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英文原文
This chapter gives as the history of Jephthah, another of Israel's judges, and numbered among the worthies of the Old Testament, that by faith did great things (Heb 11:32), though he had not such an extraordinary call as the rest there mentioned had. Here we have, I. The disadvantages of his origin, Jdg 11:1-3. II. The Gileadites' choice of him to be commander-in-chief against the Ammonites, and the terms he made with them, Jdg 11:4-11. III. His treaty with the king of Ammon about the rights of the two nations, that the matter might be determined, if possible, without bloodshed, Jdg 11:12-28. IV. His war with the Ammonites, which he enters upon with a solemn vow (Jdg 11:29-31), prosecutes with bravery (Jdg 11:32), and ends with a glorious victory, Jdg 11:33. V. The straits he was brought into at his return to his own house by the vow he had made, Jdg 11:34-40.
1-11
Jephthah's Promotion (1143 BC)
耶弗他的被高舉（主前 1143 年）
¹ 基列人耶弗他是個大能的勇士，是妓女的兒子；耶弗他是基列所生的。* ² 基列的妻也生了幾個兒子；他妻所生的兒子長大了，就趕逐耶弗他，對他說：「你不可在我們父家承受產業，因為你是別的女人生的。」* ³ 耶弗他就逃避他的弟兄，住在陀伯地；有些無賴的匪徒聚集到他那裡，與他一同出入。*
前章末了提到基列的首領和百姓商議揀選一位元帥之事，他們已定意：凡願意率領軍隊攻打亞捫人的，就由眾人共同立他作基列一切居民的領袖。這事業艱難，所以理當向願意承擔的人提出如此大的鼓勵。如今眾人都同意基列人耶弗他是個大能的勇士，非常適合這個目的——無人比他更合適。但他有三個不利之處：1. 他是「妓女的兒子」（士十一1），是「別的女人」（士十一2）所生的——既非妻也非妾；有人認為他母親是外邦人；約瑟夫也是這樣說，稱他「母親方面是外族人」。猶太人說他是以實瑪利人。若他母親是妓女，那不是他的過錯，卻是他的羞辱。人不當因父母或出身的不幸而受責備，只要他們正努力以個人的功績除去這羞辱。妓女之子若已重生——從上頭而生——必蒙神悅納，與任何人一樣歡迎進入他兒女榮耀的自由之中。耶弗他在律法中讀到神對他要對付的仇敵亞捫人所加的記號——他們「不可入耶和華的會」；但在同一段經文中（申二十三2,3），他也讀到看來對自己不利的話：私生子也照樣被排除在外。但若那律法的意思（這是最可能的解釋）只是因亂倫而生的人，而不是因淫亂而生的人，那麼他並不在該律法的範圍之內。2. 他曾被弟兄趕出本國。他父親的嫡子們堅持律法的嚴厲，不容他與他們同受產業，毫不顧念他非凡的才幹——這才幹本當使他得著豁免，並使他成為他們家族極大的力量和裝飾，只要他們不計較他的私生子身分，接納他承受兒子的分（士十一2）。人想不到這位被棄的少年竟是以色列的拯救者和士師；但神常常使他定意要高舉的人先降卑，並使「匠人所棄的石頭，成了房角的頭塊石頭」；約瑟、摩西、大衛——以色列最傑出的三位牧者——在被神呼召擔任偉大職分之前，都曾被人驅逐。3. 他在流亡中曾率領一群烏合之眾（士十一3）。他既被弟兄趕出，他那偉大的心靈不容他或掘地或討飯，只好靠刀劍度日；他很快因勇武聞名，那些同樣陷入困境、又被同樣精神所激發的人，便投奔到他麾下。此處稱他們為「無賴的匪徒」，就是那些揮霍盡了家業、不得不謀生的人。他們與他出入，不是為搶劫擄掠，而是為獵取野獸，也許還襲擊那些以色列有權得著卻尚未承受的地業，或是以某種方式受了虧損的邦國。這就是神要用來拯救以色列的人。那百姓因拜偶像，使自己成了淫亂之子，與神和他的約無分；所以神雖在他們悔改之時要拯救他們，卻為使他們謙卑、記念自己的罪，揀選了一個私生子和一個被放逐之人來作這事。
⁴ 過了些日子，亞捫人攻打以色列。* ⁵ 亞捫人攻打以色列的時候，基列的長老去到陀伯地，要請耶弗他回來；* ⁶ 對耶弗他說：「請你來作我們的元帥，我們好與亞捫人爭戰。」* ⁷ 耶弗他對基列的長老說：「你們從前不是恨我、趕逐我出離父家嗎？現在你們遭遇患難，為甚麼到我這裡來呢？」* ⁸ 基列的長老對耶弗他說：「現在我們到你這裡來，是特為要你與我們同去，與亞捫人爭戰，作基列一切居民的領袖。」* ⁹ 耶弗他對基列的長老說：「你們叫我回去與亞捫人爭戰，耶和華若把他們交在我手中，我竟作你們的領袖嗎？」* ¹⁰ 基列的長老對耶弗他說：「耶和華在我們中間作見證；我們必定照你的話行。」* ¹¹ 於是耶弗他與基列的長老同去；百姓就立耶弗他作領袖、作元帥。耶弗他在米斯巴將自己的一切話，陳明在耶和華面前。*
此處我們看到：一、亞捫人侵犯以色列國境之時，以色列人所處的困境（士十一4）。這大概就是士十17所提到的那次侵犯——「亞捫人聚集安營在基列」。「過了些日子」一語，是指緊接前文所記耶弗他被驅逐之後；他在受辱中被趕出許多日之後，如今又蒙尊榮地被請回來。
二、長老們因此向耶弗他求援。他們不是寫信或差使者去，而是親自去接他，決心不容推辭，並且情勢緊急，不容耽延。他們對他說：「請你來作我們的元帥」（士十一6）。他們知道自己中間無人能承當這重任，實際上是承認自己不配；他們知道他是個膽大之人、慣於爭戰，所以必須由他來當元帥。當看見神如何為他所設計的服事預備人，並使人的患難成為他們升遷的憑藉。耶弗他若不是因弟兄的無情而被逼到絕境，就不會有這樣的機會來鍛煉和改進他的軍事天才，因而使自己聞名。「從吃的出來了吃的」（士十四14）。以色列人已經聚集安營（士十17）。但一支沒有元帥的軍隊，如同一個沒有頭的身子；所以他們說：「請來作我們的元帥，使我們可以爭戰。」當看見治理的必要；雖然他們在這事業上十分熱心，卻承認沒有元帥指揮就不能爭戰。所以社會中必須有「統治的部分」和「服從的部分」——有人治理、有人順服——這是如此必要，以至於任何群體寧可謙卑地懇求受指揮，也不願人人都作自己的主人。當為治理感謝神，為良好的治理感謝神。
三、耶弗他對接受他們的提議所提的反對：「你們從前不是恨我、趕逐我嗎？」（士十一7）。看來他的弟兄是這些長老中的一些人；或者這些長老因縱容他弟兄虐待他，沒有盡本分為他主持公道（因為他們的職責是「為孤兒和窮人辨屈」，詩八十三3,4），便在他被逐一事上有分，他理當指控他們。官長既有權保護受欺壓的人，若疏於為他們伸冤，實際上就犯了加害於他們的罪。「你們恨我、趕逐我，所以我怎能相信你們在這提議上是出於真心？你們又怎能指望我為你們效勞呢？」這並不是說耶弗他不願意為國效力，而是他認為應當提醒他們先前對他的無情，好使他們為苛待他的罪悔改，並在日後更加感念自己對他的義務。約瑟也是這樣，在與弟兄相認之前，先使他們謙卑。基列人與耶弗他之間的具體情形，正是此時以色列與神之間普遍情形的寫照。他們因拜偶像把神趕走，卻在患難中懇求他的幫助；他告訴他們自己何等公義地可以拒絕他們，卻仍恩惠地拯救了他們。耶弗他也是如此。許多人輕視神和好人，直到自己陷入困境，那時才渴慕神的憐憫和好人的代禱。
四、他們迫切求他接受他們所獻的治理權（士十一8）：「所以我們如今到你這裡來」——為從前對你所行的冤屈，並為表明我們已經悔改，願意竭力補償——「我們要將這樣的尊榮加在你身上，以抵消那羞辱。」讓這實例：1. 作為對我們的警戒——不可因人卑微而藐視或踐踏他們，也不可趁勢欺壓我們所佔優勢的人，因為不管我們如今如何看待他們，總有一天我們可能需要他們，並樂於受恩於他們。我們的智慧是不與任何人為敵，因為我們不知道自己的患難何時會嚴重到必須與他和好。2. 作為對受輕視或受虐待之有價值之人的鼓勵。讓他們以溫柔和喜樂忍受，將此事交託給神，使他的光從幽暗中照耀出來。富勒在他的《毗斯迦遠眺》中對此事的評論是：「美德在一個世代中總要為自己開路，使她得著升遷；當恨惡她的人偶然需要她之時，他們必被迫高舉她」——那時尊榮就顯得更加輝煌。
五、他與他們所立的約。他既已提及他們從前對他所行的冤屈，看見他們的悔改，他那寬大慷慨的心靈便不再提這些事。神既已赦免以色列對他的冒犯（士十16），耶弗他也肯赦免。只是他認為與他有所理由不信任的人打交道，明智地為將來立約是謹慎之舉。1. 他向他們提出一個公平的問題（士十一9）。他對自己的成功並不過分自信，知道神何等公義地可以容讓亞捫人得勝，以進一步懲罰以色列；所以他加上一個「若」。他對自己也毫無自信；他若成功，是「耶和華將他們交在我手中」——他有意藉此提醒同胞舉目仰望神，視他為爭議的仲裁者和勝利的賜予者，因為他素來如此行。「如今我若靠神的福分凱旋歸來，請明明白白告訴我，我要作你們的領袖嗎？我若在神之下拯救你們，我也要在他之下改革你們嗎？」這同一個問題也擺在那些渴望靠基督得救的人面前：「他若拯救你們，你們願不願意讓他治理你們？因為除了這個條件，他不肯拯救你們。他若使你們快樂，也要使你們成聖嗎？他若作你們的幫助者，也要作你們的元首嗎？」2. 他們立刻給他一個肯定的答覆（士十一10）：「我們必照你的話行；在戰時你吩咐我們，在平時你也要吩咐我們。」他們不花時間考慮。這事太清楚，不必辯論；情勢太緊急，不容遲延。他們知道有權為所代表的人訂立條約，所以用誓言約束：「耶和華在我們中間作見證。」他們以神的全知作為他們當前誠意的審判者，又以他的公義作為日後若背信棄義的報復者。「耶和華作聽者」（原文如此）。我們無論說甚麼話，都當記念神是聽者，並照此說話。於是耶弗他與基列人之間的最初契約就此批准；看來後來全以色列都同意了，因為經上說（士十二7）：「他作以色列的士師。」他隨即與他們同去（士十一11），到了他們全體聚集之處（士十17），在那裡經眾人同意，「立他作領袖和元帥」，如此批准了他們的代表與他所訂的約——他不僅此時作元帥，並且終身作領袖。耶弗他為得這一點尊榮，情願為他們捨命（士十二3）；何況基督自己已經應許「得勝的必得生命的冠冕」，我們在基督徒的爭戰中若遇見任何困難，難道還會因此灰心嗎？
六、耶弗他在這大事上敬虔地承認神（士十一11）：「他在米斯巴將自己的一切話陳明在耶和華面前」——就是他在被高舉之後，立刻退下來禱告，在神面前將整件事陳明——既包括他蒙選立這職分，也包括他執行這職分，作為一個眼目時常仰望耶和華、沒有他不肯行之事的人，不倚靠自己的聰明或勇氣，而是倚靠神和他的恩寵。他在神面前陳明自己在這事上的一切心思和掛慮；因為神允許我們在他面前坦然無懼。1. 「主啊，百姓已立我作他們的領袖；你肯確認這揀選，承認我是你在他們之下、為他們而設的領袖嗎？」神公義地抱怨以色列（何八4）：「他們立君王，卻不是由我。」耶弗他說：「主啊，沒有你，我絕不作他們所立的領袖。你若不允許，我就不接受這治理之位。」亞比米勒若如此行，也許會興盛。2. 「主啊，他們立我作元帥，在他們與亞捫人的爭戰中率領他們；我可有你的同在嗎？你肯在我前面行嗎？若不肯，求你不要讓我從這裡上去。主啊，求你使我心滿意足於這事業的公義；求你保證我在這事業上得勝。」這是一個罕見的榜樣，是眾人——尤其是身居高位之人——所當效法的；在我們一切所行的事上，當承認神，求他的恩寵，從他口中求指教，並帶他同去；如此我們的道路就必亨通。耶弗他如此以禱告開始了他的戰役。以敬虔開始的，必以榮耀結束。
英文原文
Jephthah's Promotion (1143 BC)
¹ Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, 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.
The princes and people of Gilead we left, in the close of the foregoing chapter, consulting about the choice of a general, having come to this resolve, that whoever would undertake to lead their forces against the children of Ammon should by common consent be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. The enterprise was difficult, and it was fit that so great an encouragement as this should be proposed to him that would undertake it. Now all agreed that Jephthah, the Gileadite, was a mighty man of valour, and very fit for that purpose, none so fit as he, but he lay under three disadvantages:—1. He was the son of a harlot (Jdg 11:1), of a strange woman (Jdg 11:2), one that was neither a wife nor a concubine; some think his mother was a Gentile; so Josephus, who calls him a stranger by the mother's side. An Ishmaelite, say the Jews. If his mother was a harlot, that was not his fault, however it was his disgrace. Men ought not to be reproached with any of the infelicities of their parentage or extraction, so long as they are endeavouring by their personal merits to roll away the reproach. The son of a harlot, if born again, born from above, shall be accepted of God, and be as welcome as any other to the glorious liberties of his children. Jephthah could not read in the law the brand there put on the Ammonites, the enemies he was to grapple with, that they should not enter into the congregation of the Lord, but in the same paragraph he met with that which looked black upon himself, that a bastard should be in like manner excluded, De 23:2,3. But if that law means, as most probably it does, only those that are born of incest, not of fornication, he was not within the reach of it. 2. He had been driven from his country by his brethren. His father's legitimate children, insisting upon the rigour of the law, thrust him out from having any inheritance with them, without any consideration of his extraordinary qualifications, which merited a dispensation, and would have made him a mighty strength and ornament of their family, if they had overlooked his being illegitimate and admitted him to a child's part, Jdg 11:2. One would not have thought this abandoned youth was intended to be Israel's deliverer and judge, but God often humbles those whom he designs to exalt, and makes that stone the head of the corner which the builders refused; so Joseph, Moses, and David, the three most eminent of the shepherds of Israel, were all thrust out by men, before they were called of God to their great offices. 3. He had, in his exile, headed a rabble, Jdg 11:3. Being driven out by his brethren, his great soul would not suffer him either to dig or beg, but by his sword he must live; and, being soon noted for his bravery, those that were reduced to such straits, and animated by such a spirit, enlisted themselves under him. Vain men they are here called, that is, men that had run through their estates and had to seek for a livelihood. These went out with him, not to rob or plunder, but to hunt wild beasts, and perhaps to make incursions upon those countries which Israel was entitled to, but had not as yet come to the possession of, or were some way or other injured by. This is the man that must save Israel. That people had by their idolatry made themselves children of whoredoms, and aliens from God and his covenant, and therefore, though God upon their repentance will deliver them, yet, to mortify them and remind them of their sin, he chooses to do it by a bastard and an exile.
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, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?
⁸ And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
⁹ And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?
¹⁰ And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.
¹¹ Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh.
Here is, I. The distress which the children of Israel were in upon the Ammonites' invasion of their country, Jdg 11:4. Probably this was the same invasion with that mentioned, Jdg 10:17, when the children of Ammon were gathered together and encamped in or against Gilead. And those words, in process of time, refer to what goes immediately before of the expulsion of Jephthah; many days after he had been thus thrust out in disgrace was he fetched back again with honour.
II. The court which the elders made to Jephthah hereupon to come and help them. They did not write or send a messenger to him, but went themselves to fetch him, resolving to have no denial, and the exigence of the case was such as would admit no delay. Their errand to him was, Come, and be our captain, Jdg 11:6. They knew none among themselves that was able to undertake that great trust, but in effect confessed themselves unfit for it; they know him to be a bold man, and inured to the sword, and therefore he must be the man. See how God prepared men for the service he designs them for, and makes their troubles work for their advancement. If Jephthah had not been put to his shifts by his brethren's unkindness, he would not have had such occasion as this gave him to exercise and improve his martial genius, and so to signalize himself and become famous. Out of the eater comes forth meat. The children of Israel were assembled and encamped, Jdg 10:17. But an army without a general is like a body without a head; therefore Come, say they, and be our captain, that we may fight. See the necessity of government; though they were hearty enough in the cause, yet they owned they could not fight without a captain to command them. So necessary is it to all societies that there be a pars imperans and a pars subdita, some to rule and others to obey, that any community would humbly beg the favour of being commanded rather than that every man should be his own master. Blessed be God for government, for a good government.
III. The objections Jephthah makes against accepting their offer: Did you not hate me, and expel me? Jdg 11:7. It should seem that his brethren were some of these elders, or these elders by suffering his brethren to abuse him, and not righting him as they ought to have done (for their business is to defend the poor and fatherless, Ps 83:3,4), had made themselves guilty of his expulsion, and he might justly charge them with it. Magistrates, that have power to protect those that are injured, if they neglect to redress their grievances are really guilty of inflicting them. "You hated me and expelled me, and therefore how can I believe that you are sincere in this proposal, and how can you expect that I should do you any service?" Not but that Jephthah was very willing to serve his country, but he thought fit to give them a hint of their former unkindness to him, that they might repent of their sin in using him so ill, and might for the future be the more sensible of their obligations. Thus Joseph humbled his brethren before he made himself known to them. The particular case between the Gileadites and Jephthah was a resemblance of the general state of the case between Israel and God at this time. They had thrust God out by their idolatries, yet in their distress begged his help; he told them how justly he might have rejected them, and yet graciously delivered them. So did Jephthah. Many slight God and good men till they come to be in distress, and then they are desirous of God's mercy and good men's prayers.
IV. Their urgency with him to accept the government they offer him, Jdg 11:8. "Therefore because we formerly did thee that wrong, and to show thee that we repent of it and would gladly atone for it, we turn again to thee now, to put such an honour upon thee as shall balance that indignity." Let this instance be, 1. A caution to us not to despise or trample upon any because they are mean, nor to be injurious to any that we have advantage against, because, whatever we think of them now, the time may come when we may have need of them, and may be glad to be beholden to them. It is our wisdom to make no man our enemy, because we know not how soon our distresses may be such as that we may be highly concerned to make him our friend. 2. An encouragement to men of worth that are slighted or ill-treated. Let them bear it with meekness and cheerfulness, and leave it to God to make their light shine out of obscurity. Fuller's remark on this story, in his "Pisgah Sight," is this: "Virtue once in an age will work her own advancement, and, when such as hate it chance to need it, they will be forced to prefer it," and then the honour will appear the brighter.
V. The bargain he makes with them. He had mentioned the injuries they had formerly done him, but, perceiving their repentance, his spirit was too great and generous to mention them any more. God had forgiven Israel the affronts they had put upon him (Jdg 10:16), and therefore Jephthah will forgive. Only he thinks it prudent to make his bargain wisely for the future, since he deals with men that he had reason to distrust. 1. He puts to them a fair question, Jdg 11:9. He speaks not with too much confidence of his success, knowing how justly God might suffer the Ammonites to prevail for the further punishment of Israel; but puts an if upon it. Nor does he speak with any confidence at all in himself; if he do succeed, it is the Lord that delivers them into his hand, intending hereby to remind his countrymen to look up to God, as arbitrator of the controversy and the giver of victory, for so he did. "Now if, by the blessing of God, I come home a conqueror, tell me plainly shall I be your head? If I deliver you, under God, shall I, under him, reform you?" The same question is put to those who desire salvation by Christ. "If he save you, will you be willing that he shall rule you? for 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?" 2. They immediately give him a positive answer (Jdg 11:10): "We will do according to thy words; command us in war, and thou shalt command us in peace." They do not take time to consider of it. The case was too plain to need a debate, and the necessity too pressing to admit a delay. They knew they had power to conclude a treaty for those whom they represented, and therefore bound it with an oath, The Lord be witness between us. They appeal to God's omniscience as the judge of their present sincerity, and to his justice as an avenger if afterwards they should prove false. The Lord be a hearer, so the word is. Whatever we speak, it concerns us to remember that God is a hearer, and to speak accordingly. Thus was the original contract ratified between Jephthah and the Gileadites, which all Israel, it should seem, agreed to afterwards, for it is said (Jdg 12:7), he judged Israel. He hereupon went with them (Jdg 11:11) to the place where they were all assembled (Jdg 10:17), and there by common consent they made him head and captain, and so ratified the bargain their representatives had made with him, that he should be not only captain now, but head for life. Jephthah, to obtain this little honour, was willing to expose his life for them (Jdg 12:3), and shall we be discouraged in our Christian warfare by any of the difficulties we may meet with in it, when Christ himself has promised a crown of life to him that overcometh?
VI. Jephthah's pious acknowledgment of God in this great affair (Jdg 11:11): He uttered all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh, that is, upon his elevation, he immediately retired to his devotions, 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 towards the Lord, and would do nothing without him, that leaned not to his own understanding or courage, but depended on God and his favour. He utters before God all his thoughts and cares in this matter; for God gives us leave to be free with him. 1. "Lord, the people have made me their head; wilt thou confirm the choice, and own me as thy people's head under thee and for thee?" God justly complains of Israel (Ho 8:4), they have set up kings, but not by me. "Lord," said Jephthah, "I will be no head of their making without thee. I will not accept the government unless thou give me leave." Had Abimelech done this, he might have prospered. 2. "Lord, they have made me their captain, to go before them in this war with the Ammonites; shall I have thy presence? Wilt thou go before me? If not, carry me not up hence. Lord, satisfy me in the justice of the cause. Assure me of success in the enterprise." This is a rare example, to be imitated by all, particularly by great ones; in all our ways let us acknowledge God, seek his favour, ask counsel at his mouth, and take him along with us; so shall we make our way prosperous. Thus Jephthah opened the campaign with prayer. That was likely to end gloriously which began thus piously.
12-28
The War with the Ammonites (1143 BC)
與亞捫人的爭戰（主前 1143 年）
¹² 耶弗他打發使者去見亞捫人的王，說：「我與你有甚麼相干，你竟到我這裡來攻打我的地呢？」* ¹³ 亞捫人的王回答耶弗他的使者說：「因為以色列人從埃及上來的時候，奪了我的地，從亞嫩河直到雅博河，又到約旦河；現在你要將這些地和平地歸還。」* ¹⁴ 耶弗他又打發使者去見亞捫人的王，* ¹⁵ 對他說：「耶弗他如此說：以色列人並沒有奪取摩押人的地，也沒有奪取亞捫人的地。* ¹⁶ 以色列人從埃及上來，經過曠野到了紅海，來到加低斯；* ¹⁷ 那時以色列人打發使者去見以東王，說：『求你容我從你的地經過。』以東王卻不聽。他們又照樣打發使者去見摩押王；摩押王也不肯允准；以色列人就住在加低斯。* ¹⁸ 他們又經過曠野，繞著以東地和摩押地，從摩押地的東邊過來，在亞嫩河那邊安營，並沒有進入摩押地的境內；因為亞嫩河是摩押的邊界。* ¹⁹ 以色列人打發使者去見亞摩利人的王西宏，就是希實本王；以色列人對他說：『求你容我們從你的地經過，到本鄉去。』* ²⁰ 西宏卻不信以色列人，不容他們經過他的境界；西宏聚集眾民到了雅雜，與以色列人爭戰。* ²¹ 耶和華以色列的神將西宏和他的眾民都交在以色列人手中；以色列人擊殺了他們，就得了他們全地，就是亞摩利人的全境。* ²² 他們得了亞摩利人的全邊界，從亞嫩河直到雅博河，又從曠野直到約旦河。* ²³ 如今耶和華以色列的神既從他百姓以色列人面前趕出亞摩利人，你竟要得這地嗎？* ²⁴ 你的神基抹所賜你的地，你不是得為業嗎？照樣，耶和華我們的神在我們面前所趕出的人，我們就要得他的地。* ²⁵ 如今你比西撥的兒子巴勒——摩押王——強嗎？他與以色列人爭競過嗎？他與他們爭戰過嗎？* ²⁶ 以色列人住希實本和屬希實本的村莊、亞羅珥和屬亞羅珥的村莊，並沿亞嫩河一切城邑的時候，已有三百年；你們為何在那段時間之內沒有收回呢？* ²⁷ 我並沒有得罪你，你卻來攻打我，行惡待我；願審判人的耶和華今日在以色列人和亞捫人中間判斷是非。」* ²⁸ 然而亞捫人的王不聽耶弗他所打發使者所說的話。*
此處我們看到耶弗他——如今是以色列的士師——與亞捫人的王（未記其名）之間的談判，為要盡可能不流人血而調停兩國之間的爭端。
一、耶弗他以掌權者的身分，差遣使者去見在這場戰爭中為侵略者的亞捫王，質問他侵犯以色列地的原因：「你為甚麼來攻打我的地呢？」（士十一12）。「若是我先進入你的地、擾亂你的產業，那便夠作為與我爭戰的理由了；因為除非用武力，怎能抵擋武力呢？但你又有甚麼理由以敵對的姿態進入『我的地』呢？」——他如此稱呼，是奉神和以色列的名。這合理的要求表明：1. 耶弗他雖是大能的勇士，卻不喜愛戰爭，而願意藉和平的方法避免戰爭。他若能用理性勸退入侵者，便不願用刀劍迫使他們退去。戰爭應當是最後的補救方法，除非其他一切結束爭端的方法都試過無效，否則不當使用——「君王的最後手段」（ratio ultima regum）。這規則在訴訟上也當遵守。法律的劍和戰爭的劍一樣，非到雙方先以較溫和的方法彼此了解、設法調停爭端之後，不可輕易訴諸（林前六1）。2. 耶弗他喜愛公義，所圖謀的不過是行公義。亞捫人若能說服他以色列確實虧負了他們，他樂意歸還亞捫人的權利；否則他們的入侵顯然是虧負了以色列人，他樂意維護以色列人的權利。在一切所行的事上，公義的意識當引導並管理我們。
二、亞捫王如今提出了他的要求——這要求他本該在入侵以色列之前就先公布（士十一13）。他的託辭是：「以色列人從前奪了我的地；如今你要將這些地歸還。」我們有理由相信，亞捫人這次攻擊以色列時，所圖謀的不過是要擄掠鄉間、以擄物自肥，正如他們從前在伊磯倫之下所作的（士三13）；那時他們並沒有提出這樣的要求，雖然事情還新鮮。但耶弗他既質問他們爭戰的理由，他們又不好意思承認真正的用意，便翻出一些陳舊的記錄、或查考一些古老的傳說，從中找出這個理由來應付眼前的局面，作為入侵的似是而非的公義藉口。那些作極大惡事的人，良心裡仍對公義有這樣的信念，以至要裝作行公義的樣子。「將那些地歸還」。當看見我們屬世的產業是何等不穩妥地掌握在我們手中；我們以為抓得最穩的東西，可能被人質疑，並從我們手中奪去。至於那些已經到達天上迦南的人，不必害怕他們的憑據被質疑。
三、耶弗他對這要求作了極其充分而令人滿意的答覆，證明這要求完全不公義、不合理；亞捫人對介於亞嫩河與雅博河之間、如今在流便和迦得兩支派手中的這塊地，毫無所有權。他作為一個十分熟悉本國歷史的人，證明如下：
1. 以色列人從未從摩押人或亞捫人手中奪取過任何土地。他把二者並提，因為他們是弟兄——羅得的子孫、近鄰、利益相連、同有一位神基抹、有時或同有一位王。所爭議的地，以色列人不是從摩押人或亞捫人手中奪取的（他們從神那裡得到明確的命令：不可干涉他們，也不可動他們任何東西，申二9,19，並且敬謹遵守了這命令）；他們乃是發現這地在亞摩利人的王西宏手中，從他手中公義而光榮地奪取過來，這一點他後面將要證明。亞摩利人若在以色列來到這地之前，從摩押人或亞捫人手中奪了這些地（看來確是如此，民二十一26；書十三25），以色列人不必過問這事，也不必為此負責。亞捫人既已失去這些地和他們的所有權，以色列人也沒有義務為他們收回產業。他們的本分是為自己征服，不是為別人征服。這是他的第一個抗辯：「並未犯此過犯」。
2. 以色列人非但沒有侵犯任何別國的產業（除了那當滅的、受咒詛的迦南後裔——亞摩利人就是其中一支，創十16），甚至不肯強行通過以東人——以掃的後裔——或摩押人——羅得的後裔——的境內；甚至在經過曠野極其乏味的行程、極其疲乏之後（士十一16），當以東王先後、然後摩押王，都不肯施恩容他們借道之時（士十一17），他們寧可招惹自己更大的疲乏，繞過以東地和摩押地，也沒有進入他們任何一方的境界（士十一18）。當注意：那些行事不冒犯人的人，可以從中得著安慰，並可拿這一點來回答那些指控他們不義和行惡的人。「我們的公義將來必為我們回答」（創三十33），又能「堵住那糊塗無知人的口」（彼前二15）。
3. 以色列人從亞摩利人的王西宏手中奪取這地的那場爭戰中，西宏是侵略者，而不是他們（士十一19,20）。他們曾向他呈遞謙卑的請願，求准許經過他的地，並願意為他們在途中的好行為提供任何保證。「求你容我們到本鄉去」（他們說）——就是到迦南地，這是我們唯一稱為自己所有的地方，我們正朝那裡前進，無意在此定居。但西宏不僅如以東和摩押那樣拒絕了這恩情（他若只如此作，誰知道以色列人會不會繞道而行呢？），反而召集了他全部軍隊，與以色列人爭戰（士十一20）——不但把他們拒於自己地之外，更想要將他們從地上剪除（民二十一23,24），所圖謀的不下於他們的徹底毀滅（士十一20）。因此以色列人在與他的戰爭中，乃是為自己的正當防衛而戰；所以他們既擊潰了他的軍隊，便有充分的理由為報復那傷害而佔領他的國土，視之為已沒收之物。以色列人就是這樣得到了這地的產業，並毫無疑問地主張自己的所有權；亞捫人質疑他們的所有權實在很不合理，因為亞摩利人才是這地的居民，以色列人當時所佔領的純粹是亞摩利人的地和境界（士十一21,22）。
4. 他根據一項御賜的賜與來提出主張（士十一23,24）。奪取這地的不是以色列人（他們因長途跋涉而疲乏，不久還不宜作戰），而是耶和華以色列的神——他是萬國之王，地和其中所充滿的都屬乎他——他把亞摩利人趕出去，將以色列人栽種在他們的位置上。神藉著一次明確而特定的轉讓把這地賜給他們，使所有權歸於他們，他們可以據以對抗全世界。申二24說：「我已將西宏和他的地交在你手中」——他賜給他們，是藉著賜給他們對當時的佔有者一次徹底的勝利，儘管他們處於極大的劣勢。「你們以為神用如此奇特的方式把這地賜給我們，是要我們再把它還給摩押人或亞捫人嗎？不，我們對神的恩賜有更高的估價，不會如此輕易放棄。」為加強這抗辯，他提出一個「訴諸對方」的論據（ad hominem——即針對對方而言）：「你的神基抹所賜你的地，你不是得為業嗎？」他不僅訴之於人保持自己所有的普遍決心，更訴之於列國普遍的宗教信念——他們認為這信念約束他們要看重他們神明所賜的。耶弗他並不認為基抹是神；只是基抹是「你的神」，那些敬拜糞土之神的人——雖然這些神既不能降禍也不能降福——卻認為自己所有的一切都虧欠了這些神明（何二12：「這是我所愛的情人所給我的賞賜」；又見士十六24）；並以這為理由緊守不放，因為是他們的神所賜的。「你認為這是正當的所有權憑據，我們豈不也是嗎？」亞捫人曾從他們以前住在那地的居民手中奪了地；他們以為是靠他們的神基抹的幫助而作成，其實是耶和華以色列的神為他們作的，這一點申二19,20明說了。耶弗他說：「如今我們對自己國土的所有權，與你們對你們國土的所有權一樣正當。」當注意：我們對神——我們的神——當有的尊敬和尊重之一，就是正確地佔有他所賜給我們佔有的，從他手中領受、為他而用、為他的緣故保守、當他呼召之時便捨棄。他賜給我們是要我們「佔有」，不是要我們「享受」。惟獨他自己才是可享受的。
5. 他根據時效取得的主張。(1) 他們的所有權在他們最初進入之時並沒有受到質疑（士十一25）。「那時作摩押王的巴勒——這些地的大部份從前被亞摩利人從他手中奪去——他最關心也最能反對我們；他若對我們在那裡定居有任何異議，卻仍安坐不動，從未提議與以色列人爭競。」他知道就自己而言，他已經公然敗給了亞摩利人，無力收回；他不能不承認以色列人公平地從亞摩利人手中贏得了這地；所以他唯一關心的是保住所剩下的：他從未對所失之地主張所有權。見民二十二2,3。「他當時既默然接受神處理列國的方式，你如今不也當如此嗎？」(2) 他們的佔有從未被擾亂（士十一26）。他辯稱他們如今佔有這地約三百年，亞捫人在這段時間內從未試圖從他們手中奪去，甚至在他們有能力欺壓之時也沒有這樣作（士三13,14）。所以，即使他們最初的所有權不清晰（其實他已證明是清晰的），但既然這麼多世代以來無人提出要求，亞捫人的入境要求無疑已被永遠排除。一個如此長久無人質疑的所有權，當被推定為無可置疑。
6. 耶弗他藉這些論據為自己和自己的事業辯護（「我取了或保有了我無權享有的東西，並沒有得罪你；若有，我必立即歸還」），又定了亞捫人的罪：「你來攻打我，是惡待我」（士十一27），必當照樣受報。在我看來，這是一個證據，顯明以色列人在他們興盛強大的日子裡（因為在士師時代他們確有這樣的日子）對一切鄰舍行事極其無冒犯，並沒有擾害或壓迫他們（無論是為報復，還是藉推廣信仰之名）；因為亞捫王要找藉口與他們爭鬧，竟不得不回顧三百年前的事來找託辭。神的百姓正當如此無可指責、純潔無邪、無可責備。
7. 為決斷爭端，他將自己交託給神和他的刀劍；亞捫王也與他一同接受這裁決（士十一27,28）：「願審判人的耶和華今日施行判斷」。他這樣鄭重地將事情交給天上地下的審判者，是要麼威懾亞捫人、使他們看見理虧便退去；要麼在他們繼續進攻之時，為自己制服他們找到正當理由。當注意：戰爭就是向上天的呼求，向那作萬有審判者的神呼求，戰爭的結局屬乎他。若有可疑的權利受到爭議，便在此求他決斷。若有明顯的權利被侵犯或被否認，便在此求他為公義申辯、懲罰不義。正如法律的劍是為不法不順從之人而造（提前一9），戰爭的劍也是為不法不順從的君王和國家而造。所以在戰爭中，眼目當時刻仰望神；當始終視之為危險的事——若渴望或期望神庇護不義。
耶弗他的辯護和他的上訴，都沒有使亞捫人的王回心轉意；他們在欺壓以色列人的十八年間，已嘗過擄掠以色列人的甜頭（士十8），如今盼望不但要繼續享受這些果實，更要佔有那棵結果子的樹。他不聽耶弗他的話，他的心已經剛硬，走向自己的毀滅。
英文原文
The War with the Ammonites (1143 BC)
¹² And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?
¹³ And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.
¹⁴ And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:
¹⁵ And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:
¹⁶ But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;
¹⁷ Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh.
¹⁸ Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab.
¹⁹ And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place.
²⁰ But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
²¹ And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.
²² And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.
²³ So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?
²⁴ Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.
²⁵ And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,
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?
²⁷ Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.
²⁸ Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
We have here the treaty between Jephthah, now judge of Israel, and the king of the Ammonites (who is not named), that the controversy between the two nations might, if possible, be accommodated without the effusion of blood.
I. Jephthah, as one having authority, sent to the king of Ammon, who in this war was the aggressor, to demand his reasons for invading the land of Israel: "Why hast thou come to fight against me in my land? Jdg 11:12. Had I come first into thy land to disturb thee in thy possession, this would have been reason enough for fighting against me, for how must force be repelled but by force? but what hast thou to do to come thus in a hostile manner into my land?" so he calls it, in the name both of God and Israel. Now this fair demand shows, 1. That Jephthah did not delight in war, though he was a mighty man of valour, but was willing to prevent it by a peaceable accommodation. If he could by reason persuade the invaders to retire, he would not compel them to do it by the sword. War should be the last remedy, not to be used till all other methods of ending matters in variance have been tried in vain, ratio ultima regum—the last resource of kings. This rule should be observed in going to law. The sword of justice, as well as the sword of war, must not be appealed to till the contending parties have first endeavoured by gentler means to understand one another, and to accommodate matters in variance, 1Co 6:1. 2. That Jephthah did delight in equity, and designed no other than to do justice. If the children of Ammon could convince him that Israel had done them wrong, he was ready to restore the rights of the Ammonites. If not, it was plain by their invasion that they did Israel wrong, and he was ready to maintain the rights of the Israelites. A sense of justice should guide and govern us in all our undertakings.
II. The king of the Ammonites now gives in his demand, which he should have published before he had invaded Israel, Jdg 11:13. His pretence is, "Israel took away my lands long since; now therefore restore those lands." We have reason to think the Ammonites, when they made this descent upon Israel, meant no other than to spoil and plunder the country, and enrich themselves with the prey, as they had done formerly under Eglon (Jdg 3:13) when no such demand as this was made, though the matter was then fresh; but when Jephthah demanded the cause of their quarrel, and they could not for shame own what was their true intent and meaning, some old musty records were searched, or some ancient traditions enquired into, and from them this reason was drawn to serve the present turn, for a colourable pretence of equity in the invasion. Even those that do the greatest wrong yet have such a conviction in their consciences of justice that they would seem to do right. Restore those lands. See upon what uncertain terms we hold our worldly possessions; what we think we have the surest hold of may be challenged from us, and wrested out of our hands. Those that have got to the heavenly Canaan need not fear having their titles questioned.
III. Jephthah gives in a very full and satisfactory answer to this demand, showing it to be altogether unjust and unreasonable, and that the Ammonites had no title to this country that lay between the rivers Arnon and Jabbok, now in the possession of the tribes of Reuben and Gad. As one very well versed in the history of his country, he shows,
1. That Israel never took any land away either from the Moabites or Ammonites. He puts them together because they were brethren, the children of Lot, near neighbours, and of united interests, having the same god, Chemosh, and perhaps sometimes the same king. The lands in question Israel took away, not from the Moabites or Ammonites (they had particular orders from God not to meddle with them nor any thing they had, De 2:9,19, and religiously observed their orders), but they found them in the possession of Sihon king of the Amorites, and out of his hand they took them justly and honourably, as he will show afterwards. If the Amorites, before Israel came into that country, had taken these lands from the Moabites or Ammonites, as it should seem they had (Nu 21:26, Jos 13:25), Israel was not concerned to enquire into that or answer for it. If the Ammonites had lost these lands and their title to them, the children of Israel were under no obligation to recover the possession for them. Their business was to conquer for themselves, not for other people. This is his first plea, "Not guilty of the trespass."
2. That they were so far from invading the property of any other nations than the devoted posterity of cursed Canaan (one of the branches of which the Amorites were, Ge 10:16) that they would not so much as force a passage through the country either of the Edomites, the seed of Esau, or of the Moabites, the seed of Lot; but even after a very tedious march through the wilderness, with which they were sadly tired (Jdg 11:16), when the king of Edom first, and afterwards the king of Moab, denied them the courtesy of a way through their country (Jdg 11:17), rather than give them any offence or annoyance, weary as they were, they put themselves to the further fatigue of compassing both the land of Edom and that of Moab, and came not within the border of either, Jdg 11:18. Note, Those that behave themselves inoffensively may take the comfort of it, and plead it against those that charge them with injustice and wrong doing. Our righteousness will answer for us in time to come (Ge 30:33) and will put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, 1Pe 2:15.
3. That in that war in which they took this land out of the hands of Sihon king of the Amorites he was the aggressor, and not they, Jdg 11:19,20. They sent a humble petition to him for leave to go through his land, willing to give him any security for their good behaviour in their march. "Let us pass (say they) unto our place, that is, to the land of Canaan, which is the only place we call ours, and to which we are pressing forward, not designing a settlement here." But Sihon not only denied them this courtesy, as Edom and Moab had done (had he only done so, who knows but Israel might have gone about some other way?) but he mustered all his forces, and fought against Israel (Jdg 11:20), not only shut them out of his own land, but would have cut them off from the face of the earth (Nu 21:23,24), aimed at nothing less than their ruin, Jdg 11:20. Israel therefore, in their war with him, stood in their own just and necessary defence, and therefore, having routed his army, might justly, in further revenge of the injury, seize his country as forfeited. Thus Israel came to the possession of this country, and doubted not to make good their title to it; and it is very unreasonable for the Ammonites to question their title, for the Amorites were the inhabitants of that country, and it was purely their land and their coasts that the Israelites then made themselves masters of, Jdg 11:21,22.
4. He pleads a grant from the crown, and claims under that, Jdg 11:23,24. It was not Israel (they were fatigued with their long march, and were not fit for action so soon), but it was the Lord God of Israel, who is King of nations, whose the earth is and the fulness thereof, he it was that dispossessed the Amorites and planted Israel in their room. God gave them the land by an express and particular conveyance, such as vested the title in them, which they might make good against all the world. De 2:24, I have given into thy hand Sihon and his land; he gave it to them, by giving them a complete victory over the present occupants, notwithstanding the great disadvantages they were under. "Can you think that God gave it to us in such an extraordinary manner with design that we should return it to the Moabites or Ammonites again? No, we put a higher value upon God's favours than to part with them so easily." To corroborate this plea, he urges an argument ad hominem—directed to the man: Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee? He not only appeals to the common resolutions of men to hold their own against all the world, but to the common religion of the nations, which, they thought, obliged them to make much of that which their gods gave them. Not that Jephthah thought Chemosh a god, only he is thy god, and the worshippers even of those dunghill deities that could do neither good nor evil yet thought themselves beholden to them for all they had (Ho 2:12, These are my rewards which my lovers have given me; and see Jdg 16:24) and made this a reason why they would hold it fast, that their gods gave it to them. "This thou thinkest a good title, and shall not we?" The Ammonites had dispossessed those that dwelt in their land before them; they thought they did it by the help of Chemosh their god, but really it was Jehovah the God of Israel that did it for them, as is expressly said, De 2:19,20. "Now," says Jephthah, "we have as good a title to our country as you have to yours." Note, One instance of the honour and respect we owe to God, as our God, is rightly to possess that which he gives us to possess, receive it from him, use it for him, keep it for his sake, and part with it when he calls for it. He has given it to us to possess, not to enjoy. He himself only must be enjoyed.
5. He pleads prescription. (1.) Their title had not been disputed when they first entered upon it, Jdg 11:25. "Balak who was then king of Moab, from whom the greatest part of these lands had been taken by the Amorites, and who was most concerned and best able to oppose us, if he had had any thing to object against our settlement there, yet sat still, and never offered to strive against Israel." He knew that for his own part he had fairly lost it to the Amorites and was not able to recover it, and could not but acknowledge that Israel had fairly won it of the Amorites, and therefore all his care was to secure what was left: he never pretended a title to what was lost. See Nu 22:2,3. "He then acquiesced in God's way of disposing of kingdoms, and wilt not thou now?" (2.) Their possession had never yet been disturbed, Jdg 11:26. He pleads that they had kept this country as their own now about 300 years, and the Ammonites in all that time had never attempted to take it from them, no, not when they had it in their power to oppress them, Jdg 3:13,14. So that, supposing their title had not been clear at the first (which yet he had proved it was), yet, no claim having been made for so many generations, the entry of the children of Ammon, without doubt, was barred for ever. A title so long unquestioned shall be presumed unquestionable.
6. By these arguments Jephthah justifies himself and his own cause ("I have not sinned against thee in taking or keeping what I have no right to; if I had, I would instantly make restitution" ), and condemns the Ammonites: "Thou doest me wrong to war against me, and must expect to speed accordingly," Jdg 11:27. It seems to me an evidence that the children of Israel, in the days of their prosperity and power (for some such days they had in the times of the judges) had conducted themselves very inoffensively to all their neighbours and had not been vexatious or oppressing to them (either by way of reprisal or under colour of propagating their religion), that the king of the Ammonites, when he would seek an occasion of quarrelling with them, was forced to look 300 years back for a pretence. It becomes the people of God thus to be blameless and harmless, and without rebuke.
7. For the deciding of the controversy, he puts himself upon God and his sword, and the king of Ammon joins issue with him (Jdg 11:27,28): The Lord the Judge be judge this day. With this solemn reference of the matter to the Judge of heaven and earth he designs either to deter the Ammonites from proceeding and oblige them to retire, when they saw the right of the cause was against them, or to justify himself in subduing them if they should go on. Note, War is an appeal to heaven, to God the Judge of all, to whom the issues of it belong. If doubtful rights be disputed, he is hereby requested to determine them. If manifest rights be invaded or denied, he is hereby applied to for the vindicating of what is just and the punishing of wrong. As the sword of justice was made for lawless and disobedient persons (1Ti 1:9), so was the sword of war made for lawless and disobedient princes and nations. In war therefore the eye must be ever up to God, and it must always be thought a dangerous thing to desire or expect that God should patronise unrighteousness.
Neither Jephthah's apology, nor his appeal, wrought upon the king of the children of Ammon; they had found the sweets of the spoil of Israel, in the eighteen years wherein they had oppressed them (Jdg 10:8), and hoped now to make themselves masters of the tree with the fruit of which they had so often enriched themselves. He hearkened not to the words of Jephthah, his heart being hardened to his destruction.
29-40
Jephthah's Vow (1143 BC)
耶弗他的許願（主前 1143 年）
²⁹ 耶和華的靈臨到耶弗他身上；他就經過基列和瑪拿西，又經過基列的米斯巴，從基列的米斯巴經過，到亞捫人那裡去。* ³⁰ 耶弗他就向耶和華許願，說：「你若將亞捫人交在我手中，* ³¹ 我從亞捫人那裡平平安安回來的時候，凡從我家門出來迎接我的，必歸耶和華；我也必將他獻為燔祭。」* ³² 於是耶弗他往亞捫人那裡去與他們爭戰；耶和華將他們交在他手中。* ³³ 他就大大擊殺他們，從亞羅珥直到米匿，共二十座城；又直到亞備勒基拉明，殺戮甚多。這樣，亞捫人就在以色列人面前被制伏了。* ³⁴ 耶弗他回米斯巴到了自己的家；不料，他的女兒拿著鼓、跳舞出來迎接他；他只有這一個獨生女兒；此外無兒無女。* ³⁵ 耶弗他看見她，就撕裂衣服，說：「哀哉！我的女兒啊，你使我甚是愁苦；你使我為難了；因為我已經向耶和華開口許願，不能挽回。」* ³⁶ 他父親說：「你已向耶和華開口，就當照口中所出的向我行」；況且耶和華已在你的仇敵亞捫人身上為你報了仇。* ³⁷ 又對父親說：「有一件事求你允准：容我去兩個月，與同伴在山間好哀哭我終身為處女。」* ³⁸ 他說：「你去吧。」就容她去兩個月；她便與同伴去了，在山上為她終身為處女哀哭。* ³⁹ 兩個月滿了，她回到父親那裡；父親就照所許的願向她行了。她終身沒有親近男子。此後以色列中有個規矩，* ⁴⁰ 每年有四天，以色列的女子去為基列人耶弗他的女兒哀哭。*
此處我們看到耶弗他在一次榮耀的勝利中誇勝；然而作為他喜樂中的摻雜物，他因一個輕率的許願而煩惱愁苦。
一、耶弗他的勝利是清晰的，極其明亮，既彰顯他的尊榮，也彰顯神的尊榮——他在為正當事業辯護上的尊榮，以及神在承認正當事業上的尊榮。1. 神賜他卓越的靈，他勇敢地加以運用（士十一29）。當百姓一致揀選他為首領、表明他如此明顯蒙召去從事爭戰，又當亞捫王固執地不肯聽從調停的提議、表明他有如此正當的理由去從事爭戰之時，耶和華的靈便臨到他，大大提升了他天賦的才能，賜他從上頭來的能力，使他比以往更加勇敢、更加智慧，並更充滿對他百姓仇敵的聖潔熱忱。藉此神印證了他的職分，又使他對事業的成功有確據。他既如此被激發，便毫不耽延，以無畏的決心上陣。經上特別提到他向敵營進發的路線，大概是因為他對路線的選擇正是耶和華的靈所賜他那非凡的明辨力的一個例證；因為那些真心隨從聖靈而行的人，必被引導走正路。2. 神賜他卓越的成功，他也勇敢地加以運用（士十一32）：「耶和華將亞捫人交在他手中」——這樣就在那訴諸神的判斷上、為正當事業作了判決；又使那些不肯向理性的力量屈服的人，感受到戰爭的力量；因為他「坐在寶座上，按公義審判」。耶弗他沒有失去所得的優勢，而是乘勝追擊，完成了他的勝利。他既在戰場上擊潰了他們的軍隊，便追趕他們直到他們的城邑；在那裡他將一切他所遇見拿兵器的人都殺了，使他們完全不能再到以色列來擾害（士十一33）。但看不出他像約書亞毀滅當滅的列國那樣將百姓盡行毀滅；也看不出他有意思要作那地的主人——雖然他們對以色列地的主張本可給他這樣作的藉口：他只注意使他們被有效制伏。別人雖對我們企圖行惡，能為我們自衛自己的權利提供正當理由，卻不能授權我們向他們行惡。
二、耶弗他的許願是晦暗的，籠罩在雲霧之中。當他從自己家中出發從事這項危險的事業之時，他在向神祈求同在的禱告中，暗暗卻莊嚴地向神許了願，或作了敬虔的應許：神若恩慈地使他得勝歸來，凡從他家中出來迎接他的，無論是人或物，他都必歸給神，獻為燔祭。到他歸來之時，他得勝的消息比他先到家中；他唯一的女兒拿著合宜的歡樂表示出來迎接他。這使他大為困惑；但已無可挽回：她得了些時間為自己的不幸哀哭之後，便甘心樂意地順服了她父親許願的履行。如今：
1. 這段故事中有幾個好的功課。(1) 在真實偉大的信徒心中，也可能存留不信和疑惑。耶弗他本有充分理由對成功有把握，尤其是當他發現「耶和華的靈臨到他身上」之時；然而一旦到了決定之際，他似乎有所猶豫（士十一30）：「你若將亞捫人交在我手中」——我便如此如此。也許他的許願所帶來他的網羅，正是為了糾正他信心的軟弱，以及他的一種偏見——他以為除非向神獻上相當的東西作代替，便不能指望得勝。(2) 然而，當我們追求或盼望任何恩典之時，向神許願——應許作某項蒙悅納的服事——是很好的：不是作為購買所渴望之恩典的手段，而是作為我們對他的感恩，以及我們對自己當照所得的益處而回報的義務的深切意識。這樣特別的許願（利二十七2）其內容必須具有明確而直接的傾向——或是促進神的榮耀和他在人中之國度的利益，或是幫助我們自己在他的服事上、以及在我們當盡的本分上長進。(3) 我們極需十分謹慎、三思而後許這樣的願，免得因放縱一時的敬虔熱忱，而纏累自己的良心，使自己陷入困境，至終被迫「在使者面前說是錯了」（傳五2-6）。「人冒失說『這是聖物』，許願之後才查問」——就是不先充分考慮自己能作甚麼、不能作甚麼，又不加上必要的附帶條件和限制以避免糾纏，然後在許願之後才作那本該在許願之前作的查問——「就是自陷網羅」（箴二十25）。願耶弗他的害處成為我們在這事上的鑑戒。見申二十三22。(4) 我們鄭重向神所許的願，若是可能且合法的，就必須憑良心履行，無論對我們何等困難、何等痛苦。耶弗他對他許願之強大約束力的意識，當常作我們的榜樣（士十一35）：「我已經向耶和華開口許願，不能挽回」——意思就是：「我自己不能收回這願，已經太遲了；世上也沒有任何權柄能豁免我，或把我的借據還我。」事情原是我自己的，「在我自己的權下」（徒五4），如今卻不是了。「你們許願，當……還」（詩七十六11）。我們若以為可以戲弄神，便是自欺。我們若把這應用於我們在聖禮的願中所鄭重賜予的、對那在基督裡為可憐罪人所立恩典之約的同意，這將成為對抗我們藉那些願所脫離的罪惡的何等有力的論據！又成為對我們藉此所歸向之本分的何等強大的推動力！更是對每一個試探的何等現成的回答！「我已經向耶和華開口，不能挽回；所以我必須向前。我已起誓，我必須、我也必履行。願我斷不敢對神反覆無常。」(5) 兒女在主裡順服、樂意地順從父母，特別是體貼他們為神的榮耀、為維持家中信仰所作的敬虔決定——即使那些決定嚴苛嚴厲——這正是合宜的；如利甲族人多代以來敬謹遵守他們先祖約拿達禁酒的命令，又如耶弗他的女兒在此——為著滿足她父親的良心、為著神和她祖國的榮耀，甘心獻上自己如同獻身歸神的人（士十一36）：「你照口中所出的向我行吧；我知道我對你是親愛的，但我十分情願讓神對你更加親愛。」父親可以廢掉女兒所起的願（民三十5），但女兒卻不能廢除或取消父親所起的願——即使是這樣的願。這就抬舉了第五條誡命的權威。(6) 我們朋友的憂患當成為我們的憂患。她到何處去哀哭自己悲慘的命運，她的同伴——那些童女——便在那裡與她一同哀哭（士十一38）。她素常與同性和同齡的人結交；那些人無疑如今她父親突然顯赫起來，本盼望他歸來不久便在她的婚禮上跳舞；不料卻被沉痛地失望——她們竟被召與她一同退到山上、分擔她的憂傷。那些只肯與我們同樂、不肯與我們同哭的人，不配稱為朋友。(7) 那為神的榮耀和以色列的利益而有的英勇熱忱——雖然帶著軟弱和不智——卻配得永遠記念。以色列的女子藉著一年一度的莊嚴集會，來保存耶弗他女兒的光榮記憶——她在神向以色列的仇敵報仇之時，視自己的性命如無物，如同一位高貴的女英雄（士十一36）。如此看重公眾利益過於自己性命的罕有事例，是永不可忘記的。她的性別不容她隨軍出征、在戰場上冒生命危險；為此她以更大的方式冒險（也許她自己也預料到，因為她對父親的許願有所知悉，並且是故意如此行；因為他告訴她：士十一35「你使我甚是愁苦」）——為要為他的勝利增光。她因這勝利是一項公共的福分而如此心醉，竟情願自己被獻上作為感恩祭；又以為在如此重大的場合捨命，是捨得有意義的。她以死為榮——不是作為為百姓的罪贖罪的祭（那榮耀唯獨留給基督），而是作為為百姓的恩典獻上感恩的祭。(8) 從耶弗他在這次事件上的憂傷，我們必須學到：不要以為奇怪，若我們在世上得勝的日子，竟因某種緣故成了我們憂傷的日子；所以我們總要戰戰兢兢地喜樂。我們盼望將來有一個毫無摻雜的得勝之日。
2. 然而這段故事也引起了一些難題，使學者們大費筆墨。關於這些，我只能簡略提及，因為普爾先生在他的英文註釋中已十分詳盡地討論過。
(1) 耶弗他到底對女兒作了甚麼以履行他的許願，很難確定。[1] 有人認為他不過把她像修女一樣關起來；他許願中有一部分既不合法（因為他們把許願當作可拆分的），不能將她獻為燔祭，他便照另一部分使她「歸耶和華」——就是使她完全脫離今世一切事務，因而也脫離婚姻，終身從事敬拜。支持這見解的是經上說她「哀哭她終身為處女」（士十一37,38），又說她「終身沒有親近男子」（士十一39）。但他若獻她為祭，她哀哭「為處女」也是十分恰當的——不是哀哭她的死（因為那是為神的榮耀，她情願忍受），而是哀哭那使她比其他一切更痛苦的不幸情況：因為她是父親的獨生女，他原盼望藉她建立自己的名和家；她尚未出嫁，因此沒有留下後裔來繼承父親的尊榮和產業；所以經上特別提到（士十一34）除了她之外，他沒有兒子也沒有女兒。但使我認為耶弗他沒有這樣去滿足或規避他的許願的是：我們在整本舊約中找不到任何律法、慣例或風俗，暗示獨身是信仰的任何一部分或任何一條；也沒有暗示任何人——無論男女——因不結婚而被看作更聖潔、更屬主、更奉獻歸主：這既不是祭司律法的一部分，也不是拿細耳人律法的一部分。底波拉和戶勒大這兩位女先知，經上都特別記載她們是已婚婦人。再者，她若只不過被限制過獨身生活，她就不必求這兩個月來為此哀哭：她前面還有整個人生可用來作這事——若她有理由如此作的話。她也不必與同伴如此傷心地告別；因為持那見解的人將士十一40所說她們一年四次來與她「談話」（如旁註所譯）理解為此意。所以[2] 看來更可能的是：他照他許願的字面意思將她獻為祭物——他誤解了那論到因神的咒詛而當滅之人的律法，以為可以應用在因人的許願而奉獻的人身上（利二十七29：「凡當滅的都不可贖，必被治死」），又沒有更好地明白律法在這情形中給他贖回她的權利。亞伯拉罕獻以撒的嘗試也許鼓勵了他，使他以為：神若不悅納他所許的這祭，便會差使者拉住他的手，正如拉住亞伯拉罕的手那樣。她若是有意出來作祭物——誰知道她不是呢？——也許他以為這就使情況更清楚。「對自願的人不算傷害」。他也許以為：既沒有怒氣也沒有惡意，就不算殺人；又以為他的好動機會使這壞行為成為聖潔；既然他已經起了這樣的願，他想寧可殺女兒也比背願好，讓那使她出來迎接他的護理來承擔責任吧。
(2) 但是，假設耶弗他確實獻了女兒為祭，問題是他這樣作是否合宜。[1] 有人為他辯護，認為他作得好，作得像一個把神的榮耀放在他所最愛之人以上的人。他被列在那些因信作了大事的傑出信徒之中（來十一32）。這正是他所作的大事之一。他這作是經過深思熟慮的，經過兩個月的思考和商議之後才作的。沒有任何受默示的作者因這事責備他。這事雖然大大抬舉了父親的權威，卻不能為任何人作同樣的事提供正當理由。他是一位非常的人物。「耶和華的靈臨到他身上」。許多如今我們不知道的情況，可能使這事完全特別，並使其正當化——卻不能因而使同樣的事也正當化。有些學者把這祭物作為基督那偉大祭物的預表：基督如她為貞潔的童女一般，毫無玷污、純潔無邪；基督被他的父獻上以致於死，又因此成了咒詛，或成了當獻的祭，為我們成了咒詛；基督如她一樣順服他父的旨意：「不要照我的意思，只要照你的意思。」但[2] 大多數人責備耶弗他；他許這樣冒失的願是錯了，履行它更是錯了。他不能被自己的許願約束去作神藉著第六條誡命的字面所禁止的事：「不可殺人」。神已經禁止人祭，所以這（如萊特福特博士所言）實際上就是獻祭給摩洛。也許，受默示的作者故意留下他是否真的獻了女兒的疑問，是為了使那些後來獻兒女為祭的人不能從這事例中得到任何鼓勵。關於這事以及聖經歷史中其他一些類似的段落——學者們在黑暗中、意見分歧、猶疑不定——我們不必過分困擾自己；感謝神，與我們得救有關的事，已經夠清楚了。
英文原文
Jephthah's Vow (1143 BC)
²⁹ Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.
³⁰ And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
³¹ Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
³² So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.
³³ And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minneth, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
³⁴ And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.
³⁵ And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.
³⁶ And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.
³⁷ And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.
³⁸ And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.
³⁹ And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,
⁴⁰ That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
We have here Jephthah triumphing in a glorious victory, but, as an alloy to his joy, troubled and distressed by an unadvised vow.
I. Jephthah's victory was clear, and shines very brightly, both to his honour and to the honour of God, his in pleading and God's in owning a righteous cause. 1. God gave him an excellent spirit, and he improved it bravely, Jdg 11:29. When it appeared by the people's unanimous choice of him for their leader that he had so clear a call to engage, and by the obstinate deafness of the king of Ammon to the proposals of accommodation that he had so just a cause to engage in, then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and very much advanced his natural faculties, enduing him with power from on high, and making him more bold and more wise than ever he had been, and more fired with a holy zeal against the enemies of his people. Hereby God confirmed him in his office, and assured him of success in his undertaking. Thus animated, he loses no time, but with an undaunted resolution takes the field. Particular notice is taken of the way by which he advanced towards the enemy's camp, probably because the choice of it was an instance of that extraordinary discretion with which the Spirit of the Lord had furnished him; for those who sincerely walk after the Spirit shall be led forth the right way. 2. God gave him eminent success, and he bravely improved that too (Jdg 11:32): The Lord delivered the Ammonites into his hand, and so gave judgment upon the appeal in favour of the righteous cause, and made those feel the force of war that would not yield to the force of reason; for he sits in the throne, judging right. Jephthah lost not the advantages given him, but pursued and completed his victory. Having routed their forces in the field, he pursued them to their cities, where he put to the sword all he found in arms, so as utterly to disable them from giving Israel any molestation, Jdg 11:33. But it does not appear that he utterly destroyed the people, as Joshua had destroyed the devoted nations, nor that he offered to make himself master of the country, though their pretensions to the land of Israel might have given him colour to do so: only he took care that they should be effectually subdued. Though others' attempting wrong to us will justify us in the defence of our own right, yet it will not authorize us to do them wrong.
II. Jephthah's vow is dark, and much in the clouds. When he was going out from his own house upon this hazardous undertaking, in prayer to God for his presence with him he makes a secret but solemn vow or religious promise to God, that, if God would graciously bring him back a conqueror, whosoever or whatsoever should first come out of his house to meet him it should be devoted to God, and offered up for a burnt-offering. At his return, tidings of his victory coming home before him, his own and only daughter meets him with the seasonable expressions of joy. This puts him into a great confusion; but there was no remedy: after she had taken some time to lament her own infelicity, she cheerfully submitted to the performance of his vow. Now,
1. There are several good lessons to be learnt out of this story. (1.) That there may be remainders of distrust and doubting even in the hearts of true and great believers. Jephthah had reason enough to be confident of success, especially when he found the Spirit of the Lord come upon him, and yet, now that it comes to the settling, he seems to hesitate (Jdg 11:30): If thou wilt without fail deliver them into my hand, then I will do so and so. And perhaps the snare into which his vow brought him was designed to correct the weakness of his faith, and a fond conceit he had that he could not promise himself a victory unless he proffered something considerable to be given to God in lieu of it. (2.) That yet it is very good, when we are in the pursuit or expectation of any mercy, to make vows to God of some instance of acceptable service to him, not as a purchase of the favour we desire, but as an expression of our gratitude to him and the deep sense we have of our obligations to render according to the benefit done to us. The matter of such a singular vow (Le 27:2) must be something that has a plain and direct tendency either to the advancement of God's glory, and the interests of his kingdom among men, or to the furtherance of ourselves in his service, and in that which is antecedently our duty. (3.) That we have great need to be very cautious and well advised in the making of such vows, lest, by indulging a present emotion even of pious zeal, we entangle our own consciences, involve ourselves in perplexities, and are forced at last to say before the angel that it was an error, Ec 5:2-6. It is a snare to a man hastily to devour that which is holy, without due consideration quid valeant humeri, quid ferre recusent—what we are able or unable to effect, and without inserting the needful provisos and limitations which might prevent the entanglement, and then after vows to make the enquiry which should have been made before, Pr 20:25. Let Jephthah's harm be our warning in this matter. See De 23:22. (4.) That what we have solemnly vowed to God we must conscientiously perform, if it be possible and lawful, though it be ever so difficult and grievous to us. Jephthah's sense of the powerful obligation of his vow must always be ours (Jdg 11:35): "I have opened my mouth unto the Lord in a solemn vow, and I cannot go back," that is, "I cannot recall the vow myself, it is too late, nor can any power on earth dispense with it, or give me up my bond." The thing was my own, and in my own power (Ac 5:4), but now it is not. Vow and pay, Ps 76:11. We deceive ourselves if we think to mock God. If we apply this to the consent we have solemnly given, in our sacramental vows, to the covenant of grace made with poor sinners in Christ, what a powerful argument will it be against the sins we have by those vows bound ourselves out from, what a strong inducement to the duties we have hereby bound ourselves up to, and what a ready answer to every temptation! "I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot go back; I must therefore go forward. I have sworn, and I must, I will, perform it. Let me not dare to play fast and loose with God." (5.) That it well becomes children obediently and cheerfully to submit to their parents in the Lord, and particularly to comply with their pious resolutions for the honour of God and the keeping up of religion in their families, though they be harsh and severe, as the Rechabites, who for many generations religiously observed the commands of Jonadab their father in forbearing wine, and Jephthah's daughter here, who, for the satisfying of her father's conscience, and for the honour of God and her country, yielded herself as one devoted (Jdg 11:36): "Do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; I know I am dear to thee, but am well content that God should be dearer." The father might disallow any vow made by the daughter (Nu 30:5), but the daughter could not disallow or disannul, no, not such a vow as this, made by the father. This magnifies the law of the fifth commandment. (6.) That our friends' grievances should be our griefs. Where she went to bewail her hard fate the virgins, her companions, joined with her in her lamentations, Jdg 11:38. With those of her own sex and age she used to associate, who no doubt, now that her father had on a sudden grown so great, expected, shortly after his return, to dance at her wedding, but were heavily disappointed when they were called to retire to the mountains with her and share in her griefs. Those are unworthy the name of friends that will only rejoice with us, and not weep with us. (7.) That heroic zeal for the honour of God and Israel, though alloyed with infirmity and indiscretion, is worthy to be had in perpetual remembrance. It well became the daughters of Israel by an annual solemnity to preserve the honourable memory of Jephthah's daughter, who made light even of her own life like a noble heroine, when God had taken vengeance on Israel's enemies, Jdg 11:36. Such a rare instance of one that preferred the public interest before life itself was never to be forgotten. Her sex forbade her to follow to the war, and so to expose her life in battle, in lieu of which she hazards it much more (and perhaps apprehended that she did so, having some intimation of his vow, and did it designedly; for he tells her, Jdg 11:35, Thou hast brought me very low) to grace his triumphs. So transported was she with the victory as a common benefit that she was willing to be herself offered up as a thank-offering for it, and would think her life well bestowed when laid down on so great an occasion. She thinks it an honour to die, not as a sacrifice of atonement for the people's sins (that honour was reserved for Christ only), but as a sacrifice of acknowledgment for the people's mercies. (8.) From Jephthah's concern on this occasion, we must learn not to think it strange if the day of our triumphs in this world prove upon some account or other the day of our griefs, and therefore must always rejoice with trembling; we hope for a day of triumph hereafter which will have no alloy.
2. Yet there are some difficult questions that do arise upon this story which have very much employed the pens of learned men. I will say but little respecting them, because Mr. Poole has discussed them very fully in his English annotations.
(1.) It is hard to say what Jephthah did to his daughter in performance of his vow. [1.] Some think he only shut her up for a nun, and that it being unlawful, according to one part of his vow (for they make it disjunctive), to offer her up for a burnt-offering, he thus, according to the other part, engaged her to be the Lord's, that is, totally to sequester herself from all the affairs of this life, and consequently from marriage, and to employ herself wholly in the acts of devotion all her days. That which countenances this opinion is that she is said to bewail her virginity (Jdg 11:37,38) and that she knew no man, Jdg 11:39. But, if he sacrificed her, it was proper enough for her to bewail, not her death, because that was intended to be for the honour of God, and she would undergo it cheerfully, but that unhappy circumstance of it which made it more grievous to her than any other, because she was her father's only child, in whom he hoped his name and family would be built up, that she was unmarried, and so left no issue to inherit her father's honour and estate; therefore it is particularly taken notice of (Jdg 11:34) that besides her he had neither son nor daughter. But that which makes me think Jephthah did not go about thus to satisfy his vow, or evade it rather, is that we do not find any law, usage, or custom, in all the Old Testament, which does in the least intimate that a single life was any branch or article of religion, or that any person, man or woman, was looked upon as the more holy, more the Lord's, or devoted to him, for living unmarried: it was no part of the law either of the priests or of the Nazarites. Deborah and Huldah, both prophetesses, are both of them particularly recorded to have been married women. Besides, had she only been confined to a single life, she needed not to have desired these two months to bewail it in: she had her whole life before her to do that, if she saw cause. Nor needed she to take such a sad leave of her companions; for those that are of that opinion understand what is said in Jdg 11:40 of their coming to talk with her, as our margin reads it, four days in a year. Therefore, [2.] It seems more probable that he offered her up for a sacrifice, according to the letter of his vow, misunderstanding that law which spoke of persons devoted by the curse of God as if it were to be applied to such as were devoted by men's vows (Le 27:29, None devoted shall be redeemed, but shall surely be put to death), and wanting to be better informed of the power the law gave him in this case to redeem her. Abraham's attempt to offer up Isaac perhaps encouraged him, and made him think, if God would not accept this sacrifice which he had vowed, he would send an angel to stay his hand, as he did Abraham's. If she came out designedly to be made a sacrifice, as who knows but she might? perhaps he thought that would make the case the plainer. Volenti non sit injuria—No injury is done to a person by that to which he himself consents. He imagined, it may be, that where there was neither anger nor malice there was no murder, and that his good intention would sanctify this bad action; and, since he had made such a vow, he thought better to kill his daughter than break his vow, and let Providence bear the blame, that brought her forth to meet him.
(2.) But, supposing that Jephthah did sacrifice his daughter, the question is whether he did well. [1.] Some justify him in it, and think he did well, and as became one that preferred the honour of God before that which was dearest to him in this world. He is mentioned among the eminent believers who by faith did great things, Heb 11:32. And this was one of the great things he did. It was done deliberately, and upon two months' consideration and consultation. He is never blamed for it by any inspired writer. Though it highly exalts the paternal authority, yet it cannot justify any in doing the like. He was an extraordinary person. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him. Many circumstances, now unknown to us, might make this altogether extraordinary, and justify it, yet not so as that it might justify the like. Some learned men have made this sacrifice a figure of Christ the great sacrifice: he was of unspotted purity and innocency, as she a chaste virgin; he was devoted to death by his Father, and so made a curse, or an anathema, for us; he submitted himself, as she did, to his Father's will: Not as I will, but as thou wilt. But, [2.] Most condemn Jephthah; he did ill to make so rash a vow, and worse to perform it. He could not be bound by his vow to that which God had forbidden by the letter of the sixth commandment: Thou shalt not kill. God had forbidden human sacrifices, so that it was (says Dr. Lightfoot) in effect a sacrifice to Moloch. And, probably, the reason why it is left dubious by the inspired penman whether he sacrificed her or no was that those who did afterwards offer their children might not take any encouragement from this instance. Concerning this and some other such passages in the sacred story, which learned men are in the dark, divided, and in doubt about, we need not much perplex ourselves; what is necessary to our salvation, thanks be to God, is plain enough.
本章記述了另一位以色列士師耶弗他的歷史；他被列在舊約的偉人之中，是「因著信……行了……大事」的人（來十一32），儘管他並沒有像那裡所提其他人那樣得著特別的呼召。此處我們看到：
一、他出身的劣勢，士十一1-3。
二、基列人揀選他作抵禦亞捫人的元帥，以及他與他們所訂的條件，士十一4-11。
三、他與亞捫王就兩國的權利所作的談判，盼望若可能便不流血而解決爭端，士十一12-28。
四、他與亞捫人的爭戰——他以莊嚴的許願開始（士十一29-31），以英勇進行（士十一32），以榮耀的得勝結束，士十一33。
五、他回到自己家中時，因所許的願而陷入的困境，士十一34-40。