Commentaries, Commentary on Judges · Chapter 11 · Verses 1-2
1 ANd Iiphtah the Galaadite was a mightye man, the ſonne of an harlot: and Gilead begat Iiphtah.
2 And Gileads wyfe bare hym ſonnes, whiche when they wer come to age, thruſt out Iiphtah, and ſaid vntounto hym: thou ſhalt not inherite in our fathers houſe: For thou art the ſonne of a ſtraunge woman.
HEre is ſet foorth vntounto vsus Iiphtah, a man abiect and obſcure, not as touching his Tribe: for he was of the Tribe of Manaſſes, but as touching his mother: for he was the ſonne of an harlot. Wherefore his brethren thruſt him out as a baſtard. The name of his father was Gilead, who ſeemeth to hauehave bene ſo called by the name of the mounte and citye. And that man had not onelyonly this baſtard to ſonne, but alſo he had other which wer legitimate children. Wherfore though Iiphtah had a noble man to his father, yet that nothing profited him, bycauſe he was a baſtard, and not borne in lawful matrimony. Wherfore by the ciuil law of the Hebrewes, it was not lawful for him to hauehave place in the congregation of Iſraell. For in Deut. it is written:Baſtardes had not place in the congregation of Iſraell. Mamzer ſhall not enter into the congregation or aſſembly. Zor is in Hebrew a ſtranger. And a baſtard is ſo called, bicauſe he pertaineth not vntounto the famely of the father.
She that bare Iiphtah was not a wife, but a harlot. This Hebrewe word Zonah ſignifieth two thinges. Firſte a vitler, that is ſuche a one as ſelleth thinges pertayning to victuales, for Zon ſignifieth to fede or to bring vp. It ſignifieth alſo an harlotte. Paraduenture for this cauſe, bicauſe vitlers are oftentimes euill ſpoken of, as touching chaſtity. As it appeareth by a certayne lawe of Conſtantine, which is had in the Code ad. l. Iuliam, de adult. And vndoubtedly eyther ſignification may aptly be applyed vntounto this place. Some of the Hebrewes thinke that Iiphtah was not the ſonne of an harlot, but only the ſonne of a concubine, whych was not eſpouſed with wedding tables or bonds, and a dowry.The mother of Iiphtah was not a Concubine. But that ſemeth not very wel to agree. For the Hebrewes called not a concubine Zonah, neyther had it bene lawfull for his brethern to hauehave thruſt out Iiphtah as a ſtraū ger, if he had bene the ſonne of a Concubine. For the hauinge of Concubines of that ſorte, was with the Iewes true Matrimonye. Farther, wee muſte knowe that the Hebrewes had an other word, which ſignified an harlot. And that is Kedaſhah, as though a man would ſay, ſancta, that is holy, as Virgill ſayth: The holy hunger of gold.
This word Kadaſh ſignifieth to prepare. For as godly men prepare and ſanctify themſelues to the worſhipping of god: ſo do harlots prepare themſelues vntounto the decking and gayne of the body.
And in Deut. the .23. it was commaunded, that no ſuch whore ſhould be in Iſraell. And it is added, that the hire of Zonah, that is of a whore, ſhoulde not bee brought into the ſanctuary: wherfore we may therby gather that zonah and Kedaſhah, are taken both in one ſignifycatiō. In the .21. of Leuiticus it was not law full for a prieſte to hauehave ſuch a one to wife. Thou wilt ſay peraduenture, what ſhould it auayle to make ſuch a lawe, if there were no harlots in Iſraell?Why baſtards were not admitted vntounto the pub. wealth. What not to enter into the congregation ſignifieth. I aunſweare, that god in dede commaunded there ſhoulde be none, but the people obeyed not. But why would not god hauehave a baſtard to come into the congregation? Not bicauſe that he ſhoulde be the worſe man, if he ſhoulde liue vprightly: but that the people might know, that god deteſteth whoredom. And not to enter into the congregation, was nothing els, then to be made vnapt for the executing of an office, either ciuil or holy. Although otherwiſe he had to his father, eyther a prieſt or a ruler. Wherfore it was not lawful for baſtards to execute the office either of a Tribune, or of a Pretor, or Magiſtrate, or prieſte.
Why therfore doth god now make a baſtarde ruler ouer his people? Bycauſe he preſcribed the law vntounto men, and not to himſelfe. An other cauſe is, leaſt they which are ſo borne, ſhoulde be therefore ſtraight waye diſcouraged. Farther, that they myghte remember that they are not excluded for theyr owne faulte, but for theyr fathers faulte. But nowe to returne vntounto Iiphtah, hys brethren coulde not hauehave thruſte hym oute, excepte he hadde beene borne of an harlotte. Otherwiſe a Concubyne was a lawefull wyfe, and the chylderne of Iacob whyche were borne of hys Concubynes, abode wyth theire other bretherne, and wer inheritors together with them. But thou wilt ſay: Abraham did thruſt out Iſmael. That was done before the law, and by the ſingular wil of God, that the whole and perfect inheritance myght come vntounto Iſaac. Otherwiſe by the ordinary lawe of the Hebrewes, the children of Concubines, were not vtterly excluded from al inheritance.