My pastor shared this with us today during his message.
During the time of the judges, Israel sinned by serving other gods, (playing the harlot with other gods) so he gave them over to the Ammonites. Of course, they then realized their sin, repented and cried out to God. But this time He answered differently. He told them to go ask one or their other “gods” to deliver them. The Israelites responded by asking God to do what He thought best but to please rescue them. Here is where we see a neat play on words in the Hebrew.
Jg 10:11 The LORD replied, "When the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines,
12 the Sidonians, the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you and you cried to me for help, did I not save you from their hands? 13 But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you. 14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!" 15 But the Israelites said to the LORD, "We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now." (NIV)
The word “save” in Hebrew is Yashah meaning to open wide or free, to cause to be open wide or free.
The word “rescue” in Hebrew is Natsal meaning to snatch away.
The word “best” in Hebrew is Tob meaning good or best.
So, after Israel destroyed their other gods and started to serve the true God, He sent them to Japheth, the son of a harlot (Judges 11:1-5). Japheth was rejected by his father’s family and lived in the land of Tob! Seeing a pattern yet? The best, though, is the meaning of Jepthah’s name. Jepthah means “he will open wide.” God refused to deliver them again so He sent “He will open wide, the son of a harlot, from the land of good".
Shalom and Be Blessed
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