Judges 11
WEB·Judges 11
1Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor. He was the son of a prostitute. Gilead became the father of Jephthah.
KJVNow JephthahH3316 the GileaditeH1569 was a mighty manH1368 of valourH2428, and he was the sonH1121 of an harlotH802H2181(H8802): and GileadH1568 begatH3205(H8686) JephthahH3316.
2 Gilead’s wife bore him sons. When his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, “You will not inherit in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.”
KJVAnd Gilead'sH1568 wifeH802 bareH3205(H8799) him sonsH1121; and his wife'sH802 sonsH1121 grew upH1431(H8799), and they thrust outH1644(H8762) JephthahH3316, and saidH559(H8799) unto him, Thou shalt not inheritH5157(H8799) in our father'sH1 houseH1004; for thou art the sonH1121 of a strangeH312 womanH802.
3 Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Outlaws joined up with Jephthah, and they went out with him.
KJVThen JephthahH3316 fledH1272(H8799) fromH6440 his brethrenH251, and dweltH3427(H8799) in the landH776 of TobH2897: and there were gatheredH3950(H8691) vainH7386 menH582 to JephthahH3316, and went outH3318(H8799) with him.
4 After a while, the children of Ammon made war against Israel.
KJVAnd it came to pass in process of timeH3117, that the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983 made warH3898(H8735) against IsraelH3478.
5 When the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah out of the land of Tob.
KJVAnd it was so, that when the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983 made warH3898(H8738) against IsraelH3478, the eldersH2205 of GileadH1568 wentH3212(H8799) to fetchH3947(H8800) JephthahH3316 out of the landH776 of TobH2897:
6 They said to Jephthah, “Come and be our chief, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.”
KJVAnd they saidH559(H8799) unto JephthahH3316, ComeH3212(H8798), and be our captainH7101, that we may fightH3898(H8735) with the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983.
7 Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Didn’t you hate me, and drive me out of my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?”
KJVAnd JephthahH3316 saidH559(H8799) unto the eldersH2205 of GileadH1568, Did not ye hateH8130(H8804) me, and expelH1644(H8762) me out of my father'sH1 houseH1004? and why are ye comeH935(H8804) unto me now when ye are in distressH6887(H8804)?
8 The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “Therefore we have turned again to you now, that you may go with us and fight with the children of Ammon. You will be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”
KJVAnd the eldersH2205 of GileadH1568 saidH559(H8799) unto JephthahH3316, Therefore we turn againH7725(H8804) to thee now, that thou mayest goH1980(H8804) with us, and fightH3898(H8738) against the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983, and be our headH7218 over all the inhabitantsH3427(H8802) of GileadH1568.
9 Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me home again to fight with the children of Ammon, and Yahweh delivers them before me, will I be your head?”
KJVAnd JephthahH3316 saidH559(H8799) unto the eldersH2205 of GileadH1568, If ye bring me home againH7725(H8688) to fightH3898(H8736) against the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983, and the LORDH3068 deliverH5414(H8804) them beforeH6440 me, shall I be your headH7218?
10 The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “Yahweh will be witness between us. Surely we will do what you say.”
KJVAnd the eldersH2205 of GileadH1568 saidH559(H8799) unto JephthahH3316, The LORDH3068 be witnessH8085(H8802) between us, if we doH6213(H8799) not so according to thy wordsH1697.
11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them. Jephthah spoke all his words before Yahweh in Mizpah.
KJVThen JephthahH3316 wentH3212(H8799) with the eldersH2205 of GileadH1568, and the peopleH5971 madeH7760(H8799) him headH7218 and captainH7101 over them: and JephthahH3316 utteredH1696(H8762) all his wordsH1697 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 in MizpehH4709.
12 Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, “What do you have to do with me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?”
KJVAnd JephthahH3316 sentH7971(H8799) messengersH4397 unto the kingH4428 of the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983, sayingH559(H8800), What hast thou to do with me, that thou art comeH935(H8804) against me to fightH3898(H8736) in my landH776?
13 The king of the children of Ammon answered the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. Now therefore restore that territory again peaceably.”
KJVAnd the kingH4428 of the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983 answeredH559(H8799) unto the messengersH4397 of JephthahH3316, Because IsraelH3478 took awayH3947(H8804) my landH776, when they came upH5927(H8800) out of EgyptH4714, from ArnonH769 even unto JabbokH2999, and unto JordanH3383: now therefore restore those lands againH7725(H8685) peaceablyH7965.
14 Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the children of Ammon;
KJVAnd JephthahH3316 sentH7971(H8799) messengersH4397 againH3254(H8686) unto the kingH4428 of the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983:
15 and he said to him, “Jephthah says: Israel didn’t take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon;
KJVAnd saidH559(H8799) unto him, Thus saithH559(H8804) JephthahH3316, IsraelH3478 took not awayH3947(H8804) the landH776 of MoabH4124, nor the landH776 of the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983:
16 but when they came up from Egypt, and Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea, and came to Kadesh,
KJVBut when IsraelH3478 came upH5927(H8800) from EgyptH4714, and walkedH3212(H8799) through the wildernessH4057 unto the RedH5488 seaH3220, and cameH935(H8799) to KadeshH6946;
17 then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Please let me pass through your land;’ but the king of Edom didn’t listen. In the same way, he sent to the king of Moab, but he refused; so Israel stayed in Kadesh.
KJVThen IsraelH3478 sentH7971(H8799) messengersH4397 unto the kingH4428 of EdomH123, sayingH559(H8800), Let me, I pray thee, pass throughH5674(H8799) thy landH776: but the kingH4428 of EdomH123 would not hearkenH8085(H8804) thereto. And in like manner they sentH7971(H8804) unto the kingH4428 of MoabH4124: but he wouldH14(H8804) not consent: and IsraelH3478 abodeH3427(H8799) in KadeshH6946.
18 Then they went through the wilderness, and went around the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and they encamped on the other side of the Arnon; but they didn’t come within the border of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab.
KJVThen they went alongH3212(H8799) through the wildernessH4057, and compassedH5437(H8799) the landH776 of EdomH123, and the landH776 of MoabH4124, and cameH935(H8799) by the east sideH4217H8121 of the landH776 of MoabH4124, and pitchedH2583(H8799) on the other sideH5676 of ArnonH769, but cameH935(H8804) not within the borderH1366 of MoabH4124: for ArnonH769 was the borderH1366 of MoabH4124.
19 Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land to my place.’
KJVAnd IsraelH3478 sentH7971(H8799) messengersH4397 unto SihonH5511 kingH4428 of the AmoritesH567, the kingH4428 of HeshbonH2809; and IsraelH3478 saidH559(H8799) unto him, Let us passH5674(H8799), we pray thee, through thy landH776 intoH5704 my placeH4725.
20 But Sihon didn’t trust Israel to pass through his border; but Sihon gathered all his people together, and encamped in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
KJVBut SihonH5511 trustedH539(H8689) not IsraelH3478 to passH5674(H8800) through his coastH1366: but SihonH5511 gatheredH622 all his peopleH5971 togetherH622(H8799), and pitchedH2583(H8799) in JahazH3096, and foughtH3898(H8735) against IsraelH3478.
21 Yahweh, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they struck them. So Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.
KJVAnd the LORDH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478 deliveredH5414(H8799) SihonH5511 and all his peopleH5971 into the handH3027 of IsraelH3478, and they smoteH5221(H8686) them: so IsraelH3478 possessedH3423(H8799) all the landH776 of the AmoritesH567, the inhabitantsH3427(H8802) of that countryH776.
22 They possessed all the border of the Amorites, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and from the wilderness even to the Jordan.
KJVAnd they possessedH3423(H8799) all the coastsH1366 of the AmoritesH567, from ArnonH769 even unto JabbokH2999, and from the wildernessH4057 even unto JordanH3383.
23 So now Yahweh, the God of Israel, has dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and should you possess them?
KJVSo now the LORDH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478 hath dispossessedH3423(H8689) the AmoritesH567 from beforeH6440 his peopleH5971 IsraelH3478, and shouldest thou possessH3423(H8799) it?
24 Won’t you possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whoever Yahweh our God has dispossessed from before us, them will we possess.
KJVWilt not thou possessH3423(H8799) that which ChemoshH3645 thy godH430 giveth thee to possessH3423(H8686)? So whomsoever the LORDH3068 our GodH430 shall drive outH3423(H8689) from beforeH6440 us, them will we possessH3423(H8799).
25 Now are you anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them?
KJVAnd now art thou any thing betterH2896 than BalakH1111 the sonH1121 of ZipporH6834, kingH4428 of MoabH4124? did he everH7378(H8800) striveH7378(H8804) against IsraelH3478, or did he everH3898(H8736) fightH3898(H8738) against them,
26 Israel lived in Heshbon and its towns, and in Aroer and its towns, and in all the cities that are along the side of the Arnon for three hundred years! Why didn’t you recover them within that time?
KJVWhile IsraelH3478 dweltH3427(H8800) in HeshbonH2809 and her townsH1323, and in AroerH6177 and her townsH1323, and in all the citiesH5892 that be along by the coastsH3027 of ArnonH769, threeH7969 hundredH3967 yearsH8141? why therefore did ye not recoverH5337(H8689) them within that timeH6256?
27 Therefore I have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong to war against me. May Yahweh the Judge be judge today between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.”
KJVWherefore I have not sinnedH2398(H8804) against thee, but thou doestH6213(H8802)H853 me wrongH7451 to warH3898(H8736) against me: the LORDH3068 the JudgeH8199(H8802) be judgeH8199(H8799) this dayH3117 between the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478 and the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983.
28 However, the king of the children of Ammon didn’t listen to the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
KJVHowbeit the kingH4428 of the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983 hearkenedH8085(H8804) not unto the wordsH1697 of JephthahH3316 which he sentH7971(H8804) him.
29 Then Yahweh’s Spirit came on Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed over to the children of Ammon.
KJVThen the SpiritH7307 of the LORDH3068 came upon JephthahH3316, and he passed overH5674(H8799) GileadH1568, and ManassehH4519, and passed overH5674(H8799) MizpehH4708 of GileadH1568, and from MizpehH4708 of GileadH1568 he passed overH5674(H8804) unto the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983.
30 Jephthah vowed a vow to Yahweh, and said, “If you will indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand,
KJVAnd JephthahH3316 vowedH5087(H8799) a vowH5088 unto the LORDH3068, and saidH559(H8799), If thou shalt without failH5414(H8800) deliverH5414(H8799) the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983 into mine handsH3027,
31 then it shall be, that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it shall be Yahweh’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.”
KJVThen it shall be, that whatsoeverH3318(H8802) cometh forthH3318(H8799) of the doorsH1817 of my houseH1004 to meetH7125(H8800) me, when I returnH7725(H8800) in peaceH7965 from the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983, shall surely be the LORD'SH3068, and I will offer it upH5927(H8689) for a burnt offeringH5930.
32 So Jephthah passed over to the children of Ammon to fight against them; and Yahweh delivered them into his hand.
KJVSo JephthahH3316 passed overH5674(H8799) unto the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983 to fightH3898(H8736) against them; and the LORDH3068 deliveredH5414(H8799) them into his handsH3027.
33 He struck them from Aroer until you come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and to Abelcheramim, with a very great slaughter. So the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
KJVAnd he smoteH5221(H8686) them from AroerH6177, even till thou comeH935(H8800) to MinnithH4511, even twentyH6242 citiesH5892, and unto the plainH58 of the vineyardsH3754(H8677)H64, with a veryH3966 greatH1419 slaughterH4347. Thus the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983 were subduedH3665(H8735) beforeH6440 the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478.
34 Jephthah came to Mizpah to his house; and behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter.
KJVAnd JephthahH3316 cameH935(H8799) to MizpehH4709 unto his houseH1004, and, behold, his daughterH1323 came outH3318(H8802) to meetH7125(H8800) him with timbrelsH8596 and with dancesH4246: and she was his only childH3173; beside her he had neither sonH1121 norH176 daughterH1323.
35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes, and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are one of those who trouble me; for I have opened my mouth to Yahweh, and I can’t go back.”
KJVAnd it came to pass, when he sawH7200(H8800) her, that he rentH7167(H8799) his clothesH899, and saidH559(H8799), AlasH162, my daughterH1323! thou hast broughtH3766 me veryH3766(H8689) lowH3766(H8687), and thou art one of them that troubleH5916(H8802) me: for I have openedH6475(H8804) my mouthH6310 unto the LORDH3068, and I cannotH3201(H8799) go backH7725(H8800).
36 She said to him, “My father, you have opened your mouth to Yahweh; do to me according to that which has proceeded out of your mouth, because Yahweh has taken vengeance for you on your enemies, even on the children of Ammon.”
KJVAnd she saidH559(H8799) unto him, My fatherH1, if thou hast openedH6475(H8804) thy mouthH6310 unto the LORDH3068, doH6213(H8798) to me according to that whichH834 hath proceededH3318(H8804) out of thy mouthH6310; forasmuchH310 as the LORDH3068 hath takenH6213(H8804) vengeanceH5360 for thee of thine enemiesH341(H8802), even of the childrenH1121 of AmmonH5983.
37 Then she said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me. Leave me alone two months, that I may depart and go down on the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my companions.”
KJVAnd she saidH559(H8799) unto her fatherH1, Let this thingH1697 be doneH6213(H8735) for me: let me aloneH7503(H8685) twoH8147 monthsH2320, that I may go upH3212(H8799) and downH3381(H8804) upon the mountainsH2022, and bewailH1058(H8799) my virginityH1331, I and my fellowsH7464(H8675)H7474.
38 He said, “Go.” He sent her away for two months; and she departed, she and her companions, and mourned her virginity on the mountains.
KJVAnd he saidH559(H8799), GoH3212(H8798). And he sent her awayH7971(H8799) for twoH8147 monthsH2320: and she wentH3212(H8799) with her companionsH7464, and bewailedH1058(H8799) her virginityH1331 upon the mountainsH2022.
39 At the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed. She was a virgin. It became a custom in Israel
KJVAnd it came to pass at the endH7093 of twoH8147 monthsH2320, that she returnedH7725(H8799) unto her fatherH1, who didH6213(H8799) with her according to his vowH5088 which he had vowedH5087(H8804): and she knewH3045(H8804) no manH376. And it was a customH2706 in IsraelH3478,
40 that the daughters of Israel went yearly to celebrate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
KJVThat the daughtersH1323 of IsraelH3478 wentH3212(H8799) yearlyH3117H3117 to lamentH8567(H8763) the daughterH1323 of JephthahH3316 the GileaditeH1569 fourH702 daysH3117 in a yearH8141.
Judges 11
Section titles come from the Biblion commentary, not from Scripture.
You can also read or listen to the Introduction to the book of Judges.
People and places from Theographic, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.