The Pulpit Commentary — Judges — Section 189

EXPOSITION. Ver. 18.-The house of God. In this ren. ness of spirit, a deepened sense of dependence dering the A. V. follows the Vnlga,te, which upon God, and a softening of their feelings has in domwm, Dei, hoe est, in Silo. But the towards their brother Benjamin. All this Septuagint has Ba,9,jX, and all the ancient was shown as they again went to the taber· authorities, as well as modern commentators, nacle at Bethel to ask the Lord (ver. 18). generally agree in rendering it Bethel. The Ver. 24.-And, or so, re~eating what had reason, which seems a conclusive one, for so been said in ver. 22, but giving it this time doing is that the Hebrew ~~ n•::i invariably as the result of God's answer recorded in ver. means Bethel, and that the house of God is 23. The second day. Not necessarily, or always expressed in Hebrew by C•i1,i:-ti1 n•::i probably, the next day, but the day of the second battle. (beth-ha-elohim). Tbe conclusion is that at Ver. 25.-Of the ohildren of Israel. We this time the ark of God, with the tabernacle, are not told upon which tribe the lot fell, or was at Bethel, which was only seven or eight the answer was given, that they should go miles from Shiloh. Bethel would be eight or up the second day. ten miles from Gibee.h, i. e. about half way Ver. 26.-Then all the children of Israel, between Shiloh and Gibeah. Asked CODllBel. and all the people, &c. Observe the word The same phrase as eh. i 1, where i_t is ren- all, twice repeated, as showing how the dered simply a.sked (see note to eh. 1. 1, and whole congregation was r•used and stirred vers. 23, 47). In following this precedent to a man by this second rev&rse. The people, the Israelites put the men of Gibeah on the as distinguished from the men of Israel, the footing of the Canaanite inhabiui:nt~ of the army, probably means the non - fighting land. With reference to ver. 9, 1t lS worth people, the aged, the infirm, women, &c. considering whether this is not the fulfilment The house of God. Render, as in ver. 18 (see of the purpose the:e exp:essed by the ls_rael- note), Bethel. Sat there. Sitting with the ites, to go up against G1beah by wt ; either Jews, especially on the ground, was the atti- by understanding that the answer aske!1 was tude of grief and mourning (Job ii. 13; Isa.. given by e. Divinely-directed lot, according ~o xlvii. 1, 6; Lam. ii. 10, &c.). The Jews at which Jndah's turn came first (see Josh. vu. the present day often sit on the ground at 14-18 ; l Sam. xiv. 41 ; Acts i. 24-26 ; the place of wailing in Jerusalem. llefore &c.), or by taking the expression by U!t. in the Lord, i e. before the tabernacle (see eh. a wider sense, as meaning generally D1vme xi. 11, ,note). Fasted until evening. The direction. usual time for terminating a fast among the Ver. 20.-The men of Israel-meaning Jews, as at the present day among Mahomed- here of course the= of Judah. ans. For similar fasts on solemn occasions of Ver. 21.--0ame forth out of Gibeah, &c. national guilt or grief, see 1 Sam. vii. 6 ; 2 Gibeah (sometimes called Geba, literally, the Sam. i. 12; Jer. xxxvi. 9; Neh. ix. 1; Joel hill) was doubtless very d.iflicult to assault, i. 14, &c. Peace offerings. Usually thank and the steep approach greatly favoured the offerings (Levit. iii. ; vii. 11, 12), but applic- defenders. Tbe men of Judah probably able to any voluntary sacrifice of which the came up carelessly, and with an overweening flesh might be eaten the same day, or the confidence and so met with a terrible dis- day following, by the offerer (Levit. vii. 15, aster. The word destroyed here used is the 16). Doubtless the people at the close of same as is applied to the destroying angel their fast e.te the flesh of these peace offer- (Exod. xii. 23 ; 2 Sam. xxiv. 16 ; see also 2 ings. Chron. x.xiv. 23). Ver. 27.-Enquired of the Lord. In the Ver. 23.-A.nd the children of Israel went Hebrew, Asked the Lord, o.s in vers. 18, 23. up e.nd wept, &c. This verse m~st prece~e For the ark of the oovenant, &c. A most im- chronologically ver. 22, and explams the cir- portant statement, defining the time of these cumstances under which the battle referred occurrences, within the lifetime of Phinehas, to in ver. 22 took place. The unexpected and also giving a strong intimation that the repulse they had met with had begun to writer of these words lived after the taber- produce its intended effect. There was a nacle had been removed from Shiloh e.nd it1 bumbling of themselves before God, a broken- neighbourhood to Jcrnsalem. Wai there. IJH. XX. 18-48.] THE BOOK OF JUDGES. 203