Judges 11:21-31

21 And Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated them; and Israel occupied all the land of the Amorites inhabiting that land.
22 They occupied all the territory of the Amorites from [the] Arnon up to the Jabbok, and from the wilderness up to the Jordan.
23 So then Yahweh, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites from before his people Israel, and you want to possess it?
24 Do you not possess what Chemosh your god gave you to possess? Whoever Yahweh our God has driven out before us, we will possess it.
25 So then, [are] you any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever quarrel with Israel, or did he ever make war against them?
26 When Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the towns that [are] {along the Arnon}, for three hundred years, why did you not recover [them] at that time?
27 I have not sinned against you; but you [are] the one who is doing wrong by making war against me. {Let Yahweh judge} today between the {Israelites} and the {Ammonites}."
28 But the king of the {Ammonites} did not listen to the message that Jephthah sent to him.

Jephthah Makes a Vow

29 And the Spirit of Yahweh came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh. He passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed through [to] the {Ammonites}.
30 And Jephthah made a vow to Yahweh, and he said, "If indeed you will give the {Ammonites} into my hand,
31 whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from the {Ammonites} will be Yahweh's, and I will offer it [as] a burnt offering."

Judges 11:21-31 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 11

This chapter gives an account of another judge of Israel, Jephthah, of his descent and character, Jud 11:1-3 of the call the elders of Gilead gave him to be their captain general, and lead out their forces against the Ammonites, and the agreement he made with them, Jud 11:4-11 of the message he sent to the children of Ammon, which brought on a dispute between him and them about the land Israel possessed on that side Jordan the Ammonites claimed; Israel's right to which Jephthah defended, and made it clearly to appear, hoping thereby to put an end to the quarrel without shedding of blood, Jud 11:12-27 but the children of Ammon not attending to what he said, he prepared to give them battle, and previous to it he made a vow, and then set forward and fought them, and got the victory over them, Jud 11:28-33 and the chapter concludes with the difficulties Jephthah was embarrassed with upon his return home, on account of his vow, and the performance of it, Jud 11:34-40.

Footnotes 13

  • [a]. Hebrew "Amorite"
  • [b]. Hebrew "Amorite"
  • [c]. Hebrew "Amorite"
  • [d]. Literally "on the hands of the Arnon"
  • [e]. Hebrew "year"
  • [f]. Literally "Let Yahweh the judge, judge"
  • [g]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [h]. Literally "sons/children of Ammon"
  • [i]. Literally "sons/children of Ammon"
  • [j]. Literally "sons/children of Ammon"
  • [k]. Literally "sons/children of Ammon"
  • [l]. Or "whoever"
  • [m]. Literally "sons/children of Ammon"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.