Times of the Judges

Today’s installment concludes The Earliest Jews,
our selection from Universal History: The Oldest Historical of Nations and Greece by Leopold von Ranke published in 1884.

If you have journeyed through the installments of this series so far, just one more to go and you will have completed a selection from the great works of six thousand words. Congratulations! For works benefiting from the latest research see the “More information” section at the bottom of these pages.

Previously in The Earliest Jews.

The struggle without runs parallel with an internal strife, decided in the same violent spirit. A hideous crime committed in the tribe of Benjamin is chastised by the ruin of that tribe. The whole nation rises. Whilst race is thus pitted against race, and conflicting religious ideas wrestle for predominance, some notably colossal forms become conspicuous. The first of these is Deborah, who was judging the people under the palm tree of Deborah on Mount Ephraim when a new king arose in Hazor, the district conquered by Joshua near Lake Merom. Jehovah delivered up His people to this prince for their chastisement. The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I, Deborah, arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.’ At her summons an army of all the northern tribes gathered together on Mount Tabor; she herself was present and celebrated in a noble song the victory which the Israelites achieved over the heavy-armed forces and war-chariots of the enemy. The song begins with the words, “Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel when the people willingly offered themselves.” It is a grand mystic ode, an historical relic of the first rank.

Another no less notable character is Gideon, of the tribe of Manasseh. The Midianites and other children of the east had overflowed the country and destroyed the crops. Israel was compelled to take refuge in the mountain glens, and in his turn to protect himself behind walls and ramparts. The summons comes to Gideon whilst threshing his wheat in the wine-press under the terebinth of his father. He overthrows the altar of Baal, at which the people in the neighborhood have already begun to worship, and kindles in its place a burnt offering to Jehovah. At the sound of his trumpets Manasseh gathers round him. Of the whole number, however, he retains only three hundred, sifted from the rest by a certain act of self-restraint. Their onset with the sound of trumpets and the flashing of torches throws the enemy into confusion and causes his rout. Upon this the northern tribes gather themselves, particularly the Ephraimites, who are displeased that they were not summoned sooner; they seize all the fords of the river, once more smite the Midianites at the rock Oreb, and slay their leaders, Oreband Zeeb. Gideon crosses the Jordan and takes prisoner the last of the Midianite princes; he extirpates the worship of Baal on all sides and earns the name of “Jerub-baal.” After he has rescued his countrymen from their most pernicious enemy, they offer him dominion over Israel, for himself and his posterity. Gideon answers,

I will not rule over you; neither shall my son rule over you: Jehovah shall rule over you.”

Deborah and Gideon are the two grandest figures in the book. They belong to the tribes which trace their origin to Joseph and his Egyptian wife.

An extraordinary character appears in Samson, who belongs to the small but warlike tribe of Dan. Even before his birth he is dedicated to the service of Jehovah by heaven-sent tokens. His strength is irresistible as soon as the Spirit of God comes upon him. He wars against the Philistines, who have already obtained an advantage and even dominion over Israel. He succumbs, however, to their cunning. The name of the woman who enchains him, Delilah, signifies traitress. In his death all his energy and feeling are concentrated. His enemies have put out his eyes. ‘Let me die with these Philistines,’ he exclaims, and pulls down the pillars which support the house in which they are gathered together, burying himself under the ruins. The action is, like many others in this narrative, at once grandiose and bizarre. In substance it may be called the self-devotion of a strength consecrated to God.

Yet the situation was strangely reversed. The conquerors were compelled to be on the defensive; the Philistines, strengthened by the native tribes who, on being expelled by the Israelites, had taken refuge with them, achieved once more a victory. The ark of the covenant itself fell into their hands. At the news of this the high priest Eli, then aged ninety-eight years, fell from his chair and died. It would seem that Shiloh itself was laid waste. Though the ark of the covenant, an unblest possession to those who laid violent hands upon it> was restored to the Israelites by the Philistines and again set up on the hill near Gibeon, yet the conquerors maintained their hold of the subjugated districts. The gods of the Philistines, Baal and Astarte, whom they led with them to the field, seemed to have won the victory over Jehovah. The ark was at one time kept as it were prisoner in the temple of the fish god, Dagon but at length it was given back. Now, if ever, was the time for the national and religious spirit in Israel to rouse itself. But no one appeared again in the character at once of judge and warrior, to protect the people by force of arms. It was the Levite Samuel, a prophet dedicated to God even before his birth, who recalled them to the consciousness of religious feeling. He succeeded in removing the emblems of Baal and Astarte from the heights and in pavingthe way for renewed faith in Jehovah. The struggle which now began was preceded by fasts and religious services. The Israelites succeeded so far as to be able to raise a trophy at Mizpeh;* thence the prophet removed to Gilgal, the base of operations in time past during the campaigns of conquest.

[* How much importance was attached to this event is clear from the representation of Josephus, who here exaggerates the miraculous element which he elsewhere strives to minimize. According to him {Antiq. vi. 2, 2) Jehovah encounters the enemy with an earthquake, so that he does not know where to set his foot, and then with thunder and lightning, which complete his confusion. It is impossible that this enhancement of the miraculous element can come from Josephus himself.]

This ends our series of passages on The Earliest Jews by Leopold von Ranke from his book Universal History: The Oldest Historical of Nations and Greece published in 1884. This blog features short and lengthy pieces on all aspects of our shared past. Here are selections from the great historians who may be forgotten (and whose work have fallen into public domain) as well as links to the most up-to-date developments in the field of history and of course, original material from yours truly, Jack Le Moine. – A little bit of everything historical is here.

More information on The Earliest Jews here and here and below.