The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-02-28

Then followed eighteen years of
vexing and oppression in which Israel
suffered manifold indignities at the
hands of the Philistines and the Am
morites. This occurred in the land of
the Amorites, on the other side of Jor-
dan, a part of Gilead. Not content with
harassing the Israelites within their
borders, the Ammorites invaded Judah,
Benjamin and Ephraim, causing sore
distress among these tribes.
AS usual, repentance followed OPP
preston, and upon confession Of their
sins of idolatry, the Lord once more
forgave their transgressions, remind
ing them of His many deliverances in
the former days, and suggesting with
divine irony that they now cry unto the
gods which they had chosen, and look
to them for deliverance in this time of
tribulation. But they prayed earnestly
to the Lord, saying: eve have sinned;
do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth
good unto thee; deliver US only, We
pray thee, this day." With this &C
acknowledgement of Gods power and a
confident expectation of His interview
ton, they put away the strange gods
and turned to the affairs Of Jehovah
whose heart of love was grieved for
the misery of Israel.
Hope springing once more in Israels
heart, the people gathered at Mizpeh,
but without a duly authorized COM
mander. At the same time the Ammor-
ties assembled in Gilead. "And the
people and princes of Gilead said one
to another, "What man is he that
will begin to fight against the chill
dren of Ammon? He shall be head
over all the inhabitants of Gilead."
The story of Jephthah has minor
strain which appears at the very be-
ginning: "Now Jephthah the Gileadite
was mighty man of valor, and he was
the son of a harlot." Nature often en-
dows the unfortunate children of lille
gitimate parents with unusual pow
ers of body and mind, as if to compen-
safe for the wrong innocently suffer-
ed by them. There are no illegitimate
children-only illegitimate parents!
The other sons of Gilead, when they
knew of their half brothers misfor-
tune thrust him out and refused him a
share of his fathers estate. Jephthah
fled from his brothers and dwelt in the
land of Tob. Here he lived by his
weapons, possibly sometimes much
like Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest,
gathering about him company of
freebooters, sinewy men of the noun
tain and forest we'll fitted to become
the nucleus Of conquering army.
All prejudice against Jephthah be-
cause of his birth seems to have been
forgotten by the elders of Gilead, for
no one else was thought of as proper
leader of the forces gathered at Miz-
peh. A delegation was sent to wait
upon him in the land of lob. They i'm
plored him to become their captain to
fight against Ammon. Jephthah was
human enough to remember the treat
men he had received at the hands of
his brethren, and replied: "Did not we
hate me, and expel me out of my faith
er's house? Why are we come unto me
now when we are in distress?" New
ertheless he yielded to their entreat-
les, and when they covenanted with
him to be their head, when the victory
should be won, he consented to COM
mand the army. Jephthah was not only
chosen by the elders but also elected
by the people. Thus installed he en-
tered at once upon his campaign.
A considerable diplomatic cores
pondence then ensued between Jeph-
than and the Ammonitish King, but
this coming to nought, the battle was
joined; not, however, until the Judge
had paused to worship and ask Jeho-
vah's blessing upon the campaign.
Moreover, "Jephthah vowed a vow
unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt
without fail deliver the children of
Ammon into mine hand, then it shall
be that whatsoever cometh forth of the
doors of my house to meet me, when I
return in peace from the children of
Ammon, shall surely be the Lords and
1 will offer it up for a burnt Offering"
But alas! When he returned in peace
to Mizpeh, his daughter came out to
meet him with timbrels and with
dances, and she was his only child.
Then Jephthah rent his clothes, and
said, "Alas, my daughter; thou hast
brought me very low, for l have opened
my mouth unto the Lord, and | cannot
go back" This lovely young girl prov
ed herself a heroine indeed by offer
ing her life in the fulfllment of need
less, and perhaps, foolish vow. We
must admire, if we cannot approve
the type of filial piety and devotion to
Jehovah which could bring a young
girl to speak as did Jephthah's daugh-
ter, because of her respect for her
fathers vow: "My father, if thou hast