The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

The Book of JUDGES. (Book Judges)

THE Book of Judges containeth an history of two hundred ninety and nine years from the death of Joshua to the death of Samson, taken up in these sums and parcels.

• Othniel of Judah, 40 years, Judg. 3. 11.
• Ehud of Benjamin, 80 years, Judg. 3. 15, 20.
• ...Shamgar.
• Barak of Naphtali, 40 years, Judg. 4. 6. 5. 31.
• Gideon of Manasseh, 40 years, Judg. 6. 15. & 8. 28.
• Abimelech Gideons son, 3 years, Judg. 9. 22.
• Tola of Issachar, 23 years, Judg. 10. 1, 2.
• Jair of Manasseh, 22 years, Judg. 10. 3.
• Jephtah of Manasseh, 6 years, Judg. 11. 1. & 12. 7.
• Ibsan of Judah, 7 years, Judg. 12. 8, 9.
• Elon of Zebulon, 10 years, Judg. 12. 11, 12.
• Abdon of Ephraim, 8 years, Judg. 12. 13, 14.
• Samson of Dan, 20 years, Judg. 13. 2. & 15. 20. & 16. 31.
• The total Sum, 299.

Now besides these years under these Rulers, there is also mention of one hundred and eleven under oppressours: as under

• Cushan Rishathaim, 8 years, Judg. 3. 8.
• Eglon of Moab, 18 years, Judg. 3. 14.
• Jabin of Canaan, 20 years, Judg. 4. 3.
• Midian, 7 years, Judg. 6. 1.
• Ammon, 18 years, Judg. 10. 8.
• Philiftims, 40 years, Judg. 13. 1.
• The total Sum, 111.

But these years of the oppressors, are to be included in the years of the Judges, and not to be reckoned as so many years apart by themselves; as whereas it is said, Chap. 3. Cushan Rishathaim oppressed eight years, vers. 8. And the land had rest forty years, and Othniel died, ver. 11. those eight years of Cushans oppression are to be included in Othniels forty, and we are not to reckon them forty eight. And the eighteen of Eglon are to be included in Ehuds eighty, and so of the rest. Paul indeed reckoneth the years of the Judges so, as that he counteth the years of the oppressions in a distinct sum from them, Acts 13. 20. where he speaketh of Judges for the space of 450 years until Samuel; but he uttereth it with an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 after a manner, or in some kind of reckoning, but not in exact propriety. Again whereas it is said, The land had rest forty years in the times of Othniel, Chap. 3. 11. And the land had rest eighty years in the times of Ehud, Chap. 3. 30. It is not to be so under∣stood, as if there were forty years or eighty years peace in the land uninterrupted; for in Othniels time Israel was busling with the Canaanites, as Chap. 1. and among them∣selves, as Chap. 20. and in Ehuds time they were disquieted by Moab, Chap. 3. 14. but it is thus to be understood, that upon the delivery by Othniel, the land had rest till forty years were up from the death of Joshua. And upon the delivery by Ehud, the land had rest till eighty years were up from the death of Othniel: and so of the rest that carry that phrase. And in the same sense and tenour is that phrase taken in Numb. 14. 33. Your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and ver. 34. After the number of the days, in which ye searched the land, even forty days, [each day for a year] shall you bear your iniquities, even forty years. Not that they were to wander in the wilderness full forty years from the time that this is spoken, but to make up full forty years from the time of their coming out of Egypt: and divers others of the same tenour may be obser∣ved in the Scripture. The first forty years that followed after the year of Joshua's death, are ascribed to the rule of Othniel, Judg. 3. 11. not that Othniel was sole Ruler or Monarch in the land; for the Sanhedrin or great councel bare the rule in their places, and inferiour Magistrates in theirs: but that Othniel was a valiant and fortunate commander in the wars, and wrought special deliverance for the people.

The many occurrences that befel in his time, are not pointed out to their exact and fixed years, and therefore cannot Chronically be set down every thing in its very time, more then by conjecture and probability; but it will be enough for the right carrying of the Chronicle on, if we reduce what was done in his forty years to those forty years in general, though we cannot particularly give every occurrence to its very year.

CHAP. 1.

[World 2571] [Othniel 1] ISrael being assured by Joshua before his death, that the Canaanites that were [Othniel 2] yet left in the land should and must be subdued, Josh. 23. 5. they inquire by [Othniel 3] Urim and Thummini who should first begin that expedition; the success of [Othniel 4] which beginning would have much influence to daunt or incourage the enemy [Othniel 5] according as it should prove. Judah the royal Tribe is chosen for that purpose, [Othniel 6] and Caleb the son of Jephunneh is general for that Tribe, till his age and Othniels [Othniel 7] prowess caused the command to devolve upon Othniel. Simeon joyneth with [Othniel 8] Judah in the expedition, who was mingled with him in possession; as Josh. 19. 1. [Othniel 9] Civil wars among the Canaanites have made the way the easier for Israels victo∣ries: [Othniel 10] for Judah conquereth seventy Kings in the conquest of Adonibesek; they bring this Tyrant before Jerusalem for the greater terrour of the Jebusites, and there kill him, and then they sack and burn that City. This story of the ta∣king of Jerusalem lieth in its proper place here, for though the King of it had been slain in the field, Josh. 10. yet was not the City taken, nor it nor any other City fired in Joshua's time, but only Jericho, Ai, and Hazor, Josh. 6. 24. & 8. 26. & 11. 3. and therefore the eight Verse should be read, And the chil∣dren of Judah warred against Jerusalem, and took it, and smote it, &c. and not as if it had been done before, Now the children of Israel had warred.

Hebron and Debir taken by Caleb, and by Othniel Calebs uncle, but younger then he, and so are those words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to be understood, And Othniel the son of Kenaz, a kinsman of Calebs, younger then he took it. For Othniel and Jephunneh Calebs father, were brethren, both sons of Kenaz, see Numb. 32. 12. and 1 Chron. 4. 13, 14.

Hebron and Debir had been taken by Joshua in the first or second year of his wars, Josh. 10. 36, 37, 38, 39. and about the seventh year of his wars, he sweeps those places again of the Canaanites and Anakims that had swarmed thither again in the space between, Josh. 11. 20. And when the land begins to be di∣vided, he allotteth Hebron unto Caleb: as Josh. 14. Now ten or twelve years passed since that allotment, and the publick service had been acting all this while for the dividing of the land, and bringing every Tribe into its possession; so that Caleb hitherto had had little leasure because of the publick, or if he had leasure, yet left to his own strength and forces, which he can make a part and distinct from the publick; he is too weak to work his own settlement, and the Canaanites are still growing upon him, till now that the whole Tribe of Judah and Simeon ingage for him, and he their General, and then he takes Hebron and Debir, and destroyes the Anakims and Canaanites clear out, that they grow no more there.

Othniel marrieth his nephews daughtet, or his own great neece, and hath an inheritance of land with her, though she had three brethren, 1 Chron. 4. 15.

Jethro's family [called Kenites, because they dwelt in the Country called Kain, Numb. 24. 22.] had come up with Joshua and Israel into the land of Ca∣naan, and resided about Jericho, the City of Palm-trees, among the Tribe of Judah till now; and now that Judah hath cleared his portion and begins to spread into plantations they go along and plant with them in the South, upon the coasts of the Amalekites: and so in Sauls time are mingled among them, 1 Sam. 15. 6. These Kenites were the root of the Rechabites, Jerem. 35. 1 Chron. 3. 55.

Judah conquereth Horma for Simeon, and Azza, Askelon, Ekron for himself; but the Philistims soon recover these three last Towns again, Chap. 3. 1, 2. The several Tribes are working themselves into settlement in their several possessi∣ons, but are not careful to root out the Canaanites, but suffer them to live amongst them, and so hazzard themselves to be corrupted by them; and forget the command of God which had ingaged them utterly to destroy and not to spare them.

CHAP. II. to Ver. 11.

[Othniel 11] FOR this, Christ himself cometh up from Judahs camp at Gilgal to the peo∣ple [Othniel 12] assembled at some solemnity at Shiloh or Bethel, and telleth them [Othniel 13] plainly that he will no more conquer for them; he had offered himself to [Othniel 14] Joshua to lead the field in all the wars, and so had done, Josh. 5. 14. He had [Othniel 15] been with Judah and made him victorious till he also spares the Canaanites, and [Othniel 16] either for fear or neglect, lets the inhabitants of the vale inhabite there still [Othniel 17] [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: ver. 19. it is left to construe indifferently, either he would not, or [Othniel 18] could not, or durst not drive them out. And then the Captain of the Lords [Othniel 19] hoast, the Angel of the Covenant, that had brought them from Egypt thither∣to, [Othniel 20] departs from them, for which all the people have good cause to weep; and [Othniel 21] they call the place Bochim; the dimission of the people by Joshua, and his age, [Othniel 22] and death, and the death of that generation are mentioned here, that the [Othniel 23] foundation of the future story may be the better laid, and the time of the peo∣ples [Othniel 24] beginning to degenerate may be marked out.

CHAP. XVII. XVIII. XIX. XX. XXI.

[Othniel 25] AFter the tenth Verse of the second Chapter, is the proper place and or∣der of these Chapters, for though they be laid at the end of the Book, yet were the things mentioned in them acted even in the beginning of their wickedness, after Joshua's and the Elders death; for the better evidencing of which it will be pertinent to consider, first the connexion of the passages there mentioned one to another, and then the reason of the dislocation of them all.

CHAP. XVII.

IDolatry is begun in Israel by a woman, and in Ephraim, where afterwards Jeroboam established it by Law: Micahs mother devoteth eleven hundred shekels to the making of an Idol, and nine hundred of them go for materials, and two hundred for workmanship: Micah setteth it up in his own house for his own use, and the use of the neighbour-hood round about him. The Text in the Original calleth him Micaiahu, with a part of the name Jehovah affixed to his name, till he have set up his image, and from thence forward, viz. from ver. 5. it calleth him Micah.

CHAP. XVIII.

[Othniel 26] THE Danites take Micah's Idol from him, and set it up publickly in their own Tribe; there Jeroboam setteth up one of his calves afterward also. For this first publick Idolatry begun in the Tribe of Dan, that Tribe is not named among the sealed of the Lord, Rev. 7. A great grandchild of Moses is the first Idolatrous Priest, but Moses his name is written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Manasseh with the letter 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 above the word; partly for the honour of Moses in the dust, and partly because this his grandchilds actions were like Manasses his actions the King of Judah.

CHAP. XIX.

[Othniel 27] ISrael tolerateth this Idolatry, and never stirreth either against Micah or the Danites; which toleration breedeth all iniquity, so that Gibeah a City of Israel becometh as abominable as Sodom. A whorish woman is kill'd with whoredom.

CHAP. XX.

ALL Israel goeth against Gibeah, and that by Gods express commission and command, and yet 40000 of them are slain by that wicked and wretch∣ed Town, and by the Tribe that took part with it. Thus did God avenge his own cause against Israel, because Israel would not avenge Gods cause against Idolatry; they were so sensible of an injury done to a whore in Gibeah, but were not at all sensible of an injury done to God by Dan's Idolatry; when

God hath thus used Benjamin to execute his justice against Israel for not punish∣ing Idolatry, he then useth Israel to punish Benjamin for not delivering Gibeah up to justice; Othniel it is like was chief commander in this service, and Phineas was zealous in this case, as he had been in one of a not much different nature, Numb. 25. Benjamin is now Benoni, a son of sorrow, and Rachel hath cause to weep for her children.

CHAP. XXI.

HAdad Rimmon, Zech. 12. 11. or the sad shout of Rimmon, the Prophet al∣ludeth to the two great and general Lamentations of Israel, the one about the rock Rimmon, where a whole Tribe was now come to 400 men, and whereupon even the very conquerors become mourners. The other in the val∣ley of Megiddo, for the death of Josiah. The one in the beginning of their estate, the other in the latter end. Jabesh Gilead is destroyed for affection to Benjamin, they were both of Joseph, and both had pitched under one standard. Benjamin raveneth like a wolf for wives, Josephs daughters 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Gen. 49. 22. go to the enemy and repair the decaied Tribe, when the daughters of Shiloh in Ephraim, and of Jabesh in Manasseh, supply Benjamin an hostile Tribe with wives, or else it had perished; and thus is the story of these Chap∣ters knit to it self.

Now that the beginning of the Book of Judges is the proper time and place of these stories, may be concluded upon these reasons.

• 1. The Danites were unsetled when the stories of the seventeenth and eigh∣teenth Chapters came to pass, and therefore this could not be long after Jo∣shua's death.
• 2. Phinehas was alive at the battle at Gibeah, Chap. 20. 28.
• 3. The wickedness of Gibeah is reckoned for their first villany, Hos. 10 9.
• 4. Deborah speaketh of the 40000 of Israel that perished by Benjamin, as if neither sword nor spear had been among them, Chap. 5. 8.
• 5. Mahaneh Dan which was so named upon the march of the Danites, when they set up their Idolatry, Chap. 18. 12. is mentioned in the story of Samson, though that story be set before the story of their march, Chap. 15. 25.
• 6. Dan is omitted among the sealed of the Lord, Rev. 7. because idolatry first began in his Tribe, as is said before.
• 7. Ehud may very well be supposed to have been one of the left-handed Ben∣jamites, and one of them that escaped at the rock Rimmon, Chap. 20. 16. & 21.

Now the reason why the Holy Ghost hath laid these stories which came to pass so soon, in so late a place, may be supposed to be this.

• 1. That the Reader observing how their state-policy failed in the death of Samson, which was a Danite, might presently be shewed Gods justice in it, be∣cause their Religion had first failed among the Danites.
• 2. That when he observes that eleven hundred pieces of silver were given by every Philistim Prince for the ruin of Samson, Chap. 16. 5. he might presently observe the eleven hundred pieces of silver that were given by Micahs mother for the making of an Idol, which ruined Religion in Samsons Tribe.
• 3. That the story of Micah of the hill Country of Ephraim, the first destroyer of Religion; and the story of Saemuel of the hill Country of Ephraim, the first reformer of Religion, might be laid together somewhat near.

CHAP. II. Ver. 11. to the end. And CHAP. III. to Ver. 11.

[Othniel 28] WHEN these stories are read, the story returns to Chap. 2. 11. and rela∣teth [Othniel 29] the spreading of Idolatry over all the Tribes, as it had done over [Othniel 30] that of Dan, and how mixt marriages with cursed Canaanites undo Israel; their [Othniel 31] first afflicter is Cushan Rishathaim a Mesopotamian: he oppressed them eight [Othniel 32] years: it is like he broke in upon the Tribes that lay on the other side Jordan, [Othniel 33] as those that lay nearest to his own Country, and there got possession for so [Othniel 34] many years together, and incroached upon them within Jordan by degrees, as [Othniel 35] he found strength and opportunity: but Othniel of Judah maketh good the [Othniel 36] Prophecy of Judahs being a Lions whelp, &c. and so the tents of Cushan come in∣to [Othniel 37] affliction, &c. Hab. 3. 7. The consideration and observing that the first forain [Othniel 38] oppressor of all others that troubled Israel in their own land, was a man of [Othniel 39] Aram Naharaim, or a Mesopotamian; it cannot but call to mind the dealing of Laban with Jacob in that place: and it is a matter of question and some strange∣ness,

how and why a man of that Country of all others should thus op∣press theirs.

CHAP. III. Vers. 11.

[World 2610] [Othniel 40] OThniel dieth.

CHAP. III. Verse 12. to the end.

[World 2611] [Ehud 1] [Ehud 2] [Ehud 3] EHuds eighty years begin; not that he ruled so long without intermissi∣on, [Ehud 4] [Ehud 5] or so long in any sense at all, for eighty years was even a mans [Ehud 6] [Ehud 7] whole life: but that there were fourscore years from the death of Othniel, [Ehud 8] and that after Ehud delivered them from Eglon, he was Judge and a Ruler [Ehud 9] [Ehud 10] over them whilest he lived; not as a Monarch, for the Sanhedrin bare the [Ehud 11] sway, but as a chief commander, and one ready to undertake for them if [Ehud 12] [Ehud 13] any enemies should arise, and one ready to teach and lead them in the ways [Ehud 14] of God, as was said before of Othniel. It is said of Othniels time, that the [Ehud 15] [Ehud 16] land had rest [Ehud 17] forty years, and Othniel died, by which it is apparent that the forty years are reckoned till Othniels death: so in Chap. 22. Ibsan judged [Ehud 18] [Ehud 19] seven years and died: Elon judged ten years and died: Abdon judged eight [Ehud 20] years and died, &c. Samson judged twenty years, and these twenty years [Ehud 21] ended in his death, and so are we to conceive of these fourscore of Ehud, [Ehud 22] [Ehud 23] that they ended with his death also; and therefore it is improper to con∣ceive [Ehud 24] that the eight years of Cushans afflicting, were the last eight years of [Ehud 25] [Ehud 26] Othniels forty, or the eighteen years of Eglons afflicting were the last eigh∣teen [Ehud 27] years of Ehuds eighty: for by this means Othniel and Ehud are made [Ehud 28] to start up in the very end of these sums of years, and get a victory and no [Ehud 29] [Ehud 30] more news of them; whereas it is apparent, not only by the years of the [Ehud 31] men lately cited, and by Chap. 2. 19. but also by other passages, that the [Ehud 32] [Ehud 33] Judge was not only their deliverer in one fought battle or the like, but [Ehud 34] that he was their instructer, and helped and strove to keep them to the fear [Ehud 35] [Ehud 36] of the Lord, Chap. 2. 17. and when any of the Judges did not so, they are [Ehud 37] noted for it, as Gideon about his Ephod, Abimeleck about his brethren, [Ehud 38] [Ehud 39] and Samson about his women: so that in what time of these fourscore years [Ehud 40] of Ehud, to place the eighteen of Eglons afflicting, it is not certain, nor is it [Ehud 41] very much material, seeing it is certain that they fell out sometime within [Ehud 42] [Ehud 43] those fourscore years. A good space of time may we allot for Israels falling [Ehud 44] to Idolatry after Othniels death, and for Gods giving them up to their ene∣mies [Ehud 45] [Ehud 46] power, upon their Idolatry; but whensoever that affliction comes, it [Ehud 47] comes so home that a King of Moab is King of Israel, and hath his very [Ehud 48] [Ehud 49] Court and Palace in the Land of Canaan, in the City of Jericho. That City [Ehud 50] was inhabited by Israelites before Eglon, and his Moabites, Ammonites, and [Ehud 51] [Ehud 52] Amalekites, drove them out, and yet had not Joshua's curse seized on them; [Ehud 53] for that had reference only to Rahabs kindred and family, to prohibite [Ehud 54] [Ehud 55] them for ever going about to fortifie and build it for a Canaanitish Town [Ehud 56] again: and Hiel that went about that work in Ahabs time, was of that [Ehud 57] [Ehud 58] stock, and that light upon him accordingly, as will be touched there. The [Ehud 59] oppressours of Israel at this time, were the very same Nation that came [Ehud 60] against Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. 20. Namely, Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunims, [Ehud 61] [Ehud 62] or Amalekites, and Edomites that dwelt promiscuously among Ammon, as see [Ehud 63] the Notes when we came there: and those that are here spoken of, are ge∣nerally [Ehud 64] [Ehud 65] fat men, ver. 29. as was Eglon himself extraordinarily. Ehud was a [Ehud 66] man of Benjamin, and probably of Gibeah, for he was of the same family in [Ehud 67] Benjamin, that King Saul was of afterwards; and thus the honour of Ben∣jamin [Ehud 68] [Ehud 69] was somewhat restored in him, and as Judah in Othniel hath the first [Ehud 70] honour of Judge-ship, so Benjamin in Ehud had the second. Eglon is de∣stroyed [Ehud 71] [Ehud 72] with a two edged sword, compare Rev. 1. 16. About the latter end [Ehud 73] of Ehuds life, we may indeed suppose some of the passages of the Book of [Ehud 74] Ruth to have come to pass, for that Book containeth the story of a very [Ehud 75] [Ehud 76] long time, but the exact place in the Book of Judges, where, and the exact [Ehud 77] time in Chronicle when to lay any particular of those occurrences, is not [Ehud 78] [Ehud 79] to be found nor determined.

[World 2690] [Ehud 80] EHUD dieth.