66

66

posed to them, they met together before the his former wife, and her relations; who had sun setting, and said, Nothing is more dis-been the occasion of their misfortunes. agreeable than a lion to those that light on it; and nothing is sweeter than honey to those that make use of it. To which Sampson made this reply, Nothing is more deceitful than a woman; for such was the person that discovered my interpretation to you." Accordingly Accordingly he gave them the presents he had promised them; making such Askelonites as met him upon the road his prey; who were themselves Philistines also. But he divorced his wife, and the girl despised his anger, and was married to his companion, who made the former match between them.

At this injurious treatment Sampson was so provoked, that he resolved to punish all the Philistines, as well as her. So it being then So it being then summer time, and the fruits of the land being almost ripe enough for reaping, he caught three hundred foxes, and, joining lighted torches to their tails, he sent them into the fields of the Philistines; by which means the fruits of the land perished.* Now when the Philistines knew that this was Sampson's doing, and knew also for what cause he did it, they sent their rulers to Timnath, and burnt

* << There is reason to think that there was nothing new or uncommon in this operation, as it was most obvious for the end proposed that the wit of man could devise. We accordingly find that Ovid alludes to the practice, and mentions that foxes and firebrands were every year exhibited at Rome, and killed in the Circus. For it was the custom in many places to sacrifice by way of retaliation every animal, whether goat or swine, which did particular injury to the fruits of the earth. In consequence of this they introduced these foxes, which had been employed for that purpose, with fire

brands.

Cur igitur missæ vinctis ardentia tædis
Terga ferant vulpes causa docenda mihi.

He then mentions an instance of much injury done by a
fox so accoutred by fire.

Qua fugit incendit vestitos messibus agros,
Damnosis vires ignibus aura dabat.

On this account the whole race, according to the poet,
were condemned, at the festival called Cerealia, to be in
their turns set on fire.

Utque luat pænas gens hæc, Cerealibus ardet,
Quoque modo segetes perdidit ipsa perit.
Fast. lib. iv. 681, 707.
It is alluded to proverbially more than once by Lyco-
phron, and seems to have been well known in Greece.
He makes Cassandra represent Ulysses as a man both of

When Sampson had slain many of the Philistines in the plain country, he dwelt ad Etam; which is a strong rock of the tribe of Judah. For the Philistines at that time made an expedition against that tribe. But the people of Judah said, they did not act justly with them, in inflicting punishments upon them while they paid their tribute; and this only on account of Sampson's offences. They answered, that in case they would not be blamed themselves, they must deliver up Sampson, and put him into their power. So they, being desirous to exculpate themselves,. came to the rock with three thousand armed men, and complained to Sampson of the bold insults he had made upon the Philistines; who were men able to bring calamity upon the whole nation of the Hebrews; and they told him they were come to take him, and to deliver him up to them, and put him into their power. So they desired him to bear this willingly. Accordingly, when he had received assurance from them upon oath, that they would do him no other harm than only to deliver him into his enemies' hands, he came

cunning and mischief, and styles him very properly Aaproveis, a fox with a firebrand at his tail; for, wherever he went, mischief followed, v. 344. Suidas also takes notice of this custom when he speaks of a kind of beetle which the Boeotians named Tipha. They imagined that if to this they were to fasten some inflammable matter, it would be easy to set any thing on fire. He adds, that this was sometimes practised with foxes. Bryant's Observations, p. 154.

The caliph Vathek being under the necessity, when on his travels, of lighting torches, and making extraor dinary fires to protect himself and his attendants from the fury of the wild beasts that were ready to make an attack on them, set fire to a forest of cedar that bordered on their way. Accidents of this kind in Persia are not unfrequent. Hist. of Caliph Vathek, p. 250." It was an ancient custom with the kings and great men to set fire to large bunches of dry combustibles, fastened round wild beasts and birds; which being then let loose, the air and earth appeared one great illumination; and as those terrified creatures naturally fled to the woods for shelter, it is easy to conceive that conflagrations would often happen, which must have been peculiarly destructive." Richardson's Dissert. p. 185.

This circumstance reminds us of the destruction occasioned among the standing corn, the vineyards, and olives of the Philistines. In Psalm lxxxiii. 14, there is a reference to one of these fires, though arising from another cause. See also Homer, Il. ii. 455. B.

down

of his enemies; but afford him help under his
affliction, and deliver him from the misfor-
tunes he was ander. Accordingly God was
moved with his entreaties, and raised him up
a plentiful fountain of sweet water, at a cer-
tain rock. Whence it was that Sampson call-
ed the place + the Jaw Bone, and so it is called
to this day.

After this fight Sampson held the Philis

down from the rock, and put himself into the
power of his countrymen. Then did they
bind him with two cords, and lead him on, in
order to deliver him to the Philistines and
when they came to a certain place, which is
now called the Jaw Bone, on account of the
great action there performed by Sampson;
though of old it had no particular name; the
Philistines, who had pitched their camp not
far off, came to meet them with joy and shout-times in contempt, and came to Gaza, and took
ing; as having done a great thing, and gained up his lodging in a certain inn. When the
what they desired. But Sampson brake his rulers of Gaza were informed of his coming
bonds asunder, and catching up the jaw bone thither, they seized upon the gates, and placed
of an ass, that lay at his feet, he fell upon his men in ambush about them, that he might not
enemies, and smiting them with his jaw bone escape without being perceived: but Samp-
slew a thousand of them;* and put the rest to son, who was acquainted with their contri-
flight in great disorder.†
vances, arose about midnight, and ran by force
upon the gates, with their posts, and beams,
and the rest of their wooden furniture; and
carried them on his shoulders, to the mountain
that is over Hebron; § and there laid them
down.

Upon this slaughter, Sampson was too proud of what he had performed, and said that this did not come to pass by the assistance of God: but that his success was to be ascribed to his own courage, and vaunted himself that it was out of dread of him that some of his enemies fell, and the rest ran away, upon his use of the jaw bone. But when a great thirst came upon him, he considered that human courage is nothing, and bare his testimony that all is to be ascribed to God; and besought him, that he would not be angry at any thing he had said, nor give him up into the hands

* Judg. xv. 15.

+ Setting aside the various interpretations which have been given of this expression, the Editor of Calmet's Dictionary proposes to illustrate it by the following extract: "It appears probable, from the following circumstances, that the exercise of wrestling, as it is now performed by the Turks, is the very same that was anciently used in the Olympic games. For, besides the previous covering of the palæstra with sand, that the combatants might fall with more safety, they have their pellowan bashee, or master wrestler; who, like the ayavolerns of old, is to observe and superintend the jura palæstræ, and to be the umpire in all disputes. The combatants, after they are anointed all over with oil, to render their naked bodies the more slippery and less easily to be taken hold of, first of all look one another steadfastly in the face, as Diomede or Ulysses does the palladium upon antique gems. Then they run up to and retire from each other several times, using all the while a variety of antic and other postures, such as are commonly used in the course of the ensuing conflict after this prelude they draw nearer together, and challenge each other, by clapping the palms of their hands first upon their own knees, or thighs, then upon each other, and afterwards upon the palms of their respective antagonist's. The challenge be

However, he at length transgressed the law of his country; and altered his own regular way of living, and imitated the strange customs of foreigners: which thing was the beginning of his miseries. For he fell in love with a woman that was a harlot among the Philistines her name was Delilah, and he lived with her. So those that administered

ing thus given, they immediately close in and struggle
with each other, striving with all their strength, art, and
dexterity (which are often very extraordinary), which shall
give his antagonist a fall, and become the conqueror.
During these contests I have often seen their arms, legs,
and thighs, so twisted and linked together, that they have
both fallen together, and left the victory dubious, too dif-
ficult sometimes for the pellowan bashee to decide."-
Shaw's Trav. p. 217.

Do not these well deserve the description of leg and
thigh men, or shoulder and thigh men? The name
seems to be taken from their very attitudes, and cor-
rectly to express them. If this idea be admitted, it
cannot be difficult to understand the above cited ex-
pression. B.

This fountain called Leti, or the Jaw Bone, is still in
being, as travellers assure us; and was known by this very
name in the days of Josephus; and hath been known by
the same name in all past ages. See Antiq. VII. 12. the
Annals of Glycas, and the Itinerary of Antoninus; ap.
Reland. Palæstin. Tom. II. pag. 752.
§ Judg. xvi. 3.

See this justly observed in the Apostolical Constitu-
tions, VIII. 37. that Sampson's prayer was heard; but that
it was before this his transgression.

cords, he should lose his strength. And when, upon doing this, she gained nothing, he told her the third time, that his hair should be woven into a web; but the truth was not yet discovered. At length, however, Sampson, upon Delilah's entreaty, (for he was doomed to fall into some affliction) was desirous to please her, and told her, that God took care of him; and that he was born by his providence, and therefore he suffered his hair to grow: God having charged him never to cut it, and thence his strength was according to the increase and continuance of his hair. When she had learned thus much, and had deprived him of his hair, she delivered him up to his enemies, when he was not strong enough to defend himself. So they put out his eyes, and bound him, + and had him led about among

the public affairs of the Philistines came to || desired; as if she would not conceal what she her, and persuaded her to attempt a discovery knew it was for his interest to have conof that strength, by which Sampson became cealed. However, he deluded her again, and unconquerable to his enemies. Accordingly told her, that if they bound him with seven when they were drinking, and had the like conversation together, she pretended to admire the actions he had done; and contrived to get out of him, by subtilty, by what means he so much excelled others in strength. Sampson, in order to delude Delilah, (for he had not yet lost his senses,) replied, that if he were bound with seven such green withs of a vine as might still be wreathed, he should be weaker than any other man. The woman said no more then; but told this to the rulers of the Philistines; and hid certain of their soldiers in ambush within the house; and when he was disordered in drink, and asleep, she bound him, as fast as possible, with the withs; and then upon her awakening him, she told him some of the people were upon him; but he brake the withs, and endeavored to defend himself; as though some of his ene-them. mies were really upon him. Now this woman, in the constant conversation Sampson had with her, pretended that she took it very ill, that he had such little confidence in her affection, that he would not tell her what she

Some persons have asserted that no building suf ficiently capacious to receive so great a number of people could be constructed, so as to rest chiefly upon two pillars. But this is a mistake; for Pliny (Nat. Hist. lib. xxxv. cap. 15.) mentions two theatres built by C. Curio, (who was killed in the civil wars on Cæsar's side) which were made of wood, and so extensive as (according to his mode of writing) to hold all the Roman people. They were contrived with such art, that each of them depended upon one hinge. This caused Pliny to censure the madness of the people, who would venture into a place for their pleasure, where they sat tam infidâ instabilique sede, on such an uncertain and unstable seat: for if that hinge had given way, there had been a greater slaughter than at the battle of Cannæ. This entirely removes any imaginary difficulty, of this nature at least, from the history of Sampson. "The Eastern method of building may assist us in accounting for the particular structure of the temple or house of Dagon (Judges xvi.) and the great number of people that were buried in the ruins of it, by

But in process of time Sampson's hair grew. again. And there was a public festival among the Philistines, when the rulers, and those of the most eminent characters, were feasting together. Now the room wherein they were,

pulling down the two principal pillars. We read (v. 27,) that about three thousand persons were upon the roof to behold while SAMPSON made sport. Sampson must therefore have been in a court or area below them, and consequently the temple will be of the same kind with the ancient run, or sacred enclosures, surrounded only in part or altogether with some plain or cloistered buildings. Several palaces and dau-wânas, as they call the courts of justice in these countries, are built in this fashion; where upon their festivals and rejoicings a great quantity of sand is strewed upon the area for the wrestlers to fall upon, whilst the roof of the cloisters round about is crowded with spectators of their strength and agility. I have often seen several hundreds of people diverted in this manner upon the roof of the dey's palace at Algiers; which, like many more of the same quality and denomination, hath an advanced cloister over against the gate of the palace, Esther v. 1, made in the fashion of a large pent house, supported only by one or two contiguous pil.. lars in the front, or else in the centre. In such open structures as these, in the midst of their guards and counsellors, are the bashas, kadees, and other great officers, assembled to distribute justice and transact the public affairs of their provinces. Here likewise they have their public entertainments, as the lords and others of the Philistines had in the house of Dagon. Upon a supposition therefore that in the house of Dagon there was a cloistered structure of this kind, the pulling down of the

had

little while after him the sons, died and Naomi being very uneasy at these accidents, and not able to bear her lonesome condition, now those that were dearest to her were dead, on whose account it was that she had gone it again; for she had been informed that it was now in a flourishing condition. However, her daughters-in-law were not able to think of parting with her; and when they had a mind to go out of the country with her, she could not dissuade them from it. But when they insisted upon it, she wished them a more happy wedlock than they had with her sons, and that they might have prosperity in other respects also; and seeing her own affairs were so low, she exhorted them to stay where they were, and not to think of leaving their own country, and partaking with her of that uncertainty under which she must return. Accordingly Orpah stayed behind; but she took Ruth along with her, as she could not be persuaded to stay behind, but would share her fortune, whatsoever it should prove.§

had its roof supported by two pillars. So they sent for Sampson, and he was brought to their feast, that they might insult him in their cups. Hereupon he, thinking it one of the greatest misfortunes if he should not be able to revenge himself, when he was thus insult-away from her own country, she returned to ed, persuaded the boy that led him by the hand, that he was weary, and wanted to rest himself; and desired he would bring him near the pillars. And as soon as he came to them, he rushed with force against them; and overthrew the house, by overturning its pillars, with three thousand men in it,* who were all slain, and himself with them. And such was the end of Sampson, when he had ruled over the Israelites twenty years. And indeed † this man deserves to be admired for his courage and strength, and his magnanimity at his death; and that his wrath against his enemies went so far as to die himself with them. But as for his being ensnared by a woman, that is to be ascribed to human nature, which is too weak to resist the temptations to that sin. But we ought to bear him witness, that in all other respects he was one of extraordinary virtue. His kindred took away his body, and buried it in Sarasat, his own country, with the rest of his family.

CHAP. IX.

OF THE MARRIAGE OF BOOZ AND RUTH; FROM WHOM CAME
OBED, THE GRANDFATHER OF DAVID.

NOW

When Ruth was come with her mother-inlaw to Bethlehem, Booz, who was near of kin to Elimelech, entertained her. And when Naomi was so called by her fellow-citizens, according to her true name, she said, "You might more truly call me Mara." Now Naomi signifies in the Hebrew tongue, Happiness; and Mara, Sorrow. It was now reaping-time; and Ruth, by the leave of her OW after the death of Sampson, Eli the mother-in-law, went out to glean that they high-priest was governor of the Israel- might get a stock of corn for their food. ites. Under him, when the country was Now it happened that she came into Booz's afflicted with a famine, Elimelech of Bethle-field: and after some time Booz came thither. hem, which is a city of the tribe of Judah, being not able to support his family under so sore a distress, took with him Naomi his wife, and the children that were born to him by her, Chilion and Mahlon; and removed his habitation into the land of Moab; and upon the happy prosperity of his affairs there, he took for his sons wives of the Moabites, Orpah for Chilion, and Ruth for Mahlon. But in the compass of ten years both Elimelech, and a

and when he saw the damsel, he inquired of his servant that was set over the reapers concerning the girl. The servant had a little before inquired about all her circumstances, and told them to his master. Booz then kindly embraced her; both on account of her affection to her mother-in-law, and her remembrance of that son of hers, to whom she had been married, and wished that she might experience a prosperous condition. So he de

+ From about 1158 to 1138. B. C.

According to the date (1350), it must have been long before the government of Eli. § Ruth i. 19.