+ was grieved y for the miſery of Ifrael. Ifa; 63:9. x This was an evidence of the ſincerity of their ſorrow, that they tf H=b: was jd no: only confeſs and bewail their Sins,but alſo forſake them,and/” meds ioath theintelves for them. y Not propcrly, or as to inward affe. tion; for God being infinitely happy, is not capable of grieving: but figuratively, and as to outward expreſſions He a&ed towards chem, Ike one that felr their Sufferings ; he had pity upor them, -epented of bis ſevere Procezdings againſt them, and quite changed his carriage towards taem.and puniihed their Enemies as ſorely as if chey bad g-ieved :nJ injured his own Perſon.
17 Then the children of Ammon were F gathered together, and encamped in Gilead: and the children of Hrael aflembled chemſelves together, and encamped in Mizpeh 2.
z That Mizpeh which was beyond Jordan in Gad or Manaſſth; of which ſee Gen: 317 49+ Joſh: 18; 26. Judg, 10: 17. and 11: 11, 29, 34»
T here were other Ciries of that name 1n Scripture.
18 Ard the peopje «xd princes of Gilead faid one to another, What man: he that will begin to fight againſt the children of Ammon ? he ſhal * be head over all the » Chap: inhabicants of Gilead.
CHAP. XL
Jephthah dwells in the Land of Tob, 1===3. Is called by the Elders of Gilead t9 commanid in chief againſt the Ammonites, 4,— 6. He demanas to be
_ emmtinued Hend oficr the War ſhould ceaſe, they ſwear it jball be ſos,
| 2+ WV 3 7. 11s He
x Deurt: 28: 20,
*Deut:32, 37, 38. Jer: 23 28.
t Heb: is 2 good in thine eye.
l T Heb: goxs and * his ſoul rangers.
THebtcricd togethere
II; 8»
|
I
Kt]
f : Wu \n
Jer; 23 24. |
| |» Heb: 11: = 22 called | Jepthe.
* barlot.
$ F
the face.
+ Heb: after days
© Gens 263 27»
+Heb;be the bearer between us.
hap. XI.
| {Heb: frem
*Judg:9:4: 1 Sa; 2232.
— 1 1, He ſendeth twice Meſſengers to the King of the Avimonites to treat of Peace, __ gain, 12 -——- 28, Jephthah marcheth again#t him :
Maketh a wow : Smiteth the Ammonites : Performeth his Vow on his Daugh=
7 Ow * Jephthah the Gileadite « was a mighty man
of valour, and he was the ſon of F an harlot 5 :
and Gilead c begat Jephthah. Fx 2 And Gileads wife bare him ſons, and his wives ſons grew up, and they thruſt out Jephthah, and ſaid unto him, Thou ſhalt not inherit in our fathers houſe,
for thou «rt the ſon of a ftrange woman.
#s So called, either from his Father G:lead, Joſh: 17: 1, 2. or from the Mountain, or City of Gilead, the place of his birth or abode. b i.e. A Baſtard; for though ſuch were not ordinarily #0 enter :nt0 the Congregation of the LORD, Deut: 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 Proge- nitors of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. «c One of the Children of that Ancienter Gilead, Numb: 327 1+ Joſh: 17: Is
2 Then Jephthah fled + from his brethren,and dwelt
in the land of Tob 4: and there were gathered vain
men e to Jephthah, and went out with him f. .
c The name either of the Land or Territory, or of the Man who was the Owner or Ruler of it. 4 This place was in, or near G/lead, as appears by the ſpeedy intercourſe which here was between Jeph- thah and the Iſraelites. e Idle perſons, who deſire to get their hiving rather by Spoil and Rapine, than by honeſt and diligent Labour. Theſe evil-minded pertons Jeph:hah managed well, empleying them againſt the Enemies of GOD, and of Jjrael, that bordered upon them; and particularly, upon parties of the Ammonites, which made rhe Iſraelites more forward to chuſe him for theirCheiftain in this War: f When he made excurſions and attempts upon his and their Ene- mes. : -
C And it came to paſs Þ in proceſs of time g, that the children of Ammon made war againſt Iſrael.
g Heb. after ſome days : or, aftcr a year, days being oft put for a year, as hath been fhewed, after that year mentionedy Judges 10. 8. ; The Ammonites had vexed and oppreſſed them eighteen Years, and now that the 17aelites begin to make Oppoſition, they commence a War againſt them. ' Or ſome time after Jephthah had been baniſh'd, and after ke had taken up Arms, and given them ſome diſturbance. Or, after the {raelices afſembled together, as 1s faid, Judges 1018.
G E Ss, and Jephthah uttered all his words þ before the LORD q in Mizpeh.
p ObjcQtively fo called, te. All that was ſpoken, not only by him, but alſo by the Elders of Gilead, concerning him, and concern ning this whole TranſaCtion, and the conditions of it ; or, al! hi; matters, the whole buſineſs. 9 i. e. Before the publick Congre gatie on, wherewith God was uſually, and then eſpecially preſent ; ſee Exod. 20. 24+ Deut. 6, 25. Maithe 18- 10. Or, 'before the Altar which poſſibly they did ere& upon this ſpecial occafion, by God's permiſtion { Or, in God's preſence, calling him to be preſent, as a Witneſs and Judge between theme
12 4 Andjephthah ſent meſſengers r 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 7 ?
7 1. e- Ambaſſadors, to prevent Blood-ſhed, and make peace, as far as 1n him lay ; that ſo the J/raelites might be acquitted before God and men, from all the ſad conſequences of this War; Herein he ſhewed great Prudence,and no leſs Piety. / What pretence,or reaſon« able cauſe haſt thou for this Invaſion? # He ſpeaks this in the name of all the People, whoſe the Land was.
13 And the king of the children of Ammon an- {wered unto the meſſengers of Jephthah, * Becauſe IC. « Num rae] took away my land «, when they came up out of E- 21; 13, gypt,from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore reſtore thoſe /ands again peaceably.