1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.
2 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.
3 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.
4 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.
5 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:
6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may 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? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?
8 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.
9 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?
10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.
11 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.
12 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?
13 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.
14 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:
15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:
16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;
17 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.
18 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 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.
20 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 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.
22 And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.
23 So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?
24 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.
25 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,
26 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?
27 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.
28 Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
29 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.
30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
31 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.
32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.
33 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.
34 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.
35 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.
36 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.
37 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.
38 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.
39 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,
40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
The Book of Judges is the seventh book of the Old Testament in the Holy Bible. It is a historical book that tells the story of the Israelites after they entered the Promised Land of Canaan. The book is divided into three parts: the conquest of Canaan, the period of the judges, and the rise of the monarchy. Chapter 11 falls in the second part, which covers the time when Israel was ruled by a series of judges. This essay will provide a summary of chapter 11 of the Book of Judges and explore its main themes and the meaning it brings.
Before delving into the summary of chapter 11, it is essential to understand the context in which it takes place. The Israelites had been in the Promised Land for several years, and during this time, they had fallen into a cycle of sin, judgment, and deliverance. The people had turned away from God and worshiped idols, and as a result, God allowed them to be oppressed by their enemies. When the Israelites repented and cried out to God, He would raise up a judge to deliver them from their enemies. However, once the judge died, the people would fall back into sin, and the cycle would repeat itself.
In chapter 10, the Israelites again turned away from God and started worshiping the gods of the Ammonites, the Philistines, and the Sidonians. As a punishment, God allowed the Ammonites and the Philistines to oppress them for eighteen years. The Israelites cried out to God for deliverance, and He responded by raising up Jephthah as their judge.
Jephthah was a mighty warrior, but he was also an outcast in his own land. His father, Gilead, had other sons with his wife, but Jephthah was the son of a prostitute. When his half-brothers grew up, they drove Jephthah out of their father's house, and he settled in the land of Tob. However, when the Ammonites started to oppress the Israelites, the elders of Gilead went to Jephthah and asked him to lead them in battle against their enemies.
Jephthah initially refused, arguing that the people had rejected him and now they wanted his help. However, the elders promised to make him their leader, and Jephthah agreed to help them. Before going into battle, Jephthah made a vow to God, promising to sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house if God gave him victory over the Ammonites.
God granted Jephthah a great victory, and when he returned home, his daughter, his only child, ran out to greet him. Jephthah was devastated, but he kept his vow and sacrificed his daughter as a burnt offering to God. This act is highly controversial, and scholars interpret it in different ways. Some believe that Jephthah actually sacrificed his daughter, while others argue that he dedicated her to a life of service in the tabernacle.
There are several main themes in chapter 11 of the Book of Judges. One of the most prominent themes is the faithfulness of God. Despite the constant cycle of sin and repentance of the Israelites, God remains faithful to His covenant with them. He hears their cries for help and raises up a deliverer in the form of Jephthah. This theme is also evident in Jephthah's vow, where he acknowledges God's role in his victory and seeks to honor Him.
Another theme in this chapter is the consequences of rash vows. Jephthah's vow to sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house is a rash and foolish one. He does not consider the possibility of his daughter being the first one to greet him. This theme serves as a warning to the readers to think carefully before making any promises or vows to God.
The concept of sacrifice is also prevalent in chapter 11. Jephthah's vow to sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God for giving him victory. However, the sacrifice of his daughter is a much more significant and controversial one. It raises questions about the morality of human sacrifice and the importance of fulfilling vows to God.
Lastly, chapter 11 also highlights the consequences of sin and the importance of repentance. The Israelites' worship of false gods and their rejection of God's commandments led to their oppression by the Ammonites. However, when they repented and turned back to God, He delivered them through Jephthah. This theme serves as a reminder that our actions have consequences, but God is always ready to forgive and restore us when we turn back to Him.
Chapter 11 of the Book of Judges has multiple layers of meaning. On one level, it is a historical account of the events that took place during the time of the judges. It highlights the cycle of sin, judgment, and deliverance that the Israelites went through repeatedly. It also serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and His willingness to forgive and restore His people.
On a deeper level, chapter 11 also serves as a warning against making rash and foolish vows to God. Jephthah's vow and its consequences serve as a cautionary tale for the readers to think carefully before making any promises to God. It also raises questions about the meaning and purpose of sacrifice and the morality of human sacrifice.
Chapter 11 also highlights the theme of sacrifice, both in the form of Jephthah's vow and the sacrifice of his daughter. This theme foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. It serves as a reminder of the magnitude of God's love for His people and the ultimate sacrifice He made for their salvation.
Furthermore, Jephthah's story also serves as a warning against the consequences of sin and the importance of repentance. The Israelites' cycle of sin and repentance is a recurring theme in the Book of Judges, and Jephthah's story serves as a reminder that our actions have consequences, but God is always ready to forgive and restore us when we turn back to Him.
In conclusion, chapter 11 of the Book of Judges is a significant chapter that covers the story of Jephthah, one of the judges of Israel. It highlights themes such as God's faithfulness, the consequences of rash vows, sacrifice, and the importance of repentance. The chapter also carries multiple layers of meaning, serving as a historical account of the events that took place during the time of the judges, a cautionary tale, and a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Overall, chapter 11 serves as a reminder of God's love, faithfulness, and willingness to forgive His people, even in the face of their repeated disobedience.
Share this page