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Texts -- Judges 11:1-20 (NET)

Context
11:1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a brave warrior . His mother was a prostitute , but Gilead was his father . 11:2 Gilead’s wife also gave him sons . When his wife’s sons grew up , they made Jephthah leave and said to him, “You are not going to inherit any of our father’s wealth , because you are another woman’s son .” 11:3 So Jephthah left his half-brothers and lived in the land of Tob . Lawless men joined Jephthah’s gang and traveled with him. 11:4 It was some time after this when the Ammonites fought with Israel . 11:5 When the Ammonites attacked , the leaders of Gilead asked Jephthah to come back from the land of Tob . 11:6 They said , “Come , be our commander , so we can fight with the Ammonites .” 11:7 Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead , “But you hated me and made me leave my father’s house . Why do you come to me now , when you are in trouble ?” 11:8 The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah , “That may be true , but now we pledge to you our loyalty. Come with us and fight with the Ammonites . Then you will become the leader of all who live in Gilead .” 11:9 Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead , “All right! If you take me back to fight with the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me, I will be your leader .” 11:10 The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah , “The Lord will judge any grievance you have against us, if we do not do as you say .” 11:11 So Jephthah went with the leaders of Gilead . The people made him their leader and commander . Jephthah repeated the terms of the agreement before the Lord in Mizpah .
Jephthah Gives a History Lesson
11:12 Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king , saying , “Why have you come against me to attack my land ?” 11:13 The Ammonite king said to Jephthah’s messengers , “Because Israel stole my land when they came up from Egypt – from the Arnon River in the south to the Jabbok River in the north, and as far west as the Jordan . Now return it peaceably !” 11:14 Jephthah sent messengers back to the Ammonite king 11:15 and said to him, “This is what Jephthah says , ‘Israel did not steal the land of Moab and the land of the Ammonites . 11:16 When they left Egypt , Israel traveled through the desert as far as the Red Sea and then came to Kadesh . 11:17 Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom , saying , “Please allow us to pass through your land .” But the king of Edom rejected the request . Israel sent the same request to the king of Moab , but he was unwilling to cooperate. So Israel stayed at Kadesh . 11:18 Then Israel went through the desert and bypassed the land of Edom and the land of Moab . They traveled east of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon River; they did not go through Moabite territory (the Arnon was Moab’s border ). 11:19 Israel sent messengers to King Sihon , the Amorite king who ruled in Heshbon , and said to him, “Please allow us to pass through your land to our land .” 11:20 But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory . He assembled his whole army , camped in Jahaz , and fought with Israel .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Jephthah

    [ebd] whom God sets free, or the breaker through, a "mighty man of valour" who delivered Israel from the oppression of the Ammonites (Judg. 11:1-33), and judged Israel six years (12:7). He has been described as "a wild, daring, Gi...
    [isbe] JEPHTHAH - jef'-tha (yiphtach, "opened," or "opener," probably signifying "Yahweh will open"; Iephthae; used as the name of a place, as in Josh 15:43; 19:14; of a man, Jdg 10:6 through 12:7): Ninth judge of the Israelites. H...
    [smith] (whom God sets free), A judge about B.C. 1143-1137. His history is contained in (Judges 11:1; Judges 12:8) He was a Gileadite, the son of Gilead and a concubine. Driven by the legitimate sons from his father?s inheritance, he...
    [nave] JEPHTHAH A judge of Israel. Illegitimate, and therefore not entitled to inherit his father's property, Judg. 11:1, 2. Escapes the violence of his half-brothers, dwells in the land of Tob, Judg. 11:3. Recalled from the land...

  • Gilead

    [smith] (rocky region). A mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon. (Genesis 31:21; 3:12-17) It is sometimes called "Mount G...
    [nave] GILEAD 1. A region E. of the Jordan allotted to the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half tribe of Manasseh, Num. 32:1-30; Deut. 3:13; 34:1; 2 Kin. 10:33. Reubenites expel the Hagarites from, 1 Chr. 5:9, 10, 18-22. Ammonites m...

  • Judge

    [nave] JUDGE Appointed by Persians, Ezra 7:25. Kings and other rulers as, 2 Sam. 8:15; 15:2; 1 Kin. 3:16-28; 10:9; 2 Kin. 8:1-6; Psa. 72:1-4; Matt. 27:11-26; Acts 23:34, 35; 24; 25:11, 12. Priests and Levites as, Deut. 17:9; 2 Ch...

  • ISRAEL, RELIGION OF, 2

    [isbe] ISRAEL, RELIGION OF, 2 - 3. The Religion of Israel before the 8th Century BC: (1) Decay of Religion in Canaan. Upon the intense religious feeling produced by the exodus from Egypt and the events at Mt. Sinai, there followed ...

  • AMMON; AMMONITES

    [isbe] AMMON; AMMONITES - am'-on, am'-on-its (`ammon; `ammonim): The Hebrew tradition makes this tribe descendants of Lot and hence related to the Israelites (Gen 19:38). This is reflected in the name usually employed in Old Testam...

  • ISRAEL, HISTORY OF, 2

    [isbe] ISRAEL, HISTORY OF, 2 - III. Period of the Judges. 1. General Character of Period: In such a period of weakened national and religious life, it could easily happen that Israel would again lose the supremacy that it had won b...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Prayer

    [nave] PRAYER. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Answer to, Promised; Answered, Instances of Answered; Confession in; Importunity in, Instances of Importunity in; Intercessor...

  • AMBASSADOR

    [ebd] In the Old Testament the Hebrew word tsir, meaning "one who goes on an errand," is rendered thus (Josh. 9:4; Prov. 13:17; Isa. 18:2; Jer. 49:14; Obad. 1:1). This is also the rendering of melits, meaning "an interpreter," in ...
    [smith] a person of high rank employed by a government to represent it and transact its business at the seat of government of some other power. The earliest examples of ambassadors employed occur in (Numbers 20:14; 21:21; Judges 11:7...

  • CHEMOSH

    [isbe] CHEMOSH - ke'-mosh (kemosh; Chamos): 1. Moabites, the People of Chemosh 2. Solomon and Chemosh Worship 3. Josiah Putting Down Chemosh Worship 4. Chemosh and Ammonites 5. Moabite Stone 6. Mesha's Inscription and the Old Testa...

  • Ambassadors

    [nave] AMBASSADORS Sent by Moses to Edom, Num. 20:14; to the Amorites, Num. 21:21; by Gibeonites to the Israelites, Josh. 9:4; Israelites to various nations, Judg. 11:12-28; Hiram to David, 2 Sam. 5:11; and Solomon, 1 Kin. 5:1; Ben...

  • Diplomacy

    [nave] DIPLOMACY. 1 Cor. 9:20-23 See: Tact. Instances of Of Abimelech, Gen. 21:22, 23; 26:26-31. The Gibeonites, in securing a league with the Israelites through deception, Josh. 9:3-16. Of Jephthah, with the king of Moab, uns...

  • Bastard

    [ebd] In the Old Testament the rendering of the Hebrew word mamzer', which means "polluted." In Deut. 23:2, it occurs in the ordinary sense of illegitimate offspring. In Zech. 9:6, the word is used in the sense of foreigner. From ...

  • COURTS, JUDICIAL

    [isbe] COURTS, JUDICIAL - joo-dish'-al, ju-dish'-al. 1. Their Organization: At the advice of Jethro, Moses appointed judges (shopheTim, Ex 18). In Egypt it appears that the Hebrews did not have their own judges, which, of course, w...

  • Government

    [nave] GOVERNMENT Paternal functions of, Gen. 41:25-57. Civil service school provided by, Dan. 1:3-20. Maintains a system of public instruction, 2 Chr. 17:7-9. Executive departments in. See: Cabinet; King; Ruler; Statecraft. Ju...

  • CAPTAIN

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. sar (1 Sam. 22:2; 2 Sam. 23:19). Rendered "chief," Gen. 40:2; 41:9; rendered also "prince," Dan. 1:7; "ruler," Judg. 9:30; "governor,' 1 Kings 22:26. This same Hebrew word denotes a military captain (Ex. 18:21; 2 K...
    [isbe] CAPTAIN - kap'-tin: In the King James Version there are no fewer than 13 Hebrew words, and 4 different Greek words, which are rendered by this one English word. In the Revised Version (British and American) some of these are...
    [smith] As a purely military title, "captain" answers to sar in the Hebrew army and tribune in the Roman. The captain of the guard in (Acts 28:16) was probably the prefectus pratorio . Katsin , occasionally rendered captain, applies...

  • TOB, THE LAND OF

    [ebd] a district on the east of Jodan, about 13 miles south-east of the Sea of Galilee, to which Jephthah fled from his brethren (Judg. 11:3, 5). It was on the northern boundary of Perea, between Syria and the land of Ammon (2 Sam...
    [isbe] TOB, THE LAND OF - tob, tob ('erets Tobh, "a good land"; ge Tob): Hither Jephthah escaped from his brethren after his father's death (Jdg 11:3), and perfected himself in the art of war, making forays with "the vain fellows" ...

  • Tob

    [smith] (good), The land of, a place in which Jephthah took refuge when expelled from home by his half-brother, (Judges 11:3) and where he remained, at the head of a band of freebooters, till he was brought back by the sheikhs of Gil...
    [nave] TOB, a district in Syria, Judg. 11:3, 5. Called Ish-tob, 2 Sam. 10:6, 8.

  • PALESTINE, 2

    [isbe] PALESTINE, 2 - III. Palestine in the Historic Books of the Old Testament. 1. Book of Joshua: Joshua is the great geographical book of the Old Testament; and the large majority of the 600 names of places, rivers and mountains...

  • ARNON

    [isbe] ARNON - ar'-non ('arnon; Arnon): Is first mentioned in Nu 21:24 as the border between Moab and the Amorites. "The valleys of Arnon" in the next verse undoubtedly indicate the numerous wadies contributary to the main stream. ...
    [smith] (roaring), the river or torrent which formed the boundary between Moab and the Amorites, on the north of Moab, (Numbers 21:13,14,24,26; Judges 11:22) and afterwards between Moab and Israel (Reuben). (2:24,36; 3:8,12,16; 4:48;...
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Questions

  • I'm going to copy some articles on this subject, but let me give you my summation of all of them. In the Old Testament, the firstborn son was the one who normally received a double inheritance, and was the one who would inher...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • When the people had dealt with the sin of Achan as God had commanded, Israel was ready to engage the enemy again.8:1-2 In view of Israel's defeat God's encouraging words were necessary to strengthen Joshua's resolve (cf. 1:9)...
  • I. The reason for Israel's apostasy 1:1-3:6A. Hostilities between the Israelites and the Canaanites after Joshua's death 1:1-2:51. Initial successes and failures ch. 12. The announcement of God's discipline 2:1-5B. Israel's c...
  • The first major section in the book (1:1-3:6) explains very clearly why the period of the judges was a dark chapter in Israel's history. God revealed the reasons for Israel's apostasy and consequent national problems in terms...
  • Israel's JudgesJudgeScriptureIsrael's OppressorsLength in YearsNation(s)King(s)OppressionJudgeshipPeaceOthniel3:7-11MesopotamiaCushan-rishathaim8(ca. 1358-1350 B.C.)40(ca. 1350-1310 B.C.)Ehud3:12-30Moab (with Ammon & Amal...
  • The writer of Judges structured this book so the story of Gideon would be its focal center."Within the main body of the book, seven major narrative blocks can be noted. Moreover, there are certain parallel features between th...
  • The Israelites' return to apostasy brought discipline from two different directions at the same time. In the east the Ammonites oppressed Israel while in the west God raised up the Philistines."The acuter pressure at this sta...
  • The Israelites felt the main influence of the Ammonites on the east side of the Jordan River that bordered Ammon (v. 8). However the Ammonites also attacked the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim west of the Jordan (v. 9)...
  • Verses 1-3 provide information about Jephthah's personal background. His name means "He [an unspecified deity] has opened [the womb]."Jephthah lived on the east side of the Jordan River. Unlike Gideon he was a courageous and ...
  • Jephthah did not rush into battle but wisely tried to settle the Ammonites' grievance with Israel peacefully. His approach reveals his humility as well as his wisdom. Most men would have wanted to demonstrate their prowess in...
  • God's Spirit then clothed Jephthah guaranteeing divine enablement and victory in the approaching encounter with the Ammonite army (v. 29; cf. 3:10; 6:34; 14:6, 19; 1 Sam. 10:10). He travelled through Gilead in the tribal terr...
  • Verses 1-33 record Jephthah's success. The rest of his story (11:34-12:7) relates his failure. The writer likewise recorded Gideon's success first (6:1-8:23) and then his failure (8:24-9:57). We shall find a similar pattern w...
  • The writer's emphasis now shifts from Jephthah's foolishness to Ephraim's arrogance.The Ephraimites were the Gileadites' neighbors to the west. They resented the fact that Jephthah had not requested their assistance in the wa...
  • The following two extended incidents (ch. 17-21) differ from the records of the judges just completed (chs. 3-16). They are not accounts of the activities of any of Israel's judges. They are the record of events that took pla...
  • The Danites' defeat of the inhabitants of Laish appears cruel and unjustified (cf. 9:45-49). The town that seemed so desirable to the spies was really vulnerable and isolated. Its advantages proved to be weaknesses. Since God...
  • The Book of Joshua recorded Israel's victory over her enemies through trust in and obedience to God. The Book of Judges shows the defeat of the nation by its enemies from without and within due to refusal to trust and obey Go...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan. Land of the Bible. Phildelphia: Westminster Press, 1962.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwell. The...
  • The Ammonites were Israel's enemies to the east. They were descendants of Lot whom Jephthah had defeated earlier (Judg. 11:12-33). Nahash evidently sought revenge for Jephthah's victory over his nation. Jabesh-gilead lay a fe...
  • This oracle is similar to the one in Isaiah 15 and 16.555Other oracles against Moab appear in Ezekiel 25:8-11, Amos 2:1-3, and Zephaniah 2:9, but this is the longest one. It is very difficult to say when Jeremiah gave this or...
  • The Edomites lived to the southeast of Judah, south of Moab. The Zered River was their northern border, the Gulf of Aqabah (about 100 miles to the south) the southern, the Arabah the western, and the desert the eastern border...
  • Pride was not the only reason God would humble Edom. The Edomites had also cursed the people whom God had purposed to bless, the Israelites (cf. Gen. 27:40-41; Exod. 15:15; Num. 20:14-21; Deut. 2:4; Judg. 11:17-18; 1 Sam. 14:...
  • 2:8 Probably Zephaniah linked Moab and Ammon because both nations descended from Lot (Gen. 19:30-38) as well as because both lay to Judah's east. Both nations had taunted and reviled the Israelites from their earliest history...
  • 1:21 Capernaum became Jesus' base of ministry in Galilee (cf. Luke 4:16-31). It stood on the Sea of Galilee's northwest shore and was the hub of the most populous district in Galilee. Archaeologists have done extensive restor...
  • Even though Jesus gave ample evidence that He was more than a mere man (4:35-5:43) those who knew Him best on the physical plane still refused to believe in Him (6:1-6a). This refusal led Jesus to turn increasingly from the m...
  • The first miracle that Jesus performed, in His public ministry and in John's Gospel, was semi-public. Apparently only Jesus' disciples, the servants present, and Jesus' mother understood what had happened.2:1 The third day ev...
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