2
Gilead'swifebore him sons; and when his wife'ssonsgrew up, they droveJephthah out and said to him, "You shall not have an inheritance in our father'shouse, for you are the son of anotherwoman."
7
Then Jephthahsaid to the elders of Gilead, "Did you not hate me and drive me from my father'shouse? So why have you come to me nowwhen you are in trouble?"
8
The elders of Gileadsaid to Jephthah, "For thisreason we have nowreturned to you, that you may go with us and fight with the sons of Ammon and becomehead over all the inhabitants of Gilead."
9
So Jephthahsaid to the elders of Gilead, "If you take me back to fight against the sons of Ammon and the LORDgives them up to me, will I become your head?"
11
Then Jephthahwent with the elders of Gilead, and the peoplemade him head and chiefover them; and Jephthahspokeall his wordsbefore the LORD at Mizpah.
12
Now Jephthahsentmessengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, "What is between you and me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?"
13
The king of the sons of Ammonsaid to the messengers of Jephthah, "BecauseIsraeltook away my land when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan; therefore, return them peaceablynow."
17
then Israelsentmessengers to the king of Edom, saying, "Please let us pass through your land," but the king of Edom would not listen. And they alsosent to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israelremained at Kadesh.
18
'Then they went through the wilderness and around the land of Edom and the land of Moab, and came to the east*side* of the land of Moab, and they campedbeyond the Arnon; but they did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab.
19
'And Israelsentmessengers to Sihonking of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, and Israelsaid to him, "Please let us pass through your land to our place."
21
'The LORD, the God of Israel, gaveSihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated them; so Israelpossessedall the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.
26
'While Israellived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, threehundredyears, why did you not recover them within that time?
27
'I therefore have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by makingwar against me; may the LORD, the Judge, judgetodaybetween the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.' "
29
Now the Spirit of the LORDcame upon Jephthah, so that he passedthroughGilead and Manasseh; then he passedthroughMizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon.
31
then it shall be that whatevercomes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up as a burntoffering."
33
He struck them with a verygreatslaughter from Aroer to the entrance of Minnith, twentycities, and as far as Abel-keramim. So the sons of Ammon were subduedbefore* the sons of Israel.
34
When Jephthahcame to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and onlychild; besides her he hadnosonordaughter.
35
When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "Alas, my daughter! You have brought me verylow, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot*take it back."
36
So she said to him, "My father, you have given your word to the LORD; do to me as you have said**, since* the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the sons of Ammon."
37
She said to her father, "Let thisthing be done for me; let me alone*twomonths, that I may go* to the mountains and weepbecause of my virginity, I and my companions."
39
At the end of twomonths she returned to her father, who did to her according to the vowwhich he had made; and she hadnorelations with a man. Thus it became a custom in Israel,