Bible Commentary

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? 7. and drive me out of my father’s house ] See Jdg 11:2 n. Apparently custom allowed certain rights to the … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 11:7”

And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon. 6. chief ] i.e. commander in war, Jos 10:24, Dan 11:18 (RVm.); the same word as the Arabic i. Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Verse 6. Come, and be our captain] The Israelites … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 11:6”

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: 5. And it was so against Israel ] These words, which merely repeat Jdg 11:4, presuppose that the history has already begun, and were perhaps inserted to … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 11:5”

And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel. 4. after a while ] An indefinite mark of time as in Jdg 14:8, Jdg 15:1. The wording implies that the Ammonites have not been mentioned before; this is another reason for believing that the introductory notice … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 11:4”

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. 3. the land of Tob ] A Syrian district near the territory of Gilead ( Jdg 11:5), 2Sa 10:6 ; 2Sa 10:8; cf. 1Ma 5:13 ; 1Ma 5:2 Mace. … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 11:3”

And Gilead’s wife bore 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. 2. And Gilead’s wife ] i.e. the lawful wife in distinction from another woman (1Ch 2:26). In … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 11:2”

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he [was] the son of a harlot: and Gilead begot Jephthah. 1. Jephthah ] Hebr. Yiphta, probably a shortened form of Yiphta-el = God will open; cf. Pethah-iah Ezr 10:23. The full form occurs as the name of a town Jos 19:14; Jos 19:27. … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 11:1”

And the people [and] princes of Gilead said one to another, What man [is he] that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. 18. the people, the princes of Gilead, said ] The apposition is unusually harsh; perhaps the princes of Gilead was … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 10:18”

Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. 17. On this and the following verse see above. The Ammonites occupied the district which lay to the N.E. of Moab, bordered by the eastern desert. Their chief city was Rabbath-ammon, … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 10:17”

And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. 16. The first half of the verse resembles Gen 35:2 E, Jos 24:20-23 E, 1Sa 7:3. strange gods ] i.e. foreign gods, E’s expression: Jos 24:20; Jos 24:23, etc.; contrast other … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 10:16”