Brick has an appealing comment you to “Title Jephthah is among the quick function to possess Jephthah-Este, “Jesus opens [the new womb],” not a surprising term for good firstborn boy, but an extremely ironic label to have a guy repudiated by his some body and you can deprived of any descendants. New quick form of title cannot mean uncertainty in the the brand new deity whom Jephthah served any further than it would with Caleb, Ehud, Deborah, Barak, Jael, or Gideon.(See Joshua, Evaluator, Ruth)
To suggest the narrator’s characterization “hardly commends him spiritually on part away from saving grace out-of Israel” (Block ) misses the newest sociological transfer on the name and you can assumes an excellent dichotomy involving the “spiritual” and you will important globes your OT does not share. Often standing due to the fact gibbor khayil was contrasted which includes unfortunate condition, such as Naaman’s leprosy, but the term itself unreservedly connotes self-respect and you will award. (Joshua, Evaluator, Ruth )