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.
it = him: i.e. Israel. Being masculine (in Hebrew), cannot refer to the land of Judges 11:21 ; and singular, so that it cannot refer to coasts of Judges 11:22 .
Wilt not thou . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis . Jephthah does not recognize Chemosh as a god. The emphasis is on "thy" and "our", and is the argument a fortiori : and, taking them on their own ground, it is the argumentum ad hominem.
whatsoever. This is masculine. But the issuer from his house was feminine. Thus his rash vow was impossible of fulfillment, and was to be repented of.
and = or. The Hebrew ( Vav ) is a connective Particle, and is rendered in many different ways. It is also used as a disjunctive, and is often rendered "or" (or, with a negative, "nor"). See Genesis 41:44 .Exodus 20:4 ; Exodus 21:15 , Exodus 21:17 , Exodus 21:18 . Numbers 16:14 ; Numbers 22:26 (Revised Version "nor"); Deuteronomy 3:24 . 2 Samuel 3:29 . 1Ki 18:10 , 1 Kings 18:27 . With a negative = "nor", "neither". Exodus 20:17 . Deu 7:25 . 2 Samuel 1:21 .Psalms 26:9 . Proverbs 6:4 ; Proverbs 30:3 , &c. See note on "but", 1 Kings 2:9 . Here, Jephthah's vow consisted of two parts: (1) He would either dedicate it to Jehovah (according to Leviticus 27:0 ); or (2) if unsuitable for this, he would offer it as a burnt offering. He performed his vow, and dedicated his daughter to Jehovah by a perpetual virginity (verses: Judges 11:36 , Judges 11:39 , Judges 11:40 ); but he did not offer her as a burnt offering, because it was forbidden by Jehovah, and could not be accepted by Him (Judges 18:21 ; Judges 20:2-5 ).
did with her according to his vow which he had vowed = He did not offer her as a burnt offering; for Jehovah could not accept th a t . Therefore Jephthah must have dedicated her to the LORD by a perpetual virginity. Such a vow was provided for in Leviticus 27:0 . See note on Judges 11:31 .
and she knew no man. This is conclusive. It has nothing to do with a sacrificial death, but it has to do with a dedicated life to Jehovah. Thus was Jephthah's vow fulfilled.
to lament = to rehearse with, as in Judges 5:11 ; to celebrate [her dedication] in praises.
four days in a year. Thus annually her friends "went", evidently to Jephthah's daughter, to rehearse with her this great event of her life: not of her death.
Verse 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 .
Verse 2
strange = foreign.
Verse 3
from. Hebrew "from the face of". Figure of speech Pleonasm. App-6 .
Tob = fruitful land. East of Syria.
vain = unemployed, or bankrupt.
Verse 4
children = sons.
Verse 9
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
Verse 10
be witness = be a hearer.
Verse 11
with. Some codices, with three early printed editions, read "unto".
before the LORD = in the presence of Jehovah.
in Mizpeh. Compare Judges 10:17 .
Verse 15
And said. A special reading ( Sevir , App-34 ) and some codices read "and they said". Hebrew text = he.
Verse 17
me. Most codices, with Syriac, read "us" as in Judges 11:19 . Compare Numbers 20:14 .
Verse 18
Went along = went on.
but came not. Compare Numbers 21:13 , Numbers 21:24 .
Verse 19
Israel sent. Compare Deuteronomy 2:26 .
us. Compare Judges 11:17 and Deuteronomy 2:27 .
Verse 20
trusted = stayed or rested on. See App-69 .
coast = border.
Verse 23
shouldest thou . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis.
it = him: i.e. Israel. Being masculine (in Hebrew), cannot refer to the land of Judges 11:21 ; and singular, so that it cannot refer to coasts of Judges 11:22 .
Verse 24
Wilt not thou . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis . Jephthah does not recognize Chemosh as a god. The emphasis is on "thy" and "our", and is the argument a fortiori : and, taking them on their own ground, it is the argumentum ad hominem.
Verse 25
art thou. ? Figure of speech Erotesis. Compare Numbers 22:2 .Deuteronomy 23:4 .Joshua 24:9 .
Verse 26
three hundred years. Not a "round number". See App-50 .
Verse 29
the Spirit. Hebrew. ruach (feminine.) See App-9 .
unto. This word is read in the text of some codices with Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate.
Verse 30
vowed a vow. Figure of speech Polyptoton ( App-6 ) = made a solemn vow. See notes on Leviticus 27:1-8 .
Verse 31
whatsoever. This is masculine. But the issuer from his house was feminine. Thus his rash vow was impossible of fulfillment, and was to be repented of.
and = or. The Hebrew ( Vav ) is a connective Particle, and is rendered in many different ways. It is also used as a disjunctive, and is often rendered "or" (or, with a negative, "nor"). See Genesis 41:44 .Exodus 20:4 ; Exodus 21:15 , Exodus 21:17 , Exodus 21:18 . Numbers 16:14 ; Numbers 22:26 (Revised Version "nor"); Deuteronomy 3:24 . 2 Samuel 3:29 . 1Ki 18:10 , 1 Kings 18:27 . With a negative = "nor", "neither". Exodus 20:17 . Deu 7:25 . 2 Samuel 1:21 .Psalms 26:9 . Proverbs 6:4 ; Proverbs 30:3 , &c. See note on "but", 1 Kings 2:9 . Here, Jephthah's vow consisted of two parts: (1) He would either dedicate it to Jehovah (according to Leviticus 27:0 ); or (2) if unsuitable for this, he would offer it as a burnt offering. He performed his vow, and dedicated his daughter to Jehovah by a perpetual virginity (verses: Judges 11:36 , Judges 11:39 , Judges 11:40 ); but he did not offer her as a burnt offering, because it was forbidden by Jehovah, and could not be accepted by Him (Judges 18:21 ; Judges 20:2-5 ).
Verse 34
timbrels = drums. See note on Exodus 15:20 .
beside her. Figure of speech Pleonasm. App-6 . The fact is stated in two ways, in order to emphasize it.
Verse 35
opened my mouth. Hebraism for making a formal, prepared, and solemn statement.
Verse 37
go up and down = wander about.
Verse 39
did with her according to his vow which he had vowed = He did not offer her as a burnt offering; for Jehovah could not accept th a t . Therefore Jephthah must have dedicated her to the LORD by a perpetual virginity. Such a vow was provided for in Leviticus 27:0 . See note on Judges 11:31 .
and she knew no man. This is conclusive. It has nothing to do with a sacrificial death, but it has to do with a dedicated life to Jehovah. Thus was Jephthah's vow fulfilled.
And it was = and it became.
Verse 40
to lament = to rehearse with, as in Judges 5:11 ; to celebrate [her dedication] in praises.
four days in a year. Thus annually her friends "went", evidently to Jephthah's daughter, to rehearse with her this great event of her life: not of her death.