NASB — Judges 11 — KJV

Jephthah the Ninth Judge

1 Now aJephthah° the Gileadite° was a Ivaliant° warrior°, but he was the son° of a harlot°°. And Gilead° IIwas the father° of Jephthah°. 2 Gilead’s° wife° bore° him sons°; and when his wife’s° sons° grew° up, they drove° Jephthah° out and said° to him, “You shall not have° an inheritance° in our father’s° house°, for you are the son° of another° woman°.” 3 So Jephthah° fled° from his brothers° and lived° in the land° of aTob°; and worthless° fellows° gathered° themselves Iabout° Jephthah°, and they went° out with him.

[1] IOr mighty man of valor IILit begat aHe 11:32
[3] ILit to a2S 10:6, 8

4 ¶ It came° about after° a while° that athe sons° of Ammon° fought° against° Israel°. 5 When° the sons° of Ammon° fought° against° Israel°, the elders° of Gilead° went° to get° Jephthah° from the land° of Tob°; 6 and they said° to Jephthah°, “Come° and be our chief° that we may fight° against the sons° of Ammon°.” 7 Then Jephthah° said° to the elders° of Gilead°, “aDid you not hate° me and drive° me from my father’s° house°? So why° have you come° to me now° when° you are in trouble°?” 8 The elders° of Gilead° said° to Jephthah°, “For this° reason° we have now° returned° to you, that you may go° with us and fight° with the sons° of Ammon° and abecome° head° over all° the inhabitants° of Gilead°.” 9 So Jephthah° said° to the elders° of Gilead°, “If° you take° me back° to fight° against the sons° of Ammon° and the LORD° gives° them up Ito me, will I become° your head°?” 10 The elders° of Gilead° said° to Jephthah°, “aThe LORD° is Iwitness° between° us; surely°° we will do° IIas you have said°.” 11 Then Jephthah° went° with the elders° of Gilead°, and the people° made° him head° and chief° over° them; and Jephthah° spoke° all° his words° before° the LORD° at aMizpah°.

[4] aJg 10:9, 17
[7] aGn 26:27
[8] aJg 10:18
[9] ILit before
[10] ILit hearer IILit according to your word aGn 31:50; Jr 29:23; 42:5; Mi 1:2
[11] aJg 10:17; 11:29; 20:1; 1S 10:17

12 ¶ Now Jephthah° sent° messengers° to the king° of the sons° of Ammon°, saying°, “What° is between you and me, that you have come° to me to fight° against my land°?” 13 The king° of the sons° of Ammon° said° to the messengers° of Jephthah°, “Because° Israel° atook° away my land° when they came° up from Egypt°, from the Arnon° as far° as the bJabbok° and the Jordan°; therefore, return° them peaceably° now°.” 14 But Jephthah° sent° messengers° again°° to the king° of the sons° of Ammon°, 15 and they said° to him, “Thus° says° Jephthah°, ‘Israel° did not take° away the land° of Moab° nor° the land° of the sons° of Ammon°. 16 For when they came° up from Egypt°, and Israel° awent° through the wilderness° to the IRed°° Sea° and bcame° to Kadesh°, 17 then Israel° asent° messengers° to the king° of Edom°, saying°, “Please° let us pass° through your land°,” but the king° of Edom° would not listen°. bAnd they also° sent° to the king° of Moab°, but he would not consent°. So Israel° remained° at Kadesh°. 18 Then they went° through the wilderness° and aaround° the land° of Edom° and the land° of Moab°, and came° to the east°° side°° of the land° of Moab°, and they camped° beyond° the Arnon°; but they bdid not enter° the territory° of Moab°, for the Arnon° [was] the border° of Moab°. 19 And Israel° sent° amessengers° to Sihon° king° of the Amorites°, the king° of Heshbon°, and Israel° said° to him, “Please° let us pass° through your land° to our place°.” 20 But Sihon° did not trust° Israel° to pass° through his territory°; so Sihon° gathered° all° his people° and camped° in Jahaz° and fought° with Israel°. 21 The LORD°, the God° of Israel°, gave° Sihon° and all° his people° into the hand° of Israel°, and they Iadefeated° them; so Israel° possessed° all° the land° of the Amorites°, the inhabitants° of that country°. 22 aSo they possessed° all° the territory° of the Amorites°, from the Arnon° as far° as the Jabbok°, and from the wilderness° as far° as the Jordan°. 23 Since now° the LORD°, the God° of Israel°, drove° out the Amorites° from before° His people° Israel°, are you then to possess° it? 24 Do you not possess° what° aChemosh° your god° gives° you to possess°? So whatever°° the LORD° our God° has driven° out before°° us, we will possess° it. 25 Now° are you any° better° than° aBalak° the son° of Zippor°, king° of Moab°? Did he ever° strive° with Israel°, or° did he ever° fight° against them? 26 aWhile Israel° lived° in Heshbon° and its villages°, and in Aroer° and its villages°, and in all° the cities° that are on the banks° of the Arnon°, three° hundred° years°, why° did you not recover° them within that time°? 27 I therefore have not sinned° against you, but you are doing° me wrong° by making° war° against me; amay the LORD°, the Judge°, judge° today° between° the sons° of Israel° and the sons° of Ammon°.’” 28 But the king° of the sons° of Ammon° Idisregarded°° the message° which° Jephthah° sent° him.

[13] aNu 21:24 bGn 32:22
[16] ILit Sea of Reeds aNu 14:25; Dt 1:40 bNu 20:1, 4-21
[17] aNu 20:14-21 bJsh 24:9
[18] aNu 21:4; Dt 2:8 bDt 2:9, 18, 19
[19] aNu 21:21-32; Dt 2:26-36
[21] ILit smote aNu 21:24; Dt 2:32-34
[22] aDt 2:36, 37
[24] aNu 21:29; 1K 11:7
[25] aNu 22:2; Jsh 24:9; Mi 6:5
[26] aNu 21:25, 26; Dt 2:36
[27] aGn 16:5; 18:25; 31:53; 1S 24:12, 15
[28] ILit did not listen to the words

Jephthah’s Tragic Vow

29 ¶ Now athe Spirit° of the LORD° came° upon Jephthah°, so that he passed° through° Gilead° and Manasseh°; then he passed° through° Mizpah° of Gilead°, and from Mizpah° of Gilead° he went° on to the sons° of Ammon°. 30 Jephthah° made° a vow° to the LORD° and said°, “If° You will indeed° give° the sons° of Ammon° into my hand°, 31 then it shall be that whatever° comes° out of the doors° of my house° to meet° me when I return° in peace° from the sons° of Ammon°, it shall be the LORDS°, and I will offer° it up as a burnt° offering°.” 32 So Jephthah° crossed° over° to the sons° of Ammon° to fight° against them; and the LORD° gave° them into his hand°. 33 He struck° them with a very° great° slaughter° from Aroer° Ito the entrance° of aMinnith°, twenty° cities°, and as far° as Abel-keramim°. So the sons° of Ammon° were subdued° before°° the sons° of Israel°.

[29] aJg 3:10
[33] ILit even until you are coming to aEzk 27:17

34 ¶ When Jephthah° came° to his house° at aMizpah°, behold°, his daughter° was coming° out to meet° him bwith tambourines° and with dancing°. Now she was his one° [and] only° child°; besides° her he had° no° son° or° daughter°. 35 When he saw° her, he tore° his clothes° and said°, “Alas°, my daughter°! You have brought° me very° low°, and you are among those who trouble° me; for I have Igiven° my word° to the LORD°, and aI cannot°° take° [it] back°.” 36 So she said° to him, “My father°, you have Igiven° your word° to the LORD°; ado° to me IIas you have said°°°, since°° the LORD° has avenged° you of your enemies°, the sons° of Ammon°.” 37 She said° to her father°, “Let this° thing° be done° for me; let° me alone°° two° months°, that I may Igo°° to the mountains° and weep° because° of amy virginity°, I and my companions°.” 38 Then he said°, “Go°.” So he sent° her away° for two° months°; and she left° with her companions°, and wept° on the mountains° because° of her virginity°. 39 At the end° of two° months° she returned° to her father°, who did° to her according to the vow° which° he had made°; and she Ihad° no° relations° with a man°. Thus it became° a custom° in Israel°, 40 that the daughters° of Israel° went° yearly° to Icommemorate° the daughter° of Jephthah° the Gileadite° four° days° in the year°.

[34] aJg 10:17; 11:11 bEx 15:20; 1S 18:6; Jr 31:4
[35] ILit opened my mouth aNu 30:2; Ec 5:4, 5
[36] ILit opened your mouth IILit according to what has proceeded from your mouth aNu 30:2
[37] ILit go and go down on aGn 30:23; Lk 1:25
[39] ILit knew no man
[40] ILit recount; ancient versions, lament


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The covenant between Jephthah and the Gileadites, that he should be their head.

1 ¶ Now Jephthahº the Gileaditeº was² a mighty manº of valour,º and he² [was] the sonº of an harlot:ººª and Gileadº begatºª² Jephthah.º 2 And Gilead'sº wifeº bareºª him sons;º and his wife'sº sonsº grew up,ºª and they thrust outºª² Jephthah,º and saidºª unto him, Thou shalt not² inheritºª in our father'sº house;º for² thou² [art] the sonº of a strangeº woman.º 3 Then Jephthahº fledºª fromº² his brethren,º and dweltºª in the landº of Tob:º and there were gatheredºª vainº men¹² to² Jephthah,º and went outºª with² him.

[1] Jsh 2:1; Jg 6:12; 11:2; 2K 5:1; He 11:32.
[2] Gn 12:10; Dt 23:2; Pv 2:16; 5:3, 20; 6:24; Ga 4:30.
[3] Jg 9:4; 1S 22:2; 27:2; 30:22; 2S 10:6; Jb 30:1; Ac 17:5.

4 ¶ And it came to pass² in process of time,º² that the childrenº of Ammonº made warºª against² Israel.º 5 And it was² so, that when² the childrenº of Ammonº made warºª against² Israel,º the eldersº of Gileadº went¹ª² to fetchºª² Jephthahº out of the landº² of Tob:º 6 And they saidºª unto Jephthah,º Come,¹ª² and be² our captain,º that we may fightºª with the childrenº of Ammon.º 7 And Jephthahº saidºª unto the eldersº of Gilead,º Did not² ye² hateºª me, and expelºª me out of my father'sº house?º² and why² are ye comeºª unto² me now² when² ye are in distress?¹ª² 8 And the eldersº of Gileadº saidºª unto² Jephthah,º Therefore² we turn againºª to² thee now,² that thou mayest goºª with² us, and fightºª against the childrenº of Ammon,º and be² our headº over all² the inhabitantsºª of Gilead.º 9 And Jephthahº saidºª unto² the eldersº of Gilead,º If² ye² bring me home againºª² to fightºª against the childrenº of Ammon,º and the LORDº deliverºª them beforeº me, shall I² be² your head?º 10 And the eldersº of Gileadº saidºª unto² Jephthah,º The LORDº be² witnessºª between² us, if² we doºª not² so² according to thy words.º 11 Then Jephthahº went¹ª² with² the eldersº of Gilead,º and the peopleº madeºª him headº and captainº over² them: and Jephthahº utteredºª² all² his wordsº beforeº the LORDº in Mizpeh.º

[4] Jg 11:4.
[5] Jg 10:9, 17; 1S 10:27; 11:6, 12; Ps 118:22; Ac 7:35; 1Co 1:27.
[7] Gn 26:27; 37:27; 45:4; Pv 17:17; Is 60:14; Ac 7:9; Rv 3:9.
[8] Ex 8:8, 28; 9:28; 10:17; Jg 10:18; 1K 13:6; Lk 17:3.
[9] Nu 32:20.
[10] Gn 16:5; 21:23; 31:50, 53; Ex 20:7; Dt 1:16; 1S 12:5; 24:12; Jr 29:23; 42:5; Zc 5:4; Mal 3:5; Ro 1:9; 2Co 11:31.
[11] Gn 31:49; Jsh 15:38; Jg 10:17; 11:8, 29; 20:1; 1S 10:17; 11:15; 23:9; 1K 3:7; 2Co 3:5; Jm 1:5, 17.

The treaty of peace between him and the Ammonites is in vain.

12 ¶ And Jephthahº sentºª messengersº unto² the kingº of the childrenº of Ammon,º saying,ºª What² hast thou to do with me, that² thou art comeºª against² me to fightºª in my land?º 13 And the kingº of the childrenº of Ammonº answeredºª unto² the messengersº of Jephthah,º Because² Israelº took awayºª² my land,º when they came upºª out of Egypt,º² from Arnonº² even unto² Jabbok,º and unto² Jordan:º now² therefore restore those [lands] againºª² peaceably.º 14 And Jephthahº sentºª messengersº againºª² unto² the kingº of the childrenº of Ammon:º 15 And saidºª unto him, Thus² saithºª Jephthah,º Israelº took not awayºª²² the landº of Moab,º nor the landº of the childrenº of Ammon:º 16 But² when Israelº came upºª from Egypt,º² and walked¹ª² through the wildernessº unto² the Redº sea,º and cameºª to Kadesh;º 17 Then Israelº sentºª messengersº unto² the kingº of Edom,º saying,ºª Let me, I pray thee,² pass² through¹ª thy land:º but the kingº of Edomº would not² hearkenºª [thereto]. And in like manner² they sentºª unto² the kingº of Moab:º but he wouldºª not² [consent]: and Israelº abodeºª in Kadesh.º 18 Then they went along¹ª² through the wilderness,º and compassedºª² the landº of Edom,º and the landº of Moab,º and cameºª by the east sideºº² of the landº of Moab,º and pitchedºª on the other sideº of Arnon,º but cameºª not² within the borderº of Moab:º for² Arnonº [was] the borderº of Moab.º 19 And Israelº sentºª messengersº unto² Sihonº kingº of the Amorites,º the kingº of Heshbon;º and Israelº saidºª unto him, Let us pass,ºª we pray thee,² through thy landº intoº my place.º 20 But Sihonº trustedºª not²² Israelº to passºª through his coast:º but Sihonº gathered¹ª all his people¹ together,ºª²²² and pitchedºª in Jahaz,º and foughtºª against² Israel.º 21 And the LORDº Godº of Israelº deliveredºª² Sihonº and all² his peopleº into the handº of Israel,º and they smoteºª them: so Israelº possessedºª² all² the landº of the Amorites,º the inhabitantsºª of that² country.º 22 And they possessedºª² all² the coastsº of the Amorites,º from Arnonº² even unto² Jabbok,º and from² the wildernessº even unto² Jordan.º 23 So now² the LORDº Godº of Israelº hath dispossessedºª² the Amoritesº from beforeº² his peopleº Israel,º and shouldest thou² possessºª it? 24 Wilt not² thou possessºª² that which² Chemoshº thy godº giveth thee to possess?ºª So whomsoever²² the LORDº our Godº shall drive outºª from beforeº² us, them will we possess.ºª 25 And now² [art] thou² any thing betterº than Balakº² the sonº of Zippor,º kingº of Moab?º did he ever¹ª striveºª against² Israel,º or² did he ever¹ª fightºª against them, 26 While Israelº dweltºª in Heshbonº and her towns,º and in Aroerº and her towns,º and in all² the citiesº that² [be] along by² the coastsº of Arnon,º threeº hundredº years?º why² therefore did ye not² recoverºª [them] within that² time?º 27 Wherefore I² have not² sinnedºª against thee, but thou² doestºª¹ me wrongº to warºª against me: the LORDº the Judgeºª be judgeºª this dayº between² the childrenº of Israelº and the childrenº of Ammon.º 28 Howbeit the kingº of the childrenº of Ammonº hearkenedºª not² unto² the wordsº of Jephthahº which² he sentºª² him.

[12] Nu 20:14; 21:21; Dt 2:26; 20:10; 2K 14:8; Pv 25:8; Mt 18:15.
[13] Gn 32:22; Nu 21:24; Dt 2:37; 3:16; Pv 19:5, 9.
[14] Ps 120:7; Ro 12:18; He 12:14; 1P 3:11.
[15] Nu 21:13, 27; Dt 2:9, 19; 2Ch 20:10; Ac 24:12.
[16] Gn 14:7; Nu 13:26; 14:25; 20:1; Dt 1:40, 46; Jsh 5:6.
[17] Nu 20:1, 14, 16; Dt 2:4, 9, 29.
[18] Nu 20:22; 21:4, 10, 11, 13; 22:36; 33:37; Dt 2:1.
[19] Nu 21:21; Dt 2:26; 3:1; Jsh 13:8.
[20] Nu 21:23, 24; Dt 2:32, 33; Jsh 13:15; Ne 9:22; Ps 135:10; 136:17.
[22] Dt 2:36.
[24] Nu 21:29; Dt 9:4; 18:12; Jsh 3:10; 1K 11:7; Ps 44:2; 78:55; Jr 48:7, 46; Mi 4:5.
[25] Nu 22:2; Dt 23:3; Jsh 24:9; Mi 6:5.
[26] Nu 21:25; Dt 2:24, 36; 3:2, 6; Jsh 11:18; 12:2, 5; 13:10; 23:1; Jg 3:11, 30; 5:31; 8:28; 9:22; 10:2, 8.
[27] Gn 16:5; 18:25; 31:53; 1S 2:10; 24:12, 15; Jb 9:15; 23:7; Ps 7:8, 11; 50:6; 75:7; 82:8; 94:2; 98:9; Ec 11:9; 12:14; Jn 5:22; Ro 14:10; 2Co 5:10; 11:11; 2Ti 4:8; He 12:23.
[28] 2K 14:11; Pv 16:18.

Jephthah's vow.

29 ¶ Then the Spiritº of the LORDº came² upon² Jephthah,º and he passed overºª² Gilead,º and Manasseh,º and passed overºª² Mizpehº of Gilead,º and from Mizpehº² of Gileadº he passed overºª [unto] the childrenº of Ammon.º 30 And Jephthahº vowedºª a vowº unto the LORD,º and said,ºª If² thou shalt without fail¹ª deliverºª² the childrenº of Ammonº into mine hands,º 31 Then it shall be,² that whatsoever¹ª² cometh forthºª of the doorsº² of my houseº to meetºª me, when I returnºª in peaceº from the childrenº² of Ammon,º shall surely be² the LORD'S,º and I will offer it upºª for a burnt offering.º

[29] Nu 11:25; Jg 3:10; 6:34; 10:17; 13:25; 1S 10:10; 16:13; 1Ch 12:18.
[30] Gn 28:20; Nu 30:2; 1S 1:11; Ec 5:1, 4.
[31] Lv 27:2, 11, 28; Dt 23:18; 1S 1:11, 28; 2:18; 14:24, 44; Ps 66:13; Is 66:3.

His conquest of the Ammonites.

32 ¶ So Jephthahº passed overºª unto² the childrenº of Ammonº to fightºª against them; and the LORDº deliveredºª them into his hands.º 33 And he smoteºª them from Aroer,º² even till² thou comeºª to Minnith,º [even] twentyº cities,º and unto² the plainº of the vineyards,ºª¹ with a veryº greatº slaughter.º Thus the childrenº of Ammonº were subduedºª beforeº² the childrenº of Israel.º

[32] Jg 1:4; 2:18; 3:10.
[33] Dt 2:36; Ezk 27:17.

He performeth his vow on his daughter.

34 ¶ And Jephthahº cameºª to Mizpehº unto² his house,º and, behold,² his daughterº came outºª to meetºª him with timbrelsº and with dances:º and she² [was his] only child;º beside² her he had neither² sonº norº daughter.º 35 And it came to pass,² when he sawºª her, that he rentºª² his clothes,º and said,ºª Alas,º my daughter!º thou hast brought¹ª me very¹ª low,ºª and thou² art² one of them that troubleºª me: for I² have openedºª my mouthº unto² the LORD,º and I cannotºª² go back.ºª 36 And she saidºª unto² him, My father,º [if] thou hast openedºª² thy mouthº unto² the LORD,º doºª to me according to that whichº hath proceeded¹ª out² of thy mouth;º² forasmuchº² as the LORDº hath takenºª vengeanceº for thee of thine enemies,ºª² [even] of the childrenº² of Ammon.º 37 And she saidºª unto² her father,º Let this² thingº be doneºª for me: let me aloneºª² twoº months,º that I may go up¹ª² and downºª upon² the mountains,º and bewailºª² my virginity,º I² and my fellows.ºª¹ 38 And he said,ºª Go.¹ª² And he sent her awayºª² [for] twoº months:º and she² went¹ª² with her companions,º and bewailedºª² her virginityº upon² the mountains.º 39 And it came to pass² at the endº² of twoº months,º that she returnedºª unto² her father,º who didºª with her [according] to² his vowº which² he had vowed:ºª and she² knewºª no² man.º And it was² a customº in Israel,º 40 [That] the daughtersº of Israelº went¹ª² yearlyº² to lamentºª the daughterº of Jephthahº the Gileaditeº fourº daysº in a year.º

[34] Ex 15:20; Jg 5:1; 10:17; 11:11; 1S 18:6; Ps 68:25; 148:11; 150:4; Jr 31:4, 13; Zc 12:10; Lk 7:12; 8:42; 9:38.
[35] Gn 37:29, 34; 42:36; Lv 27:28; Nu 30:2; Jg 21:1; 1S 14:44; 2S 13:30; 18:33; Jb 1:20; Ps 15:4; Ec 5:2; Mt 14:7; Ac 23:14.
[36] Jg 16:28; 2S 18:19, 31; 19:30; Ac 20:24; 21:13; Ro 16:4; Php 2:30.
[37] 1S 1:6; Lk 1:25.
[39] Lv 27:4, 28; Dt 12:31; Jg 11:29, 31; 1S 1:11, 22, 24, 28; 2:18; Is 66:3.
[40] Jg 5:11; 1K 9:25.


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