Chapter 11:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Joshua Ruth
Judges 11
Concise Complete
Jephtah and the Gileadites. (1-11) He attempts to make
peace. (12-28) Jephthah's vow. He vanquishes the Ammonites. (29-40)
Verses 1-11 Men
ought not to be blamed for their parentage, so long as they by their personal
merits roll away any reproach. God had forgiven Israel, therefore Jephthah will
forgive. He speaks not with confidence of his success, knowing how justly God
might suffer the Ammonites to prevail for the further punishment of Israel. Nor
does he speak with any confidence at all in himself. If he succeed, it is the
Lord delivers them into his hand; he thereby reminds his countrymen to look up
to God as the Giver of victory. The same question as here, in fact, is put to
those who desire salvation by Christ. If he save you, will ye be willing that he
shall rule you? On no other terms will he save you. If he make you happy, shall
he make you holy? If he be your helper, shall he be your Head? Jephthah, to
obtain a little worldly honour, was willing to expose his life: shall we be
discouraged in our Christian warfare by the difficulties we may meet with, when
Christ has promised a crown of life to him that overcometh?
Verses 12-28 One
instance of the honour and respect we owe to God, as our God, is, rightly to
employ what he gives us to possess. Receive it from him, use it for him, and
part with it when he calls for it. The whole of this message shows that Jephthah
was well acquainted with the books of Moses. His argument was clear, and his
demand reasonable. Those who possess the most courageous faith, will be the most
disposed for peace, and the readiest to make advances to obtain; but rapacity
and ambition often cloak their designs under a plea of equity, and render
peaceful endeavours of no avail.
Verses 29-40
Several important lessons are to be learned from Jephthah's vow. 1. There may be
remainders of distrust and doubting, even in the hearts of true and great
believers. 2. Our vows to God should not be as a purchase of the favour we
desire, but to express gratitude to him. 3. We need to be very well-advised in
making vows, lest we entangle ourselves. 4. What we have solemnly vowed to God,
we must perform, if it be possible and lawful, though it be difficult and
grievous to us. 5. It well becomes children, obediently and cheerfully to submit
to their parents in the Lord. It is hard to say what Jephthah did in performance
of his vow; but it is thought that he did not offer his daughter as a
burnt-offering. Such a sacrifice would have been an abomination to the Lord; it
is supposed she was obliged to remain unmarried, and apart from her family.
Concerning this and some other such passages in the sacred history, about which
learned men are divided and in doubt, we need not perplex ourselves; what is
necessary to our salvation, thanks be to God, is plain enough. If the reader
recollects the promise of Christ concerning the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and
places himself under this heavenly Teacher, the Holy Ghost will guide to all
truth in every passage, so far as it is needful to be understood.
Chapter 11:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Joshua Ruth
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
