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William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Judges 11:12-40

THE TERRIBLE VOWJudges 11:12-40AT every stage of their history the Hebrews were capable of producing men of passionate religiousness. And this appears as a distinction of the group of nations to which they belong. The Arab of the present time has the same quality. He can be excited to a holy war in which thousands perish. With the battle cry of Allah and his Prophet he forgets fear. He presents a different mingling of character from the Saxon, -turbulence and reverence, sometimes apart, then... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Judges 11:1-40

CHAPTER 11 Jephthah and the Ammonites 1. Jephthah’s covenant (Judges 11:1-11 ) 2. The messages to Ammon (Judges 11:12-28 ) 3. Jephthah’s vow and victory (Judges 11:29-33 ) 4. Jephthah keeps his vow (Judges 11:34-40 ) Jephthah the judge who delivered Israel from the servitude of Ammon was the offspring of an unholy union “the son of an harlot.” Then he became an outcast and had to flee from his brethren. He dwelt in the land of Tob (goodness) and vain, or worthless, men gathered unto... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Judges 11:1-40

JEPHTHAH AND HIS VOW OPPRESSION EAST AND WEST (Judges 10:6-18 ) The story of these verses suggests that preceding the deliverance of Gideon’s time (chap. 6). There seem, indeed, to have been no such widespread idolatry and iniquity in Israel before, and for eighteen years the nation suffered at the hands of the Ammonites on the east and the Philistines on the west (Judges 10:8 ). The Ammonites were very bold and pressed their conquests across the Jordan (Judges 10:9 ). The repentance of... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Judges 11:1-40

Judges 11:0 (Annotated) ["The history of Jephthah appears to be an independent history inserted bodily by the compiler of the Book of Judges. For it is obvious that Judges 11:4-5 , introduce the Ammonitish war without any apparent reference to chap. Judges 10:17-18 , though in perfect agreement with what is there related." The Speaker's Commentary. ] Jdg 11:1-40 ( Giving the results of the best available criticism. ) 1. Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Judges 11:34-40

Various have been the opinions of pious men, on the subject of Jephthah's vow, and the event of it. But as the Holy Ghost hath not thought proper to make the subject clear, it should seem that it is the Lord's pleasure thus to leave it somewhat obscure; perhaps for the greater exercise of pious men's faith. If, as I before remarked, this vow of Jephthah proceeded from the weakness and littleness of his faith, certainly the Lord's rebuke was manifested in the punishment which followed. If, as... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Judges 11:29-40

29-40 Several important lessons are to be learned from Jephthah's vow. 1. There may be remainders of distrust and doubting, even in the hearts of true and great believers. 2. Our vows to God should not be as a purchase of the favour we desire, but to express gratitude to him. 3. We need to be very well-advised in making vows, lest we entangle ourselves. 4. What we have solemnly vowed to God, we must perform, if it be possible and lawful, though it be difficult and grievous to us. 5. It well... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Judges 11:29-40

Jephthah, after his Victory, Keeps His Vow v. 29. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, through the entire country east of Jordan, in order to muster as large an army as possible, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, to Remote in Gilead, with his entire army, to join that already assembled in camp at that place, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon, he attacked them in battle. v. 30. And Jephthah vowed a vow unto... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Judges 11:34-40

Jephthah, returning victoriously, is met by his daughter. The fulfillment of his vowJudges 11:34-40.34And Jephthah came to Mizpeh [Mizpah] unto his house, and behold, his daughter came [comes] out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her28 he had neither son nor daughter. 35And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought [thou bringest] me very low, and thou art one of them [the only one]29... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - Judges 11:29-40

a Shadowed victory Judges 11:29-40 All the nations around were accustomed to offer those dearest to them in sacrifice to their cruel national deities. This was pre-eminently the case with the neighboring country of Moab, which the prophet Micah rebuked, Micah 6:6-8 . But in all that wild border-country, there was then no prophetic voice to arrest Jephthah, who probably felt that Chemosh should not claim from the king of Ammon more than he would surrender to Jehovah. Out of this arose, not... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Judges 11:1-40

At last deliverance came through Jephthah, whose history is full of interest. He was the son of a harlot and had been thrust out from his inheritance by the legitimate sons of his father. Evidently the iron had entered into his soul and he had gathered to himself a band of men and had become a kind of outlaw freebooter. He was evidently a man of courage and heroic daring, and it is impossible to read the story of the approach of the men of Gilead to him without recognizing that he had certain... read more

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