Judges 11:6-16

6 And they said unto Jephthah, "Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon."

7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, "Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? And why have ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?"

8 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, "Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."

9 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?"

10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, "The LORD be witness between us if we do not so, according to thy words."

11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them; and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpah.

12 And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, "What hast thou to do with me, that thou hast come against me to fight in my land?"

13 And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, "Because Israel took away my land when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok and unto the Jordan. Now therefore restore those lands again peaceably."

14 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon,

15 and said unto him, "Thus saith Jephthah: Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon;

16 but when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red Sea and came to Kadesh,

Judges 11:6-16 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.