Judges 11:9

9 Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "If you bring me home again to fight with the Ammonites, and the Lord gives them over to me, I will be your head."

Judges 11:9 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 11:9

And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead
Considering the former usage he had met with from them, and the character which he himself bore, and the fickleness of men, when their turn is served, was willing to make a sure bargain with them:

if ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon;
that is, should he consent to go along with them, and fight their battle for them:

and the Lord deliver them before me;
or into his hands, on whom he depended for success, and not on his own courage and valour, and military skill:

shall I be your head?
not only captain general of their forces during the war, but the chief ruler of them when that was ended.

Judges 11:9 In-Context

7 But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "Are you not the very ones who rejected me and drove me out of my father's house? So why do you come to me now when you are in trouble?"

8 The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "Nevertheless, we have now turned back to you, so that you may go with us and fight with the Ammonites, and become head over us, over all the inhabitants of Gilead."

9 Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "If you bring me home again to fight with the Ammonites, and the Lord gives them over to me, I will be your head."

10 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The Lord will be witness between us; we will surely do as you say."

11 So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord at Mizpah.