Judges 11:26

_WHILE ISRAEL DWELT IN HESHBON AND HER TOWNS, AND IN AROER AND HER TOWNS, AND IN ALL THE CITIES THAT BE ALONG BY THE COASTS OF ARNON, THREE HUNDRED YEARS? WHY THEREFORE DID YE NOT RECOVER THEM WITHIN THAT TIME?_ THREE HUNDRED YEARS. This is believed to be a corrupt reading for three hundred cities; After "cities," Lord A. Hervey ('Genealogies,' p. 240) suggests an amended translation as follows:-`Did Balak ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them, when Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred cities? Why, therefore, did ye not recover them at that time?' (See 'Introduction' to Judges.') This diplomatic statement, so admirable for the clearness and force of its arguments, which doubtless were embodied in a state paper or letter of instructions furnished to the ambassador...

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....

Consult the marginal references. If the ark with the copy of the Law Deuteronomy 31:26 was at Mizpeh, it would account for Jephthah’s accurate knowledge of it; and this exact agreement of his message with Numbers and Deuteronomy would give additional force to the expression, “he uttered all his words before the Lord” Judges 11:11. Judges 11:17 No mention is made of this embassy to Moab in the Pentateuch. Judges 11:19 INTO MY PLACE - This expression implies that the trans-Jordanic possessions of Israel were not includ

EXPOSITION JUDGES 11:1 The narrative here goes back probably some years, to explain the antecedents of Jephthah, who was about to play so prominent a part in the ensuing history. Jephthah we learn was a bastard son of Gilead by a foreign harlot, an Aramitess, if there is any connection between this verse and 1 Chronicles 7:14; and when the sons of Gilead's wife were grown up, they expelled Jephthah, and refused to let him have any share in the inheritance of their father, because he was the son of a foreigner; Jephthah therefore fled from Gilead, and took up his residence in the land of Tob, apparently an Aramean settlement (2 Samuel 10:6,...

WHILE ISRAEL DWELT IN HESHBON AND HER TOWNS,.... This was the principal city, which formerly belonged to the Moabites, and was taken from them by Sihon; who being conquered by Israel, it fell into their hands, and they inhabited it, and the towns adjacent to it, from that time to the present; see Numbers 21:25 AND IN AROER AND HER TOWNS; another city with its villages, taken at the same time, and ever since inhabited by the Israelites, even by the tribe of Gad, who rebuilt it; it lay near the river Arnon; see Numbers 32:34 AND IN ALL THE CITIES THAT BE ALONG BY THE COASTS OF ARNON; which lay along by the side of that river, which divided Moab from the kingdom of the Amorites; these Israel had dwelt in three hundred years; and during this time, neither B

CHAPTER 11 JEPHTHAH AND THE AMMONITES _ 1. Jephthah's covenant (Judges 11:1)_ 2. The messages to Ammon (Judges 11:12) 3. Jephthah's vow and victory (Judges 11:29) 4. Jephthah keeps his vow (Judges 11:34) Jephthah the judge who delivered Israel from the servitude of Ammon was the offspring of an unholy union “the son of an harlot.” Then he became an outcast and had to flee from his brethren. He dwelt in the land of Tob (goodness) and vain, or worthless, men gathered unto him. Yet he was a mighty man of valor. He was therefore an humble instrument, despised and rejected by his own. But finally thos

JEPHTHAH'S NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE KING OF AMMON. As generally happens, there was a war of diplomacy before the war of swords. The history of 300 years was reviewed in an attempt to settle a present question of _meum_ and _tuum._ Jephthah speedily acquainted himself with the rights and wrongs of the case, and would not have it said that he made no effort to settle matters amicably. But he argued in vain. Perhaps he was not sorry when the solemn palaver was over, and the hour come for the stern arbitrament of war. He was essentially a soldier, only incidentally and reluctantly a politician. Judges 11:14. The point of the long speech of Jephthah's messengers is that the Israelites, in their journey from Egypt, scrupulously respected the neutrality of Ammon. They failed to obtain a transit through either Edom or Moab, and rather than trespass on forbidden ground they comp

THREE HUNDRED YEARS. Not. "round number". See App-50....

_While Israel dwelt_ Rather _When I. settled_. For _her towns_see on Judges 1:27. _Aroer … Arnon_ The LXX reads _Jazer_(cod. A) … _Jordan_(so Vulgate), which looks like the original text. _Jazer_lay on the Ammonite border, Numbers 21:24 (LXX), 32, 2 Samuel 24:5, and is associated with Heshbon in Joshua 21:39; it suits the present context better than Aroer (now -Ar-âir) in the extreme S. of Moab. Moreover, since -Aroer and her towns" were situated on the north side of the Arnon, the words which follow in the present text, -and in all the cities that are along by the side of Arnon," add nothing to the descript

_Jephthah Delivers Israel Judges 11:1-28_ Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah, 2 And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman. 3 Then Jephthah fled from his brethren and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him. 4 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel. 5 And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: 6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon. 7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead