Judges 11:22-32

22 '1So they possessed all the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok, and from the wilderness as far as the Jordan.
23 'Since now the LORD, the God of Israel, drove out the Amorites from before His people Israel, are you then to possess it?
24 'Do you not possess what 2Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever * the LORD our God has driven out before * us, we will possess it.
25 'Now are you any better than 3Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive with Israel, or did he ever fight against them?
26 '4While Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time?
27 'I therefore have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by making war against me; 5may the LORD, the Judge, judge today between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.' "
28 But the king of the sons of Ammon disregarded * the message which Jephthah sent him.

Jephthah's Tragic Vow

29 Now 6the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon.
30 Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, "If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand,
31 then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering."
32 So Jephthah crossed over to the sons of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD gave them into his hand.

Judges 11:22-32 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 11

This chapter gives an account of another judge of Israel, Jephthah, of his descent and character, Jud 11:1-3 of the call the elders of Gilead gave him to be their captain general, and lead out their forces against the Ammonites, and the agreement he made with them, Jud 11:4-11 of the message he sent to the children of Ammon, which brought on a dispute between him and them about the land Israel possessed on that side Jordan the Ammonites claimed; Israel's right to which Jephthah defended, and made it clearly to appear, hoping thereby to put an end to the quarrel without shedding of blood, Jud 11:12-27 but the children of Ammon not attending to what he said, he prepared to give them battle, and previous to it he made a vow, and then set forward and fought them, and got the victory over them, Jud 11:28-33 and the chapter concludes with the difficulties Jephthah was embarrassed with upon his return home, on account of his vow, and the performance of it, Jud 11:34-40.

Cross References 6

  • 1. Deuteronomy 2:36, 37
  • 2. Numbers 21:29; 1 Kings 11:7
  • 3. Numbers 22:2; Joshua 24:9; Micah 6:5
  • 4. Numbers 21:25, 26; Deuteronomy 2:36
  • 5. Genesis 16:5; Genesis 18:25; Genesis 31:53; 1 Samuel 24:12, 15
  • 6. Judges 3:10

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Lit "did not listen to the words"
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