Judges 3

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 wars of Canaan i. e. Such who had no experience of those Wars, nor of Gods extraordinary Power and Providence manifested in them.:

Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know to teach them war That by the Neighbourhood of such Warlike and Potent Enemies, they might be purged from Sloth and Security, and obliged to inure themselves to Martial Exercises, and to stand continually upon their guard, and consequently to keep close to that God whose Assistance they had so great and constant need of., at the least such as before knew nothing thereof.)

Namely, five LORDS of the Philistines Whereof three had been in some sort subdued, Iudg. 1. 18. But afterwards rescued themselves, and recovered their former strength. See on Iudg. 1. 18., and all the Canaanites Properly so called, who were very numerous, and dispersed through several parts of the Land, whence they gave denomination to all the rest of the People. and the Zidonians The people living near Zidon, and subject to its jurisdiction., and the Hivites that dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon Which was the Eastern part of mount Lebanon: See Deut. 3. 8, 9., unto the entring in of Hamath.

And they were to prove Israel by them, to know i. e. That they and others might know by experience. whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

¶ And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites.

And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods Were drawn to Idolatry by the perswasions and examples of their Yoke-fellows, through the just judgment of God, punishing their sinful Marriages by giving them up to Idolatry..

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves i. e. In the Groves, in which the Heathens usually Worshipped their Baalims or Idols. Or, the Groves are here put Metonymically for the Idols of the Groves, which are distinguished here from their Baalim, which seem to have been Worshipped in other places, as the Prophets of Baal are distinguished from the Prophets of the Groves, 1 King. 18. 19..

¶ Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim i. e. Were made subject and Tributary to him. eight years.

And when the children of Israel cried i. e. Prayed servently for deliverance. unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Calebs younger brother Of which see on Judg. 1. 13..

And the spirit of the LORD came upon him With extraordinary Influences, indowing him with singular wisdom, and courage, and resolution; and stirring him up to this great undertaking. Compare Iudg. 6. 34. and 11. 29., and he judged Israel i. e. Pleaded and avenged the cause of Israel against their oppressors, as that Phrase is oft used, as Deut. 32. 36. Psal. 10. 18. and 43. 1., and went out to war, and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.

And the land had rest forty years Either First, it rested about Forty Years, or the greatest part of Forty Years: it being most frequent in Scripture to use Numbers in such a Latitude. Thus the Israelites are said to bear their iniquities forty years in the wilderness, Numb. 14. 33. when there wanted near two years of that number; and to dwell in Egypt 430 years, when there wanted many years of that number. Thus Ioseph's kindred sent for, and called by him into Egypt, are numbred Seventy five souls, Act. 7. 14. although they were but Seventy, as is affirmed Gen. 46. 27. Exod. 1. 5. So here the land is said to rest forty years, although they were in servitude Eight of those Years, v. 8. And in like manner the land is said to have rest eighty years, though Eighteen of them they served the King of Moab, v. 18. And so in some other instances. Nor is it strange and unusual either in Scripture or in other Authors, for things to be denominated from the greater part, as here it was; especially, when they did enjoy some degrees of rest and peace even in their times of slavery, which here they did. Or, Secondly, it rested, i. e. began to rest, or recovered its interrupted rest, in the fortieth year, either after Ioshuahs Death, or after that first and famous Rest procured for them by Ioshua, as is noted Heb. 4. 9. when he destroyed and subdued the Canaanites, and gave them quiet possession of the Land; and the land had rest from war, as is said Ios. 11. 23. and 14. 15. So there is this difference between the years of Servitude and Oppression, and those of Rest, that in the former he tells us how long it lasted; in the latter, when it began; by which, compared with the other years, it was easie also to know how long the Rest lasted. To strengthen this Interpretation, two things must be noted: 1. That resting is here put for beginning to Rest, as to beget is put for beginning to beget, Gen. 5. 32. and 11. 26. and to Reign, for to begin to Reign, 2 Sam. 2. 10. and to build, 1 King. 6. 15. 36. for to begin to build, 2 Chron. 3. 1. 2. That forty years is put for the fortieth year: the Cardinal Number for the Ordinal, which is common both in the holy Scripture, as Gen. 1. 5, and 2. 11. Exod. 12. 2. Hag. 1. 1. Mark. 16. 1. and in other Authors., and Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

¶ And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD strengthned Eglon By giving him Courage, and Power, and Success against them. the King of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

And he gathered unto him the Children of Ammon, and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of Palm-trees i. e. Iericho, as may be gathered from Deut. 34. 3. Iudg. 1. 16. 2 Chron. 28. 15. Not the City which was Demolished, but the Territory belonging to it. Here he fixed his Camp, partly for the admirable Fertility of that Soil; and partly, because of its nearness to the passage over Iordan, which was most commodious both for the conjunction of his own Forces which lay on both sides of Iordan; and to prevent the Conjunction of the Israelites in Canaan with their Brethren beyond Iordan; and to secure his Retreat into his own Country, which therefore the Israelites prevented, v. 28..

So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite Heb. the son of Iemini, who was of the Tribe of Benjamin, 2 Sam. 16. 11. and 19. 17. 1 King 2. 8. This Tribe was next to him, and doubtless most Afflicted by him; and hence God raiseth a Deliverer., a man left handed Which is here noted, partly, as a mark of his Courage, and Strength, and Activity: See Iudg. 20. 16. and principally, as a considerable Circumstance in the following Story, whereby he might more advantagiously and unsuspectedly give the deadly blow.; and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

But Ehud made him a dagger (which had two edges) of a cubit length Long enough for his design, and not too long for carriage and concealment., and he did gird it under his raiment, upon his right thigh Which was most convenient both for the use of his left hand, and for the avoiding of suspition..

And he brought the present Which was to be paid to him as a part of his Tribute. unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man And therefore more unweildy and unable to ward of Ehud's blow..

And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present He accompanied them part of the way, and then dismissed them, and returned to Eglon alone, that so he might have more easie access to him, and privacy with him; and that he might the better make his escape..

But he himself turned again As if he had forgot or neglected some important business. from the quarries Either First, Whence they hewed stones: Or Secondly, The Twelve Stones which Ioshua set up there; by the sight whereof he was animated to his Work. Or, Thirdly, The Idols, as the Word also signifies, which that Heathen King might place there, either in spight and contempt to the Israelites who had that place in great Veneration: or, that he might ascribe his Conquest of the Land to his Idols, at the Israelites did to the true God, by setting up this Monument in the entrance or beginning of it. that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence Till my Servants be gone: whom he would not have acquainted with a business which he supposed to be of great and close importance.. And all that stood by him went out from him.

And Ehud came unto him, and he was sitting in a summer parlour They had divers Houses and Chambers, some for Winter, others for Summer. See Ier. 36. 22. Amos 3. 15., which he had for himself alone Into which he used to retire himself from company: which is mentioned as the reason why his Servants waited so long ere they went in to him, v. 25.: and Ehud said, I have a message To be delivered not in Words, but by Actions: Heb. a Word, or Thing, or Business. So that there is no need to charge Ehud with a Lye, as some do. from God This he says to Amuse him, by raising his expectation and wonder, to divert him from any apprehension of his Danger, and to oblige him to rise out of his Seat, which he knew he would do from the common practise of the Heathens in their entercourses with God. And he designedly useth the name Elohim, which was common to the true God, and false ones; and not Iehovah, which was peculiar to the true God; because Ehud not knowing whether the Message came not from his own false god, he would more certainly rise and thereby give Ehud more advantage for his blow; whereas he would-possibly show his Contempt of the God of Israel by sitting still to hear his Message., unto thee. And he arose out of his seat In token of humble subjection and reverence to God. See Numb. 23. 18. 2 King. 23. 3. which condemns those Christians that behave themselves irreverently in the Presence and Service of the true God..

And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.

And the haft went in after the blade: and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly, and the dirt came out i. e. His Excrements came forth, not at the Wound, which closed up; but at the Fundament, as is usual, when persons Die either a Natural or Violent Death..

Then Ehud went forth With a composed Countenance and Gate, without any fear; being well assured, that God who by his extraordinary Call had put him upon that enterprise, would by his special Providence preserve him, and carry him through it. through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him Either upon the King, or upon or after himself., and locked them Either by pulling it close after him, as we do when Doors have spring-Locks; or by taking the Key with him for more caution; and this he did, that they supposing the King to be retired, might wait till he was gone..

When he was gone out, his servants came, and when they saw, that behold the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet This phrase is used only here, and 1 Sam. 24. 3. It is commonly understood in both places, of easing nature; because the men not then wearing Breeches as we do, but long Coats, they did in that act cover their feet, as Women do: But a late judicious Interpreter expounds it, of composing himself to take a little Sleep or Rest, as was very usual to do in the day-time in those hot Countreys, 2 Sam. 4. 5. and 11. 2. And when they did so in cool places, such as this Summer-Parlour unquestionably was, they used to cover their Feet, as appears from Ruth 3. 7. And this may seem to be the more probable, both because the Summer-Parlour was more proper for this use, than for the former; and because this was a more likely reason of their long waiting at his Door, lest they should disturb his repose. And this sense best agrees with Saul's case in the Cave, when being asleep David could more securely cut off the lap of his Garment, 1 Sam. 24. 3. where see my Annotations. in his Summer-chamber.

And they tarried till they were ashamed Or, confounded, not knowing what to say or think; lest they should either disturb him, or be guilty of neglect towards him.: and behold he opened not the doors of the parlour, therefore they took a key Another Key, it being usual in Princes Courts to have divers Keys for the same Door., and opened them: and behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

And Ehud escaped while they tarried: and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.

And it came to pass when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim; and the children of Israel Whom doubtless he had prepared, and by his emissa... ies gathered together in considerable numbers., went down with him from the mount, and he before them.

And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the foords of Jordan Where they passed over Iordan, that neither the Moabites that were got into Canaan, might escape, nor any more Moabites come over Iordan to their succour. toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.

And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour, and there escaped not one man.

So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel, and the land had rest fourscore years How these are to be understood, see on v. 11. instead of eighty, some Copies read eight years..

¶ And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox-goad As Sampson did a thousand with the Jaw-bone of an Ass; both being miraculous actions, and not at all incredible to him that believes a God, who could easily give strength both to the persons and to their Weapons to effect this., and he also Israel.