Volume II
The Book of Judges
With John Brown’s marginal references, notes and reflections · Vol. II, p. 583
Relates the transactions of fourteen Hebrew judges, who, under God, the King of the nation, were occasional governors of Israel; and who, Abimelech excepted were typical of Jesus Christ, as called to, qualified for, and occupied in delivering his chosen people. It contains the history of about three hundred years; and particularly narrates the Israelites' behaviour towards the Canaanites whom Joshua had left in the country; the Lord's reproof of their conduct and their repentance for it; what nations were left to chastise them for it; their frequent relapses into idolatry; and their punishment on account of it by terrible oppressions from the Mesopotamians, Moabites, Canaanites, Midianites, Abimelech, Ammonites, and Philistines; and their deliverances by Othniel, Ehud, Deborah and Barak, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson; and their protection by Shamgar, Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon, i.-xvi. The last five chapters are an appendix, informing us of events which happened not long after the death of Joshua; particularly the idolatry of Micah; the conquest and idolatry of the Danites; the horrible lust of the Gibeathites; and the almost utter destruction of the Benjamites for protecting them, xvii.-xxi. The scope of this and of the following histories of the Old Testament is to represents the sinful backslidings of Israel, and the holiness, equity, mercy, sovereignty, and power of God, in his dispensations of mercy and judgment towards them, in exact correspondence with his promises and threatenings, Le. xxvi.; De. xxviii.-xxxii.