Judges 10 Commentary

Judges 10 Commentary

After the time of Abimelek, we have a couple of Judges but without details.

Our attention is drawn to the eighth judge, Jephthah.

He comes into the picture when Israel is in great distress. And for a change, Israel prays the right prayer: “We have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.”

Eventually, the LORD is overcome with compassion for Jacob. The LORD chooses the outcast Jephthar to deliver Israel. It’s a message to Israel’s leaders that the solution to their problems lies within themselves – the forsaken love for the Creator God.

Both Jephthar and Abimelek are born outside of normal family arrangement. The lack of love and jelling of siblings speaks volumes about God’s hate for multiple marriages. Yes, children are born but without the usual family “love environment”.  

In their distress, the people look for a leader. This search for a leader is actually strange as the LORD had offered Himself to lead Israel against her enemies. He was their Commander-in-Chief. Joshua knew it, but this community is way too raw to appreciate this privilege.

This chapter has a couple of positives. The prayer is right. And secondly, the reaction to the word of the LORD is also correct. One cannot expect deliverance while still holding on to foreign gods. As someone has said, you cannot escape a swarm of bees with honey in your hands. Genuine repentance would the right term for the New Testament child of God.

However, from verse 18, you can tell that the nation is looking for a human leader. Yes, a man would be used to deliver Israel. In the immediate context, that man is Jephthah. But in the background and unknown to Israel, the LORD is nurturing the seed.

It is during the times of these Judges that Boaz and Ruth show up to parent David’s ancestor. Ruth 1 verse 1. David’s dynasty was itself simply a pointer to humanity’s real savior, the LORD. In keeping with man’s need for a man leader, the LORD would show up as the man Jesus Christ.

For now, we can focus on the man Jephthah. That is the subject for the next two chapters.

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