3 Then Jephthah H3316 fled H1272 from H6440 his brethren, H251 and dwelt H3427 in the land H776 of Tob: H2897 and there were gathered H3950 vain H7386 men H582 to Jephthah, H3316 and went out H3318 with him.
And they gave H5414 him threescore and ten H7657 pieces of silver H3701 out of the house H1004 of Baalberith, H1170 wherewith Abimelech H40 hired H7936 vain H7386 and light H6348 persons, H582 which followed H3212 him. H310
And every one H376 that was in distress, H4689 and every one H376 that was in debt, H5378 and every one H376 that was discontented, H4751 H5315 gathered H6908 themselves unto him; and he became a captain H8269 over them: and there were with him about four H702 hundred H3967 men. H376
And when the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 saw H7200 that they stank H887 before David, H1732 the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 sent H7971 and hired H7936 the Syrians H758 of Bethrehob, H1050 and the Syrians H758 of Zoba, H6678 twenty H6242 thousand H505 footmen, H7273 and of king H4428 Maacah H4601 a thousand H505 men, H376 and of Ishtob H382 twelve H6240 H8147 thousand H505 men. H376
And the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 came out, H3318 and put the battle H4421 in array H6186 at the entering in H6607 of the gate: H8179 and the Syrians H758 of Zoba, H6678 and of Rehob, H7340 and Ishtob, H382 and Maacah, H4601 were by themselves H905 in the field. H7704
And David H1732 arose, H6965 and he passed over H5674 with the six H8337 hundred H3967 men H376 that were with him unto Achish, H397 the son H1121 of Maoch, H4582 king H4428 of Gath. H1661
Then answered H6030 all the wicked H7451 men H376 and men of Belial, H1100 of those H582 that went H1980 with David, H1732 and said, H559 Because they went H1980 not with us, we will not give H5414 them ought of the spoil H7998 that we have recovered, H5337 save to every man H376 his wife H802 and his children, H1121 that they may lead them away, H5090 and depart. H3212 Then said H559 David, H1732 Ye shall not do so, H6213 my brethren, H251 with that which the LORD H3068 hath given H5414 us, who hath preserved H8104 us, and delivered H5414 the company H1416 that came H935 against us into our hand. H3027 For who will hearken H8085 unto you in this matter? H1697 but as his part H2506 is that goeth down H3381 H3381 to the battle, H4421 so shall his part H2506 be that tarrieth H3427 by the stuff: H3627 they shall part H2505 alike. H3162
But now they that are younger H6810 H3117 than I have me in derision, H7832 whose fathers H1 I would have disdained H3988 to have set H7896 with the dogs H3611 of my flock. H6629 Yea, whereto H4100 might the strength H3581 of their hands H3027 profit me, in whom old age H3624 was perished? H6 For want H2639 and famine H3720 they were solitary; H1565 fleeing H6207 into the wilderness H6723 in former time H570 desolate H7722 and waste. H4875 Who cut up H6998 mallows H4408 by the bushes, H7880 and juniper H7574 roots H8328 for their meat. H3899 They were driven forth H1644 from among H1460 men, (they cried H7321 after them as after a thief;) H1590 To dwell H7931 in the clifts H6178 of the valleys, H5158 in caves H2356 of the earth, H6083 and in the rocks. H3710 Among the bushes H7880 they brayed; H5101 under the nettles H2738 they were gathered together. H5596 They were children H1121 of fools, H5036 yea, children H1121 of base men: H8034 they were viler H5217 than the earth. H776 And now am I their song, H5058 yea, I am their byword. H4405 They abhor H8581 me, they flee far H7368 from me, and spare H2820 not to spit H7536 in my face. H6440
But G1161 the Jews G2453 which believed not, G544 moved with envy, G2206 G2532 took unto them G4355 certain G5100 lewd G4190 fellows G435 of the baser sort, G60 and G2532 gathered a company, G3792 and set all G2350 the city G4172 on an uproar, G2350 and G5037 assaulted G2186 the house G3614 of Jason, G2394 and sought G2212 to bring G71 them G846 out G1519 to the people. G1218
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Judges 11
Commentary on Judges 11 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 11
This chapter gives as the history of Jephthah, another of Israel's judges, and numbered among the worthies of the Old Testament, that by faith did great things (Heb. 11:32), though he had not such an extraordinary call as the rest there mentioned had. Here we have,
Jdg 11:1-3
The princes and people of Gilead we left, in the close of the foregoing chapter, consulting about the choice of a general, having come to this resolve, that whoever would undertake to lead their forces against the children of Ammon should by common consent be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. The enterprise was difficult, and it was fit that so great an encouragement as this should be proposed to him that would undertake it. Now all agreed that Jephthah, the Gileadite, was a mighty man of valour, and very fit for that purpose, none so fit as he, but he lay under three disadvantages:-
Jdg 11:4-11
Here is,
Jdg 11:12-28
We have here the treaty between Jephthah, now judge of Israel, and the king of the Ammonites (who is not named), that the controversy between the two nations might, if possible, be accommodated without the effusion of blood.
Neither Jephthah's apology, nor his appeal, wrought upon the king of the children of Ammon; they had found the sweets of the spoil of Israel, in the eighteen years wherein they had oppressed them (ch. 10:8), and hoped now to make themselves masters of the tree with the fruit of which they had so often enriched themselves. He hearkened not to the words of Jephthah, his heart being hardened to his destruction.
Jdg 11:29-40
We have here Jephthah triumphing in a glorious victory, but, as an alloy to his joy, troubled and distressed by an unadvised vow.