139 



oppression as the period of the death of Samson and the 

 taking of the ark, when Scripture, in terms ahnost express, 

 informs us (Jud. c. ]3.) that he was prophesied of and born 

 after the commencement of the Philistine oppression ; and 

 reason will not permit us to suppose him to begin his mission 

 until his sixteenth or eighteenth year, so that, as he judged 

 Israel 20 years, his death coincides with the thirty-sixth or 

 thirty-eiglith year of the tyranny of the Philistines. Could 

 Marsham have supposed that the 20 years of his authority 

 commenced with his birth ? But also, the arguments urged 

 by Manoah's wife in favour of her opinion, that the Angel 

 could not mean to destroy them, seem directly to declare, 

 that he was born under the Philistine oppression : " If the 

 Angel intended to destroy us, he would not, as at this time 

 have told us such things as these," (chap. xiii. v. 23.) He 

 would not, in the hour of our distress and misfortune^ have- 

 promised us a deliverer, as I would paraphrase it. 



However, as this period of the history of the Judges is,.. 

 perhaps, the most perplexed, uncertain, and obscure, and as- 

 the generality of the ancient chronologists have concurred in' 

 placing an interregnum between the jurisdictions of Eli and' 

 Samson, and also between those of Eh and Samuel, it is of im- 

 portance to examine the authorities and arguments by which 

 their opinions have been supported and upheld. I shall prin- 

 cipally consider those of Vig-noles, the most able and en- 

 lightened of them all, who, after Josephus, his usual guide, 



has. 



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