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

¹ And there was one Jephthah a Gileadite, a strong man, which was the son of a harlot: Howbeit Gilead begat Jephthah. ² But Gilead's wife bare him sons, which when they were come to age, thrust out of Jephthah, and said unto him, "Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house, for thou art the son of a strange woman." ³ Then Jephthah fled from his brethren and dwelt in the land of Tob. And there gathered idle people to Jephthah, and went out with him.

⁴ But it chanced, in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel. ⁵ Then the elders of Gilead went and fetched Jephthah out of the land of Tob, ⁶ and said unto him, "Come and be our captain, and let us fight with the children of Ammon."

⁷ And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, "Did not ye hate me and expel me out of my father's house? How happeneth it then that you come unto me now in time of your tribulation?"

⁸ And the elders of Gilead answered Jephthah, "Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabiters of Gilead."

⁹ And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, "If ye bring me home again, to fight with the children of Ammon, then if the LORD deliver them before me, I shall be your head."

¹⁰ And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The LORD be witness between us if we do not according to thy words." ¹¹ Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead. And the people made him head and ruler over them. And Jephthah rehearsed all his words in Mizpeh.