16

SECOND SERVITUDE.

[B. C.

enjoyed a long interval of peace and prosperity: the land had REST forty years; an expression agreeing with the words of another part of Scripture: "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him," Prov. xvi. 7. It is necessary to remark, that we have no statement of the precise degree of authority exercised by the judge. It probably embraced many points of the prophetic office, and he was rather a general, or a counsellor in extraordinary matters, than a regular ruler of the land. No trace of the form of administration after the death of Joshua is given in Scripture; it appears that each tribe was independent of the rest. local administration of justice, excepting in peculiar cases, probably was conducted by the courts and judges appointed under the law; see Deut. i. 15, 16; xvi. 18.

The

After the death of Othniel, another interval of carelessness and sinfulness is recorded. The Israelites were subjected to Eglon, king of Moab, who, with the assistance of the Ammonites and Amalekites, maintained a lodgement in the land of Israel for eighteen years. The nature of the servitudes to which Israel was subjected is not clearly told, and probably was not always the same, but it is evident that the Lord restrained the wrath of the invaders; they did not attempt to exterminate or drive out the Israelites. In the case of Eglon, it may be supposed that the almost total destruction of the Benjamites, after the matter of Gibeah, had left much of their district open to the invaders, who occupied some parts of the country, and exacted tribute or contributions from all within their power. Josephus states that Eglon built a palace at Jericho, and made the neighbouring Israelites feel the weight of his oppressive rule. Acts of violence, doubtless, were committed; the people were made to feel, that it was an evil and a bitter thing to forsake their God. From this servitude the

1506.]

LONG INTERVAL OF PEACE.

17

Israelites were delivered by Ehud, who stabbed Eglon in his palace, having obtained a private audience, after offering a present which appears to have been brought with much ceremony, and as still is usual in the east, by a considerable train of bearers, often more than the articles absolutely require. Ehud and his attendants having departed, he returned shortly after, when the king would have retired to his noonday repose, and declaring that he had a message from God to the king of Moab, obtained a private audience, and then slew him. Ehud is described as left-handed, which means that he used both hands with equal readiness, a qualification considered an advantage in an ancient warrior, and it enabled Ehud the better to conceal his weapon. Whether Ehud acted expressly under a Divine commission, or whether, after offering his present, he was excited to the act by seeing the graven images the idolaters had set up at Gilgal, near the stones which were monuments of Israel's deliverance, does not appear; nor does Scripture give any remarks in commendation of the deed. The fact alone is recorded, without any comment or approval; and we cannot hesitate to say, that any similar proceeding at the present day would be altogether contrary to the Divine law. Whatever sophistry may be used, or whatever excuses may be offered, there can be no doubt but that such a deed now would be murder. The declarations in the New Testament are express upon the subject, while the very opposite course pursued by David and others, who committed their cause unto the Lord, so manifestly received the Divine approval, that we have both precept and example for our instruction, showing us we are to act with forbearance, even towards our enemies.

A long interval of rest followed, not less than eighty years. During such an interval, we may readily conclude, that a country under the circumstances already described would rapidly improve. The families would

18

SERVITUDE OF THE CANAANITES.

[B. C. become attached to the spots of land they could call their own, where children had grown up into manhood, and saw their own descendants springing up around them. The interest excited under such circumstances for that dear spot, the fathers' home, can only be appreciated by those who are themselves influenced by similar feelings.

During the time of Ehud's government in the eastern part of Canaan, the exploits of Shamgar in the west, seems to have taken place. He slew six hundred Philistines with an ox-goad. Maundrell has described the goads he saw in Palestine, in the neighbourhood here referred to; they would make formidable military weapons. On measuring several, he found them eight feet long, and six inches round at the larger end. There a strong paddle of iron was fixed, used to clear the plough-share from the clay which might encumber it, at the other end was a sharp spike. This is one of the very numerous instances in which information respecting the manners and customs of the east, gives us clearer ideas of various passages of Scripture. This servitude, or invasion, is but briefly noticed. Perhaps Shamgar was following the plough, when a body of the Philistines came upon the land; having courage and strength imparted to him, he assembled the neighbouring Israelites, and with such weapons as might be at hand, attacked and routed the enemy. The histories of other countries relate instances similar in some respects; one, of a peasant family stopping a victorious enemy without other arms than their agricultural implements, is commemorated in the armorial bearings of the noble Scottish family of Hay; but Shamgar appears to have had power given him especially for the occasion, and he was thus pointed out as a suitable ruler for that part of the land. It is indeed a happy faculty, to be able to use such opportunities and abilities as we have, in the time of emergency, without losing time in useless wishes for advantages we do not possess. Let the

1406.] DEBORAH AND BARAK DELIVER ISRAEL.

19

youthful reader especially remember never to let slip an opportunity for good; let him seek to improve every opening to the utmost.

After the death of Ehud, the Israelites relapsed again into evil ways, and Jabin the king of the Canaanites was permitted to oppress them. The northern tribes seem to have been the heaviest sufferers in this servitude. They had allowed the Canaanites to remain among them and to gather strength. "Israel chose new gods, THEN there was war in the gates."

The administration of Israel was at this time in the hands of a woman: Deborah was the wife of Lapidoth, of whom no particular account is given. But the Scripture delineations of female characters are very important. The instances presented to us in the history of the Judges, embrace a wide range, from the simple, filial tenderness of Ruth, to the commanding dignity and elevated qualifications of Deborah. She appears to have been a prophetess rather than a ruler; the children of Israel came up to her for judgment; to consult her upon matters of difficulty. By the Divine direction she sent for Barak, and delivered to him a message from the Lord, ordering him to assemble a body of men from the tribes of Zebulon and Naphtali, against whom Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, would come forth; and then the heathen oppressors should be defeated.

An interesting account of the state of Israel at this time is given in Judges v. The particulars induce us to conclude, that the Canaanites infested the land rather by bands of marauders, than by a regular military occupation of the country. The nations bordering upon Israel do not appear as yet to have made that progress which would enable them to form regular armies, and to act like the conquerors of later times; still less could this be the case with the Canaanites. The expressions uttered by the mother of Sisera are disgraceful to the woman and the mother; they describe the results of one of those predatory