The History of the Old Testament Methodized

SECT. CXI.

THe Israelites having drawn these three lots before-mentioned, which fell upon Judah, Ephraim, and half the Tribe of Manasseh, they drew no more at this time. It seems the other seven Tribes, that were yet to have their lots, perceiving what a large circuit of Land was given to Judah, they began to apprehend that there would not be left an equal share for them; and therefore pretending there could not be any equal division made till the remote parts of the Land which were yet in the Enemies possession were better known to them, they desired some stay of the Work till they had further prevailed, and might know the Land they were to divide better then yet they could do.

SECT. CXII.

THis Year being the seventh from the first, wherein they began to till the Ground in Canaan, was the first Sabbatical year which was kept among them, they being by Joshua [who was a Type of Christ] now brought into this place of Rest, which was a Type and Figure of that eternal Sabbath and Rest which the true Jesus was to bring the people of God into, Heb. 4.9. And from hence also the Year of Jubilee, which happened every fiftieth year, is to be reckoned, see Levite. 25. from 8. to 14.

SECT. CXIII.

UPon the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Israelites kept the Feast of Tabernacles in Booths made of boughs of Trees, according to the Law, Levite. 23.39, 40. and much more solemnly than was afterwards used in the times of the Judges or Kings, see Neh. 8.17.

SECT. CXIV.

HItherto both Camp and Tabernacle had remained at Gilgal; Now by God's appointment they remove to Shiloth, a City in the South of Ephraim 's lot. This was the Place that God chose to place his Name there, [ Deut. 12.5. and from 8. to 12. Jer. 7.12.] that is, his Tabernacle where he would be worshipped, and have his Name solemnly called upon. And therefore marching to Shiloh, there they fixed the Tabernacle of the Congregation after the Land thereabout was wholly subdued to them, and the Canaanites that dwelt further off were so stricken with terror from the Lord, that they durst not molest them. At Shiloth the Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant continued 328 years, till the death of Eli, 1 Sam. 1.3, 9, 24.

Joshua, Ch. 18. verse. 1.

SECT. CXV.

THere remained now among the Israelites seven Tribes which had not yet received their Inheritance; and (as it seems) being weary of the War [which had lasted long] and being full of Spoil, and wanting nothing, they did not press to have their Inheritances allotted to them; which negligence Joshua reproves them for, showing them there was no let on God's part, but they might enter into their Inheritances; and those persons whom he had appointed to divide their Inheritances to them by lot were ready to do their duty therein. He therefore requires them to choose out from among them three men of every Tribe [that the matter might be carried on impartially] and he would send them to go through the Land, and to take a Survey not only of the parts of the Country already subdued, but of those that remained yet in the Enemies hands, that they might describe the largeness of every Region and Province, and set down how many Cities and Villages were in each of them. That so having as it were a Map of the Land that remained to be divided before them, they might justly divide it into seven parts, and so give proportionable Shares and Inheritances to every Tribe, according as they were in number fewer or more. He tells them, That the Tribe of Judah and the Sons of Joseph Ephraim and Manasseh should continue seated, the one in the South, the other in the North, according as their lots fell to them at Gilgal; but yet he seems to intimate that if their Shares were found to be too large, then some other Tribes might have a share with them, as it afterwards happened; for the Tribe of Simeon had their portion assigned to them out of that which was at first the lot of Judah, Ch. 19.9. When these Surveyors had gone through the Land, and divided it into seven parts, (for the Levites were to have no part among them, the Priesthood of the Lord being their Inheritance, and the other Tribes had had their lots before,) then He orders that the Description of it should be brought to him, and he would cast lots for them before the Lord at the door of the Tabernacle. The men thus appointed, went out accordingly, being secure and confident of God's Protection, and dividing themselves (as 'tis probable) and going under pretence (possibly) of Negotiation or Traffick, they spent seven months in this Survey, as Josephus tells us, Antiq. lib. 5. and so made a Description of it in a Volume or Map, with all the Cities and Towns belonging to each Province, and divided it into seven parts, and so presented it to Joshua, and the Elders at Shiloh. Then Joshua cast lots for them, according to the divisions of their Tribes. And the first lot came up for the Children of Benjamin, whose lot fell between the Children of Judah and Joseph, and the bounds of their lot, with the Cities belonging thereunto, are described Ch. 18. from verse. 11. to the end. Thus Benjamin had the honor to have the first lot among the seven Tribes, and was by providence seated the very next to his Brethren, Ephraim and Manasseh, and had also part of the Royal City of Jerusalem within his Borders, whereby was fulfilled what Moses prophesied of this Tribe, Deut. 33.12. And of Benjamin he said, the beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him, and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his Shoulders. The next lot came forth for Simeon, and their Inheritance was within the lot of the Tribe of Judah. It seems they that were sent to search the Land not yet divided (that they might part it into seven lots for the seven Tribes remaining) found that the portion which Joshua and Eleazar, and the other Commissioners, for dividing the Land, had formerly assigned to Judah, was too large, considering what was left for the other Tribes; and therefore they agreed unanimously, that a whole portion for one of the Tribes (which had not yet their Inheritance assigned to them) should be taken out of that which was formerly given to Judah, and some Cities also they took from Judah to be as part of another lot, see Josh. 19:40, 41. And thus by the Providence of God there being one Tribe to be provided for within the portion of the Children of Judah, the lot fell upon this Tribe of Simeon, that was fewest in number of all the Tribes, see Numb. 26.14. And by this Tribes being intermingled with Judah, and not having a portion by themselves apart, that Prophesy of Jacob was fulfilled, Gen. 49. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. The bounds of this Tribes portion are not described, only the chief Cities and Towns are named that were in their lot, and that because their Inheritance was within that of Judah.

The third lot came up for the Children of Zebulun. Their Borders are described Ch. 19. from verse. 10. to 17.

The fourth lot came out to Issachar. Their Borders are described from verse. 17: to 24.

The fifth lot for the Tribe of Asher. Their Borders are described from verse. 24. to 32.

The sixth lot came out for the Children of Naphtali. Their Borders are described from verse. 32. to verse. 40.

The seventh lot came out for the Children of Dan. Their Borders are described from verse. 40. to 47. Their lot fell to them in the Southern parts close by Judah 's portion, and they being not able to drive out the Philistines out of their Land, in after-times, viz. after Joshua 's death, they were straightened, and so went out, and took Laish a City in the North parts, in Naphtali 's lot (see Judge. 18.) though then in the Zidonians possession, and transplanted a Colony thither, calling it Dan, from Dan their Ancestor, Son of Jacob.

Ch. 18. from 2. to the end.

Ch. 19. from 1. to 49.

SECT. CXVI.

WHen they had made an end of dividing the Land among all the Tribes, and the distribution thereof was fully finished, then the Children of Israel gave Joshua an Inheritance in Timnah-serah in Mount Ephraim. And herein was the modesty of this great General remarkable, that he was content to stay till all the other Tribes had their portion, ere he made any motion for that which by special Prerogative was to be conferred on him, according to the Word of the Lord spoken to Moses not only concerning Caleb, but also Joshua. Ch. 14.9. 2ly, He was content to receive what the Lord had promised him as by way of Gift from the people. 3ly, Whereas he might have chosen the fairest and goodliest City in all their Tribes; He chose his Seat in a mountainous Country, and it seems a City that was ruinated, so that he was fain to build it, ere he could dwell in it.

Josh. Ch. 19. from verse. 49. to the end.

SECT. CXVII.

THe Levites now come to Joshua and Eleazar, and the rest of the Commissioners, for dividing the Land, to receive from them the Cities which God appointed to be set apart for their dwellings. And they accordingly set apart forty eight Cities for them, as God had commanded, Numb. 35.7. The Commissioners 'tis like chose these Cities out of each Tribe some, according as their number was greater or lesser, and chose such Cities as they in their Wisdom thought most convenient for the Levites and the people. And then dividing the Cities they had chosen into four parts, one for the Priests, a second for the Levites of the Family of Cohath, a third for the Gershonites, a fourth for the Merarites; it was decided by lot in which of these the Priests should be placed, and in which the three Families of the Levites. The Priests who were of the Family of Cohah, by the special Providence of God, were seated partly in the Tribe of Judah, and partly in the two neighbouring Tribes of Simeon and Benjamin, that so they might be near the Temple: Thirteen Cities fell to their lot, and herein respect was had to future times, when the Posterity of Aaron should be increased, for all present there were but a few Priests, not enough to inhabit the half part of one City. The Levites that were of the Family of Cohath had by lot their Cities in the Tribe of Ephraim and Dan, and the half-Tribe of Manasseh, viz. ten Cities. The Gershonites had by lot their Cities in the Tribe of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, and out of the half-Tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan, viz. thirteen Cities.

The Merarites had by lot their Cities in the Tribe of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun, viz. twelve Cities. These Cities with their Suburbs the Children of Israel gave unto the Sons of Levi, as God had commanded. In all 48 Cities. The particular Cities that fell to each division are set down, Josh. Ch. 21. from verse. 9. to 43. Of these six were appointed for Cities of Refuge, and Sanctuaries for such as had killed a man unwittingly, and not of malice prepense.

The Cities of Refuge on this side Jordan were Kadesh in Galilee in Mount Naphtali, Shechem in Mount Ephraim, and Hebron in Mount Judah. On the other side Jordan Bezer in the Tribe of Reuben, Ramoth-Gilead in the Tribe of Gad and Golan in Bashan, in the Tribe of Manasseh, see Numb. 35. Deut. 19.2, &c.

Joshua Ch. 20. whole Chapter.

Joshua 21. from 1. to 43.

SECT. CXVIII.

THus God gave unto the Children of Israel all the Land which he had promised to their Fathers to give them. For though there remained some part of the Land out of which the Canaanites were not yet expelled, yet he had given it them all, and by lot had divided it among them, which was a kind of actual instating them in it. 2. He had put them into the possession of the greatest part of it, neither had he promised them otherwise that they should possess it than by degrees, see Exod. 23.29. He had actually given them the whole Land, and they possessed it, and dwelt therein, that is, in as much of it as they had subdued, and was needful for their present use, and by degrees they came to possess the rest; and they might have enjoyed it sooner than they did, had it not been for their sins. And the Lord now gave them rest round about, and there stood not a man of all their Enemies before them; that is, they were Victorious in all their Wars, and none of their Enemies, whom they encountered, whilst Joshua was their General, were able to stand before them. Not any good thing that God had promised them, and which he knew to be good for them, failed of coming to pass.

Josh. 21. from 43. to the end.

SECT. CXIX.

THe Land being thus conquered, and the Children of Israel settled in a peaceful possession of it, Joshua now calls the Companies of the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-Tribe of Manasseh (who came over Jordan to help their Brethren in this Atchievement, and had left their Wives and Children so long, and had stuck to their Brethren till they had seen them peaceably settled in their Inheritances,) and commended them for their great faithfulness, and obeying of the Lord therein. He therefore now permits them to return to their own possessions, but first gravely and religiously exhorts them to love the Lord their God, and to walk in his Ways and Commandments, and to cleave to Him, and to serve Him with all their Hearts and Souls, and that they be very careful and watchful over themselves, that they be not drawn away from doing what he had enjoined them. Then He tells them, They had got very much Spoil in the War, and would return to their Tents laden with Riches, with Silver, and Gold, and Brass, with Iron, and very much Rayment, and with much Cattle; Therefore when they came home they should divide the Spoil they had gotten with their Brethren; that is, that they that had been engaged in the War should have one half, and the rest of their Brethren that stayed behind should have the other, as Moses had before ordered it in that War, when they went out against the Midianites, Numb. 31.27. and 'tis probable Joshua followed the example of Moses in this direction. Then earnestly praying to the Lord to bless them, he kindly dismissed them. They having taken their leave of Joshua and their Brethren, began their March home-ward, and when they came to the Fords of Jordan, they thought fit, before they passed the River, to build a great Altar there, after the pattern of that in the Tabernacle, not with any intent to offer Sacrifices thereon, but only that it might be in future times a Memorial that those Tribes that dwelt without Jordan were of the stock of Israel, as well as those that dwelt within, and had a right to come to the Tabernacle, and to offer their Sacrifices on God's Altar there, as well as they, and that in succeeding Generations it might be known that that Altar was built by the Tribes without Jordan, when they returned that way home, from helping their Brethren against the Canaanites at the first conquering of the Land. The Children of Israel within Jordan hearing of this Altar which their Brethren had built on the banks of Jordan, and supposing they had done it with a purpose to offer Sacrifices thereon (which would have been a manifest Rebellion against God's Law, whereby all the Tribes of Israel were enjoined to bring all their Sacrifices to that one Altar that was in the Tabernacle, Deut. 12.5, 6.) And considering that God had enjoined them, that in case any of their Brethren, of any City in Israel, should fall off from the true Worship of God, to the Worship of false gods, (and consequently to any Idolatrous Worship whatsoever) they should then gather themselves together, and utterly destroy the Inhabitants of that City, Deut. 13.13, &c. In pursuance of this Command the Israelites within Jordan unanimously gather themselves together at Shiloh, with an intent (if they found the matter as they supposed) to make War immediately against those Tribes that had built this Altar. But they thought it requisite first to send Messengers to inquire concerning what had been done, and the reason of it. And accordingly they sent Phineas, the Son of Eleazar, and ten Princes, of each chief House a Prince unto them. When they came to them, Phineas, in the name of the rest, spake to them after this manner; What Trespass is this (Brethren) that you have committed against the God of Israel, in building you an Altar that you might rebel this day against the Lord? Is it not enough, and too much, that we did many years since highly provoke God to Displeasure against us, by suffering ourselves to be drawn by the Daughters of Moab, to the Worship of Baal-Peor? and shall we now afresh provoke Him against us by a new Rebellion against his Law, and by a new way of Idolatry? The stain and infamy of that sin of Peor still lies upon us, and we have all cause to blush at the remembrance of it even now at this day. And I am afraid the Infection of that Idolatry does still cleave to some particular persons among us. And seeing ye have now rebelled against the Lord, this I tell you beforehand will be the fruit and effect of it, He will immediately and forthwith be angry with the whole Congregation of Israel; and we must expect a dreadful punishment to fall upon us all for this your Transgression, as you may remember when Achan transgressed in taking the accursed thing, [Ch. 7.1.] wrath fell on the whole people for it, and that Man perished not alone for that Sin, but several others with him. If you think the Land without Jordan unclean, because you have not God's Tabernacle and Altar with you, as we have, then pass over to us; We had rather diminish our own Inheritances to give you a share of them, than that you should fall off from the true Worship of God; God's Glory and your Salvation obliges us to make this kind motion to you. The Children of Reuben, Gad, and the half-Tribe of Manasseh having heard these words, made this reply, First, They appeal to the great God, the Searcher of all Hearts, that they had not built this Altar with any such intent as their Brethren suspected. The Lord God of God's (say they) the Lord God of God's, he knows how hateful the very thought of any such thing is unto us, and you our Brethren shall know by our constancy in the Worship of God, how far we were from building that Altar with any intent to Sacrifice thereon. If we did it in rebellion against the Law of God, we desire the Lord should not spare us, but punish us according to the heinousness of so great a Sin. Alas! (say they) our true and only intent in doing it was this, for fear lest in time to come your Children might say to our Children, What have you to do with the Lord God of Israel? The Lord hath made Jordan a border between you and us. You have no part in the Lord. And thus in Generations to come, your Children may come not to suffer our Children to offer their Sacrifices on God's Altar, alleging, They were not of the Church and People of God, nor of Abraham 's Seed, and so shall your Children make our Children cease from fearing and serving the Lord. Therefore we agreed to build this Altar not to offer any Sacrifice thereon, but only to be a Memorial and Witness between you and us, and our Generations after us, That we were the people of God as well as you, and had liberty to come and offer our Sacrifices on the Altar that is before the Tabernacle equally with you, and that your Children might not in after Ages bar our Children from this Privilege. Phineas and the Princes that were sent with him hearing this, were very glad, and much pleased therewith, and Phineas replied, This day we perceive the Lord is indeed among us, in that He hath kept you from falling into that scandalous Sin, which we feared you had committed. Now we perceive that you have delivered the Children of Israel out of the Hand of the Lord, by having kept yourselves from that Sin which might have drawn some heavy Judgment not only upon yourselves, but upon the whole body of the people, had you fallen into it. Then Phineas and the Princes took their leave of them, and returning to Shiloh, made their Report hereof to the Elders of Israel there met, who were exceedingly well satisfied therewith, and blessed God, who had hereby prevented them from going against their Brethren. And so the Altar was called Ed, that is a Witness or Token that they did all on both sides Jordan acknowledge and own Jehovah for the true God, and their God, whom they would Worship in no other way than that which He Himself had prescribed.

Josh. Ch. 22. whole Chapter.

SECT. CXX.

JOshua rebuilt the City of Timnath-serah in Mount Ephram, in which he dwelt several years, after God had given rest to the Israelites. And having lived 110 years [which was the age of Joseph ] and finding his death to approach, He called for all Israel; that is, the representative body of the people, viz. the Elders of each Tribe, with their Magistrates, Judges, and Officers to come to him. He tells them, He was now old and stricken in years: They had seen the great things the Lord had done for them, and how he had fought for them, and vanquished the Canaanites. 'It is true, they were not all yet subdued, but yet He had divided the Inheritances of those that remained unto them by lot; and though he died and left the Work unfinished, yet they might assure themselves if they continued steadfast to the Lord, He would in due time perfect the Work He had begun, and perform all that He had promised, and drive out the Nations that were not yet driven out. He bids them therefore to be of good courage, and carefully to observe the Commandments of the Lord, not turning aside from them to the right hand or to the left. He exhorts them to take heed of any familiar Converse with those Nations that remained among them, or to make Marriages with them, or to have anything to do with their gods; He would not have them so much as to take the Name of their false gods into their Lips with any liking of them, [see Psal. 16.4.] nor cause the men of these Nations to swear by their Idols, to justify their Sayings, or confirm their Promises. Neither should the Judges admit of an Oath by their Idols in the trial of any Cause, much less should they bow down to them and serve them; but they should cleave to the Lord their God, as they had done since they came under his Government. The Lord [says He] has driven out for you great and potent Nations. None of them that you encountered were able to stand before you; And He will still be with you, if you will be faithful unto Him. He will so Arm you with Courage and Strength, and will so dispirit and weaken your Enemies with fear, that one of you shall chase a thousand of them; that is, a few of you shall vanquish great numbers of them, see Deut. 32.30. Levite. 26.8. Judges 15.15. 2 Sam. 23.8. But know ye for certain, That if ye Revolt from the good way of your Obedience to God, wherein you have formerly walked, and cleave to the remnant of these Nations, and join yourselves with them in Leagues or Marriages, then the Lord will not drive them out before you, but they shall be Snares and Traps unto you, and Scourges in your Sides, and Thorns in your Eyes; that is, they will be continually by their allurements drawing you into Idolatry and other Sins, and so will catch you with their Wiles, and by their Baits draw you to commit spiritual and corporal Whoredom with them; and then by their Injuries will vex and disquiet you, until you be cast out (for your sins) from this good Land which the Lord has given you. And now behold I am going the way of all the Earth. I must die as all other men that live upon the Earth must do. And seeing my death approacheth, I thought good to tell you beforehand what will become of you, if ye transgress the Covenant of the Lord your God. You know there hath not any of the good things failed of coming to pass, which the Lord promised you, see Ch. 21.45. And as the Lord hath hitherto been very good to you in performing all that He had promised you; so if ye transgress his Covenant, He will bring upon you all the Evils which He hath threatened against the Transgressors of it, and even at last will cause you to be carried Captive out of this good Land.

Josh. Ch. 23. whole Chapter.

SECT. CXXI.

JOshua now calls an Assembly of the Representatives of the Nation to Shechem, in-intending (as it seems) there solemnly to inter Joseph 's bones, see verse. 32. of this Chapter. And upon this occasion he removes the Tabernacle and Altar thither, as upon extraordinary Occasions they sometimes did, see 1 Sam. 4.4. And there the Elders and Heads of the Tribes, their Judges and Officers presented themselves before the Lord; that is, before the Tabernacle where God was pleased to manifest his gracious Presence among them; Joshua now speaks unto them, and gives them his solemn farewell Exhortations, pressing them to continue constant in their Obedience unto God after his death. He sets before them God's free Goodness in rescuing their Father Abraham out of that way of Idolatry, wherein he had been bred in his Father Terah 's House, when they lived beyond Euphrates, and choosing him [of his free Grace ] to be the Father of his peculiar people, when there was nothing in him to move the Lord to show him such special favor. He tells them how God led Abraham through the several quarters of Canaan; and preserved him in a strange Land among so many barbarous people, and blessed and prospered him, and caused him to be highly esteemed among them; And multiplied his Seed, giving him Ishmael, and six Sons by Keturah, but He especially blessed him, in giving Him Isaac, whom He made the Heir of Promise: And though Isaac had two Sons, Esau and Jacob, yet he passed by Esau (though He made his Posterity great, and gave them Mount Seir to inhabit,) and established his Covenant with their Father Jacob, his younger Brother. And Jacob and his Children went down into Egypt, and in process of time being grievously there oppressed, He delivered them miraculously by the Hand of Moses and Aaron. Then He led them through the Red-Sea, putting Darkness between them and the Egyptians that pursued after them with Chariots and Horse-men, and drowned the Egyptians who ventured to follow them, bringing the Sea upon them. He tells them, That many of them that were under twenty years old when they came out of Egypt, might remember the Wonders He did for them in Egypt, and the Plagues He brought upon the Egptians till they did let them go. They might also remember how He sed them and preserved them during their long Travels through the Wildness; They might remember how He at last brought them to the Borders of Canaan, and destroyed Sihon and Og, the Kings of the Amorites, on the other side Jordan, and gave them their Lands for an Inheritance. When they were come thither, they might remember how Balak King of Moab prepared to make War against them, intending to have set upon them, if he could have got Balaam to curse them; but the Lord would not permit him to do it, but forced him contrarily to bless them, and so they were delivered out of his hands. They might remember how from hence they passed over Jordan, and laid siege to Jericho, and how the men of Jericho prepared to resist them, shutting up their Gates against them, though afterwards they had not (as it seems) an heart to lift up a Weapon in their own Defense, when they saw their Walls so miraculously to fall down. They might remember how in the succeeding War the Lord delivered the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites into their Hands; And they prevailed not against them by their own Sword or Bow, but by the Power of God who sent the Hornets among them, great Venemous Flies that stung many of them to death, as He had by them before annoyed the Subjects of Sihon and Og, upon which Judgment many of them ('tis like) fled out of the Country. He tells them, The Lord had given them a fruitful Land, whose fruitfulness they had not procured by their own labor; He had given them Cities to dwell in which they built not; He had given them Vineyards and Oliveyards which they planted not. By all which great and signal Mercies they were strongly engaged to fear the Lord, and to serve Him in sincerity and truth all their days. He advises them to forsake and abominate all the Idols which Terah, Nahor, and even Abraham himself (before his Calling and Conversion) worshipped, whilst they lived beyond Euphrates, in Ur of the Chaldees; as also the Idols which some of their Father • had worshipped in Egypt. 'It is like he feared there were still some such secret Worshippers of Idols among them, as it is manifest in the Wilderness there were, [see Amos 5.25, 26. Acts 7.42, 43.] He shows them there was so vast a difference between the true God (that brought them out of Egypt, and had done so many and great Wonders for them,) and Idols, that were mere vanity and nothing, that one would scarce think it possible that they should forsake the Lord to follow them, though it were left to their own choice. He intimates to them, that except they chose the Lord for their God, and served Him out of judgment and their own choice, and willingly and freely, without any constraint, God would not regard their outward compliance. Well (says he) whatever you shall determine for yourselves, and your own practice, I do declare to you, That this is my firm Resolution, That as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. The Elders of the people hearing these things, said, God forbid that ever we should forsake the Lord that brought us and our Fathers out of Egypt, and has done such great things in our sight, and has hitherto preserved us, and driven out the Amorites and Canaanites for us; God forbid that ever we should be so wicked as to forsake Him, and serve Idols. No, the Lord is our God, and Him we are resolved to serve.

Joshua advises them them to consider well what they said; He tells them, They cannot serve the Lord, if they retained Idols in their Houses, or in their Hearts, and mingled false Worship with the true. For God (says he) is an holy and jealous God, and will no more admit of mixture of true and false Worship, than a jealous Husband will of a Corrival in his love, or that his Wife should divide herself between him and a stranger; I tell you plainly, God will not forgive your Transgressions, nor your Sins, if you continue in them; and if you turn from Him, and serve other gods, He will turn from doing you good, and will severely punish and chastise you. The people answered, Nay, but we are firmly resolved to serve the Lord, and Him only; Then Joshua said, You are • itnesses against yourselves this day, if you do otherwise; For ye have freely chosen the Lord to be your God, and have faithfully promised to serve Him. They said, We do acknowledge it, and if we do otherwise, we are Witnesses against ourselves, and our own Consciences will convince and condemn us. Well (says he) if ye be willing to renew your Covenant with God this day, then let me in the first place strictly charge you, if there be any Idols secretly kept, and worshipped among you, that they be put away presently, and let them have no place in yours hearts and affections, but incline your hearts faithfully to serve the Lord God of Israel. The people answered, The Lord God will we serve, and his Voice alone will we obey. Then Joshua, as God's Servant and Minister, caused the people to renew their Covenant with God (and probably it was done in a very solemn manner, being accompanied with Sacrifices, and the usual Rites of that sacred Service, ) and He established and confirmed it as a standing and perpetual Law for them and their Posterity, that they should constantly continue in the Service of the Lord God alone, as became his peculiar people, and utterly renounce all Idols, and all Idolatry whatsoever. And Joshua either wrote himself, or caused some of the Priests to write in the Book of the Law (which was written by Moses, and put on the side of the Ark,) these Promises of the people, and the whole carriage of this business, and how solemnly they renewed their Covenant with God, that the people knowing there was such a Record kept of this matter, and the circumstances thereof in God's Tabernacle, might be the more careful to keep their Covenant. Then Joshua took a great stone, and set it up there under an Oak, that was by the Sanctuary of the Lord, as a Memorial of this Covenant now thus solemnly renewed between God and this people. Some think this was the very Oak under which Jacob had many years since buried all the Idolatrous trash, which he found among those of his Family, Gen. 35.4. and that Joshua did purposely for that cause set up this Stone under that Oak; In future times this place, where this Stone was set up, was from hence called the Oak of the Pillar, Judge. 9.6. And Joshua said, This stone shall be a witness unto you, for it hath heard all the words of the Lord; that is, of the Covenant between the Lord and you, and it shall serve as a Witness to convince you of your Sin, if you do not keep your Covenant, seeing all men in future Ages will take notice that it was purposely erected to be a Monument and Memorial thereof, and this stone, when you see it, shall represent to your Minds and Consciences the Covenant which ye have now made, as if it could both hear and speak; so that if in after-times you deny your God, and fall into Idolatry, this very stone will witness against you. See a like expression to this, Jer. 2.12. These things being done, they now solemnly interred the bones of Joseph (which they had brought with them out of Egypt ) in that parcel of ground here at Shechem, that Jacob bought of the Sons of Hamor, [see Gen. 33.19.] and which He upon his death-bed gave to Joseph as a special Legacy, [Gen. 48.22.] and was now within the lot of the Sons of Joseph. And it seems from Acts 7.15, 16. That the bodies of all the rest of the Patriarchs, the Sons of Jacob, were brought up also out of Egypt, and here likewise buried. When these things were done, Joshua dismissed the people to their own Inheritances.

Shortly after this, the great Joshua dies, aged an 110, about ten years (as is conceived) after the Conquest of the Land. He had approved himself a faithful Servant of God all his days, living in his Fear, and dying in his Favor, and was buried in his own Inheritance in Timnath-serah in Mount Ephraim. Some say the Israelites placed upon his Monument the Figure of the Sun, as a Memorial of the great Miracles of the Suns standing still at his prayer; And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and of the Elders that out-lived Joshua, who had known all the Works of the Lord which he had done for them.

Not long after Eleazar the High Priest died also, and they buried him in an Hill in Mount Ephraim, which by special and extraordinary Gift was given to Phineas his Son, with whom 'tis probable his Father lived: For though the Priests had their Cities by lot in other Tribes; namely, Judah, Simeon and Benjamin, [see Ch. 21.4.] yet that the High Priest might be near to Joshua the Governor, (who dwelt in Mount Ephraim ) and that he might inquire of the Lord for him upon any special occasion, and that he might be near to the Tabernacle, which at this time was in Shiloh; 'tis like Eleazar here lived, and was now here buried.

Josh. Ch. 24. whole Chapter.

SECT. CXXII.

WE are now come to the Book of Judges, which comprehends an History of the Common-wealth of Israel, from the death of Joshua to the days of Eli, containing the space of 299 years, during which time they lived under the Government of certain Judges, whom God successively and extraordinarily raised up, and endowed with a Spirit of Wisdom and Courage to Rule over them as His Deputies and Vicegerents. There are twelve of these mentioned in this Book, viz.

• 1. Othniel, whose Government from the death of Joshua is reckoned to be 40 years.
• 2. Ehud 80
• 3. Deborath 40
• 4. Gideon 40
• 5. Abimelech 3
• 6. Thola 23
• 7. Jair 22
• 8. Jephtha 6
• 9. Ibzan 7
• 10. Elon 10
• 11. Abdon 8
• 12. Sampson 20
• 299

Within which space of time we are to comprehend the Six Oppressions of the Israelites, mentioned in this Book, and not to reckon them apart, but as included within the years of the Judges, and the Rest of the Land, viz.

• Under Cushan 8 years.
• Eglon 18
• Jabin 20
• Midian 7
• Ammonites 18
• Philistines 20

To the twelve Judges before-mentioned, Eli and Samuel succeeded, whose Acts are not here set down, but in the First Book of Samuel. Now there being 480 to be reckoned from the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt to the building of Solomon 's Temple, 1 Kings 6.1. we may compute them thus;

• 40 years spent in the Wilderness.
• 17 in Joshua 's Government.
• 299 in the times of the twelve Judges.
• 40 in Eli 's time.
• 40 in Samuel and Saul 's.
• 40 in David 's.
• 4 in Solomon 's; in the Fourth Year of whose Reign the Foundation of the Temple was laid.
• 480

As to the Penman of this Book of Judges, 'tis very uncertain who it was. But it seems to be gathered by some Prophet of God out of the Public Records and Registers that were kept of their Affairs. Some think Samuel was the Compiler of it.

SECT. CXXIII.

JOshua being now dead, and having a little before his death encouraged the people to expel the Canaanites that remained out of the Land, though they had no man at present chosen of God, and set over them to Command them in chief, as Moses and Joshua did; and finding that it was fit for them to go on with the War, they assembled together [as it seems] at Shiloh to consult about this matter. And because the success of their first Attempts would be of great consequence, either to encourage or dishearten their Enemies, they thought fit that Phineas the High Priest should inquire of the Lord for them by Urim and Thummim, which of their Tribes should first begin and set upon the Canaanites that still remained among them; and the Lord appointed that the Tribe of Judah [the Royal Tribe, and the strongest and most populous of them all,] should begin the War, and first clear his portion of the Enemy. Caleb the Son of Jephunneh is chosen General for the Tribe, and the Simeonites [who had their lot within theirs ] being invited to join with them, they readily agreed to it, the Tribe of Judah promising to assist them afterwards in clearing their lot. In this Expedition, they took the City of Bezek, and after they had taken it, in the pursuit [when the King thereof, with many of his people, fled to save his life,] they killed ten thousand men. They also took their King Adonibezek, and cut off his Thumbs and his great Toes, having [as it seems] when they took the City found some of those poor Captive Kings that had been thus inhumanely used by him, or else had heard of the Tyranny he had exercised upon them in that kind, and therefore thought fit (according to the Law of Retaliation, Exod. 21.24.) to serve him after the same manner. Adonibezek could not but acknowledge the justice of God upon him herein. For [says He] threescore and ten Kings (having their Thumbs and great Toes cut off) gathered their meat under my Table; as I have done to them, so God hath requited me. Then the men of Judah carried this great Tyrant, and shown him before Jerusalem, to strike the greater terror into the Jebusites, and there they killed him, and then sacked and burnt that City, viz. that part of it which was in their Tribe: For though the former 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, and therefore the eighth verse should be read, And the Children of Judah warred against Jerusalem, and took it, and smote it, &c. not as if it had been taken before.

Judges 1. from 1. to 9.

SECT. CXXIV.

JEthro 's Family called Kenites, that had come up with Joshua and Israel into the Land of Canaan, and dwelt in their Tents (which was ever their way of living) about Jericho, the City of Palm-Trees, among the people of the Tribe of Judah; and Judah having now cleared his portion in so good a measure that they began to spread into new Plantations; These Kenites went along with them, and settled themselves with them in the South, upon the Coasts of the Amalekites, and so in Saul 's time were mingled among them, see 1 Sam. 15.6. These Kenites were the root of the Rechabites, of whom more is spoken, Jer. Ch. 35. Judge. Ch. 1. verse. 16.

SECT. CXXV.

AS Simeon had before assisted Judah in clearing his lot, so now Judah assists Simeon in clearing his. And joining together, they first Conquer Hormah, and utterly destroy it, and the reason hereof seems to be because of the Vow which the Israelites had made long since, when Arad a King of the Canaanites had made War against them, see Numb. 21.3. They took also Gaza, and Askelon, and Ekron, with their Coasts, though it seems the Philistines soon recovered these three Cities again, and drave out the Israelites before they had well settled themselves in them, [see Ch. 3.1, 2, 3. 1 Sam. 6.17.] and the reason hereof was, because the Israelites soon provoked the Lord by their Sins. As for Ekron it was in Dan 's lot, Josh. 19.43. Therefore it seems the Tribe of Judah joined with those of Dan as well as with those of Simeon, to help them to clear their Coasts. The Lord being thus with Judah, they drave out the Canaanites that dwelt in the mountainous Country, but their own fears disabling them, and God for their sins withdrawing his help from them, they could not drive, them out of the Valleys and Plains, not daring (it seems) to set upon them because of their Iron-Chariots, of which see Josh. 17.16. Whereas this was no just cause to deter them, seeing they had God's Promise of Victory. It was therefore their own sinful fear and want of Faith in God's Promises that hindered them from driving them out.

Judges 1.17, 18, 19.

SECT. CXXVI.

THe several Tribes are now working themselves into a settlement in their several lots, but are not careful to root out the Canaanites, but suffered them to live among them, notwithstanding God's Command which enjoined them utterly to destroy them, and root them out. And particularly the Children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited that part of Jerusalem which was in their lot, viz. The Castle and Fort, [Josh. 15.63.] so that the Jebusites dwelt there unconquered till David 's time, 2 Sam. 5.6, 7. And the Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh went up against Bethel to take it, because it belonged to their lot, Josh. 16.2. And their Spies catched a man that came out of the City, and they told him, If he would show them how they might enter the City, that is, some weak place thereof where they might make their Entry [the Gates being locked and barred] they would show him mercy, and not only spare his life, but the lives of those that belonged to him. The man hereupon did show them where they might enter the City, and they entering accordingly, smote it with the edge of the Sword, but let the man and all his Family go; so the man and his Company went among the Hittites, [who inhabited on the North-side of Mount Ephraim ] and there (being as it seems a rich man) with his Family, Friends and Allies, (who were spared for his sake) built a City and called it Luz, after the name of the City in which probably he was born and bred, that the memory of it might not perish, but be preserved to Posterity. Further, that half-Tribe of Manasseh that dwelt in Canaan having disabled themselves by their Sins, and so deprived themselves of God's Assistance, drave not out the Canaanites out of Bethshean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, and Megiddo, but they would dwell there, either by Force or by Composition, see Josh. 17.11, 12. And when the Israelites were grown strong, and so by God's assistance might easily have driven them out, (if they had had an heart to set about it) they out of Sloth, Cowardliness or Covetousness let them alone, on condition they would pay them Tribute. Neither did the Children of Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer, viz. out of the City, but they possessed it till Pharaoh took it, and burnt it, 1 Kings 9.16. Neither did Zebulun drive out the Canaanites out of his lot, but only made them Tributary, which shows that they might have subdued them, seeing they could force them to pay them Tribute; Neither did Asher drive out the old Inhabitants out of his lot, but they were forced to live intermixed with them. Neither did Naphtali drive the Canaanites out of his portion, but only made them Tributary. And though the Children of Dan had at first prevailed against the Amorites, and possessed themselves of their Country, yet afterwards the Amorites getting more strength, recovered the best part of it; namely, the Valleys, and forced the Danites into the Mountains, (where being much straitened, they took occasion to enlarge their possessions, by making that Expedition unto Laish, mentioned Ch. 18.) but the more fruitful Mountains of Heres they would not be driven out of, till the House of Joseph assisting the Danities, they so far prevailed, that they made them Tributary. And thus the Israelites, by their own sloth, suffered themselves to be hemmed in with those accursed Canaanites, contenting themselves if they would pay them some small Tribute. And this was the first step of their defection from God, which did afterwards lead them into greater and grosser Enormities.

Judge. 1. from 21. to the end.

SECT. CXXVII.

THe people of Israel now finding themselves sorely annoyed by the Canaanites in several parts of the Land, there was [it seems] an Assembly called of the Heads of all the Tribes to Shiloh, that they might Consult what was fit for them to do in this case. The Lord was pleased to send the Angel of the Covenant to them in an Human shape, (the same Angel that appeared to Joshua at Gilgal, Josh. 5.14. and therefore is here said to come up from Gilgal ) who sharply reproves them for their remissness and carelessness in executing the Commands of God. He tells them He brought them up out of Egypt into that good Land, and He would never break his Covenant with them, if they did not first break their Covenant with Him. He had commanded them, That they should make no League with the Canaanites, Deut. 7.2. but should throw down their Altars, Deut. 11.3. but they had not obeyed his Voice therein. Therefore (says he) I said I will not drive out the Inhabitants of the Land before you, but they shall be as Thorns in your Sides, and their gods shall be a Snare unto you, to entangle you in their Idolatry to your perdition, Exod. 23.33. & 34.12. The people being convinced by the Angel 's words of their great Sin, they lifted up their Voice and wept, and they called the place upon that occasion Bochim, viz. the place of Weepers. And here they offered Sacrifices to the Lord, to make Atonement for their sins.

Judge. 2. from 1. to 6.

SECT. CXXVIII.

JOshua being now dead, and all that Generation who with Joshua had seen the Wonders God had wrought for them; there arose a new Generation who knew not the Lord; that is, had not such effectual and experimental knowledge of God upon their hearts as the former Generation had; Neither had they seen his miraculous Works with their Eyes as their Fathers had done; so that now things began to run into Anarchy and Confusion, everyone doing what seemed good in his own Eyes. And then all those Disorders seem to have been committed, which are set down in the five last Chapters of this Book.

As first the Idolatry of Micah (a man of Mount Ephraim ) who made an Idol, and set it up in his own House for his own use, and possibly for the use of the Neighbourhood. It seems Micah 's Mother had eleven hundred Shekels of Silver stolen from her, and she cursed those who had stolen it, and did not restore it. Micah having taken it, and being touched in conscience for it, came to her, and said, Wretch that I am, I had thy Silver, and have hitherto detained it, but dare no longer lie under a Mothers Curse, and therefore am I now come to confess my Sin, and restore again the money to thee. His Mother answered, Blessed be thou of the Lord (my Son) that is, free be thou from my Curse, and mayest thou be blessed of the Lord, because thou hast repented of this Fact, and dost so ingenuously offer to restore what thou unadvisedly tookest from me. She tells him, She had wholly dedicated this Silver to the Lord, to make a graven Image and a molten Image for Him; namely, to be Representations of Him. So that she pretended, and possibly intended the Worship of the true God by these Idols. She accordingly took two hundred Shekels of the silver and gave them to the Founder, who made thereof a graven Image, and a molten Image. The other nine hundred Shekels 'tis like were laid out in providing an Ephod, rich and glorious, like Aaron's, [Exod. 28.6:] and other Ornaments for the Priest, and providing their Teraphim, and adorning the Chapel which her Son had built for these Superstitious Uses. And Micah consecrated one of his own Sons (though of the Tribe of Ephraim, and not of Aaron's Lineage,) to be his Priest; all which he did as a gross Idolater, contrary to the express Command of God. And 'tis no wonder that Idolatry began thus to creep in among them, seeing at this time there was no Ruler, Governor or Judge, no Supreme Magistrate among them (such as Moses or Joshua were) to restrain them, to punish Offenders, and keep them in Order.

There was a young Levite that sojourned in Bethlehem, in the Tribe of Judah, but in those corrupt times (a great part of the Maintenance of the Levites being as it seems detained from them) He was forced to seek out for a Livelihood: where he could get it. And coming to Micah 's house, Micah agrees with him to be his Priest; for though he had consecrated one of his own Sons to be his Priest in his Idolatrous Chapel before, yet (it seems) he thought it would be a greater honor to his Idol-Worship to have one of the Tribe of Levi to be his Priest. Micah promises to reverence him (though young in years) as a Father, but yet he gives him but a very poor Salary, viz. ten Shekels of Silver by the year, a Suit of Apparel, and his Victuals, whereas eleven hundred Shekels were set apart by his Mother, as we have seen before, to make their Idols and their appurtenances. However this poor Levite prostitutes himself to this base Service, to be a Priest to their Idol-dunghill-gods, and that upon these mean terms: But Micah loved him, and used him very well, and as if he had been one of his own Children, and promised himself that the Lord would bless him, seeing he had now gotten a Levite for his Priest. But he was herein much deceived, as we shall show presently.

Ch. 17. whole Chapter.

SECT. CXXIX.

IN the next place we are to show how the Danites took Micah 's Idol from him, and set it up publicly in their own Tribe, and so the first public Idolatry was begun among them, and therefore that Tribe is not named among the sealed of the Lord, Rev. 7. The History of this matter was thus; The Danites by reason of the Amorites (who had cooped them up in the Mountains, see Ch. 1.34.) were not got into the possession of a good part of the Inheritance that fell to them by lot. And so their present possessions being too scant and strait for them, they began to think of enlarging their Borders. And accordingly sent out five men of their Family as Spies to search the Land possessed by their Enemies, that they might (where they could conveniently) drive them out, and so settle part of their Tribe in their room. These Spies coming to Mount Ephraim, and near to Micah 's house, they meet with this Levite, whom (it seems) some of them knew, and possibly upon His invitation they turned in thither to lodge. They ask him, What he did there? He tells them, Micah had hired him to he his Priest. They understanding that Micah had a Chapel, or House of gods there, and an Ephod and Teraphim, (which used by Idolaters to be consulted, as Oracles and Answers sometimes were given by the subtlety of the Devil or the Priests, ) they being (as it seems) addicted to Idolatry, desired him to inquire of God concerning the Success of the business they were going about: He does so, or pretends to do so, and encouragingly bids them go in peace, for the way wherein they went was before the Lord; that is, his Eyes were upon their way, He saw what they were going about, and would favor, direct, and prosper them in their way. The Spies much encouraged hereby departed, and came to Laish or Leshem [Josh. 19.47.] in the utmost Northern Border of the Land, far remote from the body of their own Tribe. Here they observed several things: First, That the people of this place dwelt careless and secure after the manner of the Sidonians, (who by reason of the great strength of their City, and their great Wealth, lived voluptuously without fear of any Enemy,) and after the same manner lived the Inhabitants of Laish. 2ly, They observed they had no Magistrate in the Land that might put them to shame in anything, and so restrain them from Vice; for shame doth oftentimes more restrain men from sin, than smart or corporal punishment. 3ly, They observed they were far from the Sidonians (with whom possibly they had a League, or had some dependence on them,) and therefore they could not suddenly come to aid them. 4ly, They observed they had neither League nor Commerce with their Neighbors; either of which might have obliged them to afford them help in their need. Having taken notice of these things, they return to their Brethren who sent them out, and tell them what they had observed concerning this people. They tell them the Land was a very good Land, a place where there was no want of anything that is in the Earth, and if they would go up they need not doubt of obtaining it; for (say they) God hath given it into your hands. This confidence of theirs possibly was grounded partly on what they observed when they were among the people, and partly from the encouragement that Micah 's Priest had given them. Whereupon 600 men of them well armed went up from thence upon this Expedition.

In their march they first pitched at Kirjath-jearim, in the Confines of Judah, Dan, and Benjamin. Thence they passed to Mount Ephraim, and came near the house of Micah. When they came thither, the five Spies told them there was in one of those houses of Micah an Ephod and Teraphim, a graven and a molten Image. Now therefore consider (say they) what ye have to do, consider whither this will not be a good Booty for us, and whither we should not take all these along with us, to use them in the Places where we shall come; as in our former Journey we asked Counsel by them of God, and received an Answer, that our Journey should be Prosperous. The Soldiers hearing these things, went presently to Micah 's house, and the 600 Men placing themselves at the Gate, the five Spies went in, and saluted Micah, and probably acquainted him with their design, and then brought out his Priest to their Brethren, whom He kindly saluted, and (as 'tis probable) wished them good success in their Enterprise, and discoursed with them. In the mean time the five Spies went back into the house, and took away the Ephod and Teraphim, and the Images graven and molten. The Priest seeing this, asked them what they did? They bid him hold his peace, and go along with them, and be to them a Father and a Priest. They tell him, It was much better for him to be a Priest to a whole Tribe than to one man. The Priest, notwithstanding the kindness and respect Micah had shown him, hoping to have more advantage by these Danites, than He had by Him, away he goes with them, and immediately placed himself with this Idolatrous Trash in the midst of their Army, either for the better defense of his Person and these Trinkets, or else in a kind of Apish imitation of the Israelites, who carried the Ark in the midst of their Host. When they departed from Micah 's house, they ordered that their Wives, little Ones, and Cattle, and their Carriages should march before their Army. For they feared not any Enemy before them, but supposed that Micah, with all the strength he could make, would pursue after them. Micah accordingly, with what Company of his Neighbors he could get together, pursued after them, and when He came up to them, the Danites asked Him, What ailed him? and why He came after them with such a great Company? He cries out, Ye have taken away my gods, and my Priest, and do you now ask me, What aileth me? Alas! I esteem all that ye have left me as nothing, now my gods and my Priest are gone. The Danites answered, Let not thy Cry be heard among us, lest some angry Fellows of our Company run upon thee and destroy thee and thy Household. When Micah saw they were too strong for him, he turned back; and so the Danites carried away the Priest and the Images with them to Laish. When they came thither, they easily took the City, and smote the Inhabitants thereof with the edge of the Sword, there being none to deliver them out of their hands. And though in taking of it, they burnt it, yet afterwards they built it again, and called it Dan, in honor of Dan, from whom they were descended. And then they set up the graven Image there which they had taken from Micah, and established this Idolatrous Worship of their false gods among them, and so this Levite (whose Name was Jonathan, the Son of Gershom ) and his Posterity were Priests unto these Idolatrous Danites all the time the Tabernacle remained at Shiloh, till the Captivity of the Land; that is, till the Ark was taken and carried away by the Philistines, 1 Sam. 4.10, 11. which was at the death of Eli, at which time there was a great slaughter of the Israelites, and no doubt many of them were carried away Captive, together with the Ark; and all this befell them, because of the Idolatry that was then practiced in the Land, Psal. 78.58, 59. But though this Idol was pulled down (as 'tis probable) in Samuel 's time, or Saul 's, when the Tabernacle was at Nob, [1 Sam. 21.] yet these Idolatrous Priests might (in secret especially) continue to do this impious Service for the Danites unto the times of Jeroboam, and then might be employed as Priests for his golden Calf, which he here erected, 1 Kings 12.29. and so they might continue till the general Captivity of the ten Tribes.

Judge. Ch. 18. whole Chapter.

SECT. CXXX.

THe Israelites tolerating this Idolatry of Micah and the Danites, and never stirring against it, this Toleration breedeth all Iniquity, in so much that Gibeah, a City in Benjamin, becometh as abominable as Sodom, as appears by the story following. It happened in those days, when there was no Supreme Magistrate to curb and restrain the Disorders and evil Manners of the people, that a certain Levite that sojourned in Mount Ephraim had taken to himself a Concubine from Bethlehem-Judah. Some Concubines there were among the Hebrews that were esteemed lawful Wives as to the right of the Bed, and their Children were accounted Legitimate, though they were not esteemed in the rank of other Wives principally and most properly so called; For they had not the honor of being accounted the Mothers of the Family, neither had they the Rule in the Family, nor their Children any Inheritance, but only Gifts or Portions. The case of Jacob 's Sons by Bilhah and Zilpah was extraordinary. Other Concubines there were that were plain Whores or Harlots; but this Levites Concubine was of the former sort, viz. a secondary Wife, for the Levite is called her Husband, verse. 3. and Ch. 20.4. This Concubine (as it seems) was false to the Levite her Husband, and played the Whore; whereupon a Quarrel arising between them, she left him, and went home again to her Fathers house, who was too ready to entertain her. Though it was usual for all sorts, even the Levites themselves at that time to take Concubines, yet the sad effects that followed hereupon shown that God was not pleased with it; From the beginning it was not so, says our Savior, Matth. 19.8. The Levite follows after her, to see if he could by fair means bring her to repent and amend, and to return to him again, He being willing to be reconciled to her, rather than forsake her, if it were possible. When he came to her Fathers house, He received him, and entertained him very kindly, and he stayed with him three days: On the fourth day in the morning the breach being as it seems made up, and he ready to depart with his Wife, His Father-in-law desired him to comfort his heart with a morsel of bread, and so they sat down, and did eat and drink together, and upon his further importunity he stayed with him that night also. On the next day he entertained him again, and engaged him to stay till the Afternoon, and would have had him lodged there that night also, seeing the Sun was then declining; But he would not, but took his leave of him, and departed with his Wife and Servant. When they came over against Jebus or Jerusalem (which was now in the possession of the Jebusites ) his Man advised that they should turn into that City, and lodge there that night; but the Levite said, We will not turn into a City inhabited by the accursed Canaanites, estranged from God and his Laws, we will go to Gibeah, not far from hencc, and in our way to Mount Ephraim. It was Sun-set by the time they came thither. When they came into the Street of the City, they met with no man that had so much Humanity or Hospitality in him as to invite them to his house. At last an old man of Mount Ephraim, a Sojourner in that City, coming from his work out of the Fields, and seeing the Levite, asked him, Whence he came? and whither he was going? He told him he dwelt in Mount Ephraim, but he meant to go first to Shiloh (where the Tabernacle then was) to perform his Service there, and then to go on in his Journey home-ward. But (says he) here is no man (for ought I perceive) has so much kindness, as to receive us into his house, though we should put him to little or no charge, for we have brought from whence we came a bundle of Straw and Provender for our Asses, and we have Bread and Wine sufficient for ourselves. The old man said, Peace be unto thee, let all thy wants lie upon me; that is, take no further care either for Lodging or Provision; I will take the care of all upon myself to provide all Necessaries for thee, and all that belong unto thee. Therefore turn in unto my house; which accordingly they presently did, and there he took care of their Asses, and then washing their Feet (according to the Rites of Hospitality practiced in that hot Country) he entertained them, and they sat down to eat and drink with Him. Now as they were making their hearts merry, certain Sons of Belial (following the example of their good Brethren and Predecessors of Sodom, Gen. 19.4.) beset the house round, requiring the old man to bring forth the Levite to them, that they might abuse him by unnatural lust. The old man came out to them, and entreated them not to do so abominable a thing; He tells them, He had in his house a Daughter a Maiden, and there was also the Levite 's Concubine; He would bring them both out to them, and they might humble them, and do what they would to them; but he desired them to spare his Guest the Levite, and not make him the Subject of their base Villany. But though the old man was to be commended for his desire to observe the Laws of Hospitality, yet the means he used are to be condemned as very sinful, seeing we may not do evil that good may come thereof, Rom. 3.8. Of the evils of punishment indeed we may choose the less, that we may avoid the greater, but of the evils of Sin we must choose neither, seeing the least sin is worse than the greatest punishment. But these Sons of Belial were nothing moved with what He said, therefore the Levite, to prevent evil to his courteous Host, brought forth his own Concubine to them, and they took her and abused her all night, until the morning, in a most inhumane and detestable manner. Thus the Providence of God rescued the old man's Daughter (who was innocent) from the rage and lust of these wicked Villains, and the storm fell on the Levites Concubine, who though her Husband had pardoned, yet God now punished. Uncleanness was her sin, and uncleanness was now the cause of her death. Culpa libido fuit, poena libido fuit. In the morning she came and fell down at the old man's door. The Levite seeing her lie all along with her hands on the Threshold, he bad her arise that they might be gone. But she not answering, He perceived she was dead. Then carrying her upon his Ass, he went home; and when he was come thither, he took a Knife and cut her body into twelve pieces, and sent to each Tribe a piece of her, that so horrible a Spectacle might incense their wrath, and stir up their spirits to take sharper Revenge on the Actors of so detestable a Villany, and that they might not suffer those Pests to live, and poison the Air with their breath, and so pull down God's fearful Judgments on the whole Land. The Messengers acquainting the Tribes with the cause why the Levite had done this, all that heard of it cried out, That there was never such a horrid Villany done, or seen among them, since they came out of Egypt. And therefore stirring up one another not to let it pass unrevenged, they said, Let us consider of it, take advice, and speak our minds, that we may take the best course we can to bring these desperate Offendors to deserved punishment.

Judge. Ch. 19. whole Chapter.

SECT. CXXXI.

THen all the Children of Israel, that is, the chief of them, viz, the Elders, Officers and Captains, from Dan to Beersheba, together with those without Jordan, met together as one man at Mizpah, (which was a place they usually held their public Assemblies in, 1 Sam. 7.5. Judge. 10.15. as being in the heart of the Land,) excepting only the Benjamites, who (it seems) refused to come to this meeting, or to send any Messengers to them, resolving to defend the men of Gibeah against them. The Israelites came together to act this weighty business as in God's presence, and to ask Counsel of Him, and to hear what He would give them in charge about it. No less then four hundred thousand men now met, who expressed their Zeal to punish this abominable Fact of the men of Gibeah. But though they were sensible of the injury done to the Levite and his Concubine, yet it seems they took no notice of the great and provoking Injury done to God, by tolerating the Idolatry of the Danites, for which we shall see that God now intends to reckon with them. This great Assembly being thus met, the Levite came and declared his Case to them; He shows them how barbarously the men of Gibeah had used his Concubine, and how they had abused her, even till they had killed her; and they thought to have done the like to him also, which rather than he would have endured, he would have lost his life. And therefore seeing they were all Israelites they ought to take to heart that such and so foul an Abominaiion was committed in Israel, and ought to revenge it accordingly. The people were so inflamed hereat, that they vowed they would not so much as go home to their own houses, till they had executed Judgment upon those that were guilty of so abominable a Villany. Then they sent Messengers to the Tribe of Benjamin, to desire them to deliver up these Sons of Belial in Gibeah to deserved punishment, who were guilty of this Crime, that so wrath might not be poured forth upon the whole Land for it; and herehy they would prevent a Civil War, and great blood-shed, which else was like to ensue. The Benjamites (it seems) thinking it a dishonor to them that the other Tribes should intermeddle with punishing any within their Territories, and being highly conceited of their own strength and ability for Martial Affairs, and presuming possibly that they were able to make good their part against all the other Tribes of Israel, they would not hearken to their Brethren, but prepared to fight it out. The Israelites perceiving that the Benjamites would not deliver the Malefactors into their hands, but were resolved rather to defend them, they vowed that if they vanquished the Benjamites [as they doubted not but they should] they would not give any of their Daughters in marriage to any of them that were left alive, [see Ch. 21.1.] and likewise that they would destroy every Town throughout the whole Land of Israel, that would not send some of their people to this Assembly, nor help them in this War, Ch. 21.5. Then they determined to cast lots who among them should go up to fight against Gibeah, and who should go forth to fetch in Provisions for the Camp; For they thought that one in ten had need be set apart for this Service, and who they should be, the lot should decide. Then they went to Shiloh to inquire of the Lord by the High Priest (having on the Ephod, Numb. 27.21.) which of them should go up first to the battle against the Children of Benjamin. They did not inquire of the Lord, Whither they should go up against the Benjamites, or whither they should prevail; They did not pray to God for his help, nor by Fasting and Humiliation, and true Repentance humble themselves for their manifold Sins, nor by offering up Sacrifices of atonement seek to make their peace with God; but relying on the justness of their Cause, and their great Numbers, and strength like men, presuming of the Victory, to prevent variance among themselves, and striving for the honor of the day. They desire only to know which of the Tribes should go up first against Benjamin. They concluded that having eleven Tribes against one, and four hundred thousand fighting men on their side they must needs prevail. The Lord tells them, Judah shall go up first. The Children of Benjamin also on the other hand prepared themselves for the Encounter, and numbering their Forces, they found they were twenty six thousand fighting men, besides the Inhabitants of Gibeah, which were seven hundred chosen men; and in this their Army they had seven hundred choice men, left-handed, everyone of them could sling a stone at an hairs breadth, and not miss. Matters being thus ordered on both sides, the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the Benjamites drew out their Forces out of Gibeah against them; and they joining battle, the Benjamites prevailed, and cut down to the ground, and destroyed twenty two thousand of the Israelites that day. The Israelites upon this ill success retired to Shiloh, and wept before the Lord, but it seems it was more for the shame of the defeat, and their loss of men, than for their sins. They inquire of the Lord again whither they shall go up a second time against Benjamin their Brother; but neither crave his Assistance, nor inquire of the Success; whereby they intimate that they supposed the cause of their ill Success before was because God was not pleased with their warring against their Brethren; but they think not of their sins, the true cause, and therefore God answers them accordingly. Go up (says He) against Him; as if He should have said, though Benjamin be your Brother, yet you may fight against him. So the Children of Israel encouraged themselves, and went up against the Children of Benjamin the next day. The Benjamites drew out again out of Gibeah, and defeated the Israelites a second time, and slew eighteen thousand more of them. Upon this second overthrow, the Israelites run to Shiloh again, and there fast, and mourn, and repent of their sins in good earnest. Now they perceived that though God liked their Cause, yet he was displeased with their persons. They saw that God did avenge his Own Cause upon them, because they would not avenge his Cause against Idolaters. Therefore they now afflict their Souls in a most solemn manner, and offer Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings to make atonement for their Sins, that so they might obtain God's favor. They now inquire again of the Lord by Phineas the High Priest, and by Urim and Thummim, whither they should go up anymore against the Benjamites. The Lord bids them go up, for tomorrow he would deliver the Benjamites into their hands. The Israelites having this Promise from God, undoubtedly were much encouraged thereby; however they resolved not to neglect any good means to obtain the Victory, but by Policy and Military Stratagems to get all advantage they could of their Enemies. Accordingly they divided their Army into three parts, the one was laid in Ambush in the Meadows of Gibeah, verse. 33. the second was sent against Gibeah with Orders that they should presently fly before the Benjamites, that so they might draw them far off from the City, verse. 30, 31. and the third (which was the main body) was to stay at Baal-tamar, and to renew the battle when the Benjamites came thither, in pursuit of the Israelites that fled before them. Things being thus ordered, that part of the Army that was to make the first On-set upon the Benjamites (and then presently to fly and give back) marched up against the City, and accordingly flying when the Benjamites came out against them, the Benjamites eagerly pursued them, and killed about thirty men, and thought they should have cut them down as they did before. But being drawn a good way off from the City, the Ambush arose (being ten thousand men ) and suddenly took the City, and set it on fire, which when they had done, they put themselves between the City and the Army of the Benjamites to hinder their retreat. The Benjamites that pursued the Israelites little thought of this, or that evil was so near them. For on a sudden the flying Israelites turned head, and with the main body of the Army that stayed at Baal-tamar renewed the battle with great Courage and Violence. The Benjamites looking back, saw the smoke of the City ascending, at which being much terrified, they fled before the Israelites, who destroyed eighteen thousand of them in the chase, those that came out of the Cities to assist the Israelites hemming them in on every side, verse. 42. and verse. 44. and five thousand more of them they killed in the Highways as they found them in the pursuit scattered here and there, verse. 45. and two thousand more they slew at Gidom, verse. 45. and the odd hundred, which is not expressed in particulars, was slain [as it seems] some in one place and some in another; so that of the Benjamites there fell that day twenty five thousand and one hundred, six hundred of them only escaping, who fled to Rimmon, a City built on a Rock betwixt Gibeah and Bethel, and abode there four months. The Israelites not satisfied with the slaughter of the men of Gibeah, and the Benjamites that came to fight in their Defense, they fell upon all other Cities in that Tribe, because they had sent Aids, and had assisted their Brethren in this War, and in their Rage slew Man, Woman, and Child, and even the very Beasts, and setting fire on their Cities, spared no living thing that came in their way, being transported with Fury that the Benjamites had undertaken the Defense of so horrible a Villany, and that they had slain no less then forty thousand of the Israelites in this War. Thus when the Lord had made use of Benjamin to execute his Justice upon Israel for not punishing Idolatry, and for their other sins; He then uses Israel to punish Benjamin for not delivering the men of Gibeah up to justice.

Judge. 20. whole Chapter.

SECT. CXXXII.

THe Israelites having thus destroyed all the Men, Women, and Children of Benjamin, excepting only those six hundred that fled to Rimmon, they now began to consider into what a strait they had brought themselves. For having slain all the Women of Benjamin, and having made a Vow that none of them should give their Daughters in marriage to the Men of that Tribe, either those six hundred men must take themselves Wives from the Heathens, which was unlawful, (and the holy Seed would be thereby polluted) or else a Tribe must perish from Israel (and so their Body Politick, which God had formed, would be dismembered, ) or themselves must break an Oath which they had solemnly taken in the presence of God. Being exceedingly perplexed about this matter, they thereupon went with their whole Army to the House of God in Shiloh, there to bewail their Case, and to inquire of the Lord what they should do in these Difficulties. They rose therefore early the next morning and built there an Altar, and offered thereon Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings, because the Altar in the Tabernacle was not sufficient for the Offering up such a vast multitude of Sacrifices as were now brought in by the people after they had prevailed against the Benjamites (see a like thing done 1 Kings 8.64. and the rearing Altars upon such extraordinary Occasions was not unlawful, see Exod. 20.24.)

Then they began to consider what City or Town in all their Tribes had sent none to help them against the Benjamites; For there had been a solemn Oath sworn by them all at Mizpah, before they engaged in this War (and it was taken with a severe Execration against any that should break it) that whatsoever City or Town did not come in to help and assist them in this Quarrel, should be destroyed. Upon inquiry they found that Jabesh-Gilead, on the other side Jordan, had sent none to their assistance. Hereupon they sent twelve thousand valiant men to destroy that City, giving them order that they should destroy all the Men and all the Women thereof that had known man, but the Virgins that were marriageable they should spare, not doubting but of those there would be enough found to make Wives for the six hundred Benjamites. But it seems there were were only four hundred such found in that City. So that there being not Wives enough for them, the Israelites much blamed themselves that they had in their rage destroyed all the Benjamitish-Women, see verse. 22. These four hundred Virgins being brought to Shiloh, the Israelites sent a kind Message to the Benjamites at Rimmon to come to them, who accordingly coming, they gave to four hundred of them these four hundred Virgins to make them Wives, wherein they conceived that they broke not their Oath, because they were not their own Daughters. But these being not enough for the remaining Benjamites, the Israelites much repented their dealing with Benjamin, both that they had in the heat of War slain their Brethren with so great a slaughter, and more especially because they had killed the Women, and knew not how, in regard of their Oath, to furnish those that remained of them with Wives. This made them bewail, that the Lord, for their sins, had made such a Breach among them. They fell therefore into consideration what they should do for these two hundred Benjamites that yet wanted Wives. They said, Those that were escaped of Benjamin must keep the whole Inheritance that was allotted to them; no part of it might be given to any other Tribe, and their portion being so large, and they that were to inherit it so few in number, they ought to be provided of Wives, that the Tribe might continue in being, and that they might people their Inheritance the sooner. They pitch therefore at last upon this way to supply the two hundred remaining Benjamites with Wives. It seems it was a Custom at the Feast of Tabernacles for the young Virgins of Shiloh to dance among themselves at a place nigh the Town. They advise that these two hundred Benjamites should come at that time and hide themselves in the Vineyards thereabouts, and so when the Daughters of Shiloh came forth to dance, then they should suddenly rise up and catch every man one of them, and so carry them away. 'It is strange they should satisfy their Consciences with such a shift as this. For what difference was there between giving their own Daughters to the Benjamites, and appointing them (with their consent ) to go and take them themselves by force? 'It is strange they could satisfy their Consciences to permit the Benjamites in a way of Rape (without the particular consent either of Parties or Parents ) thus to provide themselves Wives. But it was a rash and unlawful Oath they had taken, and therefore could not bind them to that which was evil. How much better had it been to have acknowledged their sin in making this rash Oath, and to have repented of it, and so to have taken the liberty which God gave them to free themselves from it. But men are naturally more inclined to stop the mouth of Conscience with some device of their own, than to see their own folly, or judge themselves for their former Error. However one thing is remarkable in the Israelites, that they permitted not these Benjamites to take anymore than every one one Virgin to wife. Which shows that though Polygamy was practiced by some among them, yet it was not publicly approved in those times. And yet there was more than ordinary cause to have allowed it now to these Benjamites, to increase and multiply their Tribe (reduced to so small a number) and to replenish their Inheritances which were otherwise like to lie wast and destitute of Inhabitants.

Things being thus contrived, the Elders of Israel acquaint the Benjamites with this their Project, and to encourage them in it, they tell them, That if the Parents or Brethren of any of the young Virgins whom they should seize, came to them to complain thereof, they would say to them, Be favorable to these Benjamites for our sakes, that you may free us from that Guilt which otherwise will lie upon us. For we have brought this necessity upon them, by destroying their women, and not reserving a sufficient number for them; and besides, 'tis no breach of your Oath to permit it so to be; For you did not give your Daughters to these Benjamites, but they themselves took them by force. The Benjamites readily agreed hereunto, and accordingly took them Wives answerable to their number of the Virgins that danced at Shiloh, and so returned unto their Inheritance, and repaired their Cities and dwelt in them. Indeed these seem to be strange kind of Matches. For what ground could the men have to believe that they should love their Wives, it not being permitted them to choose the fittest whom they liked, but being necessitated to catch the first they could lay their hands on? Or what ground could they have to believe that they should be beloved by their Wives whom they took by storm and force, and not by a fair Treaty? And the case was much the same on the Womens part. But what ever conditioned Husbands these new Brides met with, yet they had one thing to comfort them, viz. they were all married to rich and great landed-men, seeing the fair, large, and fruitful Inheritance of the Tribe of Benjamin was to be shar'd among six hundred of them, as the sole Survivors, and absolute Heirs of the whole Country.

Ch. 21. whole Chapter.

SECT. CXXXIII.

BY these preceding Disorders we may see how corrupt this new Generation was. For they turned quickly out of the way their Fathers had walked in, and forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. They ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. They went a whoring after other gods, basely and unlawfully joining themselves to Idols, though they had formerly entered into Covenant with God, and therefore should have kept themselves wholly to Him, as a chaste Wife to her own Husband. And the anger of the Lord was hot against them, and he delivered them into the hands of Spoilers that spoiled them of their goods, and he sold them into the hands of their Enemies round about, see Psal. 44.12. And his Hand was sore against them (as he had threatened it should be upon such Provocations, Levite. 26. Deut. 28.) and they were greatly distressed. In these their Distresses they cried unto Him, and humbled themselves before Him; and upon their altering their course, and returning unto Him by Repentance, He also altered his course of proceeding against them, and shown them Mercy. And this was the course they usually held with God, and God with them throughout this whole Book. In the time of their Distresses God sometimes raised them up Judges to avenge them of their Enemies, and to Govern them according to his Laws, endowing them with the Gifts of his Spirit, and fitting them for those great Employments. And though for a time they hearkened to their Judges, yet they soon returned to their former evil ways, and relapsed to Idolatry. God being highly provoked by their breach of Covenant with Him, would not drive out the Nations out of the Land which Joshua left when he died, but suffered them to continue there to prove Israel by them; that is, to try whither they would be drawn away by their Idolatries or no, and suffering these Canaanites greatly to Vex and Oppress them; He thereby proved them whether by these Afflictions they would be brought to repent and turn unto Him. And further He left these Nations in the Land, that the present Generation might be made careful to train up their Children in War and Martial Discipline, that so they might be the better able in due time to perform what God commanded them, in driving out the Canaanites out of the Land. Now the Canaanites that were left in the Land, and not cast out, were these, viz. five Lord's of the Philistines, viz. the Lord's of Ashdod, Gaza, Askelon, Gath, and Ekron; and the Canaanites, Sidonians, and Hivites that dwelt about Libanus, and from Mount Baal-hermon on the East of Libanus, to the entering in of Hamath, a City in the North of Canaan, afterwards called Antiochia. The Children of Israel dwelling thus among the Canaanites, grew extremely corrupt, so that they served their gods and the Idols which they set up, and worshipped in Groves, and made interchangeable Marriages with them. Upon which great Provocations the Lord gave them up into the hands of Chushan-rishathaim King of Mesopotamia. 'It is like he first brake in upon the Tribes that lay on the other side of Jordan, and then encroached upon those within Jordan by degrees. And this was their first Servitude which continued eight years. Then returning unto the Lord, and crying unto Him for Mercy and Forgiveness, He was pleased to raise up for them a Savior and Deliverer; namely, Othniel the Son of Kenaz, Caleb 's Nephew, and Son in law, see Ch. 1.13. so that, to the great Honor of the Children of Judah, the first Judge after Joshua was of their Tribe. Thus that Prophesy was made good, Gen. 49.8. Judah, thou art He whom thy Brethren shall praise, thy Hand shall be in the Neck of thine Enemies; thy Fathers Children shall bow down before thee. Othniel being thus raised up by God to this high Office, The Spirit of the Lord came upon him; that is, he was furnished with those Gifts and Graces that were requisite to make him a wise and valiant General in War, and a prudent Governor in Peace; and the Lord gave Cushan into his hands, so that he prevailed against him, and delivered the Israelites out of their Bondage under Him. And so the Land had rest forty years; Not as if there were forty years of Peace in the Land uninterrupted from this time, but the Land had Rest till forty years were expired from the first Rest wherein it was settled by Joshua before his death. And then Othniel died.

Judge. 2. from 11. to the end.

Ch. 3. from 1. to 12.

SECT. CXXXIV.

AFter the death of Othniel the Israelites again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and He stirred up Eglon, King of Moab, and gave him Courage and Resolution to go against Israel, and he joining with the Ammonites and Amalekites overthrew them, and took Jericho; that is, possessed himself of the Lands and Territories thereabout, where the City of Jericho once stood, and possibly built some great Fortress there, that he might have the Command of the Fords of Jordan, that being the passage over to his own Country. And this second Oppression continued eighteen years. The Israelites then crying unto the Lord for help, he raised up for them Ehud, Son of Gera, of the Tribe of Benjamin (which was but a little before almost wholly destroyed) a man left-handed. By Him the Children of Israel sent a Present to Eglon; which Opportunity he readily embraced, having a design to kill Him; And being stirred up as 'tis probable by the Spirit of God to do it, He accordingly provided himself of a Dagger fit for the purpose; Then going with the Present to Eglon, and humbly presenting it to Him, He with those that brought it take their leave and depart. When they were come as far back as the Quarries by Gilgal, He himself returns again to the King (who was in his Summer-Parlour ) and addressing himself to him, tells him, He had a secret Message to him. The King bids him forbear delivering his Message till his Servants and Attendants were gone out of the Room. They being gone, Ehud tells him, He had a Message from God to him. Eglon hearing this, rose up, (as if he would give some respect to such a Messuage) Ehud then drawing out his Dagger, thrust it into his Belly, and gave him such a deadly blow, that he left him (who had so long oppressed the people of God) wallowing in his own blood and dung. Then shutting the door after him, and locking it (having as 'tis probable a Spring-lock ) he quietly, and with a composed Countenance passed away. The Servants finding the door shut and locked, they concluded that the King covered his feet in his Summer-Chamber; that is, that He had laid himself down to sleep, because when they did so, they used to cast some covering over their feet; as it is said of Ruth, when she went to lie down by Boaz, as he lay sleeping at the end of his heap of Corn, Ruth 3.7. That she uncovered his feet, and laid herself down. So when Saul went into the Cave, where David and his men were, 1 Sam. 24.3. 'tis said, Saul went in to cover his feet, that is, to lie down and sleep there for a while, else how could David cut off the Skirt of his Garment, and not be perceived, if he had not been asleep? The Servants having staid a great while, and finding the King did not open the door, they began to be ashamed they had stayed so long, and not looked after their Master sooner, fearing that some evil had befallen him. Then taking a Key (it being usual in Kings Houses for the Servants to have Keys to their Masters doors) and opening the door, they found their Lord dead. Ehud thus escaping, He came to Mount Ephraim, and there blew a Trumpet, and gathering the Children of Israel together, He tells them what he had done, and that the Lord had delivered the Moabites into their hands. Then bidding them follow him, he went down with them, and took the Fords of Jordan, that neither the Moabites now in Canaan might escape to their own Country, nor those in the Land of Moab pass over Jordan to aid their Brethren in Canaan. Then he fell with his Forces upon the Moabites, and the Israelites slew ten thousand of them at that time, even lusty and stout men. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel, and the Land had rest fourscore years, to wit, after the former rest, and Deliverance procured to them by Othniel.

In the time of those 80 years, the Philistines making some Inroads into the Lands of the Israelites, Shamgar the Son of Anath (who seems to be some Country-man or Farmer of Note) did on a sudden raise the Country thereabouts, and they with their Ox-goads set upon the Philistines, and slew 600 of them. So that He was a Deliverer though not a Judge.

Judge. Ch. 3. from 12. to the end.

SECT. CXXXV.

HEre the History of Ruth (according to the judgment of learned men) falls in, which serves mainly to declare how Ruth being married to Boaz (Son to Salmon, a Prince of the Tribe of Judah, who married Rahab that entertained the Spies at Jericho, ) bore unto him Obed, who was the Grandfather of David, of whom, according to the Flesh, Christ came, Matth. 1.5. As also to show that Christ deriving his Humanity from the Gentiles as well as the Jews (Ruth being a Moabitess) Salvation by Christ belongs not only to the Jews, but to the Gentiles also.

The History of Ruth is in brief this; God at this time (it seems) for the sins of the people of Israel had sent a Famine among them. Upon this Elimelech of Bethlehem-Judah (or Bethlehem-Ephratah, so called to distinguish it from another Bethlehem in Zebulun, Josh. 19.15.) with his wife Naomi, and his two Sons Mahlon and Chilion went over into the Land of Moab to Sojourn there during the Famine. Here Elimelech dies, and after his decease his two Sons married to two Daughters of Moab, whose Names were Orpah and Ruth, and having lived there with them about ten years, both these young men died without Children. Thus Naomi lost both her Husband and her two Sons in this Country; She hearing at last that the Lord had visited his people in mercy, and sent them plenty again, she resolves to return to her own Country. It seems both her Daughters-in-law did intend at first to have gone with her into the Land of Judah, and did both of them accompany her part of the way thither. But she advised them both to return to their own Mothers, for 'twas pity they should leave them, and go with a Mother-in-law into a strange Country. Therefore she said to them, Return back, and the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with your Husbands (my Sons ) that are now dead, and as ye have dealt with me. My prayer to the Lord is, that He would please to provide you good Husbands, with whom ye may live comfortably, and who may be able to defend you from Injuries, and provide things necessary for you, that so your Husbands houses may be places of rest and true content unto you. Then she kissed them to take her farewell of them, but they lifted up their Voice and wept, and said, They would not leave her, but would go along with her to her people. Naomi pressed them again to return. Alas! (says she) there are no more Sons in my Womb that according to the Law [ Deut. 25.5, 6] might make you Husbands. There is no expectation of any such thing from me, who am old. Besides if it should be supposed that I should be married to an Husband this night, and should have Sons by him, surely you would not stay for them, till they were of age fit to make you Husbands. Therefore return to your own Friends; For though the Hand of God is gone out against me, and is heavy upon me, and He hath brought me low; yet it grieves me not so much for myself as for you, that I am not able to yield you any comfort or support at all. Then they lift up their Voice and wept again, being much affected with these tender Speeches of Hers to them. However Orpah (thinking it best for her to return) kissed her Mother-in-law, and took a final Farewell of her, but Ruth clave to her, and told Her, She would not forsake her. Naomi told her, She saw her Sister was gone back to her people, and the Country where the gods of the Moabites were worshipped; Go thou therefore (says she) after her. Ruth desired her not to press her to leave her, For (says she) whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. Where thou diest I will die, and where thou art buried there will I be buried also. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. Naomi perceiving her stedfastness, left off pressing her further, and so they went on till they came to Bethlehem. When they came thither, the Inhabitants of that Town were amazed to see her, who had lived in so good fashion among them, and went out with her Husband and two Sons, return now in so poor a Condition with only a young Widow hanging on her. And they asked with some admiration, Is this Naomi? She answered, Call me not Naomi (which signifies Pleasant ) but Mara (which signifies Bitter ) for the Lord hath brought many bitter Sorrows and Afflictions upon me. I went out full, but the Lord hath brought me home empty. The Lord hath testified his Displeasure against me, and convinced me of my Sins, by laying these sharp Afflictions on me, Ruth 1.

'Twas about the beginning of Barley-Harvest, in the Month Nisan (answering to part of our March, and part of our April ) when they came to Bethlehem, and there lived (as it seems) in a very poor Condition. Ruth told her Mother-in-law, She had a mind to go out and Glean, if she could find a man's Field, who would so much favor her as to give her leave. And herein she expressed her humility and modesty, that she would not make use of the liberty allowed by the Law, [ Levite. 19.9.] without the leave and consent of the Owner. Her Mother bids her go. She accordingly went, and it happened that she lighted upon a Field that belonged to Boaz, a rich Kinsman of Elimelech 's, and making suit to the Overseer of the Reapers that she might have leave to glean after them; she obtained her desire. Boaz coming to see his Reapers, said to them, The Lord bless and prosper you and your labor; They answered, The Lord multiply his blessings on thee. Boaz asked his Bailiff, Who that Damsel was who was there gleaning? He told him, She was the Moabitess, that came back with Naomi out of Moab, to whom he had given leave to glean, and she had followed her gleaning hard from morning to that time, only now in the heat of the day she had rested herself in the House or Hovel, where the Reapers did eat their meat. Boaz hereupon spake kindly to her, and bad her not go to any other Field but His to glean in, and to abide fast by his Maidens, that followed the Reapers, and gathered up the Corn. He tells her, He had charged his men that they should not hinder her, nor do her any wrong. And (says he) when thou art athirst, go and drink of the Vessels of water that my Servants have brought for themselves. Ruth hereupon bowed herself, and fell on her face to the ground before him, and said, What an extraordinary thing is this, that I being a Stranger should find so much favor from thee? Boaz told her, He understood how faithful and affectionate she had been to her Mother-in-law, and how piously she had demeaned herself towards her in her old age, and how she had left her Father and Mother, and the Land of her Nativity, to come to a people whom she knew not. Now therefore (says he) the Lord Recompence thy work and labor of Love, and let the God of Israel bountifully Reward thee (of his free Grace) under whose Wings thou art come to trust, and to commit thyself to his Providence and Care, having left thy own Country, and joined thyself to the Church and people of God. She Replies, Though I be unworthy of the kindness thou hast already shown me, yet seeing thou art pleased of thy mere goodness to vouchsafe it to me, I pray thee continue thy favor still to me, though I be meaner than one of thy Hand-Maids. Boaz bids her at meal-times to come to that Tent or Hovel where his Reapers did eat, and to partake of their Food and Provisions, and to dip her Morsel in the sauce made with Vinegar, wherewith (in those hot Countries) they were much refreshed. Or possibly he intends she should freely eat of the morsels of meat that were provided, and dip them in Vinegar, as others did. She accordingly came, and sat by the Reapers, but did not boldly thrust herself in among them, but sat down somewhere besides them to receive what they would give her. Boaz