The name Tola occurs as that of one of the clans of
Issachar (Gen. xlvi. 13; Numb. xxvi. 23); Elon was one of
the clans of Zebulon (Gen. xlvi. 14; Numb. xxvi. 26)

** Renan, however, believes that the judges "formed an
almost continuous line, and that there merely lacks a
descent from father to son to make of them an actual
dynasty." The chronology of the _Book of Judges_ appears to
cover more than four centuries, from Othniel to Samson, but
this computation cannot be relied on, as "forty
years" represents an indefinite space of time. We must
probably limit this early period of Hebrew history to about
a century and a half, from cir. 1200 to 1050 B.C.

The first of these episodes deals merely with a part, and that the least
important, of the tribes settled in Central Canaan.* The destruction of
the Amorite kingdoms of Heshbon and Bashan had been as profitable to
the kinsmen of the Israelites, Ammon and Moab, as it had been to the
Israelites themselves.

* The episode of Othniel and Cushan-rishathaim, placed at
the beginning of the history of this period (Judges iii. 8-
11), is, by general consent, regarded as resting on a
worthless tradition.

The Moabites had followed in the wake of the Hebrews through all the
surrounding regions of the Dead Sea; they had pushed on from the banks
of the Arnon to those of the Jabbok, and at the time of the Judges were
no longer content with harassing merely Reuben and Gad.

[Illustration: 272.jpg MOABITE WARRIOR]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from the original in the Louvre.

They were a fine race of warlike, well-armed Beda-wins. Jericho had
fallen into their hands, and their King Eglon had successfully scoured
the entire hill-country of Ephraim,* so that those who wished to escape
being pillaged had to safeguard themselves by the payment of an annual
tribute.

* The text seems to infer (Judges iii. 13-15) that, after
having taken the Oily of Palm Trees, i.e. Jericho (Deut.
xxxiv. 3; 2 Ghron. xxviii. 15), Eglon had made it his
residence, which makes the story incomprehensible from a
geographical point of view. But all difficulties would
disappear if we agreed to admit that in ver. 15 the name of
the capital of Eglon has dropped out.

Ehud the Left-handed concealed under his garments a keen dagger, and
joined himself to the Benjamite deputies who were to carry their d