123 



reposes cannot properly be referred to the continuance of 

 their power. 



After the death of Gideon, Abimelech, his son^ succeeded 

 to his authority, for tliree years, upon the slaughter of his 

 70 brethren, (another argument for allotting to Gideon 40 

 years.) Could Usher suppose, that he who was a young 

 inan " in his father's house," when he was called to redeem 

 Israel, would have 70 children, and some of them of man's 

 estate, in nine years, more especially, as the text itself in- 

 forms us, (8. 32.) " he died in good old age?" 



" After him, (c. 10. 1.) there arose to defend Israel, Tola^ 

 son of Puah, son of Dodo, during 23 j'ears." 



Here commences a distinct manner of expression, which is 

 afterwards projjerly adhered to. Every future ruler judged 

 Israel, and his period of authority is marked. It is not dif- 

 ficult to assign the cause of this. Israel had now been ac- 

 customed to a partially acknowledged authority, for 43 years, 

 during the lives of Gideon, and his son, who is implied to 

 have been elected by his countrymen, out of respect to the 

 memory and deliverance of his father; and the people had 

 experienced the advantages of this alteration so far, that in» 

 future, they adhered to it. 



Jair succeeded Tola for 22 years, including in it the 18- 

 years oppression of the Amorites; for we read (c. 10, v. 8.)' 

 and " that year they oppressed Israel 18 years," viz. those, 

 says the text, which were " beyond Jordan, in the land of 

 the Amorites, which is in Gilead." 



This 



