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of the land, as the first verse of the chapter in which it is 

 related, clearly proves, (Jud. 18. 1.) " until that day, their 

 inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel." 

 and " that day," we find from the sequel, was contemporary 

 •with the idolatry of Micha. The internal jurisdiction mani- 

 fested by the assembling of the tribes at Mizpeh, is also de- 

 structive of the supposition, that it was during a period of 

 servitude. Where, then, can they be placed, except in the 

 interval of repose after the death of the first avengers, and 

 4he commencement of the subsequent captivity, as after the 

 conquest of Chusan, Avhich Othniel could not long survive, 

 or of Eglon, which, perhaps, Ehud survived fifteen or twenty 

 years, and thus leave the remainder of the SO years repose for 

 the captivity of Jabin, and for the period " in which there was 

 no king or ruler in Israel." On the point also, that the periods 

 of servitude may be included in those of repose, agreeably 

 to our second principle of interpretation, I would remark that 

 the accuracy, the precision, and the fidelity, with which, in 

 the whole course of the Jewish records the numerical items 

 both of the armies assembled ; and more particularly of their 

 own loss, in the chance of defeat, and of the enemies, in case 

 of victory ; the notice taken of the different geographical 

 points in which the hostile, or the national forces, were col- 

 lected, or opposed ; the allusions, or more enlarged detail of 

 the choice of leaders, and of the dubious circumstances of 

 tl)C war; the recapitulation of the several chieftains, who, in 



the 



