Judges 10:18

18 And the princes of Gilead said each to his neighbours, He, that beginneth first of us to fight against the sons of Ammon, shall be duke of the people of Gilead. (And the people and the rulers of Gilead said to each other, He of us who first beginneth to fight against the Ammonites, shall be the leader of all the people of Gilead.)

Judges 10:18 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 10:18

And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another
Being thus assembled and encamped:

what man is he that will begin to fight with the children of Ammon?
for though the forces were assembled together for battle, yet it seems they had no general to command them, and lead them on to it:

he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead,
this they ordered to be proclaimed, to encourage some person to take the command of them, and go before them to battle, promising him that he should be judge or governor over all the tribes on that side Jordan.

Judges 10:18 In-Context

16 And they said these things, and casted forth from their coasts all the idols of alien gods, and served the Lord; which had ruth, either compassion, on (all) the wretchednesses of them.

17 And so the sons of Ammon cried together, each moving (the) other to battle against Israel, and setted tents in Gilead, and the sons of Israel were gathered against them, and setted tents in Mizpeh. (But then the Ammonites cried together, each moving the other to battle against Israel, and pitched their tents at Gilead; and the Israelites gathered themselves together against them, and pitched their tents at Mizpeh.)

18 And the princes of Gilead said each to his neighbours, He, that beginneth first of us to fight against the sons of Ammon, shall be duke of the people of Gilead. (And the people and the rulers of Gilead said to each other, He of us who first beginneth to fight against the Ammonites, shall be the leader of all the people of Gilead.)