mh_parser/vol_split/7 - Judges/Chapter 11.xml

<div2 id="Jud.xii" n="xii" next="Jud.xiii" prev="Jud.xi" progress="16.80%" title="Chapter XI">
<h2 id="Jud.xii-p0.1">J U D G E S</h2>
<h3 id="Jud.xii-p0.2">CHAP. XI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Jud.xii-p1">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 (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.32" parsed="|Heb|11|32|0|0" passage="Heb 11:32">Heb. xi. 32</scripRef>), though he had not such an
extraordinary call as the rest there mentioned had. Here we have,
I. The disadvantages of his origin, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.1-Judg.11.3" parsed="|Judg|11|1|11|3" passage="Jdg 11:1-3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>. II. The Gileadites' choice of him
to be commander-in-chief against the Ammonites, and the terms he
made with them, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.4-Judg.11.11" parsed="|Judg|11|4|11|11" passage="Jdg 11:4-11">ver.
4-11</scripRef>. III. His treaty with the king of Ammon about the
rights of the two nations, that the matter might be determined, if
possible, without bloodshed, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.12-Judg.11.28" parsed="|Judg|11|12|11|28" passage="Jdg 11:12-28">ver.
12-28</scripRef>. IV. His war with the Ammonites, which he enters
upon with a solemn vow (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.29-Judg.11.31" parsed="|Judg|11|29|11|31" passage="Jdg 11:29-31">ver.
29-31</scripRef>), prosecutes with bravery (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.32" parsed="|Judg|11|32|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:32">ver. 32</scripRef>), and ends with a glorious victory,
<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.33" parsed="|Judg|11|33|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:33">ver. 33</scripRef>. V. The straits he
was brought into at his return to his own house by the vow he had
made, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.34-Judg.11.40" parsed="|Judg|11|34|11|40" passage="Jdg 11:34-40">ver. 34-40</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Jud.xii-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11" parsed="|Judg|11|0|0|0" passage="Jud 11" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Jud.xii-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.1-Judg.11.3" parsed="|Judg|11|1|11|3" passage="Jud 11:1-3" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Judg.11.1-Judg.11.3">
<h4 id="Jud.xii-p1.11">Jephthah's Promotion. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1143.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jud.xii-p2">1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of
valour, and he <i>was</i> the son of a harlot: and Gilead begat
Jephthah.   2 And Gilead's wife bare 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 <i>art</i> the
son of a strange woman.   3 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p3">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:—1. He was <i>the son of
a harlot</i> (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.1" parsed="|Judg|11|1|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>),
of <i>a strange woman</i> (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.2" parsed="|Judg|11|2|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>), one that was neither a wife nor a concubine; some
think his mother was a Gentile; so Josephus, who calls him <i>a
stranger by the mother's side.</i> An Ishmaelite, say the Jews. If
his mother was a harlot, that was not his fault, however it was his
disgrace. Men ought not to be reproached with any of the
infelicities of their parentage or extraction, so long as they are
endeavouring by their personal merits to roll away the reproach.
The son of a harlot, if born again, born from above, shall be
accepted of God, and be as welcome as any other to the glorious
liberties of his children. Jephthah could not read in the law the
brand there put on the Ammonites, the enemies he was to grapple
with, that they should <i>not enter into the congregation of the
Lord,</i> but in the same paragraph he met with that which looked
black upon himself, that a bastard should be in like manner
excluded, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.2-Deut.23.3" parsed="|Deut|23|2|23|3" passage="De 23:2,3">Deut. xxiii. 2,
3</scripRef>. But if that law means, as most probably it does, only
those that are born of incest, not of fornication, he was not
within the reach of it. 2. He had been driven from his country by
his brethren. His father's legitimate children, insisting upon the
rigour of the law, thrust him out from having any inheritance with
them, without any consideration of his extraordinary
qualifications, which merited a dispensation, and would have made
him a mighty strength and ornament of their family, if they had
overlooked his being illegitimate and admitted him to a child's
part, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.2" parsed="|Judg|11|2|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. One
would not have thought this abandoned youth was intended to be
Israel's deliverer and judge, but God often humbles those whom he
designs to exalt, and makes that <i>stone the head of the corner
which the builders refused;</i> so Joseph, Moses, and David, the
three most eminent of the shepherds of Israel, were all thrust out
by men, before they were called of God to their great offices. 3.
He had, in his exile, headed a rabble, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.3" parsed="|Judg|11|3|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Being driven out by his
brethren, his great soul would not suffer him either to dig or beg,
but by his sword he must live; and, being soon noted for his
bravery, those that were reduced to such straits, and animated by
such a spirit, enlisted themselves under him. <i>Vain men</i> they
are here called, that is, men that had run through their estates
and had to seek for a livelihood. These went out with him, not to
rob or plunder, but to hunt wild beasts, and perhaps to make
incursions upon those countries which Israel was entitled to, but
had not as yet come to the possession of, or were some way or other
injured by. This is the man that must save Israel. That people had
by their idolatry made themselves children of whoredoms, and aliens
from God and his covenant, and therefore, though God upon their
repentance will deliver them, yet, to mortify them and remind them
of their sin, he chooses to do it by a bastard and an exile.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Jud.xii-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.4-Judg.11.11" parsed="|Judg|11|4|11|11" passage="Jud 11:4-11" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Judg.11.4-Judg.11.11">
<p class="passage" id="Jud.xii-p4">4 And it came to pass in process of time, that
the children of Ammon made war against Israel.   5 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:
  6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain,
that we may fight with the children of Ammon.   7 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?   8 And the elders of Gilead said unto
Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go
with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head
over all the inhabitants of Gilead.   9 And Jephthah said unto
the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against
the children of Ammon, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p4.1">Lord</span>
deliver them before me, shall I be your head?   10 And the
elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p4.2">Lord</span> be witness between us, if we do not so
according to thy words.   11 Then Jephthah went with the
elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over
them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p4.3">Lord</span> in Mizpeh.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p5">Here is, I. The distress which the children
of Israel were in upon the Ammonites' invasion of their country,
<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.4" parsed="|Judg|11|4|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Probably this
was the same invasion with that mentioned, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.10.17" parsed="|Judg|10|17|0|0" passage="Jdg 10:17"><i>ch.</i> x. 17</scripRef>, when <i>the children of
Ammon</i> were <i>gathered together and encamped in or against
Gilead.</i> And those words, <i>in process of time,</i> refer to
what goes immediately before of the expulsion of Jephthah; many
days after he had been thus thrust out in disgrace was he fetched
back again with honour.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p6">II. The court which the elders made to
Jephthah hereupon to come and help them. They did not write or send
a messenger to him, but went themselves to fetch him, resolving to
have no denial, and the exigence of the case was such as would
admit no delay. Their errand to him was, <i>Come, and be our
captain,</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.6" parsed="|Judg|11|6|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>.
They knew none among themselves that was able to undertake that
great trust, but in effect confessed themselves unfit for it; they
know him to be a bold man, and inured to the sword, and therefore
he must be the man. See how God prepared men for the service he
designs them for, and makes their troubles work for their
advancement. If Jephthah had not been put to his shifts by his
brethren's unkindness, he would not have had such occasion as this
gave him to exercise and improve his martial genius, and so to
signalize himself and become famous. <i>Out of the eater comes
forth meat.</i> The children of Israel were assembled and encamped,
<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.10.17" parsed="|Judg|10|17|0|0" passage="Jdg 10:17"><i>ch.</i> x. 17</scripRef>. But an
army without a general is like a body without a head; therefore
<i>Come,</i> say they, <i>and be our captain, that we may
fight.</i> See the necessity of government; though they were hearty
enough in the cause, yet they owned they could not fight without a
captain to command them. So necessary is it to all societies that
there be a <i>pars imperans</i> and a <i>pars subdita, some to
rule</i> and <i>others to obey,</i> that any community would humbly
beg the favour of being commanded rather than that every man should
be his own master. Blessed be God for government, for a good
government.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p7">III. The objections Jephthah makes against
accepting their offer: <i>Did you not hate me, and expel me?</i>
<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.7" parsed="|Judg|11|7|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. It should seem
that his brethren were some of these elders, or these elders by
suffering his brethren to abuse him, and not righting him as they
ought to have done (for their business is to <i>defend the poor and
fatherless,</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.83.3-Ps.83.4" parsed="|Ps|83|3|83|4" passage="Ps 83:3,4">Ps. lxxxii. 3,
4</scripRef>), had made themselves guilty of his expulsion, and he
might justly charge them with it. Magistrates, that have power to
protect those that are injured, if they neglect to redress their
grievances are really guilty of inflicting them. "You hated me and
expelled me, and therefore how can I believe that you are sincere
in this proposal, and how can you expect that I should do you any
service?" Not but that Jephthah was very willing to serve his
country, but he thought fit to give them a hint of their former
unkindness to him, that they might repent of their sin in using him
so ill, and might for the future be the more sensible of their
obligations. Thus Joseph humbled his brethren before he made
himself known to them. The particular case between the Gileadites
and Jephthah was a resemblance of the general state of the case
between Israel and God at this time. They had thrust God out by
their idolatries, yet in their distress begged his help; he told
them how justly he might have rejected them, and yet graciously
delivered them. So did Jephthah. Many slight God and good men till
they come to be in distress, and then they are desirous of God's
mercy and good men's prayers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p8">IV. Their urgency with him to accept the
government they offer him, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.8" parsed="|Judg|11|8|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. "Therefore because we formerly did thee that wrong,
and to show thee that we repent of it and would gladly atone for
it, we <i>turn again to thee now,</i> to put such an honour upon
thee as shall balance that indignity." Let this instance be, 1. A
caution to us not to despise or trample upon any because they are
mean, nor to be injurious to any that we have advantage against,
because, whatever we think of them now, the time may come when we
may have need of them, and may be glad to be beholden to them. It
is our wisdom to make no man our enemy, because we know not how
soon our distresses may be such as that we may be highly concerned
to make him our friend. 2. An encouragement to men of worth that
are slighted or ill-treated. Let them bear it with meekness and
cheerfulness, and leave it to God to make their light shine out of
obscurity. Fuller's remark on this story, in his "Pisgah Sight," is
this: "Virtue once in an age will work her own advancement, and,
when such as hate it chance to need it, they will be forced to
prefer it," and then the honour will appear the brighter.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p9">V. The bargain he makes with them. He had
mentioned the injuries they had formerly done him, but, perceiving
their repentance, his spirit was too great and generous to mention
them any more. God had forgiven Israel the affronts they had put
upon him (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.10.16" parsed="|Judg|10|16|0|0" passage="Jdg 10:16"><i>ch.</i> x.
16</scripRef>), and therefore Jephthah will forgive. Only he thinks
it prudent to make his bargain wisely for the future, since he
deals with men that he had reason to distrust. 1. He puts to them a
fair question, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.9" parsed="|Judg|11|9|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>.
He speaks not with too much confidence of his success, knowing how
justly God might suffer the Ammonites to prevail for the further
punishment of Israel; but puts an <i>if</i> upon it. Nor does he
speak with any confidence at all in himself; if he do succeed, it
is <i>the Lord that delivers them into his hand,</i> intending
hereby to remind his countrymen to look up to God, as arbitrator of
the controversy and the giver of victory, for so <i>he</i> did.
"Now if, by the blessing of God, I come home a conqueror, tell me
plainly <i>shall I be your head?</i> If I deliver you, under God,
shall I, under him, reform you?" The same question is put to those
who desire salvation by Christ. "If he save you, will you be
willing that he shall rule you? for on no other terms will he save
you. If he make you happy, shall he make you holy? If he be your
helper, shall he be your head?" 2. They immediately give him a
positive answer (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.10" parsed="|Judg|11|10|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>): "We will <i>do according to thy words;</i> command
us in war, and thou shalt command us in peace." They do not take
time to consider of it. The case was too plain to need a debate,
and the necessity too pressing to admit a delay. They knew they had
power to conclude a treaty for those whom they represented, and
therefore bound it with an oath, <i>The Lord be witness between
us.</i> They appeal to God's omniscience as the judge of their
present sincerity, and to his justice as an avenger if afterwards
they should prove false. <i>The Lord be a hearer,</i> so the word
is. Whatever we speak, it concerns us to remember that God is a
hearer, and to speak accordingly. Thus was the original contract
ratified between Jephthah and the Gileadites, which all Israel, it
should seem, agreed to afterwards, for it is said (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.12.7" parsed="|Judg|12|7|0|0" passage="Jdg 12:7"><i>ch.</i> xii. 7</scripRef>), <i>he judged
Israel.</i> He hereupon went with them (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.11" parsed="|Judg|11|11|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>) to the place where they were
all assembled (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p9.6" osisRef="Bible:Judg.10.17" parsed="|Judg|10|17|0|0" passage="Jdg 10:17"><i>ch.</i> x.
17</scripRef>), and there by common consent they <i>made him head
and captain,</i> and so ratified the bargain their representatives
had made with him, that he should be not only captain now, but head
for life. Jephthah, to obtain this little honour, was willing to
expose his life for them (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p9.7" osisRef="Bible:Judg.12.3" parsed="|Judg|12|3|0|0" passage="Jdg 12:3"><i>ch.</i>
xii. 3</scripRef>), and shall we be discouraged in our Christian
warfare by any of the difficulties we may meet with in it, when
Christ himself has promised <i>a crown of life to him that
overcometh?</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p10">VI. Jephthah's pious acknowledgment of God
in this great affair (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.11" parsed="|Judg|11|11|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>): <i>He uttered all his words before the Lord in
Mizpeh,</i> that is, upon his elevation, he immediately retired to
his devotions, and in prayer spread the whole matter before God,
both his choice to the office and his execution of the office, as
one that had his eye ever towards the Lord, and would do nothing
without him, that leaned not to his own understanding or courage,
but depended on God and his favour. He utters before God all his
thoughts and cares in this matter; for God gives us leave to be
free with him. 1. "Lord, the people have made me their head; wilt
thou confirm the choice, and own me as thy people's head under thee
and for thee?" God justly complains of Israel (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Hos.8.4" parsed="|Hos|8|4|0|0" passage="Ho 8:4">Hos. viii. 4</scripRef>), <i>they have set up kings, but
not by me.</i> "Lord," said Jephthah, "I will be no head of their
making without thee. I will not accept the government unless thou
give me leave." Had Abimelech done this, he might have prospered.
2. "Lord, they have made me their captain, to go before them in
this war with the Ammonites; shall I have thy presence? Wilt thou
go before me? If not, carry me not up hence. Lord, satisfy me in
the justice of the cause. Assure me of success in the enterprise."
This is a rare example, to be imitated by all, particularly by
great ones; in all our ways let us acknowledge God, seek his
favour, ask counsel at his mouth, and take him along with us; so
shall we make our way prosperous. Thus Jephthah opened the campaign
with prayer. That was likely to end gloriously which began thus
piously.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Jud.xii-p0.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.12-Judg.11.28" parsed="|Judg|11|12|11|28" passage="Jud 11:12-28" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Judg.11.12-Judg.11.28">
<h4 id="Jud.xii-p10.4">The War with the Ammonites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p10.5">b. c.</span> 1143.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jud.xii-p11">12 And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of
the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that
thou art come against me to fight in my land?   13 And the
king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of
Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out
of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now
therefore restore those <i>lands</i> again peaceably.   14 And
Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of
Ammon:   15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel
took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of
Ammon:   16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked
through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;  
17 Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let
me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would
not hearken <i>thereto.</i> And in like manner they sent unto the
king of Moab: but he would not <i>consent:</i> and Israel abode in
Kadesh.   18 Then they went along through the wilderness, and
compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the
east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of
Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon <i>was</i>
the border of Moab.   19 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon
king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto
him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place.
  20 But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast:
but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz,
and fought against Israel.   21 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p11.1">Lord</span> God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his
people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel
possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that
country.   22 And they possessed all the coasts of the
Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even
unto Jordan.   23 So now the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p11.2">Lord</span> God of Israel hath dispossessed the
Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess
it?   24 Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god
giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p11.3">Lord</span> our God shall drive out from before us,
them will we possess.   25 And now <i>art</i> thou any thing
better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever
strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,   26
While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her
towns, and in all the cities that <i>be</i> along by the coasts of
Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover
<i>them</i> within that time?   27 Wherefore I have not sinned
against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p11.4">Lord</span> the Judge be judge this day between
the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.   28 Howbeit
the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of
Jephthah which he sent him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p12">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p13">I. Jephthah, as one having authority, sent
to the king of Ammon, who in this war was the aggressor, to demand
his reasons for invading the land of Israel: "<i>Why hast thou come
to fight against me in my land?</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.12" parsed="|Judg|11|12|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Had I come first into thy land
to disturb thee in thy possession, this would have been reason
enough for fighting against me, for how must force be repelled but
by force? but what hast thou to do to come thus in a hostile manner
into <i>my land?</i>" so he calls it, in the name both of God and
Israel. Now this fair demand shows, 1. That Jephthah did not
delight in war, though he was a mighty man of valour, but was
willing to prevent it by a peaceable accommodation. If he could by
reason persuade the invaders to retire, he would not compel them to
do it by the sword. War should be the last remedy, not to be used
till all other methods of ending matters in variance have been
tried in vain, <i>ratio ultima regum—the last resource of
kings.</i> This rule should be observed in going to law. The sword
of justice, as well as the sword of war, must not be appealed to
till the contending parties have first endeavoured by gentler means
to understand one another, and to accommodate matters in variance,
<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.6.1" parsed="|1Cor|6|1|0|0" passage="1Co 6:1">1 Cor. vi. 1</scripRef>. 2. That
Jephthah did delight in equity, and designed no other than to do
justice. If the children of Ammon could convince him that Israel
had done them wrong, he was ready to restore the rights of the
Ammonites. If not, it was plain by their invasion that they did
Israel wrong, and he was ready to maintain the rights of the
Israelites. A sense of justice should guide and govern us in all
our undertakings.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p14">II. The king of the Ammonites now gives in
his demand, which he should have published before he had invaded
Israel, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.13" parsed="|Judg|11|13|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. His
pretence is, "Israel took away my lands long since; now therefore
restore those lands." We have reason to think the Ammonites, when
they made this descent upon Israel, meant no other than to spoil
and plunder the country, and enrich themselves with the prey, as
they had done formerly under Eglon (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.3.13" parsed="|Judg|3|13|0|0" passage="Jdg 3:13"><i>ch.</i> iii. 13</scripRef>) when no such demand as
this was made, though the matter was then fresh; but when Jephthah
demanded the cause of their quarrel, and they could not for shame
own what was their true intent and meaning, some old musty records
were searched, or some ancient traditions enquired into, and from
them this reason was drawn to serve the present turn, for a
colourable pretence of equity in the invasion. Even those that do
the greatest wrong yet have such a conviction in their consciences
of justice that they would seem to do right. <i>Restore those
lands.</i> See upon what uncertain terms we hold our worldly
possessions; what we think we have the surest hold of may be
challenged from us, and wrested out of our hands. Those that have
got to the heavenly Canaan need not fear having their titles
questioned.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p15">III. Jephthah gives in a very full and
satisfactory answer to this demand, showing it to be altogether
unjust and unreasonable, and that the Ammonites had no title to
this country that lay between the rivers Arnon and Jabbok, now in
the possession of the tribes of Reuben and Gad. As one very well
versed in the history of his country, he shows,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p16">1. That Israel never took any land away
either from the Moabites or Ammonites. He puts them together
because they were brethren, the children of Lot, near neighbours,
and of united interests, having the same god, Chemosh, and perhaps
sometimes the same king. The lands in question Israel took away,
not from the Moabites or Ammonites (they had particular orders from
God not to meddle with them nor any thing they had, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.9 Bible:Deut.2.19" parsed="|Deut|2|9|0|0;|Deut|2|19|0|0" passage="De 2:9,19">Deut. ii. 9, 19</scripRef>, and religiously
observed their orders), but they found them in the possession of
Sihon king of the Amorites, and out of his hand they took them
justly and honourably, as he will show afterwards. If the Amorites,
before Israel came into that country, had taken these lands from
the Moabites or Ammonites, as it should seem they had (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p16.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.26 Bible:Josh.13.25" parsed="|Num|21|26|0|0;|Josh|13|25|0|0" passage="Nu 21:26,Jos 13:25">Num. xxi. 26; Josh. xiii.
25</scripRef>), Israel was not concerned to enquire into that or
answer for it. If the Ammonites had lost these lands and their
title to them, the children of Israel were under no obligation to
recover the possession for them. Their business was to conquer for
themselves, not for other people. This is his first plea, "Not
guilty of the trespass."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p17">2. That they were so far from invading the
property of any other nations than the devoted posterity of cursed
Canaan (one of the branches of which the Amorites were, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p17.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.16" parsed="|Gen|10|16|0|0" passage="Ge 10:16">Gen. x. 16</scripRef>) that they would not so
much as force a passage through the country either of the Edomites,
the seed of Esau, or of the Moabites, the seed of Lot; but even
after a very tedious march through the wilderness, with which they
were sadly tired (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p17.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.16" parsed="|Judg|11|16|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>), when the king of Edom first, and afterwards the
king of Moab, denied them the courtesy of a way through their
country (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p17.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.17" parsed="|Judg|11|17|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>),
rather than give them any offence or annoyance, weary as they were,
they put themselves to the further fatigue of compassing both the
land of Edom and that of Moab, and came not within the border of
either, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p17.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.18" parsed="|Judg|11|18|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>.
Note, Those that behave themselves inoffensively may take the
comfort of it, and plead it against those that charge them with
injustice and wrong doing. Our <i>righteousness will answer for us
in time to come</i> (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p17.5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.33" parsed="|Gen|30|33|0|0" passage="Ge 30:33">Gen. xxx.
33</scripRef>) and will <i>put to silence the ignorance of foolish
men,</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p17.6" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.15" parsed="|1Pet|2|15|0|0" passage="1Pe 2:15">1 Pet. ii. 15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p18">3. That in that war in which they took this
land out of the hands of Sihon king of the Amorites he was the
aggressor, and not they, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p18.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.19-Judg.11.20" parsed="|Judg|11|19|11|20" passage="Jdg 11:19,20"><i>v.</i>
19, 20</scripRef>. They sent a humble petition to him for leave to
go through his land, willing to give him any security for their
good behaviour in their march. "<i>Let us pass</i> (say they)
<i>unto our place,</i> that is, to the land of Canaan, which is the
only place we call ours, and to which we are pressing forward, not
designing a settlement here." But Sihon not only denied them this
courtesy, as Edom and Moab had done (had he only done so, who knows
but Israel might have gone about some other way?) but he mustered
all his forces, and fought against Israel (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p18.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.20" parsed="|Judg|11|20|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), not only shut them out of his
own land, but would have cut them off from the face of the earth
(<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p18.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.23-Num.21.24" parsed="|Num|21|23|21|24" passage="Nu 21:23,24">Num. xxi. 23, 24</scripRef>),
aimed at nothing less than their ruin, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p18.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.20" parsed="|Judg|11|20|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. Israel therefore, in their war
with him, stood in their own just and necessary defence, and
therefore, having routed his army, might justly, in further revenge
of the injury, seize his country as forfeited. Thus Israel came to
the possession of this country, and doubted not to make good their
title to it; and it is very unreasonable for the Ammonites to
question their title, for the Amorites were the inhabitants of that
country, and it was purely their land and their coasts that the
Israelites then made themselves masters of, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p18.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.21-Judg.11.22" parsed="|Judg|11|21|11|22" passage="Jdg 11:21,22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p19">4. He pleads a grant from the crown, and
claims under that, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p19.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.23-Judg.11.24" parsed="|Judg|11|23|11|24" passage="Jdg 11:23,24"><i>v.</i> 23,
24</scripRef>. It was not Israel (they were fatigued with their
long march, and were not fit for action so soon), but it was the
Lord God of Israel, who is King of nations, whose the earth is and
the fulness thereof, he it was that dispossessed the Amorites and
planted Israel in their room. God gave them the land by an express
and particular conveyance, such as vested the title in them, which
they might make good against all the world. <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p19.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.24" parsed="|Deut|2|24|0|0" passage="De 2:24">Deut. ii. 24</scripRef>, <i>I have given into thy hand
Sihon and his land;</i> he gave it to them, by giving them a
complete victory over the present occupants, notwithstanding the
great disadvantages they were under. "Can you think that God gave
it to us in such an extraordinary manner with design that we should
return it to the Moabites or Ammonites again? No, we put a higher
value upon God's favours than to part with them so easily." To
corroborate this plea, he urges an argument <i>ad
hominem</i>—<i>directed to the man: Wilt not thou possess that
which Chemosh thy god giveth thee?</i> He not only appeals to the
common resolutions of men to hold their own against all the world,
but to the common religion of the nations, which, they thought,
obliged them to make much of that which their gods gave them. Not
that Jephthah thought Chemosh a god, only he is <i>thy god,</i> and
the worshippers even of those dunghill deities that could do
neither good nor evil yet thought themselves beholden to them for
all they had (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p19.3" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.12" parsed="|Hos|2|12|0|0" passage="Ho 2:12">Hos. ii. 12</scripRef>,
<i>These are my rewards which my lovers have given me;</i> and see
<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p19.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.16.24" parsed="|Judg|16|24|0|0" passage="Jdg 16:24">Judg. xvi. 24</scripRef>) and made
this a reason why they would hold it fast, that their gods gave it
to them. "This thou thinkest a good title, and shall not we?" The
Ammonites had dispossessed those that dwelt in their land before
them; they thought they did it by the help of Chemosh their god,
but really it was Jehovah the God of Israel that did it for them,
as is expressly said, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p19.5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.19-Deut.2.20" parsed="|Deut|2|19|2|20" passage="De 2:19,20">Deut. ii. 19,
21</scripRef>. "Now," says Jephthah, "we have as good a title to
our country as you have to yours." Note, One instance of the honour
and respect we owe to God, as our God, is rightly to possess that
which he gives us to possess, receive it from him, use it for him,
keep it for his sake, and part with it when he calls for it. He has
given it to us to possess, not to enjoy. He himself only must be
enjoyed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p20">5. He pleads prescription. (1.) Their title
had not been disputed when they first entered upon it, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p20.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.25" parsed="|Judg|11|25|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. "Balak who was then
king of Moab, from whom the greatest part of these lands had been
taken by the Amorites, and who was most concerned and best able to
oppose us, if he had had any thing to object against our settlement
there, yet sat still, and never offered to strive against Israel."
He knew that for his own part he had fairly lost it to the Amorites
and was not able to recover it, and could not but acknowledge that
Israel had fairly won it of the Amorites, and therefore all his
care was to secure what was left: he never pretended a title to
what was lost. See <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p20.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.2-Num.22.3" parsed="|Num|22|2|22|3" passage="Nu 22:2,3">Num. xxii. 2,
3</scripRef>. "He then acquiesced in God's way of disposing of
kingdoms, and wilt not thou now?" (2.) Their possession had never
yet been disturbed, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p20.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.26" parsed="|Judg|11|26|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>. He pleads that they had kept this country as their
own now about 300 years, and the Ammonites in all that time had
never attempted to take it from them, no, not when they had it in
their power to oppress them, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p20.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.3.13-Judg.3.14" parsed="|Judg|3|13|3|14" passage="Jdg 3:13,14"><i>ch.</i> iii. 13, 14</scripRef>. So that, supposing
their title had not been clear at the first (which yet he had
proved it was), yet, no claim having been made for so many
generations, the entry of the children of Ammon, without doubt, was
barred for ever. A title so long unquestioned shall be presumed
unquestionable.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p21">6. By these arguments Jephthah justifies
himself and his own cause ("I have not sinned against thee in
taking or keeping what I have no right to; if I had, I would
instantly make restitution" ), and condemns the Ammonites: "<i>Thou
doest me wrong to war against me,</i> and must expect to speed
accordingly," <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p21.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.27" parsed="|Judg|11|27|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:27"><i>v.</i>
27</scripRef>. It seems to me an evidence that the children of
Israel, in the days of their prosperity and power (for some such
days they had in the times of the judges) had conducted themselves
very inoffensively to all their neighbours and had not been
vexatious or oppressing to them (either by way of reprisal or under
colour of propagating their religion), that the king of the
Ammonites, when he would seek an occasion of quarrelling with them,
was forced to look 300 years back for a pretence. It becomes the
people of God thus to be blameless and harmless, and without
rebuke.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p22">7. For the deciding of the controversy, he
puts himself upon God and his sword, and the king of Ammon joins
issue with him (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p22.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.27-Judg.11.28" parsed="|Judg|11|27|11|28" passage="Jdg 11:27,28"><i>v.</i> 27,
28</scripRef>): <i>The Lord the Judge be judge this day.</i> With
this solemn reference of the matter to the Judge of heaven and
earth he designs either to deter the Ammonites from proceeding and
oblige them to retire, when they saw the right of the cause was
against them, or to justify himself in subduing them if they should
go on. Note, War is an appeal to heaven, to God the Judge of all,
to whom the issues of it belong. If doubtful rights be disputed, he
is hereby requested to determine them. If manifest rights be
invaded or denied, he is hereby applied to for the vindicating of
what is just and the punishing of wrong. As the sword of justice
was made for lawless and disobedient persons (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p22.2" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.1.9" parsed="|1Tim|1|9|0|0" passage="1Ti 1:9">1 Tim. i. 9</scripRef>), so was the sword of war made for
lawless and disobedient princes and nations. In war therefore the
eye must be ever up to God, and it must always be thought a
dangerous thing to desire or expect that God should patronise
unrighteousness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p23">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 (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p23.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.10.8" parsed="|Judg|10|8|0|0" passage="Jdg 10:8"><i>ch.</i> x.
8</scripRef>), 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Jud.xii-p0.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.29-Judg.11.40" parsed="|Judg|11|29|11|40" passage="Jud 11:29-40" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Judg.11.29-Judg.11.40">
<h4 id="Jud.xii-p23.3">Jephthah's Vow. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p23.4">b. c.</span> 1143.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jud.xii-p24">29 Then the Spirit of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p24.1">Lord</span> came upon Jephthah, and he passed over
Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from
Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over <i>unto</i> the children of Ammon.
  30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p24.2">Lord</span>, and said, If thou shalt without fail
deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,   31 Then it
shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to
meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall
surely be the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p24.3">Lord</span>'s, and I will
offer it up for a burnt offering.   32 So Jephthah passed over
unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p24.4">Lord</span> delivered them into his hands.  
33 And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minneth,
<i>even</i> twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards,
with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were
subdued before the children of Israel.   34 And Jephthah came
to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to
meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she <i>was his</i> only
child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.   35 And it
came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said,
Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one
of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p24.5">Lord</span>, and I cannot go back.   36 And
she said unto him, My father, <i>if</i> thou hast opened thy mouth
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p24.6">Lord</span>, do to me according to
that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jud.xii-p24.7">Lord</span> hath taken vengeance for thee of
thine enemies, <i>even</i> of the children of Ammon.   37 And
she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me
alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and
bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.   38 And he said, Go.
And he sent her away <i>for</i> two months: and she went 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
unto her father, who did with her <i>according</i> to his vow which
he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,
  40 <i>That</i> the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament
the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p25">We have here Jephthah triumphing in a
glorious victory, but, as an alloy to his joy, troubled and
distressed by an unadvised vow.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p26">I. Jephthah's victory was clear, and shines
very brightly, both to his honour and to the honour of God, his in
pleading and God's in owning a righteous cause. 1. God gave him an
excellent spirit, and he improved it bravely, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p26.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.29" parsed="|Judg|11|29|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. When it appeared by the
people's unanimous choice of him for their leader that he had so
clear a call to engage, and by the obstinate deafness of the king
of Ammon to the proposals of accommodation that he had so just a
cause to engage in, then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and
very much advanced his natural faculties, enduing him with power
from on high, and making him more bold and more wise than ever he
had been, and more fired with a holy zeal against the enemies of
his people. Hereby God confirmed him in his office, and assured him
of success in his undertaking. Thus animated, he loses no time, but
with an undaunted resolution takes the field. Particular notice is
taken of the way by which he advanced towards the enemy's camp,
probably because the choice of it was an instance of that
extraordinary discretion with which the Spirit of the Lord had
furnished him; for those who sincerely walk after the Spirit shall
be led forth the right way. 2. God gave him eminent success, and he
bravely improved that too (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p26.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.32" parsed="|Judg|11|32|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:32"><i>v.</i>
32</scripRef>): <i>The Lord delivered the Ammonites into his
hand,</i> and so gave judgment upon the appeal in favour of the
righteous cause, and made those feel the force of war that would
not yield to the force of reason; for he <i>sits in the throne,
judging right.</i> Jephthah lost not the advantages given him, but
pursued and completed his victory. Having routed their forces in
the field, he pursued them to their cities, where he put to the
sword all he found in arms, so as utterly to disable them from
giving Israel any molestation, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p26.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.33" parsed="|Judg|11|33|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. But it does not appear that he
utterly destroyed the people, as Joshua had destroyed the devoted
nations, nor that he offered to make himself master of the country,
though their pretensions to the land of Israel might have given him
colour to do so: only he took care that they should be effectually
subdued. Though others' attempting wrong to us will justify us in
the defence of our own right, yet it will not authorize us to do
them wrong.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p27">II. Jephthah's vow is dark, and much in the
clouds. When he was going out from his own house upon this
hazardous undertaking, in prayer to God for his presence with him
he makes a secret but solemn vow or religious promise to God, that,
if God would graciously bring him back a conqueror, whosoever or
whatsoever should first come out of his house to meet him it should
be devoted to God, and offered up for a burnt-offering. At his
return, tidings of his victory coming home before him, his own and
only daughter meets him with the seasonable expressions of joy.
This puts him into a great confusion; but there was no remedy:
after she had taken some time to lament her own infelicity, she
cheerfully submitted to the performance of his vow. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p28">1. There are several good lessons to be
learnt out of this story. (1.) That there may be remainders of
distrust and doubting even in the hearts of true and great
believers. Jephthah had reason enough to be confident of success,
especially when he found <i>the Spirit of the Lord come upon
him,</i> and yet, now that it comes to the settling, he seems to
hesitate (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p28.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.30" parsed="|Judg|11|30|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>):
<i>If thou wilt without fail deliver them into my hand,</i> then I
will do so and so. And perhaps the snare into which his vow brought
him was designed to correct the weakness of his faith, and a fond
conceit he had that he could not promise himself a victory unless
he proffered something considerable to be given to God in lieu of
it. (2.) That yet it is very good, when we are in the pursuit or
expectation of any mercy, to make vows to God of some instance of
acceptable service to him, not as a purchase of the favour we
desire, but as an expression of our gratitude to him and the deep
sense we have of our obligations to render according to the benefit
done to us. The matter of such a singular vow (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p28.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.2" parsed="|Lev|27|2|0|0" passage="Le 27:2">Lev. xxvii. 2</scripRef>) must be something that has a
plain and direct tendency either to the advancement of God's glory,
and the interests of his kingdom among men, or to the furtherance
of ourselves in his service, and in that which is antecedently our
duty. (3.) That we have great need to be very cautious and well
advised in the making of such vows, lest, by indulging a present
emotion even of pious zeal, we entangle our own consciences,
involve ourselves in perplexities, and are forced at last to <i>say
before the angel that it was an error,</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p28.3" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.2-Eccl.5.6" parsed="|Eccl|5|2|5|6" passage="Ec 5:2-6">Eccl. v. 2-6</scripRef>. <i>It is a snare to a man</i>
hastily to <i>devour that which is holy,</i> without due
consideration <i>quid valeant humeri, quid ferre recusent—what we
are able or unable to effect,</i> and without inserting the needful
provisos and limitations which might prevent the entanglement, and
then after vows to make the enquiry which should have been made
before, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p28.4" osisRef="Bible:Prov.20.25" parsed="|Prov|20|25|0|0" passage="Pr 20:25">Prov. xx. 25</scripRef>. Let
Jephthah's harm be our warning in this matter. See <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p28.5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.22" parsed="|Deut|23|22|0|0" passage="De 23:22">Deut. xxiii. 22</scripRef>. (4.) That what we
have solemnly vowed to God we must conscientiously perform, if it
be possible and lawful, though it be ever so difficult and grievous
to us. Jephthah's sense of the powerful obligation of his vow must
always be ours (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p28.6" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.35" parsed="|Judg|11|35|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:35"><i>v.</i>
35</scripRef>): "<i>I have opened my mouth unto the Lord</i> in a
solemn vow, <i>and I cannot go back,</i>" that is, "I cannot recall
the vow myself, it is too late, nor can any power on earth dispense
with it, or give me up my bond." The thing was my own, and <i>in my
own power</i> (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p28.7" osisRef="Bible:Acts.5.4" parsed="|Acts|5|4|0|0" passage="Ac 5:4">Acts v. 4</scripRef>),
but now it is not. <i>Vow and pay,</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p28.8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.11" parsed="|Ps|76|11|0|0" passage="Ps 76:11">Ps. lxxvi. 11</scripRef>. We deceive ourselves if we
think to mock God. If we apply this to the consent we have solemnly
given, in our sacramental vows, to the covenant of grace made with
poor sinners in Christ, what a powerful argument will it be against
the sins we have by those vows bound ourselves out from, what a
strong inducement to the duties we have hereby bound ourselves up
to, and what a ready answer to every temptation! "<i>I have opened
my mouth to the Lord,</i> and <i>I cannot go back;</i> I must
therefore go forward. I have sworn, and I must, I will, perform it.
Let me not dare to play fast and loose with God." (5.) That it well
becomes children obediently and cheerfully to submit to their
parents in the Lord, and particularly to comply with their pious
resolutions for the honour of God and the keeping up of religion in
their families, though they be harsh and severe, as the Rechabites,
who for many generations religiously observed the commands of
Jonadab their father in forbearing wine, and Jephthah's daughter
here, who, for the satisfying of her father's conscience, and for
the honour of God and her country, yielded herself as one devoted
(<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p28.9" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.36" parsed="|Judg|11|36|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>): "<i>Do to
me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth;</i> I
know I am dear to thee, but am well content that God should be
dearer." The father might disallow any vow made by the daughter
(<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p28.10" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.5" parsed="|Num|30|5|0|0" passage="Nu 30:5">Num. xxx. 5</scripRef>), but the
daughter could not disallow or disannul, no, not such a vow as
this, made by the father. This magnifies the law of the fifth
commandment. (6.) That our friends' grievances should be our
griefs. Where she went to bewail her hard fate the virgins, her
companions, joined with her in her lamentations, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p28.11" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.38" parsed="|Judg|11|38|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>. With those of her own sex and
age she used to associate, who no doubt, now that her father had on
a sudden grown so great, expected, shortly after his return, to
dance at her wedding, but were heavily disappointed when they were
called to retire to the mountains with her and share in her griefs.
Those are unworthy the name of friends that will only rejoice with
us, and not weep with us. (7.) That heroic zeal for the honour of
God and Israel, though alloyed with infirmity and indiscretion, is
worthy to be had in perpetual remembrance. It well became the
daughters of Israel by an annual solemnity to preserve the
honourable memory of Jephthah's daughter, who made light even of
her own life like a noble heroine, when God had taken vengeance on
Israel's enemies, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p28.12" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.36" parsed="|Judg|11|36|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:36"><i>v.</i>
36</scripRef>. Such a rare instance of one that preferred the
public interest before life itself was never to be forgotten. Her
sex forbade her to follow to the war, and so to expose her life in
battle, in lieu of which she hazards it much more (and perhaps
apprehended that she did so, having some intimation of his vow, and
did it designedly; for he tells her, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p28.13" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.35" parsed="|Judg|11|35|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>, <i>Thou hast brought me very
low</i>) to grace his triumphs. So transported was she with the
victory as a common benefit that she was willing to be herself
offered up as a thank-offering for it, and would think her life
well bestowed when laid down on so great an occasion. She thinks it
an honour to die, not as a sacrifice of atonement for the people's
sins (that honour was reserved for Christ only), but as a sacrifice
of acknowledgment for the people's mercies. (8.) From Jephthah's
concern on this occasion, we must learn not to think it strange if
the day of our triumphs in this world prove upon some account or
other the day of our griefs, and therefore must always rejoice with
trembling; we hope for a day of triumph hereafter which will have
no alloy.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p29">2. Yet there are some difficult questions
that do arise upon this story which have very much employed the
pens of learned men. I will say but little respecting them, because
Mr. Poole has discussed them very fully in his English
annotations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p30">(1.) It is hard to say what Jephthah did to
his daughter in performance of his vow. [1.] Some think he only
shut her up for a nun, and that it being unlawful, according to one
part of his vow (for they make it disjunctive), to offer her up for
a burnt-offering, he thus, according to the other part, engaged her
to <i>be the Lord's,</i> that is, totally to sequester herself from
all the affairs of this life, and consequently from marriage, and
to employ herself wholly in the acts of devotion all her days. That
which countenances this opinion is that she is <i>said to bewail
her virginity</i> (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p30.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.37-Judg.11.38" parsed="|Judg|11|37|11|38" passage="Jdg 11:37,38"><i>v.</i> 37,
38</scripRef>) and that <i>she knew no man,</i> <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p30.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.39" parsed="|Judg|11|39|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>. But, if he sacrificed her, it
was proper enough for her to bewail, not her death, because that
was intended to be for the honour of God, and she would undergo it
cheerfully, but that unhappy circumstance of it which made it more
grievous to her than any other, because she was her father's only
child, in whom he hoped his name and family would be built up, that
she was unmarried, and so left no issue to inherit her father's
honour and estate; therefore it is particularly taken notice of
(<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p30.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.34" parsed="|Judg|11|34|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>) that
besides her he had neither son nor daughter. But that which makes
me think Jephthah did not go about thus to satisfy his vow, or
evade it rather, is that we do not find any law, usage, or custom,
in all the Old Testament, which does in the least intimate that a
single life was any branch or article of religion, or that any
person, man or woman, was looked upon as the more holy, more the
Lord's, or devoted to him, for living unmarried: it was no part of
the law either of the priests or of the Nazarites. Deborah and
Huldah, both prophetesses, are both of them particularly recorded
to have been married women. Besides, had she only been confined to
a single life, she needed not to have desired these two months to
bewail it in: she had her whole life before her to do that, if she
saw cause. Nor needed she to take such a sad leave of her
companions; for those that are of that opinion understand what is
said in <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p30.4" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.40" parsed="|Judg|11|40|0|0" passage="Jdg 11:40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef> of
their coming to <i>talk with her,</i> as our margin reads it, four
days in a year. Therefore, [2.] It seems more probable that he
offered her up for a sacrifice, according to the letter of his vow,
misunderstanding that law which spoke of persons devoted by the
curse of God as if it were to be applied to such as were devoted by
men's vows (<scripRef id="Jud.xii-p30.5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.29" parsed="|Lev|27|29|0|0" passage="Le 27:29">Lev. xxvii. 29</scripRef>,
<i>None devoted shall be redeemed, but shall surely be put to
death</i>), and wanting to be better informed of the power the law
gave him in this case to redeem her. Abraham's attempt to offer up
Isaac perhaps encouraged him, and made him think, if God would not
accept this sacrifice which he had vowed, he would send an angel to
stay his hand, as he did Abraham's. If she came out designedly to
be made a sacrifice, as who knows but she might? perhaps he thought
that would make the case the plainer. <i>Volenti non sit
injuria—No injury is done to a person by that to which he himself
consents.</i> He imagined, it may be, that where there was neither
anger nor malice there was no murder, and that his good intention
would sanctify this bad action; and, since he had made such a vow,
he thought better to kill his daughter than break his vow, and let
Providence bear the blame, that brought her forth to meet him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jud.xii-p31">(2.) But, supposing that Jephthah did
sacrifice his daughter, the question is whether he did well. [1.]
Some justify him in it, and think he did well, and as became one
that preferred the honour of God before that which was dearest to
him in this world. He is mentioned among the eminent believers who
by faith did great things, <scripRef id="Jud.xii-p31.1" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.32" parsed="|Heb|11|32|0|0" passage="Heb 11:32">Heb. xi.
32</scripRef>. And this was one of the great things he did. It was
done deliberately, and upon two months' consideration and
consultation. He is never blamed for it by any inspired writer.
Though it highly exalts the paternal authority, yet it cannot
justify any in doing the like. He was an extraordinary person.
<i>The Spirit of the Lord came upon him.</i> Many circumstances,
now unknown to us, might make this altogether extraordinary, and
justify it, yet not so as that it might justify the like. Some
learned men have made this sacrifice a figure of Christ the great
sacrifice: he was of unspotted purity and innocency, as she a
chaste virgin; he was devoted to death by his Father, and so made a
curse, or an anathema, for us; he submitted himself, as she did, to
his Father's will: <i>Not as I will, but as thou wilt.</i> But,
[2.] Most condemn Jephthah; he did ill to make so rash a vow, and
worse to perform it. He could not be bound by his vow to that which
God had forbidden by the letter of the sixth commandment: <i>Thou
shalt not kill.</i> God had forbidden human sacrifices, so that it
was (says Dr. Lightfoot) in effect a sacrifice to Moloch. And,
probably, the reason why it is left dubious by the inspired penman
whether he sacrificed her or no was that those who did afterwards
offer their children might not take any encouragement from this
instance. Concerning this and some other such passages in the
sacred story, which learned men are in the dark, divided, and in
doubt about, we need not much perplex ourselves; what is necessary
to our salvation, thanks be to God, is plain enough.</p>
</div></div2>