Judges 11:5

Jdg 11:5 And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:

Ver. 5. The elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah.] Whereunto they were necessitated: for else a bastard might not bear office, {Deu 23:2} for an admonition of chastity in regard of the infamy and contempt of such a polluted posterity. Upon a like necessity of the Catalinarian conspiracy breaking out in Rome, M. Tullius Cicero was made consul, though a new man, and none of the ancient nobility: which when it was objected unto him, he answered, Satius est meis gestis florere, quam maiorum opinione uti, &c., { a} that it was better to be a foundation of nobility to his posterity, and a pattern of virtue, than to be famous only for his noble ancestors. Two things he said he had to support him under whatsoever crosses or obloquies of men, Optimarum artium scientiam et maximarum rerum gloriam, {b} the knowledge of good arts, and the glory of his great acts: the one whereof should never be taken from him whilst alive; the other, no not when he was dead.

{a} Sallust.

{b} Epist. Famil., lib. vii.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Or, ambassadors, sent for that purpose.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah--All eyes were directed towards him as the only person possessed of the qualities requisite for the preservation of the country in this time of imminent danger; and a deputation of the chief men was despatched from the Hebrew camp at Mizpeh to solicit his services.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(5) When the children of Ammon made war.—The allusion is to some special threat of invasion (acriter instantibus, Vulg.) at the close of the eighteen years of oppression (Jdg_10:9).

To fetch Jephthah.—Because by this time he had made himself a great name as a brave and successful chieftain of marauders, who would doubtless come with him to lead the Gileadites.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. And it was so … against Israel] These words, which merely repeat Jdg_11:4, presuppose that the history has already begun, and were perhaps inserted to connect with Jdg_10:17 f. In some recensions of the LXX they are wanting, in others Jdg_11:4 is omitted.

the elders of Gilead] means no more than the sheikhs of the district.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel,.... Were preparing for it, and had assembled their forces near them, and had began to make some efforts against them:

the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob; they did not send messengers to him, but went themselves, partly to show greater respect to him, and partly in hopes of better success, being aware of objections he would make, which they could better answer themselves than a deputation.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Hard. Hebrew, "and when the Ammonites made war." As both armies were encamped near Maspha, they could hardly avoid having some skirmishes. But the Israelites durst not come to a pitched battle till they had Jephte at their head. (Haydock) --- The Ammonites infested them every year with similar incursions, ver. 12. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

By direction or instinct from God, who both qualified him for and called him to the office of a judge. See Jdg 12:7; Heb 11:32. Otherwise they might not have chosen a bastard, Deu 23:2. Unless we will say, that there being no other person among them fit for and willing to this work, necessity dispensed with this law, as it did with other positive laws, as those of the sabbath and sacrifices.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. Elders of Gilead went — These were doubtless delegates from the assembly of princes of Gilead, mentioned Jdg_10:18. There the question was raised, Who shall be our leader against Ammon? and this verse shows that their choice had fallen on Jephthah. His fame as a bold and warlike chieftain was doubtless the reason of this choice.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The elders of Gilead. The same as the princes in Jud_1:10:18.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Went - By direction from God, who both qualified him for, and called him to the office of a judge, otherwise they might not have chosen a bastard.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.