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AFter Samson there were no more Judges in Israel untill Eli and Samuel, whose History should therefore follow in the next place, which is set forth, 1 Sam. But because there were three remarkable things, that happen∣ed in the dayes of the Judges, 1. Micahs idolatry. 2. The villany of the
men of Benjamin. 3. The marriage of Ruth a Moabitesse, to Boaz, and her conversion to the faith, therefore it seemeth good to the Spirit of God, first to set forth the histories of these things. What time this thing and the rest were done, is uncertaine, but here it is said, in those dayes, in the Vulgar La∣tin, but Hebr. without any noting of the time, There was a man of Mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah, onely v. 6. the time is described thus, in those dayes there was no King in Israel, but every man did that, which was right in his * 1.1 owne eyes. Josephus placeth the history of the Levite, whose wife was abused, and of the Tribe of Benjamin hereupon almost all destroyed, which follow∣eth Ch. 19. next unto the death of Joshua and Judahs prevailing against Adonibezek, Judg. 1. for after this, hee saith, the people of Israel growing to be full of abuses, that villany was committed and so much bloud was * 1.2 shed. Then the Canaanites prevailing against the Tribe of Dan pent them up in the Mountaines, so that they had not roome for their necessary occa∣sions, wherefore they sent out 5 men to search into the Mediterranean Land, and going a dayes journey towards Sidon they found a fruitfull place, and ha∣ving certified it, the Danites went with an Army and subdued it, and built a City there and called it Dan, according to the history here following, Ch. 18. 29. And if that expedition of the Danites was neare unto Joshua's time, then this of Micah, an appurtenance of it must needs be about the same time also. Josh. 19. 47. the Danites having too strait bounds and going out and taking Leshem, and calling it Dan, is spoken of, as if it had beene in Joshua's dayes, but, as there was shewed, it was set downe by anticipation: Yet it is not probable, that they tarry∣ed till after Samsons time, before they thus sought to inlarge themselves, but did it soone alter the death of Joshua. And this is one argument used by Junius to prove that time, Judg. 2. 11. to be the time of doing these things; a second is, be∣cause Jonathan is said now to have bin Priest unto the Danites, Ch. 18. 30. who * 1.3 was grand-childe unto Moses by Manasseh, as he saith. 3. Because the history following this Ch. 19. 20. must needs be of things done about that time, seeing Phinees was yet High-Priest, as is noted, Ch. 20. 28. and Ierusalem was wholly in the Iebusites hands, as appeareth, Ch. 19. 11, 12. whereas it was subdued part by Judah soone after Joshua his death, Judg. 1. 8. and part by Benjamin, v. 21. Lyra * 1.4 therefore and Comestor are both for this time, & Ferus also, but Lyra saith, that some of the Hebrews stand for the time, that Othniel was Judge, but Josephus sheweth plainly, both that Cushanrishathaim oppressed Israel after this, and also that the Kenezite, who was Othniel, fought against him after this. I doubt not then, but the time of doing these things was, as Josephus hath it, but they are pla∣ced here, that the history of the Judges gests might not be interrupted, and that such memorable things might not be altogether omitted, seeing that hereby it appeareth, that not without cause God had beene formerly so severe against his people in giving them into their cruell enemies hands, they are here finally ad∣ded. For that description of the time by the Anarchy, that now was, there was no King in Israel in those dayes, it seemeth also, as Junius noteth, to imply all this to have beene done betweene Joshua's time and Othniells. For although a Judge dif∣fered much from a King, yet men might not doe whatsoever they thought good even in the Judges time, but he had some coactive power to restraine them from evill, by punishing the evill doers, according to the Law, wherefore Moses that was no King, yet is said to have beene a King in Jeshurun, Deut. 33. 3. Why Junius calleth Jonathan the grandchilde of Moses by Manasseh, when as hee is said to be the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, I know not, but in the Vulgar Latin, Mo∣ses is put for Manasseh, Ch. 18. 30. the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, because Ger∣shom is known to come of Moses, and not of Manasseh, now the name Manasseh is yet put in the Hebr. as Bonfrerius noteth out of the Rabbins for reverence to Mo∣ses, * 1.5 that he might not seeme to have so wicked a grandchilde, that so soone be∣came a Priest unto idols, but hee is written the son of Manasseh, as noting him rather worthy to bee called the sonne of Manasseh, so infamous afterwards for idolatry, and therefore to intimate this, Manasseh is written in Hebrew here with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 elevated above the other letters and this marke o upon the top, and a
note in the margin, and if 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as is hereby shewed it ought to bee, be left out, there will onely these letters remaine 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Moses. Having thus found out the time, the histories follow, and first of Micah.
There was a man of Mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah, and hee said unto his mother, the 1100 shekels of Silver, that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst &c. behold the Silver in with mee, &c, It seemeth, that Micah had stoln this money from his mother, but hearing her curse the theife, and say, that * 1.6 shee had devoted it unto God, and to his service, his conscience was troubled, and hee soone confessed, that hee had taken it, and so restored it againe, wil∣ling her to doe therewith, as shee had vowed, and haply telling her, that hee meant to have imployed it to the same purpose; whereupon shee cals him the * 1.7 blessed of the Lord; thus Ferus, and Lyra almost to the same effect, the Vulgar Latin for these words, which were taken from thee, hath, which thou hadst sepa∣rated, whereupon the former exposition goeth, but by the Hebr. Text it doth not appeare, that his mother made this known, before that he had confessed the theft. Some, saith Lyra, because the summe is 1100 shekels, and Dalilah had received of each Lord of the Philistims for betraying Samson 1100 shekels, hold that Dalilah was Mica's mother, but this is a conjecture altogether without ground, seeing this was done long before Samsons time. For that reading which thou hadst separated, Hebr. it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which were taken to thee, Junius, quod captum est tibi, and one Sept. translation, which thou tookest to thy selfe: but another Sept. Pagninus, Tygurini interpretes, Cajetan, &c. have it, which were taken from thee, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifyeth not from thee, but to thee, and there∣fore it seemeth to imply some speciall use, for which shee had laid this mo∣ney aside, which Jerom supposing for that, which followeth, to bee for the service of God, according to her blinde devotion, rendred it, which thou hadst seaprated, and if it be thus taken, the stealing of this mony from her is not mentioned, but left to be understood. Or it might be money taken for her not long before by Micah or some servant of hers, which shee now missing raged and cursed, as followeth, about which thou cursedst, Lyra saith, our ex∣positors commonly take it for her vowing this money unto God with an oath, but the Hebr. word, hee confesseth, properly signifyeth cursing. Now Mi∣cah hearing his mother to rage thus confesseth unto her, that hee had the mo∣ney, as Ferus noteth, having stolne it, but now hearing, that it was devoted * 1.8 to God, hee was terrifyed, and restored it: whereupon hee observeth, how blinde devotion worketh more in the superstitious, then the feare of breaking [Note.] Gods command: for he was not troubled at his theft, but hearing that this money was devoted to make an Idol and Teraphim, he feared. But how came it to passe, that hee or his mother were so taken with these things? Hee an∣swereth, they thought, that if it were acceptable to God to worship at the Ta∣bernacle, which was in Shiloh, to which they could goe but once a yeare, it would bee much more acceptable to set up some image unto him, and to get a Priest, and to have sacrifices offered, and to worship him before this dayly at home. But in the meane season they looked not into the word of God, appointing one place onely to doe sacrifice in, and straightly forbidding ima∣ges, and they were led on onely by a good intention. Whereby wee may see, [Note.] that good intentions justifie not our actions, but then is our service acceptable to God, when it is regulated by his word. The neglect hereof is the fountaine of all superstition in the Church at this day. As a silly woman here first in blinde devotion makes an Idoll, and setteth up idolatrous worship in private, but hereby an whole tribe, the tribe of Dan was soone infected: so some me∣lancholike person first deviseth a way by himselfe to serve God in a singular manner, and soone after many follow him herein, and then another doth the like, and this is seconded with the suffrage of a company of unlearned Priests, and so the whole Church is filled with superstition. But in all this nothing is heard savouring of idolatry, but the name of the Lord, and they that erre thus thinke that they do highly please God, and are next unto him in sanctity, thus Ferus being himself a Fryer, but shewing plainly a mislike, as there was cause,
of the many superstitions in men of such orders of the Church of Rome, where∣of he was a member, and shewing the true originall of all this, viz. the not go∣ing by the Word, but by mens own phantasies, when as the written Word onely should be our rule in all our devotions. And the like was observed be∣fore touching Gedeon with his Ephod, Iudges 8. 27.
Micah having restored the money to his mother, she said, I had wholly dedicated * 1.9 it to the Lord from my hand for my son to make a graven Image and a molten Image, the Vulgar Latin for more expression, I had wholly dedicated it to the Lord, that my son might receive it from my hand, &c. Iunius, dimissura demanu me a filio meo ad fa∣ciendum * 1.10 &c. for a graven Image and a molten image, Tostatus hath it a gra∣ven Image or a molten, holding that one Image onely was made, which hee proveth v. 4. Because although it bee rendred, they were in the house of Micah, yet Hebr. it is in the singular number, it was in the house of Micah, and Ch. 18. 31. one Image onely is spoken of, unto which may be added, that here∣by her intent was to represent the Lord, who is but one. But it is most plaine Ch. 18. 14. 17, 18. that there was made both a molten Image and a gra∣ven. As for the mention made onely of the graven Image, Ch. 18. 31. hap∣ly that onely is spoken of, and the other understood, and likewise it is said, v. 4. It was in the house of Micah, that is, the grayen Image: the other being understood, or it was, that is, this whole preparation of the graven Image, mol∣ten Image, Ephod, and Teraphim, was in his house, for which hee is said to have had an house of gods. As for that one Lord reprensented hereby, it is no marvaile, seeing they were so grosse as to set him forth by Images, that they made not one, but many; imagining, as the heathen, one to be the principall and the other inferior to him.
And his mother tooke 200 shekels of silver, and gave them to the Founder, &c. Hebr. it is * 1.11 onely 200 of Silver, and before a 1100. of Silver, but under this phrase shekels are commonly understood, a common shekel being of our money 1. s. 3. d. the Kings shekel 22. d. the shekel of the Sanctuary 2. s. 6. d. of this money a molten I∣mage was made, that is, by being melted and cast into a mould, and a graven I∣mage, that is, one carved and graven, the rest of the money it is most likely was imployed about vestiments, and other appurtenances, as it followeth, v. 5. Micah * 1.12 made an Ephod and Teraphim, the Vulgar Latin, an Ephod, that is, Priests garments and a Teraphim, that is, idols. An Ephod was a garment of the High-Priest made with great cost, of which see Judg. 8. 27. and hereby, saith Lyra, was meant both it, and all other Priestly garments: For as they would have a Priest to offer to these new made gods for them, after the manner that was used at the Tabernacle, so garments like unto those were prepared accordingly. And Teraphim idols are called Gen. 31. but Lyra saith, hee knoweth not whether they bee gods, or idols, which are set forth by Teraphim, because the He∣brews * 1.13 understand the head of one first-borne dedicated to the Devill, and spiced well, that it may last long without corruption, upon the tongue a plate of gold being placed with the name of the Devill written thereon to give an∣swers. And indeede because a Teraphim is mentioned, as something diverse from the graven and molten Image, it is plaine, that common idols cannot bee meant hereby, but something of another kinde. Hugo Cardin. because the word Teraphim is used in a good sense, Hos. 3. 4. the children of Israel shall * 1.14 hee without a King, and a Priest, a Sacrifice, an Ephod and a Teraphim many dayes, understandeth the Cherubims and Seraphims hereby, which were there pictured, as Cherubims at the Tabernacle were placed above the Mercy seat. But it seemeth rather to set forth the breast-plate that was in the Ephod, ha∣ving the Urim and Thummim in it, whereby the Priest gave answer to those that came to inquire of God, because it is named together with a sacrifice and Ephod, and Priest, to be without which was to bee in a miserable estate: so Judg. 18. 5. the Levite in the house of Micah was desired to aske counsell of God for the Danites, implying this Teraphim to bee, as it were, an oracle to consult with. And Idols wherein the Devill gave answers to idolaters, are therefore called by this name, Ezek. 21. 21. Zechar. 10. 2. 2 King. 23, 24.
and Micah consecrated one of his sonnes, who became his Priest, Hebr. Hee filled the hands of one of his sonnes, it is a phrase to set forth consecrating of a Priest, because Levit. 8. 26, 27. Aaron and his sonnes were consecrated by filling their hands with the fat of the ram of consecration, the shoulder and oyled cakes, &c. Tostatus thinketh, that this sonne was his first-borne, because the first∣borne * 1.15 served in this office, before that the Tribe of Levi was taken in their stead; but it was a presumptuous part in Micah to take upon him to consecrate a Priest and no Levite, shewing, how greatly out of order all things then were. v. 6. In those dayes there was no King in Israel, &c. Here is set forth the foun∣taine * 1.16 of all these wicked doings, and of those that follow, there was no King, that is, no Soveraign power of King or Judge to restraine the over∣flowing of wickednesse: whence note, that an anarchy is the worst estate that [Note.] is, yea worse then a tyranny, for now idolatry is committed, violence is offered, women are deflowred, & abused unto death, &c. for this was done after Joshua's death and before the stirring up of a Judge, as I have shewed already in the be∣ginning of the Chapter.
And there was a young man of Bethlehem Judah, of the family of Judah, &c. * 1.17 Micah having made one of his sonnes his Priest, now it is shewed, how he acci∣dentally met with a Levite and entertained him for his Priest. Hee is said to bee of the family of Judah, saith Lyra, by his mother, but his father was a * 1.18 Levite: The Vulgar Latin hath it, of his family, that is, of Micahs kindred, say some, but this, saith Lyra, is false, and contrary to the Hebrew Text. Of Bethlehem Judah, this is so called, because there was another Bethlehem, in the tribe of Zabulun, Iosh. 19. This poore Levite wandred to get a place, where hee could, because all things being now out of order, the tithes for the Levites maintenance were not paid, so that they were forced to seeke some other way to get their living. This Levite cometh to Micahs house, and hee agreeth with * 1.19 him for Victualls, 10 shekels a yeare and a suite of apparell to bee his Priest, or houshold chaplain. Hebr. for a suit of apparell, it is, an order of apparell, the Sept. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Vulgar Latin vestem duplicem, the Chald. Paraph. par vestium. Thus it is noted also in Nehemiahs time, that the Levites were forced to wander, because their parts were not given unto them. This Levite being poore for * 1.20 Victuals consenteth to many wickednesses, 1. To be consecrated a Priest, when hee was not of the sonnes of Aaron. 2. To offer sacrifice in an unlawfull place, for it ought not to bee offered but onely at the Tabernacle. 3. To offer and * 1.21 to doe service to Idols. Thus for food and raiment, and for the love of world∣ly gaine the foulest sinnes are committed even by those of the holyest tribe, and [Note.] the people are pleased and humoured in their wickednesses.
And Micah said, Now I know the Lord will doe mee good, seeing I have a Le∣vite * 1.22 to my Priest. See here, how through blindenesse and ignorance this man promiseth himselfe prosperity from God, when as all that he did was a pro∣voking of God to judge him: for although hee had now a Levite to his Priest, yet, as hath beene shewed, sinne was herein committed divers wayes. Hee thought surely, that hee did not well before in consecrating to this office his owne sonne, but of the other sinnes concurring in his blinde devotion he had no sense. Onely because the Leviticall tribe was chosen of God, hee blessed himselfe, how grossely soever hee erred. And thus the Zealous Roman Ca∣tholickes, [Note.] because they confesse and have absolution from a Priest; or a par∣don from the Pope, in whom there is succession, thinke themselves most happy, although they commit most grosse idolatries, and many other abomi∣nations.
V. 1.
Josephus. Antiq. lib. 5. c. 2.
Junius.
Lyra. Ecles. Histor.
Bonfrerius
Ferus.
V. 2. Lyra.
Ferus.
V. 3.
Junius. Tostatus.
V. 4.
V. 5.
Lyra.
Hugo Cardin.
Tostatus.
V. 6.
V. 7.
Lyra.
V. 10, 11.
Nehem. 3.
Deut. 6. 16.
V. 13.