Judges 11:33

33 He struck at them from Aroer to the area around Minnith, twenty cities in all, and as far as Abel Keramim. There was a great slaughter, and the Ammonites were defeated by Israel.

Judges 11:33 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 11:33

And he smote them from Aroer
A city which lay near the river Arnon, on the borders of Moab, ( Deuteronomy 3:12 )

even till thou come to Minnith;
which seems to have been a place famous for wheat, ( Ezekiel 27:17 ) so David de Pomis ^F1 says it was a place where the best wheat grew. Jerom says ^F2 in his time was shown a village called Mannith, four miles from Esbus (or Heshbon), as you go to Philadelphia. Josephus ^F3 calls it Maniathe, and it is thought by some to be the Anitha of Ptolemy ^F4, which he places in Arabia Petraea even "twenty cities"; which he pursued them through and took:

and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter;
or, Abel Ceramim. Jerom says ^F5 in his time was seen a village called Abela, planted with vineyards, seven miles from Philadelphia:

thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel;
so that they were not able to oppress them any more.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Tzemach David, fol. 81. 3.
F2 De loc. Heb. fol. 93. E.
F3 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 10.
F4 Geograph. l. 5. c. 17.
F5 De loc. Heb. fol. 88. K.

Judges 11:33 In-Context

31 I will burn as an offering the first person that comes out of my house to meet me, when I come back from the victory. I will offer that person to you as a sacrifice."

32 So Jephthah crossed the river to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave him victory.

33 He struck at them from Aroer to the area around Minnith, twenty cities in all, and as far as Abel Keramim. There was a great slaughter, and the Ammonites were defeated by Israel.

34 When Jephthah went back home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him, dancing and playing the tambourine. She was his only child.

35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes in sorrow and said, "Oh, my daughter! You are breaking my heart! Why must it be you that causes me pain? I have made a solemn promise to the Lord, and I cannot take it back!"