Judges 11:23-33

23 So now the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, has dispossessed the Amori from before his people Yisra'el, and should you possess them?

24 Won't you possess that which Kemosh your god gives you to possess? So whoever the LORD our God has dispossessed from before us, them will we possess.

25 Now are you anything better than Balak the son of Tzippor, king of Mo'av? did he ever strive against Yisra'el, or did he ever fight against them?

26 While Yisra'el lived in Heshbon and its towns, and in `Aro`er and its towns, and in all the cities that are along by the side of the Arnon, three hundred years; why didn't you recover them within that time?

27 I therefore have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong to war against me: the LORD, the Judge, be judge this day between the children of Yisra'el and the children of `Ammon.

28 However the king of the children of `Ammon didn't listen to the words of Yiftach which he sent him.

29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Yiftach, and he passed over Gil`ad and Menashsheh, and passed over Mitzpeh of Gil`ad, and from Mitzpeh of Gil`ad he passed over to the children of `Ammon.

30 Yiftach vowed a vow to the LORD, and said, If you will indeed deliver the children of `Ammon into my hand,

31 then it shall be, that whatever comes forth from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in shalom from the children of `Ammon, it shall be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

32 So Yiftach passed over to the children of `Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hand.

33 He struck them from `Aro`er until you come to Minnit, even twenty cities, and to Avel-Keramim, with a very great slaughter. So the children of `Ammon were subdued before the children of Yisra'el.

Judges 11:23-33 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.