Judges 11:9

Judges 11:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the Lord deliver them before me, shall I be your head?
• New International Version (NIV)Jephthah answered, “Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me—will I really be your head?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "If you bring me home again to fight against the Ammonites, and the Lord gives them over to me, I will be your head."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you take me back home to fight against the people of Ammon, and the Lord delivers them to me, shall I be your head?”

Context of Judges 11:9

7Jephthah then said to the elders of Gilead, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me out of my father’s house? So why are you coming to me now that you’re in trouble?” 8“Here is why we’re now turning to you,” the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah. “Come with us, fight the children of Ammon, and then you will become head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.” So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you take me back home to fight the children of Ammon, and Adonai gives them over to me, I should become your head!” 10The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “Let Adonai be witness between us if we don’t do as you say.” 11Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them, after Jephthah repeated all his terms before Adonai at Mizpah.

Judges 11:9 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יִפְתָּ֜ח אֶל־זִקְנֵ֣י גִלְעָ֗ד אִם־מְשִׁיבִ֨ים אַתֶּ֤ם אוֹתִי֙ לְהִלָּחֵם֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן וְנָתַ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה אוֹתָ֖ם לְפָנָ֑י אָנֹכִ֕י אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם לְרֹֽאשׁ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Jephthahיִפְתָּחyiphtâch · JephthahH3316
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
• of Gileadגִּלְעָדgil‛âd · GileadH1568
• If ye bring me home againשׁוּבshûb · to return: rescueH7725
• to fightלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
• against the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Ammonעַמּוֹן‛ammôn · AmmonH5983
• and the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• deliverנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• them beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• me, shall I be your headרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: leaderH7218

Cross-references for Judges 11:9

• Numbers 32:20Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves for battle for Adonai,

Commentaries on Judges 11:9

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Jephthah made his own aggrandisement the condition of his delivering; his country. The circumstances of his birth and long residence in a pagan land were little favorable to the formation of the highest type of character. Yet he has his record among the faithful Hebrews 11:32.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10Jephthah confirmed that the elders were offering him the role of ruler, not just as a commander.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-97-9. Jephthah said, Did not ye hate me?--He gave them at first a haughty and cold reception. It is probable that he saw some of his brothers among the deputies. Jephthah was now in circumstances to make his own terms. With his former experience, he would have shown little wisdom or prudence without binding them to a clear and specific engagement to invest him with unlimited authority, the more especially as he was about to imperil his life in their cause…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 11:9

• Government
• Jephthah
• Prayer

In the dictionaries

• Ammon
• Gilead
• Jephthah
• Fight
• Inherit
• Meet
• Abdon (1)
• Courts, Judicial
• Israel, History of
• Israel, Religion of

Commentaries on Judges 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary