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king of Ammon to justify the war which he was commencing.

The Ammonites had been deprived of their lands in their contests with the Amorites. The Israelites took possession of these lands, after having subdued the Amorites, who carried on an unprovoked and unjustifiable war against them. The Almighty, the sole Governor and Proprietor of heaven and earth, and of all the beings and things that he has made, had given these lands to the Israelites, to hold as their own. With this title, derived from God himself, they had held possession of them for three hundred years. During this long period, the Ammonites had never asserted any claims to these lands, or pretended that they had them, for they well knew that such claims could not be maintained with the least appearance of right.

"Wherefore," was the conclusion of Jephthah's message, "I have not sinned against thee but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the Lord the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon."

But these peaceful and well-supported remonstrances had no effect upon the king of Ammon, who still persisted in his hostile designs. There was but one course to be taken, and Jephthah entered immediately upon it, the Spirit of the 16

Joshua & Judges.

Lord influencing him to do this by a divine impulse, endowing him for this work in an extraor, dinary way; and thus giving him and his followers satisfactory evidence that their cause was a good one, and would be sustained by the arm of the Almighty. He passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and through Mizpeh of Gilead, and thence quite to the borders of the Ammonites, collecting additional forces for the contest, and encouraging his countrymen in undertaking it.

How much it is to be desired that all the nations of the earth would put a final end to war as a means of settling their disputes with each other. The one in which Jephthah engaged was undertaken by the special direction of God, and not till two different messages of the most pacific nature had been sent to the king of Ammon, in order, if possible, to prevent it. When similar efforts are made on both sides, in the spirit of peace, and of doing that which shall prove to be right and in accordance with the golden rule of treating others as we would have them treat us; when divine direction is implored, the word and providences of God studied to gather their true import, and the meek, forgiving, and self-denying temper of the sincere followers of Christ cherished, it will no longer be found necessary to discuss the question whether any and what wars may be regarded as justifiable, nor to settle

some other topics which, in connection with this subject, are thought to be attended with difficulty. Pray for this time, my young friend, and help its approach by cultivating the spirit of peace in your own breast, and in that of others.

CHAPTER XVII.

Jephthah's vow. He destroys the Ammonites. Returning, meets his daughter. His death.

Before Jephthah commenced hostilities against the Ammonites, he made a very strange, and as it proved to be, rash vow, that, if the Lord would without fail deliver his enemies into his hands, whatsoever should come forth from his house to meet him on his return in peace, should surely be the Lord's, and that he would offer it up for a burnt-offering.

What were his precise motives in doing this,the degree of piety which influenced him, if, indeed, it was the result of strictly pious feelings,-and the amount of erroneous views under which he labored, arising from the defects of his religious education, and from his manner of life-it

is difficult to determine. Much has been written on the subject in connection with the events that followed, and very different opinions advanced by learned and ingenious men. Yet a mysterious obscurity, to a great extent, continues to hang over it. The writer deems it best to take what appears to him to be the plain and obvious mean ing of that portion of the sacred writings in which the transaction is recorded; acknowledging that he has not been able to clear up all the difficulties that attend it to his own satisfaction, and referring such of his readers as have a desire to examine the matter more thoroughly, to the various expositions of it which may be within their reach.

Jephthah now advanced with the forces under his command, to give the king of Ammon battle. The Lord was on his side. He met his enemies, and subdued them with a very great slaughter, passing over a considerable portion of their country, and destroying twenty of their cities. Returning victorious to Mizpeh, and, as he thought, under the most solemn obligation to fulfill the vow which he had made, it must have been with feelings of the deepest anxiety that he approached his dwelling. He could but consider it possible, that some one might come out to meet him of his friends or kindred, nay even of his own family. He had an only child, a daugh

ter grown up to womanhood, whom he loved with intense affection. Should she prove to be the victim, what a heart-rending struggle must agonize his breast. The very thought made him shudder, and he hardly dared to look before him. He comes nearer. The sound of the timbrels, and such joyful music as accompanies the dances of maidens, fall upon his ear. The maidens of Gilead are coming out to meet him, and to celebrate his triumph. It must be that his daughter is with them. Does she lead the band? Is it her form that he just descries? How can he advance? Shall he retreat from so dreadful a possibility? His honor as a hero,—the solemn pledge that he has given, both forbid. He moves forward with a sad and reluctant step. The maidens approach. It is his daughter who leads their dances, and strikes her timbrel, and raises her song of congratulation more joyously than the rest. For it is a beloved father who returns in glory from the field of battle and of triumph. Jephthah rends his garments, and exclaims in the anguish of his soul; "Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me;" (the cause of my deep affliction ;) "for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back."

What is her reply? Some fearful doom awaits her, and this, too, from the hand of her father.

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