Jephthah in the Bible

Exact Match

Jephthah, Ashnah, Nezib,

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a brave warrior. His mother was a prostitute, but Gilead was his father.

Verse ConceptsIllegitimate ChildrenHarlots

Gilead's wife also gave him sons. When his wife's sons grew up, they made Jephthah leave and said to him, "You are not going to inherit any of our father's wealth, because you are another woman's son."

Verse ConceptsHalf brothers

So Jephthah left his half-brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Lawless men joined Jephthah's gang and traveled with him.

Verse ConceptsHalf brothers

When the Ammonites attacked, the leaders of Gilead asked Jephthah to come back from the land of Tob.

and they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our leader, so that we may fight against the Ammonites.”

Verse ConceptsInvitations

Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead, "But you hated me and made me leave my father's house. Why do you come to me now, when you are in trouble?"

Verse ConceptsHatredDistressHating IndividualsHalf brothers

The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "That may be true, but now we pledge to you our loyalty. Come with us and fight with the Ammonites. Then you will become the leader of all who live in Gilead."

Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead, "All right! If you take me back to fight with the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me, I will be your leader."

The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The Lord will judge any grievance you have against us, if we do not do as you say."

Verse ConceptsAppealing To GodThe Witness Of God

So Jephthah went with the leaders of Gilead. The people made him their leader and commander. Jephthah repeated the terms of the agreement before the Lord in Mizpah.

Verse ConceptsAuthority Delegated To PeopleLater Covenants With God

Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king, saying, "Why have you come against me to attack my land?"

Verse ConceptsMessengers Sent OutWhat Have We In Common?

The Ammonite king said to Jephthah's messengers, "Because Israel stole my land when they came up from Egypt -- from the Arnon River in the south to the Jabbok River in the north, and as far west as the Jordan. Now return it peaceably!"

Verse ConceptsRivers And StreamsArnon

and said to him, "This is what Jephthah says, 'Israel did not steal the land of Moab and the land of the Ammonites.

But the Ammonite king disregarded the message sent by Jephthah.

The Lord's spirit empowered Jephthah. He passed through Gilead and Manasseh and went to Mizpah in Gilead. From there he approached the Ammonites.

When Jephthah came home to Mizpah, there was his daughter hurrying out to meet him, dancing to the rhythm of tambourines. She was his only child; except for her he had no son or daughter.

Verse ConceptsdanceDancingLeisure, And PastimesMusical Instruments, types ofVirginChildren, Good Examples OfThe Only ChildMeeting PeopleMusic To CelebrateOnly Child Of Peopleprepping

Every year Israelite women commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days.

Verse ConceptsLamentingFour Or Five Days

The Ephraimites assembled and crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, "Why did you go and fight with the Ammonites without asking us to go with you? We will burn your house down right over you!"

Verse ConceptsArsonActing AloneBurning People

Jephthah said to them, "My people and I were entangled in controversy with the Ammonites. I asked for your help, but you did not deliver me from their power.

Verse ConceptsThose Not Saved

Jephthah assembled all the men of Gilead and they fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because the Ephraimites insulted them, saying, "You Gileadites are refugees in Ephraim, living within Ephraim's and Manasseh's territory."

Verse ConceptsIsrael FleeingFighting One AnotherReuben Gad And Half Manasseh

Jephthah led Israel for six years; then he died and was buried in his city in Gilead.

Verse ConceptsSix YearsJudging Israel

Ibzan, who was from Bethlehem, judged Israel after Jephthah

Verse ConceptsJudging Israel

And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

Verse Conceptsenemies, of Israel and Judahenemies, of believersGod Saving From Enemies

Thematic Bible



Jephthah was a brave soldier from Gilead. He was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was his father.


The Spirit of Jehovah came upon Jephthah. He went through Gilead and Manasseh and returned to Mizpah in Gilead and went on to Ammon.


The men of Ephraim were ready for battle. They crossed the Jordan River to Zaphon and said to Jephthah: Why did you cross the border to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We are going to burn the house down over your head! Jephthah replied: My people and I had a great struggle with the Ammonites. I called you, but you would not rescue me from them. When I realized you were not going to, I risked my life and crossed the border to fight them. Jehovah gave me victory over them. Why are you coming to fight me now? read more.
Jephthah brought all the men of Gilead together and fought the men of Ephraim and defeated them. To keep the Ephraimites from escaping, the Gileadites captured the places where the Jordan could be crossed. When any Ephraimite who was trying to escape would ask permission to cross, the men of Gilead would ask: Are you an Ephraimite? If he said: No, they would tell him to say Shibboleth. But he would say Sibboleth, because he could not pronounce it correctly. Then they would kill him at the Jordan River crossing. Forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites were killed. Jephthah led Israel for six years. Then he died and was buried in his hometown in Gilead.


Jephthah promised Jehovah: If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will sacrifice with a burnt offering the first person that comes out of my house to meet me, when I return from the victory. I will offer that person to you as a sacrifice. (Jeremiah 19:5)


After time passed the Ammonites went to war against Israel. When this war occurred, the leaders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah back from the land of Tob. They said: Come and be our commander, so that we can fight the Ammonites. read more.
Jephthah answered: You hated me so much that you forced me to leave my father's house. Why have you come to me now that you are in trouble? They replied: We turn to you now because we want you to go with us and fight the Ammonites and lead all the people of Gilead. Jephthah said: If you take me back home to fight the Ammonites and Jehovah gives me victory, will I be your ruler? They replied: We agree. Jehovah is our witness.


Jephthah went back home to Mizpah. His daughter came out to meet him, dancing and playing the tambourine. She was his only child. When he saw her, he ripped his clothes in sorrow and said: Oh, my daughter! My heart is breaking! Why must it be you? I have made a solemn promise to Jehovah, and I cannot take it back! She said: If you made a promise to Jehovah, do what you said you would do to me, since Jehovah has given you revenge on your enemies, the Ammonites. read more.
She asked her father: Do this for me. Leave me alone for two months, so that I can go with my friends to wander in the mountains and grieve that I must die a virgin. He sent her away for two months. She and her friends went up into the mountains and grieved because she was going to die unmarried and childless. She returned to her father after two months. He did what he had promised Jehovah, and she died still a virgin. This was the origin of the custom in Israel. The Israelite women would go out for four days every year to grieve for the daughter of Jephthah of Gilead.

I will sacrifice with a burnt offering the first person that comes out of my house to meet me, when I return from the victory. I will offer that person to you as a sacrifice. (Jeremiah 19:5)


Jephthah was a brave soldier from Gilead. He was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was his father. They had other sons by his wife, and when they grew up, they forced Jephthah to leave home. They told him: You will have no inheritance from our father for you are the son of another woman.


He struck at them from Aroer to the area around Minnith, twenty cities in all, and as far as Abel Keramim. It was a great slaughter. The Ammonites were defeated by Israel.


The Spirit of Jehovah came upon Jephthah. He went through Gilead and Manasseh and returned to Mizpah in Gilead and went on to Ammon.


She returned to her father after two months. He did what he had promised Jehovah, and she died still a virgin. This was the origin of the custom in Israel.


The Spirit of Jehovah came upon Jephthah. He went through Gilead and Manasseh and returned to Mizpah in Gilead and went on to Ammon. Jephthah promised Jehovah: If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will sacrifice with a burnt offering the first person that comes out of my house to meet me, when I return from the victory. I will offer that person to you as a sacrifice. (Jeremiah 19:5) read more.
Jephthah crossed the river to fight the Ammonites, and Jehovah gave him victory. He struck at them from Aroer to the area around Minnith, twenty cities in all, and as far as Abel Keramim. It was a great slaughter. The Ammonites were defeated by Israel.


Jephthah sent messengers to the king of Ammon. He said: What do you have against us that you want to fight us? Why have you invaded our country? The king of Ammon answered Jephthah's messengers: Because Israel took away our land when they came out of Egypt. They took land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River and the Jordan River. Now you must give it back peacefully. Jephthah sent messengers back to the king of Ammon. read more.
This was his answer: It is not true that Israel took away the land of Moab or the land of Ammon. It happened this way: 'when the Israelites left Egypt, they went through the desert to the Gulf of Aqaba and came to Kadesh. They sent messengers to the king of Edom to ask permission to go through his land. But the king of Edom would not let them. They also asked the king of Moab, but he would not let them go through his land. So the people of Israel stayed at Kadesh. Then they went through the desert around the land of Edom and the land of Moab until they came to the east side of Moab, on the other side of the Arnon River. They camped there, but they did not cross the Arnon because it was the boundary of Moab. The people of Israel sent messengers to Sihon, the Amorite king of Heshbon. They asked him for permission to go through his country to their own land. But Sihon refused to let Israel do it. He brought his whole army together, camped at Jahaz, and attacked Israel. Jehovah, the God of Israel, gave the people of Israel victory over Sihon and his army. So the people of Israel took possession of all the territory of the Amorites who lived in that country. They occupied all the Amorite territory from the Arnon in the south to the Jabbok in the north and from the desert on the east to the Jordan on the west. Jehovah, the God of Israel, drove out the Amorites for his people, the people of Israel. Are you going to try to take it back? You can keep whatever your god Chemosh has given you. But we are going to keep everything Jehovah, our God, has taken for us. Do you think you are better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever challenge Israel or fight with them? Israel has occupied Heshbon and Aroer for three hundred years, and the towns around them, and all the cities on the banks of the Arnon River. Why did you not retake them during that time? I have not done you any wrong. You are doing wrong to me by making war on me. Jehovah is the judge. He will decide today between the Israelites and the Ammonites.' The king of Ammon paid no attention to this message from Jephthah.


Jephthah answered: You hated me so much that you forced me to leave my father's house. Why have you come to me now that you are in trouble? They replied: We turn to you now because we want you to go with us and fight the Ammonites and lead all the people of Gilead. Jephthah said: If you take me back home to fight the Ammonites and Jehovah gives me victory, will I be your ruler? read more.
They replied: We agree. Jehovah is our witness. Jephthah went with the leaders of Gilead. The people made him their ruler and leader. Jephthah stated his terms at Mizpah in Jehovah's presence.


When this war occurred, the leaders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah back from the land of Tob. They said: Come and be our commander, so that we can fight the Ammonites. Jephthah answered: You hated me so much that you forced me to leave my father's house. Why have you come to me now that you are in trouble? read more.
They replied: We turn to you now because we want you to go with us and fight the Ammonites and lead all the people of Gilead. Jephthah said: If you take me back home to fight the Ammonites and Jehovah gives me victory, will I be your ruler? They replied: We agree. Jehovah is our witness. Jephthah went with the leaders of Gilead. The people made him their ruler and leader. Jephthah stated his terms at Mizpah in Jehovah's presence.


Jephthah was a brave soldier from Gilead. He was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was his father. They had other sons by his wife, and when they grew up, they forced Jephthah to leave home. They told him: You will have no inheritance from our father for you are the son of another woman.


What more shall I say? For the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,


Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. There a group of worthless men joined with him and they went around together.


Jephthah led Israel for six years. Then he died and was buried in his hometown in Gilead.


Jephthah brought all the men of Gilead together and fought the men of Ephraim and defeated them.


When this war occurred, the leaders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah back from the land of Tob.


The men of Ephraim were ready for battle. They crossed the Jordan River to Zaphon and said to Jephthah: Why did you cross the border to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We are going to burn the house down over your head!


Their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, to Aroer that is near Rabbah;

The tribe of Gad rebuilt the cities of Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,


The men of Ephraim were ready for battle. They crossed the Jordan River to Zaphon and said to Jephthah: Why did you cross the border to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We are going to burn the house down over your head! Jephthah replied: My people and I had a great struggle with the Ammonites. I called you, but you would not rescue me from them. When I realized you were not going to, I risked my life and crossed the border to fight them. Jehovah gave me victory over them. Why are you coming to fight me now? read more.
Jephthah brought all the men of Gilead together and fought the men of Ephraim and defeated them. To keep the Ephraimites from escaping, the Gileadites captured the places where the Jordan could be crossed. When any Ephraimite who was trying to escape would ask permission to cross, the men of Gilead would ask: Are you an Ephraimite? If he said: No, they would tell him to say Shibboleth. But he would say Sibboleth, because he could not pronounce it correctly. Then they would kill him at the Jordan River crossing. Forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites were killed. Jephthah led Israel for six years. Then he died and was buried in his hometown in Gilead.


Jephthah was a brave soldier from Gilead. He was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was his father.


Jephthah promised Jehovah: If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will sacrifice with a burnt offering the first person that comes out of my house to meet me, when I return from the victory. I will offer that person to you as a sacrifice. (Jeremiah 19:5) Jephthah crossed the river to fight the Ammonites, and Jehovah gave him victory. read more.
He struck at them from Aroer to the area around Minnith, twenty cities in all, and as far as Abel Keramim. It was a great slaughter. The Ammonites were defeated by Israel. Jephthah went back home to Mizpah. His daughter came out to meet him, dancing and playing the tambourine. She was his only child. When he saw her, he ripped his clothes in sorrow and said: Oh, my daughter! My heart is breaking! Why must it be you? I have made a solemn promise to Jehovah, and I cannot take it back! She said: If you made a promise to Jehovah, do what you said you would do to me, since Jehovah has given you revenge on your enemies, the Ammonites.


Jephthah promised Jehovah: If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will sacrifice with a burnt offering the first person that comes out of my house to meet me, when I return from the victory. I will offer that person to you as a sacrifice. (Jeremiah 19:5)

Jephthah went back home to Mizpah. His daughter came out to meet him, dancing and playing the tambourine. She was his only child. When he saw her, he ripped his clothes in sorrow and said: Oh, my daughter! My heart is breaking! Why must it be you? I have made a solemn promise to Jehovah, and I cannot take it back! She said: If you made a promise to Jehovah, do what you said you would do to me, since Jehovah has given you revenge on your enemies, the Ammonites. read more.
She asked her father: Do this for me. Leave me alone for two months, so that I can go with my friends to wander in the mountains and grieve that I must die a virgin. He sent her away for two months. She and her friends went up into the mountains and grieved because she was going to die unmarried and childless. She returned to her father after two months. He did what he had promised Jehovah, and she died still a virgin. This was the origin of the custom in Israel.


References

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