Now Jephthah³³¹⁶ the Gileadite¹⁵⁶⁹ was a mighty¹³⁶⁸ man of valour,²⁴²⁸ and he was the son¹¹²¹ of an harlot:⁸⁰² and Gilead¹⁵⁶⁸ begat³²⁰⁵ Jephthah.³³¹⁶

Hosea 6:8

And Gilead's¹⁵⁶⁸ wife⁸⁰² bare³²⁰⁵ him sons;¹¹²¹ and his wife's⁸⁰² sons¹¹²¹ grew up,¹⁴³¹ and they thrust out¹⁶⁴⁴ Jephthah,³³¹⁶ and said⁵⁵⁹ unto him, Thou shalt not inherit⁵¹⁵⁷ in our father's¹ house;¹⁰⁰⁴ for thou art the son¹¹²¹ of a strange³¹² woman.⁸⁰²

Then Jephthah³³¹⁶ fled¹²⁷² from⁶⁴⁴⁰ his brethren,²⁵¹ and dwelt³⁴²⁷ in the land⁷⁷⁶ of Tob:²⁸⁹⁷ and there were gathered³⁹⁵⁰ vain⁷³⁸⁶ men⁵⁸² to Jephthah,³³¹⁶ and went out³³¹⁸ with him.

And it came to pass in process of time,³¹¹⁷ that the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon⁵⁹⁸³ made war³⁸⁹⁸ against Israel.³⁴⁷⁸

And it was so, that when the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon⁵⁹⁸³ made war³⁸⁹⁸ against Israel,³⁴⁷⁸ the elders²²⁰⁵ of Gilead¹⁵⁶⁸ went³²¹² to fetch³⁹⁴⁷ Jephthah³³¹⁶ out of the land⁷⁷⁶ of Tob:²⁸⁹⁷

And they said⁵⁵⁹ unto Jephthah,³³¹⁶ Come,³²¹² and be our captain,⁷¹⁰¹ that we may fight³⁸⁹⁸ with the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon.⁵⁹⁸³

And Jephthah³³¹⁶ said⁵⁵⁹ unto the elders²²⁰⁵ of Gilead,¹⁵⁶⁸ Did not ye hate⁸¹³⁰ me, and expel¹⁶⁴⁴ me out of my father's¹ house?¹⁰⁰⁴ and why are ye come⁹³⁵ unto me now when ye are in distress?⁶⁸⁸⁷

And the elders²²⁰⁵ of Gilead¹⁵⁶⁸ said⁵⁵⁹ unto Jephthah,³³¹⁶ Therefore we turn⁷⁷²⁵ again to thee now, that thou mayest go¹⁹⁸⁰ with us, and fight³⁸⁹⁸ against the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon,⁵⁹⁸³ and be our head⁷²¹⁸ over all the inhabitants³⁴²⁷ of Gilead.¹⁵⁶⁸

And Jephthah³³¹⁶ said⁵⁵⁹ unto the elders²²⁰⁵ of Gilead,¹⁵⁶⁸ If ye bring me home again⁷⁷²⁵ to fight³⁸⁹⁸ against the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon,⁵⁹⁸³ and Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ deliver⁵⁴¹⁴ them before⁶⁴⁴⁰ me, shall I be your head?⁷²¹⁸

And the elders²²⁰⁵ of Gilead¹⁵⁶⁸ said⁵⁵⁹ unto Jephthah,³³¹⁶ Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ be witness⁸⁰⁸⁵ between us, if we do⁶²¹³ not so according to thy words.¹⁶⁹⁷

Then Jephthah³³¹⁶ went³²¹² with the elders²²⁰⁵ of Gilead,¹⁵⁶⁸ and the people⁵⁹⁷¹ made⁷⁷⁶⁰ him head⁷²¹⁸ and captain⁷¹⁰¹ over them: and Jephthah³³¹⁶ uttered¹⁶⁹⁶ all his words¹⁶⁹⁷ before⁶⁴⁴⁰ Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ in Mizpeh.⁴⁷⁰⁹

And Jephthah³³¹⁶ sent⁷⁹⁷¹ messengers⁴³⁹⁷ unto the king⁴⁴²⁸ of the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon,⁵⁹⁸³ saying,⁵⁵⁹ What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come⁹³⁵ against me to fight³⁸⁹⁸ in my land?⁷⁷⁶

And the king⁴⁴²⁸ of the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon⁵⁹⁸³ answered⁵⁵⁹ unto the messengers⁴³⁹⁷ of Jephthah,³³¹⁶ Because Israel³⁴⁷⁸ took³⁹⁴⁷ away my land,⁷⁷⁶ when they came up⁵⁹²⁷ out of Egypt,⁴⁷¹⁴ from Arnon⁷⁶⁹ even unto Jabbok,²⁹⁹⁹ and unto Jordan:³³⁸³ now therefore restore those lands again⁷⁷²⁵ peaceably.⁷⁹⁶⁵

And Jephthah³³¹⁶ sent⁷⁹⁷¹ messengers⁴³⁹⁷ again³²⁵⁴ unto the king⁴⁴²⁸ of the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon:⁵⁹⁸³

And said⁵⁵⁹ unto him, Thus saith⁵⁵⁹ Jephthah,³³¹⁶ Israel³⁴⁷⁸ took³⁹⁴⁷ not away the land⁷⁷⁶ of Moab,⁴¹²⁴ nor the land⁷⁷⁶ of the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon:⁵⁹⁸³

But when Israel³⁴⁷⁸ came up⁵⁹²⁷ from Egypt,⁴⁷¹⁴ and walked³²¹² through the wilderness⁴⁰⁵⁷ unto the Red⁵⁴⁸⁸ sea,³²²⁰ and came⁹³⁵ to Kadesh;⁶⁹⁴⁶

Then Israel³⁴⁷⁸ sent⁷⁹⁷¹ messengers⁴³⁹⁷ unto the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Edom,¹²³ saying,⁵⁵⁹ Let me, I pray thee, pass⁵⁶⁷⁴ through thy land:⁷⁷⁶ but the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Edom¹²³ would not hearken⁸⁰⁸⁵ thereto. And in like manner they sent⁷⁹⁷¹ unto the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Moab:⁴¹²⁴ but he would¹⁴ not consent: and Israel³⁴⁷⁸ abode³⁴²⁷ in Kadesh.⁶⁹⁴⁶

Then they went³²¹² along through the wilderness,⁴⁰⁵⁷ and compassed⁵⁴³⁷ the land⁷⁷⁶ of Edom,¹²³ and the land⁷⁷⁶ of Moab,⁴¹²⁴ and came⁹³⁵ by the east side⁴²¹⁷ of the land⁷⁷⁶ of Moab,⁴¹²⁴ and pitched²⁵⁸³ on the other side⁵⁶⁷⁶ of Arnon,⁷⁶⁹ but came⁹³⁵ not within the border¹³⁶⁶ of Moab:⁴¹²⁴ for Arnon⁷⁶⁹ was the border¹³⁶⁶ of Moab.⁴¹²⁴

And Israel³⁴⁷⁸ sent⁷⁹⁷¹ messengers⁴³⁹⁷ unto Sihon⁵⁵¹¹ king⁴⁴²⁸ of the Amorites,⁵⁶⁷ the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Heshbon;²⁸⁰⁹ and Israel³⁴⁷⁸ said⁵⁵⁹ unto him, Let us pass,⁵⁶⁷⁴ we pray thee, through thy land⁷⁷⁶ into⁵⁷⁰⁴ my place.⁴⁷²⁵

But Sihon⁵⁵¹¹ trusted⁵³⁹ not Israel³⁴⁷⁸ to pass⁵⁶⁷⁴ through his coast:¹³⁶⁶ but Sihon⁵⁵¹¹ gathered⁶²² all his people⁵⁹⁷¹ together, and pitched²⁵⁸³ in Jahaz,³⁰⁹⁶ and fought³⁸⁹⁸ against Israel.³⁴⁷⁸

And Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ Elohim⁴³⁰ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ delivered⁵⁴¹⁴ Sihon⁵⁵¹¹ and all his people⁵⁹⁷¹ into the hand³⁰²⁷ of Israel,³⁴⁷⁸ and they smote⁵²²¹ them: so Israel³⁴⁷⁸ possessed³⁴²³ all the land⁷⁷⁶ of the Amorites,⁵⁶⁷ the inhabitants³⁴²⁷ of that country.⁷⁷⁶

And they possessed³⁴²³ all the coasts¹³⁶⁶ of the Amorites,⁵⁶⁷ from Arnon⁷⁶⁹ even unto Jabbok,²⁹⁹⁹ and from the wilderness⁴⁰⁵⁷ even unto Jordan.³³⁸³

So now Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ Elohim⁴³⁰ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ hath dispossessed³⁴²³ the Amorites⁵⁶⁷ from before⁶⁴⁴⁰ his people⁵⁹⁷¹ Israel,³⁴⁷⁸ and shouldest thou possess³⁴²³ it?

Wilt not thou possess³⁴²³ that which Chemosh³⁶⁴⁵ thy mighty one⁴³⁰ giveth thee to possess?³⁴²³ So whomsoever Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ our Elohim⁴³⁰ shall drive out³⁴²³ from before⁶⁴⁴⁰ us, them will we possess.³⁴²³

And now art thou any thing better²⁸⁹⁶ than Balak¹¹¹¹ the son¹¹²¹ of Zippor,⁶⁸³⁴ king⁴⁴²⁸ of Moab?⁴¹²⁴ did he ever⁷³⁷⁸ strive⁷³⁷⁸ against Israel,³⁴⁷⁸ or did he ever³⁸⁹⁸ fight³⁸⁹⁸ against them,

While Israel³⁴⁷⁸ dwelt³⁴²⁷ in Heshbon²⁸⁰⁹ and her towns,¹³²³ and in Aroer⁶¹⁷⁷ and her towns,¹³²³ and in all the cities⁵⁸⁹² that be along by the coasts³⁰²⁷ of Arnon,⁷⁶⁹ three⁷⁹⁶⁹ hundred³⁹⁶⁷ years?⁸¹⁴¹ why therefore did ye not recover⁵³³⁷ them within that time?⁶²⁵⁶

Wherefore I have not sinned²³⁹⁸ against thee, but thou doest⁶²¹³ me⁸⁵³ wrong⁷⁴⁵¹ to war³⁸⁹⁸ against me: Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ the Judge⁸¹⁹⁹ be judge⁸¹⁹⁹ this day³¹¹⁷ between the children¹¹²¹ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ and the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon.⁵⁹⁸³

Howbeit the king⁴⁴²⁸ of the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon⁵⁹⁸³ hearkened⁸⁰⁸⁵ not unto the words¹⁶⁹⁷ of Jephthah³³¹⁶ which he sent⁷⁹⁷¹ him.

Then the Spirit⁷³⁰⁷ of Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ came upon Jephthah,³³¹⁶ and he passed over⁵⁶⁷⁴ Gilead,¹⁵⁶⁸ and Manasseh,⁴⁵¹⁹ and passed over⁵⁶⁷⁴ Mizpeh⁴⁷⁰⁸ of Gilead,¹⁵⁶⁸ and from Mizpeh⁴⁷⁰⁸ of Gilead¹⁵⁶⁸ he passed over⁵⁶⁷⁴ unto the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon.⁵⁹⁸³

And Jephthah³³¹⁶ vowed⁵⁰⁸⁷ a vow⁵⁰⁸⁸ unto Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ and said,⁵⁵⁹ If thou shalt without fail⁵⁴¹⁴ deliver⁵⁴¹⁴ the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon⁵⁹⁸³ into mine hands,³⁰²⁷

Then it shall be, that whatsoever³³¹⁸ cometh forth³³¹⁸ of the doors¹⁸¹⁷ of my house¹⁰⁰⁴ to meet⁷¹²⁵ me, when I return⁷⁷²⁵ in peace⁷⁹⁶⁵ from the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon,⁵⁹⁸³ shall surely be Yahweh's,³⁰⁶⁸ and I will offer it up⁵⁹²⁷ for a burnt offering.⁵⁹³⁰

So Jephthah³³¹⁶ passed over⁵⁶⁷⁴ unto the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon⁵⁹⁸³ to fight³⁸⁹⁸ against them; and Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ delivered⁵⁴¹⁴ them into his hands.³⁰²⁷

And he smote⁵²²¹ them from Aroer,⁶¹⁷⁷ even till thou come⁹³⁵ to Minnith,⁴⁵¹¹ even twenty⁶²⁴² cities,⁵⁸⁹² and unto the plain⁵⁸ of the vineyards,³⁷⁵⁴ with a very³⁹⁶⁶ great¹⁴¹⁹ slaughter.⁴³⁴⁷ Thus the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon⁵⁹⁸³ were subdued³⁶⁶⁵ before⁶⁴⁴⁰ the children¹¹²¹ of Israel.³⁴⁷⁸

And Jephthah³³¹⁶ came⁹³⁵ to Mizpeh⁴⁷⁰⁹ unto his house,¹⁰⁰⁴ and, behold, his daughter¹³²³ came out³³¹⁸ to meet⁷¹²⁵ him with timbrels⁸⁵⁹⁶ and with dances:⁴²⁴⁶ and she was his only child;³¹⁷³ beside her he had neither son¹¹²¹ nor¹⁷⁶ daughter.¹³²³

And it came to pass, when he saw⁷²⁰⁰ her, that he rent⁷¹⁶⁷ his clothes,⁸⁹⁹ and said,⁵⁵⁹ Alas,¹⁶² my daughter!¹³²³ thou hast brought me very³⁷⁶⁶ low,³⁷⁶⁶ and thou art one of them that trouble⁵⁹¹⁶ me: for I have opened⁶⁴⁷⁵ my mouth⁶³¹⁰ unto Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ and I cannot³⁸⁰⁸ go back.⁷⁷²⁵

And she said⁵⁵⁹ unto him, My father,¹ if thou hast opened⁶⁴⁷⁵ thy mouth⁶³¹⁰ unto Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ do⁶²¹³ to me according to that which hath proceeded³³¹⁸ out of thy mouth;⁶³¹⁰ forasmuch³¹⁰ as⁸³⁴ Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ hath taken⁶²¹³ vengeance⁵³⁶⁰ for thee of thine enemies,³⁴¹ even of the children¹¹²¹ of Ammon.⁵⁹⁸³

And she said⁵⁵⁹ unto her father,¹ Let this thing¹⁶⁹⁷ be done⁶²¹³ for me: let me alone⁷⁵⁰³ two⁸¹⁴⁷ months,²³²⁰ that I may go³²¹² up and down³³⁸¹ upon the mountains,²⁰²² and bewail¹⁰⁵⁸ my virginity,¹³³¹ I and my fellows.⁷⁴⁶⁴

And he said,⁵⁵⁹ Go.³²¹² And he sent her away⁷⁹⁷¹ for two⁸¹⁴⁷ months:²³²⁰ and she went³²¹² with her companions,⁷⁴⁶⁴ and bewailed¹⁰⁵⁸ her virginity¹³³¹ upon the mountains.²⁰²²

And it came to pass at the end⁷⁰⁹³ of two⁸¹⁴⁷ months,²³²⁰ that she returned⁷⁷²⁵ unto her father,¹ who did⁶²¹³ with her according to his vow⁵⁰⁸⁸ which he had vowed:⁵⁰⁸⁷ and she knew³⁰⁴⁵ no man.³⁷⁶ And it was a custom²⁷⁰⁶ in Israel,³⁴⁷⁸

That the daughters¹³²³ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ went³²¹² yearly³¹¹⁷ to lament⁸⁵⁶⁷ the daughter¹³²³ of Jephthah³³¹⁶ the Gileadite¹⁵⁶⁹ four⁷⁰² days³¹¹⁷ in a year.⁸¹⁴¹