Judges 11:33

33 And he smote them from Aro'er to the neighborhood of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim, with a very great slaughter. So the Ammonites were subdued before the people of 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 then whoever comes forth from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return victorious from the Ammonites, shall be the LORD's, and I will offer him up for a burnt offering."

32 So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them; and the LORD gave them into his hand.

33 And he smote them from Aro'er to the neighborhood of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim, with a very great slaughter. So the Ammonites were subdued before the people of Israel.

34 Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah; and behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances; she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

35 And when he saw her, he rent his clothes, and said, "Alas, my daughter! you have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me; for I have opened my mouth to the LORD, and I cannot take back my vow."