Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. X.

Vers. 1. ANd after Abimelech, there arose to defend Israel, Tola the sonne of Puah, &c.] Though there be no mention made of any enemies that invaded the land of Israel in the dayes of this Tola, the seventh Judge of Israel, if

Abimelech be reckoned for one, yet it need not seem strange that it should be said of him, that he arose to defend Israel, or to deliver Israel, as the word in the original may also be translated: for it may well be that the land was invaded in his time by some of the neighbouring nations, though it be not expressed; and indeed considering that idolatry and superstition were so rise in the land, all the time of Abimelechs three years tyranny, as is evident, chap. 8.33. and 9.4, 46. it is like enough that God did raise them up some adversaries or other to plead the quarrell of his cove∣nant, as in former times; but then besides it might be said, that he did desend or de∣liver Israel, either because he did happely compose the factious tumults and combu∣stions that were raised in the land in Abimelechs time; or else, because he retained them from their idolatry, which was a great deliverance, and thence it is said that af∣terwards, the children of Israel did evill again in the sight of the Lord and served Baalim, &c. vers. 6. or else, because being raised of God to be Judge of Israel con∣sequently he was to desend or deliver them in case any enemy should rise up against them, and oppresse them. As for the last clause of this verse, where it is said of this Tola, that he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim, though he were a man of Issachar, we need not stumble at that neither; for besides, that the Israelites did not alwayes live in their own tribes, it is probable that in this place Tola lived for the more con∣veniency of executing judgement amongst the people, Shamir in mount Ephraim be∣ing near upon in the midst of the tribes within Jordan, and not farre too from the Tabernacle in Shiloh, which was another considerable advantage.

Vers. 3. And after him arose Jair a Gileadite, &c.] To shew that this Jair, the eighth Judge of Israel was a man of great renown before he was raised to be Judge, it is noted in the following verse, that he had thirty sonnes, to wit, by seve∣rall wives, that rode on asse-colts, as being princes and men of great place. See chap. 5.10. and that they had thirty cities called Havoth-Jair, that is, the villages of Jair. Now though there was one Jair, who at the first entring of the Israelites into Cannaan, above three hundred years before this, took all the countrey of Argob in the land of Gilead, and so the towns therein were called after his name, Havoth-Jair, Num. 33.41. And Jair the sonne of Manasseh took the small towns thereof, and called them Havoth-Jair. Deut. 3.14. Jair the sonne of Manasseh took all the countrey of Argob, unto the coasts of Geshuri, and Maachathi, and called them af∣ter his own name, Bashan Havoth-Jair; yet this must needs be another Jair, and so perhaps these were other towns which had their names from this Jair the Judge of Israel, as the other had their names from the other Jair in Moses time; and indeed, of those that were called Havoth-Jair in Moses time, there were but three and twen∣ty, 1. Chron. 2.22. And Zegub begat Jair, who had three and twenty cities in the land of Gilead; yet most probable it is, that this man was descended of that Jair, and that coming to inherit so many of those towns, which his Ancestours had taken from the Amorites, the possession or government whereof, he divided amongst his thirty sonnes, they were also in this regard called Havoth-Jair, the old name on a second ground, being now renewed and confirmed on them, as we see the like in the note upon Gen. 26.33. However, this Jair was of that half tribe of Manasseh, that inhabited without Jordan, though he were raised to be Judge of all Israel; and doubtlesse, one out of those parts was purposely raised of God to be Judge, because

those tribes without Jordan were to suffer so much in his dayes by the invasion of the children of Ammon, vers. 8. and therefore it was most sit that he that was to be Judge, should live amongst them.

Vers. 6. And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, &c.] Concerning Baalim and Ashtaroth, see the Notes, chap. 2.9, 13. The hainousnesse of the Apostacy of the Israelites at this time, above that of their forefathers is noted, first, by setting down not onely generally that they worshiped the idol-gods of the nations that were about them, Baalim and Ashtaroth; but also particularly what a multitude of false gods they had now entertained, even the gods of all the nations about them, the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, the children of Am∣mon, and the Philistines, as indeed we find elsewhere, that these nations had for the most part some particular gods, as Rimmon was a god amongst the Assyrians. 2. Kings 15.18. and Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, 2. Kings 11.23. and Dagon the god of the Philistines, 1. Sam. 5.2. and secondly, that by degrees they did so wholly give themselves to the wor∣ship of these false gods, that at length they quite laid by the worship of the true God in the Tabernacle built by Moses, they forsook the Lord, and served not him. When the Israelites began thus to Apostatize, it is not expressely said, onely thus much we may certainly conclude from the text, that though the death of Jair be mentioned in the verse before, yet it was long before his death, even immediately after the death of Tola the former Judge; and that because about foure years after this, Jair began to be Judge of Israel (through the just hand of God upon them for their idolatry) the Ammonites began their incursions into their land, as is evident in the 8. verse of this chapter.

Vers. 7. And he sold them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the children of Ammon.] So that they were invaded both on the east and west; on the west by the Philistines, and on the east by the children of Ammon, chap. 2.14.

Vers. 8. And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan, &c.] That is, the Ammonites having eighteen years before in the dayes of Jair oppressed the Israelites, by many incursions and inrodes made upon them, and especially those tribes that lay without Jordan in the land of the Amorites, that year that jair died, they did a∣gain invade the land, and happely in a more sore and greivous manner, then ever be∣fore did oppresse and crush the poore people in all parts of the kingdome; or else the meaning may be, that having eighteen years before by severall incursions oppressed the tribes without Jordan, that yeare that Jair died, encouraged by the death of their Judge, they began to vex and oppresse the Israelites in generall, even those within Jordan also, as it is in the following verse, Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan, to sight also against Judah and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was sore distressed. However the eighteen years here mentioned, must necessarily be referred to the years of Jairs government, for that place 1. Kings 6.1. will not suffer the years of oppression to be reckoned apart from the years of the Judges; as is before noted, chap. 3.11. and to the years following they cannot be referred, if we consider, first, Israels repenting at present, vers. 10. and vers. 16. And the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord, saying, We have sin∣ned

against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baa∣lim—And they put the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and secondly, that Jephthah judged the people but six years, chap. 12.7. and did in the be∣ginning of his government wholy vanquish the Ammonites, chap. 11.32, 33. and therefore in his time the people could not be under the oppression of the Ammonites eighteen years.

Vers. 11. And the Lord said unto the children of Israel, &c.] To wit, either by an Angel, or by some Prophet, or perhaps by the high priest, who after enquirie made for them, returned this answer from the Lord; many deliverances are here mentioned which God had given them, which if they be not before particularly ex∣pressed, it is because the Lord did many great things for them which are not written.

Vers. 12. The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites did oppresse you, &c.] We reade of a city called Maon, in the mountains of Judah, Josh. 15.55. and of a wildernesse also so called, 1. Sam. 23.24. And they arose and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wildernesse of Maon. It is therefore likely that the Canaanites inhabiting there, or in the parts adjoyning, are here called Maonites.

Vers. 13. Wherefore I will deliver you no more.] God speaks here after the manner of men: the meaning is, that they deserved no more help, and that he would deliver them no more, to wit, except they did truely repent and amend that which was amisse; for the condition of conditionall threatnings, is not alwayes expressed.

Vers. 15. Do unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee, deliver us onely we pray thee this day.] Thus, first, they acknowledged, that for their sinnes God might justly destroy them: secondly, they did willingly stoop under his hand, and submit themselves to whatsoever he would do: and yet thirdly, they besought the Lord, that if it might be, he would try them once more.

Vers. 17. Then the children of Ammon were gathered together and encamped in Gilead.] That is, in the land of Gilead, as in vers. 18. which they now claimed to belong to them, chap. 11. vers. 13.

Vers. 18. And the people and the Princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight, &c.] Thus at first they proffered the principallitie of Gilead to any one that would undertake to lead them forth against the children of Ammon, till finding that no body would accept of it, they then sent to Jephthah, as is related in the next chapter.