This word does not always imply the same degree of power, nor the
same degree of importance; nor does it imply the magnitude of the
dominion or territory of these officers. In Scripture many persons are
called kings, whom we should rather denominate chiefs or leaders; and
many single towns, or, at most, together with their adjacent villages,
are said to have had kings. Not aware of this lower sense of the word
king, or unwilling to adopt it, many persons have been embarrassed by
the following passage: Moses commanded us a law,--he was king in
Jeshurun,” Deut. xxxiii, 4, 5, or king among the Israelites; that is, he
was the principal among the assembly of the superiors of the Israelites.
Some refer this to Jehovah. Moses was the chief, the leader, the guide
of his people, fulfilling the duties of a king; but he was not king in
the same sense as David or Solomon was afterward. This remark reconciles
the following observation: These kings reigned in Edom, before there
reigned any king over the children of Israel,” Gen. xxxvi, 31; for
Moses, though he was king in an inferior sense, did not reign, in the
stronger sense, over the children of Israel, their constitution not
being monarchical under him. Beside, we find in Joshua, that almost
every town in Canaan had its king; and we know that the territories of
these towns must have been very inconsiderable, Joshua xii, 9–24.
Adonizedek, himself no very powerful king, mentions seventy kings whom
he had subdued and mutilated.
[Illustration:
MAP OF
JUDAH AND ISRAEL.
Illustrating the
BOOKS OF KINGS.
]
same degree of importance; nor does it imply the magnitude of the
dominion or territory of these officers. In Scripture many persons are
called kings, whom we should rather denominate chiefs or leaders; and
many single towns, or, at most, together with their adjacent villages,
are said to have had kings. Not aware of this lower sense of the word
king, or unwilling to adopt it, many persons have been embarrassed by
the following passage: Moses commanded us a law,--he was king in
Jeshurun,” Deut. xxxiii, 4, 5, or king among the Israelites; that is, he
was the principal among the assembly of the superiors of the Israelites.
Some refer this to Jehovah. Moses was the chief, the leader, the guide
of his people, fulfilling the duties of a king; but he was not king in
the same sense as David or Solomon was afterward. This remark reconciles
the following observation: These kings reigned in Edom, before there
reigned any king over the children of Israel,” Gen. xxxvi, 31; for
Moses, though he was king in an inferior sense, did not reign, in the
stronger sense, over the children of Israel, their constitution not
being monarchical under him. Beside, we find in Joshua, that almost
every town in Canaan had its king; and we know that the territories of
these towns must have been very inconsiderable, Joshua xii, 9–24.
Adonizedek, himself no very powerful king, mentions seventy kings whom
he had subdued and mutilated.
[Illustration:
MAP OF
JUDAH AND ISRAEL.
Illustrating the
BOOKS OF KINGS.
]