Jephthah the Gileadite, thrust out by his brethren, is recalled to be head over Gilead; his message to the king of Ammon rehearses three hundred years of history; his vow at the door of his house returns upon his only daughter.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah.
verse value 2411
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 49 letters. Notable word values: "and·he" (וְה֖וּא) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "was" (הָיָה֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "Gileadite" (הַגִּלְעָדִ֗י, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·he·begot" (וַיּ֥וֹלֶד). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "was" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "and·he" (root הוא, 71x in Judges); "son·of·woman" (root בין, 50x in Judges). First appearance of the root יפתח ("and·Jephthah") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'harlot', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְיִפְתָּ֣ח [and·Jephthah] (504) + הַגִּלְעָדִ֗י [Gileadite] (122) + הָיָה֙ [was] (20) + גִּבּ֣וֹר [a·mighty·man] (211) + חַ֔יִל [strength] (48) + וְה֖וּא [and·he] (18) + בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֣ה [son·of·woman] (358) + זוֹנָ֑ה [harlot] (68) + וַיּ֥וֹלֶד [and·he·begot] (56) + גִּלְעָ֖ד [Gilead] (107) + אֶת־יִפְתָּֽח [Jephthah] (899) = 2411.
Radak
“Son of a harlot.” He was the son of Gilead’s concubine, and she was called a harlot because she was not his wife through a ketubah and kiddushin; thus, she was like a harlot, even though she was exclusive to him. And the Targum says “fundikita” (innkeeper), just as it also translated Rahab the harlot as “fundikita.” Or, it is the same matter, for a harlot is like an innkeeper in that she makes herself available. In the Targum of the Tosefta, it says: “This was the law in Israel of old, that an inheritance should not circulate from tribe to tribe. Therefore, a man could not take a wife who was not from his tribe. And when a woman loved a man who was not from her tribe, she would leave the house of her people without her inheritance, and the people would call her a ‘fundekita’ [harlot/innkeeper], one who loved a man not from her tribe. And so it was with the mother of Jephthah.” It seems that they required all this in the translation because it says, “You shall not inherit in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.” And so the Targum translates: “For you are the son of a woman from another tribe.” According to our explanation, the meaning of “You shall not inherit” is that he was the son of a concubine, and this is what is meant by “son of another woman.” For they said that he should not inherit with them, and they unjustly expelled him, for the son of a concubine inherits, as our Sages of blessed memory said: “One who has a son from any source—his son he is for all matters, except for one who has a son from a maidservant or from a non-Jewish woman.” And they said “for all matters”—for what halakhic purpose? To inherit and to become impure for him. And so Jephthah said to them, “And you have expelled me from my father’s house,” meaning: You have acted toward me unjustly.
Ralbag
"And the LORD raised up, etc." And indeed it relates that Yiftach was the son of a harlot woman. And the meaning here is that he was already the son of a woman who was from another tribe. And since she was not married to one of the sons of the tribe, she was called a harlot, for she deviated from what is fitting, to marry one of her family, so that an inheritance should not pass from tribe to tribe. And indeed Gilad married another woman from his tribe, and she had sons for him. And those sons, through the elders of Gilad, arranged that Yiftach should not inherit with them in his father's house. And this was oppression, for it was fitting that he inherit with them.
Metzudat David
"And Gilead begat..." The verse intends to convey that although his mother was a harlot, it was nevertheless clear that Gilead was the one who begat Jephthah, and not another man.
Malbim
"And Gilead begat Jephthah." This implies that despite all this, everyone knew that Gilead was his father, for he had taken her as a concubine.
And Gilead’s wife bore him sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove out Jephthah, and said to him: ‘You shall not inherit in our father’s house; for you are the son of another woman.’
verse value 5946
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 79 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (ל֖וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (ל֖וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·house·of·our·father" (בְּבֵית־אָבִ֔ינוּ, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 36: to·him, to·him. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "the·wife·of·Gilead" (אֵֽשֶׁת־גִּלְעָ֛ד), "and·grew·great" (וַיִּגְדְּל֨וּ), "sons·of·the·woman" (בְֽנֵי־הָאִשָּׁ֜ה). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "son" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "in·house·of·our·father" (root בית, 88x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'son', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 12 words.
Metzudat David
“And she bore.” After this, his wife, who was married to him, bore to him.
"And they drove them out." With force and violence.
“The son of another woman.” They showed deference to their father’s honor, and did not mention the name of a harlot.
Malbim
"And the wife of Gilead bore him" – indicating that she was his wife through proper marriage, with both kiddushin (betrothal) and chuppah (marriage canopy).
And they said to him, “You shall not inherit.” And this was unjust, a) for the son of a concubine inherits a portion along with the other sons, b) and their banishing Jephthah from the city was an obvious act of robbery.
Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob; and there were gathered vain fellows to Jephthah, and they went out with him.
verse value 3637
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "good" (ט֑וֹב, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·gathered·themselves" (וַיִּֽתְלַקְּט֤וּ, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·gathered·themselves" (וַיִּֽתְלַקְּט֤וּ). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "to·Jephthah" (root איל, 114x in Judges); "with" (root עם, 79x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'good', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיִּבְרַ֤ח [and·fled] (226) + יִפְתָּח֙ [Jephthah] (498) + מִפְּנֵ֣י [from·face·of] (180) + אֶחָ֔יו [his·brothers] (25) + וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב [and·dwelt] (318) + בְּאֶ֣רֶץ [in·land·of] (293) + ט֑וֹב [good] (17) + וַיִּֽתְלַקְּט֤וּ [and·gathered·themselves] (561) + אֶל־יִפְתָּח֙ [to·Jephthah] (529) + אֲנָשִׁ֣ים [man] (401) + רֵיקִ֔ים [empty] (360) + וַיֵּצְא֖וּ [and·went·out] (113) + עִמּֽוֹ [with] (116) = 3637.
Radak
"In the land of Tov." The lord of the land was named Tov, and the Targum likewise reads "in the land of Tov" [rather than translating it as "good"]. And similarly, [it is written], "if he redeems you, Tov."
Ralbag
And indeed Yiftach fled from his brothers and dwelt in the land of a man whose name was Tov. And empty men gathered to him and went out with him. And it seems that Yiftach was their leader, and they were always going to war, and from there they plundered their food.
Metzudat David
"And they gathered." From different places:
"And they went out with him." In every instance in which he went out:
Metzudat Zion
Tob. The name of the lord of the land, so too we find (Ruth 3:13) 'if Tob redeems you':
Malbim
“And he fled.” This indicates that they sought to kill him, forcing him to flee, and that the elders of the city did not administer justice.
And it came to pass after a while, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.
verse value 1150
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 29 letters. Verse gematria: 1150 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "and·it·was" (וַיְהִ֖י, 4 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Ammon" (בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן, 7 letters). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "with·Israel" (root עם, 79x in Judges); "from·days" (root יום, 76x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·days', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֖י [and·it·was] (31) + מִיָּמִ֑ים [from·days] (140) + וַיִּלָּחֲמ֥וּ [and·they·fought] (100) + בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן [sons·of·Ammon] (228) + עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל [with·Israel] (651) = 1150.
Rashi
"And the children of Ammon fought." This is the same [event] mentioned above (10:9):
Metzudat David
"And it came to pass after some time that they fought..." He intends to say that the war between the children of Ammon and Israel occurred after many days, following the exile of Jephthah.
Malbim
"And it came to pass after days." This indicates that this oppression continued for many days, until the children of Ammon fought against them.
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.
verse value 3696
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "good" (טֽוֹב, 3 letters) and the longest is "when·they·fought" (כַּאֲשֶׁר־נִלְחֲמ֥וּ, 9 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "when·they·fought" (כַּאֲשֶׁר־נִלְחֲמ֥וּ). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "when·they·fought" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "and·went" (root הלך, 109x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֕י [and·it·was] (31) + כַּאֲשֶׁר־נִלְחֲמ֥וּ [when·they·fought] (655) + בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן [sons·of·Ammon] (228) + עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל [with·Israel] (651) + וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ [and·went] (72) + זִקְנֵ֣י [elders·of] (167) + גִלְעָ֔ד [Gilead] (107) + לָקַ֥חַת [to·take] (538) + אֶת־יִפְתָּ֖ח [Jephthah] (899) + מֵאֶ֥רֶץ [from·land·of] (331) + טֽוֹב [good] (17) = 3696.
Ralbag
And since it was already clarified to the elders of Gilad that Yiftach was successful in his wars, they came to him and said to him that he should be their captain if he would fight for them against the sons of Ammon. And on this condition Yiftach accepted to fight the sons of Ammon. And they said all these words before the Lord, meaning, that they already said that the Lord would be a witness between them if they do not fulfill what they undertook.
Metzudat David
"To take [him]"—to return him to Gilead:
Malbim
"And it came to pass when they fought." This means that they did not restore Jephthah out of a sense of justice, but rather because they were in need of him.
And they said to Jephthah: ‘Come and be our chief, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.’
verse value 2017
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 42 letters. Notable word values: "to·us" (לָּ֖נוּ) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "come" (לְכָ֕ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·they·said" (וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "come" (לְכָ֕ה), "and·you·will·be" (וְהָיִ֥יתָה), "to·chief" (לְקָצִ֑ין). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "and·you·will·be" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "in·sons·of" (root בן, 116x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·chief', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ [and·they·said] (263) + לְיִפְתָּ֔ח [to·Jephthah] (528) + לְכָ֕ה [come] (55) + וְהָיִ֥יתָה [and·you·will·be] (436) + לָּ֖נוּ [to·us] (86) + לְקָצִ֑ין [to·chief] (280) + וְנִֽלָּחֲמָ֖ה [and·let·us·fight] (139) + בִּבְנֵ֥י [in·sons·of] (64) + עַמּֽוֹן [Ammon] (166) = 2017.
Metzudat Zion
To be a chief. The sense of leadership, so too (Isaiah 3:6) 'a chief shall you be to us':
Malbim
Questions (6–11): In the verse of vav [v. 6] they said he would be "commander," and in the verse of chet [v. 8] they said he would be "head"? First they said, "We will fight," and afterward, "I will fight"? What is the objection? Is it not that you have hated me? And because of this, should they not seek his help if they place hope in him? And what was their response: "Therefore, now, etc."? How does this follow from the preceding? What is the meaning of "I will be your head"? What is new in this? Have they not already agreed to this? And what was their response: "As you say, so shall we do"? Did they not also speak to him in this manner? Until now, they stipulated that if he would fight and be victorious, then he would become the head. And how did they immediately appoint him as head before he had been victorious and before he had fought?
"Come, and you shall be our commander." There is a difference between a "head" and a "commander." The commander is one who stands at the forefront of the camp due to his importance and high status in valor, or in wealth, or in wisdom, even if he is not the head and does not rule over them, as in [the phrase], "You have a cloak; be our commander." Now, they did not initially speak with him regarding his reward after the war, but only regarding the present; they said that he should be at their forefront due to his importance, for he was more valiant than all of them. Therefore, they said, "And we will fight against the children of Ammon," in the plural form. For the commander is not the head to whom the action is attributed exclusively, for in war they are all equal with him; rather, he merely stands at their forefront.
And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead: ‘Did not you hate me, and drive me out of my father’s house? and why are you come to me now when you are in distress?’
verse value 6170
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 72 letters. Notable word values: "not" (הֲלֹ֤א) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "in·distress" (צַ֥ר, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·you·drove·me·out" (וַתְּגָרְשׁ֖וּנִי, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "the·elders·of" (לְזִקְנֵ֣י), "you·hated" (שְׂנֵאתֶ֣ם), "and·you·drove·me·out" (וַתְּגָרְשׁ֖וּנִי). 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "as" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "you·have·come" (root בוא, 93x in Judges). First appearance of the root שנא ("you·hated") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·father', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 7 words.
Metzudat David
"And you drove me out." You helped my brothers drive me out.
"And why, etc." The intent is to say: If you claim that you truly repented over the evil, then why did you delay until now? And why did you come "now, when you are in distress," rather than earlier? From this it appears that the enmity still remains in its place, and you have come only due to hardship.
Malbim
And Jephthah said: He replied to them, “How can you say that I will become a commander because of my importance, as if you did not call me due to necessity, but rather because of my importance and because of your love for me? Did you not hate me? Moreover, you exiled me from my father’s house because I was lowly and despised in your eyes. This is the second point: if you had come to me in times of peace, I would have forgiven the past. But you have come to me now only when you are in distress, such that it was not remorse for the past that moved you, nor love and importance, but only necessity. And why should I go to help you for free, without compensation, as if there were a covenant of love between us, which is not the case?”
And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah: ‘Therefore are we returned to you now, that you may go with us, and fight with the children of Ammon, and you shall be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.’
verse value 5008
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 80 letters. Notable word values: "to·us" (לָּ֙נוּ֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "therefore" (לָכֵן֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·they·said" (וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 166: with, Ammon. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "we·could·have·returned" (שַׁ֣בְנוּ), "and·you·will·fight" (וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֖), "and·you·shall·be" (וְהָיִ֤יתָ). The root גלעד appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "and·you·shall·be" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "in·sons·of" (root בן, 116x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Ammon', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 6 words.
Metzudat David
Therefore. This means: so that you should not think that we have come to you ourselves at this time to demonstrate great humility and excessive affection; for if it were due to necessity, it would have sufficed to send a messenger after you.
"And you shall go." That is, when you go with us:
"To all the inhabitants of Gilead." This means to say: not only to us who have come alone, but to all of them.
Malbim
And they said, etc., "Therefore, now return to you." This means: True, as you have said, that formerly we hated you and did evil to you. But therefore, now we have returned to you in such a manner that you will not go because of love or for our sake, but rather you will take your wages. For by your going with us and fighting, since you will be the fighter, the victory will be called by your name. And from this it follows that after you have conquered and become our leader, according to the law of the victor in war and the savior of the people—even if he is from the lower classes of the people—he is appointed as leader and ruler.
And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead: ‘If you bring me back home to fight with the children of Ammon, and Hashem deliver them before me, I will be your head.’
verse value 4576
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 78 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֛ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 4576 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "you" (אַתֶּ֤ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "if·bringing·back" (אִם־מְשִׁיבִ֨ים, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·elders·of" (אֶל־זִקְנֵ֣י), "if·bringing·back" (אִם־מְשִׁיבִ֨ים), "and·will·give" (וְנָתַ֧ן). 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "I·will·be" (root היה, 120x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·my·face', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 4 words.
Metzudat David
"If you bring me back." This means: if the matter is concluded and I go to war, and "the Lord will give" [them to me], etc., then "I" myself "will be your head" by right of law. And he means to say: this is still not [true] submission and affection on your part, in that you say you will make me ruler after the war—for certainly if I am defeated, you will no longer wish to make me ruler, and if I am victorious, then by right the rulership is due to me. It is as if he said: it is not so; rather, you must make me ruler immediately, before the war.
Malbim
And Jephthah said. He answered them: “Behold, even now you have not shown me any sign of love or token of repentance for the past, and it appears as though I am going with my enemies to assist them for a wage. For what you promised—that after the war and victory you would appoint me as leader—is a matter that does not depend on your consent, for it will happen of its own accord. For if you bring me back, etc., and the Lord delivers them into my hands, I shall be your leader of my own accord, against your will, by the right of the victor. And what can you promise me?”
And his intention is clear: he desired that they appoint him as head immediately, so that immediately upon his departure he would not go as an officer, but as a head. And as he said to the king of the children of Ammon, "What do you have against me, that you have come to me to fight in my land?"—this he said from the standpoint that he was already the ruler and master of the land.
And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah: ‘Hashem shall be witness between us; surely according to your word so will we do.’
verse value 2879
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 54 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֥ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·elders·of·Gilead" (זִקְנֵֽי־גִלְעָ֖ד, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "the·elders·of·Gilead" (זִקְנֵֽי־גִלְעָ֖ד), "between" (בֵּינוֹתֵ֔ינוּ), "as·your·word" (כִדְבָרְךָ֖). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "it·will·be" (root היה, 120x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Jephthah', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ [and·they·said] (263) + זִקְנֵֽי־גִלְעָ֖ד [the·elders·of·Gilead] (274) + אֶל־יִפְתָּ֑ח [to·Jephthah] (529) + יְהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + יִֽהְיֶ֤ה [it·will·be] (30) + שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙ [hear] (410) + בֵּינוֹתֵ֔ינוּ [between] (534) + אִם־לֹ֥א [if·not] (72) + כִדְבָרְךָ֖ [as·your·word] (246) + כֵּ֥ן [so] (70) + נַעֲשֶֽׂה [we·will·do] (425) = 2879.
Metzudat David
"The Lord shall be a witness [lit. hearing]." That is, He shall be as a witness:
"As you said." To make you ruler immediately:
Malbim
And they said, etc., “According to your word, so shall we do.” This means that they would appoint him as leader immediately upon his arrival in Gilead.
Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before Hashem in Mizpah.
verse value 4626
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 77 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 4626 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "the·people" (הָעָ֥ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·his·words" (אֶת־כׇּל־דְּבָרָ֛יו, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 498: Jephthah, Jephthah. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "with·elders·of" (עִם־זִקְנֵ֣י), "and·to·chief" (וּלְקָצִ֑ין), "all·his·words" (אֶת־כׇּל־דְּבָרָ֛יו). The root יפתח appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "and·went" (root הלך, 109x in Judges); "upon·them" (root על, 87x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·to·chief', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
"All of his words." The condition between them is:
"Before the Lord in Mizpah" – to the place where they all gathered, for the Divine Presence rests upon the majority of the congregation.
Radak
“Before the Lord at Mizpah.” In the place where his house was, as it says, “And Jephthah came to Mizpah, to his house.” And what is meant by “before the Lord” is like what is said, “The Lord will be witness between us.” Or because the Divine Presence rests among Israel in the place where they gather. Or the meaning is as I explained in the Book of Joshua, that it is the Mizpah where the kings assembled to wage war against Joshua, and on account of the great salvation that occurred there, it became the custom of Israel to gather there, and there was an altar and a house of prayer. And to that Mizpah the men of Gilead went with Jephthah to speak their words there, before the Lord at Mizpah.
Metzudat David
And they made him, etc. Immediately they appointed him as leader before their going out to war.
All his words: the words of his prayer and supplications.
"Before the Lord." For there many of Israel would gather, and the Divine Presence rests upon the majority of the congregation (Sanhedrin 39a). And since it was at Mizpah that Joshua was victorious over all the kings assembled against him (Joshua 11:4), they established it as a place of assembly. So too they gathered there in the incident of the concubine at Gibeah (below 20:1), and likewise in the days of Samuel (1 Samuel 10:17), when he made Saul king.
Malbim
This is what is stated: “And he went... and they made... him over them as a chief and a commander.” They chose him immediately as a chief, and also as a commander, because of his excellence. And Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord...; he stipulated with them the laws of the chieftainship, to what extent his authority would reach, just as Samuel spoke to them the laws of the monarchy when he made Saul king.
And Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying: ‘What have you to do with me, that you are come to me to fight against my land?’
verse value 2644
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "and·to·you" (וָלָ֔ךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Ammon" (בְּנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "what·to·me" (מַה־לִּ֣י), "for·you·have·come" (כִּֽי־בָ֥אתָ), "in·my·land" (בְּאַרְצִֽי). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "to·king" (root איל, 114x in Judges); "for·you·have·come" (root בוא, 93x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saying', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח [and·he·sent] (354) + יִפְתָּח֙ [Jephthah] (498) + מַלְאָכִ֔ים [messengers] (141) + אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ [to·king] (121) + בְּנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן [sons·of·Ammon] (228) + לֵאמֹ֑ר [saying] (271) + מַה־לִּ֣י [what·to·me] (85) + וָלָ֔ךְ [and·to·you] (56) + כִּֽי־בָ֥אתָ [for·you·have·come] (433) + אֵלַ֖י [to·me] (41) + לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם [to·fight] (113) + בְּאַרְצִֽי [in·my·land] (303) = 2644.
Ralbag
And indeed Yiftach sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, and showed him at the end of the matter that he has no complaint at all against Israel on account of the land that Israel took in its ascent from Egypt, from Arnon to Yavok and to the Jordan, etc. For Israel did not take it from the sons of Ammon, but from Sichon king of the Amorites. And it seems that he sent to him at the beginning of the second message, 'thus says Yiftach,' for perhaps Yiftach was well known among them for his courage, and he wished on account of this to inform him that he is the ruler over Israel, so that the king of the sons of Ammon would guard himself from fighting with Israel.
Metzudat David
"What have I to do with you?" He meant to say: What is the enmity and hatred between us? What have I against you, and what have you against me? And since they had appointed him as leader, he attributed the matter to himself.
Malbim
"What do I have to do with you?" For a war that breaks out between two kings (if it is conducted according to the laws of kingship, not by way of oppression) necessarily has some cause, such as a dispute or a claim, and the like. And for the most part, they can reach an amicable settlement before the war actually breaks out. He asked him to inform him of the cause of the war and what he wanted from him.
And the king of the children of Ammon answered to the messengers of Jephthah: ‘Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan; now therefore restore those cities peaceably.’
verse value 6080
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 93 letters. The shortest word is "king" (מֶ֨לֶךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·until·the·Jordan" (וְעַד־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן, 8 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·messengers·of" (אֶל־מַלְאֲכֵ֣י), "for·took" (כִּֽי־לָקַ֨ח), "land" (אֶת־אַרְצִי֙). 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges); "when·he" (root עלה, 78x in Judges). First appearance of the root ארנון ("from·Arnon") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·until·the·Jordan', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 4 words.
Metzudat David
In peace. Without strife and war:
Malbim
"And the king of the children of Ammon said... because Israel took my land..." He informed him that he had a claim to the land that had belonged to Moab in ancient times, before Sihon conquered it, and he desired that the cities be returned to their original owners (and apparently the king of the children of Ammon was then also ruling over the land of Moab). He argued on behalf of Moab that they had taken their land, and furthermore, even the territory they had taken from Sihon had also belonged to the children of Ammon. As it is stated (Joshua 12): "Sihon... from Aroer... the border of the children of Ammon," and there (13:25): "And their border was Jazer... and half the land of the children of Ammon."
And Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the children of Ammon;
verse value 1584
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 35 letters. Verse gematria: 1584 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "again" (ע֖וֹד, 3 letters) and the longest is "messengers" (מַלְאָכִ֔ים, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·he·continued" (וַיּ֥וֹסֶף). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "son" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "to·king" (root איל, 114x in Judges); "and·he·sent" (root שלח, 38x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Jephthah', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיּ֥וֹסֶף [and·he·continued] (162) + ע֖וֹד [again] (80) + יִפְתָּ֑ח [Jephthah] (498) + וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ [and·he·sent] (354) + מַלְאָכִ֔ים [messengers] (141) + אֶל־מֶ֖לֶךְ [to·king] (121) + בְּנֵ֥י [son] (62) + עַמּֽוֹן [Ammon] (166) = 1584.
and he said to him: ‘Thus says Jephthah: Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon.
verse value 3434
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 48 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (ל֔וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (ל֔וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·land" (וְאֶת־אֶ֖רֶץ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "thus" (כֹּ֖ה). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "son" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Jephthah', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + ל֔וֹ [to·him] (36) + כֹּ֖ה [thus] (25) + אָמַ֣ר [said] (241) + יִפְתָּ֑ח [Jephthah] (498) + לֹֽא־לָקַ֤ח [not·took] (169) + יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ [Israel] (541) + אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ [land] (692) + מוֹאָ֔ב [Moab] (49) + וְאֶת־אֶ֖רֶץ [and·land] (698) + בְּנֵ֥י [son] (62) + עַמּֽוֹן [Ammon] (166) = 3434.
Radak
“And the land of Moab, and the land of the children of Ammon.” What was there for him to answer him regarding the land of Moab, since he was not asking him for anything other than the land of the children of Ammon? For he was asking him from the Arnon to the Jabbok. Therefore, he answered him that that land which you are asking for in the name of Moab was called [so], and the Amorite king conquered it from Moab, and Israel took it from the Amorite king. And behold, Israel took neither from Moab nor from the children of Ammon.
Metzudat David
“the land of Moab, etc.” This means to say: If the district had been from of old that of Moab and Ammon, then at the time when Israel took it, it was no longer their land, as will be explained in the verses that follow.
Malbim
Thus said Jephthah. He raised four arguments: A) That Israel did not take anything from the land of Moab and the children of Ammon (for he has no claim except if they had taken it from his own hand directly (and on the contrary, when they sent messengers to the king of Moab and to the king of Edom, and they refused to let them pass through their territory (even though this was a cause for war), they circumvented their land and did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab in those days:
(Argument Two) The lands that he mentioned were conquered from Sihon, which were then under his [Sihon's] rule, and even this was not without legal justification, such that he could claim them. For when [the Israelites] sent messengers even to Sihon, Sihon began to provoke them to war. It was not sufficient for him that they did not allow them to pass through his land; rather, Sihon did not believe that the Israelites would pass through his border. That is to say, he did not even allow them to walk along the boundary of his land and circumvent it, as they had circumvented the land of Edom and Moab, because he did not trust them. Therefore, he gathered his people and fought against them. Thus, he initiated the war, and the Lord gave him into the hand of Israel, and they took his land, which is the land of the Amorite, not the land of Moab, for these lands belonged at that time to the Amorite.
(Argument 3) “And now, the LORD, the God of Israel, dispossessed the Amorite,” etc.—this means to say: Was not the war of Israel at that time a divine matter, and did not all the nations know this, that the LORD had dispossessed them? And if the LORD, to whom all the earth belongs, dispossessed the Amorite, how can you take possession of it?! Is it not that whatever Chemosh gives you to possess, you possess? And what do you have to say, since this is among the wondrous acts of God and His providence?
(Argument Four): “And now, are you at all better than Balak…” etc. Was not Balak king at that time, and he kept silent? And likewise after him there were many kings, and already three hundred years had passed, and Israel dwelled and maintained possession of the land, yet you all kept silent. This constitutes a strong presumption [chazakah], and there is an argument with it. And Abarbanel likewise takes this approach in these verses.
But when they came up from Egypt, and Israel walked through the wilderness to the Red Sea, and came to Kadesh;
verse value 2551
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֖י, 2 letters) and the longest is "until·Red-Sea" (עַד־יַם־ס֔וּף, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "when·they" (בַּעֲלוֹתָ֣ם), "until·Red-Sea" (עַד־יַם־ס֔וּף). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges); "and·went" (root הלך, 109x in Judges); "and·came" (root בוא, 93x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·Egypt', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 6 words. Full calculation: כִּ֖י [for] (30) + בַּעֲלוֹתָ֣ם [when·they] (548) + מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם [from·Egypt] (420) + וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ [and·went] (66) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל [Israel] (541) + בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ [in·the·wilderness] (248) + עַד־יַם־ס֔וּף [until·Red-Sea] (270) + וַיָּבֹ֖א [and·came] (19) + קָדֵֽשָׁה [to·Kadesh] (409) = 2551.
Rashi
“Until the Sea of Reeds.” In the south of the land of Edom, and the land of Edom is in the south of the land of Canaan.
Radak
"In the wilderness, to the Sea of Reeds." The well-known wilderness, which is the Wilderness of Shur; and so it is written: "And they set out from the Wilderness of Shur, and they walked three days in the wilderness," and this is the Wilderness of Etham. It has two names, for so it is written: "And they passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and they went three days' journey in the Wilderness of Etham, and they encamped at Marah." And those journeys, from Marah to Elim, continued until they came to the Sea of Reeds. And so it is written: "And they set out from Elim, and they encamped by the Sea of Reeds." And regarding what it says "to the Sea of Reeds," although they had already crossed the sea, and after crossing it they walked in this wilderness, know that Israel did not cross the sea in its breadth. Rather, in the corner through which they entered the Sea of Reeds, in that very same corner they exited. For behold, they entered from the Wilderness of Etham into the Sea of Reeds, and from the Sea of Reeds they exited into the very same Wilderness of Etham. And if you say, "Since they did not need to cross the sea in its breadth, why did they enter it, and they exited to the place where they were initially?" The Blessed Name did not do so except to demonstrate the magnitude of His greatness, that Israel passed through the midst of the sea on dry land, and the Egyptians drowned within it. And along the length of the sea, those journeys continued after they crossed. And regarding what it says, "And they encamped by the Sea of Reeds," until now, in the Wilderness of the Sea of Reeds, the journeys were such that until now they had gone far from the sea, but in this journey they encamped on the shore of the sea; therefore it also says, "Behold, to the Sea of Reeds." And from there they set out to the Wilderness of Sin. And regarding what it says, "Behold, they came to Kadesh," it abbreviates the journeys and writes only what is necessary to write, which is Kadesh, for from there they sent the messengers, as it is written: "And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom." And he also sent to the king of Moab. And behold, we do not see in the Torah that he sent to the king of Moab; rather, we find that it says, "As the children of Esau who dwell in Seir did to me, and the Moabites who dwell in Ar." It appears that he sent to them as he sent to the children of Esau. And regarding what it says, "As the children of Esau did to me," and they did not allow them to pass, and likewise the Moabites did not allow them to pass, as it says, "And he also sent to the king of Moab, and he refused," and he says, "As the children of Esau and the Moabites," meaning that they allowed them to pass. The sage Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra, of blessed memory, explains that the king of Edom did not allow them to pass on the road of his kingdom, for from there the land of Canaan was near; but they passed on the road of Seir. Therefore it says, "who dwell in Seir," for so it is written: "You shall pass through the territory of your brothers, the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir," and it is written: "And you shall circumvent Mount Seir." And likewise, the king of Moab did not allow them to pass; but the Moabites who dwell in Ar allowed them to pass, as it is said: "You shall pass through the territory of Moab, Ar, today."
then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying: Let me, I pray you, pass through your land; but the king of Edom hearkened not. And in like manner he sent to the king of Moab; but he would not; and Israel abode in Kadesh.
verse value 4576
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 88 letters. Verse gematria: 4576 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֤א, 3 letters) and the longest is "let·me·pass·now" (אֶעְבְּרָה־נָּ֣א, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 541: Israel, Israel. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "let·me·pass·now" (אֶעְבְּרָה־נָּ֣א), "he·was·willing" (אָבָ֑ה), "at·Kadesh" (בְּקָדֵֽשׁ). The root שלח appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges); "to·king" (root איל, 114x in Judges). First appearance of the root אבה ("he·was·willing") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'he·was·willing', dividing the verse into phrases of 18 and 3 words.
Rashi
“Let me pass, I pray, through your land.” From south to north, to enter the Land of Canaan.
“And also to the king of Moab.” This indicates that his land was situated at the extremity of the land of Edom, lying to the east of Edom and to the south of the Land of Israel.
"And He did not consent." Moses alluded to this in the Torah (Deuteronomy 2:29): "As the children of Esau who dwell in Seir did to us, and as the Moabites who dwell in Ar did to us." Just as Edom did not permit them to pass through, so too Moab did not permit them to pass through.
Metzudat David
“Let me pass through, please, to come into the land of Canaan.”
Metzudat Zion
Was willing. He was willing, as in (Deuteronomy 25:7) 'my brother-in-law was not willing':
Then he walked 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 they pitched on the other side of the Arnon; but they came not within the border of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab.
verse value 4482
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 97 letters. Verse gematria: 4482 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "from·sunrise·of·sun" (מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֙מֶשׁ֙, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 307: Arnon, Arnon. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·turned" (וַיָּ֜סׇב), "land" (לְאֶ֣רֶץ), "and·they·declined" (וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּן). The root מואב appears 4 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·went" (root הלך, 109x in Judges); "and·came" (root בוא, 93x in Judges); "for" (root כי, 70x in Judges). First appearance of the root סבב ("and·turned") in Judges. First appearance of the root מזרח ("from·sunrise·of·sun") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Arnon', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 7 words.
Rashi
"And he went into the wilderness." From west to east, through the southern pass of Edom and Moab:
And he went around the land of Edom. All its southern part:
"And the land of Moab." This refers to its southern side. And when he reached the southeastern corner, he turned northward to circumvent the eastern pass.
And they came from the east of the sun to the land of Moab, and they encamped on the other side of the Arnon. At the eastern extremity of the land of Moab, and there began the land of Sihon and Og, and they conquered the region beyond the Jordan in the east of the land of Canaan, and they crossed the Jordan, and they entered it, the land of Canaan, from the east.
Radak
"And he went into the wilderness." "Into the wilderness" [means] the wilderness of the Sea of Reeds, as it is written: "And they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Sea of Reeds, to go around the land of Edom."
And they encamped. The nun is an added letter, like the nun in "you shall guard" and "you shall remember."
Metzudat David
“From the rising of the sun.” In the east of Moab:
"For Arnon, etc." Arnon is the beginning of the boundary of Moab, and they encamped on this side of it.
Metzudat Zion
And they encamped. Like 'and they encamped,' and the nun is added, as in (Deuteronomy 6:17) 'you shall keep them':
And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him: Let us pass, we pray you, through your land to my place.
verse value 3798
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 70 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (לוֹ֙) = 36, double chai. Verse gematria: 3798 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "to·him" (לוֹ֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "king·Amorite" (מֶלֶךְ־הָאֱמֹרִ֖י, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 541: Israel, Israel. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·Sihon" (אֶל־סִיח֥וֹן), "king·Amorite" (מֶלֶךְ־הָאֱמֹרִ֖י), "Heshbon" (חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן). The root ישראל appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges); "to·Sihon" (root איל, 114x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Heshbon', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח [and·he·sent] (354) + יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ [Israel] (541) + מַלְאָכִ֔ים [messengers] (141) + אֶל־סִיח֥וֹן [to·Sihon] (165) + מֶלֶךְ־הָאֱמֹרִ֖י [king·Amorite] (346) + מֶ֣לֶךְ [king] (90) + חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן [Heshbon] (366) + וַיֹּ֤אמֶר [and·said] (257) + לוֹ֙ [to·him] (36) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל [Israel] (541) + נַעְבְּרָה־נָּ֥א [let·us·pass·now] (378) + בְאַרְצְךָ֖ [in·your·land] (313) + עַד־מְקוֹמִֽי [until·standing place] (270) = 3798.
Metzudat David
"Until My place." The Land of Canaan, the place that the Lord has given to me.
And Hashem, the 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.
verse value 5526
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 79 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֨ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 5526 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "in·hand·of" (בְּיַ֥ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·God·of·Israel" (אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 541: Israel, Israel. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "Sihon" (אֶת־סִיח֧וֹן), "and·all·with" (וְאֶת־כׇּל־עַמּ֛וֹ), "and·took·possession·of" (וַיִּירַשׁ֙). The root ישראל appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges); "in·hand·of" (root יד, 75x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·struck·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 8 words.
Metzudat Zion
And he took possession. From the word for inheritance:
And they possessed all the border of the Amorites, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and from the wilderness even to the Jordan.
verse value 2520
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 48 letters. Verse gematria: 2520 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "Amorite" (הָאֱמֹרִ֑י, 5 letters) and the longest is "and·from·the·wilderness" (וּמִן־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 347: from·Arnon, and·from·the·wilderness. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "all·border" (כׇּל־גְּב֣וּל), "and·from·the·wilderness" (וּמִן־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·from·the·wilderness" (root דבר, 52x in Judges); "and·they·possessed" (root ירש, 27x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Amorite', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words.
Rashi
"And they took possession, etc., from Arnon to the Brook Jabbok." [This teaches that] what you say is yours (verse 13), they took it from Sihon.
“And from the wilderness to the Jordan.” There were deserts there, before [i.e. extending up to] the Jordan:
Metzudat David
"From the Arnon, etc." If so, that district was taken from Sihon, who had previously conquered it from Moab and Ammon.
So now Hashem, the God of Israel, has dispossessed the Amorites from before His people Israel, and should you possess them?
verse value 4487
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 51 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "his·people" (עַמּ֣וֹ, 3 letters) and the longest is "Amorite" (אֶת־הָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 541: Israel, Israel. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "Amorite" (אֶת־הָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י), "will·you·possess·it" (תִּירָשֶֽׁנּוּ). The root ישראל appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges); "his·people" (root עם, 79x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְעַתָּ֞ה [now] (481) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + אֱלֹהֵ֣י [the·God·of] (46) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל [Israel] (541) + הוֹרִישׁ֙ [he·cast·out] (521) + אֶת־הָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י [Amorite] (657) + מִפְּנֵ֖י [from·face·of] (180) + עַמּ֣וֹ [his·people] (116) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל [Israel] (541) + וְאַתָּ֖ה [and·you] (412) + תִּירָשֶֽׁנּוּ [will·you·possess·it] (966) = 4487.
Metzudat David
“Because of His people Israel” – so that they might inherit it, and not that it be returned to you. This is what is meant by the verse “And you shall inherit it,” which is stated in a tone of astonishment.
Metzudat Zion
Dispossessed. The sense of banishing:
You shall possess it. From the word for inheritance:
Will not you possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whomsoever Hashem our God has dispossessed from before us, them will we possess.
verse value 6055
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 68 letters. Notable word values: "not" (הֲלֹ֞א) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "not" (הֲלֹ֞א, 3 letters) and the longest is "gives·you·to·possess" (יוֹרִֽישְׁךָ֛, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 413: him, him. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "gives·you·to·possess" (יוֹרִֽישְׁךָ֛), "Chemosh" (כְּמ֥וֹשׁ), "you·will·seize" (תִירָ֑שׁ). The root ירש appears 4 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "not" (root לא, 77x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·will·seize', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 8 words.
Radak
“Chemosh, your god.” Now, he was indeed the god of Moab; yet this is what he said to him: “You are asking for the land that belongs to Moab, and the king of the Amorites took it from Moab, and Chemosh, their god, did not save them.” And so it was in the mouth of those who speak in parables: “Woe to you, Moab! You have perished, O people of Chemosh.” If so, since the land was yours and Chemosh was your god, “that which Chemosh, your god, dispossesses, you shall possess,” because he was unable to save the land from the hand of the king of the Amorites. But the Lord, our God, dispossessed the king of the Amorites from before us, and we inherited that land.
"He caused to dispossess" [הוֹרִישׁ]. The meaning is expulsion, as its Targum renders: "ditrich" [drove out]. And so, whenever it is joined with "from before," it carries the sense of driving out; otherwise it carries the sense of inheritance.
Ralbag
And he said to him by way of mockery, 'Is it not that which your god Kemosh gives you to possess, that you possess?' For Kemosh, their god, was not able to save them from the hand of Sichon, as it says, 'woe to you, Moav, you are lost, people of Kemosh,' etc.
Metzudat David
"That which Chemosh allots you to possess." He said this in a mocking manner:
Metzudat Zion
Chemosh. The name of an idolatrous deity:
Dispossessed. Drove out:
We shall possess it. From the word for inheritance:
Malbim
“Is it not true that Chemosh will make you inherit [the land], etc.”—And what do you have to say, that this is among the wonders of God and His providence?
And now are you 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?
verse value 3070
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "great" (רָב֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "with·Israel" (עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "than·Balak" (מִבָּלָ֥ק), "son·of·Zippor" (בֶּן־צִפּ֖וֹר), "did·he·ever" (הֲר֥וֹב). The root טוב appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "with·Israel" (root עם, 79x in Judges); "or·did·he·ever" (root לחם, 45x in Judges); "king" (root מלך, 35x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Moab', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְעַתָּ֗ה [now] (481) + הֲט֥וֹב [is·good] (22) + טוֹב֙ [good] (17) + אַתָּ֔ה [you] (406) + מִבָּלָ֥ק [than·Balak] (172) + בֶּן־צִפּ֖וֹר [son·of·Zippor] (428) + מֶ֣לֶךְ [king] (90) + מוֹאָ֑ב [Moab] (49) + הֲר֥וֹב [did·he·ever] (213) + רָב֙ [great] (202) + עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל [with·Israel] (651) + אִם־נִלְחֹ֥ם [or·did·he·ever] (169) + נִלְחַ֖ם [he·fought] (128) + בָּֽם [in·them] (42) = 3070.
Radak
"The good, good are you." The accent is on the final syllable, on the tav; and some precise manuscripts have the accent on the preceding syllable, on the aleph.
"Did he contend?" The meaning is strife/contention.
"If he fought, did he fight against them?" The first [instance] is an infinitive with a cholam, on the pattern of "David was earnestly asked" [1 Samuel 20:6]. And the second is nifal perfect, which is patach. And behold, it says in Joshua: "And Balak arose and fought against Israel." Rather, as explained there, that the battle consisted of his [Balak's] sending Balaam to curse them. And behold, he did not fight with Israel for the sake of his land, and also the kings of Moab afterward did not fight against Israel for this reason. Today, three hundred years have passed since the land has been in the hands of Israel.
Ralbag
And he said to him that he is no better than Balak son of Tzifor king of Moav, who did not quarrel with Israel over this and did not fight with them, although they were dwelling in his days in Cheshbon and its daughters and in Aroer and its daughters and in all the cities which are by the Arnon. And this continued until three hundred years, that none of them arose to fight with Israel over this. And if they had a right to this land, why did they not save it from their hands in all this long time?
Metzudat David
"Did he indeed contend?" And did he make a dispute with Israel because of that district, even though it also contains some of Moab?
Metzudat Zion
Did he indeed contend. From the word for contention:
While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and its towns, and in Aroer and its towns, and in all the cities that are along by the side of the Arnon, three hundred years; wherefore did you not recover them within that time?
verse value 7091
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 89 letters. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁר֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·in·all·the·cities" (וּבְכׇל־הֶֽעָרִים֙, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 481: and·in·her·daughters, and·in·her·daughters. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "when·dwelling" (בְּשֶׁ֣בֶת), "in·Heshbon" (בְּחֶשְׁבּ֨וֹן), "and·in·Aroer" (וּבְעַרְע֣וֹר). The root בת appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges); "upon·hands·of" (root על, 87x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'year', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 4 words.
Rashi
“By way of the Arnon.” This means “near the Arnon,” for the inhabitants of Moab were located there, and they knew that the Israelites were not permitted to pass through their territory, for indeed they [Israel] had conquered it from Sihon (Numbers 21:24), who had taken it from the king of Moab (ibid. 21:26).
Three hundred years. From the time they conquered the land in the days of Joshua until Jephthah. From here we learn regarding the years of the judges mentioned up to this point: whether the years of subjugation for each nation are counted within the days of the judge or not. We learned in Seder Olam (Chapter 12): Joshua sustained Israel for twenty-eight years, and there is no scriptural source from which to learn this. Othniel (above 3:11), forty years, and the years of subjugation to Cushan-Rishathaim (ibid. 3:8) are included within them. After him, Ehud (ibid. 3:30), eighty years, eighteen years, the subjugation to Eglon (ibid. 3:14) is among them; this makes one hundred forty-eight years. Deborah (ibid. 5:31), forty years, and the years of subjugation to Jabin (ibid. 4:3) are among them; this makes one hundred eighty-eight. After him, seven years of subjugation to Midian (ibid. 6:1), and forty years of Gideon (ibid. 8:28), and three years of Abimelech (ibid. 9:22); this makes two hundred thirty-eight years. After him, twenty-three years of Tola (ibid. 10:2), and twenty-two years of Jair (ibid. 10:3), except that one year was counted for both of them, and eighteen years of the Ammonites (ibid. 10:8) until Jephthah came; this makes three hundred.
Radak
Three hundred years. Three hundred years they dwelled in this land until this day, from the day it was conquered. And why did you not fight for them until this day and not save it? And three hundred years according to this calculation, as is explained in Seder Olam: Joshua sustained Israel for twenty-eight years; Othniel, son of Kenaz, forty years; Ehud, eighty years; Deborah and Barak, forty years; Gideon, forty years; Abimelech, three years; Tola, son of Puah, twenty-three years; Jair, twenty-two years. This makes a total of two hundred and seventy-six years, including the years of subjugation. And there are eighteen years during which the children of Ammon subjugated Israel before Jephthah arose. This makes three hundred years, together with the six years of Jephthah.
Metzudat David
"In the dwelling of Israel." This means that when Israel was dwelling in Heshbon, etc.: three hundred years (meaning, approximately three hundred years; see the calculation of the years of the generations in Seder Olam, Chapter 12).
"And why did you not recover them?" From the hand of Israel.
"At that time." During this period:
Metzudat Zion
And in its daughters. The villages adjacent to it:
Alongside. Beside places:
I therefore have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong to war against me; Hashem, the Judge, be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.’
verse value 4035
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 72 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֤ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·you" (לָ֔ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·sin offering" (לֹא־חָטָ֣אתִי, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 62: between, son, son. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "not·sin offering" (לֹא־חָטָ֣אתִי), "will·judge" (יִשְׁפֹּ֨ט), "the·judge" (הַשֹּׁפֵט֙). The root שפט appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "son" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges). First appearance of the root רעה ("evil") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'against·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 10 words.
Metzudat David
"I have not sinned against you." [Yet you] stir up strife with me, to take vengeance on me, for I have not done anything bad to you.
"May the LORD, the Judge, decide." This means: the LORD, who judges the whole earth, will judge today between [Israel and Ammon], etc., and the verse's word order is inverted.
Malbim
"And I have not sinned against you." He means to say: Since you have no claim against the land, there can be no cause for war, except if one person has sinned against his fellow with regard to his honor or the like. But this did not happen, for "I have not sinned." Therefore, it is you who have done me evil by waging war against me; this is an evil deed contrary to the laws of kings and the customs of nations. And if there is no arbiter between us, let the Lord judge, etc.
However the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not to the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
verse value 2396
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 36 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·words·of" (אֶל־דִּבְרֵ֣י, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "to·words·of" (אֶל־דִּבְרֵ֣י). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "son" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "to·words·of" (root איל, 114x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Ammon', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + שָׁמַ֔ע [heard] (410) + מֶ֖לֶךְ [king] (90) + בְּנֵ֣י [son] (62) + עַמּ֑וֹן [Ammon] (166) + אֶל־דִּבְרֵ֣י [to·words·of] (247) + יִפְתָּ֔ח [Jephthah] (498) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + שָׁלַ֖ח [sent] (338) + אֵלָֽיו [to·him] (47) = 2396.
Ralbag
And indeed the king of the sons of Ammon did not listen to the words of Yiftach, and he desired in any case to fight with Israel. Then a spirit of courage was renewed in Yiftach from the Lord. And he passed over the sons of Ammon in the place where they were assembled, and fought with them and struck them a very great blow, as is mentioned, in such a way that the sons of Ammon were already subdued before the sons of Israel.
Then the spirit of Hashem came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over to the children of Ammon.
verse value 4741
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 71 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "spirit·of" (ר֣וּחַ, 3 letters) and the longest is "Gilead" (אֶת־הַגִּלְעָ֖ד, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 288: and·he·passed·over, and·he·passed·over. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "upon·Jephthah" (עַל־יִפְתָּח֙), "Gilead" (אֶת־הַגִּלְעָ֖ד), "and·Manasseh" (וְאֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה). The root עבר appears 3 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges); "son" (root בן, 116x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·Manasseh', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 8 words.
Rashi
"He crossed over the children of Ammon." [Meaning] to the children of Ammon:
Radak
"And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah." And the Targum: "And a spirit of might rested upon Jephthah from before the Lord."
"He passed the Ammonites." Explanation: Into the land of the Ammonites.
Metzudat David
The Spirit of the Lord. The Spirit of might from the Lord, and the strength of the heart:
"He crossed over to the children of Ammon." To wage war against them in their land:
Malbim
"And he passed over to Gilead." It has already been stated that the king of the children of Ammon encamped in Gilead. And according to this, it was part of Jephthah’s wisdom that he passed through Gilead from the side, via Mizpeh Gilead, into the land of the children of Ammon. For while the king of the children of Ammon and his camp were stationed in Gilead, it was easier to conquer the territory of the children of Ammon and to strike a great blow against the cities of the children of Ammon. And thereby they were subdued, for they were forced to return to defend their cities.
And Jephthah vowed a vow to Hashem, and said: ‘If You will indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand,
verse value 3337
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 43 letters. Notable word values: "in·my·hand" (בְּיָדִֽי) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "vow" (נֶ֛דֶר, 3 letters) and the longest is "if·indeed" (אִם־נָת֥וֹן, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "and·vowed" (וַיִּדַּ֨ר), "if·indeed" (אִם־נָת֥וֹן), "you·will·give" (תִּתֵּ֛ן). The root נדר appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "in·my·hand" (root יד, 75x in Judges). First appearance of the root נדר ("and·vowed") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·he·said', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיִּדַּ֨ר [and·vowed] (220) + יִפְתָּ֥ח [Jephthah] (498) + נֶ֛דֶר [vow] (254) + לַיהֹוָ֖ה [to·Hashem] (56) + וַיֹּאמַ֑ר [and·he·said] (257) + אִם־נָת֥וֹן [if·indeed] (547) + תִּתֵּ֛ן [you·will·give] (850) + אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י [the·sons·of] (463) + עַמּ֖וֹן [Ammon] (166) + בְּיָדִֽי [in·my·hand] (26) = 3337.
Ralbag
And it relates that Yiftach already vowed a vow to the Lord, that if He would give into his hand the sons of Ammon, that which goes out from his house in his returning in peace from the sons of Ammon will be the Lord's, and he will offer it up as a burnt offering, if it was fitting for this.
then it shall be, that whatsoever comes forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it shall be Hashem’S, and I will offer it up for a burnt-offering.’
verse value 4082
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 69 letters. Notable word values: "and·it·shall·be" (וְהָיָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 4082 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֨ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·offer·it·up" (וְהַעֲלִיתִ֖יהוּ, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: and·it·shall·be, and·it·shall·be. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "the·going·out" (הַיּוֹצֵ֗א), "from·doors·of" (מִדַּלְתֵ֤י), "my·house" (בֵיתִי֙). The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "and·it·shall·be" (root היה, 120x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Ammon', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 4 words.
Radak
“And you shall bring them up as a burnt-offering.” The opinion of our Sages of blessed memory on this matter is well known. And the Ra’avad, of blessed memory, explained that the vav in “ve-ha’aliti’hu” is in place of “or.” And he explained: “And it shall be a consecration to the Lord” — if it is not fit for a burnt-offering; or “and you shall bring it up as a burnt-offering” — if it is fit for a burnt-offering. And similar is this vav in “who strikes his father or his mother,” meaning “or his mother.” And good is this explanation. And so it appears from the verse, for it was not death that he said, “And I will weep for my soul,” as a sign that it was not death, but rather that she did not know a man, as it says, “And she did not know a man.” And what he also said, “And he did for her his vow which he had vowed,” and did not say “and he brought up a burnt-offering,” is a sign that she was secluded [celibate], and this is “his vow which he had vowed,” “and it shall be to the Lord.” So it appears according to the plain meaning of the verses. And the words of our Sages of blessed memory — if it is a tradition in their hands, we must accept it.
Ralbag
And indeed that which goes out from the doors of his house will necessarily be a living being. And if it is from the species of man, it will be the Lord's and will be devoted to the service of the Lord alone. And if it is male, he will not need to be separated from a woman, for he will already be devoted to the service of the Lord in a manner other than this, as is found in the priests and the Levites. And we also found this language in Shmuel, although he took a woman and had sons from her. But if it is a woman, it will be obligatory that she be separated from a man. For if she had a husband, she would not be devoted to the service of the Lord, but her husband would rule over her according to the law of married women. And for this reason Yiftach tore his garments at seeing his daughter coming out to meet him, for this vow obligates that she not be to a man. It seems that Yiftach made for her a house outside. In it she saw neither man nor woman, and she dwelt there. But he waited for her two months, to go in them with her companions to weep for her virginity on the mountains. And in this time he locked her in the house, and she saw not even a woman there, except four days a year, which was the rule for Israel that the daughters of Israel should go to lament for the daughter of Yiftach concerning her virginity. And she was separated from a man all her days. And we ought to examine what Yiftach said: three hundred years have passed from the time they conquered that land until the beginning of the years of Yiftach. And we should examine together with this what is said about the building of the Temple, that it was in the four hundred and eightieth year of the going out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt. And this is from what obligates that from the time of Yiftach's rising until the building of the Temple there were only one hundred and forty years. And if we investigate this, we will find in it more than this. For when we add the years of Yiftach and Ivtzan and Eilon and Avdon, they will be thirty-eight. And if we add with this the years of servitude by the hand of the Philistines, which were forty years, together with the years of Shimshon, which are twenty years, and the years of Eli, and the years of Shmuel and Sha'ul, which are thirteen years, and the years of David and Shlomo until the building of the Temple, which are forty-three years, they will be one hundred and eighty-six years. And if we say that the years of servitude by the hand of the Philistines are included in the years of Shimshon and Eli, still there will be seven additional years. And furthermore, it is possible that the servitude already began before Shimshon's pregnancy, after the angel already appeared to the woman and said to her, 'and he will begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.' And it seems that the answer to this difficulty is that Israel was in the hand of the Philistines also in the days of Yiftach and in the days of the judges who came after him, except that the Philistines were not yet ruling over Israel, but they were prevailing over them in their wars. And therefore it relates before Yiftach's rising that the Lord already sold them into the hand of the Philistines. And in their days was Shimshon's pregnancy, and the servitude began to be that the Philistines ruled over Israel, around the beginning of Shimshon's government. And for this reason Israel said to Shimshon, 'do you not know that the Philistines rule over us?' And nevertheless, behold, there will be seven additional years there. And it is possible to say that those seven years were lacking from the three hundred years that Yiftach said. And he said by way of approximation, three hundred years, for he did not mind the seven lacking years from this. And this will be found to agree in the manner that we explained, if we assume that Joshua and the elders governed Israel twenty-seven years. And after this Otniel son of Kenaz governed Israel forty years until the years of servitude. And Ehud governed Israel until eighty years until the years of servitude. And Devorah and Barak governed Israel forty years until the years of servitude. And Yerubaal governed Israel until forty years until the years of servitude. And Avimelech governed Israel three years, and after him Tola twenty-three years, and Yair twenty-two years, and eighteen years of servitude, behold two hundred and ninety-three years. And when we add to them forty years from the time of the Exodus from Egypt until the conquest of that land, and one hundred and forty-seven years from Yiftach's rising until the building of the Temple, the total will be four hundred and eighty years. And if a doubt arises, when was the idol of Mikah and the matter of the concubine in Gevah, of which it is related there that they were at the time when there was no king in Israel, every man did what was right in his eyes, and for this reason it is calculated that between Shimshon and Eli there was a time, not short, in which Israel stood without a judge. Behold, we will resolve this doubt by saying that this was in the years of servitude that we mentioned, when there was no judge, whether before Otniel son of Kenaz's rising or before Ehud's rising or before the rising of any other of the judges, in the years of servitude when there was no ruler in Israel. And we will say about this further, God willing, when we reach there. And it is possible to say that what Yiftach said, three hundred years, was truth without any approximation. But some of Shimshon's years were absorbed in Eli's years, for at the end Shimshon was dwelling in the land of the Philistines. And it is possible that then Eli was judging, and those years were counted in Shimshon's years, for he was judging them if he was standing among them. And we will clarify this further, God willing, when we reach there. And we will return to what we were in the explanation of these matters.
Metzudat David
"And it shall be for the Lord." This means to say: if there is a matter that is not fit to be brought up as a burnt-offering, it shall be holy to the Lord, that it shall remain in its sanctity and not be used for profane purposes.
"And I shall offer it up." Then I will offer it as a burnt-offering, if it is something fit to be a burnt-offering.
Malbim
"And it shall be the LORD's." Explanation: either it shall be the LORD's, if it is unfit for a sacrifice, or, if it is fit for a sacrifice, I shall offer it up as a burnt offering. Radak.
And he smote them from Aroer until you come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and to Abel-cheramim, with a very great slaughter. So the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
verse value 3919
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 75 letters. The shortest word is "city" (עִ֗יר, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·Aroer" (מֵעֲרוֹעֵר֩, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 62: son, son. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "from·Aroer" (מֵעֲרוֹעֵר֩), "and·until·you·come" (וְעַד־בֹּאֲךָ֨), "Minnith" (מִנִּ֜ית). The root בן appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "son" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges); "and·until·you·come" (root בוא, 93x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'very', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 6 words.
Rashi
"Abel-cheramim [Meadow of Vineyards]." (Targum:) Meishar Karmaya [the plain of the vineyards]:
Metzudat David
“And until you come.” Until the place where you will enter into Minit, as if He were speaking face-to-face with a person who knows the location.
"Twenty cities." In the vicinity of that place there were twenty cities, and he struck them all.
Metzudat Zion
And they were subdued. From the word for subjugation:
And Jephthah came to Mizpah to 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.
verse value 4975
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 74 letters. The shortest word is "son·of" (בֵּ֖ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·with·dances" (וּבִמְחֹל֑וֹת, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "coming·out" (יֹצֵ֣את), "with·hand-drums" (בְּתֻפִּ֖ים), "and·with·dances" (וּבִמְחֹל֑וֹת). 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "son·of" (root בן, 116x in Judges); "to·his·house" (root איל, 114x in Judges); "and·came" (root בוא, 93x in Judges). First appearance of the root או ("or·daughter") in Judges. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·with·dances', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 7 words.
Radak
"He had none from him." The Targum translates it as "from her he had none," meaning that from this daughter he had no son or daughter, because she did not yet have a husband, as it states, "she knew no man." And so the Master of the Masorah notes: "Five [instances] are presumed [to be read] minah [from her], but we read minnu [from him]." And it is possible to explain minnu according to its plain meaning, for it is possible that Jephthah's wife had children from another man before she married Jephthah, and Jephthah raised them in his house, and they were considered as his children; but from him [Jephthah] he had no son or daughter except this one.
Metzudat David
"He has none of his." It is possible that Jephthah’s wife had sons from her first husband, and Jephthah raised them, and they were considered his sons; therefore he said, "He has none of his," meaning: on his own, from his own loins, he had no son, etc.
Metzudat Zion
With timbrels and flutes. Names of musical instruments:
Malbim
And she alone was his only child. And since the term "only" can be applied even if there are other sons who are not considered as important to him, such as sons of concubines, as it was said regarding Isaac, "your son, your only one," even though he had Ishmael — therefore it states, "she alone was his only child," and it explains, "he had none from himself," meaning that no son or daughter was born from Jephthah [other than her].
And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said: ‘Alas, my daughter! you have brought me very low, and you are become my troubler; for I have opened my mouth to Hashem, and I cannot go back.’
verse value 6008
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 89 letters. The shortest word is "my·mouth" (פִי֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "his·garments" (אֶת־בְּגָדָ֗יו, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 412: her, my·daughter. 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "when·he·saw" (כִרְאוֹת֨וֹ), "and·he·tore" (וַיִּקְרַ֣ע), "his·garments" (אֶת־בְּגָדָ֗יו). The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges); "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'as·my·troubler', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 7 words.
Rashi
"You have brought me very low." It is a feminine form, and similar to it is (Song of Songs 4:9): "You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride."
"You have become my troubler." All my blood is curdled/disturbed; you have tripped up my feet:
Metzudat David
"And you were among those who hindered Me." This means: It is fitting to consider you among the others who hindered Me, for you are no less than them.
"I have opened my mouth." To dedicate to the LORD whatever comes out to meet me:
Metzudat Zion
Ah [a cry]. The sense of a cry of wailing:
You have bowed me low. From the word for bowing and falling:
My desolators. The sense of desolation and confusion, as in (Joshua 7:25) 'how have you troubled us [akhartanu]?':
I opened. I opened, as in (Isaiah 10:14) 'and opening a mouth':
Malbim
Questions (35–40): Why did he not go to have his vow annulled? Could one not say there was an opening [for release from the vow] and regret? Had the law of annulment of vows been forgotten by them? Moreover, even according to the law it is not a vow at all, since a person is not a fit object for a burnt offering.
"Alas, my daughter!" It appears the explanation is that he wished to express regret and inquire about the vow, since he had an opening for regret. This is what he said: "Alas, my daughter! Have you indeed brought me very low, or have you become my troubler? How can I do this thing to you, when I have opened my mouth to the LORD and cannot turn back?!" — is that not astonishing? For vows made to the LORD are annulled through an opening [for regret] and regret, and they are not like promises made to human beings, which one is obligated to fulfill; for one who vows to the LORD has a means of annulment.
And she said to him: ‘My father, you have opened your mouth to Hashem; do to me according to that which has proceeded out of your mouth; forasmuch as Hashem has taken vengeance for you of your enemies, even of the children of Ammon.’
verse value 5165
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 79 letters. Notable word values: "my·father" (אָבִי֙) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֔י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·Hashem" (אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 375: do, did. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "you·parted" (פָּצִ֤יתָה), "peh" (אֶת־פִּ֙יךָ֙), "from·your·mouth" (מִפִּ֑יךָ). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·she·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "as" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 171x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·your·mouth', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 9 words.
Metzudat David
"Afterward, etc." The meaning is: Since the condition you stated (verse 30), "If you will surely give," has been fulfilled, the vow has taken effect.
Metzudat Zion
Since. Its sense is like 'since,' so too (Ezekiel 20:39) 'and since, if you do not hearken':
Malbim
And she said to him: She replied to him that this matter is not similar to other vows, which a sage uproots from their very beginning due to initial regret. But you have no initial regret, only present regret—after the Lord has granted you vengeance against your enemies, and through the vow you defeated your foes. It is impossible for you to have regret regarding the essence of the vow from its very beginning. This caused Jephthah’s error, leading him not to go to the sages to inquire about his vow, for in truth his argument was baseless; even present regret is effective to uproot the vow, at least from this point onward.
And she said to her father: ‘Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may depart and go down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my companions.’
verse value 5644
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 87 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִּ֖י, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·mountains" (עַל־הֶהָרִ֔ים, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "slack" (הַרְפֵּ֨ה), "and·let·me·go" (וְאֵֽלְכָה֙), "and·I·will·come·down" (וְיָרַדְתִּ֣י). The root על appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·she·said" (root אמר, 268x in Judges); "to·father of an individual" (root איל, 114x in Judges); "and·let·me·go" (root הלך, 109x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 12 words.
Rashi
“And I will descend upon the mountains.” This is a term of lamentation, and its parallel is (Isaiah 15:3): “Upon their roofs and in their streets, all of them shall wail, descending in weeping,” meaning one who mourns with weeping until his body is broken. And in the aggadic midrash, Rabbi Tanḥuma interprets (in Parashat Beḥuqotai, section 5): “Upon the mountains” — before the Sanhedrin, lest they find a loophole to release you from your vow.
Radak
"And I went down." Some explain it in the sense of "I moan [arid] in my complaint" (Psalms 55:3), [understanding] va-yered and yarid as of one meaning, and there are many similar cases. But the correct explanation is according to its plain sense, for Mizpah, where Jephthah's house was, was high, upon the mountains. Or he said "I will go down" in contrast to the valley that is between Mizpah and the mountains. And so, "and they brought them up to the Valley of Achor" (Joshua 7:24), and "the rock came down," as we have explained elsewhere. And the Targum renders: "ve-etnagid al turaya" [and I will proceed toward the mountains]. And in the Midrash: "I will go down upon the mountains" means, I will go before the Sanhedrin — perhaps they will find an opening [to release you from] your vow.
Metzudat David
"He shall do this thing for me." And this means that he shall refrain from her for two months, so as not to do with her what he vowed, until they are completed.
"And I will go down." For Jephthah's place was on the highest of the mountains round about, and therefore she said, "and I will go down upon the mountains." And since the vow was to separate her from people, that she seclude herself in the service of God, as was done to her, she therefore asked that for two more months she would go off by herself to satisfy her eyes, before she would be secluded.
"And I will weep for my virginity." This means: because she will not be married to a man and will remain a virgin (for weeping serves to alleviate sorrow).
"I and my companions." I will go, I and my companions, with me.
Metzudat Zion
Releasing. From the word for relaxation:
Malbim
"And I will weep for my maidenhood." This refers to the fact that she secluded herself and separated herself, vowing not to marry any man, but rather to serve the Lord. And this is what it says...
And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed; and she had not known man. And it was a custom in Israel,
verse value 5142
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 69 letters. The shortest word is "to·her" (לָ֔הּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·father of an individual" (אֶל־אָבִ֔יהָ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "from·end·of" (מִקֵּ֣ץ), "vow" (אֶת־נִדְר֖וֹ), "and·it·became·a·custom" (וַתְּהִי־חֹ֖ק). The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "man" (root איש, 190x in Judges); "that" (root אשר, 178x in Judges); "and·it·was" (root היה, 120x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'vowed', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 5 words.
Rashi
"And it became a statute." They decreed that a person should not act in this manner again, for had he gone to Pinchas, or had Pinchas come to him, his vow would have been annulled for him. They stood firm in their greatness, and the woman perished between them, and they were punished: from Pinchas, the Divine Presence departed, as it is stated in Chronicles I (9:20): "Previously the Lord was with him," from which we learn that in the end He was not with him; and Yiftach was struck with boils and his limbs fell away, as it is stated (below 12:7): "And he was buried in the cities of Gilead." And there is another explanation: "And it became a statute in Israel" is connected to the verse that follows it.
Radak
And he fulfilled for her the vow which he had vowed. For he built her a house and brought her into it, and she was there secluded from human beings and from the ways of the world. And it became a custom in Israel that year after year the daughters of Israel would go to her.
Metzudat David
"And he did to her, etc." [Jephthah] separated her from other people, to sit in solitude, engaged in the service of God. And our Sages of blessed memory said (Taanit 4a) that he had vowed to offer up as a burnt-offering whatever came forth, etc., and so he fulfilled his vow.
"And she knew not a man." This means that just as he [Jephthah] had vowed, so he did, and she remained abstinent from a man.
"And it was a statute in Israel." This refers to what is stated in the subsequent verse:
Metzudat Zion
At the end. From the end:
Knew. It is a euphemism for lying together and intercourse, so too (Numbers 31:17) 'any who have known a man':
A custom. A fixed thing:
Malbim
"And he did to her according to his vow, etc., and she knew no man." In this, he caused her vow to be fulfilled in that she knew no man, and she remained bound and agunah until her death, and this was a mitzvah according to his opinion. And the opinion of our Sages of blessed memory is that he actually offered it as a burnt offering.
that the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
verse value 4817
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 55 letters. The shortest word is "daughters·of" (בְּנ֣וֹת, 4 letters) and the longest is "for·the·daughter·of·Jephthah" (לְבַת־יִפְתָּ֖ח, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Judges. Unique to this verse in Judges (hapax): "would·go" (תֵּלַ֙כְנָה֙), "to·lament" (לְתַנּ֕וֹת), "for·the·daughter·of·Jephthah" (לְבַת־יִפְתָּ֖ח). The root יום appears 3 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Israel" (root ישראל, 114x in Judges); "would·go" (root הלך, 109x in Judges); "from·days" (root יום, 76x in Judges). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Gileadite', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: מִיָּמִ֣ים [from·days] (140) + יָמִ֗ימָה [day] (105) + תֵּלַ֙כְנָה֙ [would·go] (505) + בְּנ֣וֹת [daughters·of] (458) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל [Israel] (541) + לְתַנּ֕וֹת [to·lament] (886) + לְבַת־יִפְתָּ֖ח [for·the·daughter·of·Jephthah] (930) + הַגִּלְעָדִ֑י [Gileadite] (122) + אַרְבַּ֥עַת [four] (673) + יָמִ֖ים [days] (100) + בַּשָּׁנָֽה [in·the·year] (357) = 4817.
Rashi
"From year to year they shall go," etc. This matter they established upon them as a statute:
"To chant dirges." To lament:
Radak
"To recount to her." That is to say, to lament and weep together with her over her virginity, as the Targum renders it, "to wail"; and the Targum's rendering of "and the king lamented" is "ve'ala malka" ["and the king wailed"]. Or the explanation of "to recount" is: to converse with her and comfort her, four days [each year], because for the rest of the year she remained secluded, like the ascetics who are confined to their houses; and they observed this practice with her all the days of her life. And as for what it says, "and it became a statute," in the feminine form — this means that the going out of the daughters of Israel became a statute every year. And the Targum renders: "and it became a decree in Israel, that a man should not offer up his son or his daughter," etc. And we find on this matter a dispute among our Sages, of blessed memory. They said: Was it indeed a valid vow? Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish disagreed: Rabbi Yochanan said he was liable for the monetary value, and Reish Lakish said he was not even liable for the value. For we have learned: if one says, regarding an unclean animal or a blemished animal, "this is a burnt-offering," he has said nothing; [but if he says] "these are for a burnt-offering," they are to be sold, and with their proceeds he brings a burnt-offering. And Pinchas was not there to release him from his vow, that is, to tell him that he was exempt even from the value. Pinchas said: He needs me; let him come to me. And Jephthah said: I am the head of the chieftains of Israel — should I go to him? Between the one position and the other, the maiden was lost, and both of them were punished: Jephthah died through the shedding of his limbs, as it is stated, "and he was buried in the cities of Gilead"; Pinchas — the Holy Spirit departed from him, as it is stated, "and Pinchas the son of Elazar was a leader over them beforetime; the Lord was with him." It does not say here "he is over them," but rather "he was over them beforetime; the Lord was with him" — meaning that now He was no longer with him. We see from their words that what Jephthah did, he did in error, for he thought that his vow was a valid vow, as he said, "and I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back." And his daughter, too, concurred with his words, for she too thought that his vow was a valid vow, as she said, "You have opened your mouth unto the Lord; do unto me according to what has proceeded out of your mouth."
Metzudat David
"From days to days." Every single year, all the days of her life:
"To speak." To speak to her heart, to dispel her sorrow and to gladden her:
Four days in the year. In every year, they lingered with her for four days:
Metzudat Zion
From year to year. Year by year, as in (Exodus 13:10) 'and you shall keep it . . . from year to year':
Declarations. The sense of conversation and speech, as in (above 5:11) 'there they shall declare the righteous acts of the Lord':
Malbim
"To recount [with her], four days [in the year]." They went to speak with her and to recount [experiences] with her, and afterward she would return to her seclusion. And according to our Sages of blessed memory, "to recount" means to recite dirges over her death.
Radak
Ralbag
Metzudat David
Malbim