Judges 10:17–11:11

¹⁷And the Bene-Ammon are called together, and encamp in Gilead, and the sons of Israel are gathered together, and encamp in Mizpah. ¹⁸And the people—heads of Gilead—say one unto another, ‘Who is the man that doth begin to fight against the Bene-Ammon? he is for head to all inhabitants of Gilead.’

Chapter 11

¹And Jephthah the Gileadite hath been a mighty man of valour, and he is son of a woman, a harlot; and Gilead begetteth Jephthah, ²and the wife of Gilead beareth to him sons, and the wife’s sons grow up and cast out Jephthah, and say to him, ‘Thou dost not inherit in the house of our father; for son of another woman art thou.’ ³And Jephthah fleeth from the face of his brethren, and dwelleth in the land of Tob; and vain men gather themselves together unto Jephthah, and they go out with him.

⁴And it cometh to pass, after a time, that the Bene-Ammon fight with Israel, ⁵and it cometh to pass, when the Bene-Ammon have fought with Israel, that the elders of Gilead go to take Jephthah from the land of Tob; ⁶and they say unto Jephthah, ‘Come, and thou hast been to us for captain, and we fight against the Bene-Ammon.’ ⁷And Jephthah saith to the elders of Gilead, ‘Have not ye hated me? and ye cast me out from the house of my father, and wherefore have ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?’ ⁸and the elders of Gilead say unto Jephthah, ‘Therefore, now, we have turned back unto thee; and thou hast gone with us, and fought against the Bene-Ammon, and thou hast been to us for head—to all the inhabitants of Gilead.’ ⁹And Jephthah saith unto the elders of Gilead, ‘If ye are taking me back to fight against the Bene-Ammon, and Jehovah hath given them before me—I, am I to you for a head?’ ¹⁰And the elders of Gilead say unto Jephthah, ‘Jehovah is hearkening between us—if according to thy word we do not so.’ ¹¹And Jephthah goeth with the elders of Gilead, and the people set him over them for head and for captain, and Jephthah speaketh all his words before Jehovah in Mizpeh.