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Judges

Describes a time when Israel was ruled by judges and the cycle of turning away from God, facing trouble, and then returning to Him.

Chapter 11

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1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.

*Now, Jephthah from the area of Gilead was very brave and strong. He was born to a woman who worked as a prostitute. The person named Gilead had a son named 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.

*Gilead's wife had children with him, and as they grew up, they removed Jephthah. They told him that he wouldn't inherit their father's property because he was born from another woman who wasn't their mother.

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.

*Then Jephthah left his siblings and lived in the land of Tob. Stubborn people joined Jephthah and followed him.

4 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.

*Eventually, the kids of Ammon started fighting 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:

*So, when the Ammonite kids attacked Israel, the Gilead leaders went and got Jephthah from Tob's land.

6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.

*They asked Jephthah, "Join us as our leader so we can battle the people 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?

*Jephthah asked the Gilead leaders, "Weren't you against me and kicked me out of my dad's home? Why do you need me now when you're in trouble?"

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.

*The older people from the area of Gilead told Jephthah, "We want you to lead us now, so you can help us battle the descendants of Ammon and be our leader for everyone living in 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?

*Jephthah asked the Gilead leaders, "If you help me return home to fight the Ammonites and we win, will I be your leader?"

10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.

*The older people of Gilead told Jephthah, "We promise by God that if we don't follow your instructions, it's true."

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.

*Then Jephthah went with Gilead's leaders, and the people chose him as their leader and captain. He said everything to God in a place called 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?

*Jephthah's message to the Ammonite king was, "Why are you fighting in my land? What do you want from me?"

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.

*The Ammonite king told Jephthah's messengers, "Israel took my land when they left Egypt and went from Arnon to Jabbok and Jordan. So, give back the land in peace."

14 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:

*Jephthah sent more messengers to the king of the people 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:

*Jephthah said, "Israel didn't take the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites' children."

16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;

*But when Israel left Egypt and traveled through the desert to the Red Sea until they reached 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.

*Then, Israel asked the king of Edom if they could pass through his land, but he said no. They also asked the king of Moab, who also said no. So, Israel stayed in a place called 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.

*Then they traveled through the desert, went around Edom and Moab's lands, and camped on the east side of Moab's land, past Arnon river. They didn't enter Moab's territory because Arnon marked Moab's border.

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.

*Israel asked Sihon, the king of the Amorites, for permission to pass through his land to reach their destination.

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.

*But Sihon didn't believe Israel could pass through his land. So, he gathered his people and set up camp at Jahaz, then he 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.

*And God helped Israel defeat Sihon and his people, so Israel took over their land. This allowed Israel to take control of all the land of the Amorites, who lived there before.

22 And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.

*They took control of all the land by the sea belonging to the Amorites. This started at a place called Arnon and went all the way to another place called Jabbok. It also included the desert areas and went up to the river called Jordan.

23 So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?

*Now, the Lord God of Israel has removed the Amorites to make way for His people Israel. Do you want to take their place?

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.

*Will you not take what Chemosh, your god, gives you? We will take control of whoever the LORD drives out from in front of us.

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,

*And now, are you anything better than Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever fight against Israel or engage in battle with 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?

*While Israel lived in Heshbon and its surrounding areas, as well as Aroer and its surrounding areas, and all the cities near the banks of the Arnon River for 300 years, why didn't you regain control of them during 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.

*Why haven't I done anything wrong to you, but you are fighting against me? Let the LORD, the Judge, decide today 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.

*However, the king of the Ammonites did not listen to the messages Jephthah 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.

*Then God's Spirit gave Jephthah strength, and he traveled through Gilead, Manasseh, and Mizpeh in Gilead. After that, he went to the people 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,

*Jephthah made a promise to God, saying, "If you definitely give me the people of Ammon, I will be your servant."

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.

*Then, whatever comes out of my house's doors to greet me when I come back safely from the children of Ammon, will belong to God, and I will give it as a burned offering.

32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.

*Jephthah fought the children of Ammon and won with God's help.

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.

*He attacked them from Aroer all the way to Minnith, including 20 cities and the grape fields area, causing a huge loss of lives. As a result, the children of Ammon were defeated by 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.

*Jephthah went to Mizpeh and reached his home. When he arrived, he saw his daughter coming out to dance and play music. She was the only child he had, with no other sons or daughters.

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.

*Then, when he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, Oh, my daughter! You have made me look bad, and you are one of those causing me problems. Because I told the Lord something, I can't take it back now.

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.

*She said to him, "If you've told God what to do, then do what you said because God has punished your enemies, the people of Ammon, for you."

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.

*She told her dad, "Please let me do this: leave me alone for two months so I can wander in the mountains and mourn being single, with my friends."

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.

*He told her to leave. He sent her away for eight weeks. She went with her friends, and cried about being a virgin on the hills.

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,

*After two months, she went back to her father, who kept his promise and did what he had promised to do; she didn't marry anyone, and this was the practice in Israel.

40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

*Every year, the daughters of Israel would mourn for Jephthah's daughter from Gilead for four days.

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