Judges 11:27, 28: Jephthah Answers Ammon, Part 7
Verse 27:[1] Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD (Gen. 18:25) the Judge (Gen. 16:5; 31:53; 1 Sam. 24:12, 15) be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.
I have not sinned against thee; I have done thee no wrong.
[Let the Lord, the arbiter of this day, judge] That is, of this quarrel. Thus day is taken in the place of judgment, 1 Corinthians 4:3;[2] Jeremiah 17:16. It is Metonymy (Lapide). [But he seeks a difficulty where none exists. For in the Hebrew it is, יִשְׁפֹּ֙ט יְהוָ֤ה הַשֹּׁפֵט֙ הַיּ֔וֹם:] Let Jehovah judges as judge today (Pagnine, English). Let the Lord, who is judge, judge today (Munster, Tigurinus, Junius and Tremellius). Let Him judge concerning this case and controversy between the Israelites and Ammonites (Vatablus).
The Lord be judge this day; let him determine this controversy by the success of this day and war.
Verse 28:[3] Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
[1] Hebrew: וְאָֽנֹכִי֙ לֹֽא־חָטָ֣אתִי לָ֔ךְ וְאַתָּ֞ה עֹשֶׂ֥ה אִתִּ֛י רָעָ֖ה לְהִלָּ֣חֶם בִּ֑י יִשְׁפֹּ֙ט יְהוָ֤ה הַשֹּׁפֵט֙ הַיּ֔וֹם בֵּ֚ין בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּבֵ֖ין בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃
[2] 1 Corinthians 4:3: “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment (ὑπὸ ἀνθρωπίνης ἡμέρας, of man’s day): yea, I judge not mine own self.”
[3] Hebrew: וְלֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔ע מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן אֶל־דִּבְרֵ֣י יִפְתָּ֔ח אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁלַ֖ח אֵלָֽיו׃