362
y Jud. iv. 6, 22, ¥Kal τί ἔτι λέγω; ἐπιλείψει γάρ με διηγούμενον 6 χρόνος περὶ
εἰ vi. 11,
et ΣΙ ΡΘΕ Γεδεὼν, Βαράκ τε καὶ Σαμψὼν καὶ ᾿Ιεφθάε, Δαβίδ τε καὶ Σαμουὴλ
xli. 7, 8 ΧΙ. 24; I
Sam. i. 20, et xii. 17, etc., et xiii. 14, et xvii. 45.
Exod, xiv. 29 ἐπορεύθησαν διὰ ξηρᾶς ἐν μέσῳ τῆς θαλάσσης, also xv. 19; and cf. the various impressions in the Psalms which celebrate the great deliverance. The greatness of the people’s faith is accentuated by the fate of the Egyptians, whose attempt to follow was audacity and presumption not faith. ἧς πεῖραν λαβόντες « - - ‘of which [1.6., of the sea] making trial the Egyptians were swallowed up,” Exod. xv. 4 κατεπόθησαν ἐν ἐρυθρᾷ θαλάσσῃ. Another instance of the faith of the people and its effects is found in the fall of the walls of Jericho. The greatness of the faith may be meas- ured by the difficulty we now have in believing that the walls fell without the application of any visible force. God’s promise was, πεσεῖται αὐτόματα τὰ τείχη, and believing this promise the people compassed the city seven days. The greatness of their faith was further exhibited in their continuing to compass the city day after day, for in the promise (Josh. vi. 1-5) no mention is made of any delay in its fulfilment and the natural inference would be that the walls would fall on the first day. That none should have felt foolish marching day after day round the solid walls is beyond nature. κυκλωθέντα, see Josh. vi. 6,14 and foréwt ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας, Josh. vi. 14. ‘*‘ When applied to time, ἐπί de- notes the period over which something extends, as Luke iv. 25, ἐπὶ ἔτη τρία, during three years” (Winer, p. 508). The fall of Jericho and the extermination of its inhabitants suggest the escape of Rahab. ἡ πόρνη; in its strict meaning (“ἰδέα meretrix” (Origen), ‘‘ fornicaria” (Irenaeus), is introduced to emphasise he power of faith; she did not perish along with the disobedient (iii. 18) ; ἀπειθήσασιν, they knew that the Lord had given the land to Israel (Josh. ii. 9, το) but did not submit themselves to the acknowledged purpose of Jehovah. Rahab acted upon her belief in this pur- pose and instead of delivering up the spies as enemies of her country ‘re- ceived them with peace,” that is, as friends, risking her life because of her faith.
Vv. 32-40. Summary of the achieve- ments of faith in the times subsequent to Joshua.
Ver. 32. At this point the writer sees
that he cannot pursue the method he has. been following and give in detail all the signal manifestations of faith, which are recorded in the annals of his people. τί. ἔτι λέγω, “what shall I further say?” deliberative subjunctive (cf. Rom. i. 15, etc.) the writer questioning how he is to handle the numberless instances that rise before his mind. He cannot give them 811,ἐπιλείψει pe yap... ‘for time will fail me if I recount in detail”’. (Julian, Orat., i. p. 341 B. ἐπιλείψει pe τἀκείνου διηγούμενον ὁ χρόνος). ἐπι- λείψει µε ἣ ἡμέρα is frequent, see many examples in Wetstein. Cf. Virgil, Ζξη., vi. 121, quid Thesea magnum, quid memorem Alciden? ‘a favourite device for cutting short a long list” (Page). διηγούμενον means to relate with par- ticularity, see Luke viii. 39, ix. 10; Acts χα, 17; Gen. xxix. 13. On Gideon see Judges vi.-vlii; Barak chronologically earlier, chap. iv, v; Samson, xiii-xvi ; Jephthah, who also preceded Samson, xi, ΧΙ. Samuel is considered as the first of the prophets as in Acts ili. 24 and xiii. 20.
‘ot covers vv. 33, 34, although not every
particular cited, while διὰ πίστεως refers to all the verbs to end of 38. This expression supplants the persistent πίστει of vv. 3-31, mainly for euphony. κατ- ηγωνίσαντο βασιλείας, ‘sub- dued kingdoms,” as is recorded of the Judges and David, who also ἠργάσαντο δικαιοσύνην, which seems to refer to their righteous rule, although the same expression is never used in the LXX except of personal righteousness (Ps. xv. 2) but of David it is thrice said that he Was ποιῶν κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην, 2 Sam. Vili. το; 1 Chron. xviii. 14; Jer. xxiii. 5; and of Samuel testimony is borne that he judged righteously, 1 Sam. xii. 3. ἐπέτυχον ἐπαγγελιῶν, ‘obtained pro- mises” not ‘‘ the promise” of Messianic salvation (cf. ver. 39) but promises given on special occasions, cf. Josh. xxi. 45; Judges vii. 7, xiii. 5; 1 Kings viii. 56. ἔφραξαν στόματα λεόντων, cf. Daniel vi. 22, ἐνέφραξε τὰ στόματα τῶν λεόντων, also Judges χῖν. 5, 6: 2 Sam. xvii. 34, xxiii. 2ο. ἔσβεσαν δύναμιν πυρός, probably the rescue of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego was suggested by the allusion to Daniel. δύναμιν is explained by the words of Dan. iii. 22, ἡ κάμινος ἐξεκαύθη ἐκ περισσοῦ. ἔφυ--