Judges 11:1-13 ▼

1 Now Jephthah (he opens) the Gileadite (rocky region) was a mighty man of valor; he was the son of a prostitute, and Gilead was his father.

2 And Gilead’s (rocky region) wife bore him sons who grew up, drove Jephthah (he opens) out, and said to him, “You shall have no inheritance in our father’s house, because you are the son of another woman.”

3 So Jephthah (he opens) fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob (good), where worthless men gathered around him and traveled with him.

4 Some time later, when the Ammonites (tribal) fought against Israel (he wrestles with God)

5 and (tribal) made war with them (he wrestles with God), the elders of Gilead (rocky region) went to get Jephthah (he opens) from the land of Tob (good).

6 “Come,” they said (he opens), “be our commander, so that we can fight against the Ammonites (tribal).”

7 Jephthah (he opens) replied to the elders of Gilead (rocky region), “Did you⁺ not hate me and expel me from my father’s house? Why then have you⁺ come to me now, when you⁺ are in distress?”

8 They (rocky region) answered Jephthah (he opens), “This is why we now turn to you, that you may go with us, fight the Ammonites (tribal), and become leader over all of us who live in Gilead.”

9 But Jephthah (he opens) asked them (rocky region), “If you⁺ take me back to fight the Ammonites (tribal) and the LORD {YHWH} gives them to me, will I really be your⁺ leader?”

10 And the elders of Gilead (rocky region) said to Jephthah (he opens), “The LORD {YHWH} is our witness if we do not do as you say.”

11 So Jephthah (he opens) went with the elders of Gilead (rocky region), and the people made him their leader and commander. And Jephthah repeated all his terms in the presence of the LORD {YHWH} at Mizpah (watchtower).

12 Then Jephthah (he opens) sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites (tribal), saying, “What do you have against me that you have come to fight against my land?”

13 The king of the Ammonites (tribal) answered Jephthah’s (he opens) messengers, “When Israel (he wrestles with God) came up out of Egypt (land of bondage), they seized my land, from the Arnon (rushing stream) to the Jabbok (emptying) and all the way to the Jordan (flowing down). Now, therefore, restore it peaceably.”