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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadGreater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 243. Jephthah and His Daughter
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Literature
Bell, C. D., The Roll-Call of Faith (1886), 293.
Burrell, D. J., The Golden Passional, 286.
Dawson, W. J., The Reproach of Christ (1903), 152.
Dods, M., Israel's Iron Age (1875), 89.
Farningham, M., Women and their Work (1906), 51.
Foakes-Jackson, F. J., Biblical History of the Hebrews (1903), 106.
Gollancz, H., Sermons and Addresses (1909), 150.
Halsey, J., The Spirit of Truth (1895), 200.
Hessey, J. A., Moral Difficulties connected with the Bible, i. (1872) 51.
Lang, J. M., Gideon and the Judges (1890), 46.
Leach, C., Old yet ever New (1893), 31.
Mackay, W. M., Bible Types of Modern Women (1912), 154.
Parker, J., Studies in Texts, iii. (1899) 37.
Peake, A. S., The Heroes and Martyrs of Faith (1910), 152.
Simeon, J., The Women of the Old Testament: Eve to Ruth (1905), 213.
Spurgeon, C. H., Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, xxiii. (1877), No. 1341.
Stanley, A. P., Scripture Portraits (1867), 46.
Watson, R. A., Judges and Ruth (Expositor's Bible) (1889), 224.
Wharton, M. B., Famous Men of the Old Testament (1903), 131.
Whitham, A. R., Old Testament History (1912), 183.
Whyte, A., Bible Characters: Gideon to Absalom (1898), 21.
Children's Pulpit: Boys and Girls of the Old Testament, xvi. 141 (S. Gregory).
Christian World Pulpit, lxvi. (1904) 164 (S. Horton); lxxvi. (1909) 119 (W. M. Mackay).
Dictionary of the Bible, ii. (1899) 567 (G. A. Cooke).
The story of Jephthah belongs to a semi-barbaric period of history, when spiritual ideas were greatly confused. In the times before the prophets rose in Israel, bringing with them a magnificent system of theocratic government, we are specifically told that there was no open vision in the land, and that each man did what was right in his own eyes. There was no firm highway of general sanction; men toiled along a narrow uncharted path, and won every onward step with difficulty. Jephthah lived in such a time. His ideas of God and of religious truth were no doubt barbaric. The merest child in the Kingdom of God who has heard the voice that spake in Galilee, knew more than he. Yet it will be seen that Jephthah did know some truths of duty and religion which are among the very noblest, and may be counted cardinal. There is more than a historic value in his story; there is a moral value. The main interest of the story clearly lies, not in his personal history or defeat of the Ammonites, but in his vow and its fulfilment, and in the origin of an Israelite custom. A tragic interest gathers about the rough and ruthless warrior but tender-hearted father, who purchased victory at a price more terrible than he anticipated.