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in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the 22 land of Benjamin.* And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war; give those unhappy persons no disturbance, for the Israelites have been to blame in taking such a severe revenge; for ye did not give unto them at this time, [that] ye should be guilty; ye have not broken your oath; they took your daughters, and you did not 23 give them away. But, after all, this was a poor evasion. And the children of Benjamin did so, and took [them] wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught † and they went and returned unto their inheritance, 24 and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them. And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man 25 to his inheritance. In those days [there was] no king in Israel: every man did [that which was] right in his own eyes; they had an high priest and elders, but they had not such authority as Moses and Joshua; and we see the sad consequences both in this and the foregoing chapters.

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WE

REFLECTIONS.

E see that zeal in a good work may be excessive, and degenerate into rashness and revenge. The disposition the Israelites discovered to punish vice, was commendable, but carried too far, and showed too much of a cruel spirit. Let us guard our zeal even in a good cause: that is not good divinity which swallows up humanity. How much better had those Israelites acted if they had shown some tenderness and compassion they would not then have had ground for la mentation and remorse. But rash vows and actions are generally accompanied with sorrow and distress. Strong passions make work for repentance. Let us, therefore, be careful to rule our own spirits; look well to the end and consequences of an action before we begin it, lest we wish it undone, when it is too late to remedy the evil consequences,

This might be easily done, as there were only the young women together, the daugh ters of Shiloh: no men, as is the custom of the present day; nor did the married women so far forget their gravity and regard to their families, as to go with them.

† These were not likely to be happy matches; but they had this one advantage, that they were all matched to the most wealthy men in the country, for the whole land of the tribe of Benjamin was divided among these six hundred men; and if the parents and daugh ters were like many mothers in the present day, they would think themselves well off that they were allied to men of such large estates. No doubt the step was wrong; they should have acknowledged their sin, repented of their oath, and begged direction from God what to do. But men are more ready to stop the voice of conscience with some device of their own, than to acknowledge that they have done wrong.

2. The several stories related in this last chapter, should make us thankful for a good government. Blessed be God, that we have a king in our Israel; that men are not suffered to do that which is right in their own eyes. Civil government is from God; and to live under one where our lives and liberties, our children and possessions, are secure from violence, is a great blessing, and deserves thankfully to be acknowledged. We in this nation are remarkably distinguished in this respect, and it becomes us to be thankful to God, who hath fixed the bounds of our habitation: and while we enjoy the blessings of a good administration, let us adore the Providence which has protected and supported it. While we are careful to render unto Casar the things that are Cesar's, let us render unto God the things that are God's. Amen.

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The Book of RUTH.

INTRODUCTION.

THIS is an Appendix to the Book of Judges; and takes its title from the person whose story is principally related in it, namely, Ruth, who left her country and relations out of regard to the God of Israel. It was probably written by Samuel, as it brings the history of Israel down to his time. It contains the genealogy of David from Judah, and is in part designed to prove that Christ came out of that tribe, according to Jacob's prophecy.

CHAP. I.

In which is an account of Ruth being brought into the land of Canaan.

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OW it came to pass in the days when the Judges ruled, about the time of Gideon, (Judges vi. 3.) that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and 2 his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man [was] Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah.* And they came into the country of Moab, and 3 continued there. And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; 4 and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab, which it was not lawful for them to do, unless they were proselytes to the Jewish religion : the name of the one [was] Orpah, and the name of the other 5 Ruth and they dwelled there about ten years, And Mah. lon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband, in a melancholy condi dition, in a country of strangers; she had lost her husband, her sons, and her estate, and was left to the wide world. 6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab for she had heard in the country of Moab, how that the LORD had visited his people

* Bethlehem is called Ephrathe, on account of its extraordinary fruitfulness; it signį, fies the house of bread; but now famine was there.

in giving them bread. This shows Naomi's affection for the land of Israel, that she returned when the famine was over. 7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on 8 the way to return unto the land of Judah. And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, when they had gone part of the way with her, Go, return each to her mother's house; and she gave them her blessing, saying, The LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me; the Lord be good to you, as you have been good wives to my sons, and 9 good daughters to me. The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each [of you] in the house of her husband; she wishes them happily settled again, and free from those incumbrances and troubles to which widows are exposed. Then she kissed 10 them; and they lifted up their voice and wept. And they

said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. They were grieved to part with her, and resolved to ac11 company her to Bethlehem. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters Why will ye go with me? [are] there yet [any more] sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn again, my daughters, go [your way ;] for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, [if] I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear 13 sons; Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. Thus she endeavours to persuade them to return; she was never likely to marry and have more sons, who might, according to the law, marry their brother's wives: and she was grieved that she was reduced to so low a condition that she was not able to do any 14 thing for them, if they were to go with her. And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; they were in great trouble, doubting whether they should go with her, or part from her; and Orpah kissed her mother in law, took her leave, and returned; 15 but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. Naomi would have her think of and deliberate on the consequences, and not go merely out of regard to her, who, being poor, could not help her, and might 16 soon die and leave her. And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, [or] to return from following after thee, as I am fully determined to do it; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; I will risk my fortune, and be content in any condition with thee: thy people [shall be] my people, and thy God my God. A noble and elegant address; which shows that she acted on the best principles, resolving to embrace the Jewish religion, and take Jehovah for her

17 God. Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buri ed: the LORD do so to me, and more also, [if aught] but death part thee and me. She not only resolved that nothing but death should part them, and that she would lie in the same grave, but this she confirmed by a solemn asseveration; think of what imprecation you please, and the Lord do it to me, and 18 more, if I am not sincere and resolute. When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her; she was satisfied; and undoubtedly was glad of 19 her company and converse. So they two went until they came . to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and 20 they said, [Is] this Naomi ?* And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, that is, pleasant, but call me Mara, bitter or sorrowful for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with 21 me. I went out full, had money, a husband, and sons, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty, deprived of all why [then] call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? owning the 22 hand and justice of God in her afflictions. So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab : and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest, about the time of the passover this is mentioned as an introduction to the fol lowing story.

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REFLECTIONS.

HEN people forsake the post of duty, it is no wonder that they meet with afflictions. Elimelech's removal to Moab, was a very wrong step. Had he been in distress, he might have mortgaged his lands, and his brethren by the law of God were obliged to relieve him. But by the expression in v. 21, going out full, it seems to be intimated that he was not in distress. If he had been so, he might have endured it as well as his brethren; if not, he might have gone to some other tribe, and not to Moab, To distrust God, and go over to idolaters, was very wrong, and God remarkably punished the family he and his sons died, and died childless too. It is a dangerous thing, because it is displeasing to God, to forsake the station in which Providence hath placed us, because there are some inconveniences in it; it shows an unstable mind, and a distrust of Providence. They who go out of the way to avoid a cross, will very probably meet with one much more heavy and grievous, and perhaps with death; and there is no outrunning that.

An ancient version renders it, the whole city rejoiced. She was a pious woman, well beloved, and formerly of great reputation among them; they were glad to see her again; but appearing in a mean habit, and her countenance being greatly altered by years and trouble, they could scarce believe her to be the same person, and cried out, Is this Naomi ?

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