PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Judges
Arthur Charles Hervey [1808-1894] · 186,338 words · 202 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 61
realisations of sn.cred knowledge prepare for the Divinely-arranged circumstances of life, critical moments, and heavenly visitations. IV. Gon's MANNER OF DEALING WITH THE DIFFICULTIES AND OBJECTIONS OF ms INTENDED SERVANT 1B VERY INSTRUCTIVE. IIe accommodates himself to the thoughts passing through Gideon's mind. By …
1,035 wordsSECTION 62The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 62
Ver. 17.-Asking for a si,gn. The stranger said, Have not I sent thee? I will be ~-ith thee. Gideon wanted a proof that he was one who had authority &c. to use such words. That he was a supernatural visitor he suspected; he w'anted to be sure. But it was rather to ascertain the reality of his own heavenly calling, wh…
878 wordsSECTION 63The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 63
Vere. 22-24.-Jehovah Shalom, or spiritual forebodings stilled. The relig;ious experience of one is often of help to others. At all times has the commerce of man with the unseen taken place ; it is a necessary element in his spiritual life, The test of true religion is the sentiment thus awakened. !. THE NATURAL FEAR O…
1,019 wordsSECTION 64The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 64
EXPOSITION. Ver. 25.-The same night, &c. The iron only objection to this, by far the most was hot; it was time to strike. A13 regards natural rendering, is that Gideon is not told what follows, there are two ways of under- what to do with the first bullock. But it is standing the verse. One, that of the A. V., a simpl…
1,216 wordsSECTION 65The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 65
wor~ for God wliile '!ny known S'in i,s '?®ing its _deadly shade upon us. Are you seekmg to do sornethmg for God ? begm by plucking out the right eye that offends by throwing down the altar of the false god within you. Lay the axe to the root of the tree, _and at any risk or c:ost clear Y?urself_ of complicity with …
1,137 wordsSECTION 66The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 66
Vere. 31, 32.-Jerubbaal, or, Is an idol anything 1 How mighty the work was Gideon had wrought at once appeared from its effects. His father is won over, ,ind so argues for him that the Abi-ezrites are first silenced, and then converted. The nickname of Gideon showed the process of the change. I. THE GRAND ARGUMENT AGA…
800 wordsSECTION 67The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 67
EXPOSITION. Ver. 33.-Tbe llidianites, &c. Seever. 3, now, but they met with a different reception note. The valley of Jezreel. Rather, twi this time. plain, '' the great plain of Esdrae Ion," as the Ver. 34.-The Spirit of the Lord, &c. See Book of Judith styles it (Judith i. 8; see eh. iii. 10; xi. 29; xiii. 25; xi…
718 wordsSECTION 68The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 68
HOMILETICS. Vers. 33-40.-The Divine side of human history. This section reveals an extraordinary change in the whole aspect of things in Israel. At the beginning of the chapter we see the people utterly cowed before their enemies, skulking in caves and dens and hiding-places, while their insolent masters take posse…
1,038 wordsSECTION 69The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 69
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 33---40.-The crisis and the confirmation. Gideon's first task demanded moral rather than physical courage. It was restricted in its sphere. It witnessed to the principle that sin must be removed ere national or individual calamities can be permanently cured, or God's help vouchsaf…
578 wordsSECTION 70The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 70
EXPOSITION. ing," i. e. returnin~ in haste. The sense of CHAPTER VII. " early" expressea in the A. V. does not Ver. 1.-J'erubbaal. The mention of this seem to be any part of the meaning of the name seems intended to keep before our word. See Dent. xx. 8 for the form of the minds that it is emphatically the servant o…
1,033 wordsSECTION 71The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 71
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-8.-Tlte sifting. When we consider the extraordinary reduction of Gideon's army from 32,000 to 300 by a process of winnowing, not merely as an isolatc:d fact, but as a portion of the instruction of God's word, we are at once struck with its ana\ogy, in principle, to other broad teachings of the s…
1,240 wordsSECTION 72The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 72
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vera. 1-B.-Divinely-ordained tests. What a contrast the present position of Gideon as Israel's leader, within a few hundred yards of the dreaded foe, from that in which we first find him, threshing wheat in the wine-press secretly I Thus far has the Lord brought him, but much has to be don…
1,004 wordsSECTION 73The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 73
in him, not having mine own righteousness," &c. (Phil. iii. 9). Inward witness- "Bv Lhe grace of Goel I am what I am" (1 Cor. xv. 10).-M. Ver. 2.-Sztccess not dependent on numbers. One of the first objects of a general's anxiety is to see that he has a sufficient number of men under his command. But Gideon is made to …
755 wordsSECTION 74The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 74
EXPOSITION. Ver. 9.--Get thee down, &c., i. e. attack L~mpa. Ra~hcr, e.s in the margin, i,orclw, the camp at once with thy 300 men. But w1thm the pitchers, so e.s not to be seen till if thou art afraid to do so, go down first the pitchers were brokeu, when the torches Rlone with Phurah thy servant, and hear what wo…
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Ver. 22.-Blew the trumpets, &c. Hear- quickly when they heard of the flight of the ing the confusion, the three companies blew Midianites. Zebulun is not mentioned. their trumpets, probably more loudly than Ver. 24.-Mount Ephraim. Rather, the before, to give the impression of o. hot pur- hill rountry of Ephraim. For so…
927 wordsSECTION 76The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 76
~iismiss that army :without striking a ~low. Just when he was about to ncquire immortal_ fame !o lnmself, and to save h_1s country, and establish the great religious reforma_hon ~-luch he had be~un, by thell' means, to see them, and nil hie own pros- pects with them, melt a':"11)'. hke a heap of.snow, bef_ore the su…
927 wordsSECTION 77The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 77
camp are so many proofs upon proofs, like our Lord's appearances after his resurrec- tion, givi,n by God to make his revelation certain, and so many evidences of Gideon's wise caution in aHcerte.ining beyond a doubt that it we.a the word of God which was directing him in this terrible enterprise. In trying to take Gide…
876 wordsSECTION 78The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 78
II. _SUGGESTI?N IS GJ~EN HO'". TO P~RF~CT OUR SERVICE, In every saint's life t!1ere is sometl1mg wnntmg·-an mdefimte mcompleteness and crudity. Such revela- tions and pro,idences remove this. Their practical utility is evident. Here were several matters made know!1. to Gideon he had not p_robably dreamt of. 1. The …
814 wordsSECTION 79The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 79
Ver. 22-ch. viii. 4, 10-13.-Followino UP. advantage. A model of diplomatic skill, judicial sternness, and coldier-like hardihood and resolution. Far from home, nmid hardship in at.range regions, he tracks the enemy even into the inaccessib]P. Hauran. There is a Syrian proverb, He fled into the Wa'r of the SiJJa, i. e. …
1,241 wordsSECTION 80The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 80
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-3.-The blindness of self-love. Nobody admires pride, envy, jealousy, and petulance, when they see them pictured in the character and conduct of other men. Everybody, on the contrary, recognises the beauty of humility, gentleness, and for- bearance, and admires self-control and patience under provoc…
1,194 wordsSECTION 81The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 81
not what they do." Thorn■ of the wilder- .T erome, as being the sa1ne its n cl\Stle called neBB. The nnture of the punishment here Carcaria, near Petra, is quite out of tho ques- thrrRtened, Rnd the execution of which is tion, as being greRtly too far south. As an rclate,l in ver. 16, is uncrrtain. The word ~ppellative…
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done, But Gideon no doubt hnd the future as well as the present moment in view. 'I'he wrongs nnd misery of his country during the Midianite oppression, seven long yonrs of grinding, cruel servitude, were fresh in his memory. He would not have the plain of ,Jezreel ngnin the prey to those locusts from the east. And so M…
772 wordsSECTION 83The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 83
3. Note the causrs of this fnintness. (1) These may be observed in the circumstances of life:-in the length of the course; the great difficulty being not to nerve ourselves for a few heroic actions, but to continue pressing on through the long hot day through the long weary night :-in the speed of the pursuit ; life i…
877 wordsSECTION 84The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 84
ment of Gideon's threat in ver. 7 recorded be. The answer of Zebah and Zalmunna, in the same words with regard to Succoth, which is not given in its entirety, was no just as the breaking down of the tower of doubt intended to be soothing and depreca- Penuel in ver. 17 is in verbal agreement tory of Gideon's wrath. They…
1,253 wordsSECTION 85The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 85
EXPOSITION. Vers. 22, 23.-Rule thou, kc. The gratitnde It is distinctly marked as a nose-ring in Gen. of Israel to their great deliverer, added to a :xxiv. 22, 30, 47, because in the last verse sense that it would be for their own security, Abra.ham's servant sa.ys that he "put the R.nd to a desire, already perhaps…
609 wordsSECTION 86The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 86
imply e. forger number of slain. The orna- high priest there, and therefore he would ments, 11s in vcr. 21, the collars. 'l'he word have the ephod at his own city of Uphrah, so rendered seems rather to mean drops or just as Jephthah made Mizpeh his relioious pendants. When worn by women (Js11.. iii. centre (eh. xi. …
1,330 wordsSECTION 87The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 87
HOMILETICS. Vers. 22~5.-Prosperity. God has two ways of trying men: one in the furnace of ~ffiiction, that the trial of their f~ith, being much more precious than of gold that pensheth, may be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jes1IS Christ; the other in the fining-pot of prosperity, and th…
613 wordsSECTION 88The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 88
resontment of injuries, e.nd "insolent joy," born of ovennuch prosperity ha<l been aroused by his successes. His request for the gold rings which formed a' portion of the people's prey. e.nd the making therewith e. costly ephod, without any direction from God or knowledge that he was doing what would be acceptable t…
861 wordsSECTION 89The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 89
~ut their mistRke was twofold-(1) in exalting mnn instead of God, and (2) in seek- mg to put_an en~ to the theocracy. 'l'he natural mind nets always thus, in the fhce of the plarncst signs of Divine intervention and authority; building itself out from the UnsPPn by human authorities and institutions. Tle chain of co…
1,053 wordsSECTION 90The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 90
Vers. 22, 23.-Gide,on and the theocracy. This incident may be regarded in rela- tion to the conduct of the men of Israel, to that of Gideon, and to the historical fact of the theocracy. !. THE INCIDENT REGARDED IN RELATION TO THE CONDUCT OF THE MEN OF ISRAEL. I. These men assumed a power which they did not rightful…
538 wordsSECTION 91The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 91
power of the theocracy which his contemporaries appear to hnve ignored, 1md (2) of its suitability for the happy government of his nation. III. THE INCIDENT REGARDED IN RELATION TO THE THEOCRACY. 1. It is not wise t-0 propose a revolution of government except for great and necessary ends. It is easy to overthrow th…
968 wordsSECTION 92The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 92
EXPOSITION. temple of Apollo at Delphi wero very CHAPTER IX. great, and excited the cupidity of Xerxes, Ver. 1.-The son of Jerubbaal. Through- who sent an armv to plunder the tem- out this chapter Gideon is spoken of by the ple, but was foiled in the attempt. The name of Jerubbaal. There must be some Phocians are re…
1,141 wordsSECTION 93The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 93
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-6.-Self-aggrandisement. If we study the characters of men famous either in profane or sacred history with a view not merely to their capacity, but to their moral worth, we shall observe 011e very marked distinction between them. Some, the few, evidently used their great pe>wers and their great o…
687 wordsSECTION 94The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 94
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-6.-Ambitious usurpation. Nothing shows the extent and significance of Gideon's influence so much as the anarchy that followed his death. The presence of one may check, restrain, direct, &c. in a degree wholly inexplicable until its removal. The retrogression of peoples-bow difficu…
774 wordsSECTION 95The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 95
Ver. 6.-Abimelech. The character and life of Abimelech furnish us with a terrible picture of ambition in its bad origin, wicked character, temporary triumph, and fatal issues. I. THE BAD ORIGIN OF AMBITION. This is illustrated in the circumstances which were associated with the early days of Abimelech. 1. Irreqular…
476 wordsSECTION 96The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 96
EXPOSITION. Vor. 7.-0n the top of Mount Gerizim. image e.nd all its parts are in strict accord- Mount Gerizim rises on the south-west side ance with nature. In the Scripture allegory of Samaria or Shechem ae a sheer rock about real persons and their actions prefigure the 800 feet in height, facing Mount Ebal, actions …
1,273 wordsSECTION 97The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 97
HOMILETICS. Ve1'13. 7-21.-The handwriting on the wall. Among the many dramatic scenes which invest the pages of Holy Scripture with such singular interest, and give them such a hold upon the minds of all who read them with intelligence, perhaps none is more striking than that depicted in the fifth chapter of the pr…
536 wordsSECTION 98The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 98
the heights of Gerizim a voice of ill omen-it might seem a prophetic voice, certainly n voice hig with unwelcome truth-rang in the streets of Shechem. The passers-by, the throng in the market-place, the base adherents and ffatterers of the new-made king, were startled by the sound, and looking up to the rock which over…
1,120 wordsSECTION 99The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 99
Vere. 8-15.-Jotham'tJ parable. By casting his ideas in the fonn of a parable, Jotharn not only makes them graphic o.nd striking, he exalts them into the light of general principles, and thus teaches lessons which are applicable in all ages. I. MEN ARE TOO READY TO SHELTER THEMSELVES UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND RESPONSI…
676 wordsSECTION 100The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 100
EXPOSITION. Yer. 22. -Had reigned. The Hebrew Ver. 26.-Gaal the sonofEbed. Whohe word here used is quite a different one from was, or of what tribe or race he and his that in vers. 8, 10, 12, 14, and elsewhere, brethren were, we have no means of know- where the reign of a king is designated. It ing; he seems to have b…
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"Wl10 is David ! nnd who is the son of Zebu! affected not to see tlie men, and er, Jesse ! " and, " ·what portion have we in plained the appeltranee as being merely tho Dand ! neither have we inheritance in the shadows of the mountains cast before the Mn of Jesse." Here, therefore, it is clear that rising sun. Shec…
989 wordsSECTION 102The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 102
Ver. 44.-The company. The Hebrew Neapolis (i. e. Shechem) and Scythopolis lms companies, but the sense requires the (i. e. Beth-shean), about thirteen miles from singulal'. Shechem. It still survives in the large and Ver. 45.-Abimelech fought age.inst the beautiful village of T1lbas, which, Robinson city, &c. When all…
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HOMILETICS. Vers. 22-57.-Be sure your si,n will find .vou om We are living under the government of God, and though many things happen in the world which seem strange and inexplicable to us upon the theory of God's rig·hteous rule over mankind yet "'e have but to be patient, and to observe impartially the end of thi…
1,065 wordsSECTION 104The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 104
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 22-57.-The Nemesis of 1tsurpation. The quick succession of events shows that the political situation is one of unstable equilibrium. The movement of a.ffairs is rapid, as if the sta.ge were being cleared for the rea.l and important action that is to follow. I. A NATURAL ELEMENT. The…
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Ven1. 53, 54.-Reputation. In the moment of his death Abimelech is anxious to save his reputation, which he thinks would be dishonoured if it could be said that a woman slew him. l. REPUTATION AMONGST l!EN IS SOMETIMES VALUED MORE HIGHLY THAN INNOCENCE IN THE SIGHT OF Gon. Abimelech is anxious about the opinion of t…
1,271 wordsSECTION 106The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 106
measures are called for, no striking incidents of a prosperous or of an adverse kind diversify the scene. It is so likewise sometimes in the Church. Heresy is still , persecution !s .sti!l ; nggressiv~ movements of p_artie~ are still ; controversy i~ hushed ; Chnst1amty folds her wmgs and takes no flight mto distant…
1,027 wordsSECTION 107The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 107
EXPOSITION. Ver. 6.-Did evil again. We may con- Amorites, i. e. the territory of Sihon king clude that Tola and Jair had used their of the Amorites, and Og the king of Bashan influence to maintain the worship of Jehovah; (Numb. xx.xii. 33). In Gilead-in its widest but at their death idolatry broke out with acceptation…
662 wordsSECTION 108The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 108
been preserved in the Bible (see eh. viii. 13, Israel's sin, of their oppression by the Am- not.e). From the Egyptians, as related Rt monites, of their repent,tnce o.nd return to large in the Book of Exodus ; from the the God of their fathers, nnd of God's merci- Amorites, AS related in Numb. xxi. 21-35; ful accopta…
975 wordsSECTION 109The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 109
eaten the manna from heaven, and drank the water out of the stony rock, and been led to victory by a Joshua, n Bnrnk, a Deborah, or a Gideon, we never could have forgotten such signal mercies, could never haTe been unfait.hful to the gracious Author of them, could never have preferred the vain idols of the heathen to t…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 6.-Recumng habits of evil,. The external peace and order do not break the entail of evil habit-" they continued to do evil." I. OBSERVANCE OF EXTERNAL DECENCIES 01" LIFE IS NO SAFEGUARD AGAINST INDRED DEPRAVITY. Only the hearty love and service of God. Probably the "whoring after oth…
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God entere a man he looke upon difficulties with a. new resolution. It enables him " to take arms ngainet n sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them." Ill. RENDEillNG THEM WILLING TO ACCEPT THE LEADER Goo SHALL INDICATE. It is no lusting after n king now. The only King is Jehovah. But a. leader and judge is sought. …
1,214 wordsSECTION 112The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 112
Vers. 15, 16.-Repentance. I. REPENTANCE. INVOLVES CONFESSION OF SIN. The people admit their guilt to themselves and declare it frankly to God. 1. We must confess S'in. We cannot turn from sin till we are conscious of sin. God will not forg-ive our sin till we confess our guilt. These two things, the self-knowledge and …
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EXPOSITION. the person so calletl, i. e. the son or descend- CHAPTER XI. ant ?f Machir, from whom the family, in- Vers. 1-ll. -The narrative here goes. back cludmg J ephthah, were railed Gileadi tes ; probably some years, to explain the antece- b_ut whether son or descendant cannot posi- dents of Jephthah, who was a…
746 wordsSECTION 114The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 114
in ver. 3, and the "father's house" in ver. and Deuteronomy, and in some instances 2, are to be taken in the wider sense of verbal quotations. Thus in this verso the fellow-tribesmen and "house of fathers," words below which are put in italics are found and that his expulsion wa.s not the private in Numb. xiii, 26; …
1,021 wordsSECTION 115The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 115
mentioned bece.use the territory he.d be- banks. The Sept-uagini for Arnon reacls longed to the Moabites, but Chemosh had J01'dan, which was the western boundary, as not been able to snvo it from the Amorites. Amon was the southern (ver. 22). The cor- The Lord our God. Jehovah was the God responding description in Deut…
928 wordsSECTION 116The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 116
when he asked the king of the sons of Ammon to state the grounds on which he inYaded Israel, and when on his side he refuted that statement by an historicnl retro- spect of the transactions in question. '!'hough, however, the spirit of fairness gives the best chance of an amicable settlement of controversies, it doe…
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hnving no clenr proof of his paternity, have received the tribal name in that relation. A foundling, with II shnmefu mystery lying behind hi~ life. 2. In the behaviour of men towards him. Those who were his brethren according to the flesh acted a most unbrotherly p1trt. Either from selfishness or a false feeling of sh…
903 wordsSECTION 118The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 118
Yers. 12-28.-The model diplomatut. I. THE PROFOUND SAGACITY AND SENSE 01!' INTERNATIONAL COURTESIES AND OBLIGATIONS DISPLAYED BY JEPHTHAH. An historical sit:e is chosen, which had significance to all the nations neighbouring upon it. At M1zpah hnd Jacob and Laban made solemn covenant. To their descendant nations the p…
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EXPOSITION. Ver. 29.-Then the Spirit of the Lord was "the son of a strange woman," probably, came upon Jephthah, as upon Othniel, as we have seen, a Syrian (eh. xi. 1-11, upon Gideon, and upon Samson (eh. iii. 16; note), and had passed many years of his life vi. 34 ; xiiL 25 ; xiv. 19 ; xv. 14). He as an exile in Syri…
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yarda, beUer taken ns e. proper n11.me, Abel- custom mentioned by Sanchonia.tho (quoted tXJramim. The site is not certainly known. by Porphyry), of s1tcrificing to Saturn one of Eusebius speaks of two Abels, both fertile thoso most dear to them in timos of war in vineyards, one se,en Roman miles from pestilence, or …
907 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.