Judges 11

Jephtah, as illegitimate, being then sent by his brethren, goeth to dwell in the land of Tob, where he, with some few people, exerciseth himself in expeditions, verse.1, etc, is afterward called by the eldest to be Commander in chief against the Ammonites, 5. Which he accepteth of but with condition, 9. Sendeth twice messengers to the King of the Ammorites, to move him to desist from war, but all in vain, 12. Wherefore Jephtah moved by the spirit of God, marcheth up against him, and maketh a rash vow, 29. He smiteth the Ammorites, 32. And performeth his vow on his daughter, 34.

1. Now Jephtah the Gileadite [See above chap.10.on verse.3.] was a mighty man of valour; he was a child of an harlot: [Hebrew. Was arson of a woman, and harlot? See Deut.23.on verse 2. Otherwise, the son of a hostess] but Gilead had begotten Jephtah. [To distinguish him from the son of Machiz, Josua.17.1,3. Being nevertheless of his posterity, of the same name]

2. Gileads wife bare him also sons: and the sons of this woman [To wit, of his lawful wife,] being grown great, thrust Jephtah out, and said unto him; thou shalt not inherit in the house of our father, for thou art a son of another woman. [That is, of a strange woman, which was no legitimate or lawful wife of our father]

3. then Jephtah fled before the face of his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: [A country lying along the mountain of Gilead, by the entering of the West-Arabia, on the borders of the Ammonites. See also 2 Samuel.10.6, 8.] And vain [or idle, necessitous, that had no means, or took no course for a livelihood] men assembled themselves unto Jephtaah, and went out with him. [to wit, to fetch, or take prey, perhaps from the Ammonites, which the more might move the Isrealites to make use of him in their war against the Ammonites]

4. And it came to pass, after certain days, that the children of Ammon made a war against Israel, [Here is now prosecuted the history, which was begun in the end of the former chapter, after that there was inserted the precedent relation concerning Jephtah] after certain days [viz. after the Declaration made by the Rulers or Governours of the Gileadites, chap.10.18. or after the time expressed in the same chap.v.8.]

5. So it came to pass, when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, that the eldest of Gilead went their way to fetch Jephtah [To wit, either by the Lords command, of whom they peradventure might have asked counsel, or at least by his special instinct and providence] out of the land of Tob. [See on verse.3.]

6. And they said unto Jephtah; Come, and be a Governour to us [Or, Duke, General, but no King, as the Sichemites had made Abimelech] that we may fight against the children of Ammon.

7. But Jephtah said unto the eldest of the Gilead; did ye not hate me, and thrust me out of my fathers house? Wherefore then ye come unto me now, while ye are in distress? [Hebrew. While anguish or, distress is to you]

8. And the Eldest of Gilead said unto Jephtah; Therefore are we now come unto thee again, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon: and thou salt be a head unto us, over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

9. Then said Jephtah unto the eldest of Gilead; If ye fetch me back again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD shall deliver them up before my face, shall I then be an head unto you?

10. And the eldest of Israel said unto Jephtah; the LORD be an hearer between us, [For to be witness, or as judge between us both, to punish us, if we deal otherwise by thee. Compare Deut.1.16. 1 King.3.11. Lam.3.61,62. Malach. 2. 14.] If we do not so according to thy word.

11. So Jephtah went with the Eldest of Gilead, and the people made him an head and Ruler over them: and Jephtah and spake all his words [which he had spoken before the ambassadors of the people] before the face of the Lord at Mispa [not by or before the ark of the covenant as this is often so taken but in the general assembly of the people made he this speech or declaration as a champion of faith Hebrews 11:31 with religious attention as in the presence of God or with calling upon his name and mutual oath the ark of the covenant was in Joshua’s time brought unto Silo Joshua 18:1 and was yet there in Bila’s time 1Samuel 1.3.]

12. Moreover Jepther sent passengers unto the king of the children of Ammon saying [understand by the ambassadors so below verse 17 and in the following] what have I and thou to do one with another [Heb. what is it to me and thee? Or what have I and thou? See this Phrase also 2 Samuel 16 on verses 19 John 2:4 &c.] That thou art come unto me to make war against my land?[Jupiter speaketh here in the name of the people whose champion he was.]

13. And the king of the children of Ammon said unto the messengers of Jephtar because Israel when he went up out of Egypt took my land from Ammon unto Jabbok [see of Ammon Numbers 21:13,14,15 of Jabbok Genesis 32:22 &c.] and unto Jordan [from the mountain of Gilead eastwards unto Jordan westwards] therefore restore now that again unto peaceably.

14. But Jephtah proceedeth yet further and sent messengers unto the king of children of Ammon [this is a very discreet and remarkable act of Jephtah that he considering Gods command Deuteronomy 2:19 first desisteth to know the cause which have moved the Ammonites unto this war and thereupon seeketh to convince their king with many very strong and impregnable arguments and to draw him to desist all the tending to quitting and quieting of his conscience as also to the confirming and strengthening of Israel.]

15. And he said unto him [that is by the messengers or ambassadors or sent this message to him] then said Japthah Israel hath not taken the land of the Moabites nor the land of the children of Ammon [For God hath given command to the contrary concerning both because they were lots offsprings or posterity see Deuteronomy 2:9,19.]

16. For when they were come up out of Egypt Israel then walked through the wilderness unto the red sea and came unto Kades [otherwise called Zin distinct or different from Cades Barnea see Genesis 14 on verse 7 Numbers 13 on verse 26 and chapter 20.14 and 33.36.]

17. And Israel sent messengers unto the king of the Edomites saying let me I pray thee pass through thy land but the king of the Edomites gave no hearing and he sent also unto the king of the Moabites who would also not [this also may be gathered from Deuteronomy 2:29] so Israel also abode kades.

18. Afterwards he [to wit Israel] walked in the wilderness and went round about the land of the Edomites and the land of the Moabites came from the rising of the sun at the land of the Moabites and they [the people of Israel] camped themselves to the other side of Arnon [see above on verse 13] but they came not with the border of the Moabites for Arnon is the border of the Moabites.

19. But Israel sent messengers unto Sihon the king of Amoritesking of Hesbon and Israel said [see above on verse 12] unto him let us I pray thee pass through the land unto my place [that is our to wit Israel our that is which is given us of God to wit the land of Canaan.]

20. But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his border [that is through his land so below verse 22] but Sihon gathered all his people and they camped themselves at jaza and he fought against Israel.

21. And the Lord God of Israel delivered Sihon with all his people into the hand of Israel that they smote them so Israel took hereditarily all the land of the Amorites that dwelt in the land.

22. And they took hereditarily all the borders of the Ammorites[that is all the land Sihon included between the borders Arnon in the south Jabbok in the awest and in the wilderness or Arabia desert in the east and Jordan in the west] from Arnon unto Jabbok and from the wilderness unto Jordan.

23. So now the Lord the God of Israel had driven out of possession the Ammorites from the face of his people Israel and shouldst be thou their heir? [Heb. shouldst thou inherit him? him to wit the Amorites that is the land of the Amorites so also in following verse Deuteronomy chapter 9.1 and elsewhere often as is Jephtar should say this is against right and equity.]

24. Shouldst thou inherit him whom thy God Camos hath driven out of possession before thee? So shall we inherit all those whom the Lord our God driveth out of possession before our face [an idol of the Moabites and as here appeareth of the Ammorite see Numbers 21:29 1 Kings 1:7 Jeremiah 48:7,13,46 to wit justly far as much as our God is the only true God to whom all belongeth and appertaineth.]

25. Now then are ye much better [Heb. Better, better] then Baalak the son of Zippor the king of the Moabites ?[the meaning is have ye so much more or greater right then Balak who was never changeable to Israel in or about it see concerning Balak Numbers chapter 22,23,24.] did he ever contend with Israel? Did he also ever war against them? [Heb. contending condend and so fighting fight or warning war.]

26. Whilst Israel dwelt three hundred years [here as also elsewhere in the holy scripture is a full compleat Number set down although according to the computations of some some few years should be over and above when we count the years the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt whereof Jephtah hath begun this Netative an more years are under three hundred when we should count from the victory of Israel obtained against Sihon see concerning this use of custom of the holy scripture Genesis 15 on verse 13 and below chapter 20 on verse 46 2 Samuel 5:5] in Hesbon and in her towns and in Aroer and in her towns and in all the cities which are on the side of Aroer wherefore then did ye not recover over it that time?[which the Ammonites in so long a time without doubt would have attempted to do if they had such right thereunto as they pretended to have.]

27. Neither have I sinned against thee [as if Jephtah had said Israel hath given unto the Ammonites no cause to make war against them] but thou doest ill by me [Heb. thou dost ill with me] that thou makest war against me the Lord who is Judge this day between the children of Israel and between the children of Ammon.

28. But the king of the children of Ammon hearken not unto the words of Jephtah which he had sent unto him [that is had caused to be told him to the ambassadors.]

29. Then the spirit of the Lord came [Heb. was waxed that is endued him as above chapter 6.34 and chapter 3.10] upon Gideon that he passed through Gilead and Mannasseh [Through the division of the land of Gilead which the half of Mannasseh beyond the Jordan inhabited] for he passed through unto Mizpa in Gilead [distinct from other places bearing the same name see above chapter 10. On verse 17] and from Mizpa in Gilead he passed through unto the children of Ammon.

30. And Jephtah vowed a vow unto the Lord an said if thou shalt wholly [or certainly] deliver up [Heb. delivering salt deliver up] the children of Ammon into mine hand.

31. Then shall that which goeth out that which shall go forth out of the door of mine house to meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon that shall be the LORDS [or unto the Lord to wit be hallowed or be consecrated] and [otherwise or as if he should say if it may offered or may offer it if not it shall not withstanding he hallowed or consecrated unto the Lord] I will offer it for a burnt offering [he meaneth if it be such a thing which according to the law of God it is lawful to offer now it was not only forbidden to offer man or any of mankind but also unclean beasts see Leviticus 27:11,12,13.]

32. So Jephtah pass through unto the children of Ammon to fight against them and the Lord delivered them into his hand.

33. And smote them from the Aroer [lying at the brook Arnon Deuteronomy 3:12 now where this brook runneth down from the mountain Gilead westward into the Jordan but out of the south end of the mountain runneth along southwards & at length falleth into the salt sea] till thou come to Minnith [lying in the east beyond the brook Arnon] twenty cities and unto Abel Rearming [this is by some translated the plain of the vineyards] with a very great slaughter thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the face of the children of Israel.

34. Now when when Japhtah came to Mizpa near his house behold his daughter went to meet him with drums and dances now she was a lone and only child he had not of him [that which came or sprung from him] else any other son or daughter.

35. And it came to pass when he saw her that he rent his clothes and said Ah! My daughter thou hast quiet bowed me down [Heb. bowing down thou hast bowed me bowed me down thus is Jephtah troubled because his only child was to continue a virgin and no offspring or posterity was to be born unto him for her] and thou art among those that trouble me [that is thou troublest me in this thing as others have troubled me in other things compare Psalms 54 on verse 6] for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord and I shall not be able to go back [that is I shall not be able to recede from my vow so high and strong that it could no ways be loosened nor broken.]

36. And she said unto him my father hast thou opened thy mouth unto the Lord do unto me according as that which hath proceedeth unto thy mouth[the daughter submitteth herself to the vow of her father under whose power she was yet stood and with whose consent she was besides might make a vow see Numbers 30:4,5 compare also Luke 2:37 1Corinthians 7.25,26,27,28]for as much as the Lord hath given thee perfect vengeance [Heb. hath done vengeance] of the enemies of the children of Ammon.

37. Moreover she said unto her father let this thing be done unto me cease two months from me [that is grant me two months time] that I may go my ways and go down to the mountains [some gather from hence that from Jephtah’s house lay upon an high mountain as places called Mizpa did commonly as watch places do lye upon high mountains see above chapter 10.17] and bewail my virginity [because of the bringing forth of the children was at that time highly esteemed and the contrary was held ignominiously and contemptible see Genesis 30 on verse23 observe here and in that which followeth that she will not go weep because she was to be sacrificed and killed for he offered up for a burnt offering but she speaketh only of her virginity agreeing with that which is relate thin the following verses] and my companions.

38. and he said go thy ways and he permitted her to go two months then she went away 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 to her father who towards her fulfilled his vow [causing her to abide as is mentioned in that which followeth in her maiden state and condition and consencrating her apart from the Lord according to his vow verse 31 compare 1Samuel 2.22 Luke 2:37 1Corinthians 7.32] which he had promised and she knew no man [see Genesis 4 on verse 1 and 19 on verse 8 these words are a plain and naked exposition of that which Jephthah did unto hi daughter according to the sense and meaning of his vow] moreover it became a custom [Heb. statute ordinance] in Israel.

40. That the daughters of Israel went their ways from year to year to speak with [talk together with discourse] the daughter of Jephtah the Gileadite [Viz. to accompany her and to comfort and cherish her in her maiden condition the Hebrew word is also found above chapter 5.11 where it hath the same signification which is here followed in the text] four days in the year.