And there was one Jephthah a Gileadite, a strong man, which was the son of a harlot: Howbeit Gilead begat Jephthah.

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."

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.

Then the elders of Gilead went and fetched Jephthah out of the land of Tob,

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?"

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."

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."

And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The LORD be witness between us if we do not according to thy words."

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.

Then Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, "What aileth thee with me that thou comest upon me to fight against my land?"

And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, "Because Israel took away my land, when they came out of Egypt, even from Arnon unto Jabbok and from thence unto Jordan, now therefore restore those lands again with fair means."

And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the children of Ammon,

and said unto him, "Thus sayeth Jephthah: Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon.

Howbeit, the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.

Then the spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah. And he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and came to Mizpeh that lieth in Gilead, and from thence unto the children of Ammon.

And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD and said, "If thou shalt deliver the children of Ammon into my hands,

And so Jephthah went unto the children of Ammon to fight with them. And the LORD delivered them into his hands.

Then Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house. And see, his daughter came out against him, with timbrels and dances, which was his only child: so that beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

And it became an ordinance in Israel, year by year, that the daughters of Israel should go and lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite, four days in a year.

And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, "Wherefore wentest thou to fight with the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? We will therefore burn thine house upon thee with fire."

And Jephthah said unto them, "I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon. And I called you. But ye delivered me not out of their hands.

And Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with the Ephraimites. And the men of Gilead smote the Ephraimites, because they said, "Ye Gileadites are but renegades of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and the Manassites!"

And when Jephthah had judged Israel six years, he died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hands of your enemies on every side, so that ye dwelled without fear.

And what shall I more say? The time would be too short for me to tell of Gideon, of Barach, and of Samson, and of Jephthah. Also of David and Samuel, and of the prophets,