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

¹ Now, Jephthah the Gileadite, was a mighty man of valour, but, he, was the son of an unchaste woman, - yet Gilead was the father of Jephthah. ² And the wife of Gilead bare him sons, - and, when the wife's sons grew up, they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him - Thou shalt not inherit with the house of our father, for, son of an alien woman, art thou. ³ So Jephthah fled from the face of his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob, - and there gathered about Jephthah unemployed men, who went forth with him.

⁴ And so it came to pass, after a time, - that the sons of Ammon made war with Israel. ⁵ When, therefore, it came to pass that the sons of Ammon made war with Israel, then went the elders of Gilead, to summon Jephthah out of the land of Tob. ⁶ And they said to Jephthah, Oh! come and be our commander, - that we may do battle with the sons of Ammon.

⁷ But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, Have not, ye, hated me, and thrust me out from the house of my father? Wherefore then, are ye come unto me, now, when ye are in distress?

⁸ And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah - Therefore, have we, now, returned unto thee, that, if thou go with us, and do battle with the sons of Ammon, then shalt thou become our head, for all the inhabitants of Gilead.

⁹ And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead - If ye do bring me back to do battle with the sons of Ammon, and Yahweh deliver them up before me, shall, I myself, become your head?

¹⁰ And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah - Yahweh himself, will be hearkening between us, if, according to thy word, so, we do not. ¹¹ Then went Jephthah with the elders of Gilead, and the people set him over them, as head and commander, - and Jephthah spake all his words before Yahweh, in Mizpah.