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Judges Chapter
Three
Judges 3
Outlines
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 3
This
chapter gives an account of the nations left in Canaan to prove Israel
and who
became a snare unto them
Judges 3:1; and of
the servitude of Israel under the king of Mesopotamia for their sins
from
which they were delivered by Othniel
Judges 3:8; and of
their subjection to the Moabites
from which they were freed by Ehud
who
privately assassinated the king of Moab
and then made his escape
Judges 3:12; and of
the destruction of a large number of Philistines by Shamgar
with an ox goad
Judges 3:31.
Judges 3:1 Now
these are the nations which the Lord left
that He might test
Israel by them
that is
all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan
YLT
1And these [are] the nations
which Jehovah left
to try Israel by them
all who have not known all the wars
of Canaan;
Now these are the nations which the Lord left to prove
Israel by them
.... Which are later mentioned
Judges 3:3
even as many of
Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; those that
Joshua
and the people of Israel under him
had with the Canaanites
when they
first entered the land and subdued it; being then not born
or so young as not
to have knowledge of them
at least not able to bear arms at that time.
Judges 3:2 2 (this was only so
that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war
at
least those who had not formerly known it)
YLT
2(only for the sake of the
generations of the sons of Israel's knowing
to teach them war
only those who
formerly have not known them) –
Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know and
teach them war
.... That is
the following nations were left in the land
that
the young generations of Israel might by their wars and conflicts with them
learn the art of war
and be inured to martial discipline; which
if none had
been left to engage with
they had been ignorant of: besides
their fathers in
Joshua's time
as Jarchi and Kimchi observe
had no need to learn the art of
war
for God fought for them; they did not get possession of the land by their
own arm
and by their sword
but by the power of God in a miraculous way; but
now this was not to be expected
and the Canaanites were left among them to
expel
that they might be trained up in the knowledge of warlike affairs
and
so be also capable of teaching their children the military art; which they
should make use of in obeying the command of God
by driving out the remains of
the Canaanites
and not give themselves up to sloth and indolence; though some
think that the meaning is
that God left these nations among them
that they
might know what war was
and the sad effects of it; and the difference of
fighting with their enemies alone
as other men
and the Lord fighting along
with them
and for them
as he did for their fathers:
at least such as before knew nothing thereof; being either
unborn
or at an age incapable of bearing arms
or learning the art of war.
Judges 3:3 3 namely
five lords of the Philistines
all the Canaanites
the Sidonians
and the
Hivites who dwelt in Mount Lebanon
from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of
Hamath.
YLT
3five princes of the
Philistines
and all the Canaanite
and the Zidonian
and the Hivite inhabiting
mount Lebanon
from mount Baal-Hermon unto the entering in of Hamath;
Namely
five lords of
the Philistines
.... The places they were lords of were Gaza
Ashdod
Ashkelon
Gath
and Ekron; see Joshua 13:3; three
of these
Gaza
Ashkelon
and Ekron
had been taken from them by Judah
since
the death of Joshua
Judges 1:18; but
they soon recovered them again
perhaps by the help of the other two. The
Philistines were a people originally of Egypt
but came from thence and settled
in these parts
and were here as early as in the times of Abraham
and were
very troublesome neighbours to the Israelites in later times; see Genesis 10:14
and all the Canaanites; these were a particular
tribe or nation in the land so called
which inhabited by the sea
and by the
coast of Jordan
Numbers 13:29;
otherwise this is the general name for the seven nations:
and the Sidonians; the inhabitants of the famous city of
Sidon
which had its name from the firstborn of Canaan
Genesis 10:15
and the Hivites that dwelt in Mount Lebanon; on the north
of the land of Canaan:
from Mount Baalhermon; the eastern part of
Lebanon
the same with Baalgad
where Baal was worshipped:
unto the entering in of Hamath; the boundary of the
northern part of the land
which entrance led into the valley between Libanus
and Antilibanus; see Numbers 34:8.
Judges 3:4 4 And they were left
that He might test Israel by them
to know whether they would obey the
commandments of the Lord
which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
YLT
4and they are to prove
Israel by them
to know whether they obey the commands of Jehovah that He
commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
And they were to prove Israel by them
.... They were
left in the land
as to inure them to war
and try their courage
so to prove
their faithfulness to God:
to know whether they would hearken to the commandments
of the
Lord
which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses; even all the
commandments of the Lord delivered to them by Moses
moral
civil
and
ceremonial
and particularly those that concerned the destruction of the
Canaanites
their altars
and their idols
Deuteronomy 7:1.
Judges 3:5 5 Thus the children of
Israel dwelt among the Canaanites
the Hittites
the Amorites
the Perizzites
the Hivites
and the Jebusites.
YLT
5And the sons of Israel have
dwelt in the midst of the Canaanite
the Hittite
and the Amorite
and the
Perizzite
and the Hivite
and the Jebusite
And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites
.... As if
they had been only sojourners with them
and not conquerors of them; and dwelt
by sufferance
and not as proprietors and owners; such were their sloth and
indolence
and such the advantage the inhabitants of the land got over them
through it
and through their compliances with them; and this was the case not
only of one sort of them
the Canaanites
but of the rest:
the Hittites
and Amorites
and Perizzites
and Hivites
and
Jebusites; who all had cities in the several parts of the land
with whom
the children of Israel were mixed
and with whom they were permitted to dwell.
Judges 3:6 6 And they took their
daughters to be their wives
and gave their daughters to their sons; and they
served their gods.
YLT
6and take their daughters to
them for wives
and their daughters have given to their sons
and they serve
their gods;
And they took their daughters to be their wives
and gave their
daughters to their sons
.... The Israelites intermarried with the inhabitants of the land
contrary to the express command of God
Deuteronomy 7:3;
whereby they confounded their families
debased their blood
and were ensnared
into idolatry
as follows: perhaps to these unlawful marriages
in their first
settlement in the land of Canaan
reference is had in Ezekiel 16:3
"thy father was an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite"; an
Amorite marrying a daughter of Israel
and an Israelitish man an Hittite woman:
and served their gods; this was the natural
consequence of their intermarriages
which the Lord foresaw
and therefore
cautioned them against them
Exodus 34:15.
Judges 3:7 7 So the children of Israel
did evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God
and
served the Baals and Asherahs.[a]
YLT
7and the sons of Israel do
the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah
and forget Jehovah their God
and serve
the Baalim and the shrines.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord
.... Both by
marrying with Heathens
and worshipping their gods:
and forgot the Lord their God; as if they had never
heard of him
or known him
their Maker and Preserver
who had done so many
great and good things for them:
and served Baalim
and the groves; of Baalim
see Judges 2:11; the
groves mean either idols worshipped in groves
as Jupiter was worshipped in a
grove of oaks
hence the oak of Dodona; and Apollo in a grove of laurels in
Daphne: there were usually groves where idol temples were built; and so in
Phoenicia
or Canaan
Dido the Sidonian queen built a temple for Juno in the
midst of the city
where was a grove of an agreeable shadeF4"Lucus
in urbe fuit media"
&c. Virgil. Aeneid. l. 1. : so BarthiusF5Animadv.
ad Claudian. de raptu Proserp. l. 1. v. 205. observes
that most of the ancient
gods of the Heathens used to be worshipped in groves. And groves and trees
themselves were worshipped; so Tacitus saysF6De mor. German. c. 9.
Vid. Plin. l. 12. 1. of the Germans
that they consecrated groves and forests
and called them by the names of gods. Groves are here put in the place of Ashtaroth
Judges 2:13;
perhaps the goddesses of that name were worshipped in groves; and if Diana is
meant by Astarte
ServiusF7In Virgil. Georgic. l. 3. col. 295. says
that every oak is sacred to Jupiter and every grove to Diana; and OvidF8"Est
nemus et piceis"
&c. Ep. 12. v. 67. Vid. Metamorph. l. 11. Fab. 9. v.
560. speaks of a temple of Diana in a grove. But as they are joined with
Baalim
the original of which were deified kings and heroes
the groves may be
such as were consecrated to them; for
as the same writer observesF9In
Virgil. Aeneid. l. 1. col. 481. & in l. 3. col. 721.
the souls of heroes
were supposed to have their abode in groves; See Gill on Exodus 34:13 and
See Gill on Deuteronomy 7:5. It
was in this time of defection that the idolatry of Micah
and of the Danites
and the war of Benjamin about the Levite's concubine
happened
though related
at the end of the book; so JosephusF11Antiqu. l. 5. c. 2. & 3.
places the account here.
Judges 3:8 8 Therefore the anger of the
Lord was hot
against Israel
and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of
Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years.
YLT
8And the anger of Jehovah
burneth against Israel
and He selleth them into the hand of Chushan-Rishathaim
king of Aram-Naharaim
and the sons of Israel serve Chushan-Rishathaim eight
years;
Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel
.... Because
of their idolatry; see Judges 2:14
and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim
king of
Mesopotamia; or Aramnaharaim; that is
Syria
between the two rivers
which
were Tigris and Euphrates; hence the Greek name of this place is as here called
Mesopotamia. JosephusF12Antiqu. l. 5. c. 3. sect. 2. calls him king
of Assyria
and gives him the name of Chusarthus; and indeed Chushanrishathaim
seems to be his whole name
though the Targum makes Rishathaim to be an
epithet
and calls him Cushan
the wicked king of Syria; the word is of the
dual number
and signifies two wickednesses; which
according to the mystical
exposition of the JewsF13T. Bab. Sanhedrin
fol. 105. I.
refers to
two wicked things Syria did to Israel
one by Balaam the Syrian
and the other
by this Cushan. Mr. BedfordF14Scripture Chronology
p. 507. thinks
it may be rendered
"Cushan
king of the two wicked kingdoms;'the Assyrian
monarchy being at this time like two kingdoms
Babylon being the metropolis of
the one
and Nineveh of the other; but it is question whether the monarchy was
as yet in being. HillerusF15Onomastic. p. 154
155. makes Cushan to
be an Arab Scenite
from Habakkuk 3:7; and
Rishathaim to denote disquietudes; and it represents him as a man very
turbulent
never quiet and easy
and so it seems he was; for not content with
his kingdom on the other side Euphrates
he passed over that
and came into
Canaan
to subject that to him
and add it to his dominions. Kimchi says that
Rishathaim may be the name of a place
and some conjecture it to be the same
with the Rhisina of PtolemyF16Geograph. l. 5. c. 18. ; but it seems
rather a part of this king's name
who came and fought against Israel
and the
Lord delivered them into his hands:
and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years; became
tributaries to him during that space of time
but when that began is not easy
to say. Bishop UsherF17Annal. Vet. Test. p. 42. places it in A. M.
2591
and before Christ 1413.
Judges 3:9 9 When the children of
Israel cried out to the Lord
the Lord
raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel
who delivered them: Othniel
the son of Kenaz
Caleb’s younger brother.
YLT
9and the sons of Israel cry
unto Jehovah
and Jehovah raiseth a saviour to the sons of Israel
and he
saveth them -- Othniel son of Kenaz
Caleb's younger brother;
And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord
.... Towards
the close of the eight years' bondage
as it may be supposed
groaning under
the oppressive taxes laid upon them
and the bondage they were brought into:
and
the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel; he heard
their cry
and sent them a saviour
whose spirit he stirred up
and whom he
qualified for this service:
who delivered them; out of the hands of the king of
Mesopotamia
and freed them from his oppressions:
even Othniel
the
son of Kenaz
Caleb's younger brother; the same that took
Debir
and married Achsah
the daughter of Caleb
Judges 1:12; who
now very probably was a man in years.
Judges 3:10 10 The Spirit of the Lord came upon him
and he judged Israel. He went out to war
and the Lord delivered
Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed
over Cushan-Rishathaim.
YLT
10and the Spirit of Jehovah
is upon him
and he judgeth Israel
and goeth out to battle
and Jehovah giveth
unto his hand Chushan-Rishathaim king of Aram
and strong is his hand against
Chushan-Rishathaim;
And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him
.... Moved him
to engage in this work of delivering Israel
inspired him with courage
and
filled him with every needful gift
qualifying him for it; the Targum
interprets it the spirit of prophecy; it seems father to be the spirit of
counsel and courage
of strength and fortitude of body and mind:
and he judged Israel; took upon him the office
of a judge over them
and executed it; very probably the first work he set
about was to reprove them for their sins
and convince them of them
and reform
them from their idolatry
and restore among them the pure worship of God; and
this he did first before he took up arms for them:
and he went out to war; raised an army
and went
out at the head of them
to fight with their oppressor:
and the Lord delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into
his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim; gave him the
victory over him and his army
so that he fell into his hands
became his
captive
and perhaps was slain by him.
Judges 3:11 11 So the land had rest for
forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
YLT
11and the land resteth forty
years. And Othniel son of Kenaz dieth
And the land had rest forty years
.... As it should seem
from the time of this deliverance; though
according to Ben Gersom and
Abarbinel
the eight years' servitude are to be included in them; and Bishop
UsherF18Anual. Vet. Test. p. 42. reckons these forty years from the
rest first settled in the land by Joshua; but the former sense seems best:
and Othniel the son of Kenaz died: not at the end of the
forty years; it is not likely he should live so long
but when he died is not certain;
EusebiusF19Evangel. Praepar. l. 1O. c. 14. p. 502. says he judged
Israel fifty years.
Judges 3:12 12 And the children of Israel
again did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord strengthened
Eglon king of Moab against Israel
because they had done evil in the sight of
the Lord.
YLT
12and the sons of Israel add
to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah; and Jehovah strengtheneth Eglon
king of Moab against Israel
because that they have done the evil thing in the
eyes of Jehovah;
And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord
.... Fell into
idolatry again
which was a great evil in the sight of God
and what they were
prone to fall into:
and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel; put it into
his heart to invade them
and encouraged him to it
and gave him success; what
kings reigned over Moab between Balak and this king we know not: it is a
commonly received notion of the Jews
that Ruth was the daughter of Eglon; see 1:4; and it was about this time that Elimelech with his
two sons went into Moab
and when many of those things recorded in the book of
Ruth were transacted:
because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord; which had
greatly provoked him to anger
and was the cause of stirring up the king of
Moab against them.
Judges 3:13 13 Then he gathered to
himself the people of Ammon and Amalek
went and defeated Israel
and took
possession of the City of Palms.
YLT
13and he gathereth unto him
the Bene-Ammon and Amalek
and goeth and smiteth Israel
and they possess the
city of palms;
And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek
.... Either
the Lord gathered them to Eglon
inclined them to enter into a confederacy with
him
to assist in the war against Israel; or the king of Moab got them to join
with him in it
they being his neighbours
and enemies to Israel
and
especially Amalek:
and went and smote Israel; first the two tribes and
a half
which lay on that side Jordan Moab did
whom it is reasonable to
suppose he would attack first; and having defeated them
he came over Jordan:
and possessed the city of the palm trees; Jericho
as
the Targum
which was set with palm trees; see Deuteronomy 34:3;
not the city itself
for that was destroyed by Joshua
and not rebuilt until
the time of Ahab; but the country
about it
or
as Abarbinel thinks
a city
that was near it; here Josephus saysF20Antiqu. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 1.
he had his royal palace; it is probable he built a fort or garrison here
to
secure the fords of Jordan
and his own retreat; as well as to keep up a
communication with his own people
and prevent the tribes of the other side
giving any assistance to their brethren
if able and disposed to do it.
Judges 3:14 14 So the children of Israel
served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.
YLT
14and the sons of Israel
serve Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.
So the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen
years. Ten years longer than they served the king of Mesopotamia
Judges 3:8
as a
severer correction of them for their relapse into idolatry.
Judges 3:15 15 But when the children of
Israel cried out to the Lord
the Lord
raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera
the Benjamite
a
left-handed man. By him the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon king of
Moab.
YLT
15And the sons of Israel cry
unto Jehovah
and Jehovah raiseth to them a saviour
Ehud son of Gera
a
Benjamite (a man -- shut of his right hand)
and the sons of Israel send by his
hand a present to Eglon king of Moab;
But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord
.... After
being long oppressed
and groaning under their burdens
and brought to a sense
of their sins
and humiliation for them
they asked forgiveness of God
and
deliverance from their bondage; for it is very probable they were until towards
the close of those years stupid and hardened
and did not consider what was the
reason of their being thus dealt with:
the Lord raised them up a deliverer; another saviour
one
that he made use of as an instrument of their deliverance:
Ehud the son of Gera
a Benjamite
a man lefthanded; who is
described by his parentage
a son of Gera
but who his father was is not known;
by his tribe a Benjamite
in which Jericho was
Eglon possessed
and so might
be more oppressed than any other part; and therefore the Lord stirred up one of
that tribe to be the deliverer; and by his being a lefthanded man
as several
of that tribe were
Judges 20:16;
though a Benjamite signifies a son of the right hand; and he perhaps was one of
those lefthanded Benjamites that fled to the rock Rimmon
as Dr. LightfootF21Works
vol. 1. p. 46. conjectures
Judges 20:47; for
that affair
though there related
was before this: the Septuagint calls him an
"ambidexter"
one that could use both hands equally alike; but the
Hebrew phrase signifies one that is "shut up in his right hand"F23אטר יד ימינו
"obturatum manu dextera sua"
Montanus; "habens manum dexterum
obturatum"
Munsterus; "erat clausa manu dextera"
Tigurine
version; "clausum manu dextera"
Drusius; "perclusum"
Junius & Tremellius; "praaeclusum"
Piscator. ; who has not the
true use of it
cannot exercise it as his other hand
being weak and impotent
or contracted through disuse
or some disease; or
as JosephusF24Ut
supra
(Antiqu. l. 5. c. 4.) sect. 2. expresses it
who could use his left hand
best
and who also calls him a young man of a courageous mind and strong of
body
and says he dwelt at Jericho
and was very familiar with Eglon
and who
by his gifts and presents had endeared himself to all about the king:
and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the
king of Moab; either their yearly tribute
or rather a gift unto him
to
soften him
and reconcile him to them
and make their bondage easier; or to
give him access to him with more confidence and safety
though it does not seem
that they knew anything of Ehud's design.
Judges 3:16 16 Now Ehud made himself a
dagger (it was double-edged and a cubit in length) and fastened it under his
clothes on his right thigh.
YLT
16and Ehud maketh for himself
a sword
and it hath two mouths (a cubit [is] its length)
and he girdeth it
under his long robe on his right thigh;
But Ehud made him a dagger
which had two edges
of a cubit length
.... A little
sword
as Josephus calls itF25Ibid. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 2.)
with two edges
that it might cut both ways
and do the execution he designed
by it
and was about half a yard long; which he could the more easily conceal
and use for his purpose:
and he did gird it under his raiment; that it might
not be seen
and give occasion of suspicion; this was a military garment
the
"sagum"
as the Vulgate Latin version
which was coarse
and made of
wool
and reached to the ankle
and was buttoned upon the shoulder
and put
over the coatF26Vid. Valtrinum de re militar. Roman. l. 3. c. 13. ;
the Septuagint makes use of a word SuidasF1In voce μανδυας. interprets a coat of
mail:
upon his right thigh; whereas a sword is more
commonly girt upon the left; though some observe
from various writers
that
the eastern people used to gird their swords on their right thigh; or this was
done that it might be the less discernible and suspected
and chiefly as being
most convenient for him
a lefthanded man
to draw it out upon occasion.
Judges 3:17 17 So he brought the tribute
to Eglon king of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)
YLT
17and he bringeth near the
present to Eglon king of Moab
and Eglon [is] a very fat man.
And he brought a present unto Eglon king of Moab
....
Accompanied by two servants
as Josephus saysF2Antiqu. l. 5. c. 4.
sect. 2.
and who doubtless bore the presents; for that there were such with
him that did is clear from Judges 3:18; nor
can it be thought that so great a personage as a judge in Israel should go
alone and carry a present in his own hands; though it is possible
when come to
the king of Moab
he might take it from his servants
and deliver it to him
with his own hands:
and Eglon was a very fat man: and so the less active
and unable to decline and avoid the stroke
he might see
when about to be
given him.
Judges 3:18 18 And when he had finished
presenting the tribute
he sent away the people who had carried the tribute.
YLT
18And it cometh to pass
when
he hath finished to bring near the present
that he sendeth away the people
bearing the present
And when he had made an end to offer the present
.... Had
delivered the several things contained in it
and very probably made a speech
to the king in the name of the people of Israel from whom he brought it:
he sent away the people that bare the present; not the
servants of Eglon that introduced him
as if they assisted in bringing in the
present to the king; for over them he could not have so much power as to
dismiss them at pleasure; but the children of Israel that came along with him
and carried the present for him: these he dismissed
not in the presence of the
king of Moab
but after he had taken his leave of him
and when he had gone on
some way in his return home; and this he did for the greater secrecy of his design
and that he might when he had finished it the more easily escape alone
and be
without any concern for or care of the safety of others.
Judges 3:19 19 But he himself turned back
from the stone images that were at Gilgal
and said
“I have a secret message
for you
O king.”
He said
“Keep silence!” And all who attended him went out from
him.
YLT
19and he himself hath turned
back from the graven images which [are] at Gilgal
and saith
`A secret word I
have unto thee
O king;' and he saith
`Hush!' and go out from him do all those
standing by him.
But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by
Gilgal
....
For so far he accompanied the men that came with him. These
quarries were places where they dug stones and hewed them
according to the Targum
and most Jewish writers; but some render the word "engravings"
and
understand them of inscriptions engraved on pillars here
which remained from
the times of Seth the son of Adam; of which see more on Judges 3:26; but
according to the Vulgate Latin
and other versions
graven images or idols are
meant
which the king of Moab set up here in contempt of the Israelites
it
being a place where the ark remained some time
and circumcision had been
performed
Joshua 5:3; or in
order to draw them into idolatry
those idols perhaps being made of the twelve
stones they had set up there
Joshua 4:20; or
rather in honour of his gods
to invoke their assistance when he first entered
into the land
or by way of gratitude and thankfulness for the subduing of it:
and this it is thought by some stirred up the spirit of Ehud
and caused him to
turn back
resolving to avenge this profaneness:
and said; when he came to the palace of the king of Moab
and into his
presence:
I have a secret errand unto thee
O king; which he had
forgot when with him before
as he might pretend; or something new had occurred
unto him to acquaint him of
and which required privacy:
who said
keep silence; that is
the king of
Moab said so either to Ehud
to be silent until be had sent out his servants
that were about him
that they might not hear the secret; or to a person or
persons that were speaking to him
whom he bid to desist and depart
it being
his pleasure to hear Ehud before them; so Ben Gersom; but the former sense
rather seems best:
and all that stood by him went out from him; his servants
his courtiers that were waiting upon him
or such as were admitted into his
presence
to have audience of him
and deliver their messages
or make their
petitions to him.
Judges 3:20 20 So Ehud came to him (now
he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said
“I have a
message from God for you.” So he arose from his seat.
YLT
20And Ehud hath come unto
him
and he is sitting in the upper chamber of the wall which he hath for
himself
and Ehud saith
`A word of God I have unto thee;' and he riseth from
off the throne;
And Ehud came unto him
.... Somewhat nearer him
than he was before; it seems probable that Eglon retired from the presence chamber
where he received company
into his summer parlour; which was smaller and more
private
and in which he had used to be alone
as follows
and whither Ehud
went in unto him
as he directed him:
and he was sitting in a summer parlour
which he had for himself
alone: into which he was wont to go and sit alone
for the sake of
coolness and refreshment in the hot season of the year
which it seems it now
was; a room this was
in which
as Kimchi and others observe
were many windows
to let in air to cool and refresh; or it was in such a part of the palace that
was cool
and sheltered from the heat of the sun; see Amos 3:15
and Ehud said
I have a message from God unto thee; which was to
kill him; and undoubtedly he was sent of God on this errand to him: whether it
be rendered a "word" or "thing" from God
as it signifies
both
it was true
and no lie; for it was the Lord that spoke to him by an
impulse on his spirit
and the thing was from the Lord he was to do
for
nothing less could have justified him in such an action; and therefore this
instance can be no warrant for the assassination of princes; as Ehud did not
this of himself
but of the Lord
so neither did he do it as a private man
but
as a judge of Israel. JosephusF3Antiqu. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 2. says
he told him that he had a dream at the order of God to declare unto him; but
for this there is no warrant; however it seems pretty plain that his view in
making mention of the name of God
and of Elohim
a name given to false gods as
well as the true
rather than Jehovah
was to strike his mind with awe and
reverence
and cause him to rise from his seat
that he might the better thrust
him with his dagger; and it had the desired effect:
and he arose out of his seat; in reverence of God
from whom he expected to receive a message; this he did
though in his mind a
blind ignorant idolater; in his body fat
corpulent
and unwieldy; and in his
office a king
and a proud and tyrannical man. The above writer says
that
for
joy at the dream he was to hear
he rose from his throne.
Judges 3:21 21 Then Ehud reached with his
left hand
took the dagger from his right thigh
and thrust it into his belly.
YLT
21and Ehud putteth forth his
left hand
and taketh the sword from off his right thigh
and striketh it into
his belly;
And Ehud put forth his left hand
and took the dagger from his
right thigh
.... Being
as before observed
a lefthanded man; Judges 3:15
and
this he could the better do
without being taken notice of by the king
who
if
he saw him move his left hand
would have no suspicion of his going to draw a
dagger with it
and which also was hidden under his raiment
Judges 3:16
and thrust it into his belly; JosephusF4Antiqu.
l. 5. c. 4. sect. 2. says into his heart; it is certain the wound was mortal
and must have been in a part on which
life depended.
Judges 3:22 22 Even the hilt went in
after the blade
and the fat closed over the blade
for he did not draw the
dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out.
YLT
22and the haft also goeth in
after the blade
and the fat shutteth on the blade
that he hath not drawn the
sword out of his belly
and it goeth out at the fundament.
And the haft went in
after the blade
.... The
handle of the dagger
as well as the blade; so strong and violent was the
thrust
he determining to do his business effectually:
and the fat closed upon the blade; being an excessive fat
man
the wound made by the dagger closed up at once upon it
through the fat:
so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; being not
able to take hold of the haft or handle
that having slipped in through the fat
after the blade
so that he was obliged to leave it in him:
and the dirt came out; the margin of our Bibles
is
"it came out at the fundament"; that is
the dagger did
the
thrust being so strong and vehement; but that is not so likely
the dagger
being so short
and Eglon a very fat man. The Targum is
"his food went
out;'which was in his bowels; but as the wound was closed up through fat
and
the dagger stuck fast in it
it could not come out that way: rather therefore
this is to he understood of his excrements
and of their coming out at the
usual place
it being common for persons that die a violent death
and indeed
others
to purge upon it; some
as Kimchi observes
interpret it of the place
where the guards were
the guard room
through which Ehud went out
but that is
expressed in another word in Judges 3:23; the
Syriac and Arabic versions read
"he went out in haste"
that is
Ehud.
Judges 3:23 23 Then Ehud went out through
the porch and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.
YLT
23And Ehud goeth out at the
porch
and shutteth the doors of the upper chamber upon him
and hath bolted
[it];
Then Ehud went forth through the porch
.... Which the
Targum interprets by "exedra"
a place
as Kimchi
where there were
many seats
either for the people to sit in while waiting to have admittance
into the presence of the king
or where the guards sat
and may be called the
guard room; through this Ehud passed with all serenity and composure of mind
imaginable
without the least show of distress and uneasiness in his
countenance
being fully satisfied that what he had done was right
and
according to the will of God:
and shut the doors of the parlour upon him
and locked them; joined the
doors of the parlour
as the Targum
the two folds of the door
shut them close
together upon Eglon within the parlour
and bolted them within
or drew the
bolt on the inside
which he was able to do with a key for that purpose; of
which see more on Judges 3:25; and
which it is probable he took away along with him; this must be understood as
done before he went through the porch
and therefore should be rendered
"when" or "after he had shut the doors"
&c.F5ויסגר "quum occlusisset"
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator. ; wherefore in the Vulgate Latin version this clause is
put first.
Judges 3:24 24 When he had gone out
Eglon’s[b] servants
came to look
and to their surprise
the doors of the upper room were
locked. So they said
“He is probably attending to his needs in the cool
chamber.”
YLT
24and he hath gone out
and
his servants have come in
and look
and lo
the doors of the upper chamber are
bolted
and they say
`He is only covering his feet in the inner chamber of the
wall.'
When he was gone out
his servants came
.... When Ehud
was gone through the porch
and out of the palace
the servants of Eglon
who
had been put out
came to the parlour door to reassume their former place
and
finish their business with the king
or in order to wait upon him as usual:
and when they saw that behold the doors of the parlour were
locked; which they supposed were done by the king himself with inside
having no suspicion of Ehud:
they said
surely
or "perhaps"
as NoldiusF6Ebr.
Concord. part. p. 47. No. 237. renders it:
he covereth his feet in his summer chamber; that is
was
easing nature; and
as the eastern people wore long and loose garments
when
they sat down on such an occasion
their feet were covered with them; or they
purposely gathered them about their feet to cover them
and so this became a
modest expression for this work of nature
see 1 Samuel 24:3;
though some think that in that place
and also in this
is meant lying down to
sleep; and that Eglon's servants supposed that he had laid himself down on his
couch in his summer chamber to take sleep
when it was usual to cover the feet
with long garments
to hide those parts of nature which otherwise might be
exposed; and it must be owned that this seems more agreeable to a summer
parlour than the former
and better accounts for the servants waiting so long
as they did; and JosephusF7Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 2.)
is express for it
that his servants thought he had fallen asleep. Indeed
the
Jews in later times used the phrase in the first senseF8Misn. Yoma
c. 3. sect. 2.
which seems to be taken from hence.
Judges 3:25 25 So they waited till they
were embarrassed
and still he had not opened the doors of the upper room.
Therefore they took the key and opened them. And there was their master
fallen dead on the floor.
YLT
25And they stay till
confounded
and lo
he is not opening the doors of the upper chamber
and they
take the key
and open
and lo
their lord is fallen to the earth -- dead.
And they tarried until they were ashamed
.... And knew
not what to think of it
or what methods to take to be satisfied of the truth
of the matter
and what should be the meaning of the doors being kept locked so
long:
and
behold
he opened not the doors of the parlour; this was what
surprised them
and threw them into this confusion of mind
that they knew not
what course to take for fear of incurring the king's displeasure
and yet
wondered the doors were not opened for so long a time:
therefore they took a key and opened them; this is the
first time we read of a key
which only signifies something to open with; and
the keys of the ancients were different from those of ours; they were somewhat
like a crooked sickleF9 κληιδ'
ευκαμπεα
Homer. Odyss. 21. ver. 6. & Eustathius in ib.
which they
put in through a hole in the door
and with it could draw on or draw back a
bolt
and so could lock or unlock with inside
see Song of Solomon 5:4;
and at this day the keys in the eastern countries are unlike ours. ChardinF11Apud
Calmet's Dictionary
on the word "Key". says
that a lock among the
eastern people is like a little harrow
which enters half way into a wooden
staple
and the key is a wooden handle with points at the end of it
which are
pushed into the staple
and so raise this little harrow:
and
behold
their lord was fallen dead on the earth; lay prostrate
on the floor of the parlour
dead.
Judges 3:26 26 But Ehud had escaped while
they delayed
and passed beyond the stone images and escaped to Seirah.
YLT
26And Ehud escaped during
their tarrying
and hath passed by the images
and is escaped to Seirath.
And Ehud escaped while they tarried
.... While the servants
of the king of Moab tarried waiting for the opening of the doors of the
parlour
this gave him time enough to make his escape
so as to be out of the
reach of pursuers; or else the sense is
that even when they had opened the
doors
and found the king dead
while they were in confusion at it
not knowing
what to ascribe it to
the dagger being enclosed in the wound
and perhaps but
little blood
if any
issued out
being closed up with fat
and so had no
suspicion of his being killed by Ehud; but rather supposing it to be an
accidental fall from his seat
and might call in the physicians to examine him
and use their skill
if there were any hopes of recovery; all which prolonged
time
and facilitated the escape of Ehud:
and passed beyond the quarries
and escaped to Seirath; he got beyond
the quarries
which were by Gilgal
which shows that it could not be at Jericho
where the king of Moab was
as Josephus thinks
but either in his own country
beyond Jordan
though no mention is made of Ehud's crossing Jordan
or however
some place nearer the fords of Jordan; since Gilgal
from whence he returned
and whither he came again after he had killed the king of Moab
lay on that
side of Jericho which was towards Jordan; and this Seirath he escaped to was in
or near the mountain of Ephraim
as appears from Judges 3:27
but
of it we have no account elsewhere; but it is thought by some learned menF12Marsham.
Chronicon
p. 39. Vossius de 70 Interpret. p. 271. to be the place where Seth's
pillars stood
and they to be the engravings here spoken of
which we translate
"quarries": the words of JosephusF13Antiqu. l. 1. c. 2.
sect. 3. are
that the posterity of Seth
who very much studied astronomy
having heard that Adam foretold the destruction of the universe at one time by
fire
and at another by water
erected two pillars
one of stone
and the other
of brick
on which they inscribed their inventions (in astronomy)
that they
might be preserved
and which remain to this day in the land of Siriad; but
this account of Josephus seems to be taken from a fabulous relation of Manetho
the Egyptian
and is abundantly confuted by Dr. StillingfleetF14Origines
Sacrae
l. 1. c. 2. . Jarchi interprets this of Seirath
a thick wood or
forest
the trees of which grew as thick as the hair on a man's head
and so a
proper place to escape to
and hide in: it may be it was the woody part of the
mount Ephraim
see Joshua 17:18.
Judges 3:27 27 And it happened
when he
arrived
that he blew the trumpet in the mountains of Ephraim
and the children
of Israel went down with him from the mountains; and he led them.
YLT 27And it cometh to pass
in
his coming in
that he bloweth with a trumpet in the hill-country of Ephraim
and go down with him do the sons of Israel from the hill-country
and he before
them;
And it came to pass
when he was come
That is
to
Seirath
Judges 3:26
in the
tribe of Ephraim:
that be blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim; which being
an high mountain
the sound of the trumpet was heard afar off; and if Ehud's
design was known to the Israelites
what he intended to do
this might be the
token agreed on
should he succeed
to call them together
see Jeremiah 31:6
and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount
and
he before them; being there assembled together
and which might be the place
before appointed for their rendezvous
and where and when he took the command
of them
and went before them as their general.
Judges 3:28 28 Then he said to them
“Follow me
for the Lord has delivered your
enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him
seized the
fords of the Jordan leading to Moab
and did not allow anyone to cross over.
YLT
28and he saith unto them
`Pursue after me
for Jehovah hath given your enemies
the Moabites
into your
hand;' and they go down after him
and capture the passages of the Jordan
towards Moab
and have not permitted a man to pass over.
And he said unto them
follow after me
.... This he
said to encourage them
putting himself at the head of them showing himself
ready to expose his own life
if there was any danger:
for the Lord hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your
hands; which he concluded from the success he had had in cutting off
the king of Moab which had thrown the Moabites into great confusion and
distress
and from an impulse on his mind from the Lord
assuring him of this
deliverance:
and they went down after him: from the mountain of
Ephraim:
and took the fords of Jordan towards Moab; where the
river was fordable
and there was a passage into the country of Moab
which lay
on the other side Jordan; this they did to prevent the Moabites
which were in
the land of Israel
going into their own land upon this alarm
and those in the
land of Moab from going over to help them:
and suffered not a man to pass over; neither out of Israel
into Moab
nor out of Moab into Israel.
Judges 3:29 29 And at that time they
killed about ten thousand men of Moab
all stout men of valor; not a man
escaped.
YLT
29And they smite Moab at that
time
about ten thousand men
all robust
and every one a man of valour
and
not a man hath escaped
And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men
.... Who had
been sent into the land of Israel to keep it in subjection
or had settled
themselves there for their better convenience
profit
and pleasure; it is very
probable there were some of both sorts:
all lusty
and all men of valour; the word for
"lusty" signifies "fat"
living in ease for a long time
and in a plentiful country were grown fat; and
according to Ben Gersom
it
signifies rich men
such as had acquired wealth by living in the land of
Canaan; or who came over Jordan thither and settled about Jericho
because of
the delightfulness of the place
and others were stout and valiant soldiers
whom the king of Moab had placed there to keep the land in subjection he had
subdued
and to subdue what remained of it; but they were all destroyed:
and there escaped not a man; for there being no other
way of getting into the land of Moab but at the fords of Jordan they fell into
the hands of the Israelites possessed of them
as they made up unto them.
Judges 3:30 30 So Moab was subdued that
day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.
YLT
30and Moab is humbled in that
day under the hand of Israel; and the land resteth eighty years.
So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel
.... Or the
Moabites were broken
as the Targum
that is
their forces in the land of
Israel; for the land of Moab itself was not subdued and brought into subjection
to the Israelites; but they were so weakened by this stroke upon them
that
they could not detain the Israelites under their power any longer:
and the land had rest fourscore years; eighty years
which
according to Ben Gersom
are to be reckoned from the beginning of their
servitude
and that the rest properly was but sixty two years
and so both rest
and servitude were eighty years
as R. Isaiah; and
according to Abarbinel
the
rest was from the death of Othniel; and our Bishop UsherF15Annal.
Vet. Test. p. 42. reckons this eightieth year from the former rest restored to
it by Othniel; but othersF16Marsham. Canon. Chron. p. 306
307.
Patrick in loc. Vid. Lampe Eccl. Hist. l. 1. c. 5. p. 21
22. are of opinion
that there were several judges at a time in several parts of the land
and that
the land was at rest in one part when there was war in another; and so that at
this time it was only the eastern part of the land that had rest
while the
western parts were distressed by the Philistines
and the northern parts by
Jabin king of Canaan
as in Judges 3:31.
Judges 3:31 31 After him was Shamgar the
son of Anath
who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad;
and he also delivered Israel.
YLT
31And after him hath been
Shamgar son of Anath
and he smiteth the Philistines -- six hundred men -- with
an ox-goad
and he saveth -- he also -- Israel.
And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath
.... That is
after the death of Ehud
when the people of Israel were in distress again from
another quarter
this man was raised up of God to be a judge and deliverer of
them; but who he was
and who his father
and of what tribe
we nowhere else
read:
which slew of the Philistines six hundred men; who invaded
the land
and came in an hostile manner into it; or rather
as it seems from Judges 5:6; they
entered as a banditti of thieves and robbers
who posted themselves in the
highways
and robbed travellers as they passed
so that they were obliged to
leave off travelling
or go through bypaths
and not in the public road; and
this man
who seems to have been called from the plough to be a judge of
Israel
as some among the Romans were called from thence to be dictators and
deliverers of them from the Gauls:
with an ox goad; which he had used to push on his oxen with
at ploughing
cleared the country of them
and with no other weapon than this
slew six hundred of them
either at certain times
or in a body together; which
is no ways incredible
being strengthened and succeeded by the Lord
any more
than Samson's slaying a thousand men with the jawbone of an ass
Judges 15:15. So
Lycurgus is said to put to flight the forces of Bacchus with an ox goadF17 βουπληγι
Homer. Iliad. 6. ver. 135. which is said to be done near Carmel
a mountain in Judea
which makes it probable that this is hammered out of the
sacred history; or that Shamgar and Lycurgus are the same
as Bochart
conjecturesF18Hieozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 39. col. 385. & Canaan.
l. 1. c. 18. col. 446. . The ox goad
as now used in those parts
is an
instrument fit to do great execution with it
as Mr. MaundrellF19Journey
to Aleppo
&c. p. 110
111.
who saw many of them
describes it; on
measuring them
he found them to be eight feet long
at the bigger end six
inches in circumference
at the lesser end was a sharp prickle for driving the
oxen
and at the other end a small spade
or paddle of iron
for cleansing the
plough from the clay:
and he also delivered Israel
from those robbers and
plunderers
and prevented their doing any further mischief in the land
and
subjecting it to their power
and so may very properly be reckoned among the
judges of Israel; but how long he judged is not said
perhaps his time is to be
reckoned into the eighty years of rest before mentioned; or
as Abarbinel
thinks
into the forty years of Deborah
the next judge; and who also observes
that their Rabbins say
Shamgar judged but one year.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)