Judges 11:1-9

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 11:4-11

Here is, I. The distress which the children of Israel were in upon the Ammonites? invasion of their country, Jdg. 11:4. Probably this was the same invasion with that mentioned, Jdg. 10:17; when the children of Ammon were gathered together and encamped in or against Gilead. And those words, in process of time, 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. II. The court which the... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 11:2

And Gilead's wife bare him sons ,.... It seems that, after the birth of Jephthah, Gilead took him a lawful wife, who bore him sons: and his wife's sons grew up ; to the estate of men: and they thrust out Jephthah : out of his father's house, his father in all likelihood being dead, or he would not have suffered it, and what follows confirms it that he was dead: and said unto him, thou shalt not inherit in our father's house : as he might not, if the son of an harlot, or of a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 11:3

Then Jephthah fled from his brethren ,.... Being ill used by them, and a man of spirit and courage, and could not bear to be treated with contempt, nor to live in a dependence on others, and therefore sought to make himself another way: and dwelt in the land of Tob ; which Kimchi and Ben Gersom think was the name of the lord and owner of the land; Abarbinel interprets it, a good land, as Tob signifies, so the Targum; but others the name of a city or country, and conjecture it may be the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 11:4

And it came to pass in process of time ,.... Some time after Jephthah had been expelled from his father's house, and he was become famous for his martial genius, and military exploits; or at the close of the eighteen years' oppression of the children of Israel by the Ammonites, or some few days after the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpeh, that the people and princes of Gilead were preparing for war with Ammon, and were thinking of a proper person to be their general: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 11:5

And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel ,.... Were preparing for it, and had assembled their forces near them, and had began to make some efforts against them: the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob ; they did not send messengers to him, but went themselves, partly to show greater respect to him, and partly in hopes of better success, being aware of objections he would make, which they could better answer themselves than a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 11:6

And they said unto Jephthah, come and be our captain ,.... The general of their army, to conduct and lead on their forces; they did not propose him to be their king, being convinced by Abimelech's conduct that such a step would be wrong; nor did they say anything of his being their judge, having no other view than to serve their present exigence; besides, a judge was not one chosen by the people, but raised up of God, and which honour was conferred on Jephthah afterwards: that we may... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 11:7

And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead ,.... In answer to their request; who though not backward to engage in the war with them, yet thought it proper to take this opportunity to upbraid them with their former unkindness to him: did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house ? for it seems some of these elders at least were his brethren; for who else could be thought to hate him, and through hatred to thrust him out of his father's house, but they? nor is it at all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 11:8

And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah ,.... In reply to his objection: therefore we turn again unto thee now ; being sensible of the injury they had done him, and repenting of it, of which their return to him was an evidence; it being with this view to remove the disgrace and dishonour that had been cast upon him, by conferring such honour on him, as to be their chief ruler: that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the... read more

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