When he saw her, he tore his clothes, and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are one of those who trouble me; for I have opened my mouth to the LORD, and I can’t go back.”
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 35. Alas. These indications of grief are the effects of nature. Salien.—Saint Ambrose considerst them as the marks of repentance; (verse 31,) and we might hence infer that the vow was not dictated by the holy spirit, who would have endued Jepthe with fortitude, as he did Abraham, though all may not possess the virtue of that great father of believers. Genesis 22. Bible.—Deceived. We mutually expected comfort, from each other’s presence: but we must both experience the reverse. Hebrew may signify, “depressed, terrified,” and so forth—Thing. Hebrew “I cannot recede.” Bible.—It appears that he could not redeem what he had promised, ( Calmet.) as the condition had been fulfilled on the part of God. He might consider that he as no longer at liberty to use the privilege which the law allowed, when no condition had been specified. Leviticus 27:4. Bible.