The Bnei Ammon waged war. As mentioned above.¹

All his stipulations. The conditions between them.

Before Adonoy, at Mitzpah. Where everyone was assembled, as the Divine Presence rests upon multitudes.

Until the Reed Sea. South of the land of Edom, while the land of Edom is south of the land of Canaan.

Please allow me to traverse your country. From south to north, in order to enter the land of Canaan.

To the king of Moav as well. Whose country bordered the extremity of the land of Edom, east of Edom, and south of Eretz Yisroel.

And he refused. Moshe alludes to this in the Torah, "As perpetrated against me by the Bnei Eisov residing at Sair, and the Moavites residing at Ar."² Just as Edom refused them permission to pass, so did Moav refuse them permission to pass.

footnotes: ² Devarim, 2:29.

They then continued through the wilderness from west to east, along the southern borders of Edom and Moav.

Circumvented the land of Edom. All of its southern border.

And the land of Moav. All of its southern border. When they reached the southeastern corner, they angled northward along the periphery of the eastern border.

Arrived at the east of the land of Moav, and camped opposite Arnon. At the end of the eastern border of the land of Moav. This was the starting point of the lands of Sichon and Og. They conquered the trans-Yardeinian territory east of the land of Canaan, crossed the Yardein, and invaded the land of Canaan by the eastern route.

They took possession, etc., from Arnon to the Yabok. Which you claim as yours, they annexed from Sichon.

From the wilderness to the Yardein. There was a wilderness area adjoining the Yardein.

Adjoining [lit. by the hands of] Arnon. Near Arnon. These cities had belonged to Moav, but they recognized that they could not lay claim to them, since they were confiscated from Sichon, who had annexed them from the king of Moav.

Three centuries from the conquest of the land in the days of Yehoshua, until Yiftoch. This teaches us concerning the years of the Judges mentioned until now—whether the years of subjugation by the nations are included in the reckoning of the days of the Judge, or not.³ We learn in Seder Olam:⁴ Yehoshua directed Yisroel for twenty eight years—I am not aware of any Scriptural derivation for this. Asniel for forty years,⁵ the years of subjugation by Cushan Rishasaim are included.⁶ Afterward, Ehud for eighty years,⁷ with the eighteen years of subjugation by Eglon⁸ included. This totals one hundred forty eight years. Devorah for forty years,⁹ with the years of subjugation by Yavin¹⁰ included, totaling one hundred eighty eight years. Afterward, seven years of subjugation by Midyon,¹¹ forty years of Gidon,¹² and¹³ three of Avimelech, totaling two hundred thirty eight years. Afterward, twenty three years of Tola¹⁴ and twenty two of Yair,¹⁵ with one year overlapping both, and eighteen years of the Bnei Ammon¹⁶ until Yiftoch's appearance. This totals three hundred.

footnotes: ³ The three hundred year total is only accurate if certain of the years of subjugation are included in the years of the judge, and certain years are not, as Rashi explains below. ⁴ Ch. 12. ⁶ Eight years. (3:8). ¹⁰ Twenty years. (4:3.)

He crossed to the Bnei Ammon. "To" the Bnei Ammon.

The Vineyard plains. The plain of the vineyards.¹⁷

footnotes: ¹⁷ This is Targum Yonasan’s translation.

You are among those who ruined me. This is the feminine usage.¹⁸” vocalization under the ת, is generally translated as referring to the first person neuter, “I brought to the knees.” Here, however, the translation is the feminine “you brought to the knees.” Similarly, "You captured my heart, my sister bride."¹⁹” vocalization under the the ת, is translated as the feminine “you captured my heart.”

footnotes: ¹⁸ הִכְרַעְתִּנִי, with the “cherik ¹⁹ Shir Hashirim, 4:9. Here, too, לִבַּבֽתִּנִי, with the “cherik

You have surely brought me to my knees All my blood is in turmoil, You have taken away my feet.

To grieve on the hills. This word refers to bewailing. ²⁰ Similarly, "On its roofs and thoroughfares, total wailing, weeping grief."²¹ Weeping so intense that it causes a physical breakdown.²² Midrash Agada: R' Tanchuma expounded, On the hills; before the Sanhedrin—perhaps they may find a loophole in your vow.²³

footnotes: ²⁰ Not, as translated elsewhere, “To descend,” but “To grieve.” ²¹ Yeshaya, 15:3. ²² רד may also be translated as “crushing.” See Yeshaya, 45:1. ²³ Yalkut, 67.

Wept over her maidenhood. Since it is not written "over her maidens," the inference is, over her actual maidenhood.

She became the subject of a law. Legislation was enacted prohibiting any repetition of this, for, had he approached Pinchos, or had Pinchos approached him, he would have released him from his vow.²⁴ But they refused to humble themselves,²⁵ and were, thus, both responsible for her ruin. They were punished. The Divine Presence departed from Pinchos, as it is said in Divrei Hayamim,²⁶ "Adonoy was with him previously." We learn that he was not with him later. And Yiftoch was afflicted with ulcerations and the loss of his limbs, as it is said,²⁷ "He was buried in the cities of Gilod."²⁸ Another interpretation: "She became the subject of a law in Yisroel" relates to the following passage.²⁹

footnotes: ²⁴ By informing him that a human being cannot be designated as an offering. ²⁵ Pinchas, because it was Yiftoch who required his services; Yiftoch, because he was the supreme commander. (Yalkut, 68) ²⁶ Divrei Hayamim 1, 9:20. ²⁷ Below, 12:7. ²⁸ Individual limbs, like the entire body, require burial. The plural usage, “cities”, teaches that his burial took place in a number of cities—wherever his limbs fell. (Yalkut, ibid.) ²⁹ She was the subject of a law requiring the daughters of Yisroel to visit her yearly.

Journeyed annually. This was established as a law.³⁰

footnotes: ³⁰ This follows Rashi’s second interpretation of v. 39. See fn.29.

To grieve. To weep.