Sec. 109. And thus in Israel itself, the chief business of
their judges, and first kings, seems to have been to be captains
in war, and leaders of their armies; which (besides what is
signified by going out and in before the people, which was, to
march forth to war, and home again in the heads of their forces)
appears plainly in the story of lephtha. The Ammonites making
war upon Israel, the Gileadites in fear send to lephtha, a
bastard of their family whom they had cast off, and article with
him, if he will assist them against the Ammonites, to make him
their ruler; which they do in these words, And the people made
him head and captain over them, Judg. xi, ii. which was, as it
seems, all one as to be judge. And he judged Israel, judg. xii.
7. that is, was their captain-general six years. So when lotham
upbraids the Shechemites with the obligation they had to Gideon,
who had been their judge and ruler, he tells them, He fought for
you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the
hands of Midian, Judg. ix. 17. Nothing mentioned of him but
what he did as a general: and indeed that is all is found in his
history, or in any of the rest of the judges. And Abimelech
particularly is called king, though at most he was but their
general. And when, being weary of the ill conduct of Samuel's
sons, the children of Israel desired a king, like all the nations
to judge them, and to go out before them, and to fight their
battles, I.
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