The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 185

EXPOSITION. was a national place of meeting in the time CHAPTER .XX. of Samuel is clear from 1 Sam. vii. 5-12, Ver. 1. Went out, i. e. from their several and we learn from ver. 16 of that same homes to the place of meeting. The congre• chapter that it was one of the places to which ga.tion. The technica.l term (not, however, Samuel went on circuit. We find it a place found in Samuel a.nd Kings, except in 1 of national meeting also in 1 Sam. x. 17, and Kings xii 20) for the whole Israelitish people even so late as 2 Kings xxv. 23, and in the (Exod. xii 3 ; xvi 1, 2, 9 ; Levit. iv. 15 ; time of the Maccabees (1 Mace. ill. 46). Its Josh. xviii. 1, &c.). From Da.n to Beer- vicinity to Shiloh, where the tabernacle was, sheba.. Dan, or Laish (eh. xviii 29), being was probably one reason why it was made a. the northernmost point, and Beersheba (now centre to the whole congregation (see especi- Bilr-e.s-saba, the springs so called) in the ally 1 Sam. x. 17, 22, 25). Its exact site is sooth of Judah the southernmost. It cannot not known with certainty, but it is thought be inferred with certainty from this expre8sion to be that of Nebi Samuil, from which Jeru- that the Danite occupation of Laish had salem is seen at about two hours' distance to taken place at this time, though it may ha.ve the south-east. lJnto the Lord, i. e. in the done so, because we do not know when this presence of the tabemo.cle, which was doubt- narrative was written. and the phrase is only less brought there, on so solemn an occasion, used as a. proverbial expression familiar in from Shiloh (cf. Exod. xxxiv. 34; Levit. i. 3; the writer's time. The land of Gilead. In Judges xi. 11 ; xxi. 2, and ver. 26 of this tts widest sense, meaning the whole of trans- chapter). .T ordanic Israel (see eh. x. 8 ; :xi 1, &c.). Ver. 2.-The chief. The word here useo Mizpeh, or, a.a it ie always written in Hebrew, means the comer-stones of a. building. Hence ham,.Mizpeh, with the article (see eh. xxi. 1). it is applied to the chief men, who, as it were, 'l'he Mizpeh here mentioned is not the same bind and keep together the whole Jleople, as tLe Mizpeh of eh. x. 17; xi. 11, 29, 34, '!'heir presence o.t this great meeting 1s men- which was in Gilead, but was situated in the tioned to show that it was a regularly con- triLe of Benjamin (Josh. xviii. 26). That it stituted assembly of all Israel. The sumo on. xx. 1-17.J THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 199