But are not the exploits of its heroes exaggerated in our book, like those of Sesostris, Semiramis, and Hercules? Their deeds are, no doubt, often splendid ; but they do not surpass belief, provided we do not add to the narrative anything which the otiginal text does not sanction, nor give to parti cular words and phrases a meaning which does not belong to them. Thus, when we read that Sham gar slew of the Philistines 600 men' (ch. iii. 3i), it would have been more correct if the Hebrew In had been rendered by 'put to flight ;' and it should be further recollected, that Shamgar is not stated to have been alone and unassisted in repelling the enemy : he did it, no doubt, supported by those brave men whose leader be was. It frequently happens that to the leader is attributed what has been performed by his followers. We find (I Sam. xiii. 3) that Jonathan repulsed the Philistines, and no one doubts that it was done by the woo men men tioned in the beginning of the chapter. We read also (t Sam. xviii. 7) that 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands,' but of course with the assistance of troops ; and many moM passages of the O. T. are to be interpreted on the same principle, 9S I $9.111. XViii. 27 ; 2 SUR. Viii. 2. Nor can it offend when, in the passage quoted above, it is said that Sharngar repelled the Philistines with an ox-goad ; for this was exactly the weapon which an uncultivated Oriental warrior, who had been brought tip to husbandry, would choose in preference to other instruments of offence. From the description which travellers give of it, it appears to have been well suited to such a purpose (Acilocur.-ruaE]. It is, however, chiefly the pro digious strength of Samson which to very many readers seems exaggerated, and surpassing all be lieE He is, e. g., reported to have, unarmed, slain a lion (ch xiv. 5, 6) ; to have caught 300 jackals (n41,1t.)), bound their tails to one another, put a firebrand between two tails, and let them go into the standing cprn of the Philistines, which was thus burnt up (ch. xv. 4, 5, 8) ; to have broken, with perfect ease, the new cords with which his arms were bound, etc. (ch. xv. 14 ; xvi. 7-9, t). Now, there is in these and other recorded feats of Sam son nothing which ought to create difficulty, for history affords many instances of men of extra ordinary strength, of whom Goliath among the Philistines is not the least remarkable ; and for others we refer to T. Ludolf, Historia /Ethiopia', lo ; to the Acta Dei per Franco:, i. 75, 314 ;
and to Schillinger, IlliSsionsbericht, iv. 79. Lions were also slain by other persons unassisted, as by David (I Sam. xvii. 36) and Benaiah (2 Sam. xxiii. 2o). The explanation of Samson's other great ex ploits will be found under his name [Samso:4]. It will be easy to show that, when properly under stood, they do not necessarily exceed the limits of human power. Extraordinary indeed they were ; but they are not alleged by the Scripture itself to have been supernatural. Those, however, who do hold them to have been superna.tural cannot reason ably take exception to them on the grround of their extraordinary character. A cautious reader may, perhaps, resolve on abstaining entirely from giving his views of Samson's feats ; but, at all events, he will not presume to say that they exceed human power, and are fabulous. He may say that they do not necessarily exceed human power, and are therefore neither supernatural on the one hand, nor fabulous on the other ; or if he believes them above human power, he must admit that they are super natural, and will have no right to conclude that they are fabulous. Considering the very remote period at which our book was written—considering also the manner of viewing and describing events and persons which prevailed with the ancient He brews, and which very much differs from that of our age—taking, moreover, into account the brevity of the narratives, which consist of historical frag ments, we may well wonder that there do not occur in it more difficulties, and that not more doubts have been raised as to its historical au thority (see Herder, Geist der Hebrdischen Poesie, ii. 25o, 59 ; Eichhorn, Repertorium der Biblischen und Morgenlandischen Litteratur,vii. 78).—J. v. H.
[Commentaries,—Bucer, 1554 ; P. Martyr, 1567 ; Strigel, 1586 ; Chytraeus, 1389 ; Serrarius, 1609 ; Osiander, 1682 ; Schmidt, 1684, 3d ed. 1706 ; Le Clerc, 1708 ; Rosenmidler, 1833 ; Studer, 1833, zd ed. 1842 ; Bush, 1838, Lond. 1840 ; Bertheau, 1843. Selections from the Rabbinical commentary of Tanchum have been published by Schnurrer, Tiib. 1791, and Haarbriicker, Hal. 1842. For notes on Deborah's Song (v. 1-31), see Schnurrer, Dirseri.,Tiib. 1775 ; reprinted in his Dissent'. Phill., Gotha i790 ; Kohler in Eichhorn's Repertorium, vi. p. 163; Holmann, Com. in Car. Deb., Lips. ISIS ; Kalkar, De Cant. Deb., Alt. 1833 ; Lowth, Prez-lett. xxviii., et. al.; Herder, Geist der Heb. Foes., Th. ; Robinson in the Bibl. Reperteny, No. iii., etc.]