32. TLspi, concerning) luva&poiff^bg and a remarkable congeries,1 first Subjects, then Predicates. — Tsdsuv, x.r.x.) The order of time is Baraky Gideon, Jephthah, Samson, Samuel, David, the prophets ; and the reason of the change may be gathered from the note on the following verse. The Greek orthography is the same as in the LXX., nns^, 9iep6&e9 * for %, as in Nwe. — 2a//,ouj)x, Samuel) The mention of the prophets is properly put after Samuel. David was also a prophet ; but Samuel was a prophet, not a king. — ruv vpopriTuv, of the prophets) Elijah, Isaiah, etc. Other be lievers are also intended, who were in any way connected with the prophets.
33, 34. o/ — aXXorpiuv, who— of aliens) After he had just enu merated seven Subjects, he adds nine Predicates, and the verbs weightily (forcibly) begin the clauses. For it is of David espe cially that those words are used, narnyuviGavro /3aovXg/a£, they sub dued kingdoms ; 2 Sam. viii. 1, etc. Of Samuel, e<pydffa.vro dixaioffvvqv, they wrought righteousness; 1 Sam. viii. 9, xii. 3, etc., 23, xv. 33. Finally, of the prophets generally, s^srv^ov g-aray/sX/wi/, they obtained promises : for it was to them properly speaking that this was vouchsafed, that the promises, afterwards to be fulfilled in Christ, were put forth by them : for example, Dan. ix. 21. Here the meaning of the phrase agrees with the word, prophets. So we say in the present day, to obtain a diploma : comp. note on ver. 9. It is likewise said of the prophets, e<ppa%av ffropara, Xeovruv, &<r[3fffav dvva/uv irvpbs, they shut the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, Dan. vi. 22 (where the LXX. have the same phrase), iii. 27 : which are the last miracles mentioned in the Old Testament, and that too in the Hagiographa. And in this passage, what is ascribed to GOD and His angel in the passage quoted, is predicated of believers themselves. In short, to these examples, from which faith more manifestly shines forth, those more ancient examples are subjoined which receive evidence from them, by the figure Chiasmus (such as we find at Matt. xxii. 46 : comp. ver. 41, 29), and in retrograde order;2 for it is
1 Congeries, when several words, signifying things differing in species, are brought together in one heap or accumulation. See Append, on Symper- asma. — ED.
2 The critical notes [App. Crit. Ed. ii., P. iv., N. xiv.} p. 918] show this order according to the following plan : —
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said especially ofJephthah, epwyov srd^a ^a^a/pag, they escaped the edge of the sword, Judg. xii. 3 : of Samson, sysdwa/^dr^a^ u*l> affdsvzfac, out of weakness were made strong, Judg. xv. 19, xvi. 28, 29 : of Barak, syevr/Qqaav Js^vpoi sv wo^s/aw, became valiant in fight, Judg. iv. 14, 15 : of Gideon, '7rap€l'jJ(3oXag txXivav aXXorpiuv, turned to flight the armies (the camp) of the aliens, Judg. vii. 21 : so that these four predicates, comp. ver. 32, correspond individually (severally, respectively) to as many subjects in retrograde order, including the gradation. Thus faith animates the greatest, nay, heroic deeds, both civil and military. Finally, observe that the authority of the earlier and later prophets is summarily approved by this group (congeries) of subjects and predicates.
34. "ExXimv, drove back) by putting the enemy to flight, and by their slaughter of one another. — aXXorpiuv, of aliens) i.e. of enemies.
35. "E\a(3ov, women received) They as it were snatched them (rescued them). — yy'/a/ksc, women) that were believers, naturally weak. — st, dvaffrdffzojz, out of or from the resurrection) He says, from, not by. They anticipated a future resurrection. — vtxpo-j<;) dead sons, 1 Kings xvii. 22; 2 Kings iv. 35. — aX\oi de, and others) He comes from them that act to them that suffer (although Abel, ver. 4, was already long ago an example of one both acting and suffering) ; and the particle ds, but, makes an emphatic addition (Epitasis). The «XXo/, others, distinguishes these genera ; the word sr&pot, others, ver. 36, distinguishes the species of sufferers. Paul observes the same distinction, 1 Cor. xii. 8, 9. — sTvtu<7raviffdr}Gav) rv/AKavov, a drum-stick, then a cudgel with which men were beaten to death ; French, bastonnade ;