1 The covenant between Jephthah and the Gileadites, that he should be their head
12 The treaty of peace between him and the Ammonites is in vain
29 Jephthah's vow
32 His conquest of the Ammonites
34 He performs his vow on his daughter.

Jephthah Heb 11:32

called Jephthae. A mighty Jud 6:12 2Ki 5:1

an harlot. Heb. a woman an harlot. Probably zonah should be rendered as in Jos 2:1, a hostess, or inn-keeper; so Targum of Jonathan, and he was the son of a woman, a tavern-keeper. She was very probably a Canaanite, as she is called, ver.2, a strange woman, 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 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.

thrust out Ge 12:10 De 23:2 Ga 4:30

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

3 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.

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, Rheob, 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, 1Mac. 5:13; and the Jews who inhabited this district Tubieni, 2 Mac. 12:17 2Sa 10:6

vain men Jud 9:4 1Sa 22:2 27:2 30:22-24 Job 30:1-10 Ac 17:5

4 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.

A.M. 2817. B.C. 1187. An. Ex.Is.304. in process of time. Heb. after days.

5 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:

made war. Jud 10:9,17,18

to fetch 1Sa 10:27 11:6,7,12 Ps 118:22,23 Ac 7:35-39 1Co 1:27-29

6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.

7 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?

Did not ye hate Ge 26:27 37:27 45:4,5 Pr 17:17 Isa 60:14 Ac 7:9-14 Re 3:9

8 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.

the elders Ex 8:8,28 9:28 10:17 1Ki 13:6 Lu 17:3,4

we turn Jud 10:18

9 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?

If ye bring Nu 32:20-29

10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.

The Lord Ge 21:23 31:50 1Sa 12:5 Jer 29:23 42:5 Ro 1:9 2Co 11:31

be witness. be the hearer Ge 16:5 31:53 De 1:16 1Sa 24:12

if we do Ex 20:7 Zec 5:4 Mal 3:5

11 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.

head Jud 11:8

uttered 1Sa 23:9-12 1Ki 3:7-9 2Co 3:5 Jas 1:5,17

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 example 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 Jud 10:17 20:1 1Sa 10:17 11:15

Mizpeh. This Mizpeh was east of Jordan in the mountains of Gilead. Ge 31:49

and hence called Mizpeh Jud 11:29

to distinguish it from another place of the same name, west of Jordan, in the tribe of Judah Jos 15:38

12 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?

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. Nu 20:14 21:21 De 2:26 20:10,11 Pr 25:8,9 Mt 18:15,16

what hast 2Ki 14:8-12

13 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.

Because Israel Nu 21:24-26 Pr 19:5,9

from Arnon. That is, all the land which had belonged to the Amorites and Moabites. Jabbok Ge 32:22 De 2:37 3:16

14 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:

again unto Ps 120:7 Ro 12:18 Heb 12:14 1Pe 3:11

15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:

Israel took Nu 21:13-15,27-30 De 2:9,19 2Ch 20:10 Ac 24:12,13

16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;

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 Nu 14:25 De 1:40 Jos 5:6

came Ge 14:7 Nu 13:26 20:1 De 1:46

17 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.

sent messengers Nu 20:14-21 De 2:4-8,29

the king De 2:9

abode Nu 20:1,16

18 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.

went Nu 20:22 21:10-13 33:37-44 De 2:1-8

compassed Nu 21:4

came by Nu 21:11

pitched Nu 21:13 22:36

19 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.

Nu 21:21-35 De 2:26-34 3:1-17 Jos 13:8-12

20 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.

Nu 21:23 De 2:32

Lord God Ne 9:22 Ps 135:10-12 136:17-21

they smote Nu 21:24,25 De 2:33,34

so Israel Jos 13:15-32

21 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.

22 And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.

and they De 2:36

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

23 So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?

Jephthah shows 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 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.

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 this land of the Israelites; and therefore we will not give it up.' Chemosh Nu 21:29 1Ki 11:7 Jer 48:7,46

whomsoever De 9:4,5 18:12 Jos 3:10 Ps 44:2 78:55 Mic 4:5

25 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,

Balak Nu 22:2 De 23:3,4 Jos 24:9,10 Mic 6:5

26 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?

Heshbon Nu 21:25-30 De 2:24 3:2,6 Jos 12:2,5 13:10

Aroer De 2:36

three hundred Jud 3:11,30 5:31 8:28 9:22 10:2,3,8 Jos 11:18 23:1

27 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.

the judge Ge 18:25 1Sa 2:10 Job 9:15 23:7 Ps 7:11 50:6 75:7 82:8 94:2 98:9 Ec 11:9 12:14 Joh 5:22,23 Ro 14:10-12 2Co 5:10 2Ti 4:8

be judge Ge 16:5 31:53 1Sa 24:12,15 Ps 7:8,9 2Co 11:11

28 Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.

2Ki 14:11 Pr 16:18

29 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.

the spirit Jud 3:10 6:34 13:25 Nu 11:25 1Sa 10:10 16:13-15 1Ch 12:18

Jephthah, `Jephthah seems to have been judge only of north-east Israel.' over Mizpeh Jud 10:17

30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,

Ge 28:20 Nu 30:2 1Sa 1:11 Ec 5:1,2,4,5

31 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.

whatsoever. that which cometh forth, which shall come forth. shall surely. Le 27:2,3,28,29 1Sa 1:11,28 2:18 14:24,44 Ps 66:13,14

and I will. or I will. Wehaaleetheehoo slah, rather, as Dr. Randolph and others contend, ` and I will offer Him 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 Le 27:11,12 De 23:18 Ps 66:13 Isa 66:3

32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.

the Lord Jud 1:4 2:18 3:10

33 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.

Aroer De 2:36

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

the plain. or, Abel

34 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.

Mizpeh Jud 11:11 10:17

his daughter Jud 5:1 Ex 15:20 1Sa 18:6,7 Ps 68:25 148:11,12 150:4 Jer 31:4,13

beside her, or he had not of his own either son or daughter. of himself. neither Zec 12:10 Lu 7:12 8:42 9:38

35 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.

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

have opened Le 27:28,29 Nu 30:2-5 Ps 15:4 Ec 5:2-6

I cannot Jud 21:1-7 1Sa 14:44,45 Mt 14:7-9 Ac 23:14

36 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.

forasmuch Jud 16:28-30 2Sa 18:19,31 19:30 Ac 20:24 21:13 Ro 16:4 Php 2:30

37 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.

go up and down. go and go down. bewail 1Sa 1:6 Lu 1:25

38 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.

39 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,

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 ignored; and consequently he would neither have made such a vow, nor carried it into execution. 2.We are expressly told 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, Le 27:4

and surely his own 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. Jud 11:31 Le 27:28,29 De 12:31 Isa 66:3

custom, or ordinance.

40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

yearly. from year to year. lament. or to talk with Jud 5:11

four days 1Ki 9:25