¹⁷And the children of Ammon were called together and encamped in Gilead; and the children of Israel gathered together and encamped in Mizpeh. ¹⁸And the people, the chief men of Gilead, said one to another, Who is the man that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

Chapter 11

¹Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead had begotten Jephthah. ²And Gilead’s wife bore him sons; and when his wife’s sons were grown, they expelled Jephthah, and said to him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou art the son of another woman. ³Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob. And vain men were gathered to Jephthah, and they made expeditions with him.

⁴And it came to pass after some time, that the children of Ammon fought with Israel. ⁵And when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob. ⁶And they said to Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight against the children of Ammon. ⁷And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father’s house? and why are ye come to me now when ye are in trouble? ⁸And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, Therefore we have returned to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be head over all of us the inhabitants of Gilead. ⁹And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, If ye take me back to fight against the children of Ammon, and Jehovah give them up before me, shall I be your head? ¹⁰And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Jehovah be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words! ¹¹Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them; and Jephthah uttered all his words before Jehovah in Mizpah.

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