1Jefté el galadita era un guerrero valiente. El era hijo de una mujer prostituta, y el padre de Jefté era Galaad. 2Pero la mujer de Galaad también le había dado hijos, los cuales, cuando crecieron, echaron a Jefté y le dijeron: "Tú no heredarás en la casa de nuestro padre, porque eres hijo de otra mujer." 3Entonces Jefté huyó de sus hermanos y habitó en la tierra de Tob. Y se juntaron con Jefté hombres ociosos que salían con él. 4Aconteció después de un tiempo que los hijos de Amón hicieron la guerra contra Israel. 5Y cuando los hijos de Amón hicieron la guerra contra Israel, los ancianos de Galaad fueron para traer a Jefté de la tierra de Tob. 6Y dijeron a Jefté: —Ven, y serás nuestro jefe, para que combatamos contra los hijos de Amón. 7Pero Jefté respondió a los ancianos de Galaad: —¿No sois vosotros los que me odiasteis y me echasteis de la casa de mi padre? ¿Por qué, pues, venís a mí ahora, cuando estáis en aflicción? 8Los ancianos de Galaad respondieron a Jefté: —Por esta misma razón volvemos ahora a ti, para que vengas con nosotros, y combatas contra los hijos de Amón y seas nuestro caudillo, el de todos los habitantes de Galaad. 9Entonces Jefté dijo a los ancianos de Galaad: —Si me hacéis volver para que combata contra los hijos de Amón, y Jehovah los entrega en mi mano, yo seré vuestro caudillo. 10Y los ancianos de Galaad respondieron a Jefté: —Jehovah sea testigo entre nosotros, si no hacemos como tú dices. 11Entonces Jefté fue con los ancianos de Galaad, y el pueblo lo puso como su caudillo y jefe. Jefté repitió todas sus palabras delante de Jehovah en Mizpa. 12Jefté envió mensajeros al rey de los hijos de Amón, diciendo: "¿Qué hay entre tú y yo, para que vengas a hacerme la guerra en mi tierra?" 13Y el rey de los hijos de Amón respondió a los mensajeros de Jefté: "Que Israel tomó mi tierra cuando subía de Egipto, desde el Arnón hasta el Jaboc y el Jordán. Por eso, devuélvela ahora en paz." 14Jefté volvió a enviar mensajeros al rey de los hijos de Amón. 15Y le dijeron: "Así ha dicho Jefté: Israel no tomó la tierra de Moab ni la tierra de los hijos de Amón. 16Porque cuando subieron de Egipto, Israel fue por el desierto hasta el mar Rojo y llegó a Cades. 17Entonces Israel envió mensajeros al rey de Edom, diciendo: ‘Por favor, déjame pasar por tu tierra.’ Pero el rey de Edom no les escuchó. Envió también al rey de Moab, y él tampoco quiso. Por eso Israel se quedó en Cades. 18Después, yendo por el desierto, rodeó la tierra de Edom y la tierra de Moab, y viniendo por el lado oriental de la tierra de Moab, acampó al otro lado del Arnón, sin entrar en el territorio de Moab, porque el Arnón era la frontera de Moab. 19Entonces Israel envió mensajeros a Sejón rey de los amorreos, rey de Hesbón, y le dijo Israel: ‘Por favor, déjame pasar por tu tierra hasta mi lugar.’ 20Pero Sejón no se fio de Israel para darle paso por su territorio; sino que, reuniendo Sejón a toda su gente, acampó en Jahaz y combatió contra Israel. 21Pero Jehovah Dios de Israel entregó a Sejón y a toda su gente en mano de Israel, que los derrotó. E Israel tomó posesión de toda la tierra de los amorreos que habitaban en aquella región. 22Y ellos tomaron posesión de todo el territorio de los amorreos desde el Arnón hasta el Jaboc, y desde el desierto hasta el Jordán. 23Ahora pues, lo que Jehovah Dios de Israel quitó de los amorreos delante de su pueblo Israel, ¿vas a poseerlo tú? 24¿No poseerás tú lo que Quemós, tu dios, te haga poseer? Nosotros, pues, poseeremos todo lo que Jehovah nuestro Dios les quitó delante de nosotros. 25Y ahora, ¿eres tú acaso en algún sentido mejor que Balac hijo de Zipor, rey de Moab? ¿Tuvo él pleito con Israel, o hizo la guerra contra él? 26Israel ha estado habitando 300 años en Hesbón y sus aldeas, en Aroer y sus aldeas y en todas las ciudades que están junto al Arnón. ¿Por qué no las has recuperado en este tiempo? 27Así que yo no he pecado contra ti, pero tú te comportas mal conmigo, haciéndome la guerra. Que Jehovah, el Juez, juzgue hoy entre los hijos de Israel y los hijos de Amón." 28Sin embargo, el rey de los hijos de Amón no hizo caso del mensaje que Jefté le envió. 29Entonces el Espíritu de Jehovah vino sobre Jefté, quien pasó por Galaad y Manasés, y de allí pasó a Mizpa en Galaad, y de Mizpa en Galaad fue hacia los hijos de Amón. 30Y Jefté hizo un voto a Jehovah diciendo: "Si de veras entregas en mi mano a los hijos de Amón, 31cualquiera que salga de las puertas de mi casa a mi encuentro, cuando yo vuelva en paz de los hijos de Amón, será de Jehovah; y lo ofreceré en holocausto." 32Jefté fue hacia los hijos de Amón para combatir contra ellos, y Jehovah los entregó en su mano. 33El los venció con una gran derrota desde Aroer hasta la entrada de Minit, veinte ciudades; y hasta Abel-queramim. Así fueron sometidos los hijos de Amón por los hijos de Israel. 34Entonces Jefté llegó a su casa en Mizpa. Y he aquí que su hija salió a su encuentro con panderos y danzas. Ella era su única hija; aparte de ella no tenía hijo ni hija. 35Y sucedió que cuando él la vio, rasgó sus ropas y dijo: —¡Ay, hija mía! ¡De veras me has abatido y estás entre los que me afligen! Porque he abierto mi boca ante Jehovah y no podré retractarme. 36Entonces ella le respondió: —Padre mío, puesto que has abierto tu boca ante Jehovah, haz conmigo de acuerdo con lo que salió de tu boca, ya que Jehovah ha hecho venganza contra tus enemigos, los hijos de Amón. 37—Además dijo a su padre—: Que se me conceda esta petición: Déjame sola durante dos meses para que vaya y ande por los montes y llore mi virginidad, yo y mis compañeras. 38Y él dijo: —Vé. La dejó ir por dos meses. Y ella se fue con sus compañeras por los montes, y lloró su virginidad. 39Pasados los dos meses ella volvió a su padre, y él cumplió con ella el voto que había hecho. Ella no conoció varón. 40De aquí proviene la costumbre en Israel, de que año tras año las jóvenes de Israel van a entonar lamentos por la hija de Jefté el galadita, cuatro días al año.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 JEPHTHAH. (
Judg 11:1-
Judg 11:3)
Jephthah--"opener."
son of an harlot--a concubine, or foreigner; implying an inferior sort of marriage prevalent in Eastern countries. Whatever dishonor might attach to his birth, his own high and energetic character rendered him early a person of note.
Gilead begat Jephthah--His father seems to have belonged to the tribe of Manasseh (
1Chr 7:14,
1Chr 7:17).
2 Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house--As there were children by the legitimate wife, the son of the secondary one was not entitled to any share of the patrimony, and the prior claim of the others was indisputable. Hence, as the brothers of Jephthah seem to have resorted to rude and violent treatment, they must have been influenced by some secret ill-will.
3 Jephthah . . . dwelt in the land of Tob--on the north of Gilead, beyond the frontier of the Hebrew territories (
2Sam 10:6,
2Sam 10:8).
there were gathered vain men to Jephthah--idle, daring, or desperate.
and went out with him--followed him as a military chief. They led a freebooting life, sustaining themselves by frequent incursions on the Ammonites and other neighboring people, in the style of Robin Hood. The same kind of life is led by many an Arab or Tartar still, who as the leader of a band, acquires fame by his stirring or gallant adventures. It is not deemed dishonorable when the expeditions are directed against those out of his own tribe or nation. Jephthah's mode of life was similar to that of David when driven from the court of Saul.
4 THE GILEADITES COVENANT WITH JEPHTHAH. (
Judg 11:4-
Judg 11:11)
in process of time--on the return of the season.
the children of Ammon made war against Israel--Having prepared the way by the introduction of Jephthah, the sacred historian here resumes the thread of his narrative from
Judg 10:17. The Ammonites seem to have invaded the country, and active hostilities were inevitable.
5 the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah--All eyes were directed towards him as the only person possessed of the qualities requisite for the preservation of the country in this time of imminent danger; and a deputation of the chief men was despatched from the Hebrew camp at Mizpeh to solicit his services.
7 Jephthah said, Did not ye hate me?--He gave them at first a haughty and cold reception. It is probable that he saw some of his brothers among the deputies. Jephthah was now in circumstances to make his own terms. With his former experience, he would have shown little wisdom or prudence without binding them to a clear and specific engagement to invest him with unlimited authority, the more especially as he was about to imperil his life in their cause. Although ambition might, to a certain degree, have stimulated his ready compliance, it is impossible to overlook the piety of his language, which creates a favorable impression that his roving life, in a state of social manners so different from ours, was not incompatible with habits of personal religion.
10 the elders of Israel said unto Jephthah, The Lord be witness between us--Their offer being accompanied by the most solemn oath, Jephthah intimated his acceptance of the mission, and his willingness to accompany them. But to make "assurance doubly sure," he took care that the pledge given by the deputies in Tob should be ratified in a general assembly of the people at Mizpeh; and the language of the historian, "Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord," seems to imply that his inauguration with the character and extraordinary office of judge was solemnized by prayer for the divine blessing, or some religious ceremonial.
12 HIS EMBASSY TO THE KING OF AMMON. (Jdg. 11:12-28)
Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon--This first act in his judicial capacity reflects the highest credit on his character for prudence and moderation, justice and humanity. The bravest officers have always been averse to war; so Jephthah, whose courage was indisputable, resolved not only to make it clearly appear that hostilities were forced upon him, but to try measures for avoiding, if possible, an appeal to arms: and in pursuing such a course he was acting as became a leader in Israel (
Deut 20:10-
Deut 20:18).
13 the king of Ammon . . ., Because Israel took away my land--(See on
Deut 2:19). The subject of quarrel was a claim of right advanced by the Ammonite monarch to the lands which the Israelites were occupying. Jephthah's reply was clear, decisive, and unanswerable;--first, those lands were not in the possession of the Ammonites when his countrymen got them, and that they had been acquired by right of conquest from the Amorites [
Judg 11:21]; secondly, the Israelites had now, by a lapse of three hundred years of undisputed possession, established a prescriptive right to the occupation [
Judg 11:22-
Judg 11:23]; and thirdly, having received a grant of them from the Lord, his people were entitled to maintain their right on the same principle that guided the Ammonites in receiving, from their god Chemosh, the territory they now occupied [
Judg 11:24]. This diplomatic statement, so admirable for the clearness and force of its arguments, concluded with a solemn appeal to God to maintain, by the issue of events, the cause of right and justice [
Judg 11:27].
28 Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah--His remonstrances to the aggressor were disregarded, and war being inevitable, preparations were made for a determined resistance.
29 HIS VOW. (
Judg 11:29-
Judg 11:31)
Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah--The calm wisdom, sagacious forethought, and indomitable energy which he was enabled to display, were a pledge to himself and a convincing evidence to his countrymen, that he was qualified by higher resources than his own for the momentous duties of his office.
he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh--the provinces most exposed and in danger, for the purpose of levying troops, and exciting by his presence a widespread interest in the national cause. Returning to the camp at Mizpeh, he then began his march against the enemy. There he made his celebrated vow, in accordance with an ancient custom for generals at the outbreak of a war, or on the eve of a battle, to promise the god of their worship a costly oblation, or dedication of some valuable booty, in the event of victory. Vows were in common practice also among the Israelites. They were encouraged by the divine approval as emanating from a spirit of piety and gratitude; and rules were laid down in the law for regulating the performance. But it is difficult to bring Jephthah's vow within the legitimate range (see on
Lev 27:28).
31 whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me--This evidently points not to an animal, for that might have been a dog; which, being unclean, was unfit to be offered; but to a person, and it looks extremely as if he, from the first, contemplated a human sacrifice. Bred up as he had been, beyond the Jordan, where the Israelitish tribes, far from the tabernacle, were looser in their religious sentiments, and living latterly on the borders of a heathen country where such sacrifices were common, it is not improbable that he may have been so ignorant as to imagine that a similar immolation would be acceptable to God. His mind, engrossed with the prospect of a contest, on the issue of which the fate of his country depended, might, through the influence of superstition, consider the dedication of the object dearest to him the most likely to ensure success.
shall surely be the Lord's; and [or] I will offer it up for a burnt offering--The adoption of the latter particle, which many interpreters suggest, introduces the important alternative, that if it were a person, the dedication would be made to the service of the sanctuary; if a proper animal or thing, it would be offered on the altar.
32 HE OVERCOMES THE AMMONITES. (
Judg 11:32-
Judg 11:33)
Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon . . . and the Lord delivered them into his hands--He met and engaged them at Aroer, a town in the tribe of Gad, upon the Arnon. A decisive victory crowned the arms of Israel, and the pursuit was continued to Abel (plain of the vineyards), from south to north, over an extent of about sixty miles.
34 Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances--The return of the victors was hailed, as usual, by the joyous acclaim of a female band (
1Sam 18:6), the leader of whom was Jephthah's daughter. The vow was full in his mind, and it is evident that it had not been communicated to anyone, otherwise precautions would doubtless have been taken to place another object at his door. The shriek, and other accompaniments of irrepressible grief, seem to indicate that her life was to be forfeited as a sacrifice; the nature of the sacrifice (which was abhorrent to the character of God) and distance from the tabernacle does not suffice to overturn this view, which the language and whole strain of the narrative plainly support; and although the lapse of two months might be supposed to have afforded time for reflection, and a better sense of his duty, there is but too much reason to conclude that he was impelled to the fulfilment by the dictates of a pious but unenlightened conscience.
