the selected instruments of his will may well be expected to exhibit a succession of unprecedented exploits.

It should be observed, indeed, that some of the actions, which in this book are represented to have been subservient to God's designs, were justifiable only on the supposition of divine warrant, which superseded all general rules of conduct [c]. Without this, the deeds of Ehud [D] and of Jael [E] might be pronounced censurable for their treachery, however prompted by commendable motives. And with respect to some other particulars, it is obvious, that the sacred author by no means vindicates all that he relates; and that the indiscriminate massacre of the people of Jabesh-Gilead, and the rape of the virgins at Shiloh, were certainly stamped

[c] God certainly may authorise what without his sanction would be questionable or unjust; as where he commands the Israelites" to spoil the Egyptians," and to extirpate the nations of Canaan. Vide Exod. iii. 22. Deut. xx. 10-18.

[D] We are not to conceive, because God" raised up the Judges," that he directed them in all their actions. The relation, however, seems to intimate, that Ehud on this occasion acted by divine authority.

[E] Jael's conduct, like that of Rabab, as described in the book of Joshua, appears to have arisen from a desire of assisting in God's declared designs in favour of his chosen people. As the exploit is approved in the hymn of Deborah, an inspired prophetess, we may suppose it to have been performed in compliance with a divine impulse, otherwise it could not have been a subject of praise. Some, however, have thought, that Deborah only foretels Jael's secular happiness and future celebrity.

with the marks of injustice and cruelty; and must be condemned on those principles which the scriptures have elsewhere consecrated, though in the brevity of the sacred history they are here recorded without comment. The characters, likewise, of God's appointed ministers, however spoken of in this book, and in other parts of scripture, as commendable for their general excellence, or particular merits, are presented to us in some points of view, as highly defective and blameable. It is easy, however, to discriminate the shades from the light, and to perceive, that in the description of such mixed characters as that of Samson, much is detailed as reprehensible; and while we are led to admire his heroic patriotism, we are taught also to condemn his criminal infatuation and blind confidence in Delilah.

With respect to those objections, which a mistaken levity has suggested against the credibility of some transactions recorded in the book, they proceed either from want of attention to those constructions which the researches of the learned have enabled them to make [F]; or from a disregard to

[F] The relation, for instance, of Samson's setting fire to the corn of the Philistines, cannot reasonably be questioned by those who consider the character of Samson; and the great abundance of foxes (or thoes or jackals) that prevailed in Judæa, which, indeed, was so remarkable, that many cities, and even provinces, were denominated after the word which we translate foxes. Vid. 1 Sam. xiii. 17 Josh. xv. 28. xix. 42. Judg. i. 35. also Cantic. ii. 15. Joseph. Antiq. Lib. V. c. viii. § 7. Some writers think that instead of schualim,

the character of the times described, when a boundless enthusiasm resulted from a confidence in the divine favour.

foxes, we should read schoalim, sheaves, and translate zanab, the extreme end, instead of the tail. Vide Bernard Repub. des Lett. p. 407. Stackhouse's Hist. of Bib. Book V. vol. i. The Vulpinaria, or feast of the foxes, observed among the Romans, might have derived its origin from this transaction, some of the particulars of which Ovid describes in a fabulous account. Vid. Fast. Lib. IV. L. 684. et seq. Bochart. Hieros. Lib. III. c. xiii. The extraordinary strength of Samson is not to be considered as the physical effect of his hair, though God judged proper to render the continuance of the former dependant on the preservation of the latter, which was the mark of his consecration to God as a Nazarite.

OF THE

BOOK OF RUTH.

THE Book of Ruth is a kind of supplement or appendix to the Book of Judges, and may be considered as an introduction to the history of David, [a], related in the Books of Samuel. In the Hebrew canon it composed but one book with the former; and though various opinions have been entertained respecting its chronology [B], it is properly placed in our Bibles between the books of Judges, and Samuel [c]. The famine which occasioned Elimelech to leave his country, is said to have come to pass "in the days when the Judges ruled;" hence some have assigned the beginning of the history to the time of Gideon, who was raised up in defence of Israel, about A.M. 2759 [D], and

[A] Euseb. Hist. Lib. VI. c. xxv. Hieron. Prol. Gal. Aug. de Doct. Christ. Lib. II. c. viii.

[B] Houbigant Bib. Pref. to vol. ii.

[c] The modern Jews place Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, immediately after the Pentateuch, giving Ruth sometimes the first, and sometimes the fifth place. [D] Patrick, in chap. i. 1.

under whom a famine is related to have happened [E]; notwithstanding which, some Jewish writers suppose the history to have occurred much earlier, in the time of Ehud [F].

The chief difficulty which exists in settling the chronology of this period, arises from a genealogical account of St. Matthew [G], in which it is stated that Boaz, who was the husband of Ruth, and the great grandfather of David [H], was the son of Salmon by Rachab; for if by Rachab we suppose to be meant, as is usually understood, Rahab [1], the harlot, who protected Joshua's [E] Judges vi. 3—6.

[F] Seder Olam. cap. xii.

[G] Matt. i. 5, 6.

[H] Ruth iv. 21, 22. and Matt. i. 5, 6.

[1] We cannot now discover any motive which should have induced St. Matthew to mention Rachab in the genealogy of Christ, unless she were some person previously spoken of in scripture; but many reasons may be assigned why she should be introduced in the lineage, if she were the Rahab whose conduct is mentioned by Joshua, (and who, though styled man, zonah, in the Hebrew, and wogn, by the evangelists, is celebrated as an example of faith), still, however, it may be diffidently suggested, that the chronological differences would be less considerable, if we could suppose her to have been a different person; and that the 400 years which intervened between the birth of Pharez, and the time of Shamgar, were filled up by Boaz and his six immediate ancestors. As a slight support to which, it may be remarked, that the wife of Salmon is spelt Paxal by St. Matthew, whereas in Hebrews xi. 31. and in James ii. 25. the harlot's name is written Paal, as in the Septuagint version of Joshua ii. 1. There is no mention in the Book of Joshua, or in any part of the Old Testament, of Rahab's marriage with Salmon.