Chapter 11

1
Jephthah Heb 11:32, called Jephthae

a mighty Judg 6:12; 2Kgs 5:1

an harlot Heb. a woman

an harlot Probably zonah should be rendered as in Josh 2:1, a hostess, or inn-keeper, so Targum of Jonathan, wehoo bar ittetha pundekeetha, "and he was the son of a woman, a tavern-keeper." She was very probably a Canaanite, as she is called, Judg 11:2, a strange woman, ishah achereth, "a woman of another race;" and on this account his brethren drove him from the family, as not having a full right to the inheritance.


2
thrust out Gen 12:10; Deut 23:2; Gal 4:30

a strange Prov 2:16, Prov 5:3, Prov 5:20, Prov 6:24-26


3
from his brethren Heb. from the face of

Tob Probably the same as Ish-Tob; and appears to have been a part of Syria, near Zobah, Rehob, and Maachah, east of Jordan, and in the most northern part of the portion of Manasseh. If so, it could not be far from Gilead, the country of Jephthah. This country is called Tobie or Tubin, 1Macc 5:13; and the Jews who inhabited this district Tubieni, 2Macc 12:17. 2Sam 10:6.

vain men Judg 9:4; 1Sam 22:2, 1Sam 27:2, 1Sam 30:22-24; Job 30:1-10; Acts 17:5


4
am 2817, bc 1187, An, Ex, Is, 304

in process of time Heb. after days. Judg 11:4


5
made war Judg 10:9, Judg 10:17-18

to fetch 1Sam 10:27, 1Sam 11:6-7, 1Sam 11:12; Ps 118:22-23; Acts 7:35-39; 1Cor 1:27-29


7
Did not ye hate Gen 26:27, Gen 37:27, Gen 45:4-5; Prov 17:17; Isa 60:14; Acts 7:9-14; Rev 3:9


8
the elders Exod 8:8, Exod 8:28, Exod 9:28, Exod 10:17; 1Kgs 13:6; Luke 17:3-4

we turn Judg 10:18


9
If ye bring Num 32:20-29


10
The Lord Gen 21:23, Gen 31:50; 1Sam 12:5; Jer 29:23, Jer 42:5; Rom 1:9; 2Cor 11:31

be witness be the hearer, Gen 16:5, Gen 31:53; Deut 1:16; 1Sam 24:12

if we do Exod 20:7; Zech 5:4; Mal 3:5


11
head Judg 11:8

uttered 1Sam 23:9-12; 1Kgs 3:7-9; 2Cor 3:5; Jas 1:5, Jas 1:17

Jephthah uttered That is, upon his elevation, he immediately retired to his devotion, and in prayer spread the whole matter before God, both his choice to the office, and his execution of the office, as one that had his eye ever toward the Lord, and would do nothing without him; that leaned not to his own understanding or courage, but depended on the Almighty God, and his favour. This is an ensample worthy of universal imitation; in All Our Ways, whether great or apparently subordinate, let us acknowledge God and seek his direction. So shall we make our way prosperous, and obtain that peace which passeth all understanding. Jephthah opened his campaign with prayer.

before Judg 10:17, Judg 20:1; 1Sam 10:17, 1Sam 11:15

Mizpeh This Mizpeh was east of Jordan in the mountains of Gilead (Gen 31:49); and hence called Mizpeh of Gilead (Judg 11:29), to distinguish it from another place of the same name, west of Jordan, in the tribe of Judah. Josh 15:38


12
sent messengers In this Jephthah acted in accordance with the law of Moses; and hence the justice of his cause would appear more forcibly to the people. Num 20:14, Num 21:21; Deut 2:26, Deut 20:10-11; Prov 25:8-9; Matt 18:15-16

What hast 2Kgs 14:8-12


13
Because Israel Num 21:24-26; Prov 19:5, Prov 19:9

from Arnon That is, all the land which had belonged to the Amorites and Moabites.

Jabbok Gen 32:22; Deut 2:37, Deut 3:16


14
again unto Ps 120:7; Rom 12:18; Heb 12:14; 1Pet 3:11


15
Israel took Num 21:13-15, Num 21:27-30; Deut 2:9, Deut 2:19; 2Chr 20:10; Acts 24:12-13


16
But when The whole of these messages shew, Jephthah had well studied the book of Moses. His arguments also are very clear and cogent, and his demands reasonable; for he only required that the Ammonites should cease to harass a people who had neither injured them, nor intended to do so.

walked Num 14:25; Deut 1:40; Josh 5:6

came Gen 14:7; Num 13:26, Num 20:1; Deut 1:46


17
sent messengers Num 20:14-21; Deut 2:4-8, Deut 2:29

the king Deut 2:9

abode Num 20:1, Num 20:16


18
went Num 20:22, Num 21:10-13, Num 33:37-44; Deut 2:1-8

compassed Num 21:4-9

came by Num 21:11

pitched Num 21:13, Num 22:36


19
Num 21:21-35; Deut 2:26-34, Deut 3:1-17; Josh 13:8-12


20
Num 21:23; Deut 2:32, Lord God, Neh 9:22; Ps 135:10-12, Ps 136:17-21, they smote, Num 21:24-25; Deut 2:33-34, so Israel, Josh 13:15-32


22
And they Deut 2:36

from the wilderness From Arabia Deserta on the east, to Jordan on the west.


23
Jephthah shews that the Israelites did not take the land of the Moabites or Ammonites, but that of the Amorites, which they had conquered from Sihon their king; and although the Amorites had taken the lands in question from the Ammonites, yet the title by which Israel held them was good, because they took them, not from the Ammonites, but from the Amorites.


24
Wilt not thou possess This is simply an argumentum ad hominem; in which Jephthah argues on this principles recognized by the king of Ammon. As if he had said, "You suppose that the land which you possess was given you by your god Chemosh; and therefore will not relinquish what you believe you hold by a divine right. Now we know that Jehovah, our God, has given us the land of the Israelites; and therefore we will not give it up."

Chemosh Num 21:29; 1Kgs 11:7; Jer 48:7, Jer 48:46

whomsoever Deut 9:4-5, Deut 18:12; Josh 3:10; Ps 44:2, Ps 78:55; Mic 4:5


25
Balak Num 22:2-21; Deut 23:3-4; Josh 24:9-10; Mic 6:5


26
Heshbon Num 21:25-30; Deut 2:24, Deut 3:2, Deut 3:6; Josh 12:2, Josh 12:5, Josh 13:10

Aroer Deut 2:36

three hundred Judg 3:11, Judg 3:30, Judg 5:31, Judg 8:28, Judg 9:22, Judg 10:2-3, Judg 10:8; Josh 11:18, Josh 23:1


27
the Judge Gen 18:25; 1Sam 2:10; Job 9:15, Job 23:7; Ps 7:11, Ps 50:6, Ps 75:7, Ps 82:8; Ps 94:2, Ps 98:9; Eccl 11:9, Eccl 12:14; John 5:22-23; Rom 14:10-12; 2Cor 5:10; 2Tim 4:8; Heb 12:23

be judge Gen 16:5, Gen 31:53; 1Sam 24:12, 1Sam 24:15; Ps 7:8-9; 2Cor 11:11


28
2Kgs 14:11; Prov 16:18


29
the spirit Judg 3:10, Judg 6:34, Judg 13:25; Num 11:25; 1Sam 10:10, 1Sam 16:13-15; 1Chr 12:18

Jephthah "Jephthah seems to have been judge only of north-east Israel."

over Mizpeh Judg 10:17


30
Gen 28:20; Num 30:2-16; 1Sam 1:11; Eccl 5:1-2, Eccl 5:4-5


31
whatsoever etc. Heb. that which cometh forth, which shall come forth

shall surely Lev 27:2-3, Lev 27:28-29; 1Sam 1:11, 1Sam 1:28, 1Sam 2:18, 1Sam 14:24, 1Sam 14:44; Ps 66:13-14

and I will or, or I will, etc. Wehaaleetheehoo olah, rather, as Dr. Randolph and others contend, "and I will offer Him (or to Him, i.e., Jehovah) a burnt offering;" for hoo may with much more propriety be referred to the person to whom the sacrifice was to be made, than to the thing to be sacrificed. Unless understood in this way, or as the marginal reading, it must have been the vow of a heathen or a madman. If a dog, or other uncleaned animal had met him, he could not have made it a burnt offering; or if his neighbour's wife, sons, etc., his vow gave him no right over them. Lev 27:11-12; Deut 23:18; Ps 66:13; Isa 66:3


32
the Lord Judg 1:4, Judg 2:18, Judg 3:10


33
Aroer Deut 2:36

Minnith Situated, according to Eusebius, four miles from Heshbon, towards Philadelphia or Rabbath. Ezek 27:17

the plain or, Abel


34
Mizpeh Judg 11:11, Judg 10:17

his daughter Judg 5:1-31; Exod 15:20; 1Sam 18:6-7; Ps 68:25, Ps 148:11-12, Ps 150:4; Jer 31:4, Jer 31:13

beside her or, he had not of his own either son or daughter, Heb. of himself

neither Zech 12:10; Luke 7:12, Luke 8:42, Luke 9:38


35
rent his clothes Gen 37:29-30, Gen 37:34-35, Gen 42:36-38; 2Sam 13:30-31, 2Sam 18:33; Job 1:20

have opened Lev 27:28-29; Num 30:2-5; Ps 15:4; Eccl 5:2-6

I cannot Judg 21:1-7; 1Sam 14:44-45; Matt 14:7-9; Acts 23:14


36
forasmuch Judg 16:28-30; 2Sam 18:19, 2Sam 18:31, 2Sam 19:30; Acts 20:24, Acts 21:13; Rom 16:4; Phil 2:30


37
go up and down Heb. go and go down

bewail 1Sam 1:6; Luke 1:25


39
did with That Jephthah did not sacrifice his daughter, but consecrated her to the service of God in the tabernacle, in a state of celibacy, will we imagine be evident from the following consideration -

1. Human sacrifices were ever an abomination to Jehovah, of which Jephthah could not be ignorant; and consequently he would neither have made such a vow, nor carried it into execution.

2. We are expressly told (Judg 11:29) that Jephthah was under the influence of the Spirit of God, which would effectually prevent him from embruing his hands in the blood of his own child.

3. He had it in his power to redeem his daughter (Lev 27:4); and surely his only child must have been of more value than thirty shekles.

4. Besides, who was to perform the horrid rite? Not Jephthah himself, who was no priest, and in whom it would have been most unnatural and inhuman; and the priests would certainly have dissuaded him from it.

5. The sacred historian informs us, that she bewailed her virginity, that she knew no man, and that the Israelitish women went yearly to comfort or lament with her. Judg 11:31; Lev 27:28-29; Deut 12:31; Isa 66:3

to his vow 1Sam 1:11, 1Sam 1:22, 1Sam 1:24, 1Sam 1:28, 1Sam 2:18

custom or, ordinance


40
yearly Heb. from year to year

lament or, to talk with, Judg 5:11

four days 1Kgs 9:25


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