Jephthah

1Jephthah came from Gilead. He was a strong, brave fighter. His mother was a prostitute, a woman who sold her body to men. His father was Gilead.

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.

NoteGilead was the name of Jephthah's father. It was also the name of a land east of the Jordan River.

2Gilead's wife also had sons. When those sons grew up, they pushed Jephthah out. They said, "You will get nothing from our father. Your mother was a different woman."

And Gilead’s wife bare him sons; and his wife’s sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.

NoteIn those days, sons got their father's land and money when he died. Jephthah's brothers did not want to share any of it with him.

3So Jephthah ran away from his brothers. He went to live in the land of Tob. Some rough men with no good name joined him and went out with him.

Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.

NoteThe King James calls them "vain men". That means men with no money and no good name. Some of them were probably robbers.

4After some time, the people of Ammon started a war against Israel.

And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.

NoteThe people of Ammon, called Ammonites, lived right next to Israel. Their land was east of the Jordan River.

5When the Ammonites attacked, the leaders of Gilead went to the land of Tob. They went to bring Jephthah back.

And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:

NoteThe elders were the older men who led a town. People trusted them and listened to them.

6They said to Jephthah, "Come and be our commander. Then we can fight the Ammonites."

And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.

NoteA commander is the man who leads an army into battle.

7Jephthah said, "You hated me. You pushed me out of my father's house. Why come to me now, when you are in trouble?"

And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father’s house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?

8The leaders of Gilead said, "That is why we came back to you. Come and fight the Ammonites with us. Then be the leader of everyone in Gilead."

And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

9Jephthah said, "You want me to come home and fight the Ammonites. If the LORD helps me beat them, will I really be your leader?"

And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?

10The leaders of Gilead said, "The LORD is listening to us. We will do just what you said."

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

NoteThey made this promise in God's name. That made it very serious. Breaking it would be a terrible thing to do.

11So Jephthah went with the leaders of Gilead. The people made him their leader and commander. At the town of Mizpeh, he said all these words again in front of the LORD.

Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh.

NoteMizpeh was a town in Gilead. Saying words "before the LORD" meant saying them out loud at a holy place. It was a way of making the deal real.

12Then Jephthah sent men with a message to the king of Ammon. It said, "What do you have against me? Why have you come to fight in my land?"

And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?

NoteKings did not have phones or mail. They sent messages by men who walked all the way to the other king.

13The king of Ammon answered, "Israel took my land when they came up out of Egypt. They took it from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River, all the way to the Jordan. Now give those lands back in peace."

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

NoteLong before this, the people of Israel were slaves in Egypt. God brought them out and they walked to this land. Both men know that old story.

14Jephthah sent his men to the king of Ammon again.

And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:

15They said, "Jephthah says this: Israel did not take the land of Moab. Israel did not take the land of Ammon."

And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:

16"When Israel came up out of Egypt, they walked through the desert. They went to the Red Sea and then came to a place called Kadesh."

But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;

NoteThe Red Sea is a big sea near Egypt. Kadesh was a resting place out in the dry desert.

17"Israel asked the king of Edom, 'Please let us walk through your land.' The king said no. Israel asked the king of Moab too. He also said no. So Israel stayed at Kadesh."

Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh.

NoteEdom and Moab were lands close to Israel. You had to ask a king before walking through his land.

18"Then Israel walked through the desert and went around Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of Moab and camped across the Arnon River. They never stepped inside Moab, because the Arnon was Moab's border."

Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab.

19"Israel sent men to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon. They said, 'Please let us walk through your land to our own place.'"

And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place.

NoteThe Amorites were another people living east of the Jordan River. Heshbon was the city where their king lived.

20"But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his land. He gathered all his people, camped at Jahaz, and fought Israel."

But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.

21"The LORD, the God of Israel, handed Sihon and all his people over to Israel. Israel beat them. So Israel took all the land of the Amorites who lived there."

And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.

Note"Handed over" is a way of saying God let Israel win the fight.

22"They took all the land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River. It went from the desert all the way to the Jordan River."

And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.

23"The LORD, the God of Israel, drove the Amorites out for his people. So should you take that land now?"

So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?

24"You keep whatever your god Chemosh gives you, don't you? In the same way, we keep whatever the LORD our God gives us."

Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.

NoteChemosh was the god that the people of Moab and Ammon prayed to. Jephthah is talking to the king in the king's own words.

25"Are you better than Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab? Did he ever argue with Israel or fight against them?"

And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,

NoteBalak was a king of Moab many years before this. He never went to war with Israel.

26"For three hundred years Israel has lived in Heshbon and its towns, in Aroer and its towns, and in all the towns by the Arnon. Why did you not take them back in all that time?"

While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?

NoteThree hundred years is a very long time. Jephthah is saying, "You waited far too long to ask for this land."

27"I have done nothing wrong to you. You are the one doing wrong by fighting me. Let the LORD, the true Judge, decide today between Israel and Ammon."

Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.

NoteA judge is someone who listens and then says who is right. Jephthah asks God to be that judge.

28But the king of Ammon would not listen to the message Jephthah sent him.

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

29Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Jephthah. He traveled through Gilead and Manasseh. He passed through Mizpeh of Gilead and went on to fight the Ammonites.

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.

NoteThis means God gave Jephthah strength and courage for the work ahead.

30Jephthah made a promise to the LORD. He said, "If you really hand the Ammonites over to me,"

And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,

NoteA serious promise made to God was called a vow. People believed a vow could never be taken back.

31"then this is what I will do. When I come home safe, something will come out my door to meet me. Whatever it is, it will belong to the LORD. I will offer it up as a burnt offering."

Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

NoteA burnt offering was a gift given to God. It was burned on a stone table called an altar. It was almost always an animal, like a sheep or a goat.

32So Jephthah crossed over to fight the Ammonites. The LORD handed them over to him.

So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.

33He beat them from Aroer all the way to Minnith. He took twenty towns and went on to the plain of the vineyards. Very many were killed. So Ammon was beaten down by Israel.

And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.

NoteA vineyard is a field where grapes grow. Aroer and Minnith were towns in that land.

34Jephthah came home to his house in Mizpeh. His daughter came out to meet him, playing a small drum and dancing. She was his only child. He had no other son or daughter.

And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

NoteThe King James says "timbrels". A timbrel was a small drum you hit and shook, like a tambourine. Women often met soldiers coming home with music and dancing.

35When he saw her, he tore his clothes to show his sadness. He said, "Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down low. You are the one who brings me this pain. I gave my word to the LORD, and I cannot take it back."

And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.

NoteLong ago, people tore their own clothes when something terribly sad happened. Anyone who saw the torn clothes knew right away that they were hurting.

36She said, "My father, you gave your word to the LORD. Do to me what you said. The LORD has paid back your enemies, the Ammonites, for you."

And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.

37She said to her father, "Please do this one thing for me. Give me two months. Let me walk in the hills with my friends. I want to cry, because I will never marry or have children."

And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.

NoteBack then, almost every girl grew up, married, and had children. To lose that was a very big loss. She asks for time to cry about it first.

38He said, "Go." So he sent her away for two months. She went into the hills with her friends and cried there.

And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.

39After the two months she came back to her father. He did to her what he had promised. She never married. From then on, Israel kept this custom:

And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,

NoteA custom is something people do the same way, year after year.

40Every year the girls of Israel go out for four days. They remember Jephthah's daughter and cry for her.

That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

NoteTo "lament" means to cry out loud for someone you have lost.

1The men of Ephraim came together and went north. They asked Jephthah, "Why did you go fight Ammon without us? We will burn your house down with you inside!"

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

NoteEphraim was one of the big family groups of Israel, called tribes. Jephthah was Israel's leader then. Ammon was a nearby country that had been fighting Israel.

2Jephthah answered them, "My people and I were in a hard fight with Ammon. I called you for help, but you did not come and save us."

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

3"When you did not come, I risked my own life. I went to fight Ammon, and the LORD helped me win. So why have you come today to fight me?"

And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

NoteThe LORD in capital letters stands for God's own special name.

4So Jephthah called together all the men of Gilead. They fought Ephraim and beat them. This was because Ephraim had said, "You Gileadites are just people who ran away from Ephraim. You live among the people of Ephraim and Manasseh."

Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

NoteGilead was land on the far side of the Jordan River. Its people belonged to Israel too. Ephraim was calling them nobodies who did not really belong. Manasseh was another family of Israel, like Ephraim, with land of its own.

5The men of Gilead took over the shallow places where people crossed the Jordan River. When a man from Ephraim tried to run away, he would say, "Let me cross." The men of Gilead would ask, "Are you from Ephraim?" If he said, "No,"

And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;

NoteThe Jordan River was too deep to walk across in most spots. Only a few shallow places worked. Guards there could stop every person trying to cross.

6then they said, "Say the word Shibboleth." He would say "Sibboleth," because he could not say it right. Then they grabbed him and killed him at the river crossing. That day 42,000 men of Ephraim died.

Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

NoteShibboleth was a plain, ordinary word. People in Ephraim said the first sound a different way, the way an accent sounds. So one word showed where a man came from.

7Jephthah led Israel as a judge for six years. Then Jephthah of Gilead died. He was buried in one of the towns of Gilead.

And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

NoteA judge here was not someone in a courtroom. A judge was a leader who helped Israel and led them in war.