Israel Rebuked

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Now the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done? Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they will become as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.’” When the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept. So they named that place Bochim; and there they sacrificed to the Lord.

Commentaries

The period of the early monarchy is the most likely date for the composition of Judges in what was basically its present form. The collection of the material in the main section, the exploits of the individual judges could hardly have taken place before the restoration of national unity. The time of David and Solomon was such a period, and the awakening of national pride would lead to an interest in recording past traditions. Moreover, there was a human motive underlying the promulgation of the Book of Judges.

The monarchy in the early period faced opposition from the champions of the old traditions. There was an active concern to show that the monarchy had achieved what they had singularly failed to win — namely, a complete conquest and the establishment of law and stability, which indicates an early, rather than a post disruption 922 BC date.

The favorable attitude to the monarchy thus implied, makes the Talmudic tradition that Samuel himself was the author of Judges appear unlikely. His attitude to the monarchy is clearly revealed in Samuel. So, to the main corpus of the Book was added a prologue, itself a selection from an otherwise unknown source, showing the incompleteness of the conquest.

Similarly, an epilogue was appended, underlining the low standards of the period now replaced by the monarchy. It is impossible to determine precisely the date of the Book of Judges or whether more than one hand was involved in its production. The difference in attitude between the second and third sections points to two editors.

One fact may be of significance, namely, that Bethlehem in Judah figures in both of the incidents narrated in the third section; as well as, in the events of the Book of Ruth. This lends slight support to a date in the reign of David, himself a native of Bethlehem.

Although admitting the absence of definite proof, it seems most probable that the Book of Judges was compiled during the reign of David, and that its human motive was to demonstrate the advantages of the monarchy in contrast to the ineffective system operating since the death of Joshua. Brief mention may be made of two critical theories concerning the composition of Judges. One view proposes which are devoid of the religious comment found elsewhere, are secondary, having been interpolated into the text at a later date. A second view asserts there were two editions. In the first of these, in the seventh century BC were excluded the remainder being subjected to editorial treatment from the so called Deuteronomy school. In a second revision, in the sixth century BC the omitted chapters.

Were reincorporated as they stood, thus escaping the editorial comment that was characteristic of the first edition. The possibility of minor revisions and reshaping when the Book of Judges was incorporated into the Former Prophets the official history of Israel from the Conquest to the Babylonian Captivity must not be excluded. The finalizing of this section was accomplished in the early years of the Exile. But the most acceptable view of the origin of the Book of Judges itself, is, as indicated, during the reign of David.

The message which God sent to Israel by an angel and the impression it made upon them. A general idea of the state of Israel during the government of the judges, in which observe, their adherence to God while Joshua and the elders lived. Their revolt afterwards to idolatry. God’s displeasure against them and his judgments upon them. His pity towards them shown in raising them up deliverers. Their relapse into idolatry after the judgment was over. The full stop God in anger put to their successes. These are the contents not only of this chapter but of the whole book.

It was the privilege of Israel that they had not only a law in general sent them from heaven, once for all, to direct them into and keep them in the way of happiness, but that they had particular messages sent them from heaven, as there was occasion, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness, when at any time they turned aside out of that way. Besides the written word which they had before them to read they often heard a word behind them saying this is the way.

Here begins that way of God’s dealing with them. When they would not hear Moses, let it be tried whether they will hear the prophets. In these verses we have a very awakening sermon that was preached to them when they began to cool in their religion. The preacher was an angel of the Lord, not a prophet, not Phinehas, as the Jews conceit. Gospel ministers are indeed called angels of the churches but the Old Testament prophets are never called angels of the Lord. No doubt this was a messenger from heaven.

Such extraordinary messengers we sometimes find in this book employed in the raising up of the judges that delivered Israel as Gideon and Samson. And now to show how various are the good offices they do for God’s Israel here is one sent to preach to them to prevent their falling into sin and trouble. This extraordinary messenger was sent to command, if possible, the greater regard to the message and to affect the minds of a people whom nothing seemed to affect but what was sensible.

The learned bishop Patrick is clearly of opinion that this was not a created angel but the Angel of the covenant the same that appeared to Joshua as captain of the hosts of the Lord who was God himself. Christ himself. Who but God and Christ could say I made you to go up out of Egypt? Joshua had lately admonished them to take heed of entangling themselves with the Canaanites but they regarded not the words of a dying man. The same warning therefore is here brought them by the living God himself the Son of God appearing as an angel. If they slight his servants surely they will reverence his Son.

This angel of the Lord is said to come up from Gilgal perhaps not walking on the earth but flying swiftly as the angel Gabriel did to Daniel, in the open firmament of heaven but whether walking or flying he seemed to come from Gilgal for a particular reason. Gilgal was long their headquarters after they came into Canaan, many signal favors they had there received from God and there the covenant of circumcision was renewed, of all which it was designed they should be reminded by his coming from Gilgal. The remembrance of what we have received and heard will prepare us for a warning to hold fast.

The persons to whom this sermon was preached were all the children of Israel. A great congregation for a great preacher. They were assembled either for war, each tribe sending in its forces for some great expedition or rather for worship and then the place of their meeting must be Shiloh where the tabernacle was at which they were all to come together three times a year. When we attend upon God in instituted ordinances we may expect to hear from him, and to receive his gifts at his own gates. The place is called Bochim because it gained that name upon this occasion. All Israel needed the reproof and warning here given, and therefore it is spoken to them all.

You remember the book of Joshua closed where the people were in the land but there was yet much of the land that was not yet conquered. They had not completely driven out the enemies. They had not yet taken all of the territories that God had promised unto them. So when Joshua died they inquired and they said, "Who shall go up first to take the land that God has given? The sermon itself is short but very close.

God here tells them plainly. What he had done for them. He had brought them out of Egypt, a land of slavery and toil, into Canaan, a land of rest, liberty, and plenty. The miseries of the one served as a foil to the felicities of the other. God had herein been kind to them true to the oath sworn to their fathers, had given such proofs of his power as left them inexcusable if they distrusted it, and such engagements to his service as left them inexcusable if they deserted it. What he had promised them. I said, I will never break my covenant with you. When he took them to be his peculiar people, it was not with any design to cast them off again, or to change them for another people at his pleasure let them but be faithful to him and they should find him unchangeably constant to them. He told them plainly that the covenant he entered into with them should never break, unless it broke on their side.

You remember that Judah was given that land south of Jerusalem. And so Judah said to Simeon, whose lot was the extreme south even south of Judah down towards Beersheba and all said to Simeon. You go out and help us take our portion and then we'll help you to take your portion. And so Judah began to attack the cities and take the cities and possess the cities that God had apportioned unto Judah.

What were his just and reasonable expectations from them that being taken into covenant with God they should make no league with the Canaanites, who were both his enemies and theirs — that having set up his altar they should throw down their altars, lest they should be a temptation to them to serve their gods. Could any thing be demanded more easy? How they had in this very thing which he had most insisted on, disobeyed him. But you have not in so small a matter obeyed my voice. In contempt of their covenant with God and their confederacy with each other in that covenant they made leagues of friendship with the idolatrous devoted Canaanites and connived at their altars, though they stood in competition with God’s.

Why have you done this? What account can you give of this perverseness of yours at the bar of right reason? What apology can you make for yourselves, or what excuse can you offer?” Those that throw off their communion with God, and have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, know not what they do now, and will have nothing to say for themselves in the day of account shortly.

Adoni means lord so he was the lord of Bezek or the king of Bezek. They captured him and they cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

How they must expect to smart by and by for this their folly. Their tolerating the Canaanites among them would put a period to their victories. You will not drive them out, says God, and therefore I will not; thus their sin was made their punishment. Thus those who indulge their lusts and corruptions, which they should mortify, forfeit the grace of God, and it is justly withdrawn from them. If we will not resist the devil, we cannot expect that God should tread him under our feet. It would involve them in continual troubles.

They shall be thorns in your sides to gore you which way you turn always doing you one mischief or other. Those deceive themselves who expect advantage by friendship with those that are enemies to God. It would which was worst of all expose them to constant temptation and draw them to sin.

Their gods, their abominations, so the Chaldeans, will be a snare to you; you will find yourselves wretchedly entangled in an affection to them, and it will be your ruin, so some read it. Those that approach sin are justly left to themselves to fall into sin and to perish in it. God often makes men’s sin their punishment and thorns and snares are in the way of the forward who will walk contrary to God.

The good success of this sermon is very remarkable. The people lifted up their voice and wept. The angel had told them of their sins for which they thus expressed their sorrow. They lifted up their voice in confession of sin, crying out against their own folly and ingratitude and wept, as those that were both ashamed of themselves and angry at themselves as having acted so directly contrary both to their reason and to their interest.

The angel had threatened them with the judgments of God, of which they thus expressed their dread. They lifted up their voice in prayer to God to turn away his wrath from them, and wept for fear of that wrath. They relented upon this alarm, and their hearts melted within them, and trembled at the word, and not without cause. This was good, and a sign that the word they heard made an impression upon them. It is a wonder sinners can ever read their Bible with dry eyes. But this was not enough they wept but we do not find that they reformed that they went home and destroyed all the remains of idolatry and idolaters among them. Many are melted under the word that harden again before they are cast into a new mould.

This general weeping gave a new name to the place. They called it Bochim, Weepers, a good name for our assemblies to answer. Had they kept close to God and their duty no voice but that of singing would have been heard in their congregation but by their sin and folly they had made other work for themselves and now nothing is to be heard but the voice of weeping. It gave occasion for a solemn sacrifice.

They sacrificed there unto the Lord, having as is supposed met at Shiloh, where God’s altar was. They offered sacrifice to turn away God’s wrath and to obtain his favor and in token of their dedication of themselves to him, and to him only making a covenant by this sacrifice. The disease being thus taken in time and the physic administered working so well one would have hoped a cure might be effected. But by the sequel of the story it appears to have been too deeply rooted to be wept out.

Moser Ministries