Judges 11:1-11 - Jephthah Becomes Israel's Leader

¹ Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior; he was the son of a prostitute, and {Gilead was his father}. ² Gilead's wife also bore for him sons; and the sons of [his] wife grew up and drove Jephthah away, and they said to him, "You will not inherit the house of our father because you [are] the son of another woman." ³ So Jephthah fled from the presence of his brothers, and he lived in the land of Tob. And {outlaws} gathered around Jephthah and went with him.

⁴ After a time the {Ammonites} made war with Israel. ⁵ When the {Ammonites} made war with Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of Tob. ⁶ And they said to Jephthah, "Come and be our commander, so that we may make war against the {Ammonites}."

⁷ Jephthah said to the elders, "Did you not shun me and drive me out from the house of my father? Why do you come to me now when you have trouble?"

⁸ And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "That being so, we have now returned to you, that you may go with us {to fight} against the {Ammonites} and become for us as head of all the inhabitants of Gilead."

⁹ So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "If you bring me back {to fight} against the {Ammonites}, and Yahweh gives them {over to me}, will I be your head?"

¹⁰ And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "Yahweh will be a {witness} between us; we will act according to your word." ¹¹ So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them. And Jephthah spoke all his words before Yahweh at Mizpah.