Shofetim 11:9

9 And Yiftach said unto the ziknei Gil‘ad, If ye bring me home again to fight against the Bnei Ammon, and Hashem deliver them before me, shall I be your rosh?

Shofetim 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.

Shofetim 11:9 In-Context

7 And Yiftach said unto the ziknei Gil‘ad, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my bais avi? And why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?

8 And the ziknei Gil‘ad said unto Yiftach, Nevertheless, we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the Bnei Ammon, and be our rosh over all the inhabitants of Gil‘ad.

9 And Yiftach said unto the ziknei Gil‘ad, If ye bring me home again to fight against the Bnei Ammon, and Hashem deliver them before me, shall I be your rosh?

10 And the ziknei Gil‘ad said unto Yiftach, Hashem be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.

11 Then Yiftach went with the ziknei Gil‘ad, and the people made him rosh and katzin over them; and Yiftach uttered all his words before Hashem in Mitzpah.