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Story of Micah-The Tribal War.

The period is thus a time of anarchy and lawlessness. We are told that 'there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes' (Judges xvii. 6; xxi. 25)o. This state of things is illustrated by two stories; which, though placed at the end of the book, clearly belong to the beginning of the period.

The first is the story of Micah and the Danites. The latter, pressed for room, migrate northwards to Leshem (Joshua xix. 47) or Laish (Judges xviii. 7). Spies, sent before to find a new settlement, have reported that a man of Mount Ephraim, called Micah, has a graven and a molten image; also an ephod or priestly dress, and a Levite to minister for him. The idol had been set up out of money which Micah had stolen from, and then restored, to his mother. Six hundred Danites carry off the sacred furniture, and persuade the Levite to go with them, and thus found their sanctuary at Dan.

This story shows both the spread of false worship, and the lawless spirit of the age.

The other narrative is commonly known as the war of the Benjamites, or the Tribal War. Its cause is an outrage by the inhabitants of Gibeah on the concubine of a roving Levite. The bones of the murdered woman are sent round to all parts of Israel as a summons to a war of vengeance. There assemble at Mizpeh 400,000 warriors, 'knit together as one man.' They are twice defeated by the Benjamites, whose force is only 26,000, besides 700 men of Gibeah. Then Phinehas inquires of the Lord, and is told that a third attack will be successful. The Benjamites are surprised by an ambuscade, and put to the sword. Six hundred escape:

and, that a tribe may not be lost from Israel, 400 virgins are given to these, saved from the destruction of Jabesh-gilead, which has been sacked for not having helped in the war. Το

• The first part of this statement is also found in Judges xviii. 1; xix. I.

supply wives for the remainder, the women of Shiloh are carried off by the Benjamites, while they are dancing in the vineyards at a festival.

The whole of this story shows the utter lawlessness which prevails. It is, moreover, the first instance of a civil war among the Israelites.

6

Further Conquests-The First Judges.

2. HISTORY TO THE TIME OF DEBORAH

AND BARAK.

JUDGES i-iv.

The Book of Judges opens with an account of certain conquests by tribes or individuals. Two of these, the capture of Hebron by Caleb, and of Debir by Othniel, have been already noticed (Part I, p. 234).

Judah and Simeon attack Bezek, and kill the cruel tyrant, Adoni-bezek1. They also smite and set fire to Jerusalem; destroy Zephath, and capture Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron 2. 'The house of Joseph' smite Luz, or Beth-el.

Several places are mentioned as still retained by the old inhabitants 3. An angel is sent to reproach the people with their disobedience in making a league with these idolaters, and the place is called from their sorrow' Bochim,' or 'the weepers.' Punishments are also denounced against them for intermarrying with the native tribes and worshipping their gods.

The first important attack comes from the distant country of Mesopotamia. Chushan-rishathaim‘, its king, invades Palestine, and 'the children of Israel serve him' for eight years. The south being the portion thus oppressed, a deliverer is raised up from Judah in Othniel, the nephew and son-in-law of Caleb, who is thus the first of the judges. After this 'the land of Judah has rest forty years.'

The next attack comes from the neighbouring tribes of the Moabites, Ammonites, and Amalekites, under Eglon, king of Moab. They take 'the city of palm-trees,' Jericho, and oppress the surrounding country for eighteen years. Ehud, a Benjamite, delivers them; not by open warfare, like Othniel, but by assassination. Obtaining a private interview with Eglon, he stabs him, and then escaping summons his countrymen to Mount Ephraim. They seize the fords of

2. HISTORY TO THE TIME OF DEBORAH

AND BARAK.

JUDGES i-iv.

1 Adoni-bezek is a title, meaning 'lord of Bezek.' Cp. Adonizedec in Joshua x. I.

This Bezek seems to have been in Judah (ver. 3), and so a different place from that at which Saul numbered his troops before attacking the Ammonites (1 Sam. xi. 8).

2 These, however, were recovered by the Philistines. They were three of the great Philistine strongholds.

3 The most important of these are given in the supplemental note on the Settlement (Part I, p. 248).

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+ Chushan-rishathaim means 'Chushan of the double wrong,' that is, 'very wicked'; or, as some explain it, of the double victory,' that is, 'a mighty conqueror'; or possibly he was so called after some city.

Habakkuk (iii. 7) speaks of seeing 'the tents of Cushan in affliction.' We learn from Gen. x. 8-12 that this district was the kingdom of Nimrod, the son of Cush.

This invasion may recall that under Chedorlaomer, in the time of Abraham (Gen. xiv). It is the only other invasion from the far east before the decline of the monarchy.

5 For this seizing of the fords to intercept fugitives, we may compare the plans of Gideon (Judges vii. 24), and of Jephthah (Judges xii. 5).

This need not mean that he slew them single-handed, as the performances of the whole force are often spoken of as the work of the leader. So in 1 Sam. xviii. 7 Saul is described as having 'slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.' Shamgar may have led a force of peasants armed with ox-goads. This was a formidable weapon, about 8 feet long, with an iron spike. 'Goads' are mentioned among the weapons of the Israelites in

8

Deliverance from Jabin.

Jordan, and there slay 10,000 of the panic-stricken Moabites. This part of the land now 'has rest' eighty years.

A third deliverance is mentioned under Shamgar, who is described as slaying 600 Philistines with an ox-goad.

Then comes the great struggle against Jabin, king of Canaan, that reigned in the far north at Hazor, who has 'mightily oppressed' the people for twenty years.

'Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, judged Israel at that time? She orders a warrior, called Barak, to meet her with 10,000 men at Mount Tabor. He will only consent on condition of her accompanying him. For this want of faith he is told the journey shall not be 'for his honour'; as Sisera, the general of Jabin's troops, shall be slain by a woman.

Barak summons Zebulon and Naphtali. We learn from ch. v. that men from other tribes join them. In the battle which follows,' the Lord discomfits Sisera ',' whose forces are pursued to a place called Harósheth, and utterly destroyed. He himself, fleeing on foot, takes refuge in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite 1o. She receives him hospitably; but, while he is asleep, treacherously drives a nail or tentpeg through his temples, and kills him. So Jabin, king of Canaan, is subdued, and 'the land has rest forty years.'

(Other particulars of this deliverance are given in the notes on the poem, which is the next selected passage.)