EXPOSITION. which was overthrown by the king <Jf Assyria CHAPTER III. (2 Kings xviii. 34 ; rix. 13), and of which Ver. 1.-Now these are the nations, &c. Hamath ,vas the capital, was for the most We are now told in detail what was stated part an independent Hamitic or Canaanite in general in cb. ii. 22, 23, after the common kingdom (Gen. x. 18), but occasiona.lly, a.s method of Hebrew na1Tative. To prove in the days of Solomon and Jeroboam Israel. This word to prove is used here in a (1 Kings viii. 65 ; 2 Kings xiv. 28; 2 Chron. somewhat different sense from that which it viii. 4), subject to Israel. Others, however, bears in vcr. 4 and in eh. ii. 22. In those justly considering the great improbability passages it is used of their moral probation, of the Israelite dominion having ever ex- of proving or testing their faith and obedi- tended so far north as the valley of the ence; but here it is mther in the sense of "to Orontes, and observing how it is spoken of exercise," or "to accustom them," to train as an integral part of Israel (1 Kings viii. them to war. A considerable pe1iod of rest 65), look for Hamath much further south, in had followed Joshua's conquest, during the neighbourhood of Beth-rehob (see eh. which the younger Israelites had 110 experi- xviii. 28, note). As regards the phrase ence of war ; but if they were to keep their " the entering in of Hamath," the identical hold of Canaan, it was needful that the Hebrew words occur seven times, viz., warlike spirit should be kept up in their Numb. xiii. 21; xxxiv. 8 ; Josh. xiii. 5; in breasts. this passage; 1 Kings viii. 65 ; 2 Kings xiv. Ver. 3.-The :five lords, &c. Th.e title 25 ; 2 Chron. vii. 8, and are variously sercn, here rendered "lord," is one exclusively rendered in the A. V.: "as men come to Ha- :i.pplied to the lords of the five Philistine math ;" "unto the entrance of Hamuth;" cities enumerated in Josh. xiii. 3 ; 1 Sam. "the entering into Hnmath;" "the entering vi. 17, 18, viz., Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, in of Hamath" (three times); 11Dd "the Gath, and Ekron. It occurs repeatedly in entering of Humatb." The exact meaning of eh. xvi. ; 1 Sam. v., vi., xxix., &c. The the phrase seems to be " the approach to word means au axle-tree. The entering in Humath," some particular spot in the valley of Hamath. There are two theories in from whence the direct road to Hamath be- regard to Hamath, Some, ns Professor gins; very much like the railway term for Rawliuson in the 'Dictionary of the Bible,' certain stations which are the nearest to, idoutify it with Hamak, n !urge 1md im- though at some little distance from, the portant city on the Ornntcs in Upper Syria, pince from which they are named, as, e. rr., and consider that tho kingdom of lfomath, Shnpwick Road, Mildenhall Road, &c. Tile 28 THE BOOK c,F JUDGES. [all. III. 1-6.
latter words of the verse describe the terri- with the Cane.nnito nations had been ex- tory of the Hivites, which reached from pressly forbidden (Exod. xxxiv. 15, 16; Dout. Mount Baal-hermon in the Lebanon range as vii. 3 ; Josh. xxiii. 12), and the reason of far as the point where the road leads to tfie prohibition cl?arly stated, and for some Hamath. time after Joshua s death no such marriages Ver. 5.-The Canaanite&, &c. The same appear to have been contracted. But now enumeration of the tribes of the Ce.naanites the fatal step was taken, and the predicted e.s in Exod. xxxiv. 11. consequence immediately ensued : " they Ver. 6.-They took their daughters, &c. served their gods ; . . . they for&a.t the Lord Here is a further downward step in the dis- their God, and served the Baatim and the obedience .of the Israelites. Intermarriage Asheroth."