Judges 3

God's providence, Peter, in bestowing of his gifts, is wonderful: for often it falleth out, that upon whom he vouchsafeth the greater, he giveth not the less: to the end that always they may have somewhat to mis-like in themselves: so that desiring to arrive unto perfection and yet can not: and labouring about that which they have not obtained, and can not prevail: by this means they become not proud of those gifts which they have received, but do thereby learn that they have not those greater graces of themselves, who of themselves cannot overcome small faults. And this was the cause that, when God had brought his people into the land of promise, and destroyed all their mighty and potent enemies, yet did he long time after reserve the Philistines and Caananites, that, as it is written, "He might in them try Israel." For sometime as hath been said, upon whom he bestoweth great gifts, he leaveth some small things that be blameworthy, that always they may have somewhat to fight against, and not to be proud, though their great enemies be vanquished, seeing other adversaries in very small things do put them to great trouble: and therefore it falleth out strangely, that one and the self same man is excellent for virtue, and yet of infirmity sometime doth offend, so that he may behold himself on the one side strong and well furnished, and on another open and not defended: that by the good thing which he seeketh for, and is not able to procure, he may with humility preserve that virtue which already he hath in possession. But what wonder is it that we speak this concerning man, when as heaven itself lost some of his citizens, and other some continued sound in God's grace: that the elect Angels of God, seeing others through pride to fall from heaven, might stand so much the more steadfast, by how much with humility they preserved God's grace received? They, therefore, took profit by that loss which heaven then had, and were thereby made to persevere more constantly in God's service for all eternity. In like manner it fareth with each man's soul, which sometime for preserving of humility, by a little loss it attaineth to great spiritual perfection.

As useful as it is to me that you [the Lord] should leave me for a little while in order to test the steadfastness of my desire, so it is harmful if you let me be abandoned for too long because of my deserts and my sins. For no human strength will be able to endure by its own steadfastness if it is too long abandoned by your help in time of trial. Nor will it be able to give way instantly before the power and wherewithal of the adversary if you yourself, who are aware of human strengths and are the arbiter of our struggles, "do not permit us to be tried beyond our capacity, but with the trial also provide a way out, so that we may be able to endure."We read something like this as it appears in mystical fashion in the book of Judges with respect to the extermination of the spiritual nations that are opposed to Israel: "These are the nations that the Lord forsook, so that by them he might instruct Israel, so that they might grow accustomed to fighting with their enemies." And again, a little further on: "The Lord left them so that he might test Israel with them, whether or not they would hear the commandments of the Lord that he had laid down for their forefathers by the hand of Moses." God did not begrudge Israel their peace or look with malice upon them, but he planned this conflict in the knowledge that it would be beneficial. Thus, constantly oppressed by the onslaught of the nations, they would never feel that they did not need the Lord's help. Hence they would always meditate on him and cry out to him, and they would neither lapse into sluggish inactivity nor lose their ability to fight and their training in virtue. For frequently security and prosperity have brought low those whom adversities cannot overcome.

When "the children of Israel did evil in the sight of God, and forgot the Lord their God," and, forsaking him, "served the Baalim and the groves" of the nations, then, "storing up wrath for themselves," they "were handed over," by the just judgment of God, "into the hands of their enemies," according to what the present reading has declared: "into the hands," it says, "of Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia." Now Cushan-rishathaim is interpreted as "their humiliation". They "were handed over," therefore, "into the hands" of him who would humiliate them. And because they themselves were acting impiously against the Most High upon the high places of the mountains, for that reason they are handed over by him into humiliation. But I would not have you think that this divine providence was directed only toward the ancients — namely, that it handed over those who impiously exalted themselves to be humbled, and by a saving method of medicine cured contraries with contraries — while now the omnipotent God lacks toward his Church such a saving providence. There is even now a "Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia," to whom are handed over to be humbled and afflicted the souls that, despising Christian humility, have given themselves over to pride and arrogance. The vice of pride is exceedingly hateful in the sight of God, since, as Scripture says: "the beginning of departing from God is pride," and again elsewhere Scripture says: "God resists the proud, but to the humble he gives grace." If, therefore, anyone, despising the humility of Christ — who for our sake, "though he was God, was made man and humbled himself even unto death" — is lifted up and exalted, leaps forward toward the powers and dignities of the world, and does not shrink or shudder at the arts by which he strives to attain these things, even though they be against faith and religion, provided only he obtain what he desires, it comes about thereby that he "does evil in the sight of the Lord"; and after he has gained the highest insignia of the powers and has climbed to the very topmost heights of pride, cast down from there he "is handed over" to this "Cushan-rishathaim," that is, to one of the "airy princes" — as elsewhere Pharaoh, and elsewhere Hiram — that he may humble the one who had been too greatly exalted, that he may afflict and crush him, until he comes to his senses and seeks the Lord; because, while he was set in pride and elation, he did not know God.

Now therefore let us see what these do who are handed over on account of sin and set in tribulation. Precisely that which is written: "and they cried out to the Lord when they were in tribulation, and he delivered them out of their distresses." "And he led them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds asunder." But each one of us also — even if he be small, even if he be the least, even if he enjoy no dignity in the world — can be afflicted with the vice of pride; and nothing is so foul nor so execrable, as Scripture says, as "a poor man who is proud and a rich man who is a liar." Sometimes, however, this disease of pride penetrates not only the poor of the common people, but strikes even the priestly and Levitical order itself. You may find sometimes even among us certain persons — we who are set as an example of humility and placed in the circle of the altar like mirrors, as it were, for those who look on — in whom the vice of arrogance reeks, and from the altar of the Lord, which ought to be fragrant with the sweetness of incense, there gleams forth the most foul odor of pride and elation. But let this most foul odor, I beg, be cast out from all this holy Church and especially from those who minister in holy things, so that we may be able, as Paul said, to be made "the good odor of Christ"; "lest perhaps the Lord be angered" and "we provoke the Holy One of Israel to wrath" and he "hand" us "over into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim," so that the humility which we ought to have taught in the knowledge of Christ we may learn in the tribulation of our chastisement. But behold the kindly Lord mingling mercy with severity and weighing the very measure of the punishment with a just and clement balance. He did not hand over the offenders forever, but for as long a time, he says, as they served the Baalim, for that same length they also "serve Cushan-rishathaim," that is, "for eight years." Learn this, you too, O hearer, whoever you are who are conscious to yourself of some error. And for however long a time you know yourself to have gone astray, for however long a time you have transgressed, for that same length of time nonetheless humble yourself before God and make satisfaction to him in the confession of repentance. Do not wait for Cushan-rishathaim to humble you and for necessity to wring repentance from you against your will, but do you yourself forestall the hands of that torturer, because, if you amend yourself, if you correct yourself, God is holy and merciful, and he tempers his vengeance from the one who forestalls it by repenting. But let us also consider this, that, so long as these who had been handed over for their offenses "served Cushan-rishathaim" and did not "cry out to the Lord," no one was raised up who could save them. But when "they cried out to the Lord, then the Lord raised up a Savior for Israel and saved them."

We frequently find this calling from need in Scripture as well, when we read that on account of their sins, the children of Israel were delivered over by the Lord to their enemies and that, having changed their course because of their domination and savage cruelty, they cried out to the Lord. "And the Lord sent them," it says, "a deliverer named Ehud, the son of Gera, the son of Jemini, who used either hand as if it were his right hand." And again it says, "They cried out to the Lord, who raised up a deliverer for them, Othniel, the son of Kenaz, the younger brother of Caleb, and he freed them." And it said of them in a psalm: "When he killed them, then they sought him, and they turned and at dawn they came to God, and they remembered that God was their helper." And again: "They cried out to the Lord when they were troubled, and he freed them from their distress."Of these three kinds [of calling from need], then, although the first two seem to be supported by better beginnings, nonetheless we find that even on the third level [recorded by the psalmist], which seems inferior and lukewarm, there have been people who are perfect and very fervent in spirit, similar to those who have made an excellent beginning in the Lord's service and have passed the rest of their lives in praiseworthy intensity of spirit. Likewise there are many who have become tepid and have fallen from a higher level and very frequently ended up in tragedy. [Thus], just as it was no drawback to the former that they seem to have been converted not by their own will but by force of necessity, inasmuch as the Lord's kindness furnished the occasion whereby they might feel compunction, likewise their having been converted in some sublime fashion profited the latter nothing whatsoever, because they did not strive to live out the rest of their days accordingly.

Now he calls Othniel the Savior, who is interpreted as "the time of God for me". Through this Othniel, therefore, that former people was snatched from the servitude of humiliation, and peace was restored to the people — the peace which pride and the various crimes of the people had for a while put to flight. But since we have said that a certain Cushan-rishathaim can be understood spiritually, both as a king and as one of the adversaries and a prince among the "airy powers," so it seems to me consequent that this Othniel too, who was raised up to deliver the people, is some one of the "heavenly host" and of the archangelic troops which "are sent as a help to those who obtain the inheritance of salvation"; and there are saving angels who are designated under the figure either of Othniel or of Ehud, because, as we have often shown, we are not only assailed by the contrary powers, but the divine and good powers too are sent by the Lord for our help. Let us see, nevertheless, who this Othniel was, of what family, of what nobility. "The son," it says, of Kenaz, "the brother of Caleb" — that praiseworthy and admirable man Caleb, who was the companion and comrade of Joshua son of Nun, concerning whom, as far as we were able, we have discoursed in their proper places, as seemed good.

What, then, does Scripture say concerning this Othniel? After it had said that "the children of Israel cried out to the Lord," "the Spirit of the Lord came," it says, "upon Othniel, and he judged Israel." Do you suppose there is among us anyone who so "sends forth to the Lord a cry" so strong and so just that he is worthy to be heard, and the people deserve to receive a judge — and such a judge, one whom the "Spirit of God" may fill, that he may be able to hold to right judgment? Whence also the book itself is called the book of Judges, and in it are described the judges who judged the people. For just as other books are called the books of Kings, or of Kingdoms, in which is described each of the kings, how he reigned and what he did, so also in this little book the deeds of the Judges are recounted, and there is described not only whatever was done rightly and usefully by them, but also whatever was blamably committed. Yet if you ask why both are described, it is this: that now the leaders or judges of the Church, perceiving those things which were done praiseworthily by them, may follow the examples of the former ones; but if any things in them are blamed, that these may beware and turn aside. Great praise, therefore, of this first judge Othniel is recounted, in that "the Spirit of God came upon him" and through the Spirit of God he "judged Israel," which I do not well remember to have been said of any other. There are therefore even today very many judges of all the churches which are under heaven, to whom has been given the judgment not only of deeds done, but also of souls. But I do not know whether there is any such judge of the Church whom "God makes worthy to fill with his Spirit," so that, just as this Othniel was adorned with the testimony of Scripture, so also they themselves, for whom we wish this, may deserve the testimony of God. He says therefore: "and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel. And he went out to war, and the Lord handed over into his hands Cushan-rishathaim the king." Why this? Because the "Spirit of the Lord" was in him, and "his hand was strengthened over Cushan-rishathaim."

And after this it says: "the land had rest under him as judge for forty years." You see how bountiful is the divine clemency. "For eight years the children of Israel had served" for the offenses of many; "for forty years" they endure in peace for the righteousness of one.

But what is said after this? "And Othniel," it says, "the son of Kenaz, died." I see a perilous matter. "Othniel died." Why? Because the people was now unworthy to have such a judge. Then in what follows, after he had died, it says: "and the children of Israel added," it says, "to do evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel." Consider that, because they were now unworthy to have such a leader, for that reason the good judge is taken away from them. And because they "did evil in the sight of the Lord," there is stirred up against them a most wicked enemy, "Eglon king of Moab." You see that our sins supply strength to our enemies, and that, when we "do evil in the sight of the Lord" and transgress, then our adversaries "are strengthened by the Lord," then strength is given to the contrary powers. Whether you seek this according to the letter, you will find it so, that the enemies would not grow strong unless our offenses conferred strength upon them; or whether you consider it in spiritual things, likewise the contrary powers would not grow strong against us, nor would the devil himself prevail at all in us, unless we supplied him strength out of our vices; he would be very weak against us, unless we made him strong in sinning, and unless through our sins he found a place of entering and of dominating within us. For this reason, finally, the Apostle too gives warning beforehand, saying: "do not give place to the devil," just as here too we have just now read that, after "the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord," they "gave place to the devil." For "the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab, and joined to him all the sons of Ammon and Amalek." Not only, it says, was he himself "strengthened" out of the sins of the children of Israel, but there are joined to him wicked allies "from the sons of Ammon and Amalek," who together with him assail Israel.

"And the children of Israel served," it says, "Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years." Observe that divine Scripture indicates even the measures of the punishment; there it says "for eight years" and here "for eighteen." Now it is certain that according to the measure of the sin and the delay of our conversion the times of chastisement too are determined.

What did you mean by saying, two thousand fall at the side? Naturally, when the right hand is designated and the left is not, the side is named in place of the left hand. It would not be right, certainly, for the just man to have a left hand: "If someone strikes you on the right cheek," counsels the Lord, "turn to him the other also." Notice that he did not say, "the left also," for it is not the left cheek that is offered, but another right cheek. I shall express this very plainly, therefore, by saying that the just man has two right cheeks. The man, Ehud, for example, who is written of in the book of Judges, is said to have two right hands because he was a just man and killed that fat stupid king. "Though two thousand fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand." There are very many who lie in wait at our right hand, not so many who plot against our left; [thus], a thousand fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand. Where there is greater combat, there is, of course, greater victory. Few lie in ambush at our side, but many at our right hand.

These are the persons, then, who are referred to in holy Scripture as amphoterodexioi—that is, as ambidextrous. Ehud, "who used either hand as if it were his right hand," is described as such in the book of Judges. We shall also be able to possess this quality in a spiritual way if by a good and correct use we put the things which are considered fortunate and right-handed and the things which are called unfortunate and left-handed on the right side, that whatever befalls may become for us, in the words of the apostle, "the arms of righteousness." For we see that our inner man consists in two parts or, as I might say, two hands. No holy person can be without what we call the left hand, but perfect virtue is discerned in the fact that by proper use he turns both into a right hand.

For these "eighteen years" of servitude also passed, and it is not recounted that "they cried out to the Lord" or were converted from their wickedness, but after eighteen years it is again said that: "the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a Savior, Ehud the son of Gera, the son of Gemini, a man ambidextrous." Behold what manner of man this is who is raised up to save Israel! He has nothing left-handed in himself, but has both hands as a right hand; for this is what is meant by "ambidextrous." Truly a worthy leader of the people and judge of the Church, who does nothing left-handed, whose "right hand knows not what his left hand does," who is right-handed on either side — right-handed in faith, right-handed in deeds — who has nothing of those who are placed "on the left," to whom it is said: "depart from me, you workers of iniquity, I know you not; go into the eternal fire which God has prepared for the devil and his angels." And if in such matters it is permitted to presume from what is similar, I think that according to the spiritual understanding all the saints too are called "ambidextrous," and on the contrary the devil and his princes, if it may be said, are called ambi-sinistrous. For all that they do is left-handed, all perverse, all consigned to the eternal fire together with those who are "on the left."

To the rule of Ehud the ambidextrous is joined the rule of Shamgar. But let us see how Ehud, who is interpreted "praise," brought his rule to a close. The narrative has taught us those things which are written concerning Eglon the king, how this most wise Ehud, using a certain artifice and, so to speak, a cunning but praiseworthy deception, slew Eglon the tyrant, who is interpreted "whirling" or "of the wheel-track." Such, then, ought the judges of our people also to be, as was that Ehud who is interpreted "praise," so that they may cut down all the whirling motions and wheel-tracks of the evil path and destroy the king of the Midianites. Now the Midianites are interpreted "flowing" or "outpouring." Who, then, can be seen or understood to be the prince or leader of this fluid and dissolute nation, other than the discourse of that philosophy which judges pleasure to be the highest good — whom the Gospel discourse, which is compared to a sword, may slay and destroy? And let the prophetic word itself be shut up in their belly and in the innermost vitals by the disputations of the "ambidextrous" teacher, so that, confining them by the assertion of truth, he may extinguish every "thought" of a depraved doctrine and gross understanding "that exalts and raises itself up against the spiritual knowledge of Christ"; so that, doing thus and contending in the word of God, each judge of the Church may himself also become that praiseworthy Ehud, of whom the Lord may say: "Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things".

But let us see what this "ambidextrous" judge does. "The children of Israel sent," it says, "gifts to Eglon king of the Moabites by the hand of Ehud"; "and Ehud made himself a sword sharpened on both sides, of the length of an extended palm, and girded it to himself upon his right thigh." You see that everything is right-handed which this "ambidextrous" "Ehud" carries out: he is right-handed both in hands and right-handed in feet. For he carries the sword on his right thigh, that he may come to the "king of Moab" and slay him. We had said above that these whom God is said to raise up for the salvation of the people and for the delivering of the children of Israel — the saviors or judges — bear the image of certain princes from the "heavenly host" and of the supernal powers, which God sends forth for the aid of those who cry out to him with their whole heart and by the conversion of repentance have bent the divine clemency toward themselves. But lest this seem to have been presumed by us in the eyes of our hearers, we ought to establish it from the authority of the Scriptures. It is written in Exodus that our fathers the children of Israel, when for a long time they had served the Egyptians and Pharaoh, that most harsh king, in the making of "mud and brick," "cried out," it says, "to the Lord," so that the Lord himself said: "the cry of the children of Israel has ascended to me," and, having sent Moses, he led them out visibly. But Scripture recounts that an exterminating angel was sent, who indeed laid waste all the firstborn of Egypt, but touched none of the Israelites. And thus it is declared that it was a heavenly power which, after the Egyptians had been laid waste and cast down, led the children of Israel out from the yoke of servitude. Something similar is also recounted in the histories, that under Sennacherib king of the Assyrians "an angel of the Lord" is sent, who, having slain and cast down in a single night "one hundred and eighty-five thousand" of the enemy, delivered both the city from the siege and the people from imminent destruction. So therefore even now we ought to observe the same consequence, that, if ever for our sins we are handed over into captivity, we should "cry out to the Lord." But let us cry out not with the mouth, but with the mind, so that the grief of the heart may "bring forth a fountain of tears from the eyes," like him who said: "every night will I wash my bed, I will water my couch with my tears." If we are so converted from evils that we no longer touch evils, if we so cease from pride that we no longer relish anything proud, anything arrogant, the Lord will send us too his heavenly power, through which we may be delivered from the yoke of diabolical servitude; a power which may do all things for us right-handed and prosperous, which may make us forsake the "left-hand way, which leads to perdition," and call us back to the true "way," him who says: "I am the way and the truth and the life," Christ Jesus our Lord, "to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen!"

Now, judges were established over them from the time they took over the promised land and before the monarchy began. And even during this era, the children of iniquity, that is, foreign foes, afflicted them, for we read they had now peace, now war. Even so, you can find periods of peace in the age of the judges longer than that of Solomon, who reigned forty years. Specifically, under the judge named Ehud, there were eighty years of peace.

But having briefly gone back over these matters from the earlier reading — that is, over the end of Ehud — let us now see what sort the beginning of Shamgar is also, who is there interpreted "stranger." For it is true that all who are men of God are strangers in this world and sojourners upon the earth, just as was also he who said that: "I am a sojourner with thee upon the earth and a pilgrim, as all my fathers were". And so the Holy Spirit there calls this Shamgar too a sojourner — that is, here. For what is "there" to the Holy Spirit, who is in the heavens, is "here" to us. What, then, is said of Shamgar? "He smote", it says, "the Philistines, six hundred men, with the handle — or "foot" — of a plow". I see another kind of praise in Shamgar: this one fights with a "plow". Ehud was fighting with a sword, this one with a plow. Yet this one too conquers, overcomes, and lays low the Philistines. It can happen, therefore, that a judge of the Church does not always bring forth the sword — that is, does not always use the austerity of the word and the sharpness of correction — but sometimes also imitates the farmer, and, as it were plowing the soil of the soul and often cutting it open with a gentle admonition, prepares it, fit for receiving the seeds. Thus the Philistines will be slain in this way too, when we use not arguments and sharpness against our adversaries, but drive out vices and sins from the souls of our hearers by a rustic and simple admonition. But you also yourself, O hearer, be the farmer of your own soul; use this plow which Shamgar uses. But when "you have put your hand to the plow", do not "look back" — that is, after "you have taken up your cross and followed Christ", after you have renounced the world and the things which are in the world, do not "look back", do not seek again those things which "for the sake of Christ you had counted as dung", because, if you always keep your "hand upon this plow", so that you may confidently say: "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world", then, as you say these things, "there shall fall at your right hand ten thousand, and at your left hand a thousand, but unto you they shall not come near". But this very thing also that it said, that "Shamgar smote the Philistines, six hundred of them", does not seem to me to have been said idly. For what need was there to designate even the number? Unless perhaps in the number itself it indicated more plainly those things of which we spoke above. For the number six, which multiplied comes to six hundred, holds the figure of this world, which is said to have been completed in six days. "Six hundred", therefore, he is said "to have smitten with the plow", he to whom "through the cross of Christ the world is crucified".