Naftali Herz Tur-Sinai - translation of the OT (1954)

1Und Jiftah, der Gil'adite, war ein tapferer Held, er war aber der Sohn eines Buhlweibes, Gil'ad hatte Jiftah gezeugt. 2Da gebar (auch) das Weib Gil'ads ihm Söhne, und als die Söhne des Weibes groß geworden waren, vertrieben sie Jiftah und sprachen zu ihm: «Du sollst nicht erben im Haus unseres Vaters, denn der Sohn eines andern Weibes bist du.» 3Da floh Jiftah vor seinen Brüdern und ließ sich in der Landschaft Tob nieder. Dort scharten sich um Jiftah leere Leute, die mit ihm auszogen. 4Nun war es nach einer Zeit, daß die Söhne Ammons Krieg hatten mit Jisraël. 5Es war nun, als die Söhne Ammons Jisraël bekriegten, da gingen die Ältesten Gil'ads, um Jiftah aus der Landschaft Tob zu holen. 6Und sie sprachen zu Jiftah: «Komm und sei unser Anführer, daß wir gegen die Söhne Ammons kämpfen!» 7Da sprach Jiftah zu den Ältesten Gil'ads: «Habt ihr mich nicht gehaßt und aus dem Haus meines Vaters vertrieben? Und warum kommt ihr jetzt zu mir, da ihr in Not seid?» 8Da sprachen die Ältesten Gil'ads zu Jiftah: «Darum sollst du jetzt, da wir zu dir zurückgekehrt, wenn du mit uns gehst und gegen die Söhne Ammons kämpfst, Oberhaupt über uns sein, über alle Bewohner Gil'ads.» 9Da sprach Jiftah zu den Ältesten Gil'ads: «Wenn ihr mich zurückholt, um gegen die Söhne Ammons zu kämpfen, und der Ewige sie vor mich hingibt, so will ich euer Oberhaupt sein.» 10Da sprachen die Ältesten Gil'ads zu Jiftah: «Der Ewige höre zwischen uns: Ob wir nicht so tun, wie du geredet!» 11Da ging Jiftah mit den Ältesten Gil'ads, und das Volk setzte ihn über sich zum Oberhaupt und Anführer. Jiftah aber redete alle seine Worte vor dem Ewigen in ha-Mizpa. 12Dann sandte Jiftah Boten an den König der Söhne Ammons und ließ sagen: «Was habe ich mit dir, daß du zu mir gekommen bist, mein Land zu bekriegen?» 13Da sprach der König der Söhne Ammons zu den Boten Jiftahs: «Weil Jisraël mein Land genommen, als es aus Mizraim zog, vom Arnon bis an den Jabbok und bis zum Jarden; nun aber gib es mir im Guten wieder!» 14Da sandte Jiftah abermals Boten an den König der Söhne Ammons 15und ließ ihm sagen: «So spricht Jiftah: Nicht hat Jisraël Moabs Land und der Söhne Ammons Land genommen, 16sondern, als sie aus Mizraim heraufzogen, zog Jisraël durch die Wüste bis zum Schilfmeer und kam nach Kadesch; 17da sandte Jisraël Boten an den König von Edom und ließ sagen: ,Laß mich doch durch dein Land ziehen!' Aber der König von Edom hörte nicht darauf. Und auch an den König von Moab sandte es, aber auch er wollte nicht. So blieb Jisraël in Kadesch. 18Dann zog es durch die Wüste, umging das Land Edom und das Land Moab und kam an, östlich vom Land Moab. Und sie lagerten jenseits des Arnon und betraten nicht das Gebiet Moabs, denn der Arnon ist die Grenze Moabs. 19Darauf schickte Jisraël Boten an den Emoriterkönig Sihon, den König von Heschbon, und Jisraël ließ ihm sagen: ,Laß uns doch durch dein Land ziehn zu meinem Ort.' 20Aber Sihon traute Jisraël nicht, daß es durch sein Gebiet zöge, und Sihon sammelte sein ganzes Volk, und sie lagerten bei Jahza, und er kämpfte mit Jisraël. 21Da gab der Ewige, der Gott Jisraëls, Sihon und sein ganzes Volk in die Hand Jisraëls, und sie schlugen sie, und Jisraël eroberte das ganze Land des Emoriters, des Bewohners jenes Landes. 22Und sie eroberten das ganze Gebiet des Emoriters vom Arnon bis an den Jabbok und von der Wüste bis zum Jarden. 23Und nun: Der Ewige, der Gott Jisraëls, hat den Emoriter vor seinem Volk Jisraël vertrieben, und du willst es besitzen? 24Ists nicht so? Was dir dein Gott Kemosch zum Erbe gibt, das nimmst du dir. Und alles, was der Ewige, unser Gott, vor uns als Erbe freimacht, das wollen wir uns nehmen. 25Und nun: Bist du denn besser als Balak, der Sohn Zippors, der König von Moab? Hat er etwa Jisraël befehdet oder sie bekämpft? 26Während Jisraël in Heschbon und seinen Tochterstädten saß, in Ar'or und seinen Tochterstädten und in allen Städten am Ufer des Arnon, dreihundert Jahre, warum habt ihr sie nicht in jener Zeit entrissen? 27Ich aber habe nichts verschuldet gegen dich, und du tust mir Böses, mich zu bekriegen. So richte denn der Ewige, der Richter, heute zwischen den Kindern Jisraël und den Söhnen Ammons!» 28Aber der König der Söhne Ammons hörte nicht auf die Worte Jiftahs, die er ihm entboten hatte. 29Da kam über Jiftah der Geist des Ewigen, und er zog durch das Gil'ad und durch Menaschsche, vorbei durch Mizpe im Gil'ad und von Mizpe im Gil'ad zog er weiter zu den Söhnen Ammons. 30Und Jiftah tat ein Gelöbnis dem Ewigen und sprach: «Wenn du die Söhne Ammons in meine Hand gibst, 31so soll das, was aus der Tür meines Hauses mir entgegentritt, wenn ich heil heimkehre von den Söhnen Ammons, dem Ewigen gehören, und ich will es als Hochopfer darbringen.» 32Darauf zog Jiftah gegen die Söhne Ammons, um sie zu bekämpfen, und der Ewige gab sie in seine Hand. 33Und er schlug sie von Aroër bis gegen Minnit hin, zwanzig Städte, und bis nach Abel-Keramim, ein gar gewaltiges Schlagen. So wurden die Söhne Ammons gebeugt vor den Kindern Jisraël. 34Und Jiftah kam nach ha-Mizpa zu seinem Haus, da trat seine Tochter heraus, ihm entgegen, mit Pauken und Schalmeien. Und nur sie (hatte er), die einzige, er hatte sonst weder Sohn noch Tochter. 35Es war nun, als er sie erblickte, da zerriß er seine Kleider und rief: «Ach, meine Tochter, du brichst mich nieder, zu meinen Verderbern bist du getreten! Und ich habe meinen Mund zum Ewigen aufgetan und kann nicht mehr zurück.» 36Da sprach sie zu ihm: «Vater! Hast du deinen Mund zum Ewigen aufgetan, so tu mir, wie es aus deinem Mund gekommen, nachdem der Ewige dir Rache geschafft an deinen Feinden, den Söhnen Ammons.» 37Dann sagte sie zu ihrem Vater: «Möge mir dies getan werden: Laß mich zwei Monate, daß ich hingehe und niedersteige über die Berge und mein Mädchentum beweine, ich und meine Gespielinnen.» 38Und er sprach: «Geh hin!» Und er entließ sie auf zwei Monate. Da ging sie hin, sie und ihre Gespielinnen, und sie beweinte ihr Mädchentum auf den Bergen. 39Und es war nach Verlauf von zwei Monaten, da kehrte sie zu ihrem Vater zurück, und er vollzog an ihr sein Gelöbnis, das er gelobt hatte. Sie aber hatte keinen Mann gekannt. Und es ward zur Satzung in Jisraël: 40Von Jahr zu Jahr gehen die Töchter Jisraëls hin, die Tochter Jiftahs, des Gil'aditen, zu besingen, vier Tage im Jahr.


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.