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And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites.

And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their Gon, and served. Baalim, and the groves.

Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.

And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenez, Caleb's younger brother.

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And the Spirit of the LORD come upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.

And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenez died.

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

As their awakened consciences seem to have been so strongly affected with a sense of their ingratitude, when the ANGEL of the LORD appeared unto them at Bochim, one is surprised to read immediately after of the Israelites forsaking the LORD; but we find that there was a new generation, and there is reason to suppose that some time had elapsed before they arrived at such a pitch of wickedness; and that they gave themselves up

to

to luxury and dissipation, hecame less attentive to the duties of religion, neglecting the worship of God, and so were easily drawn aside to the wicked abominations of their impious neighbours. It is said, they worshipped Baalim, which means not one, but idols in general. No wonder therefore that the LORD should withdraw His protection, and leave them a prey to their enemies: He did not however forget His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or his promises by Moses, but as soon as the Israelites came to a sense of their guilt, and called upon Him, the LORD had compassion on them, and raised up a delivérer, who was endued with skill and courage to lead them forth to victory, and obtain the blessings of rest and peace. The armies had not the power to extirpate the nations as Joshua had done, because infinite wisdom thought fit to ordain, that those who made so ill an use of abundance, should not be in a state of security, but suffered them to be tried by a variety of troubles, and to be exposed to many temptations, that they might be humbled for their sins, and reminded of their duty. Though this. appears a hard sentence, it may justly be considered as an instance of the mercy of God towards the Israelites; for it was evident, that adversity was highly necessary to teach them repentance and humility, without which, they could not have the least pretence to God's favour. In the same manner, we may regard those disappointments and vexations which are often so grievous to ourselves as thorns in our sides, intended, by the suf ferings they occasion, to make us seek for relief from the goodness of GoD, or teach us to submit to evils with patience, since we must be conscious of deserving the utmost that is inflicted upon us.

SECTION

SECTION XLVIII.

THE HISTORY OF THE DANITES-WAR WITH THE

BENJAMITES.

ABOUT the time of Othniel happened two very remarkable events. "The tribe of Dan, who dwelt in the mountainous parts, found their territories much too narrow for them; they therefore sent out five spies to survey the country, and bring them intelligence in what part of the regions round about they might most likely extend their bounds. The spies in their journey came to the house of Micah, of mount Ephraim, whose mother, thinking it too much trouble to go to Shiloh to worship and offer sacrifices, had made an ephod and a teraphim; priestly garments, and a graven image: and had consecrated one of Micah's own sons to be a priest, until a Levite, who had dwelt some time in Bethlehem Judah, travelling from thence to seek a better settlement, happened to call at Micah's house, and by him was hired to execute that office; and the man errone、 ously persuaded himself, that Gon's blessing would certainly attend him, now he had engaged a Levite to be his priest. Some of the spies being acquainted with the Levite, and understanding in what capacity he served Micah, desired of him to ask counsel of GOD for them, whether they might promise themselves success. in their present enterprize. He pretended to do so, and gave them great encouragement: and they proceeded in their search till they came to Laish, a pleasant and fruitful country, whose inhabitants lived in a secure and negligent manner, without any rule or discipline. The spies therefore returned, and represented the probability of this place becoming an easy conquest. Upon this the Danites drew a party of 600 men, and

sent

sent them to take possession of the city of Laish; but in their way through mount Ephraim, they called at Micah's house, and in his absence seized the ephod, the teraphim, and other images, that Micah had made; and silenced the remonstrances of the Levite, by representing to him the advantage of being priest to a whole tribe, rather than to any one family, upon which he readily accompanied them. Micah returning home, and finding that his priest and images were gone, assembled his friends and pursued the Danites; but when he came up with the hindmost of them, they advised him to retreat, as they would certainly lose their lives in the contest; he therefore submitted to his loss, and the Danites on the third day came to Laish, burnt the city, destroyed the inhabitants, and took possession of the country.

"They rebuilt the city, calling it after their father Dan, and here setting up the image they had stolen, they made the Levite their priest; and in this state of idolatrous worship those Danites continued for about 300 years."

A certain Levite, whose wife had eloped from him to her father's house, being willing to be reconciled to her, he went to bring her home; but in their return, being benighted, they were obliged to stop at Gibeah, "which belonged to Benjamin, and would have been destitute of lodging, had not a man, who did not properly be. long to the place, offered them one, which they gladly accepted. Scarcely were they retired to rest when the house was beset, and many outrages committed, which ended in a most cruel murder of the Levite's wife. Agitated (as we may suppose) with the most violent emotions, and thirsting for revenge, he thought of a strange expedient to attract the attention of the whole nation, which was to cut his wife into twelve parts,

and

and send one part to each tribe, with an account of the inhospitable treatment he had met with at Gibeah, in order that it might be resolved in a general assembly of Israel, what step would be most proper to take on this dismal occasion.

The assembly agreed that such an inhuman act was deserving of the most condign punishment; they therefore sent messengers to Gibeah to demand the offenders, but they refused to deliver them, and mustered all their force to protect the criminals.

The army of the Benjamites contained only 26,000 men, that of Israel amounted to 400,000, yet the Benjamites obtained two victories; for the Israelites, confident of their own strength, placed no dependence on the aid of the ALMIGHTY: but ill fortune made them sensible of their presumption, and they humbled themselves to God, who then encouraged them to attack the Benjamites again, and their victory was complete; for they slew * 25,100, set fire to their city, and destroyed all that belonged to them. It so happened that 600 men, who were all that remained of the tribe, made their escape, and sheltered themselves in the fortress of Rimmon; had it not been for this remnant, the tribe of Benjamin would have been extirpated.

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From these two events we may discover, that there was at that time great confusion in the land of Israel; and that the excellent form of government which had been ordained by Moses, at the command of God, was corrupted and disregarded.

In the war between the Benjamites and the other tribes, great losses were sustained on both sides; neither party had any reason to hope for the protection and assistance of GoD, and they were made instruments of punishment to each other.

* 25,100, Judges xx. 35.-25,000, Judges, xx. 46.

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