102 



before Israel again provokes the wrath of Heaven, by rehips- 

 ing into idolatry and disobedience ; agreeably to the text, 

 " And Israel served the Lord, all the days of Joshua, and 

 all the days of the elders that over-lived Joshua, and which 

 had known all the works of the Lord that he had done for 

 Israel," which, it is natural to suppose, equally influenced 

 them in all future time. 



It is now of importance to investigate the epoch and term 

 of the 40 years repose, which the sacred text mentions to 

 have succeeded the victory of Othniel, (Jud. 3-11.) This, 

 agreeably to our first observation, must have had for its com- 

 mencement a war that preceeded it, viz. the conquest of 

 Cushan, and for its term another war that followed, viz. that 

 against the King of Moab, in which his authority was shaken 

 off by the Israelites under the conduct of Ehud, the period 

 of his oppression is evidently included in it, since it does not 

 appear that this domination was resisted, until the final 

 contest which took place after he was slain by Ehud. In 

 effect, the text itself expressly assures us, that the king of 

 Moab only possessed himself of the city of palm-trees, 

 (Jud. 3-13-14.) and in the next verse, proceeds to relate that 

 " the children of Israel sent a present," which in the eastern 

 style is tribute,"* " to Eglon, and Ehud having slain him, 



summoned 



• If autlioiity is wanting for this, it is supplied by 1 1 Kings, 17-3. where "presents" 

 in the text, are translated more agreeably to the Hebrew idiom, " tribute," in the margin, 

 and many other jjlaccs in the sacred writ, 1 Chron. lS-2, 1 1 Sarol. 8-2. 



