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of their enemies and united against them, (Saml. c. 4. v. 1.) 

 If it was not, what becomes of the intervening period i — of 

 the express words of Scripture, that the Phihstines only op- 

 pressed Israel 40 years, and that Samson only hegan their de- 

 liverance ? AVe have already accounted for 36 or 38 years of 

 their domination: Did, then, the 40 years conclude without 

 any providential interference or heaven-inspired deliverance? 

 Or, are we to suppose the chain and series of Scripture chro- 

 nology mutilated and broken ? Or, are we not rather to adopt 

 the natural, obvious, and unobjectionable interpretation of 

 the sacred text, and determine the forty years of the Philis- 

 tine oppression by the victory of Samuel, at Mizpeh? The 

 death of Eli coincides with the thirty-eiglith or thirty-ninth 

 year, the same, or that immediately succeeding, the death of 

 Samson. The ark abode seven months in the country of the 

 enemy, which brings us to the thirty-ninth or fortieth year; 

 and Israel recovered under the conduct of Samuel, in the 

 fortieth year. Thus the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Eli com- 

 menced two or three years before the oppression of the Phi- 

 tines, and includes the years of Samson, which Avas by no 

 means unusual or unprecedented, as we have already seen 

 that Samson was more properly an avenger than a Judge. 

 As Deborah and Barak appear to have exercised authority 

 together; as, the sons of Eli and Samuel are constituted as- 

 sistant or auxiliary Judges, during their immediate jurisdic- 

 tion ; as, Eli, himself seems, in his remonstrance Avith his sons, 



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