Judges 11

Jephthah the Ninth Judge

1Now 1JephthahH3316 the GileaditeH1569 was a 2valiantH2428 warriorH1368, but he was the sonH1121 of a harlotH802H2181. And GileadH1568 3was the fatherH3205 of JephthahH3316. 2Gilead’sH1568 wifeH802 boreH3205 him sonsH1121; and when his wife’sH802 sonsH1121 grewH1431 up, they droveH1644 JephthahH3316 out and saidH559 to him, “You shall not haveH5157 an inheritanceH5157 in our father’sH1 houseH1004, for you are the sonH1121 of anotherH312 womanH802.” 3So JephthahH3316 fledH1272 from his brothersH251 and livedH3427 in the landH776 of 4TobH2897; and worthlessH7386 fellowsH376 gatheredH3950 themselves 5aboutH413 JephthahH3316, and they wentH3318 out with him.

4It cameH1961 about afterH4480 a whileH3117 that 6the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 foughtH3898 againstH5973 IsraelH3478. 5WhenH3512 the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 foughtH3898 againstH5973 IsraelH3478, the eldersH2205 of GileadH1568 wentH1980 to getH3947 JephthahH3316 from the landH776 of TobH2897; 6and they saidH559 to JephthahH3316, “ComeH1980 and be our chiefH7101 that we may fightH3898 against the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983.” 7Then JephthahH3316 saidH559 to the eldersH2205 of GileadH1568, “7Did you not hateH8130 me and driveH1644 me from my father’sH1 houseH1004? So whyH4069 have you comeH935 to me nowH6258 whenH3512 you are in troubleH6887?” 8The eldersH2205 of GileadH1568 saidH559 to JephthahH3316, “For thisH3651 reasonH3651 we have nowH6258 returnedH7725 to you, that you may goH1980 with us and fightH3898 with the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 and 8becomeH1961 headH7218 over allH3605 the inhabitantsH3427 of GileadH1568.” 9So JephthahH3316 saidH559 to the eldersH2205 of GileadH1568, “IfH518 you takeH7725 me backH7725 to fightH3898 against the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 and the LordH3068 givesH5414 them up 9to me, will I becomeH1961 your headH7218?” 10The eldersH2205 of GileadH1568 saidH559 to JephthahH3316, “10The LordH3068 is 11witnessH8085 betweenH996 us; surelyH518H3808 we will doH6213 12as you have saidH1697.” 11Then JephthahH3316 wentH1980 with the eldersH2205 of GileadH1568, and the peopleH5971 madeH7760 him headH7218 and chiefH7101 overH5921 them; and JephthahH3316 spokeH1696 allH3605 his wordsH1697 beforeH6440 the LordH3068 at 13MizpahH4709.

12Now JephthahH3316 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to the kingH4428 of the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983, sayingH559, “WhatH4100 is between you and me, that you have comeH935 to me to fightH3898 against my landH776?” 13The kingH4428 of the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 saidH559 to the messengersH4397 of JephthahH3316, “BecauseH3588 IsraelH3478 14tookH3947 away my landH776 when they cameH5927 up from EgyptH4714, from the ArnonH769 as farH5704 as the 15JabbokH2999 and the JordanH3383; therefore, returnH7725 them peaceablyH7965 nowH6258.” 14But JephthahH3316 sentH7971 messengersH4397 againH5750H3254 to the kingH4428 of the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983, 15and they saidH559 to him, “ThusH3541 saysH559 JephthahH3316, ‘IsraelH3478 did not takeH3947 away the landH776 of MoabH4124 norH3808 the landH776 of the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983. 16For when they cameH5927 up from EgyptH4714, and IsraelH3478 16wentH1980 through the wildernessH4057 to the 17RedH5488H3220 SeaH3220 and 18cameH935 to KadeshH6946, 17then IsraelH3478 19sentH7971 messengersH4397 to the kingH4428 of EdomH112, sayingH559, “PleaseH4994 let us passH5674 through your landH776,” but the kingH4428 of EdomH112 would not listenH8085. 20And they alsoH1571 sentH7971 to the kingH4428 of MoabH4124, but he would not consentH14. So IsraelH3478 remainedH3427 at KadeshH6946. 18Then they wentH1980 through the wildernessH4057 and 21aroundH5437 the landH776 of EdomH112 and the landH776 of MoabH4124, and cameH935 to the eastH4217H8121 sideH4217H8121 of the landH776 of MoabH4124, and they campedH2583 beyondH5676 the ArnonH769; but they 22did not enterH935 the territoryH1366 of MoabH4124, for the ArnonH769 was the borderH1366 of MoabH4124. 19And IsraelH3478 sentH7971 23messengersH4397 to SihonH5511 kingH4428 of the AmoritesH567, the kingH4428 of HeshbonH2809, and IsraelH3478 saidH559 to him, “PleaseH4994 let us passH5674 through your landH776 to our placeH4725.” 20But SihonH5511 did not trustH539 IsraelH3478 to passH5674 through his territoryH1366; so SihonH5511 gatheredH622 allH3605 his peopleH5971 and campedH2583 in JahazH3096 and foughtH3898 with IsraelH3478. 21The LordH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, gaveH5414 SihonH5511 and allH3605 his peopleH5971 into the handH3027 of IsraelH3478, and they 2425defeatedH5221 them; so IsraelH3478 possessedH3423 allH3605 the landH776 of the AmoritesH567, the inhabitantsH3427 of that countryH776. 2226So they possessedH3423 allH3605 the territoryH1366 of the AmoritesH567, from the ArnonH769 as farH5704 as the JabbokH2999, and from the wildernessH4057 as farH5704 as the JordanH3383. 23Since nowH6258 the LordH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, droveH3423 out the AmoritesH567 from beforeH6440 His peopleH5971 IsraelH3478, are you then to possessH3423 it? 24Do you not possessH3423 whatH834 27ChemoshH3645 your godH430 givesH3423 you to possessH3423? So whateverH3605H834 the LordH3068 our GodH430 has drivenH3423 out beforeH4480H6440 us, we will possessH3423 it. 25NowH6258 are you anyH2895 betterH2896 thanH4480 28BalakH1111 the sonH1121 of ZipporH6834, kingH4428 of MoabH4124? Did he everH7378 striveH7378 with IsraelH3478, orH518 did he everH3898 fightH3898 against them? 2629While IsraelH3478 livedH3427 in HeshbonH2809 and its villagesH1323, and in AroerH6177 and its villagesH1323, and in allH3605 the citiesH5892 that are on the banksH3027 of the ArnonH769, threeH7969 hundredH3967 yearsH8141, whyH4069 did you not recoverH5337 them within that timeH6256? 27I therefore have not sinnedH2398 against you, but you are doingH6213 me wrongH7463 by makingH3898 warH3898 against me; 30may the LordH3068, the JudgeH8199, judgeH8199 todayH3117 betweenH996 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 and the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983.’” 28But the kingH4428 of the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 31disregardedH3808H8085 the messageH1697 whichH834 JephthahH3316 sentH7971 him.

Jephthah’s Tragic Vow

29Now 32the SpiritH7307 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 upon JephthahH3316, so that he passedH5674 throughH5674 GileadH1568 and ManassehH4519; then he passedH5674 throughH5674 MizpahH4708 of GileadH1568, and from MizpahH4708 of GileadH1568 he wentH5674 on to the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983. 30JephthahH3316 madeH5087 a vowH5088 to the LordH3068 and saidH559, “IfH518 You will indeedH5414 giveH5414 the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 into my handH3027, 31then it shall be that whateverH834 comesH3318 out of the doorsH1817 of my houseH1004 to meetH7122 me when I returnH7725 in peaceH7965 from the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983, it shall be the Lord’sH3068, and I will offerH5927 it up as a burntH5930 offeringH5930.” 32So JephthahH3316 crossedH5674 overH5674 to the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 to fightH3898 against them; and the LordH3068 gaveH5414 them into his handH3027. 33He struckH5221 them with a veryH3966 greatH1419 slaughterH4347 from AroerH6177 33to the entranceH935 of 34MinnithH4511, twentyH6242 citiesH5892, and as farH5704 as Abel-keramimH64. So the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 were subduedH3665 beforeH4480H6440 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478.

34When JephthahH3316 cameH935 to his houseH1004 at 35MizpahH4709, beholdH2009, his daughterH1323 was comingH3318 out to meetH7122 him 36with tambourinesH8596 and with dancingH4246. Now she was his oneH3173 and onlyH7534 childH3173; besidesH4480 her he hadH369 noH369 sonH1121 orH176 daughterH1323. 35When he sawH7200 her, he toreH7167 his clothesH899 and saidH559, “AlasH162, my daughterH1323! You have broughtH3766 me veryH3766 lowH3766, and you are among those who troubleH5916 me; for I have 37givenH6475 my wordH6310 to the LordH3068, and 38I cannotH3201H3808 takeH7725 it backH7725.” 36So she saidH559 to him, “My fatherH1, you have 39givenH6475 your wordH6310 to the LordH3068; 40doH6213 to me 41as you have saidH3318H4480H6310, sinceH310H834 the LordH3068 has avengedH5360 you of your enemiesH340, the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983.” 37She saidH559 to her fatherH1, “Let thisH2088 thingH1697 be doneH6213 for me; letH7503 me aloneH4480H7503 twoH8147 monthsH2320, that I may 42goH1980H3381 to the mountainsH2022 and weepH1058 becauseH5921 of 43my virginityH1331, I and my companionsH7464.” 38Then he saidH559, “GoH1980.” So he sentH7971 her awayH7971 for twoH8147 monthsH2320; and she leftH1980 with her companionsH7464, and weptH1058 on the mountainsH2022 becauseH5921 of her virginityH1331. 39At the endH7093 of twoH8147 monthsH2320 she returnedH7725 to her fatherH1, who didH6213 to her according to the vowH5088 whichH834 he had madeH5087; and she 44hadH3045 noH3808 relationsH3045 with a manH376. Thus it becameH1961 a customH2706 in IsraelH3478, 40that the daughtersH1323 of IsraelH3478 wentH1980 yearlyH3117 to 45commemorateH8567 the daughterH1323 of JephthahH3316 the GileaditeH1569 fourH702 daysH3117 in the yearH8141.