Jephthah Takes Command
Judges 11, verse 1. Now Jephthah the Gileadite was being exalted in power, but he was the son of a harlot who bore Jephthah to Gilead. Judges 11, verse 2. Gilead's wife bore sons, and when his wife's sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, “You shall have no inheritance in our father's house, for you are the son of another woman.” Judges 11, verse 3. Then Jephthah fled before his brothers and dwelt in the land of Tob; and vain men banded together with Jephthah, and they went out with him. Judges 11, verse 4. And it came to be that the sons of Ammon made war against Israel, and the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. Judges 11, verse 5. Then they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our commander so that we may fight against the sons of Ammon.” Judges 11, verse 6. So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me, and expel me from my father's house, and exile me from you? Why have you come to me now when you are in need?” Judges 11, verse 7. And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That is why we have turned again to you now, that you may go with us and fight against the sons of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.” Judges 11, verse 8. So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you take me back home to fight against the sons of Ammon, and the Lord delivers them to me, I shall indeed be your head.” Judges 11, verse 9. And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The Lord will be a witness between us, if we do not act according to your word.” Judges 11, verse 10. Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord in Mizpah. Judges 11, verse 11. Now Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, “What is there between me and you, that you have come to fight against me in my land?” Judges 11, verse 12. And the king of the sons of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, “It is because Israel took away my land when it came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. Now therefore, restore those lands in peace, and I will go.” Judges 11, verse 13. So Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon Judges 11, verse 14. and said to him, “Thus says Jephthah, ‘Israel did not take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the sons of Ammon; Judges 11, verse 15. for when they came up from Egypt, Israel walked through the desert as far as the sea of Siph and came to Kadesh. Judges 11, verse 16. Then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please let me pass through your land.” But the king of Edom would not listen. And they sent to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel remained in Kadesh. Judges 11, verse 17. And they went along through the desert and circled the land of Edom and the land of Moab, having come from the rising of the sun to the land of Moab, and encamped beyond the Arnon. But they did not cross the borders of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab. Judges 11, verse 18. Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, “Please let us pass through your land into our place.” Judges 11, verse 19. But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So Sihon gathered all his people together, encamped in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. Judges 11, verse 20. And the Lord God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote him. Thus Israel inherited all the land of the Amorites, who inhabited that country, Judges 11, verse 21. from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the desert to the Jordan. Judges 11, verse 22. And now that the Lord God of Israel has removed the Amorites from before His people Israel, should you then inherit it? Judges 11, verse 23. Will you not possess whatever Chemosh your god gives you to inherit? And we will inherit everything the Lord our God removes before us. Judges 11, verse 24. And now, are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel? Did he ever fight against them? Judges 11, verse 25. While they dwelt in Heshbon and in her borders, in the land of Aroer and in her borders, and in all the cities along the banks of the River Jordan, for three hundred years, why did you not deliver them within that time? Judges 11, verse 26. And I have not sinned against you, but you wronged me by fighting against me. May the Lord render judgment today between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.’” Judges 11, verse 27. However, the king of the sons of Ammon did not heed the words Jephthah sent him.
Jephthah's Vow
Judges 11, verse 28. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed by the lookout of Gilead; and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced beyond the sons of Ammon. Judges 11, verse 29. And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If You deliver the sons of Ammon into my hand, Judges 11, verse 30. then it shall be that whoever first comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, he shall be the Lord's. I will offer him up for a whole burnt offering.” Judges 11, verse 31. So Jephthah advanced toward the sons of Ammon to fight against them, and the Lord delivered them into his hand. Judges 11, verse 32. And he struck them from Aroer until he came to Arnon, twenty cities in number, and as far as Abel Keramim, with widespread destruction everywhere. Thus the sons of Ammon were subdued before the sons of Israel.
The Daughter of Jephthah
Judges 11, verse 33. When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold his daughter came out to meet him with drums and dances, and she was his only child. He had no other son or daughter. Judges 11, verse 34. And when he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Ah, ah, my daughter! You have troubled me greatly! It is you who are my trouble! For I have opened my mouth against you to the Lord, and I cannot go back on it.” Judges 11, verse 35. So she said to him, “My father, if you have opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me as it came from your mouth, because the Lord has avenged you on your enemies, the sons of Ammon.” Judges 11, verse 36. Then she said to her father, “Let my father do this one thing for me. Leave me alone for two months to wander on the mountains and bewail my virginity along with my companions.” Judges 11, verse 37. So he said, “Go.” And he sent her away for two months; and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity on the mountains. Judges 11, verse 38. And at the end of two months she returned to her father, and he carried out the vow he vowed, and she knew no man. And it became a custom in Israel Judges 11, verse 39. that the daughters of Israel went four days each year to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.