¹⁷The troops of Ammon were summoned to fight, and they camped at Gilead. The people of Israel also gathered together and camped at Mizpah. ¹⁸The leaders of the people of Gilead said to each other, “Whoever starts the fight against Ammon will rule everyone who lives in Gilead.”

11TH CHAPTER

Jephthah Called to Be Judge

¹Jephthah was a soldier from the region of Gilead. Jephthah’s father was named Gilead. His mother was a prostitute. ²Gilead’s wife also gave birth to sons. When his wife’s sons grew up, they threw Jephthah out. They told him, “You’ll get no inheritance from our father. You’re the son of that other woman.” ³Jephthah fled from his brothers. He went to live in the land of Tob. Worthless men gathered around Jephthah and went out ⸤on raids⸥ with him.

⁴Later, Ammon waged war with Israel. ⁵When the Ammonites attacked Israel, Gilead’s leaders went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. ⁶They said to Jephthah, “Come and be our commander so that we can wage war against Ammon.”

⁷But Jephthah replied to Gilead’s leaders, “Don’t you hate me? Didn’t you throw me out of my father’s house? So why are you coming to me now when you’re in trouble?”

⁸Gilead’s leaders answered Jephthah, “The reason we’ve turned to you now is that we want you to go with us and wage war against Ammon. You will be the ruler of everyone who lives in Gilead.”

⁹Jephthah told them, “If you take me back to fight against Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me, I will be your leader.”

¹⁰Gilead’s leaders said to Jephthah, “The Lord is a witness between us. We will certainly do what you say.” ¹¹Jephthah went with them, and the people made him their leader and commander. So Jephthah went to Mizpah and repeated all these things in the presence of the Lord.

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