And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. Ver. 1. _Gathered themselves together._] Heb., W... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. Ver. 2. _And Jephthah said unto them._] Apologies are lawful, and in stone cases needful: the primitive Christians, as Tertullian, Athenagoras... [ Continue Reading ]
And when I saw that ye delivered [me] not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? Ver. 3. _I put my life in my hands._] I hazarded it to loss, and set as... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites [are] fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, [and] among the Manassites. Ver. 4. _Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead._] When... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was [so], that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, [Art] thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; Ver. 5. _Before the Ephraimites._] Who were now become a woef... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce [it] right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand. Ver. 6. _Say now Shibboleth, and he said Sibboleth._... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in [one of] the cities of Gilead. Ver. 7. _And was buried in one of the cities of Gilead._] Heb., In the cities; whereupon some have founded a conceit that Jephthah was so esteemed for his valour, that they cut h... [ Continue Reading ]
_And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel._ Ver. 8. _Ibzan of Bethlehem._] _Hic dicitur fuisse Boaz,_ saith Vatablus. This some will have to be Boaz, the husband of Ruth, the Moabitess, and great-grandfather of King David. But this is a conjecture only.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, [whom] he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. Ver. 9. _Thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad._] Providing fit matches for them in due time; which is the father's duty, since there is in m... [ Continue Reading ]
Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem. Ver. 10. _And was buried at Bethlehem._] Where he had done worthily, and was therefore bewailed. Contrarily, of King Edwin it is said, that he lived wickedly, died wishedly.... [ Continue Reading ]
And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. Ver. 11. _Judged Israel ten years._] Maintaining the purity of God's true worship, and administering justice to the people. Not to "do good among a man's people," is to "die in his iniquity." Eze 18:18... [ Continue Reading ]
And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun. Ver. 12. _And was buried in Aijalon._] Where the moon stood still. Jos 10:12... [ Continue Reading ]
And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. Ver. 13. _Judged Israel._] See Judges 12:11 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. Ver. 14. _And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode._] _Equestris ordinis,_ potent and opulent. In Persia the peasant never rides; the gentleman never goes on foot, but f... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites. Ver. 15. _And was buried in Pirathon._] Where Benaiah, David's worthy, was born: and God loveth the places the better for that such and such of his servants were "bor... [ Continue Reading ]