EXPOSITION. Ver. 25.-The same night, &c. The iron only objection to this, by far the most was hot; it was time to strike. A13 regards natural rendering, is that Gideon is not told what follows, there are two ways of under- what to do with the first bullock. But it is standing the verse. One, that of the A. V., a simple explanation that the two bullocks supposes that only one bullock is spoken of, were used in the laborious work of demolish- and that " the young bullock" belonging to ing the altar of Baal, and removing the J oash is further described as " even the earth and the stone to build the altar of the second bullock of seven years old ; " to Lord, and that when the work was finished. which it is objected that a bullock of seven one of the bullocks-the seven-year-old- years old is not "a young bullock," •• the was sacrificed. For the grove see eh. iiL bullock of an ox," as the Hebrew phrase is, 7, note. and that there is no explanation of the Ver. 26.-This rock. Rather, the keep or meaning of " the second bullock;" and that strvn,ghold of Ophrah, where also the high the Hebrew manifestly describes two bul- place was ; just ns the templo was in the locks: (1) Joash's young bullock, and (2) the stronghold of Zion, and the hold of the bullock of seven years old. The other house of Baal- Berith at Shechem was in supposes two bullucks, and instead of even the citadel of tl1e pince (eh. ix. 46 ). In the has the more natw·al rendering and. The ordered place. '.!.'he meaning of this phrase OH, VI. 25-32. J THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 67
is uncertain. It mo.y either be rendered nR bullock being the leader, tM first, nnd the in the A. V., meaning on the levelled ground seven-year-old the wheeler, the sec,md? ordered and prepared for the building of the Ver. 29.-They said, Gideon bath, &c. nltnr; or it may more probably be rendered No doubt one of the ten servants (ver. 27) with the arranged material, i. e. the stones employed by him had spoken about it. which were laid in order at the bottom, Ver. 31.-Stood against him. The words and the wood which was laitl in order upon describe their hostile, menacing, attitude, the top of the altar (cf. Gen. xxii. 9). The clamouring to h~ve Gideon brought out that material may either refer to that taken from they might kill him. Will ye plead, &c. the altnr of Baal, which had been thrown The emphasis is on the ye. J oash met antl down, and which was then ordered. to be silenced their pleading by threatening death used in building the altar of the Lord, or to auy that should plead for Baal. Baal shall to its own arranged material or superstruc- plead for himself. Joash's courage was rising ture, the woocl of the asherah. under the influence of his son's Lra'<'e deed. Ver. 27.-Then, i.e. the next night. He Ver. 32.-Jerubbaa.1, i. e. Jar01J Baal, let would have done it the next day; but even Baal plead. In eh. vii. 1 ; viii. 29, 35 ; his father's household, as well as the men of ix. 1, &c., Jerubbaal is used as the synonym Ophrah generally, were so infected with the of Gid.mi, just as in English history Cceur idolatry of the times, that he was afraid of de Lion is used as a synonym for Richard. being interrupted by violence. The name Jerubbaal appears as Jerubbesheth; Ver. 28.-The grove. See ver. 25. The besheth or bosheth, meaning shame, i. e. a second bullock. There must be some special shameful idol, being substituted for Baal, as meaning in this description, the second. Can in the name lshbosheth, for Esl,,baal (see it refer to his place in the team, the young 2 Sam. ii. 8 ; 1 Chron. viii. 33).
HOMILETICS. Vere. 25-32.-T/ie action commenced. Idolatry wae the evil which Israel bad done in the sight of the Lord. Idolatry wae the sin which had brought upon Israel the terrible Midianite servitude. The hour of deliverance had come, but it must be the hour of repentance too. And repentance must be in deed, not in word. Baal must be cast off before the Lord would go forth with their armies. The first blow in the great contest that wae coming on must be a blow struck against Baa.I-worship, and then the Lord would strike a blow against Midiun. And so we see the mighty man of valour, who had been prepared for hie work by bis interview with the angel of the Lord, and who was to sweep the Midianite locusts from off the soil of his beloved country, commence his work ae a bold religious reformer. How could he fight the battles of Israel while the altar of Baal crowned the heights of his native city? how could he call upon the Lord to help him while the shameful abomination stood up to testify agninet his own flesh and blood? And so his action began with a. deed ns hold as that of Luther when he burnt the Papal bull in the sight of all the people. While men were asleep, little dreaming of what was ahout to happen, be rose from his bed, called ten of bis servants to him, and, marching straight up to the altar of Baal, surrounded as it was with awe and superstition, he threw it down. He cut down the statue or pillar of Ashtoretb, and before the morning light shone upon: Ophrah, the altar of Jehovah was smoking with its whole burnt offering as openl_y and as conspicuously as the altar of Baal had done. It was with amazement that the men of the city eaw the great altar of their god levelled to the ground, and a new altar standing in the sacred inclosure. But Gideon nearly paid for his holy boldness with his life, and his great work wae well-nigh nipped in the bud ; for when it transpired that he had thrown down the altar, there arose a cry for his blood. 'fhe angry idolaters surrounded the house of J oaeh, and demanded that Gideor. should be brought out to them, that they might slay him and avenge the insult done to their god. I~ v-as a critical moment, and Gideon's life hung upon a. thread. But God had a work tor him to do, just as he had for Peter when Herod put him in prison and sought to kill him, and so be was not suffered to £all into their hands. His father's happy word, Let Baal ple11d for himself, was caught up by the people, and all thoughts of punishing Gideon seem to have gone out like a Cl\ndle before II puff of wind. He was now free to pursue his great enterprise. But here we may pause for a moment to read some g1eat lessons to ow-selves. We dare not enter u1,on any I•'::! 68 THE BOOK OF JUDGES. [ea. v1. 25-32.