Judges 10:17–11:11

¹⁷Then the children of Ammon were ^†gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in ^aMizpeh. ¹⁸And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? ^bhe shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

11Now ^||Jephthah the Gileadite was ^aa mighty man of valour, and he was the son of ^†an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. ²And Gilead’s wife bare him sons; and his wife’s sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou art the son of a strange woman. ³Then Jephthah fled ^†from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of ^bTob: and there were gathered ^cvain men to Jephthah, and went out with him. ⁴And it came to pass ^†in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel. ⁵And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, ^dthe elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of ^bTob: ⁶And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon. ⁷And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, ^eDid not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father’s house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress? ⁸And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be ^dour head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. ⁹And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the Lord deliver them before me, shall I be your head? ¹⁰And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The Lord ^†be witness between us, ^fif we do not so according to thy words. ¹¹Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him ^ghead and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words ^hbefore the Lord in ⁱMizpeh.