S attack them. And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob; knowing him to be a brave man, used to the sword, and fit to be a commander. And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we 7 may fight with the children of Ammon. And Jephthah said unto the children of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and, as magistrates, assist my brethren to expel me out of my father's house: and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress? Can ye expect that I should come and help you? And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhab itants of Gilead; we repent of what we have done, and are come now to make thee amends, by offering thee the post of honour and authority, by putting ourselves under thy protection, and making thee head over all the tribes on this side Jordan. 9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head? Will you fulfil these engagements, thus reward my services, and place 10 me in a station of honour and usefulness among you? And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, the LORD be witness 11 between us, if we do not so according to thy words. Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh; he repeated before the assembly at Mizpeh the agreement between them; and it was confirmed solemnly on both sides, as in God's presence.

12

:

And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, as Moses commanded in such cases, (see Deut. xx. 10, 11.) saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land? What just cause hast thou to invade my country? A wise and prudent con 13 duct. And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan ;* now therefore restore those 14 [lands] again peaceably. And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon, pleading not 15 guilty, and denying the charge: And they said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon; they had express orders to the contrary, and found the land in the possession of another prince

The Israelites had taken it from Sihon and Og, who it seems had taken it from the Ammonites, Joshua xiii. 25. Probably the Moabites were now gathered under this king, for Chemosh is called his god. He tells them they must not expect peace unless they resigned his country.

16 and people: But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to 17 Kadesh; Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken [thereto.] And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not [consent] and Israel abode in Kadesh, remained some time there in a peaceable manner, and then chose a tedious, trouble18 some journey round about, rather than give any offence. Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the cast side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab for Arnon 19 [was] the border of Moab. And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land 20 into my place. But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel; he not only refused their request, but made war against them; he was the 21 aggressor, they only acted on the defence. And the Lord GOD of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land 22 of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. And they

possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even 23 unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. So now the Lord GOD of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldst thou possess it? 24 God hath given it us, and why should we give it thee? Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess, to whose assistance thou ascribest all thy victories? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess ; an argument on their own principles, 25 which they could not gainsay. And now [art] thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them? your predecessors never claimed it, never disputed our title, or 26 took up arms against us for the restitution of those lands? While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that [be] along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover [them] within that time? Being forced to go three hundred years back for the shadow of an argument, Jephthah therefore concludes that the king had no right to make war, nor claim the lands. Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon; we commit our cause to him, and may ke give

28 victory to the injured party! Howbeit, the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him; he could not confute Jephthah's arguments, but he would try the logic of kings, and trust to his sword.

29

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, a spirit of wisdom and courage, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over [unto] the children of Ammon, and gathered 30 forces together in the countries through which he passed. And

Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine 31 hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, conse crated to his special service, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. The margin renders it, Or I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

32

So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his 33 hands: And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, [even] twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter; he pursued them to their city, destroyed great numbers, and effectually subdued them. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.

34

And Jephthah came to Mizpeh, unto his house, and behold, his daughter, accompanied by her neighbours and companions, came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances, to welcome him and congratulate his victory: and she [was his] only 35 child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, as was usual when great calamities happened, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me; thou art one of my great troubles; that is, together with his brethren, and the Ammonites; and the trouble was the greater, as he expected comfort and satisfaction in her: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back; have made a vow that I cannot retract. 36 And she said unto him, My father, [if] thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, [even] of the children of Ammon. An heroic reply; she probably did not know what the vow was, but was willing to submit to it, since God had made her father the chief instrument of such eminent service to 37 Israet. And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done

It was common for commanders to make such vows, of being grateful to God, offering sacrifices, building temples, &c. So the Greeks and Romans did.

for me let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my 38 fellows. And he said, Go. And he sent her away [for] two

months; and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains, a solitary place, fit for la39 mentation. And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her [according] to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, or an ordinance of the elders, 40 [That] the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament, or, to talk with, the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.*

• On reading this chapter, there arises a very difficult question, and that is, What Jephthah did with his daughter? Now there are two opinions on this subject. One 18, that she was really made a burnt offering; the other, that she was consecrated to the seroice of the tabernacle, employed herself in work relating to it, and spent her days in religious solitude there. The history is very ambiguous, and does not positively deteranine either way. In v. 31. the marginal reading is, that which cometh forth of the doors of my house shall surely be the Lord's, or I will offer it up for a burnt offering; [Kennicott says, Or I will offer a burnt offering :) and in v. 40. the margin reads, Instead of, the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah, They went from year to year to talk with her. This shows that our translators were very uncertain about the matter. The most common opinion is, that she was not slain, but devoted to the service of the tabernacle: and the reasons given for it are chiefly these: They argue from the nature of the vow, which must be taken with this proviso, if what came out of his house was fit to be offered. Had it been a dog, or an ass, it would have been an affront to the God of Israel to offer it. If it was not fit to be offered, he might redeem it, according to the law in Lev. xxvii. 4. and therefore he would certainly do it in the case of his only child. But he would so far fulfil his vow as to deprive himself of having any posterity by her, which was a great grief to him. If it be alleged that he had no power thus to seclude her; it is answered, Much less had be power to sacrifice her.

Another argument is, That she bewailed her virginity, and not her death; a trifling circumstance, if she had to live but two months. It is argued further, That to have sacrificed her would have been the highest affront to Jehovah. A sacrifice to Moloch would never have been suffered in Israel, especially at a time when they had put away their idolatry, and were a reformed and penitent people. Beside, no sacrifice could be offered but by the priests; and we can never imagine they would do it, in direct opposition to the law of God, and so become like the cursed nations. But the chief argument seems to be this, That it was only a simple vow: a dedication or consecration; and therefore his daughter might be edeemed. A different word (a Cherem) is used for the vow by which the accursed nations were devoted, and which could not be recalled. One can never imagine that the apostle would have celebrated Jephthah, if he had been guilty of sacrificing his daughter.

On the other hand it is maintained, That he did sacrifice her. This, it is said, is the plain meaning of the history, that Jephthah was determined to present some human sacrinice, his wife, child, or servant, (for what else was likely to come out of his house and meet him:) something valuable, in return for this great blessing. They say there is no instance of persons being thus consecrated to the service of the tabernacle in a state of virginity. As to her bewailing her virginity, it is said, she could not with honour bewail her death, because occasioned by so glorious a victory and triumph. But it was natural, considering that she was the general's only child, to bewail that she died unmarried. In short, say they, he seems to have been a rough, untractable man, who having made a rash vow, was determined to execute it; and having seen such practices in the land of Tob, and knowing little of the law of God, he might probably do it himself, without the knowledge or consent of the priest: and the apostle to the Hebrews might have some evidence that he repented of this crime, as he lived six years after it was committed.

This is the substance of the arguments on both sides. I own it seems to me, that he did not sacrifice her. If he did mean that, undoubtedly it was a most foolish and rash vow, and fulfilling it (if he did fulfil it) was a most enormous crime. He should have consulted the priest on the occasion, paid the price of redemption appointed, offered a great sacrifice out of the flock, owned himself in the wrong, and taken shame to himself for his rashness. God expressly forbade human sacrifices; he mentions it as one of the chief abominations for which he drove out the Canaanites; so that it was a very bad action, and I wonder any divines should have ever attempted to vindicate it. But the reasons offered are not suffi cient to induce us to suppose that he did sacrifice her, since the words will very well bear the former interpretation.

1.

WE

REFLECTIONS.

Ε learn hence not to despise or insult any persons, for we know not how soon we may need their help. Jephthah's brethren and friends cast him out, not for any fault of his ; but they were glad to send for him again. It is the part of wisdom to treat every one with respect, and to make no man our enemy, for we may want him to be a friend. All of us are members one of another; the meanest is useful; and, the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee, nor the hand to the foot, I have no need of thee. Let us, therefore, cultivate good will to all men, and be ready to do all friendly offices toward them...

2. We learn from the example of Jephthah, as Solomon exhorts, with good advice to make war. It is the wisdom of princes and nations to take all fair and honourable methods to prevent quarrels or ruptures, and to propose terms of peace. War is a desperate remedy, and should never be tried till all other thing's have failed; all wise and good princes, sensible of this, will never delight in it, but rather put up with small affronts than resent them. The same will hold good with respect to quarrels and -contentions between particular persons; all methods should be tried to promote reconciliation, and to prevent the continuance and increase of differences. If it be possible then, as much as in us lieth, let us live peaceably with all men,

3. Let us learn to be upon our guard against rash vows and resolutions. It may be sometimes useful to bind ourselves by solemn vows, to show our gratitude to God, and confirm our re gard to his glory. But those vows should be wisely made, and extend only to those things that will be clearly serviceable to the interests of religion, which are our duty, had no such vows been made. But } many persons, beside Jephthah, have run themselves and their families into great inconveniences by rash resolutions and vows; therefore it is better to let such things alone, and always guard our hearts and lips. So Solomon advises, Eccles. v. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God ; for God is in heaven and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few. And again in v. 5. Better is it that thou shouldst not vow, than that thou shouldst vow and not pay.

4. Whatever we have vowed to God, let us perform it, if it be possible and lawful. I say lawful, for unlawful ones are better broken than kept; and should be repented of with deep humiliation. But in lawful things, though the observance of them may put us to some inconvenience, let us be steady. A citizen of Zion sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. We have all of us vowed to be the Lord's, by our profession of christianity, and by VOL. II. Xx