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JUDGES.
THE Book of Judges containeth the History of the State of Israel after the Death of Joshua, unto the Death of Sampson, whereon some Gene∣ral Remarks may be made before the Particulars.
The First General Remark is, The Writer of this Book is uncert••in, some suppose it to be Ezra, but more probably it was Samuel who might Collect this History out of the publick Records kept in the Treasury from one Judges time to another: But whether Samuel wrote it (as the Rab∣bins affirm) or some other Holy Prophet, it is not material. Regis Epistolis acceptis, &c. saith Gregory, when a King sends his Letters Patents to his Subjects, it matters not who was the King's Secretary, and 'tis ridiculous to enquire with what Peo it was written, if once it be known that it is the King's Order or Royal Decree. That God was the Author of this Book, the account we have both in this second Chapter, and in Psal. 106.34 &c. doth plainly evidence: Nor did Christ or his Apostles blame the Jews (to whom those Oracles of the Old Testament were committed, as to God's Library Keepers, Rom. 3.2.) for falsifying their Trust, in corrupting any part of the Canoni∣cal Scripture.
The Second General Remark is, Those Judges which giveth the Title to this Book, were not ordinary Magistrates, but were Men endued with Heroick Minds extraordi∣narily raised up by God, as occasion required in cases of extremity, so they were in∣deed God's Deputy-Lieutenants, for in all their times God was their King, and kept the Jura Regalia, or Royal Rights in his own hands, unto whom they were to appeal in Ca∣ses of greatest difficulties, until Samuel's time, wherein they are said to reject God, and his Government, 1 Sam. 8.7. and 12.12. Then would they have a King of their own to Reign over them like other Nations: 'Till then they could Triumph and say, [The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Law-giver, the Lord is our King, he will save us] Isa. 33.22. While they kept close to God and his Covenant. These are call'd Judges here, because they executed God's just Judgments upon Israel's Enemies, &c.
The Third Remark is, The time of these Judges Judging Israel is affirmed by the Apostle to be about four hundred and fifty years, Acts 13.19, 20. Whereas this Book sets down the History of the space of two hundred ninety nine years only, under thirteen several Judges called out by God from several Tribes, as in those sums and parcels ap∣peareth,
- I. Othniel of Judah Judged Israel forty years, Chap. 3.11.
- II. Ehud of Benjamin. And,
- III. Shamgar, Chap. 3.30, 31. 80 years.
- IV. Deborah and Barack of Napthali 40 years, Chap. 5.31.
- V. Gideon of Manasseh 40 years, Chap. 8.28.
- VI. Abimelech, Gideon's Son, 3 years, Chap. 9.22.
- VII. Tola of Issachar 23 years, Chap. 10.2.
- VIII. Jair of Manasseh 22 years, Chap. 10.3.
- IX. Jephtah of Manasseh 6 years, Chap. 11.1. and 12.7.
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