Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Samuel 12:11

11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan , and Jephthah, and Samuel , and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe .

This certainly is one of the Judges; and because there is no Judge so called in the Book of Iudges, it is reasonably concluded, that this was one of the Judges there mentioned, having two Names, as was very frequent. And this was, either, First, Sampson, as most Interpreters believe, who is called Bedan; i. e. in Dan, or of Dan, or the Son Dan, one of that Tribe, to signifie that they had no reason to distrust that God, who could, and did, raise so eminent a Saviour out of so obscure a Tribe. Or, Secondly, Iair the Gileadite, of whom Iudg. 10. 3. which may seem best to agree, First, With the Time and Order of the Judges; for Iair was before Iepthah, but Sampson was after him. Secondly, With other Scriptures: for among the Sons of a more Ancient, and a Famous Iair, of whom see Numb. 32. 41. we meet with one called Bedan, 1 Chron. 7. 17. which Name seems here given to Iair the Judge, to distinguish him from that first Iair. Thirdly, With the following words, which shew that this Bedan was one of those Judges who delivered them out of the hand of their Enemies on every side, and made them to dwell safely; which seems not so properly to agree to Sampson, who did onely begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines; as was foretold of him, Iudg. 13. 5. as to Iair, who kept them in peace and safety, in the midst of all their Enemies, as may be gathered from Iudg. 10. 3, 4, 5, 6. And so did all the rest of the Judges here mentioned.

He speaks of himself in the Third Person, which is frequent in the Hebrew Tongue, as Gen. 4. 23. Psal. 132. 1, 10, 11. Dan. 1. 6. Isa. 1. 1. And he mentions himself not through vain ostentation, but for his own just and necessary vindication, and for the justification and inforcement of his following Reproof, to shew that he had not degenerated from his Predecessors, nor had been so inconsiderable and unprofitable to them, as to give them any occasion to contrive or desire this change of Government in his days.

So that it was no necessity, but meer wantonness, that made you desire a change.

Marginal references: Judg. [illegible: 1 word] ▪ 32.; Judg. 11. [illegible: 1 word] ▪; Chap. [illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1 word] ▪