Bible Commentaries

brethren. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species) for other relatives.

men = masters, lords, or owners. Hebrew. baalim.

light = rash.

persons. Hebrew. "enosh. App-14.

plain = oak.

of the pillar. Genitive of Apposition = that is to say, the pillar made of oak. See Joshua 24:26. Compare Genesis 28:18, Genesis 28:22; Genesis 31:13, Genesis 31:45; Genesis 35:14, Genesis 35:20; 2 Samuel 18:18.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4. Not Jehovah in covenant.

The trees. This is pare allegory (App-6). The interpretation is local and historical. The application is dispensational.

went forth. Verb, duplicated by Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6). Very emphatic = " a going forth they went forth", or went forth with great earnestness of purpose.

the olive tree = Israel's religious privileges. Romans 11.

honour. Compare Exodus 27:20, Exodus 27:21. Leviticus 2:1. The interpretation of these three "honour", &c. is clear from the context. An application may be made as to what should be seen in Israel and in ourselves.

go = march about, instead of fulfilling my mission.

the fig tree. Israel's national privileges (Matthew 21:19, Matthew 21:20. Mark 11:13, Mark 11:20, Mark 11:21. Luke 13:6-9).

forsake. Same Hebrew as "leave" in Judges 9:9 and Judges 9:13.

the vine = Israel's spiritual privileges (Isa 5. John 15).

leave. Same Hebrew as "forsake" (Judges 9:11).

wine = new wine. Hebrew. tirosh. App-27.

the bramble. This is prophetic of the false nation under the rule of Antichrist, which will devour the nation as foreshown in Judges 9:20.

put your trust = flee for refuge. Hebrew. hasah. App-69.

Note the parenthesis of verses: Judges 9:17, Judges 9:18.

life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.

reigned = exercised power over. Hebrew. sur, Occurs only here, and Hosea 8:4; Hosea 12:4.

three years. A usurpation, and therefore not included in Anno Dei reckoning. See App-50. They are concurrent with Tola's first three.

God = Elohim. Not Jehovah.

an evil spirit = an evil ruach. App-9.

Shechem. Some codices, with Septuagint, read "the son of Shechem".

would to God = would that. Figure of speech Ecphonesis. App-6.

And he said. The Septuagint reads "and say".

privily = deceitfully or craftily.

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.

as = according as.

plain = oak.

now. A special various reading called Sevir has "thou" (emphatic) instead of "now" = I pray thee, thou, &c.

dwelt = waited, or sat down.

ran = rushed

Berith = covenant = a sanctuary.

trees = brushwood.

hard = close.

a piece of a = an upper.

all to brake = altogether brake. (Obsolete.)

A woman slew. See note on Judges 4:21.

rendered = requited. Hebrew brought back.

wickedness. Hebrew. ra"a".