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Judges 11:1-17

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Jephthah Delivers Israel

1 Now 1Jephthah the Gileadite was 2a mighty warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was the father of Jephthah.
2 And Gilead's wife also bore him sons. And when his wife's sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, "You shall not have an inheritance in our father's house, for you are the son of another woman."
3 Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of 3Tob, and 4worthless fellows collected around Jephthah and went out with him.
4 After a time the Ammonites made war against Israel.
5 And when the Ammonites made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of 5Tob.
6 And they said to Jephthah, "Come and be our leader, that we may fight against the Ammonites."
7 But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "Did you not hate me and drive me out of my father's house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?"
8 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "That is why we have turned to you now, that you may go with us and fight against the Ammonites and 6be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."
9 Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "If you bring me home again to fight against the Ammonites, and the LORD gives them over to me, I will be your head."
10 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, 7"The LORD will be witness between us, if we do not do as you say."
11 So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people 8made him head and leader over them. And Jephthah spoke all his words 9before the LORD at 10Mizpah.
12 Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites and said, "What do you have against me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?"
13 And the king of the Ammonites answered the messengers of Jephthah, 11"Because Israel on coming up from Egypt took away my land, from the 12Arnon to the 13Jabbok and to the Jordan; now therefore restore it peaceably."
14 Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites
15 and said to him, "Thus says Jephthah: 14Israel did not take away the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites,
16 but when they came up from Egypt, Israel went through the wilderness 15to the Red Sea and 16came to Kadesh.
17 17Israel then sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, 'Please let us pass through your land,'18but the king of Edom would not listen. And they sent also to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel 19remained at Kadesh.
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Judges 11:1-17 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 19

  • 1. Hebrews 11:32
  • 2. Judges 6:12; 2 Kings 5:1
  • 3. 2 Samuel 10:6, 8
  • 4. See Judges 9:4; [1 Samuel 22:2]
  • 5. [See ver. 3 above]
  • 6. Judges 10:18
  • 7. Jeremiah 42:5
  • 8. ver. 6, 8; Judges 10:18
  • 9. 1 Samuel 10:19, 25; 1 Samuel 11:15; 1 Samuel 12:7; [Judges 20:1; 1 Samuel 10:17]
  • 10. Judges 10:17
  • 11. See Numbers 21:24-26
  • 12. Numbers 21:13
  • 13. Genesis 32:22
  • 14. Deuteronomy 2:9, 19
  • 15. Numbers 14:25; Deuteronomy 1:40
  • 16. Numbers 13:26
  • 17. Numbers 20:14
  • 18. See Numbers 20:18-21
  • 19. Numbers 20:1; Deuteronomy 1:46
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.