Judges 11:11
leader <07218> [head.]
repeated <01696> [uttered.]
Jephthah ................ Jephthah repeated <01696 03316> [Jephthah uttered.]
That is, upon his elevation, he immediately retired to his devotion, and in prayer spread the whole matter before God, both his choice to the office, and his execution of the office, as one that had his eye ever toward the Lord, and would do nothing without him; that leaned not to his own understanding or courage, but depended on the Almighty God, and his favour. This is an ensample worthy of universal imitation; in All Our Ways, whether great or apparently subordinate, let us acknowledge God and seek his direction. So shall we make our way prosperous, and obtain that peace which passeth all understanding. Jephthah opened his campaign with prayer.
before <06440> [before.]
Mizpah <04709> [Mizpeh.]
This Mizpeh was east of Jordan in the mountains of Gilead (Ge 31:49); and hence called Mizpeh of Gilead (ver. 29), to distinguish it from another place of the same name, west of Jordan, in the tribe of Judah.
Judges 12:7
Judges 12:1
assembled <06817> [gathered. Heb. were called. Wherefore.]
burn .... down <08313> [we will burn.]
Judges 17:1
man <0376> [A.M. 2585. B.C. 1419. An. Ex. Is. 72. there was.]
It is extremely difficult to fix the chronology of this and the following transactions. Some think them to be here in their natural order; others that they happened in the time of Joshua, or immediately after the ancients who outlived him. All that can be said with certainly is, that they happened when there was no king in Israel; that is, about the time of the judges, or in some time of the anarchy. (ver. 6.)
hill country <02022> [mount.]
