Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he [was] the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. Ver. 1. _Was a mighty man of valour._] _Magna vi animi et corporis fuit,_ as Sallust saith of Catiline: He was stout and strong, hardy and able to suffer hardship, as a good soldier... [ Continue Reading ]
And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou [art] the son of a strange woman. Ver. 2. _They thrust out Jephthah._] Little thinking that they should one day be glad to be beholde... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him. Ver. 3. _Dwelt in the land of Tob._] Or, Of the Tubiemites, as histories call it. Some think it took its name from one Tob, the possessor of it: who might be so s... [ Continue Reading ]
_And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel._ Ver. 4. _In process of time._] Heb., After days. Junius rendereth it, _post annos illos,_ after those years, that is, those eighteen years mentioned in Judges 10:8 . _ That the children of Ammon made war... [ Continue Reading ]
And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: Ver. 5. _The elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah._] Whereunto they were necessitated: for else a bastard might not bear office, Deu 23:2 for an admonition... [ Continue Reading ]
And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon. Ver. 6. _Come, and be our captain._] See Trapp on " Jdg 11:2 ".... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress? Ver. 7. _Did not ye hate me, and expel me?_] It may be some of his brethren were elders, or at least they cast him out _formula iuris,_ by... [ Continue Reading ]
And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. Ver. 8. _Therefore we turn again to thee now._] We see our former oversight, and are ready to m... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head? Ver. 9. _Shall I be your head?_] He would make his bargain wisely, to prevent all differences for the future, and the rather beca... [ Continue Reading ]
And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words. Ver. 10. _The Lord be witness._] "An oath for confirmation is to men an end of all strife": Heb 6:16 ορκος _quasi_ ερκος, an oath is a hedge to keep men within compass of duty.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh. Ver. 11. _Then Jephthah went._] He not only forgave, but forgot all former unkindnesses, burying them all in the love of his country. So di... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land? Ver. 12. _And Jephthah sent messengers._] He would treat before he would fight: not for want of courage, as Philip said of the Athenians, but... [ Continue Reading ]
And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those [lands] again peaceably. Ver. 13. _Because Israel took away my land._] This was... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon: Ver. 14. _And Jephthah sent messengers again._] By whom, _negat ac pernegat,_ he utterly denieth that they had at all wronged the Ammonites.... [ Continue Reading ]
And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: Ver. 15. _Israel took not away._] It falls out often that plain dealing puts craft out of countenance. "There is no such thing as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine he... [ Continue Reading ]
But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh; Ver. 16. _But when Israel came up from Egypt._] It appeareth that Jephthah was a good historian. Public persons had need to be so: skilful in the sacred history especially, and in their own c... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken [thereto]. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not [consent]: and Israel abode in Kadesh. Ver. 17. _Then Israel sent messengers.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon [was] the border of Moab. Ver. 18. _Then they went along throug... [ Continue Reading ]
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place. Ver. 19. _Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land._] This he not only denied to do, but came out with all his forces to fight wit... [ Continue Reading ]
But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. Ver. 20. _See Trapp on "_ Jdg 11:19 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. Ver. 21. _And the Lord God of Israel._] Not the Archiflamen of Rome, nor any earthly power whatsoever: but ... [ Continue Reading ]
And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. Ver. 22. _See Trapp on "_ Jdg 11:21 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it? Ver. 23. _So now the Lord God of Israel hath dispossessed._] He argueth that the land in question is Israel's out of all question, by a threefold right: (1.) Of conquest; (2.)... [ Continue Reading ]
Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess. Ver. 24. _That which Chemosh thy god giveth thee._] Namely, The land of the Zanzummims, Deu 2:19-20 which their god Chemosh had not in very d... [ Continue Reading ]
And now [art] thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them, Ver. 25. _And now art thou anything better than Balak?_] Heb., _An bonus es tu prae Balaco? … an contendendo contendit? an pugnando pugnavit?_ Here h... [ Continue Reading ]
While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that [be] along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover [them] within that time? Ver. 26. _Three hundred years._] So he calleth the time for a round number, making th... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon. Ver. 27. _Wherefore I have not sinned against thee,_] _q.d., _ My cause is good, and so shall my courage be. “ _Transi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him._ Ver. 28. _Hearkened not to the words of Jephthah._] For his ears were stopped with pertinacity, pride, and covetousness. God also hath a controversy against him, and a purpose to destroy him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over [unto] the children of Ammon. Ver. 29. _Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah._] See Judges 3:10 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Ver. 30. _And Jephthah vowed a vow._] Perplexed and confused, yea, rash and inconsiderate, to say no worse of it, out of a preposterous zeal. Jerome saith, _In vovendo fuit st... [ Continue Reading ]
Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. Ver. 31. Shall surely be the Lord's, and I will offer it up.] Or, Or I will offer it up; fo... [ Continue Reading ]
So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands. Ver. 32. _So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon._] He stayed not their coming, but went over to them to fight them, being _caelo, Christo, Deo armatus,_ - not _Styge ar... [ Continue Reading ]
And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, [even] twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel. Ver. 33. _And he smote them from Aroer._] The Ammonites had better have kept h... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she [was his] only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. Ver. 34. _He had not of his own, son nor daughter._] Heb., Of himself. No more had God any son of himse... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back. Ver. 35. _He rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter!_] “ _… U... [ Continue Reading ]
And she said unto him, My father, [if] thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, [even] of the children of Ammon. Ver. 36. _Do to me according._] A generous virgin... [ Continue Reading ]
And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows. Ver. 37. _And bewail my virginity._] She saith, not the loss of my life, but the want of posterity; which in those days was... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, Go. And he sent her away [for] two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. Ver. 38. _Upon the mountains._] Which were solitary places, where she might pour forth her complaints with more freedom.... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her [according] to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, Ver. 39. _That she returned unto her father._] As Damon did to Dionysius; as Regulus the Roman did to the... [ Continue Reading ]
Judges 11:40 [That] the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year. Ver. 40. _To lament._] Or, To talk with her, as Judges 5:11 .... [ Continue Reading ]