Jephthah led Israel for six years; then he died and was buried in his city in Gilead.

So Jephthah left his half-brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Lawless men joined Jephthah’s gang and traveled with him.

He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth.

Inside I am like wine which has no outlet, like new wineskins ready to burst!

Wisdom is unattainable for a fool; in court he does not open his mouth.

Does a farmer just keep on plowing at planting time? Does he keep breaking up and harrowing his ground?

It then turned on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El.

Jephthah sent messengers back to the Ammonite king

But the Ammonite king disregarded the message sent by Jephthah.

Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, saying, “If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me,

Jephthah approached the Ammonites to fight with them, and the Lord handed them over to him.

Every year Israelite women commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days.

If he tears down, it cannot be rebuilt; if he imprisons a person, there is no escape.

But I am like a deaf man – I hear nothing; I am like a mute who cannot speak.

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.

“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: The gate of the inner court that faces east will be closed six working days, but on the Sabbath day it will be opened and on the day of the new moon it will be opened.

“If a man opens a pit or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it,

It turned eastward toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El to the north, as well as the Valley of Emek and Neiel, and extended to Cabul on the north

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a brave warrior. His mother was a prostitute, but Gilead was his father.

When the Ammonites attacked, the leaders of Gilead asked Jephthah to come back from the land of Tob.