Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Outlaws joined up with Jephthah, and they went out with him.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 3. Tob, to the north of Galaad, of which it is a part. Joseph.—It is called Tubim, 1 Maccabees 5:13. See 2 Kennicott. 10:6.—And robbers. This is a farther explication of rekim, poor vain fellows. Calmet. 9:4. They did not infest the Israelites, but made war on their enemies around; latro, in Latin, often signifies a soldier, particularly such as lived on plunder, as wer reat in Plautus. Mil. glorios. Latrocinatus annos decm, mercedem accipio. Some have imagined that Jephte was at the head of some banditti, q. 43. inter. op. Saint Augustine—But David’s followers were of the same description (1 Kennicott. 22:2,) as those of Jephte, men of determined resolution and valour. Calmet.—Such a man as Jephte, was therefore a valuable acquisition to the dispirited Israelites; and Providence had inured him to labour, and endued him with extraordinary prudence, notwithstanding his want of education, verse 12. Necessity has often supplied every deficiency, and produced the most consummate generals. Prince. Hebrew and Septuagint “and there were gathered unto Jephte vain men, and they went out with him.” Bible.