THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE SERIES. THE OLD TESTi\MENT. THE BOOK OF JUDGES ' WITH MAPS, NOTES, A1VD INTRODUCTION. BY THE REV. F. MARSHALL, M.,A.. (Late Exhibi.tioner of St. John's College, Cambri<lue)°, R1Jctor of 11Iileham, fori1,erl!J Vice-Prin~ipal of the Training College, Car1w,rthc11, aml lately Hearl Master of ,1/monclbttry Gmmma1· Sclwol. ~0-U~O-H GEORGE GILL & SONS, [ i., 13, WARWICK LANE, E.C. L,,._ zp ap 1' )'V, LDE'R-N ESS ENGLISH MILES o Ksdesh-oarne. L____ ~..::.::__:___ _________ '"' ~ ~·, PALESTINffi, TO ILLUSTRA'l'B THE BooK OF JUDGES. PREFACE. THE Book of Judges is one of a series of manuals on the books of the Old Testament which are primarily intended for the use of . Students preparing for the Local Examinations of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The Introduction treats fully of the several subjects with which the Student should be acquainted, comprising full Geographical and Biographical Notes, and other important details, which are clearly set forth in the Table of Contents. A continuous narrative of the events recorded in the Book will be found included. The chief alterations of the Revised Version are pointed out in fo~tnotes, the Student being referred to the Revised Version. In the Appendix will be found (1) a Commentary upon the most important differences between the Authorized and Revised Versions, the alterations being pointed out and explanations given of the reasons for the changes; (2) an Explanation of words and phrases, thus avoiding constant reference to the text and notes. The general arrangement of the series will, it is believed, be found helpful to Teachers and Students. Each manual is illustrated with the necessary )laps. Each vo.Iume is compiete in. itself, requiring from the Student no reference to Atlas, Biblical Dictionary, or other aids, Works of Reference useful for Students, and referred to in this Work, Smith's Dictionary of the Bible. The Land aud the Book (Thompson). The Holy Bible with notes (Bishop Sinai and Palestine (Stanley). Wordsworth). Lectures on the Jewish Church The Speaker's Commentary. (Stanley). The Old Testament Commentary for Kiel's Commentary. Rnglish Readers (Ellicott). Pearson on the Creed (Art ii.). Israel in °'1naan (Dr. Edersheim). Undesigneil Coincidences (Blunt). Early History of the Hebrews Heroes of Hebrew History ('Vill,er- (Sayce). force). Bible Illustrations (Kitto). History of Is1·ael (Ewald). .i'dileham. F. III. CONTENTS. Introduction­ PAGE TITLE •• V SCOPE OF THE BOO!( V UNITY OF THE Bomr vii DATE .• vii AUTHOR viii THE GOVERNMENT ix A CONTINUOUS NARRATIVE­ THE INTRODUCTION xii THE JUDGES AND 0PPR1"SSIONS xiv THE APPENDIX xxxiii TABLE OF THE JUDGES xxxvi CHARACTERS OF THE JUDGES xxxviii GODS OF THE HEATHEN xliii ANGELS xliv HEBREW POETRY xliv BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES xiv THE LAND liii THE SEVEN NATIONS OF PALESTINE !vii OTHER NATIONS AND TRIBES !ix THE TERRITORIES OF THE TWELVE TRIBES !xiii UNCONQUERED TERRITORY Ixix GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES lxx CHRONOLOGY •• lxxxix ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK xcii Text and Notes .. 1-83 COMMENTS ON THE REVISED VERSION 84 WORDS AND PHRASES ExPLAUIED 94 UNDESIGNED. COINCIDENCES 101 INCIDENTS ILLL'STRATED BY ANCIENT HISTORY 102 ALLUSI0'!-18 103 EXCURSUS I. (xvnr. 30-31) 105 EXCURSUS 11. (SITUATION OF HAROSHETII} 106 Maps- PALESTINE, TO ILLUSTRA~'E THE BooK OF JCDGES •• ii 1\IAP TO 1;LLUSTRATE OPPRESSIONS BY MOAB, CANAANI\Es, AAIMONITES, PHILISTINES XXXV l\IAP TO lLT,USTRATE OPPRESSION BY l\fIDIAN •• xxxvii p ALESTINE, PHYSIOAL Iii THE NATIONS OF CANAAN •• lvi PALESTINE ACCORDING ·ro TurnEs !xiv TITLE. The Book of Judges, so called because the main porticn of the book relates the history of Israel under the rule of Judg2s. Appropriateness of the Title. Though the book does not record the acts of Eli, of Samuel, and of the two sons of Samuel, all of whom acted as civil judges, yet it records the acts of the extraordinary Judg_es as distinct from Moses and Joshua who preceded them, and from Eh and Samuel who succeeded them. · The Books of Samuel treat of the establishment of the rule of Kings and Prophets in Israel, and thus the history of the Judges ends appropriately with the death of Samson. The rule of Eli is coincident with the time of Samson. SCOPE OF THE BOOK. A record of the Theocracy in the days of the Judges. It_consists of three great portions, viz.:- 1. Introduction (i. 1-iii. 7), describing the condition of the Israelites after the death of Joshua under two headings:- (1) The relations between Israel and the nations of Canaan (Chap. i.). (2) The apostasy of Israel (ii.-iii. 7). II. The Main Portion of the Book (iii. 8-xvi. 31), containing the history of the Judges. Ill, An Appendix (xvii.-xxi ), containing (1) The history of 1\Iicah and the Danite raid on Laish (xvii.­ xviii.). (2) The civil war with Benjamin (xix.-xxi.). It is most probable that the main natrative was written first, and then that the preface and appendix wore· added; the preface as explanatory of the political position and accounting for the strength of the heathen nations and the weakness of Israel ; the appendix as illustrative of the religious and moral state of the people. THR INTRODUCTION gives : First. A general survey of how the several tribes attempted to gain their respective possessions (for particulars see p. xii.-xiii.), The Book of Judges is placed in the Jewish Canon among a series of books Which bear the namo of" The Earlier Prophets." These books arc Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel and the Books of Kings. The name was given 11ot because their authors were prophets, nor because the narratives are largely connected with the doings of the prophets, but rather because the contents are prophetic . They do not give the history of the nation as a record of events, as n sketch of its politics, but present the history of Israel from~ prophet's point of view. In fact they are the history uf the Kingdom of God in Israel. Thus the prophetical character of the Book of Judges consists in its being a record of the Theocracy in the days of the Judges. (See also I'· x.) Vi. THE BOOK OF JUDGES. and how instead of thoroughly driving out the Canaanites they were content to allow them to remain in the land as tributaries. In many cases the heathen nations successfully resisted the invaders and even drove them back (Chap. i). Secondly. The conduct of Israel is reproved by an angel of the Lord (ii. 1-5). Thirdly. A description in general terms of the attitude of Israel towards Jehovah and that of Jehovah towards Israel, during the times of the Judges. This period may generally be described as an unvarying round following in exact order. 1st. Idolatry of Israel. 2nd. Humiliation of the nation through hostile oppression. 3rd. Repentance of the people, and the raising up of a deliverer who freed them from the oppression, 4th. A period of rest, followed by relapse into idolatry. THE :MAIN PoRTIO:K OF THE BOOK (iii. 7-xvi. 31) resumes the history of Israel from the death of Joshua and Eleazar, and concludes with the death of Samson, This section gives the history of the Judges. The exploits of si.r Judges are recorded at length ; the remaining Judges are very briefly alluded to. The usurpation of Abimelech is given at length, as being the first effort in the direction of the establishment of an hereditary monarchy. THIS MAIN P0R'.l'IOK can be divided into six subsections, viz.: 1. The oppression under Chushan-rishathaim and the deliverance by OLhniel (iii. 5-11). 2. The oppressinn under Eglon, and the de!h·erance by Ehud (iii. 12-30). A short mention of the heroic exploit of Sharngar (iii. 31). 3. The oppression under Jabin and the delirnrance by Deborah and Barak (iv.-v.). 4. The oppression under the Midianites, and the deliverance by Gideon (viii.). The usurpation by Abimolech (ix.). Short notices of the Judges, Tola and Jair (x. 1-5). 5. The oppression under tho Ammonites, and the deliverance by Jephthah (x. 6-xii. 7). Short notices of the Judges, Ibzan, Elon and Abdon (xii. 8-15). 6. The oppression under the Philistines; the exploits of Samson (xiii.-xvi.). APPENDIX, PART I. The story of Micah's idoLttry; the history_ of Jonathan, grandson of Moses; the conquest of Laish by the Damtes (xvii.-xviii.). The object of this section is to illustrate the decline of religion and the foundation of religious worship at places other than at the tabernacle. Here we obtain an insight into the manner in which religious unity was abandoned. DATE. vii. APPENDIX II. The story of the outrage at Gibeah; tho civil war 11gainst Benjamin; the almost total extermination of that tribe, and the means adopted to save it from extinction (xix.-xxi.). This section illustrates the moral degeneration of the nation, and the social"anarchy. NoTE.-Both these sections are clearly anterior in time to the main portion of the book, for :- 1. The migration of Dan is accounted for by the obstinate resistance of the Amorites, who forced the tribe of Dan back into the mountains. This migration occurred shortly after the death of Joshua (Josh. xix. 47-48; Judges i. 34). The Levite is Jonathan, the grandson of Moses. 2. The Benjamite war occurred in the lifetime of Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron (xx. 28). UNITY OF THE BOOK. The Book is in three parts, viz. : (1) Introduction; (2) History of the Judges; (3) Appendix in two parts (seep. vi.). But it is the work of one writer or compiler, for:- 1.