He brought the tribute payment to King Eglon of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)p>

Israel was so severely weakened by Midian that the Israelites cried out to the <sc>Lordsc> for help.p>

Whenever they went out to fight,<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> did them harm,<n id="2" /> just as he had warned and solemnly vowed he would do.<n id="3" /> They suffered greatly.<n id="4" />p>

The Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight with Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim.<n id="1" /> Israel suffered greatly.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Jephthah said to them, &#8220;My people and I were entangled in controversy with the Ammonites.<n id="1" /> I asked for your help, but you did not deliver me from their power.<n id="2" />

He defeated them from Aroer all the way to Minnith &#8211; twenty cities in all, even as far as Abel Keramim! He wiped them out!<n id="1" /> The Israelites humiliated the Ammonites.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">The woman went and said to her husband, &#8220;A man sent from God<n id="1" /> came to me! He looked like God&#8217;s angelic messenger &#8211; he was very awesome.<n id="2" /> I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not tell me his name.

<p class="bodytext">He was very thirsty, so he cried out to the <sc>Lordsc> and said, &#8220;You have given your servant<n id="1" /> this great victory. But now must I die of thirst and fall into hands of the Philistines?&#8221;<n id="2" />

They said, &#8220;Come on, let&#8217;s attack them,<n id="1" /> for<n id="2" /> we saw their land and it is very good. You seem lethargic,<n id="3" /> but don&#8217;t hesitate<n id="4" /> to invade and conquer<n id="5" /> the land.

<p class="bodytext">When they got near Jebus, it was getting quite late<n id="1" /> and the servant<n id="2" /> said to his master, &#8220;Come on, let&#8217;s stop at<n id="3" /> this Jebusite city and spend the night in it.&#8221;