to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gilead- | against the children of Ammon, and didst not ite four days in a year. CHAPTER XII. The Ephraimites are incensed against Jephthah, because he did not call them to the war against the Ammonites, and threaten his destruction, L. He vitlicates in self, 2, 3. And arms the Gileadites against the men of Ephraim; they fight against them, and kill forty-two thousand Ephraimites at the passages of Jordan, 4--6. Jephthah dies, having judged Israel siz years, 7. Ibzan judge seven years, 8. His posterity and death, 9, 10 Elon judge ten years, and dies, 11, 12. Abdon judge eight years, 13. His posterity and death, 14, 15. w Or, to talk with. Ch. 5. 11-a See Ch. 8. 1.-b Heb. were called. and French theatres, has been acknowledged by all those who knew the Sacred Writings, and who have paid a particular attention to them, as a changed copy of the history of the daughter of Jephthah, offered in sacrifice by her father. Let us consider the several parts particularly, and begin with an exposition of the original, taken from the 9th chapter of the book of Judges. "The sacred historian informs us, that Jephthah, the son of Gilead, was a great and valiant captain. The Israelites, against whom God was irritated, being forced to go to war with the Ammonites, (nearly about the time of the siege of Troy,) assembled themselves together, to oblige Jephthah to come to their succour, and chose him for their captain against the Ammonites. He accepted the command on condition that, if God should give him the victory, they would acknowledge him for their prince. This they promised by oath; and all the people elected him in the city of Mizpeh, in the tribe of Judah. He first sent ambassadors to the king of the Ammonites, to know the reason why he had committed so many acts of injustice, and 80 many ravages on the coasts of Israel. The other made a pretext of some ancient damages his people had suffered by the primitive Israelites, to countenance the ravages he committed; and would not accord with the reasonable propositions made by the ambassadors of Jephthah. Having now supplicated the Lord, and being filled with his Spirit, he marched against the Ammonites; and being zealously desirous to acquit himself nobly, and to ensure the success of so important a war, he made a vow to the Lord to offer in sacrifice, or as a burnt-offering, the first thing that should come out of the house to meet him, at his return from victory. "He then fought with, and utterly discomfited the Ammonites; and returning victorious to his house, God so permitted it, that his only daughter was the first who met him. Jephthah was struck with terror at the sight of her; and, tearing his garments, he exclaimed, Alas! alas! my daughter, thou dost exceedingly trouble me; for I have opened my mouth against thee unto the Lord, and I cannot go back. His daughter, full of courage and piety, understanding the purport of his vow, exhorted him to accomplish what he had vowed to the Lord, which to her would be exceedingly agreeable, seeing the Lord had avenged him of his and his country's enemies; desiring liberty only to go on the mountains with her companions, and to bewail the dishonour with which sterility was accompanied in Israel; because each hoped to see the Messiah born of his or her family. Jephthah could not deny her this request. She accordingly went; and at the end of two months returned, and put herself into the hands of her father, who did with her according to his vow. "Several of the rabbins, and many very learned Christian expositors, believe that Jephthah's daughter was not really sacrificed; but that her virginity was consecrated to God, and she separated from all connexion with the world; which, indeed, seems to be implied in the sacred historian's account: And she knew no man. This was a kind of mysterious death, because it caused her to lose all hope of the glory of a posterity from which the Messiah might descend. From this originated the custom, observed afterward in Israel, that on a certain season of the year, the virgins assembled themselves on the mountains to bewail the daughter of Jephthah, for the space of four days. Let us now consider the leading characters of the fable of Iphigenia. According to good chronological reckonings, the time of the one and of the other very nearly agree. The opinion that the name of Iphigenia is taken from the daughter of Jephthah, appears well founded: yea, the conformity is palpable. By a very inconsiderable transposition Iphigenia makes Iphthygenia, which signifies, literally, the daughter of Jephthah. Agamemnon, who is described as a valiant warrior, and admirable captain, was chosen by the Greeks for their prince and general against the Trojans, by the united consent of all Greece, assembled together at Aulis, in Baotia. call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. 2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. 3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? e1 Sam. 19. 5. & 23. 21. Job 13. 14. Psa. 119. 109. "As soon as he had accepted the command, he sent ambassadors to Priam, king of Troy, to demand satisfaction for the rape of Helen, of which the Greeks complained. The Trojans refusing to grant this, Agamemnon, to gain over to his side the gods, who appeared irritated against the Greeks, and opposed to the success of their enterprise, after having sacrificed to them, went to consult their interpreter Chalchas, who declared that the gods, and particularly Diana, would not be appeased but by the sacrifice of Iphigenia, the daughter of Agamemnon. "Cicero, in his Offices, says, that Agamemnon, in order to engage the protection of the gods in his war against the Trojans, vowed to sacrifice to them the most beautiful of all that should be born in his kingdom; and as it was found that his daughter Iphigenia surpassed all the rest in beauty, he believed himself bound by his vow to sacrifice her. Cicero condemns this; rightly judging, that it would have been a lesser evil to have falsified his vow, than to have committed parricide. This account of Ciccro, renders the fable entirely conformable to the history. "Agamemnon was at first struck with and troubled at this order, nevertheless consented to it; yet afterward regretted the loss of his daughter. He is represented by the poets as deliberating, and being in doubt whether the gods could require such a parricide: but, at last, a sense of his duty and honour overcame his paternal affection; and his daughter, who had warmly exhorted him to fulfil his vow to the gods, was led to the altar amidst the lamentations of her companions; as Ovid and Euripides relate, see Met. lib. 13. "Some authors have thought she really was sacrificed; but others, more humane, say, she was caught up in a cloud by the gods, who, contented with the intended sacrifice, substituted a hind in her place, with which the sacrifice was completed. Dictys Cretensis says, that this animal was substituted to save Iphigenia. "The chronology of times so remote cannot, in many respects, but be uncertain. Both the Greeks and Romans grant, that there was nothing else than fables before the first Olympiad; the beginning of which was at least four hundred and fifty years after the destruction of Troy, and two hundred and forty years after Solomon. As to the time of Solomon, nothing can be more certain than what is related in the sixth chapter of the First Book of Kings, that from the going out of Egypt, under Moses, till the time in which he began to build the temple, was four hundred and eighty years. "According to the common opinion, the taking of Troy is placed one hundred and eighty years before the reign of Solomon; but his reign preceded Homer three centuries, according to some learned men, and always at least one century by those who related it lowest. Indeed, there is much uncertainty in fixing the express time in which Homer flourished. "Pausanias found so much difference concerning this in authors, that he was at a loss how to judge of it. However, it is sufficient for us that it was granted, that Solomon was at least a century before Homer, who wrote more than two centuries after the taking of Troy, and who is the most ancient historian of this famous siege." NOTES ON CHAPTER XII. Verse 1. The men of Ephraim gathered themselves together] pyy vayitsack; they called each other to arms; summoning all their tribe and friends to arm themselves to destroy Jephthah and the Gileadites, being jealous lest they should acquire too much power. Verse 3. I put my life in my hands] I exposed myself to the greatest difficulties and dangers. But whence did this form of speech arise? Probably from a man's laying hold of his sword, spear, or bow. This is the defender of my life; on this, and my proper use of it, my life depends." When a man draws his sword against his foe, his enemy will naturally aim at his life; and his sword in his hand is then his sole defence. It is now, fight and 4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manas sites. d 5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay, 6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth; and he said, Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand. 7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. d Ste 1 Sam. 25. 10. Psa. 78. 9.-- Josh. 22. 11. Ch. 3. 23. & 7. 24.-f Which signieth a stream, or, flood. Psa. 69. 2, 15. Isa. 27. 12-g He seems to have been only conquer, or die. Thus Jephthath took his life in his hand. This phrase occurs in some other places of Scripture, see 1 Sam. xix. 5. xxviii. 21. And the words of the conqueror, Isa. lxiii. 5. seem to confirm the above view of the subject: I looked, and there was none to help: and I wondered there was none to uphold: therefore, mine own arm brought salvation unto me: i. e. By mine own arm I saved my life, and brought destruction on mine enemies. Verse 4. And fought with Ephraim] Some commentators suppose that there were two battles in which the Ephraimites were defeated; the first, mentioned in the above clause; and the second, occasioned by the taunting language mentioned in the conclusion of the verse; Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim. Where the point of this reproach lies, or what is the reason of it, cannot be easily ascertained. Verse 6. Say now Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth] The original differs only in the first letter samech, instead of sheen; hao hp nha emar na Shibboleth, vaiyomer Sibboleth. The difference between seen, without a point, which when pointed is pronounced sheen, and samech o, is supposed by many to be imperceptible. But there can be no doubt there was, to the ears of a Hebrew, a most sensible distinction. Most Europeans, and, indeed, most who have written grammars of the language, perceive scarcely any difference between the Arabic seen, and swad; but as both those letters are radical, not only in Arabic, but in Hebrew, the difference of enunciation must be such as to be plainly perceivable by the ear; else it would be impossible to determine the root of a word into which either of these letters entered, except by guessing, unless by pronunciation the sounds were distinct. One to whom the Arabic is vernacular, hearing a native speak, discerns it in a moment; but the delicate enunciation of the characteristic difference between those letters, sheen, and samech, and sheen, and swad, is seldom caught by an European. Had there been no distinction between the seen and samech but what the Masoretic point gives now, then o samech would not have been used in the word no sibboleth, but seen, thus na: but there must have been a very remarkable difference in the pronunciation of the Ephraimites, when instead of n shibboleth, an ear of corn, (see Job xxiv. 24.) they said no sibboleth, which signifies a burden: Exod. vi. 6. and a heavy burden were they obliged to bear, who could not pronounce this test letter. It is likely that the Ephraimites were, in reference to the pronunciation of sh, as different from the Gileadites as the people in some parts of the north of England are, in the pronunciation of the letter R, from all the other inhabitants of the land. The sound of th cannot be pronounced by the Persians in general; and yet it is a common sound among the Arabians. To this day, multitudes of the German Jews cannot pronounce n th, but put ss in the stead of it: thus, for a beith, (a house,) they say bess. Mr. Richardson, in his "Dissertation on the Languages, Literature, and Manners, of the Eastern Nations," prefixed to his Persian and Arabic Dictionary, p. ii. 4to. edition, makes some observations on the different dialects which prevailed in Arabia Felix, the chief of which were the Hamyaret and Koreish; and, to illustrate the point in hand, he produces the following story from the Mohammedan writers:-"An envoy from one of the feudatory states, having been sent to the tobba, (the sovereign,) that 13 And after him Abdon the son 1. Olymp. 340. of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. 14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. 15 And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon, in the a civil judge to do justice in Northeast Israel-h A civil Judge in Northeast Terce!. i A civil judge also in Northeast Israel.-k Heb. sons' sonë.-1 Ch. 5. 10. & 10. 4. prince, when he was introduced, pronounced the word T'heb, which in the Hemyaret implied Be seated; unhappily it signified, in the native dialect of the ambassador, precipitate thyself; and he, with a singular deference for the orders of his sovereign, threw himself instantly from the castle wall and perished." Though the Ephraimites had not a different dialect, they had, it appears, a different pronunciation, which confounded, to others, letters of the same organ; and thus produced not only a different sound, but even an opposite meaning, This was a sufficient test to find out an Ephraimite; and he who spake not as he was commanded, at the fords of Jordan, spoke against his own life. For he could not frame to pronounce it right] This is tela ילא יכין לינו כן,not a bad rendering of the original yakin ledabber ken: "and they did not direct to speak it thus." But instead of 1 yakin, to direct, thirteen of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. with two ancient editions, read p→ yabin, “they did not understand to speak it thus." The versions take great latitude in this verse. The Vulgate makes a paraphrase: Dic ergo Schibboleth, quod interpretatur spica: qui respondebat Sibboleth; eadem litera spica exprimere non valens. Say, therefore, Shibboleth; which, interpreted, is an ear of corn: but he answered Sibboleth, not being able to express an ear of corn by that letter." In my very ancient copy of the Vulgate, probably the editio princeps, there is sebboleth, in the first instance, as the test word; and thebboleth, as the Ephraimite pronunciation. But cebboleth is the reading of the Complutensian Polyglott; and is supported by one of my own MSS., yet the former reading, thebboleth, is found in two of my MSS. shubbaltha, for the Gileaditish pronunciation; and ND subbaltha, for that of Ephraim. The Syriac has shebla, and sebla. The Arabic has the same word, with sheen, and seen; and adds, "He said Sebla, for the Ephraimites could not pronounce the letter sheen." These notices, however trivial at first view, will not be thought unimportant by the biblical critic. סובלת The Chaldee has Verse 8. And after him Ibzan] It appears that during the administration of Jephthah, six years; Ibzan, seven years; Elon, ten years; and Abdon, eight years; in the whole thirty-one years; the Israelites had peace in all their borders: and we shall find, by the following chapter, that, in this time of rest, they corrupted themselves, and were afterward delivered into the power of the Philistines. 1. We find that Ibzan had a numerous family, sixty children; and Abdon had forty sons and thirty grandsons: and that they lived splendidly, which is here expressed by their riding on seventy young asses;-what we could express by they all kept their carriages: for the riding on fine asses, in those days, was not less dignified than riding in coaches in ours. 2. It does not appear that any thing particular took place in the civil state of the Israelites during the time of these latter judges; nothing is said concerning their administration, whether it was good or bad; nor is any thing mentioned of the state of religion. It is likely that they enjoyed peace without, and their judges were capable of preventing discord and sedition within. Yet, doubtless, God was at work among them, though there were none to record the operations either of his hand or his Spirit: but the people who feared him no doubt bore testimony to the word of his grace. land of Ephraim, m in the mount of the Ama- man as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her. lekites. CHAPTER XIII. The Israelites corrupt themselves, and are delivered into the hands of the Philistines forty years, I. An angel appears to the wife of Manoah, and foretells the birth of her son, and gives her directions how to treat both herself and her child, who was to be a deliverer of Israel, 2-5 She informs her husband of this transac tion, 6, 7. Manoah prays that the angel may re-appear; he is heard, and the angel appears to him and his wife, and repeats his former directions concerning the mo 10 And the woman made haste, and ran, and showed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me that came unto me the other day. 11 And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, ther and the child, 8-14. Manoah presents an offering to the Lord, and the angel and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am. ascends in the flame, 15-20. Manoah is alarmed, but is conforted by the judicious B. C. 1157. Anno ante AND the children of Israel " did evil An. Exod. Isr. again in the sight of the LORD; 334. Pand the LORD delivered them into 1. Olymp. 331. the hand of the Philistines forty years. 2 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. 8 3 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not; but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. 4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and ⚫ drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: 5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son: and no razor shall come on his head; for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. W 6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name; 7 But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. 8 Then Manoah entreated the LORD, and said, O my LORD, let the man of God, which thou didst send, come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. 9 And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the wo m Ch. 3. 13, 27. & 5. 14.-n Heb. added to commit, &c.--o Ch. 2. 11. & 3. 7. & 4. 1. & 6. 1. & 10. 6.-p This seems a partial captivity 1 Sam. 12. 9.--r Josh. 19. 41. Ch. 6. 12 Luke 1. 11, 13, 28, 31. Ver. 14. Numb. 6. 2, 3. Luke 1. 15.-u Numb. 6. 5. 1 Sam. 1. II.-v Numb. 6. 2.-w See 1 Sam. 7. 13. 2 Sam. 8. 1. 1 Chron. 18. 1. x Dent. 33. 1. 1 Sam 2. 27, & 9. 6. 1 Kings 17. 24. NOTES ON CHAPTER XIII. Verse 1. Delivered them into the hand of the Philistines] It does not appear that after Shamgar, to the present time, the Philistines were in a condition to oppress Israel; or God had not permitted them to do it: but now they have a commission, the Israelites having departed from the Lord. Nor is it evident that the Philistines had entirely subjected the Israelites, as there still appears to have been a sort of commerce between the two people. They had often vexed and made inroads upon them; but they had them not in entire subjection: see chap. xv. 21. Verse 2. A certain man of Zorah] A town in the tribe of Judah, but afterward given to Dan. Verse 3. The angel of the LORD] Generally supposed to have been the same that appeared to Moses, Joshua, Gideon, &c. and no other than the Second Person of the ever blessed Trinity. Verse 4. Beware-drink not wine] As Samson was designed to be a Nazarite from the womb, it was necessary that while his mother carried and nursed him, she should live the life of a Nazarite; neither drinking wine nor any inebriating liquor; nor eating any kind of forbidden meat. See the account of the Nazarite and his vow, in the notes on Numb. vi. 2, &c. Verse 5. He shall begin to deliver Israel] Samson only began this deliverance; for it was not till the days of David that the Israelites were completely redeemed from the power of the Philistines. Verse 6. But I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name] This clause is rendered very differently by the VULGATE, the negative NOT being omitted: Quem cùm interrogâssem quis esset, et unde venisset, et quo nomine cocaretur, noluit mihi dicere; sed hoc respondit; "Whom, when I asked who he was, and whence he a 12 And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child? and bhow shall we do unto him? 13 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. d 14 She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe. 15 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee until we shall have made ready a kid f for thee. 16 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread; and if thou wilt offer a burnt-offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD. 18 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? 18 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? 19 So Manoah took a kid with a meat-offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. 20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. 21 But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD. 22 And Manoah said unto his wife, mWe shall surely die, because we have seen God. y Matt. 28. 3 Luke 9. 29. Acts 6. 15.- Ver. 17, 18.--a Heb. What shall be the manner of the, &c.-b Or, what shall he do 7- Heb. what shall be his work? d Ver. 4. Gen. 18. 5. Ch. 6. 18-f Heb. before thee.--g Gen. 32 29--h Or, wonderful. Isa. 9. 6.--¡ Ch. 6. 19, 2.-k Lev. 9. 24. 1 Chron. 21. 16. Ezek. 1. 28. Matt 17. 6. Ch. 6. 22-m Gen. 32 30. Exod. 33. 20. Deut. 5. 26. Ch. 6. 22. came, and by what name he was called, would not tell me : but this he said," &c. The negative is also wanting in the Septuagint, as it stands in the Complutensian Polyglott : Και ηρώτων αυτόν ποθεν εσιν, και το όνομα αυτού, ουκ απηγγειλεν μοι : and “I asked him whence he was, and his name; but he did not tell me." This is also the reading of the Codex Alexandrinus; but the Septuagint, in the London Polyglott, together with the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, read the negative particle with the Hebrew text, I asked NOT his name, &c. Verse 9. The angel of God came again] This second appearance of the angel was probably essential to the peace of Manoah, who might have been jealous of his wife, had he not had this proof that the thing was of the Lord." Verse 15. Until we shall have made ready a kid] Not knowing his quality, Manoah wished to do this as an act of hospitality. Verse 16. I will not eat of thy bread] As I am a spiritual being, I subsist not by earthly food. And if thou wilt offer a burnt-offering] Neither shall I receive that homage which belongs to God: thou must, therefore, offer thy burnt-offering to Jehovah. Verse 18. Seeing it is secret] It was because it was secret that they wished to know it. The angel does not say that it was secret, but Dhu peli, it is WONDERFUL: the very character that is given to Jesus Christ, Isa. ix. 6. His name shall be called D Wonderful: and it is supposed by some that the angel gives this as his name, and consequently that this was our blessed Lord. Verse 19. The angel did wondrously] He acted according to his name: he, being wonderful, performed wonderful things; probably causing fire to arise out of the rock, and consume the sacrifice, and then ascending in the flame. CHAPTER XIV. Samson marries a wife of the Philistines, 1-4. Slays a young lion at Timnath, in the carcass of which he afterward finds a swarm of bees, 5-9. He makes a feast; they appoint him thirty companions, to whom he puts forth a riddle, which they cannot expound, 10-14. They entice his wife to get the interpretation from him; she suc ceeds, informs thera, and they tell the explanation, 15-18. He is incensed, and slays thirty of the Philistines, 19, 20, n Heb. 11. 32-0 1 Sam. 3. 19. Luke 1. 80. & 2 52-p Ch. 3. 10. 1 Sam. 11. 6. Matt 4.1 Heb. Machaneh-dan, as Ch. 18. 12.-r Josh. 15. 33. Ch. 18. 11- Gen. 38. 13. Josh. 15. 10.-t Gen. 34. 2.-u Gen. 21. 21. & 31. 4.-v Gen. 24. 3, 4.-w Gen. Verse 22. We shall surely die, because we have seen God.] See the note on chap. vi. 22. Verse 23. If the LORD was pleased to kill us, &c.] This is excellent reasoning, and may be of great use to every truly religious mind, in cloudy and dark dispensations of divine providence. It is not likely that God, who has preserved thee so long, borne with thee so long, and fed and supported thee all thy life long, girding thee when thou knewedst him not, is less willing to save and provide for thee and thine now, than he was when probably thou trustedst less in him. He who made, and gave his Son to redeem thee, can never be indifferent to thy welfare; and if he give thee power to pray to and trust in him, is it at all likely that he is now seeking an occasion against thee, in order to destroy thee? Add to this, the very light that shows thee thy wretchedness, ingratitude, and disobedience, is, in itself, a proof that he is waiting to be gracious to thee; and the penitential pangs thou feelest, and thy bitter regret for thy unfaithfulness, argue that the light and fire are of God's own kindling; and are sent to direct and refine, not to drive thee out of the way, and destroy thee. Nor would he have told thee such things of his love, mercy, and kindness, and unwillingness to destroy sinners, as he has told thee in his Sacred Word, if he had been determined not to extend his mercy to thee. Verse 24. And called his name Samson] The original po Shimshon, which is from the root w shamash, to serve, (whence shemesh, the sun,) probably means either a little sun, or a little servant; and this latter is so likely a name to be imposed on an only son, by maternal fondness, that it leaves but little doubt of the propriety of the etymology. And the LORD blessed him.] Gave evident proofs that the child was under the peculiar protection of the Most High; causing him to increase daily in stature, and extraordinary strength. Verse 23. The Spirit of the LORD began to move him] He felt the degrading bondage of his countrymen, and a strong desire to accomplish something for their deliverance. These feelings and motions he had from the Divine Spirit. Camp of Dan] Probably the place where his parents dwelt, for they were Danites: and the place is supposed to have its name from its being the spot where the Danites stopped when they sent some men of their company to rob Micah of his teraphim, &c. See chap. xviii. As he had these influences between Zorah and Eshtaol, it is evident that this was while he dwelt at home with his parents; for Zorah was the place where his father dwelt: see ver. 2. Thus God began, from his infancy, to qualify him for the work to which he had called him. NOTES ON CHAPTER XIV. Verse 1. Went down to Timnath] A frontier town of the Philistines, at the beginning of the lands belonging to w uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me, for she pleaseth me well. 4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. 5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath; and, behold, a young lion roared against him. 6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. A. M. 2868. B. C. 1136 7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased An Exol Isr. 355. Samson well. And he returned Anno ante I. Olymp. 360. to take her, after a timed rede te see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion. 9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion. 10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. 34. 14. Exod. 34. 16. Deut. 7. 3-x Heb. she is right in mine eyes--y Josh. 11. 20. 1 Kings 12. 15. 2 Kings 6. 33, 2 Chron. 10. 15. & 22 7. & 25. M.—2 Ch. 13. L. Deut. 28. 48.--a Heb. in meeting him.--b Ch. 3. 10. & 13. 25. 1 Sam. 11. 6. the tribe of Judah, Josh. xv. 57. but afterward given up to Dan, Josh. xix. 41. David took this place from the Philistines; but they again got possession of it in the reign of Ahaz, 2 Chron. xxviii. 18. Verse 3. Is there never a woman] To marry with any that did not belong to the Israelitish stock was contrary to the law, Exod. xxxiv. 16. Deut. vii. 3. But this marriage of Samson was said to be of the Lord, ver. 4. that is, God permitted it, (for in no other sense can we understand the phrase,) that it might be a means of bringing about the deliverance of Israel. For she pleaseth me well] yɔ wɔn ɔɔ ki hi yoshrch beini, "for she is right in my eyes." This is what is supposed to be a sufficient reason to justify either man or woman in their random choice of wife or husband: the maxim is the same with that of the poet "Thou hast no fault, or I no fault can spy; When the will has sufficient power, its determinationa are its own rule of right. That will should be pure and should be so. well directed, that says, it shall be so, because Ì WILL it A reason of this kind is similar to that Lewis XIV. ULTIMA RATIO REGUM, the sum of regal logic; which I have seen in a motto on the brass ordnance of shall be the rule of right and wrong. The rules and prini. e. My will, backed by these instruments of destruction, ciples of this logic are now suspected; and it is not likely to be generally received, without violent demonstration. fiercely out upon him, ready to tear him in pieces. Verse 5. A young lion roared against him.] Came Verse 6. He rent him as he would have rent a kid] Now it is not intimated that he did this by his own natural strength, but by the Spirit of the Lord coming mightily upon him; so that his strength does not appear to be his own, nor to be at his command: his might was, by the will of God, attached to his hair and to his nazareate. Verse 7. And talked with the woman] That is, concerning marriage; thus forming the espousals. as this was the time that generally elapsed between esVerse 8. And after a time] Probably about one year; pousing and wedding. of time the flesh had been entirely consumed off the bones, A swarm of bees and honey in the carcass] By length and a swarm of bees had formed their combs within the region of the thorax ;-nor was it an improper place, nor ters; the carcasses of slain beasts becoming a receptacle was the thing unfrequent, if we may credit ancient wrifor wild bees. The beautiful episode in the fourth Georgie of Virgil, proves that the ancients believed that bees might be engendered in the body of a dead ox. See particularly Georg. iv. ver. 550. Verse 10. Samson made there a feast] The marriage feast, when he went to marry his espoused wife. 11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, I that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy that they brought thirty companions to be with husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, him. blest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so? 12 And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets, and thirty change of garments: с 13 But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets, and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. 14 And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle. 15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, e 1 Kings 10. 1. Ezek. 17. 2. Luke 14. 7.-d Gen. 29. 27.-e Or, shirts.--f Gen. 45. 22. 2 Kings 5. 22.—g Ch. 16. 5. Verse 11. They brought thirty companions] These are called in Scripture children of the bride-chamber, and friends of the bridegroom. See the whole of this subject particularly illustrated in the observations at the end of John, chap. iii. Verse 12. I will now put forth a riddle] Probably this was one part of the amusements at a marriage feast; each, in his turn, proposing a riddle, to be solved by any of the rest on a particular forfeit; the proposer forfeiting, if solved, the same which the company must forfeit if they could not solve it. Thirty sheets] I have no doubt that the Arab hayk, or hyke, is here meant; a dress in which the natives of the East wrap themselves, as a Scottish highlander does in his plaid. In Asiatic countries the dress scarcely ever changes; being nearly the same now that it was 2000 years ago. Mr. Jackson, in his account of the empire of Morocco, thus mentions the Moorish dress: "It resembles," says he, "that of the ancient patriarchs, as represented in paintings; (but the paintings are taken from Asiatic models;) that of the men consists of a red cap and turban, a (kumja) shirt, which hangs outside of the drawers, and comes down below the knee: a (caftan) coat, which buttons close before, and down to the bottom, with large open sleeves; over which, when they go out of doors, they throw carelessly, and sometimes elegantly, a hayk, or garment of white cotton, silk, or wool, five or six yards long, and five feet wide. The Arabs often dispense with the caftan, and even with the shirt, wearing nothing but the hayk." When an Arab does not choose to wrap himself in the hayk, he throws it over his left shoulder, where it hangs till the weather, &c. obliges him to wrap it round him. The hyke is either mean or elegant, according to the quality of the cloth, and of the person who wears it. I have myself seen the natives of Fez, with haykes, or hykes, both elegant and costly. By the changes of garments, it is very likely that the kumja and caftan are meant; or, at least, the caftan; but, most likely, both, for the Hebrew has non chalipoth begadim, changes, or succession, of garments. Samson, therefore, engaged to give or receive thirty haykes, and thirty kumjas and caftans, on the issue of the interpretation or non-interpretation of his riddle: these were complete suits. Verse 14. And he said unto them] Thus he states or proposes his riddle: Out of the enter came forth meat, And out of the strong came forth sweetness. Instead of strong, the Syriac and Arabic have bitter. I have no doubt that the riddle was in poetry; and perhaps the two hemistichs above preserve its order. This was scarcely a fair riddle; for, unless the fact to which it refers were known, there is no rule of interpretation by which it could be found out. We learn from the Scholiast, on Aristophanes, Vespa, v. 20. that it was a custom among the ancient Greeks to propose, at their festivals, what were called griphoi, yptoot, riddles, enigmas, or very obscure sayings, both curious and difficult; and to give a recompense to those who found them out; which generally consited in either a festive crown, or a goblet full of wine. Those who failed to solve them were condemned to drink a large portion of fresh water, or of wine mingled with sea water, which they were compelled to take down at one draught, without drawing their breath, their hands being tied behind their backs. Sometimes they gave the crown to the deity in honour of whom the festival was made: and if none could solve the riddle, the reward was given to him who proposed it. Of these enigmas, proposed at entertainments, &c. we have numerous examples in ATHENEUS, Deipnosoph, lib. 16 And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee? 17 And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted; and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. 18 And the men of the city said unto him on h Ch. 15. 6. feb. to possess, or, to impoverish us.-k Ch. 16. 15.-1 Or, the rest of the seven days, &c. x. c. 15. p. 142. edit. Argentorat, and some of them very like this of Samson; for example Διδους τις ουκ εδωκεν, ουδ' έχων έχει ; This may be spoken of an enigma and its proposer: he gives it, but he does not give the sense: the other has it, but has not the meaning Εξι φυσις θηλεια βρεφη σοζουσ' ύπο κολποις "There is a feminine nature, fostering her children in her "The nature which is feminine, signifies an epistle; and her children whom she bears are alphabetical characters and these, being dumb, speak and give counsel to any, even at a distance; though he who stands nigh to him who is silently reading, hears no voice." Here is another attributed by the same author to Theodectes: Της φύσεως όσα γαια φέρει τροφος ουδ' όσα ποντος, Ούτε βροτοισιν έχει γνιων αυξησιν όμοιαν. Αλλ' εν μεν γενεσι πρωτοσπορῳ έξι μέγιστη, Εν δε μέσαις ακμαις μικρα, γηρα δε προς αυτῷ Μορφή και μεγέθει μείζων παλιν εςιν ἁπαντών. "Neither does the nourishing earth so bear by nature; nor the sea; nor is there among mortals a like increase of parts; for, at the period of its birth it is greatest; but in its middle age it is small; and in its old age, it is again greater in form and size than all." This is spoken of a shadow. At the rising of the sun in the east, the shadow of an object is projected illimitably across the earth, toward the west: at noon, if the sun be vertical to that place, the shadow of the object is entirely lost; at sunsetting, the shadow is projected toward the east, as it was in the morning toward the west. Here is another from the same author : Εισι κασιγνηται διτται, ὧν ἡ μια τίκτει Την έτεραν, αυτη δε τεκουσ' ύπο τησδε τεκνούται. "There are two sisters, the one of whom begets the other; and she who is begotten produces her who begat her." Day and night solve this enigma. The following I have taken from Theognis:Ηδη γαρ με κεκληκε θαλαττίος οικαδε νεκρός, Τεθνηκώς ζωῳ φθεγγόμενος στοματι THEOGN. Gnom. in fine. "A dead seaman calls me to his house; And, although he be dead, he speaks with a living mouth." This dead seaman is a conch, or large shellfish, of which the poet was about to eat. The mouth by which it spoke signifies its being used as a horn; as it is well known to produce, when opened at the spiral end and blown, a very powerful sound. Verse 17. And she wept before him] Not through any love to him, for it appears she had none; but to oblige her paramours: and of this he soon had ample proof. |