Successors of Abimelech - Chronology of the Period - Israel's renewed Apostasy, and their Humiliation

before Jehovah -Oppression by the Ammonites - Jephthah - His History and Vow -The Successors of

(JUDGES 10-12)

THE sudden and tragic end of Abimelech seems to have awakened repentance among the people. It is thus

that we explain the mention of his name (10:1) in connection with three judges, who successively ruled over

the northern tribes. The first of these was Tola ("scarlet-worm"),290 the son of Puah (probably "red dye")

and grandson of Dodo, a man of Issachar. His reign lasted twenty-three years, and was followed by that of

Jair ("Enlightener"), who judged twenty-two years. The family notice of the latter indicates great influence,

each of his thirty sons appearing as a "chief" (riding on "ass-colts"), and their property extending over

thirty out of the sixty cities (1 Kings 4:13; 2 Chronicles 2:23) which formed the ancient Havoth-Jair, or

circuits of Jairs  291 (Numbers 32:41; Deuteronomy 3:14).

These forty-five years of comparative rest conclude the second period in the history of the Judges. The

third, which commences with fresh apostasy on the part of Israel, includes the contemporaneous rule of

Jephthah and his successors - Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon (12:8-15) - in the north and east, and of Samson in the

south and west. While in the north and east Jephthah encountered the Ammonites, Samson warred against

the Philistines in the south-west. The oppression of Ammon over the eastern and northern tribes lasted

eighteen years (10:8, 9); the rule of Jephthah six years (12:7); that of his three successors twenty-five years -

covering in all a period of forty-nine years. On the other hand, the oppression of the Philistines lasted in all

forty years (13:1), during twenty years of which (15:20) Samson "began to deliver Israel" (13:5), the

deliverance being completed only twenty years later under Samuel, when the battle of Ebenezer was gained

(1 Samuel 7). Thus Abdon, Jephthah's last successor in the north, must have died nine years after the battle

of Ebenezer. These dates are of great importance, not only on their own account, but because they show us

the two parallel streams of Israel's history in the north and the south. Again, the coincidence of events in

the south with those in the north casts fresh light upon both. Thus, as Eli's high-priestly administration,

which in a general sense is designated as "judging Israel," lasted forty years (1 Samuel 4:18), and his death

took place about twenty years and seven months before the victory of Samuel over the Philistines (1 Samuel

6:1; 7:2), it is evident that the first twenty years of Eli's administration were contemporary with that of Jair in

the east, while the last twenty were marked by the Philistine oppression, which continued forty years. In that

case Samson must have been born, and have grown up during the high priesthood of Eli, and most of his

exploits, as judging Israel for twenty years, taken place under Samuel, who gained the battle of Ebenezer,

and so put an end to Philistine oppression, a short time after the death of Samson. In connection with this

we may note, that Samuel's period of judging is only mentio ned after the battle of Ebenezer (1 Samuel 7:15).

There is another and very important fact to be considered. The terrible fate which overtook the house of

Gideon, culminating in the death of Abimelech, seems for ever to have put an end to the spurious ephod-

worship of Jehovah, or to that in any other place than that He had chosen, or through any other than the

Levitical priesthood. Accordingly, the sanctuary of Shiloh and its ministers now come again, and

permanently, into prominent notice. This not only in the case of Eli and Samuel, but long before that. This

appears from the sacred text. For when, previous to the calling of Jephthah, the children of Israel repented,

we are told that they "cried unto the Lord," and that the Lord spake unto them, to which they in turn made

suitable reply (Judges 10:10, 11, 15). But the peculiar expressions used leave no doubt on our mind, that the

gathering of Israel before the Lord had taken place in His sanctuary at Shiloh, and the answer of Jehovah

been made by means of the Urim and Thummim (comp. Judges 1:1).

For clearness' sake, it may be well to explain, that Judges 10:6-18 forms a general introduction, alike to the

history of Jephthah and his successors, and to that of Samson. In ver. 6 seven national deities are