solemnly ratified before the Lord in Mizpeh, that int he event of his success against Ammon he
should still remain as their acknowledged head. Vowing his vow unto God, (Judges 11:31) that he
would offer up as a burn offering whatsoever should come out to meet him if successful, he went
forth to battle. The Ammonites were routed with great slaughter; but as the conqueror returned to
Mizpeh there came out to meet him his daughter, his only child, with timbrels and dancing. The
father is heart-stricken; but the maiden asks only for a respite of two months in which to prepare
for death. When that time was ended she returned to her father, who “did with her according to his
vow.” The tribe of Ephraim challenged Jephthah’s right to go to war as he had done, without their
concurrence, against Ammon. He first defeated them, then intercepted the fugitives at the fords of
Jordan, and there put forty-two thousand men to the sword. He judged Israel six years, and died.
It is generally conjectured that his jurisdiction was limited to the transjordanic region. That the
daughter of Jephthah was really offered up to God in sacrifice is a conclusion which it seems
impossible to avoid. (But there is no word of approval, as if such a sacrifice was acceptable to God.
Josephus well says that “the sacrifice was neither sanctioned by the Mosaic ritual nor acceptable
to God.” The vow and the fulfillment were the mistaken conceptions of a rude chieftain, not acts
pleasing to God.—ED.)
Jephunneh
(for whom a way is prepared).
•Father of Caleb the spy, appears to have belonged to an Edomitish tribe called Kenezites, from
Kenaz their founder. See (Numbers 13:6) etc.; Numb 32:12 etc.; Josh 14:14 etc.; 1Chr 4:15 (B.C.
1530.)
•A descendant of Asher, eldest of the three sons of Jether. (1 Chronicles 7:38) (B.C. 1017.)
Jerah
(the moon), the fourth in order of the sons of Joktan, (Genesis 10:26; 1 Chronicles 1:20) and
the progenitor of a tribe of southern Arabia.
Jerahmeel
(mercy of God).
•First-born son of hezron, the son of Pharez, the son of Judah, (1 Chronicles 2:9,25-27,33,42) and
founder of the family of Jerahmeelites. (1 Samuel 27:10) (B.C. before 1491.)
•A Merarite Levite, the representative of the family of Kish, the son of Mahli. (1 Chronicles 24:29)
comp. 1Chr 23:21 (B.C. 1014.)
•Son of Hammelech, who was employed by Jehoiakim to make Jeremiah and baruch prisoners,
after the had burnt the roll of Jeremiah’s prophecy. (Jeremiah 36:26) (B.C. 505.)
Jerahmeelites
(descendants of Jerahmeel), The, the tribe descended from the first of the foregoing persons.
(1 Samuel 27:10) They dwelt in the south of Judah.
Jered
(descent).
•Son of Mahalaleel and father of Enoch. (1 Chronicles 1:2)
•One of the descendants of Judah signalized as the “father”—i.e. the founder— “of Gedor.” ( 1
Chronicles 4:18)
Jeremai
(dwelling in heights), a layman, one of the Bene-Hashum, who was compelled by Ezra to put
away his foreign wife. (Ezra 10:33) (B.C. 459.)
frankie
(Frankie)
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