Judges 11
11
Jephthah, the Champion-Deliverer
1Yahweh raised up a brave, fearless champion from Gilead to deliver Israel. His name was Jephthah, and he was the son of a prostitute. His father Gilead # 11:1 Gilead was both a person (Num. 26:29) and is also the eponymous territory in northern Transjordan. However, some scholars believe the Hebrew text is using something of a figure of speech, “[the region of] Gilead fathered Jephthah,” meaning that no one knows who his father was since so many men had relations with the prostitute. 2had other sons by his wife, and when they grew up, they forced Jephthah to leave home. They said to him, “You will inherit nothing of our father’s wealth because you are the son of another woman.” # 11:2 Jephthah means “he opens up.” Jephthah, the eighth deliverer, had a questionable past, like many of God’s champions today. God will include even a person with a social stigma in God’s “honor roll” of faith (see Heb. 11:32). This is God’s grace. 3Jephthah fled from his half brothers and lived in the land of Tob. # 11:3 Jewish commentators state that Tob was the name of the ruler of that land. Tob means “good.” Scholars believe that the land of Tob was southeast of Lake Galilee and could be another name for Hippos in the Decapolis. There he recruited a gang of lawless mercenaries who traveled around with him.
4Sometime later, the Ammonites waged war against Israel. 5When they attacked Israel, the leaders of Gilead went to the land of Tob to find Jephthah and to bring him back from exile. 6Swallowing their pride, they said to him, “Come and lead us so that we can fight the Ammonites.”
7Jephthah answered, “You’re the very people who hated me so much that you kicked me out of my father’s house. Why are you coming to me now that you’re in trouble?”
8They said to Jephthah, “We’re turning to you now because we want you to lead us in battle. Come and fight the Ammonites. You’re the one we need!”
9Jephthah said to them, “Very well. If you take me back home to fight the Ammonites and Yahweh gives me victory, then you will make me your ruler. Agreed?”
10“That’s right,” they replied. “With Yahweh as our witness, # 11:10 Or “Yahweh will be listening between us.” This implies that God would punish either party if they broke the covenant. we pledge our loyalty to you.” 11So Jephthah returned home with the leaders of Gilead, and the people made him their commander and ruler. Jephthah stated his terms # 11:11 Or in modern terms, “his oath of office.” in a solemn ceremony at Mizpah in the presence of Yahweh.
Jephthah’s Diplomacy
12Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of Ammon to ask, “What is your quarrel with us? Why have you invaded our country?”
13The king of Ammon answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they seized my land from the River Arnon to the River Jabbok, as far as the River Jordan. Now give it all back, and we’ll be at peace.”
14Jephthah again sent messengers back to the king of Ammon 15with this answer: “Israel seized neither the land of Moab nor the land of Ammon. 16When the Israelites left Egypt, they passed through the desert to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh. 17They sent messengers to the king of Edom requesting permission to go through his land, but the king of Edom refused. They also asked the king of Moab, but he too would not cooperate. So the Israelites were forced to remain at Kadesh. 18Leaving from there, they traveled through the desert in order to bypass the land of Edom and the land of Moab. When they arrived at the east side of Moab, on the other side of the River Arnon, they made camp there, but they did not cross the Arnon because it was Moab’s boundary. 19Then, the Israelites dispatched messengers to Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon, and requested his permission to go through his country to their own land. 20Because Sihon did not trust Israel, he assembled his whole army, made camp at Jahaz, and attacked Israel. 21But Yahweh, the mighty God of Israel, gave the Israelites victory over Sihon and his army. So the Israelites took possession of all the territory of the Amorites who lived in that land. 22Then they occupied all the Amorite territory from the Arnon in the south to the Jabbok in the north and from the desert in the east to the Jordan in the west. 23Since it was Yahweh the mighty God of Israel who drove out the Amorites for his people, the Israelites, 24who do you think you are to try to take it back? You should be satisfied with whatever land your god Chemosh # 11:24 Chemosh means “swift subduer.” A later king of Moab sacrificed his son as a burnt offering to the god Chemosh (see 2 Kings 3:27). has won for himself, but we are going to keep everything that Yahweh our mighty God has given us. 25Do you think you’re stronger than Moab’s king Balak son of Zippor? # 11:25 See Num. 22:2; Deut. 23:4; Josh. 24:9. He never challenged Israel over disputed land, did he? Did he ever go to war against us? 26For three hundred years, Israel has been living here and occupying Heshbon, Aroer, and the towns around them, and all the cities on the banks of the Arnon River. Why have you waited until now to try to take them back? 27No, I have not wronged you; rather, you are doing me wrong by attacking me. Let Yahweh be the judge, and let him decide today which of us is right, Israel or Ammon.”
28But the king of Ammon ignored Jephthah’s message.
Jephthah’s Foolish Vow
29Then the Spirit of Yahweh rushed upon Jephthah and empowered him. He and his men marched through Gilead and Manasseh and returned to Mizpah in Gilead, and from there, he stalked the Ammonites. 30Jephthah promised Yahweh: “If you give me victory over the Ammonites, 31I will offer up to you as a burnt offering the first thing that comes out of my house to greet me when I return in victory. I will sacrifice that one as an offering to you.” # 11:31 The custom of the day was to house both livestock and family together. No doubt, Jephthah assumed it would be an animal he would offer or perhaps a servant, but not his daughter.
32So Jephthah crossed the river with his men to fight the Ammonites, and Yahweh gave him victory. 33He struck at them from Aroer to the area near Minnith, # 11:33 Minnith means “distribution.” Minnith was a district east of the Jordan known for growing corn. twenty villages in all, and as far as Abel Keramim. # 11:33 Or “meadow of the vineyards.” The Israelites brought the Ammonites down to the dust # 11:33 Or “he humbled [humiliated] the Ammonites.” in a great slaughter.
Jephthah’s Daughter
34When Jephthah arrived home at Mizpah, his daughter came hurrying out of the house to welcome her father home, dancing to the rhythm of tambourines. She was his only child—his one and only. 35When he realized who had come out, he ripped his cloak and was overcome with grief. He exclaimed, “Oh no! My dearest daughter, you have torn my heart to shreds! # 11:35 Or “you have driven me to my knees.” Must it be you I offer? # 11:35 Or “you have become a stumbling block to me.” I have made a solemn promise to Yahweh, and I cannot retract it!”
36She said to him, “My father, you have made a vow to Yahweh and he has delivered you from your enemies, the Ammonites. Do to me what you promised him you would do. 37But please grant me one thing. Spare me for two months and let me go with my friends to grieve. Let me be free to wander on the hills and to lament my sad fate.” # 11:37 Or “weep over my virginity.”
38“Go,” he replied, and he sent her away for two months. She and her friends went into the mountains and grieved because she was going to die unmarried and childless. 39After two months, she returned to her father, and Jephthah fulfilled his vow to Yahweh. His daughter died still a virgin.
(This was the origin of the custom in Israel 40that young women would go away each year to grieve and lament for the daughter of Jephthah of Gilead.)
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Judges 11: TPT
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