1832. BibliographyBarnes, Albert. Ver. The forty conspirators who swore that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul, and Herod who swore that he would give his daughter whatsoever she should ask of him, had no right to bind themselves to such an extent, and would have sinned less in violating, than they did in keeping, their engagements.
1865-1868. And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight with the children of Ammon, and Jehovah deliver them before me; shall I be your head?
So Solomon exhorts; ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it, for he hath no pleasure in fools. Israel had been in possession of Gilead ever since the days of Moses, and, "It was too late for Ammon to press her claim, since Israel had enjoyed such a long period of undisputed occupation of that territory. Judges 11 begins with a mighty man of valour named Jephthah who stands up to lead Israel against the Ammonites.
"Commentary on Judges 11:35". Judges 11:11 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.
"Commentary on Judges 11:35". Let the question be put to any reflecting mind, in what other light can a transaction of this nature, be viewed? There is another way also in which we follow the steps of Jephthah, namely, by undertaking so lightly the office of sponsors for the children of our friends. Could nobody think of Leviticus 27:4, but Jepthah must follow his own counsel? (Judges 11:9). We believe that it was made under the prevailing impression that a human sacrifice would be the result; but that, although his conduct was contrary to the Scriptural precept forbidding men ‘after vows to make inquiry,’ he became subsequently more enlightened, and by a careful study of the law, aided by its proper ministers, he ascertained the possibility of being released from the dilemma in which he had so thoughtlessly ensnared himself. The king of the children of Ammon could not answer the arguments of Jephthah and therefore made no reply whatever to Jephthah's arguments. gender. (Judges 11 Commentary). https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/judges-11.html. So, if an engagement were formed with a person on account of his supposed piety, and he were to cast off all regard for piety, his change of character would warrant a termination of the contract that had been made with him; because the very grounds of the engagement are subverted. ויעש לה את נדרו vayaas lâh eth nidro, did to her his vow. Is it conceivable that they should have adopted a measure so utterly abhorrent to female decorum and so completely at war with the very first rudiments of oriental prejudice?
Judges 11:38 Then he said, "Go." What more fitting employment during that dread interval, than to mingle her regrets with those whose lot her own in one respect so much resembled, though they were exempted from the destiny to which she had meekly submitted?
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/judges-11.html. How this subject applies to Ministers, I need not say: but if I were addressing them, methinks the subject would apply with ten-fold force to them, seeing that their vows were all taken with foresight and solemnity, and involve duties more important than pertain to any other situation under heaven. Me from my bliss of life, that Nature gave, Lower’d softly with a threefold cord of love. How can it be supposed that a youthful maiden should have had clear views of the import of the divine law on such a subject, when her father’s mind was enveloped in darkness? "Commentary on Judges 11:35". Again: St. Paul, in his catalogue of eminent believers, particularly mentions Jephthah, and with an express reference to this event. His exploits, whatever they might have been, had indicated his ability as a military leader and strategist, and the Gileadites swallowed their pride and eagerly sought Jephthah's help in the impending war with the Ammonites. But there is yet another way in which we follow the steps of Jephthah. When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing.
23:21, 22, 23) and the attempting to set them aside by the plea of inadvertence or of difficulties attending the observance of them, will only deceive our own souls, and bring upon us the heavy displeasure of our God. It is seldom seen that God alloweth unto any here a perfect contentment.
By heredity we mean the sum of impulses received from our forefathers and transmitted to us through our parents; while by environment is meant external conditions or the sum of influences affecting us from without. Our confidence in the ASV is behind our interpretation of this passage. There is one point in particular which the conduct of this pious virgin may well impress on the minds of all who belong to the Established Church; I mean, the observance of those vows which were made for us in baptism — — — Of those vows our parents will never have reason to repent; nor can we ever regret that they were made for us. Now He took him at his word. 2013.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/judges-11.html. Go to, To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use our convenient, "Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house", "Jephthah fled ... dwelt in Tob ... gathered vain fellows, and they went out with him", "And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon Jephthah. It became known that ‘to do justly and to love mercy’ were what God required.
However, in the case of a vow to do something displeasing to Yahweh - a vow could not be paid with ‘dirty’ money, nor, we must assume, with something that was an abomination to Yahweh (see Deuteronomy 23:18) - it is probable that Leviticus 27:1-8 would be applied. Perhaps the most valid objection to the view given above, is that which would assume the form of the question, Why, if such were the fact, is the narrative so constructed as to give rise almost inevitably to the impression, that the literal immolation of Jephthah’s daughter actually took place?