Judges 11

Jephthah the Outcast

1Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute; Gilead was his father. 2Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they grew up, they drove Jephthah out, saying to him, “You will not inherit anything in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.” 3So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a band of worthless men gathered around him and went out raiding with him. 4Some time later, the Ammonites made war against Israel. 5When the Ammonites made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah back from the land of Tob. 6They said to Jephthah, “Come and be our commander, so we can fight the Ammonites.” 7Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me out of my father’s house? Why come to me now, when you are in trouble?” 8The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That is exactly why we have turned back to you now — go with us, fight the Ammonites, and become head over all of us who live in Gilead.” 9Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me back to fight the Ammonites and Yahweh gives them to me, will I really become your head?” 10The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “Yahweh is witness between us — we will do exactly as you say.” 11So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him their head and commander, and Jephthah repeated all his terms before Yahweh at Mizpah.

Jephthah’s Negotiation with Ammon

12Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, saying, “What do you have against me, that you have come to fight against my land?” 13The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “Because Israel took my land when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and to the Jordan. Now, then, give back those lands peaceably.” 14Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the Ammonites, 15saying to him, “This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites. 16When they came up from Egypt, Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh. 17Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Please let me pass through your land,’ but the king of Edom would not listen. They sent the same message to the king of Moab, but he refused as well. So Israel stayed at Kadesh. 18Then they went through the wilderness, went around the land of Edom and the land of Moab, came to the east side of the land of Moab, and camped on the other side of the Arnon. They did not enter the territory of Moab, since the Arnon was the border of Moab. 19Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon, and said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land to our own place.’ 20But Sihon did not trust Israel enough to let them pass through his territory. Instead he gathered all his people, camped at Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 21Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they struck them down. So Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites who lived in that country. 22They took possession of the whole territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan. 23So now Yahweh, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites before his people Israel — and you want to take their place? 24Shouldn’t you keep whatever your god Chemosh gives you to keep? And we, in turn, will keep whatever Yahweh our God has given us as we drove out the Amorites before us. 25Are you really any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever quarrel with Israel or fight against them? 26Israel has lived in Heshbon and its villages, in Aroer and its villages, and in all the towns along the Arnon for three hundred years. Why didn’t you take them back during that time? 27I have done you no wrong, but you are doing me wrong by fighting against me. Let Yahweh, the Judge, judge today between the Israelites and the Ammonites.” 28But the king of the Ammonites paid no attention to the message Jephthah sent him.

Jephthah’s Vow and Victory

29Then the Spirit of Yahweh came upon Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced against the Ammonites. 30Jephthah made a vow to Yahweh: “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, 31then whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will belong to Yahweh, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” 32So Jephthah advanced against the Ammonites to fight them, and Yahweh gave them into his hand. 33He struck them down from Aroer all the way to the approach of Minnith — twenty towns — and as far as Abel-keramim, a very great slaughter. So the Ammonites were subdued before the Israelites.

Jephthah’s Daughter

34When Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah, there was his daughter, coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing. She was his only child; he had no other son or daughter besides her. 35As soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Oh, my daughter! You have brought me to my knees; you have become the source of my grief. I have given my word to Yahweh, and I cannot take it back.” 36She said to him, “My father, you have given your word to Yahweh. Do to me exactly what you promised, now that Yahweh has taken vengeance on your enemies, the Ammonites, for you.” 37Then she said to her father, “Let this one thing be done for me: let me alone for two months, so I can go and wander through the hills with my companions and weep for my virginity.” 38He said, “Go.” And he sent her away for two months. She went with her companions and wept for her virginity on the hills. 39At the end of the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. She had never known a man. So it became a custom in Israel 40that every year the young women of Israel would go out for four days to mourn the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.