Judges 11:18

11:12-28 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.

Then they went along the wilderness,.... The wilderness of Paran, which lay along the borders of Edom; they went, according to Jarchi, from the west to the east on the south border of Edom and Moab: and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab; all the south of the land of Edom, and all the south of the land of Moab; towards the sunrising, as in Numbers 21:11. and pitched on the other side of Arnon; the river Arnon, which, according to Jarchi, was at the east end of the land of Moab, where began the country of Sihon and Og: but came not within the border of Moab; so far were they from attempting to take away any part of that land from the king of it, though ill treated by him: for Arnon was the border of Moab; which divided between Moab and the Amorites, Numbers 21:13.

Verse 18. - Then they went along , etc. The narrative here follows Deuteronomy 2:1 . For they compassed the land of Edom . Deuteronomy 2:1 has, " we compassed Mount Seir ;" but Numbers 21:4 has, "to compass the land of Edom." By the east side - literally, by the sun-rising side , as in Numbers 21:11 . They pitched on the other side of Arnon . The identical words occur in Numbers 21:13 . For Arnon was the border of Moab . The identical words of Numbers 21:18 , where it is added, " between Moab and the Amorites." South of the Amen belonged to Moab, and north to the Amorites. The route taken by the Israelites is carefully traced ( Numbers 21:11-20 ). Judges 11:18

13. the king of Ammon …, Because Israel took away my land—(See on [221]De 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 [Jud 11:21]; secondly, the Israelites had now, by a lapse of three hundred years of undisputed possession, established a prescriptive right to the occupation [Jud 11:22, 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 [Jud 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 [Jud 11:27].

On leaving Egypt, Israel passed through the desert to the Red Sea, and came to Kadesh ( Numbers 20:1 ). They then sent messengers to the king of Edom, to obtain permission to pass through his land; and this the king of Edom refused ( Numbers 20:14-21 ). They also sent to the king of Moab, who sent back a similar refusal. The embassy to the king of Moab is not mentioned in the Pentateuch, as it had no direct bearing upon the further course of the Israelites (see Pentateuch, p. 741, note 1). "And Israel abode in Kadesh" (word for word, as in Numbers 20:1 ), and "then passed through the desert," namely to Mount Hor, then down the Arabah to the Red Sea, and still farther past Oboth to Ijje-abarim in the desert ( Numbers 20:22-21:11 ). In this way they went round the land of Edom and the land of Moab (יסב, like סבב in Numbers 21:4 ); and came from the east to the land of Moab (i.e., along the eastern boundary, for Ijje-abarim was situated there, according to Numbers 21:11 ); and encamped on the other side of the Arnon ( Numbers 21:13 ), i.e., on the upper course of the Arnon where it still flows through the desert (see Pent. p. 749). On this march, therefore, they did not enter the territory of Moab, as the Arnon formed the boundary of Moab, i.e., the boundary between Moab and the territory of the Amorites ( Numbers 21:13 ).

It cannot be considered any particular crime, should these notes be found at any time leaning to the other side. [ Judges 18 ] ADAM CLARK'E BIBLE COMMENTARY JUDGES JUDGES 18:1 In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day, their inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel. Some Danites, seeking an inheritance, send five men to search the land, who arrive at the house of Micah, Judges 18:1, Judges 18:2. They employ the Levite, who served to his house as priest, to ask counsel for them of God, Judges 18:3-5. He inquires, and promises them success, Judges 18:6. They depart, and go to Laish, and find the inhabitants secure, Judges 18:7. They return to their brethren, and encourage them to attempt the conquest of the place, Judges 18:8-10. They send six hundred men, who, coming to the place where Micah dwelt, enter the house, and carry off the priest and his consecrated things, Judges 18:11-21. Micah and his friends pursue them; but, being threatened, are obliged to return, Judges 18:22-26. The Danites come to Laish, and smite it, and build a city there, which they call Dan, Judges 18:27-29. They make the Levite their priest, and set up the images at this new city, Judges 18:30, Judges 18:31. Verse 1 There was no king in Israel - See Judges 17:6 (note). The circumstances related here show that this must have happened about the time of the preceding transactions.

Verse 11 Six hundred men - These were not the whole, for we find they had children, etc., Judges 18:21; but these appear to have been six hundred armed men. JUDGES 18:12 They went up, and encamped in Kiriath Jearim, in Judah: therefore they called that place Mahaneh Dan, to this day; behold, it is behind Kiriath Jearim. Verse 12 Mahaneh-dan - "The camp of Dan;" so called from the circumstance of this armament encamping there. See Judges 13:25 (note), which affords some proof that this transaction was previous to the days of Samson. JUDGES 18:13 They passed there to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah. ADAM CLARK'E BIBLE COMMENTARY JUDGES JUDGES 18:14 Then the five men who went to spy out the country of Laish answered, and said to their brothers, “Do you know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and an engraved image, and a molten image? Now therefore consider what you have to do.” Verse 14 Consider what ye have to do - They probably had formed the design to carry off the priest and his sacred utensils. JUDGES 18:15 They turned aside there, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even to the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare. JUDGES 18:16 The six hundred men girt with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.

CHAPTER 18 Ex 18:1-27. Visit of Jethro. 1-5. Jethro … came … unto Moses, &c.—It is thought by many eminent commentators that this episode is inserted out of its chronological order, for it is described as occurring when the Israelites were "encamped at the mount of God." And yet they did not reach it till the third month after their departure from Egypt (Ex 19:1, 2; compare De 1:6, 9-15).Jethro cometh to Moses with his wife and his children; their names, Exodus 18:1-5. Moses going to meet his father, does obeisance, Exodus 18:7; and relates to him God’s providence, Exodus 18:8. Jethro’s joy and thanksgiving, Exodus 18:9,10; confesseth God’s power therein, Exodus 18:11. Jethro sacrificeth, Exodus 18:12. Moses’s judging the people, Exodus 18:13, disliked by his father, Exodus 18:14. Moses’s answer, Exodus 18:15,16. Jethro’s advice, Exodus 18:19-23. Moses hearkening to his father, Exodus 18:24, chooseth able men for rulers, Exodus 18:25; who always judged the people, Exodus 18:26. Jethro’s departure, Exodus 18:27. No text from Poole on this verse.