Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 11:10
And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.
10. witness ] Note marg.; the expression only here. The invocation of Jehovah’s presence is necessary to complete a solemn agreement; cf. Gen 31:49.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They confirm their promise by a solemn and sacred oath.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10, 11. the elders of Israel saidunto Jephthah, The Lord be witness between usTheir offer beingaccompanied by the most solemn oath, Jephthah intimated hisacceptance of the mission, and his willingness to accompany them. Butto make “assurance doubly sure,” he took care that thepledge given by the deputies in Tob should be ratified in a generalassembly of the people at Mizpeh; and the language of the historian,”Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord,” seems toimply that his inauguration with the character and extraordinaryoffice of judge was solemnized by prayer for the divine blessing, orsome religious ceremonial.
Jud11:12-28. HIS EMBASSYTO THE KING OFAMMON.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah,…. Assenting to his proposal, and not only giving their word for it, but their oath:
the Lord be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words; that is, make him head over them; they appealed to the omniscient God, and called on him to be a witness of their agreement to it, and swore by him they would fulfil it; or if they did not, that the Lord would take vengeance on them for it, and punish the breach of this covenant and oath in some way or another; the Targum of Jonathan is,
“the Word of the Lord be a witness between us, &c.”
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The elders promised this on oath. “ Jehovah be hearing between us, ” i.e., be hearer and judge of the things concerning which we are negotiating; “ truly according to thy word so will we do ” ( , a particle used in connection with an oath).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(10) The Lord be witness.Rather, be hearing (Dominus, qui haec audit ipse Mediator ac testis sit, Vulg.).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. The Lord be witness A solemn oath and covenant.
According to thy words We will accede to thy wish. See on Jdg 11:9.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “Yahweh shall be witness between us. Surely according to your word, so will we do.” ’
The elders gave their solemn oath before Yahweh that they would do exactly as he requested.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 11:10 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 quasi , an oath is a hedge to keep men within compass of duty.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
be witness = be a hearer.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
The Lord: Gen 21:23, Gen 31:50, 1Sa 12:5, Jer 29:23, Jer 42:5, Rom 1:9, 2Co 11:31
be witness: be the hearer, Gen 16:5, Gen 31:53, Deu 1:16, 1Sa 24:12
if we do: Exo 20:7, Zec 5:4, Mal 3:5
Reciprocal: Jdg 12:4 – and the men Mal 2:14 – the Lord
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 11:10-11. The Lord be witness The Lord be a hearer; so the Hebrew word is. Whatever we speak, it concerns us to remember that God is a hearer! The people made him head, &c. They confirmed in full assembly, by unanimous consent, what the elders, who had been sent to him, had promised. Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord That is, before the public congregation, where God was usually and then especially present. This most probably refers to the words of the people, in making him captain and head over them, which, it is likely, Jephthah repeated with an audible voice, calling God to witness to them at the same time, that the people might look upon their promise as more solemn, and that there might be no dispute afterward about the offer which they now made to him.