Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 11:27
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.
27. the Lord be judge ] Cf. Gen 31:53, 1Sa 24:12 ; 1Sa 24:15. Even in early Israel Jehovah could be appealed to as the Judge, who in the quarrels of men or nations was known to take the side of justice against unfair aggression. The fundamental difference between Jehovah and the gods of the nations, and His superiority to them, lay in His essentially moral character.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 27. The Lord the Judge be judge – between the children of Israel] If you be right, and we be wrong, then Jehovah, who is the sovereign and incorruptible Judge, shall determine in your favour; and to Him I submit the righteousness of my cause.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I have not sinned against thee; I have done thee no wrong.
The Lord be judge this day; let him determine this controversy by the success of this day and war.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Wherefore I have not sinned against thee,…. Had done him no injury, not wronged him of anything, nor had taken away any part of his country from him; this Jephthah said in the name of all Israel, of whom he was governor:
but thou doest me wrong to war against me; meaning that he had no just cause to commence a war against Israel, but acted an injurious part; and seeing things could not be adjusted in an amicable way, but must be decided by the sword, he leaves the affair with the Lord, and appeals to him:
the Lord the Judge; the Judge of the whole earth, the omniscient God, that knows all things, the right and wrong of every cause, on which side truth and justice lie:
be Judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon; not that he expected a decision of the controversy between them would be made that precise and exact day; but that from henceforward the Lord would appear, by giving success to that party which was in the right in this contest.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(27) The Lord the Judge be judge this day.An appeal to the arbitrament of Jehovah to decide on the justice of an appeal to arms. (Comp. Gen. 16:5; Gen. 31:53; Gen. 18:25; 1Sa. 24:15.)
These verses contain a deeply interesting specimen of what may be called ancient diplomacy, and very powerful and straightforward it isat once honest, conciliatory, and firm. Jephthah maintains the rights of Israel on three grounds, viz., (1) Right of direct conquest, not from Ammon but from the Amorites (15-20); (2) The decision of God (Jdg. 11:21-23), which he supports by an argumentum ad hominemnamely, the acquiescence in this decision of the Moabite god Chemosh (Jdg. 11:24); (3) Undisputed possession from the first (Jdg. 11:25-26). He ends by an appeal to God to approve the justice of his cause.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“ I therefore have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong to war against me. Yahweh, the Judge, be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.”
Jephthah then finished on a note of injured hurt. He, representing Israel, had done nothing wrong to Ammon. It was Ammon who were behaving wrongly. Thus Yahweh the righteous Judge would judge appropriately and act accordingly. Yahweh would be on his side. He no doubt trusted that Yahweh, and his own army, would note his words as well as the king of Ammon.
Note how he spoke of himself as representing the nation. He was already behaving like a king. Previously he has spoken only of ‘Israel’, the term used by the king of Ammon (Jdg 11:13). Now he speaks of ‘the children of Israel’ because he is contrasting them with ‘the children of Ammon’.
By now, he knew, the king of Ammon would be thinking seriously. These were not the words of some frightened leader trying to bolster up his own courage, these were the words of a man of iron, who was unafraid, who was aware that Yahweh was on his side and would act for him, who was righteously indignant and who had no fear of Ammon. The king had been used to the cowering ways of the elders of Gilead when he received his tribute. Now he would realise why that tribute had recently been refused. A new man had arisen in Israel, a man of Yahweh.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 11:27 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.
Ver. 27. Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, ] q.d., My cause is good, and so shall my courage be.
“ Transit et attollit vires in milite causa:
Quae nisi iusto subest, excutit arma pudor. ”
The Lord the Judge be judge this day. “ the Judge: Gen 18:25, 1Sa 2:10, Job 9:15, Job 23:7, Psa 7:11, Psa 50:6, Psa 75:7, Psa 82:8, Psa 94:2, Psa 98:9, Ecc 11:9, Ecc 12:14, Joh 5:22, Joh 5:23, Rom 14:10-12, 2Co 5:10, 2Ti 4:8, Heb 12:23
be judge: Gen 16:5, Gen 31:53, 1Sa 24:12, 1Sa 24:15, Psa 7:8, Psa 7:9, 2Co 11:11
Reciprocal: Jdg 12:3 – wherefore 2Ch 20:12 – wilt Job 31:28 – an
Jdg 11:27. Wherefore I have not sinned I have done thee no wrong. The Lord, the Judge, be judge Let him determine this controversy by the success of this day and war. The meaning is, that if they were not moved by these reasons, but the controversy must be decided by arms, he committed his cause to God, the righteous Judge of the whole world, who, he doubted not, would do him right. Be judge this day He does not mean that God would determine the right by giving him the victory then, when he spake these words, (for he was not yet ready to give them battle,) but that God would judge of the justice of his present plea, and accordingly give sentence when the matter came to be tried in battle. There cannot be a finer picture of justice, candour, fair reasoning, moderation, and unwillingness to proceed to the dreadful miseries of war, joined with a noble spirit to defend his country in its just rights, than that which Jephthah shows in his messages to the Ammonites. It were to be wished that all kings would follow his steps, and not rush into the shocking inhumanities and miseries of war with too much precipitation, but first try what good temper, moderation, fair reasoning, and a claim to no more than their just rights, will do with their enemies.
11:27 Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge {k} be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.
(k) To punish the offender.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes