Judges 11:1

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 11:1

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour ,.... Jephthah had his name of Gileadite either from his father, whose name was Gilead, or from the city and country in which he was born, which is most likely, and so was of the same country with the preceding judge; and he was a man of great strength and valour, and which perhaps became known by his successful excursions on parties of the enemies of Israel, the Ammonites, being at the head of a band of men, who lived by the booty they... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 11:1

Now Jephthah - was the son of a harlot - I think the word זונה zonah , which we here render harlot, should be translated, as is contended for on Joshua 2:1 ; (note), viz. a hostess, keeper of an inn or tavern for the accommodation of travelers; and thus it is understood by the Targum of Jonathan on this place: פונדקיתא אתתא בר והוא vehu bar ittetha pundekitha , "and he was the son of a woman, a tavern keeper." She was very probably a Canaanite, as she is called, ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 11:1

The history of Jephthah appears to be an independent history inserted by the compiler of the Book of Judges. Judges 11:4-5 introduce the Ammonite war without any apparent reference to Judges 10:17-18.A genealogy of Manasseh 1 Chronicles 7:14-17 gives the families which sprang from Gilead, and among them mention is made of an “Aramitess” concubine as the mother of one family. Jephthah, the son of Gilead by a strange woman, fled, after his father’s death, to the land of Tob Judges 11:3,... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 11:1

Judges 11:1. Jephthah the Gileadite So called, either from his father Gilead, or from the mountain, or city of Gilead, the place of his birth. Son of a harlot That is, a bastard. And though such were not ordinarily to enter into the congregation of the Lord, Deuteronomy 23:2; yet God can dispense with his own laws, and hath sometimes done honour to base-born persons, so far, that some of them were admitted to be the progenitors of the Lord Jesus Christ. And Gilead begat Jephthah One of... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 11:1-40

Jephthah and five other judges (10:1-12:15)Little is known of the political or military activities of the judges Tola and Jair. They both exercised power for lengthy periods, and Jair’s family certainly enjoyed considerable power and prestige among the East Jordan tribes (10:1-5).Again the Israelites turned away from Yahweh and worshipped false gods, and again they were punished. The Ammonites conquered the eastern tribes, crossed Jordan, and seized large portions of Israelite territory in... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Judges 11:1

Jephthah = He will deliver. Note the Fig, Epanadiplosis ( App-6 ), to call attention to the facts of this verse, introducing Jephthah. All was irregular: no king, no judge, no priest. Gileadite = son of the man Gilead. man. Hebrew. gibbor. App-14 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Judges 11:1

THE TRAGIC STORY OF JEPHTHAH (Judges 11:1-40)VIII. JEPHTHAHJEPHTHAH'S EARLY LIFE (Judges 11:1-3)"Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and when his wife's sons grew up, they drove out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of another woman. Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 11:1

CHAP. XI. Jephthah's covenant with the Gileadites: his vow; which he performeth on his daughter. Before Christ 1186. Judges 11:1. The son of an harlot— See the note on Joshua 2:1. Josephus understands it, that he was a stranger by the mother's side. The meaning of the original word, which we render harlot, is explained in the second verse;—a strange woman, or a woman of another country. REFLECTIONS.—The people being reduced to straits, and a captain wanted, we have here an account of one whom,... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 11:1

1. Jephthah—"opener." son of an harlot—a concubine, or foreigner; implying an inferior sort of marriage prevalent in Eastern countries. Whatever dishonor might attach to his birth, his own high and energetic character rendered him early a person of note. Gilead begat Jephthah—His father seems to have belonged to the tribe of Manasseh (1 Chronicles 7:14; 1 Chronicles 7:17). read more

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