“Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.” (Judges 11:1)
Jephthah’s father was Gilead, but Gilead wed another woman and had many son’s. Because, in modern terms, he would be considered a bastard son; his brothers refused him his inheritance, and cast him out. Jephthan fled to Tob and many vain men gathered to him.
In time the people of Ammon made war against Israel. Keep in mind there is no leader in Israel. Israel is ruled by committee, in other words, elders. Leadership by a group of people never works out, because groups of people seldom come to agreement. Group leadership removes responsibility on any one person.
This is where the discussion can go many ways. In this case, I will stick with just one possibilities. The elders of Gilead ask Jephthah to be their captain to fight against the people of Ammon. They picked Jephthah to lead them even-though he had been forced to leave Gilead as a bastard child. His quality as a leader was part of his natural ability to attract followers.
Jephthah was not stupid. He asked the elders of Gilead, “You tossed me out of my fathers house, took my inheritance, and now you need my help? If I do what you ask, will you make me head of Gilead?”(Paraphase Judges 11:7-9)
The elders of Gilead said, “In front of God Almighty, we agree with all you said.”(Paraphrase Judges 11:10)
Jephthah Negotiates with Ammon
Jephthah sends a message to the King of Ammon, “So, why are you planning on fighting us?” (Paraphrase Judges 11:12)
The King of Ammon replies, “Cause you guys took our land and we want you to give it back, peacefully of course.” (Judges 11:13)
The Greatest Argument Ever
( Paraphrase of Judges 11:14-28)
Jephthah sends back this message to the King of Ammon, “Israel did not take the land of Moab, or the land of Ammon. We came from out of the land of Egypt and walked through the wilderness to Kadesh.
When we got there we asked permission from the King of Edom to pass through his land. The King of Edom said ‘No!’. We then traveled all the way around Edom and Moab. We didn’t tread on their land.
After our journey we asked the Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon if we could pass through their land. They didn’t just say no, they tried to kill us. Our God delivered the Amorites into our hands. We possessed that land because our God gave it to us.
The LORD God of Israel gave the land to us, now you say you should possess it? I tell you what, for 300 years you didn’t care about the land at all, now you want it. Why don’t you ask your god Chemosh if he will lead you over us, and the LORD God of Israel will take the lands and we will possess it.”
Jephthah’s Vow
Sometimes we make promises to God that are not required. Jephthah did just that, “30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
31Then 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. (Judges 11:30-31)
After God delivered Ammon to Israel, Jephthah returned home and his only child, a daughter came out to greet him. Did Jephthah offer his daughter up to be a burnt offering? We don’t know. We do know that she was sent into the mountains for two months and remained a virgin. She was certainly separated from her family.
Jephthah judged Israel for 6 years, then he died.
Stay tuned…
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