the Law of God, means the Law of this book. For in describing how their
forefathers kept it not, he quotes many historical things out of the books
of _Exodus_ and _Numbers_.

The race of the Kings of _Edom_, before there reigned any King over
_Israel_, is set down in the book of [8] _Genesis_; and therefore that book
was not written entirely in the form now extant, before the reign of
_Saul_. The writer set down the race of those Kings till his own time, and
therefore wrote before _David_ conquered _Edom_. The _Pentateuch_ is
composed of the Law and the history of God's people together; and the
history hath been collected from several books, such as were the history of
the Creation composed by _Moses_, _Gen_. ii. 4. the book of the generations
of _Adam_, _Gen._ v. i. and the book of the wars of the Lord, _Num._ xxi.
14. This book of wars contained what was done at the Red-sea, and in the
journeying of _Israel_ thro' the Wilderness, and therefore was begun by
_Moses_. And _Joshua_ might carry it on to the conquest of _Canaan_. For
_Joshua_ wrote some things in the book of the Law of God, _Josh._ xxiv. 26
and therefore might write his own wars in the book of wars, those being the
principal wars of God. These were publick books, and therefore not written
without the authority of _Moses_ and _Joshua_. And _Samuel_ had leisure in
the reign of _Saul_, to put them into the form of the books of _Moses_ and
_Joshua_ now extant, inserting into the book of _Genesis_, the race of the
Kings of _Edom_, until there reigned a King in _Israel_.

The book of the _Judges_ is a continued history of the _Judges_ down to the
death of _Sampson_, and therefore was compiled after his death, out of the
Acts of the _Judges_. Several things in this book are said to be done _when
there was no King in _Israel__, _Judg._ xvii. 6. xviii. 1. xix. 1. xxi. 25.
and therefore this book was written after the beginning of the reign of
_Saul_. When it was written, the _Jebusites_ dwelt in _Jerusalem_, _Jud._