is not able to endure the sight of an angel, how much less the presence of God?

Jud 13:8

13:8 Then Manoah {d} intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.

(d) He shows himself ready to obey God's will, and therefore desires to know more.

Jud 13:10

13:10 And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the {e} [other] day.

(e) It seems that the angel appeared to her twice in one day.

Jud 13:11

13:11 And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the {f} man, and said unto him, [Art] thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I [am].

(f) He calls him man, because he so seemed, but he was Christ the eternal word, which at his appointed time became man.

Jud 13:14

13:14 She may not eat of any [thing] that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any {g} unclean [thing]: all that I commanded her let her observe.

(g) Anything forbidden by the Law.

Jud 13:16

13:16 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the {h} LORD. For Manoah knew not that he [was] an angel of the LORD.

(h) Showing that he did not seek his own honour but God's, whose messenger he was.

Jud 13:19

13:19 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered [it] upon a rock unto the LORD: and [the angel] did {i} wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.

(i) God sent fire from heaven to consume their sacrifice, to consume their faith in his promise.

Jud 13:23

13:23 But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a {k} burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these [things], nor would as at this time have told us [such things] as these.

(k) These graces that we have received from God, and his accepting of our obedience, are sure tokens of his love for us, so that nothing can hurt us.

Jud 14:3

14:3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, [Is there] {a} never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.

(a) Though his parents justly reprove him, yet it appears that this was the secret work of the Lord, Jud 14:4.

Jud 14:4

14:4 But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the {b} Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

(b) To fight against them for the deliverance of Israel.

Jud 14:6

14:6 And the Spirit of the LORD {c} came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

(c) By which he had strength and boldness.

Jud 14:10

14:10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a {d} feast; for so used the young men to do.

(d) Meaning when he was married.

Jud 14:11

14:11 And it came to pass, when {e} they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

(e) That is, her parents or friends.

Jud 14:12

14:12 And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find [it] out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty {f} change of garments:

(f) To wear at feasts, or solemn days.

Jud 14:15

14:15 And it came to pass {g} on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? [is it] not [so]?

(g) Or as the seventh day drew near, for it was the fourth day.

Jud 14:16

14:16 And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the {h} children of my people, and hast not told [it] me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told [it] my father nor my mother, and shall I tell [it] thee?

(h) To those who are of my nation.

Jud 14:17

14:17 And she wept before him the {i} seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

(i) Or, to the seventh day beginning at the fourth.

Jud 14:18

14:18 And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What [is] sweeter than honey? and what [is] stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, {k} If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.

(k) If you had not used the help of my wife.

Jud 14:19

14:19 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down {l} to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

(l) Which was one of the five chief cities of the Philistines.

Jud 15:1

15:1 But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will {a} go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

(a) That is, I will use her as my wife.

Jud 15:3

15:3 And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more {b} blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.

(b) For through his father-in-law's actions, he was moved again to take vengeance on the Philistines.

Jud 15:5

15:5 And when he had set the brands on fire, he let [them] go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the {c} shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards [and] olives.

(c) Or, that which was reaped and gathered.

Jud 15:6

15:6 Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the {d} Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and {e} burnt her and her father with fire.

(d) Or, the citizen of Timnath.
(e) So the wicked do not punish vice for love of justice, but for fear of danger, which also might come to them.

Jud 15:10

15:10 And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To {f} bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.

(f) And so being our prisoner to punish him.

Jud 15:11

15:11 Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines [are] rulers over us? {g} what [is] this [that] thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.

(g) Such was their gross ignorance, that they judged God's great benefits to be a plague to them.

Jud 15:13

15:13 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and {h} deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.

(h) Thus they would rather betray their brother than use the means that God had given for their deliverance.

Jud 15:15

15:15 And he found a {i} new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.

(i) That is, of an ass recently slain.

Jud 15:18

15:18 And he was sore athirst, and {k} called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?

(k) By which it appears that he did these things in faith, and so with a true zeal to glorify God, and deliver his country.

Jud 16:1

16:1 Then went Samson to {a} Gaza, and saw there an harlot, {b} and went in unto her.

(a) One of the five chief cities of the Philistines.
(b) That is, he lodged with her.

Jud 16:5

16:5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength [lieth], and by what [means] we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred {c} [pieces] of silver.

(c) Of the value of a shekel, read Ge 23:15.

Jud 16:9

16:9 Now [there were] {d} men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when {e} it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

(d) Certain Philistines in a secret chamber.
(e) When fire comes near it.

Jud 16:10

16:10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now {f} tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.

(f) Though her deceit threatened his life, yet his affection so blinded him, that he could not beware.

Jud 16:13

16:13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. {g} And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

(g) It is impossible if we give place to our wicked affections, for eventually we will be destroyed.

Jud 16:15

16:15 And she said unto him, How canst thou say, {h} I love thee, when thine heart [is] not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength [lieth].

(h) For Samson used to say "I love you".

Jud 16:17

16:17 That he told her all his {i} heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I [have been] a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any [other] man.

(i) Thus his immoderate affections toward a wicked woman caused him to lose God's excellent gifts, and become a slave to those whom he should have ruled.

Jud 16:19

16:19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went {k} from him.

(k) Not for the loss of his hair, but for the contempt of the ordinance of God, which was the reason God departed from him.

Jud 16:22

16:22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to {l} grow again after he was shaven.

(l) Yet he did not regain his strength, till he had called on God and reconciled himself.

Jud 16:25

16:25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he {m} made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.

(m) Thus by God's just judgments they are made slaves to infidels if they neglect their calling to defend the faithful.

Jud 16:28

16:28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once {n} avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

(n) According to my calling which is to execute God's judgments on the wicked.

Jud 16:30

16:30 And Samson said, {o} Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with [all his] might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that [were] therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than [they] which he slew in his life.

(o) He does not speak out of despair, but humbling himself for neglecting his office and the offence thereby given.

Jud 17:1

17:1 And there {a} was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name [was] Micah.

(a) Some think this history was in the time of Othniel, or as Josephus writes, immediately after Joshua.

Jud 17:3

17:3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred [shekels] of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a {b} graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.

(b) Contrary to the commandment of God and true religion practised under Joshua, they forsook the Lord and fell into idolatry.

Jud 17:5

17:5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an {c} ephod, and {d} teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

(c) He would serve both God and idols.
(d) By Teraphim some understand certain idols, having the likeness of a man, but others understand by it all manner of things and instruments belonging to those who sought an answer at God's hands, as in Jud 18:5,6.

Jud 17:6

17:6 In those days [there was] no {e} king in Israel, [but] every man did [that which was] right in his own eyes.

(e) For where there is no Magistrate fearing God, there can be no true religion or order.

Jud 17:7

17:7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah {f} of the family of Judah, who [was] a Levite, and he sojourned there.

(f) Which Bethlehem was in the tribe of Judah.

Jud 17:9

17:9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, {g} I [am] a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find [a place].

(g) For in those days the service of God was corrupt in all estates and the Levites were not looked to.

Jud 17:11

17:11 And the Levite was {h} content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.

(h) Not considering that he forsook the true worship of God to maintain his own belly.

Jud 17:13

17:13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me {i} good, seeing I have a Levite to [my] priest.

(i) Thus the idolaters persuade themselves of God's favour, when indeed he detests them.

Jud 18:1

18:1 In those days [there was] no {a} king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day [all their] inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

(a) Meaning, no ordinary magistrate to punish vice according to God's word.

Jud 18:2

18:2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, {b} Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.

(b) For the portion which Joshua gave them, was not sufficient for all their tribe.

Jud 18:3

18:3 When they [were] by the house of Micah, they knew the {c} voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this [place]? and what hast thou here?

(c) They knew by his speech that he was a stranger there.

Jud 18:6

18:6 And the priest said unto them, {d} Go in peace: before the LORD [is] your way wherein ye go.

(d) Thus sometimes God grants the idolaters requests to the destruction of those who delight in errors.

Jud 18:9

18:9 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it [is] very good: and {e} [are] ye still? be not slothful to go, [and] to enter to possess the land.

(e) Would you lose this good opportunity because of your laziness?

Jud 18:14

18:14 Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, {f} Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.

(f) Because before they had had good success, they wanted their brethren to be encouraged by hearing the same tidings.

Jud 18:17

18:17 And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, [and] came in thither, [and] took the {g} graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men [that were] appointed with weapons of war.

(g) Superstition blinded them so that they thought God's power was in the idols, and that they would have good success because of them, though they took them away by robbery and violence.

Jud 18:20

18:20 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the {h} people.

(h) With the six hundred men.

Jud 18:21

18:21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage {i} before them.

(i) Suspecting them that pursued them.

Jud 18:24

18:24 And he said, Ye have taken away my {k} gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what [is] this [that] ye say unto me, What aileth thee?

(k) This declares the opinion the idolaters have of their idols.

Jud 18:27

18:27 And they took [the {l} things] which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people [that were] at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.

(l) Meaning, the idols, as in Jud 18:18.

Jud 18:30

18:30 And the children of Dan set up the {n} graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the {o} captivity of the land.

(n) Thus instead of giving glory to God, they attributed the victory to their idols, and honoured them therefore.
(o) That is, till the Ark was taken, 1Sa 5:1.

Jud 19:6

19:6 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the {a} damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.

(a) That is, his concubines father.

Jud 19:8

19:8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, {b} Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.

(b) Meaning, that he should refresh himself with food, as in Jud 19:5.

Jud 19:9

19:9 And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go {c} home.

(c) That is, to the town or city where he lived.

Jud 19:12

19:12 And his master said unto him, {d} We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that [is] not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.

(d) Though in these days there were most horrible corruptions, even necessity could not compel them to associate with those who did not profess the true God.

Jud 19:16

19:16 And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which [was] also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place [were] {e} Benjamites.

(e) Or, the children of Jamini.

Jud 19:18

19:18 And he said unto him, We [are] passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence [am] I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I [am now] going to the {f} house of the LORD; and there [is] no man that receiveth me to house.

(f) To Shiloh of Mizpeh where the ark was.

Jud 19:22

19:22 [Now] as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, [and] {g} beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.

(g) In an attempt to break it.

Jud 19:24

19:24 Behold, [here is] my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, {h} and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.

(h) That is, abuse them, as in Ge 19:8.

Jud 19:26

19:26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and {i} fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord [was], till it was light.

(i) She fell down dead, as in Jud 19:27.

Jud 19:28

19:28 And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her [up] upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his {k} place.

(k) Meaning, home to mount Ephraim.

Jud 19:30

19:30 And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no {l} such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak [your minds].

(l) For this was like the sin of Sodom for which God rained down fire and brimstone from heaven.

Jud 20:1

20:1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as {a} one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the {b} LORD in Mizpeh.

(a) That is, all with one consent.
(b) To ask counsel.

Jud 20:2

20:2 And the chief of all the people, [even] of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that {c} drew sword.

(c) Meaning, men able to handle their weapons.

Jud 20:3

20:3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then {d} said the children of Israel, Tell [us], how was this wickedness?

(d) To the Levite.

Jud 20:6

20:6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent {e} her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.

(e) That is, her pieces, to every tribe a piece, Jud 19:29.

Jud 20:8

20:8 And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any [of us] go to his tent, neither will we any [of us] turn into his {f} house.

(f) Before we have avenged this wickedness.

Jud 20:10

20:10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch {g} victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.

(g) Only these would be charged to provide food for the rest.

Jud 20:12

20:12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the {h} tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness [is] this that is done among you?

(h) That is, every family of the tribe.

Jud 20:13

20:13 Now therefore deliver [us] the men, the children of Belial, which [are] in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin {i} would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel:

(i) Because they would not allow the wicked to be punished, they declared themselves in agreement with their evil, and therefore all were justly punished.

Jud 20:18

20:18 And the children of Israel arose, and went up {k} to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah [shall go up] first.

(k) That is, to the ark, which was in Shiloh some think in Mizpeh, as in Jud 20:1.

Jud 20:21

20:21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day {l} twenty and two thousand men.

(l) This God permitted because by this means he would punish their sins, by the strength of the Israelites.

Jud 20:27

20:27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God [was] {m} there in those days,

(m) That is, in Shiloh.

Jud 20:28

20:28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, {n} stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

(n) Or, served in the priest's office in those days: for the Jews write that he lived three hundred years.

Jud 20:31

20:31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, [and] were {o} drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, [and] kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

(o) By the policy of the children of Israel.

Jud 20:32

20:32 And the children of Benjamin said, They [are] smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the {p} highways.

(p) Meaning, crossways or paths to various places.

Jud 20:34

20:34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that {q} evil [was] near them.

(q) They did not know that God's judgment was at hand to destroy them.

Jud 20:36

20:36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel {r} gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.

(r) Retired to draw them after.

Jud 20:39

20:39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to {s} smite [and] kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as [in] the first battle.

(s) For they had grown bold because of the two former victories.

Jud 20:41

20:41 And when the men of Israel turned {t} again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.

(t) And withstood their enemies.

Jud 20:42

20:42 Therefore they turned [their backs] before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which [came] out of the cities they destroyed {u} in the midst of them.

(u) For they were surrounded from every side.

Jud 20:45

20:45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they {x} gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.

(x) They slew them one by one, as they were scattered abroad.

Jud 20:46

20:46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were {y} twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these [were] men of valour.

(y) Besides eleven hundred that had been slain in the previous battles.

Jud 20:48

20:48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of [every] city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the {z} cities that they came to.

(z) If they belonged to the Benjamites.

Jud 21:1

21:1 Now the men of Israel had {a} sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.

(a) This was a rash oath, and not from judgment: for they later broke it, showing secretly the means to marry certain of their daughters.

Jud 21:4

21:4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an {b} altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

(b) According to their custom, when they would consult the Lord.

Jud 21:6

21:6 And the children of Israel {c} repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

(c) Or, were sorry that they had destroyed their brethren, as it appears in Jud 21:15.

Jud 21:8

21:8 And they said, What one [is there] of the tribes of Israel that {d} came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.

(d) Condemning them as lovers of evil, who would not punish it.

Jud 21:13

21:13 And the whole congregation {e} sent [some] to speak to the children of Benjamin that [were] in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them.

(e) That is, about four months after the punishment, Jud 20:47.

Jud 21:14

21:14 And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet {f} so they sufficed them not.

(f) For they were short two hundred.

Jud 21:17

21:17 And they said, [There must be] {g} an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

(g) Benjamin must be preserved to have the twelfth portion in the inheritance of Jacob.

Jud 21:19

21:19 Then they said, Behold, [there is] a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly [in a place] which [is] on the {h} north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.

(h) He describes the place where the maids used to dance yearly, and sing psalms and songs of God's works among them, as the custom was then.

Jud 21:22

21:22 And it shall be, {i} when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, [that] ye should be guilty.

(i) Though they attempted to convince man that they had kept their oath, before God it was broken.

Jud 21:23

21:23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took [them] wives, according to their {k} number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.

(k) Meaning, two hundred.

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