Verse 1

defend = save or deliver.

mount = hill country.

Verse 2

twenty, &c. See note on Judges 9:22.

Verse 3

twenty. See note, App-50.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4. Ashtaroth, plural = the Ashtoreths. Compare Judges 2:11-13.

gods of Syria., Genesis 35:3-6.

gods of Zidon., 1 Kings 11:5 (Baal, Astarte).

gods of Moab., Judges 11:24 (Chemosh). 1 Kings 11:33 (Milcom or Molech).

gods of the Philistines: e.g. Dagon (Judges 16:23).

Verse 8

vexed and oppressed = brake and crushed. See note on Judges 10:3, above.

Verse 10

our God. Hebrew. Elohim (App-4). Some codices, with Aramaean, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read "Jehovah our God".

Verse 12

Maonites. Compare 2 Chronicles 26:7, 2 Chronicles 26:8. A mixture of Moabites and Ammonites = the two words combined.

Verse 13

Yet. Compare Deuteronomy 32:16. Jeremiah 2:13.

Verse 14

Go. Figure of speech Eironeia (Divine Irony). App-6.

ye have chosen. Compare Deuteronomy 32:37, Deuteronomy 32:38. Jeremiah 2:28.

Verse 16

strange gods = gods of strangers or foreigners.

His soul = He (emph.) Hebrew. nephesh (App-13). Attributed by Figure of speech Anthropopatheia to God (App-6).

Verse 17

gathered = gathered by proclamation. Note the extended alternation in this verse "children, gathered, encamped".