k A ſtrong place belonging to the City of Shechem, and made for its Dcf-nce or Security, bur wirchout the City. Ir js rhought, this was that Milo which was confederate with Shechem in their deſign againſt Abimelech, v, 6. which alſo Jotham Curſed with Shechem, v. 20» and that Curſe is noted to have its Effe&, wv. 575. And this piace may be called the Tower of Shechem ; either becauſe thoſe who poſſeſſed and defended it, were ſent from Shechem 3 Or, becauſe it was built and kept for the ſafe guard of Shechew. 1 Or, Baal-berithz v- 4+ Hither they fled our of the Town belonging to it, fearing the 1ame event with Shechem; and here they thought to be ſecure ; partly b! ſtrength of the place, as the temples of idols are oft- times built in\the higheſt and ſtrongeſt Places, as the Capitol at Rome, and the Temple at Jeruſalem; and ſuch this place ſeems to have been, becauſe rhey laid cheir Treaſure here, w. 4. Partly by the Religion of it, thinking thar either their god would Prote& them there, or that Abimelech would ſpare them tierce, if not out of plety to that god, yet out of thankfulneſs for the beneſite which he re- ceived thence, v. 4+ |
47 Andit was told Abimelech, that all the men of che tower of Shechem were gathered together, into that place. 48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon », he, and all the people that were wich him, and Abi- melech took an ax 1n his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid t on his ſhoulder, and faid unto the people that were with him, What ye have ſeen + me do, make haſte, and do as I have , pc: 1 done. havyc ant, m A place ſo called from its ſhadineſs, becauſe there were many Trees there. 49 Andall the people likewiſe cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put hem to the hold, and ſet the hold on fire upon them: ſo that all the men of the tower of Shechem died alio, about a thouſand men and women. po © Then went Abimelech to Thebez », and en- camped againſt 'Thebez, and took it. » Another Town nearto Shechem ; and, as it ſeems, within its Territory. 51 But there was aſtrong tower within the city, and thirher fledall the men, and women o, and all they of the city, and ſhut it to them, and gat them vp to the top of the tower p. o All that were nor ſlain in taking of the Town : or they all for- ſook the Town, and retired to their ſtrong Hold. Þ Which was flat and plain, after their manner of Building. 52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought againſt it, and went hard unto the door of the tower, to burn it with fires 53 Anda certain woman * caſt a piece of a mil-ſtone + , e,; q upon Abimelech's head, and all to break his skull. | 9 Such great ſtones no doubt they carried up with them, whereby they might defend themſelves, or offend thoſe wko Afſſaulted - them. Here ghe Juſtice of GOD is remarkable in ſuiting the Pu- aifhment
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niſhment to his Sin. He flew his Brethren upen a ſtone, v; 5- an he loſerh his own life by a ſtone. :
54 Then * he called haſtily unto the young man his armour-bearer, and ſaid unto him, Draw thy {word, and ſlay me, that m2n ſay not of me, A woman flew him r : and his young man thruſt him through, and he diced.
r Which was eſteemed a matter of diſgrace. ;
55 And when the men of Ifrael ſaw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
56 © Thus GOD rendred the wickedneſs of Abime- 1Judg:935* lech which he did unto * his father s, in ſlaying his {e- Ruth 4:1 Yenty brethren. 5 In rooting out, as far as he could, the name, and memory and remainders of his Father . 57 And allthe evil of the men of Shechem did GOD render upon their heads : and upon them came the curle of Jotham, the ſon of Jerubbaal:
CHAP. X. Tola judgeth Iſrael: and Jair: Whoſe 30 Sons had 3o Cities, FS The Peoples Idolatry, 6: The Philiftines and Ammonites oppreſs them, 7 —— 9. They cry to GOD whe ſendeth them to their falſe god: : Br 71pou their Repentance pitieth them, 10 ——— 16. The Ammonites and
Jjraelites encamp ene againſt another, i7, 18.
| Nd after Abimelech, there aroſe 2 to ||} defend Iſra- ['Or, deli. elb, Tola the ſon of Puah, the ſon of Dodo,x man + Heb: of Iſlachar, and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephra- (ave. IM c. | a Not of himſelf, but either choſen by the People; or rather, raiſed by GOD, asthe other Judges were. + Or, #0 ſave, which he did not by fighting againſt, and overthrowing their Enemies, but by a prudent and pious Government of them, whereby he kept chem from Sedition and Oppreflion, and Tyranny, 2s alfo from Idolatry ; as may be gathered from wv: 6. which if not reſtrained and purged out, would have broughr certain Ruine upon them. c Which was inthe very heart and midſt of the Land,
2 And he judged Iſrael twenty and three years, and dyed, and was buried in Shamir. : 2 © And afterhim aroſe Jair a Gileadite 4, and judg-
ed Iſrael twenty and two years. d Of Gilead beyond Jordan.”
4 And he had thirty ſons that rode on thirty als-colts 10r,c; © and they had thirty cities, which are called || Havoth- wilage; of Jair f, unto this day, which are 1n the land of Gilcad. airy e Becauſe Horſes were ſcarce there, and were not to be multiplied
by the King himſelf, Deut: 17: 16. Hence their Kings and Kings children uſed to ride upon Mules, 2 Sam: 133 29» and 18: 9. 1 Kings 1: 33s 38, 44+ Compare Judges 5: io. and 123 14+ f Obje#. Theſe Villages were called fo before this time from another Fair; And Numb* 32: 41» Deut? 3: 14+ nſw. They are not ſaid to be now firſt called by thatName;but co be {till fo called, becauſe the old name was revived and confirmed upon this occaſion. As Sheba is ſaid to be called Beerſheba, upon an occaſion, mentioned Gen? 26: 33. though it was ſo calied before upon a more anciznt occaſion, Gen; 21: 33. Poſe ſibly this Jair had enlarged or fortified theſe Towns, and fo they were juitly denominated from him, noleſs than from the former.
5 And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. : 6 4 And * the children of Ifrael did evil again in
ChaP: 2: the ſight of the LORD, and ſerved Baalim, and + Ajh-
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