The Bible, Douay Rheims, Book 7: Judges
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Unknown >> The Bible, Douay Rheims, Book 7: Judges
This eBook was produced by David Widger [widger@cecomet.net]
from etext #1581 prepared by Dennis McCarthy, Atlanta, Georgia
and Tad Book, student, Pontifical North American College, Rome.
THE HOLY BIBLE
Translated from the Latin Vulgate
Diligently Compared with the Hebrew, Greek,
and Other Editions in Divers Languages
THE OLD TESTAMENT
First Published by the English College at Douay
A.D. 1609 & 1610
and
THE NEW TESTAMENT
First Published by the English College at Rheims
A.D. 1582
With Annotations
The Whole Revised and Diligently Compared with
the Latin Vulgate by Bishop Richard Challoner
A.D. 1749-1752
THE BOOK OF JUDGES
This Book is called JUDGES, because it contains the history of what
passed under the government of the judges, who ruled Israel before they
had kings. The writer of it, according to the more general opinion, was
the prophet Samuel.
Judges Chapter 1
The expedition and victory of Juda against the Chanaanites: who are
tolerated in many places.
1:1. After the death of Josue, the children of Israel consulted the
Lord, saying: Who shall go up before us against the Chanaanite, and
shall be the leader of the war?
1:2. And the Lord said: Juda shall go up: behold I have delivered the
land into his hands.
1:3. And Juda said to Simeon, his brother: Come up with me into my lot,
and fight against the Chanaanite, that I also may go along with thee
into thy lot. And Simeon went with him.
1:4. And Juda went up, and the Lord delivered the Chanaanite, and the
Pherezite into their hands: and they slew of them in Bezec ten thousand
men.
1:5. And they found Adonibezec in Bezec, and fought against him, and
they defeated the Chanaanite, and the Pherezite.
1:6. And Adonibezec fled: and they pursued after him and took him, and
cut off his fingers and toes.
1:7. And Adonibezec said: Seventy kings, having their fingers and toes
cut off, gathered up the leavings of the meat under my table: as I have
done, so hath God requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and
he died there.
1:8. And the children of Juda besieging Jerusalem, took it, and put it
to the sword, and set the whole city on fire.
Jerusalem... This city was divided into two; one part was called Jebus,
the other Salem: the one was in the tribe of Juda, the other in the
tribe of Benjamin. After it was taken and burnt by the men of Juda, it
was quickly rebuilt again by the Jebusites, as we may gather from ver.
21; and continued in their possession till it was taken by king David.
1:9. And afterwards they went down and fought against the Chanaanite,
who dwelt in the mountains, and in the south, and in the plains.
1:10. And Juda going forward against the Chanaanite, that dwelt in
Hebron, (the name whereof was in former times Cariath-Arbe) slew Sesai,
and Ahiman, and Tholmai:
Hebron... This expedition against Hebron, etc. is the same as is
related, Jos. 15.24. It is here repeated, to give the reader at once a
short sketch of all the achievements of the tribe of Juda against the
Chanaanites.
1:11. And departing from thence, he went to the inhabitants of Dabir,
the ancient name of which was Cariath-Sepher, that is, the city of
letters.
The city of letters... Perhaps so called from some famous school, or
library, kept there.
1:12. And Caleb said: He that shall take Cariath-Sepher, and lay it
waste, to him will I give my daughter Axa to wife.
1:13. And Othoniel, the son of Cenez, the younger brother of Caleb,
having taken it, he gave him Axa his daughter to wife.
1:14. And as she was going on her way, her husband admonished her to ask
a field of her father. And as she sighed sitting on her ass, Caleb said
to her: What aileth thee?
1:15. But she answered: Give me a blessing, for thou hast given me a dry
land: give me also a watery land So Caleb gave her the upper and the
nether watery ground.
1:16. And the children of the Cinite, the kinsman of Moses, went up from
the city of palms, with the children of Juda, into the wilderness of his
lot, which is at the south side of Arad, and they dwelt with him.
The Cinite... Jethro the father in law of Moses was called Cinoeus, or
the Cinite; and his children who came along with the children of Israel
settled themselves among them in the land of Chanaan, embracing their
worship and religion. From these the Rechabites sprung, of whom see Jer.
35.-Ibid. The city of palms... Jericho, so called from the abundance of
palm trees.
1:17. And Juda went with Simeon, his brother, and they together defeated
the Chanaanites that dwelt in Sephaath, and slew them. And the name of
the city was called Horma, that is, Anathema.
1:18. And Juda took Gaza, with its confines, and Ascalon, and Accaron,
with their confines.
Gaza, etc... These were three of the principal cities of the
Philistines, famous both in sacred and profane history. They were taken
at this time by the Israelites: but as they took no care to put
garrisons in them, the Philistines soon recovered them.
1:19. And the Lord was with Juda, and he possessed the hill country: but
was not able to destroy the inhabitants of the valley, because they had
many chariots armed with scythes.
Was not able, etc... Through a cowardly fear of their chariots armed
with hooks and scythes, and for want of confidence in God.
1:20. And they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said, who destroyed
out of it the three sons of Enac.
1:21. But the sons of Benjamin did not destroy the Jebusites that
inhabited Jerusalem: and the Jebusite hath dwelt with the sons of
Benjamin in Jerusalem until this present day.
1:22. The house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the Lord was
with them.
1:23. For when they were besieging the city, which before was called
Luza,
1:24. They saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him: Shew
us the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.
1:25. And when he had shewed them, they smote the city with the edge of
the sword: but that man, and all his kindred, they let go:
1:26. Who being sent away, went into the land of Hetthim, and built
there a city, and called it Luza: which is so called until this day.
1:27. Manasses also did not destroy Bethsan, and Thanac, with their
villages; nor the inhabitants of Dor, and Jeblaam, and Mageddo, with
their villages. And the Chanaanite began to dwell with them.
1:28. But after Israel was grown strong, he made them tributaries, and
would not destroy them.
1:29. Ephraim also did not slay the Chanaanite that dwelt in Gazer, but
dwelt with him.
1:30. Zabulon destroyed not the inhabitants of Cetron, and Naalol: but
the Chanaanite dwelt among them, and became their tributary.
1:31. Aser also destroyed not the inhabitants of Accho, and of Sidon, of
Ahalab, and of Achazib, and of Helba, and of Aphec, and of Rohob:
1:32. And he dwelt in the midst of the Chanaanites, the inhabitants of
that land, and did not slay them.
1:33. Nephthali also destroyed not the inhabitants of Bethsames, and of
Bethanath: and he dwelt in the midst of the Chanaanites, the inhabitants
of the land, and the Bethsamites and Bethanites were tributaries to him.
1:34. And the Amorrhite straitened the children of Dan in the mountain,
and gave them not a place to go down to the plain:
1:35. And he dwelt in the mountain Hares, that is, of potsherds, in
Aialon and Salebim. And the hand of the house of Joseph was heavy upon
him, and he became tributary to him.
He dwelt... That is, the Amorrhite.
1:36. And the border of the Amorrhite was from the ascent of the
scorpion, the rock, and the higher places.
Judges Chapter 2
An angel reproveth Israel. They weep for their sins. After the death of
Josue, they often fall, and repenting are delivered from their
afflictions, but still fall worse and worse.
2:1. And an angel of the Lord went up from Galgal to the place of
weepers, and said: I made you go out of Egypt, and have brought you into
the land for which I swore to your fathers: and I promised that I would
not make void my covenant with you for ever:
An angel... Taking the shape of a man.
2:2. On condition that you should not make a league with the inhabitants
of this land, but should throw down their altars: and you would not hear
my voice: why have you done this?
2:3. Wherefore I would not destroy them from before your face; that you
may have enemies, and their gods may be your ruin.
2:4. And when the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the
children of Israel: they lifted up their voice, and wept.
2:5. And the name of that place was called, The place of weepers, or of
tears: and there they offered sacrifices to the Lord.
2:6. And Josue sent away the people, and the children of Israel went
every one to his own possession to hold it:
And Josue, etc... This is here inserted out of Jos. 24, by way of
recapitulation of what had happened before, and by way of an
introduction to that which follows.
2:7. And they served the Lord all his days, and the days of the
ancients, that lived a long time after him, and who knew all the works
of the Lord, which he had done for Israel.
2:8. And Josue, the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being a
hundred and ten years old;
2:9. And they buried him in the borders of his possession in
Thamnathsare, in Mount Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaas.
2:10. And all that generation was gathered to their fathers: and there
arose others that knew not the Lord and the works which he had done for
Israel.
2:11. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and
they served Baalim,
2:12. And they left the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought
them out of the land of Egypt: and they followed strange gods, and the
gods of the people that dwelt round about them, and they adored them:
and they provoked the Lord to anger,
They followed strange gods... What is here said of the children of
Israel, as to their falling so often into idolatry, is to be understood
of a great part of them; but not so universally, as if the true worship
of God was ever quite abolished among them: for the succession of the
true church and religion was kept up all this time by the priests and
Levites, at least in the house of God in Silo.
2:13. Forsaking him, and serving Baal and Astaroth
2:14. And the Lord being angry against Israel, delivered them into the
hands of plunderers: who took them and sold them to their enemies, that
dwelt round about: neither could they stand against their enemies:
2:15. But whithersoever they meant to go, the hand of the Lord was upon
them, as he had said, and as he had sworn to them: and they were greatly
distressed.
2:16. And the Lord raised up judges, to deliver them from the hands of
those that oppressed them: but they would not hearken to them,
2:17. Committing fornication with strange gods, and adoring them. They
quickly forsook the way, in which their fathers had walked: and hearing
the commandments of the Lord, they did all things contrary.
2:18. And when the Lord raised them up judges, in their days, he was
moved to mercy, and heard the groanings of the afflicted, and delivered
them from the slaughter of the oppressors.
2:19. But after the judge was dead, they returned, and did much worse
things than their fathers had done, following strange gods, serving
them, and adoring them. They left not their own inventions, and the
stubborn way, by which they were accustomed to walk.
2:20. And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he said:
Behold this nation hath made void my covenant, which I had made with
their fathers, and hath despised to hearken to my voice:
2:21. I also will not destroy the nations which Josue left when he died:
2:22. That through them I may try Israel, whether they will keep the way
of the Lord, and walk in it, as their fathers kept it, or not.
2:23. The Lord therefore left all these nations, and would not quickly
destroy them, neither did he deliver them into the hands of Josue.
Judges Chapter 3
The people falling into idolatry are oppressed by their enemies; but
repenting are delivered by Othoniel, Aod, and Samgar.
3:1. These are the nations which the Lord left, that by them he might
instruct Israel, and all that had not known the wars of the Chanaanites:
3:2. That afterwards their children might learn to fight with their
enemies, and to be trained up to war:
3:3. The five princes of the Philistines, and all the Chanaanites, and
the Sidonians, and the Hevites that dwelt in Mount Libanus, from Mount
Baal Hermon to the entering into Emath.
3:4. And he left them, that he might try Israel by them, whether they
would hear the commandments of the Lord, which he had commanded their
fathers, by the hand of Moses, or not.
3:5. So the children of Israel dwelt in the midst of the Chanaanite, and
the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, and the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and
the Jebusite:
3:6. And they took their daughters to wives, and they gave their own
daughters to their sons, and they served their gods.
3:7. And they did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they forgot their
God, and served Baalim and Astaroth.
3:8. And the Lord being angry with Israel, delivered them into the hands
of Chusan Rasathaim, king of Mesopotamia, and they served him eight
years.
Mesopotamia... In Hebrew Aramnaharim. Syria of the two rivers: so called
because it lies between the Euphrates and the Tigris. It is absolutely
called Syria, ver. 10.
3:9. And they cried to the Lord, who raised them up a saviour, and
delivered them; to wit, Othoniel, the son of Cenez, the younger brother
of Caleb:
3:10. And the spirit of the Lord was in him, and he judged Israel. And
he went out to fight, and the Lord delivered Chusan Rasathaim, king of
Syria, and he overthrew him:
3:11. And the land rested forty years, and Othoniel, the son of Cenez,
died.
3:12. And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the
Lord: who strengthened against them Eglon, king of Moab: because they
did evil in his sight.
3:13. And he joined to him the children of Ammon, and Amalec: and he
went and overthrew Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.
3:14. And the children of Israel served Eglon, king of Moab, eighteen
years.
3:15. And afterwards they cried to the Lord, who raised them up a
saviour, called Aod, the son of Cera, the son of Jemini, who used the
left hand as well as the right. And the children of Israel sent
presents to Eglon, king of Moab, by him.
3:16. And he made himself a two-edged sword, with a haft in the midst of
the length of the palm of the hand, and was girded therewith, under his
garment, on the right thigh.
3:17. And he presented the gifts to Eglon, king of Moab Now Eglon was
exceeding fat.
3:18. And when he had presented the gifts unto him he followed his
companions that came along with him.
3:19. Then returning from Galgal, where the idols were, he said to the
king: I have a secret message to thee, O king. And he commanded silence:
and all being gone out that were about him,
3:20. Aod went in to him: now he was sitting in a summer parlour alone,
and he said: I have a word from God to thee. And he forthwith rose up
from his throne.
A word from God, etc... What Aod, who was judge and chief magistrate of
Israel, did on this occasion, was by a special inspiration of God: but
such things are not to be imitated by private men.
3:21. And Aod put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his
right thigh, and thrust it into his belly,
3:22. With such force that the haft went in after the blade into the
wound, and was closed up with the abundance of fat. So that he did not
draw out the dagger, but left it in the body as he had struck it in: and
forthwith, by the secret parts of nature, the excrements of the belly
came out.
3:23. And Aod carefully shutting the doors of the parlour, and locking
them,
3:24. Went out by a postern door. And the king's servants going in, saw
the doors of the parlour shut, and they said: Perhaps he is easing
nature in his summer parlour.
3:25. And waiting a long time, till they were ashamed, and seeing that
no man opened the door, they took a key: and opening, they found their
lord lying dead on the ground.
3:26. But Aod, while they were in confusion, escaped, and passed by the
place of the idols from whence he had returned. And he came to Seirath:
3:27. And forthwith he sounded the trumpet in Mount Ephraim: and the
children of Israel went down with him, he himself going in the front.
3:28. And he said to them: Follow me: for the Lord hath delivered our
enemies, the Moabites, into our hands. And they went down after him, and
seized upon the fords of the Jordan, which are in the way to Moab: and
they suffered no man to pass over:
3:29. But they slew of the Moabites at that time, about ten thousand,
all strong and valiant men: none of them could escape.
3:30. And Moab was humbled that day under the hand of Israel: and the
land rested eighty years.
3:31. After him was Samgar, the son of Anath, who slew of the
Philistines six hundred men with a ploughshare: and he also defended
Israel.
Judges Chapter 4
Debbora and Barac deliver Israel from Jabin and Sisara, Jahal killeth
Sisara.
4:1. And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord
after the death of Aod:
4:2. And the Lord delivered them up into the hands of Jabin, king of
Chanaan, who reigned in Asor: and he had a general of his army named
Sisara, and he dwelt in Haroseth of the Gentiles.
4:3. And the children of Israel cried to the Lord: for he had nine
hundred chariots set with scythes and for twenty years had grievously
oppressed them.
4:4. And there was at that time Debbora, a prophetess, the wife of
Lapidoth, who judged the people.
4:5. And she sat under a palm tree, which was called by her name,
between Rama and Bethel, in Mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel
came up to her for all judgment.
4:6. And she sent and called Barac, the Son of Abinoem, out of Cedes, in
Nephthali: and she said to him: The Lord God of Israel hath commanded
thee: Go, and lead an army to Mount Thabor, and thou shalt take with
thee ten thousand fighting men of the children of Nephthali, and of the
children of Zabulon:
4:7. And I will bring unto thee in the place of the torrent Cison,
Sisara, the general of Jabin's army, and his chariots, and all his
multitude, and will deliver them into thy hand.
4:8. And Barac said to her: If thou wilt come with me, I will go: if
thou wilt not come with me, I will not go.
4:9. She said to him: I will go, indeed, with thee, but at this time the
victory shall not be attributed to thee, because Sisara shall be
delivered into the hand of a woman. Debbora therefore arose, and went
with Barac to Cedes.
4:10. And he called unto him Zabulon and Nephthali, and went up with ten
thousand fighting men, having Debbora in his company.
4:11. Now Haber, the Cinite, had some time before departed from the rest
of the Cinites, his brethren, the sons of Hobab, the kinsman of Moses:
and had pitched his tents unto the valley, which is called Sennim, and
was near Cedes.
4:12. And it was told Sisara, that Barac, the son of Abinoem, was gone
up to Mount Thabor:
4:13. And he gathered together his nine hundred chariots armed with
scythes, and all his army, from Haroseth of the Gentiles, to the torrent
Cison.
4:14. And Debbora said to Barac: Arise, for this is the day wherein the
Lord hath delivered Sisara into thy hands: behold, he is thy leader. And
Barac went down from Mount Thabor, and ten thousand fighting men with
him.
4:15. And the Lord struck a terror into Sisara, and all his chariots,
and all his multitude, with the edge of the sword, at the sight of
Barac; insomuch, that Sisara leaping down from off his chariot, fled
away on foot,
4:16. And Barac pursued after the fleeing chariots, and the army, unto
Haroseth of the Gentiles; and all the multitude of the enemies was
utterly destroyed.
4:17. But Sisara fleeing, came to the tent of Jahel, the wife of Haber,
the Cinite, for there was peace between Jabin, the king of Asor, and the
house of Haber, the Cinite.
4:18. And Jahel went forth to meet Sisara, and said to him: Come in to
me, my lord; come in, fear not. He went into her tent, and being covered
by her with a cloak,
4:19. Said to her: Give me, I beseech thee, a little water, for I am
very thirsty. She opened a bottle of milk, and gave him to drink, and
covered him.
4:20. And Sisara said to her: Stand before the door of the tent, and
when any shall come and inquire of thee, saying: Is there any man here?
thou shalt say: There is none.
4:21. So Jahel, Haber's wife, took a nail of the tent, and taking also a
hammer: and going in softly, and with silence, she put the nail upon the
temples of his head, and striking it with the hammer, drove it through
his brain fast into the ground: and so passing from deep sleep to death,
he fainted away and died.
4:22. And behold, Barac came pursuing after Sisara: and Jahel went out
to meet him, and said to him: Come, and I will shew thee the man whom
thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, he saw Sisara lying dead,
and the nail fastened in his temples.
4:23. So God that day humbled Jabin, the king of Chanaan, before the
children of Israel:
4:24. Who grew daily stronger, and with a mighty hand overpowered Jabin,
king of Chanaan, till they quite destroyed him.
Judges Chapter 5
The canticle of Debbora and Barac after their victory.
5:1. In that day Debbora and Barac, son of Abinoem, sung, and said:
5:2. O you of Israel, that have willingly offered your lives to danger,
bless the Lord.
5:3. Hear, O ye kings, give ear, O ye princes: It is I, it is I, that
will sing to the Lord, I will sing to the Lord, the God of Israel.
5:4. O Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir, and passedst by the regions
of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens and clouds dropped water.
5:5. The mountains melted before the face of the Lord, and Sinai before
the face of the Lord the God of Israel.
5:6. In the days of Samgar, the son of Anath, in the days of Jahel, the
paths rested: and they that went by them, walked through bye-ways.
The paths rested... The ways to the sanctuary of God were unfrequented:
and men walked in the by-ways of error and sin.
5:7. The valiant men ceased, and rested in Israel: until Debbora arose,
a mother arose in Israel.
5:8. The Lord chose new wars, and he himself overthrew the gates of the
enemies: a shield and spear was not seen among forty thousand of Israel.
5:9. My heart loveth the princes of Israel: O you, that of your own good
will offered yourselves to danger, bless the Lord.
5:10. Speak, you that ride upon fair asses, and you that sit in
judgment, and walk in the way.
5:11. Where the chariots were dashed together, and the army of the
enemies was choked, there let the justices of the Lord be rehearsed, and
his clemency towards the brave men of Israel: then the people of the
Lord went down to the gates, and obtained the sovereignty.
5:12. Arise, arise, O Debbora, arise, arise, and utter a canticle.
Arise, Barac, and take hold of thy captives, O son of Abinoem.
5:13. The remnants of the people are saved, the Lord hath fought among
the valiant ones.
5:14. Out of Ephraim he destroyed them into Amalec, and after him out of
Benjamin into thy people, O Amalec: Out of Machir there came down
princes, and out of Zabulon they that led the army to fight.
Out of Ephraim, etc... The enemies straggling in their flight were
destroyed, as they were running through the land of Ephraim, and of
Benjamin, which lies after, that is beyond Ephraim: and so on to the
very confines of Amalec. Or, it alludes to former victories of the
people of God, particularly that which was freshest in memory, when the
men of Ephraim and Benjamin, with Aod at their head, overthrew their
enemies the Moabites with the Amalecites their allies. See chap. 3.
Ibid. Machir... The tribe of Manasses, whose eldest son was Machir.
5:15. The captains of Issachar were with Debbora, and followed the steps
of Barac, who exposed himself to danger, as one going headlong, and into
a pit. Ruben being divided against himself, there was found a strife of
courageous men.
Divided against himself, etc... By this it seems that the valient men of
the tribe of Ruben were divided in their sentiments, with relation to
this war; which division kept them at home within their own borders, to
hear the bleating of their flocks.
5:16. Why dwellest thou between two borders, that thou mayst hear the
bleatings of the flocks? Ruben being divided against himself, there was
found a strife of courageous men.
5:17. Galaad rested beyond the Jordan, and Dan applied himself to ships:
Aser dwelt on the sea shore, and abode in the havens.
5:18. But Zabulon and Nephthali offered their lives to death in the
region of Merome.
5:19. The kings came and fought, the kings of Chanaan fought in Thanac,
by the waters of Mageddo and yet they took no spoils.
5:20. There was war made against them from heaven: the stars, remaining
in their order and courses, fought against Sisara.
