z Towit, out of the choiceſt part of a whole Ephah ; as alſo he broughr ro him the beſt part of a Kid dreſſed ; for a whole Ephah, and a whole Kid had been very ſuperfluous, and improper to pro- vide for, and ſer b:fore one Man.
20 And the angel of God ſaid unto him, Take the fleſh, andthe unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did ſo.
21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the ſtaff that was in his hand, and couched the fleſh, and the unleavened cakes, and * there roſe up fire out * Lev;z of the rock, and conſumed the fleſh, and the unleave- 9- 24: ned cakes a; then the angel of the LORD departed our of his ſight.
a By which, he ſhews himſelf to be no Man that needed ſuch proviſions, but a true Angel of God, or the Son of God ; and by this inſtance of his Omniporency, gave him aſſurance, that he both couid, and would conſume the Midianites.
22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an an- gel of the LORD, Gideon ſaid, Alas b, O Lord God :
* for becauſe c I have ſeen an angel of the LORD face * F*od ro face. * Hou
6 I am an undone Man ; I muſt die, and that ſpeedily ; for that Ms P he feared, v. 23. according to the common opir.ion in that caſe; of © * which ſee Gen. 16, 13. and 32+ 30+ Exod. 33. 20. Deute. 5. 25, 26,
c Or, for therefore, &c. (i.e. ) Therefore God hath ſhewed me this ſight as a prelage of my Death.
23 And the LORD ſaid unto him 4d, Peace be unto thee.e; fear not, thou ſhalt not die.
d By inward ſuggeſtion, rather than in a viſible Apparition, e Thou ſhalt receive no hurt by this Viſion, as thou feareſt ; bur only peace, 1. e. all the bleſſings needful for thy own happineſs, and for the-preſent work ; for this is a very comprehenſive Phraſe a mong the Hebrews.
24 Then Gideon bailt an altar there F unto the LORD, and called ic || Jehovah-ſhalom g: unto this [har is
day, it 7s yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites the Lond f To wit. en the top ofthe Rock, as is evident from wv. 20, ang ſend pra eſpecially from v- 26. where that which is here expreſſed only in general, and by anticipation, is more particularly deſcribed, ac- cording to the uſage of the Scripture. g 7. e. The Lords peace; the ſign or witneſs of Gods ſpeaking Peace to me, 2nd to his people: or the place where he ſpake Peace to me, when I expe&ed nothing but DeſtruQtion. 25 T And it came to paſs the ſame night, that the LORD faid unto him, Take thy fathers young bul- lock, -|| even the ſecond bulleck h, of ſeven years 01, 1] Or, and and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath * xo. z, and cut down the grove that 7s by it & : 34: 13; þ Thus there was but one Bullock, which was young, to wit, com. Dceut-715i paratively, but nor ſimply, for it was ſeven years old ; and of ſuch this Hebrew word is utied, Job 21, 10» For theſe Creatures are fruitful above ſeven years. Or thus, thy Fathers young Bullock, and the ſecond Bullock: ſo there were two Bullocks. Bur becauſe ther is bur one of them mentioned both in the next verſe, and in the exe. cution of this Command, wv. 28. it is probable it was but one; and the Hebrew Particle, vau, and, 1s put exegetically for even, or, to wit, as is very uſual. And this he cails his Fathers young Buleck, both becauſe his Father was the owner of ir, and becauſe his Father kept and fed it for a Sacrifice to Beal, But becauſe ir is likely his Father kept divers of theſe Carre} of differing Ages and Scatures for that uſe, either at his own, or ar the pzoples charge; therefore he adds by way of Jimitation, that he ſhould nor take the eldeſt and the grea- teſt, Lut the ſecond ; to wit, in Ape, or Stature, or Good!ineſs, or in the order of Sacrifice, that which was to have been ſacrificed to Baal in thefecond place. And this he ſingled cut becauſe of its age; for being ſeven years old, it began with the Midranitiſh Calamity and being now to be ſacrificed, dig fitly ſignificy that the Period of that Miſery was now come* #5 Which thy lather built in his own Graund, though for the common uſe of the whole City,w. 28. 29, 30. k Planted by the Altar for Idolatrous or im pure Utes, as rhe manner of Idolaters Was» See Jud, 3+ 7, This Aftion might ſeem 1njurious to his Fathers Rights and Auchority ; but Gcds Command was ſullicient warrand, and Gideon was now Called to be the Supreme Magiſtrate
——
Chap. V1, ©
; *t Bc
t He ring i Or. paerl mann
- | Heb
loathe, * Nun 20. 3 Chap. 2%
t Heb called a bim.
Mor: _ H__ 7 UC YU Ps | Chap.. VIL
Magiſtrate, whereby he was made his Father's Superiour, and was ſengers unto Aſher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naph-
impowered, and authorizedy and enjoy ned to root out all Idolatry eali 1 3 thew-© aud Superſtition, and the Inſtruments thereof. y. Ga y came up to meet them.
c On both ſides of Jordan. & Becauſe theſe Tribes were neareſt to 26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God, UP- | him, and ſo could ſ-oneſt jiyn with him; and were neareſt the
cb on the top of this T rock { [ in the ordered place mM, } Enemy aifo, v. 33+ and therefore were moſt ſenſible of the Calami- = ;lace. and take the ſecond bullock, and offer a burnt-ſacrifice 'Y, and would in all reaſon be moſt forward to reſcue themſelves "Or. 852.332 With the wood of the grove which thou ſhalr cur | 77992 It . : 7 Bo 5 36 © And Gideon ſaid unto GOD e, If thou wilt ſave manners 1 Of which v. 20.21. Heb. of this ftrong hold: for in that Cala- Iſrael by mine hand, as thou haſt {ai 5 SD mitous time the 1/-ae[/tes retreated to ſuch Rocks,ard hid and forti- | , .* In way of humble Supplication, part'y for the {trengthning of fred themſelves in them. m i- & In a p'ain and ſmoorh part of the his own Faith, and partly for the greater encouragement of his Sol= Rock, where an A!rar may be conveniently built. Or, in erder, i. c. diers in this great and ſtrange Attempt. NT in ſuch miner as T have apppoinred ; for God had given Rules a- 37 Behoid,I will pur A fleece of wool in the floor z bour the bui'ding cf Altars. 1 Gideon was no Prieſt, nor was this | and if the dew be on rhe fleece only,and it be dry upon
the avpointed pl:ce of Sacrifice ; bur God can diſpente with h15own | 411 44 4 1 Wi Inſtitutions, thouga we may nt; and his call gave Gideon ſufficient he _carth beſide # 4 then ſhall I Know chaz thos wile
Authorir ys fave Iſrael by mine hand, as thou haſt ſaid.