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Jdg_3:1-17
Eight years did the Israelites remain under Chushan-rishathaim, and then, on their repentance, found a deliverer in Othniel, that gallant son of Kenaz, whose exploit, which won him the hand of Caleb’s daughter, we have already had occasion to notice. Under him the land enjoyed rest for forty years. Then the people, after Othniel’s death, again fell into sin, and for that sin were delivered into the minds of the Moabites. This was a more terrible judgment than the other. The dominion of a near neighbor, whose resources are close at hand, is always more fearful than that of a stranger, the center of whose power is far off. In this case we may also presume, that something remained of that old animosity that induced a king of Moab to hire the Chaldean soothsayer to lay a curse upon the Israelites, with a view to their overthrow. Baulked then, the Moabites are now successful. The Protector, who would not suffer even the impotent curse of Balaam to light upon his people’s head, has now withdrawn his interposing hand, and left them to their own resources—and they are lost. Now Moab may vent at will the gathered envy, hatred, and malice of sixty years.
We feel some interest in knowing what had become of the tribes beyond the Jordan. Nothing is said of them. We should suppose that they would have interfered to prevent this motion on the part of the Moabites. But it seems likely that they were previously subdued, as it is scarcely credible but that the Moabites would desire first to recover their own ancient possessions beyond the Jordan, before carrying their aggressions into the country west of the river.
The king of the Moabites at this time was Eglon, described as “a very fat man.” Of all the numerous personages brought under our notice in the Scriptures, this is the only one distinguished as being “fat.” This seems to imply the rarity of this bodily characteristic. Corpulency is indeed very rare in Western Asia, among men. Few instances of it occurred in our own somewhat extensive experience, although we less frequently saw persons who might be called stout from largeness of build. The obesity of Eglon would, however, probably not have been noticed, but from the fact afterwards mentioned, that when he met his death, the dagger thrust into his body could not be again drawn out, from his fatness closing over it.
This conqueror made his subjugation of Israel the more oppressive, by his actually remaining in the land, with a military force to hold the people in awe. He retained in his actual possession the plain of Jericho, which, as formerly described, forms, when viewed geographically, part of the same plain with that of Moab on the other side of the river. On that account, no doubt, he remained there, for the facility of communication with his native territory—both for obtaining prompt reinforcements from thence, or for retreating thither in case of emergency. His retaining the command of the fords of the Jordan, would also enable him to prevent the tribes beyond the river from affording any succor to their oppressed brethren, if they were in the condition to render any. We can see that, although he desired to secure his supremacy by remaining in the land, and maintaining a force there sufficient, as it seemed, to repress all attempts to resist or shake off the authority he had established, he was prudent enough not to venture into the mountainous interior of the land, and so afford the Israelites an opportunity of cutting off his communication with his own country.
The presence of a foreign prince, ruling over them in the plain of Jericho—ever present and watchful—could not but have formed a far more harassing oppression than that to which they had been previously subject. But the aggravation of a second offence required this heavier punishment. This state of things lasted eighteen years, during which the dominion of Moab acquired something like the character of an established authority from the quiet submission of the Israelites. The grievance on the part of the latter lay, we may suppose, in the heavy tribute demanded by their masters, and in the lawless conduct of the occupying force towards the conquered people. The tribute of the tribes held under the yoke, seems to have been carried periodically to the Moabitish king in the plain of Jericho, at “the city of palm trees,” a name that once belonged to Jericho, but which seems now to have been appropriated by some other town that had arisen in another part of this palmy plain. From the description we have of the manner in which this tribute was on one occasion presented—the various matters of which it was composed appear to have been borne by a great number of persons, who, marching in orderly procession, successively laid down their valuable burdens before the king. This is in perfect conformity with modern eastern manners. Tributes, the products of provinces, the gifts periodically or occasionally tendered to a sovereign, are always presented in great state, and with much solicitude to enhance the apparent extent of the offering. Four or five men on horses are laden with what might most easily be carried by one; and jewels, trinkets, and other articles of value, which one tray might very well hold, are displayed in ten or fifteen. So it was also, in ancient times, as we find by the sculptures of Persia and the paintings of Egypt, in which interesting exhibitions of these processions of tribute-bearers are found. In the latter we see the various offerings received by the king on his throne, then borne away to the stores, and duly registered by the proper officers.