Gideon refuseth to govern the Israelites. CHA P. VIII. Before CHRIST about 1249. His ephod a cause of idolatry. were they whom ye slew at Tabor? | my son rule over you: the LORD And they answered, As thou art, so shall rule over you. were they; each one resembled the cording to the children of a king. + Heb. ac form, &c. [ Or, ornaments 19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you. 20 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth. 21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the || ornaments that were on their camels' like the moon. necks. 19. if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.] As they were not Canaanites, he was not obliged to kill them; but, as they had slain his brethren in cool blood, he was by law the avenger of their blood. Poole. as the man is, so is his strength.] They thought it more honourable to die by the hand of Gideon, who was a man of as great strength as dignity; and would sooner despatch them than a stripling could do. Bp. 21. - Patrick. - ornaments &c.] The Hebrew word used here is found no where else but at ver. 26, and in Isa. iii. 18: our margin translates, "ornaments like the moon," as it was an ancient custom to wear ornaments of this figure. Bp. Patrick. These were probably chains, like those which Bp. Pococke saw in Egypt, hanging from the bridles of the agas of the seven military bodies of that country to the breastplates of the animals on which they rode, in the grand procession of the caravan, about setting out for Mecca. They were undoubtedly marks of distinction and grandeur. Harmer. 24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. Before CHRIST about 1249. 26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and || col- Or, sweet lars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks. 27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house. 28 Thus was Midian subdued jewels. king, and accounted this an attempt to alter his government. Bp. Patrick. 23. And Gideon said-I will not rule over you,] There is no greater example of modesty than Gideon. When the angel spake to him, he abased himself before all Israel: when the Ephraimites contended with him, he preferred their gleanings to his vintage, and cast his honour at their feet and now, when Israel proffered him that crown which he had merited, he refused it. He that in overcoming would allow them to cry, "The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon," chap. vii. 18; in governing will have nothing but "the sword of the Lord." Bp. Hall. 24.because they were Ishmaelites.] The Chaldee Paraphrase says, Because they were Arabians: called "children of the East," chap. vi. 3, it being the general custom of all those people to wear earrings. Bp. Patrick. 26. a thousand and seven hundred shekels] In the same manner Hannibal, after the battle of Cannæ, measured the gold rings of the Roman knights by bushels. Dr. Wall. They were golden ornaments, perhaps crescents, consecrated to the moon, which was worshipped in that purple raiment] Purple seems anciently to have neighbourhood before Abraham's days. These crescents been appropriated to kings, and to those on whom are still in use among the Arabs, and even among the kings bestowed it. It is here mentioned by the sacred Mahometans in general, however scrupulous about historian, as being found on the Midianitish kings. images; being evidently a remnant of that ancient pa-"A garment of fine linen and purple" is given to a gan superstition of the worship of the heavenly bodies, which too often infected the extraneous posterity of the faithful Abraham, and even the Israelites themselves. Dr. Hales. 22.—for thou hast delivered us &c.] They pretended to make this offer out of gratitude to him; but, in truth, they were disposed now (as their posterity were afterwards) to throw off the Divine government, being desirous to set a king over themselves, like the rest of the nations round about them: Gideon absolutely rejected their offer, because he considered God as their favourite by king Ahasuerus, Esther viii. 15. The Jews made a decree that Simon should wear purple and gold, and that none of the people should wear it without his permission. Burder. 27. And Gideon made an ephod &c.] Gideon had no other view, in asking these gold earrings and jewels of the soldiery, but to furnish out a costly and magnificent trophy or ensign, as a monument of this signal victory wrought by his hands. He accordingly made it in the form of an ephod, or long robe, to be hung up, and displayed like a military standard; and suspended it in before the children of Israel, so that about 1249. they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon. 29 ¶ And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. 30 And Gideon had threescore Abimelech made king. king. 7 Jotham by a parable rebuketh ND Abimelech the son of Je + Heb. going and ten sons + of his body begotten: A rubbaal went to Shechem unto out of his thigh. + Heb. set. for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he + called Abimelech. his mother's brethren, and communed Before CHRIST about 1209. What is 32 ¶ And Gideon the son of Joashing, died in a good old age, and was bu- 2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears about 1209. ried in the sepulchre of Joash his of all the men of Shechem, † Whe- Heb. father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites. ther is better for you, either that all good? whe33 And it came to pass, as soon the sons of Jerubbaal, which are ther, &c. as Gideon was dead, that the children threescore and ten persons, reign over of Israel turned again, and went a you, or that one reign over you? whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-remember also that I am your bone berith their god. and your flesh. 34 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side : 35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel. CHAP. IX. 3 And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abime- + Heb. after. lech; for they said, He is our brother. 4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him. 5 And he went unto his father's 1 Abimelech by conspiracy with the Shechem-house at Ophrah, and slew his bre- his own house, or in some large and spacious place built on purpose for it, in the town where he lived. But, whether Gideon himself meant any ill by it or not, the Israelites afterwards made a vile and superstitious use of it, paying regards to it as to a sacred thing, consulting it in a religious way, as they used to do the holy ephod in the tabernacle; in derogation to the true worship and honour of God. So that the successors of Gideon's family, taking no care to abolish this impious abuse, soon fell to decay, and his name became as it were extinct. Pyle. He intended the ephod merely as a monument of victory, but in aftertimes it came to be perverted to a bad use, gave occasion to a fresh apostasy, and proved the ruin of Gideon's family. Stackhouse. 29. And Jerubbaal] Jerubbaal being another name for Gideon, chap. vii. 1. 31.whose name he called Abimelech.] His name is here set down, when nothing is said of the names of the rest, because the story of the following chapter depends upon it. Bp. Patrick. 33.- Baal-berith] A new god, not known to them before, and mentioned only here and in the next chapter; reputed, as some think, the god that punished those who broke their covenants and contracts; or so called, as others think, because his servants covenanted to maintain his worship and service. Bp. Patrick. 34.-remembered not the Lord their God,] It is a sore aggravation of sin, when it is committed after great mercies and deliverances vouchsafed to us; because it is an argument of great ingratitude. Thus we find it here recorded as a heavy charge upon the people of Israel, that they "remembered not the Lord their God,' ""neither shewed kindness," ver. 35, to Jerubbaal, who had been their deliverer. Abp. Tillotson. Chap. IX. ver. 2. I am your bone and your flesh.] Meaning, your fellow-citizen, and belonging to the same tribe. Bp. Patrick. 4. - vain and light persons,] The Hebrew word, which we translate vain, signifies empty; that is, poor and needy persons: and that translated light, signifies idle vagabond fellows, of loose lives, who could settle to no business. Bp. Patrick. 5.- and slew his brethren] There was never such a pattern of unthankfulness, as these Israelites: they, who lately, chap. viii. 22, thought a kingdom too small a recompense of Gideon and his sons, now think it too much for his seed to live; and take life away from the sons of him, who gave them both life and liberty. If this had been done some long time afterwards, when the memory of Gideon was worn out, it might have borne a better excuse; but, ere their deliverer was cold in his coffin, to pay his benefits with the extirpation of oak of the pillar. See Josh. 24. 26. || Or, go up and down for other trees. 7 ¶ And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. 8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. 9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and || go to be promoted over the trees? 10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. his posterity was more than savage. What can be looked for from idolaters? If a man has cast off his God, he will easily cast off his friends. When religion is once gone, humanity will not stay long after. Bp. Hall. •upon one stone:] This stone some will have to be an altar, which Abimelech dedicated to the idol Berith, and erected in the same place where his father Gideon had destroyed his altar before: and so they account, that this slaughter of his sons was designed for an expiatory sacrifice of their father's pretended crime, in demolishing the altar and grove dedicated to that idol. Stackhouse, Bp. Patrick. 6.- all the house of Millo,] The word Millo, it is probably thought, is derived from a Hebrew word which signifies, "to be full or filled." Many learned persons consider it to denote in the sacred writings a large capacious place, which was designed for publick meetings. Accordingly, in this place, by "all the house of Millo," are meant all the principal inhabitants who were wont to assemble in the publick_townhouse; and who on this occasion consented to the setting up of Abimelech as king. Dr. Wells. See note on 2 Sam. v. 9. by the plain of the pillar] Our margin translates, "by the oak of the pillar," which refers us to the stone set up by Joshua, under the oak in Shechem. Jos. Mede. See the note on Gen. xii. 6. 7.- the top of mount Gerizim,] Which overlooked the city of Shechem. Deut. xxvii. 12, 13. Bp. Patrick. 8. The trees went forth &c.] It hence appears, that such fictions as these, wherein the most serious truths are represented, were in use among the Jews in ancient times, as they are still in Eastern countries. They seem to have made choice of them for two reasons; 1st, Because men would suffer themselves to be reproved in this manner, when they would not endure plain words: 2nd, Because they heard these fictions with delight and of the trees. Before CHRIST 11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and about 1209. my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? 12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. 13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be moted over the trees? pro 14 Then said all the trees unto the | bramble, Come thou, and reign || Or, thistle. over us. 15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. 16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; 17 (For my father fought for you, pleasure, and more easily remembered them than a rational discourse. Bp. Patrick. 13. — wine, which cheereth God and man,] A poetical expression, denoting the common custom of the world, of offering up and drinking wine to the honour of their gods. Pyle. The words in the original may be rendered in the plural, "gods and men;" according to which we must suppose, that Jotham speaks of "gods" because he was addressing himself to the idolatrous Shechemites, and adapted his discourse to their notions. Dr. Waterland. Again, the words Elohim and anasim, translated God and man, may mean only "kings, and men of inferiour quality," "high and low." Dr. Wall. "Prince and peasant.' Script. illust. 14. the bramble,] The meanest of all trees, good for nothing but to be burnt; aptly representing Abimelech, from whom they could receive no benefit, but much trouble and vexation. 15.—put your trust in my shadow:] By this is admirably represented how ridiculous Abimelech was, in imagining that he should be able to maintain the authority of a king; for a bramble does not spread itself out, so as to afford any shadow or shelter. Bp. Patrick. and devour the cedars &c.] By which is represented the vengeance which Abimelech would take of the greatest of them, if they proved unfaithful to him. Bp. Patrick. The preceding fable of the trees choosing a king, is the oldest and most beautiful extant. Jotham pointedly contrasts, with the mild and unassuming dispositions of his pious and honourable brethren, (represented by the olive tree, the fig tree, and the vine,) the upstart ambition and arrogance of the wicked and turbulent Abimelech, represented by the bramble; inviting his new and nobler subjects, the cedars of Lebanon, to put their trust in his pigmy shadow, which they did not want, and he was unable to afford them; and threatening them imperiously, on their refusal, to send forth a fire from himself, and devour those cedars; The Shechemites conspire with Gaal Before CHRIST and adventured his life about 1209. delivered you out of the Midian : + Heb. cast his life. about 1206. Before CHRIST far, and 25 And the men of Shechem set hand of liers in wait for him in the top of the about 1206. mountains, and they robbed all that 18 And ye are risen up against came along that way by them: and my father's house this day, and it was told Abimelech. have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother ;) 19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. 21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother. 22 ¶ When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, 26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him. 27 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made || merry, and went into the house of || Or, songs. their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; for why should we serve him? 29 And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out. 30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was || kin- || Or, hot. dled. 23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: 24 That the cruelty done to the 31 And he sent messengers unto threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal | Abimelech + privily, saying, Behold, Heb. might come, and their blood be laid Gaal the son of Ebed and his bre- craftily, or, upon Abimelech their brother, which thren be come to Shechem; and, slew them; and upon the men of behold, they fortify the city against strengthened Shechem, which aided him in the thee. kill. killing of his brethren. + Heb. his hands to whereas the fire of the bramble was short and momentary, even to a proverb, Ps. lviii. 9. Dr. Hales. 20. But if not, let fire come out &c.] This is not a prediction, but an execration or curse, as appears from the opposition to the foregoing verse, and from ver. 57, where it is called Jotham's curse. Bp. Patrick. The meaning of the expression, "let fire come out," is, May you prove a mutual destruction to each other. Dr. Wells. 23. 32 Now therefore up by night, to Tormah. own deserts. Dr. S. Clarke. This is an usual form of speech in Scripture, and denotes, not any positive action, but a permission only, or at most a direction from God. Stackhouse. the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech :] How could Abimelech hope for fidelity from them, whom he had made and found traitors to his father's blood? He, that has been unfaithful to one, knows the way to be perfidious, and is only fit to be God sent an evil spirit &c.] God so ordered trusted by him who deserves to be deceived. The things in his providence, that they grew jealous and friendship that is begun in evil cannot stand: wickeddistrustful of each other, and fell into discords and dis-ness, both of its own nature, and through the curse of sensions by which means He intended to punish Abi- God, is ever unsteady; whereas that affection which melech for the cruel murder of his brethren, and the is knit in God is indissoluble. Bp. Hall. men of Shechem for assisting him in the commission of that wickedness. Bp. Patrick. The meaning is, as it is explained in the following words, God permitted Abimelech to be deceived and dealt treacherously with by the men of Shechem, that his cruelty, and the blood which he had shed, might come upon him. It is nothing more than an acknowledgment of the justice and wisdom of Providence, in suffering wicked men to be judicially blinded, that they may fall according to their 26. Gaal the son of Ebed] Gaal was probably a known enemy of Abimelech's, who, hearing that the men of Shechem were on terms of difference with him, came to offer them his service against him. Bp. Patrick. 27.trode the grapes,] In the East they still tread their grapes after the ancient manner. Dr. Chandler, in his Travels, says, "The vintage (near Smyrna) was now begun; the juice of the grapes was expressed for wine: a man with his feet and legs bare was treading He overcometh them, Before CHRIST CHAP. IX. thou and the people that is with thee, about 1206. and lie in wait in the field: + Heb. as thine hand shall find. + Heb. navel. Or, the regarders of times. 33 And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion. 34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. 35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in wait. 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men. 37 And Gaal spake again and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another + company come along by the plain of Meonenim. 38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them. 39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate. 41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem. 42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech. 43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, the fruit in a kind of cistern, with a hole or vent near the bottom, and a vessel beneath to receive the liquor." Burder. 45.-sowed it with salt.] As the last insult of a triumphant and enraged enemy. Salt lands are barren : thus, though the mere sowing a place with salt is not and soweth the city with salt. and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them. 44 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them. 45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt. 46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith. 47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. Before CHRIST about 1206. 48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make Heb. I haste, and do as I have done. 49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women. 50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. 51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower. 52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire. have done. |