1Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.11.1 Jephthah: Gr. Jephthae11.1 an harlot: Heb. a woman an harlot 2And 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. 3Then 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.11.3 from: Heb. from the face of
4¶ And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.11.4 in process…: Heb. after days 5And 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: 6And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon. 7And 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? 8And 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. 9And 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? 10And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.11.10 witness…: Heb. the hearer between us 11Then 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.
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? 13And 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. 14And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon: 15And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: 16But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh; 17Then 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. 18Then 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. 19And 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. 20But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 21And 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. 22And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. 23So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it? 24Wilt 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. 25And 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, 26While 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? 27Wherefore 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. 28Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he 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. 30And 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.11.31 whatsoever…: Heb. that which cometh forth, which shall come forth11.31 and…: or, or I will offer it, etc
32¶ So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands. 33And 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.11.33 the plain: or, Abel
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.11.34 beside…: or, he had not of his own either son or daughter: Heb. of himself 35And 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. 36And 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. 37And 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.11.37 go up…: Heb. go and go down 38And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 39And 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,11.39 custom: or, ordinance 40That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.11.40 yearly: Heb. from year to year11.40 to lament: or, to talk with
1Jefta ará Gileadi jẹ́ akọni jagunjagun. Gileadi ni baba rẹ̀; ṣùgbọ́n ìyá rẹ̀ jẹ́ panṣágà. 2Ìyàwó Gileadi sì bí àwọn ọmọkùnrin fún un, nígbà tí àwọn ọmọkùnrin wọ̀nyí dàgbà, wọ́n rán Jefta jáde kúrò nílé, wọ́n wí pé, “Ìwọ kì yóò ní ogún kankan ní ìdílé wa, nítorí pé ìwọ jẹ́ (ọmọ panṣágà) ọmọ obìnrin mìíràn.” 3Jefta sì sá kúrò lọ́dọ̀ àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀, ó sì pàgọ́ sí ilẹ̀ Tobu, ó sì ń gbé níbẹ̀, níbẹ̀ ni àwọn ènìyàn kan ti ń tẹ òfin lójú parapọ̀ láti máa tẹ̀lé e kiri.
4Ní àsìkò kan, nígbà tí àwọn ará Ammoni dìde ogun sí àwọn Israẹli, 5Ó sì ṣe nígbà tí àwọn Ammoni bá Israẹli jagun, àwọn àgbàgbà Gileadi tọ Jefta lọ láti pè é wá láti ilẹ̀ Tobu. 6Wọ́n wí fún Jefta wí pé, “Wá kí o sì jẹ́ olórí ogun wa kí a lè kọjú ogun sí àwọn ará Ammoni.”
7Jefta sì wí fún àwọn àgbàgbà Gileadi pé, “Ṣé kì í ṣe pé ẹ kórìíra mi tí ẹ sì lé mi kúrò ní ilé baba mi? Kí ló dé tí ẹ fi tọ̀ mí wá báyìí nígbà tí ẹ wà nínú wàhálà?”
8Àwọn àgbà Gileadi sì wí fún Jefta pé, “Nítorí rẹ̀ ni àwa fi yípadà sí ọ báyìí: tẹ̀lé wa, kí a lè dojú ìjà kọ àwọn ará Ammoni, ìwọ yóò sì jẹ olórí wa àti gbogbo àwa tí ń gbé ní Gileadi.”
9Jefta sì wí fún àwọn àgbàgbà Gileadi pé, “Bí ẹ̀yin bá mú mi padà láti bá àwọn ará Ammoni jà àti tí Olúwa bá fi wọ́n lé mi lọ́wọ́: ṣe èmi yóò jẹ́ olórí yín nítòótọ́?”
10Àwọn àgbàgbà Gileadi sì wí fún Jefta pé, “Àwa fi Olúwa ṣe ẹlẹ́rìí: àwa yóò ṣe ohunkóhun tí o bá wí.” 11Jefta sì tẹ̀lé àwọn àgbàgbà Gileadi lọ, àwọn ènìyàn náà sì fi ṣe olórí àti ọ̀gágun wọn. Jefta sì tún sọ gbogbo àwọn ọ̀rọ̀ tí ó ti sọtẹ́lẹ̀ níwájú Olúwa ní Mispa.
12Jefta sì rán àwọn oníṣẹ́ sí ọba àwọn ará Ammoni pé, “Kí ni ẹ̀sùn tí o ní sí wa láti fi kàn wá tí ìwọ fi dojú ìjà kọ ilẹ̀ wa?”
13Ọba àwọn Ammoni dá àwọn oníṣẹ́ Jefta lóhùn pé, “Nígbà tí àwọn ọmọ Israẹli jáde ti Ejibiti wá. Wọ́n gba ilẹ̀ mi láti Arnoni dé Jabbok, àní dé Jordani, nítorí náà dá wọn padà lọ ní àlàáfíà àti ní pẹ̀lẹ́ kùtù.”
14Jefta sì tún ránṣẹ́ padà sí ọba àwọn ará Ammoni 15ó sì wí fún un pé:
“Báyìí ni Jefta wí: àwọn ọmọ Israẹli kò gba ilẹ̀ Moabu tàbí ilẹ̀ àwọn ará Ammoni. 16Ṣùgbọ́n nígbà tí wọ́n jáde kúrò ní Ejibiti àwọn ọmọ Israẹli la aginjù kọjá lọ sí ọ̀nà Òkun pupa wọ́n sì lọ sí Kadeṣi. 17Nígbà náà Israẹli rán àwọn oníṣẹ́ sí ọba Edomu pé, ‘Gbà fún wa láti gba ilẹ̀ rẹ̀ kọjá,’ ṣùgbọ́n ọba Edomu kò fetí sí wọn. Wọ́n tún ránṣẹ́ sí ọba Moabu bákan náà òun náà kọ̀. Nítorí náà Israẹli dúró sí Kadeṣi.
18“Wọ́n rin aginjù kọjá, wọ́n pẹ́ àwọn ilẹ̀ Edomu àti ti Moabu sílẹ̀, nígbà tí wọ́n gba apá ìlà-oòrùn Moabu, wọ́n sì tẹ̀dó sí apá kejì Arnoni. Wọn kò wọ ilẹ̀ Moabu, nítorí pé ààlà rẹ̀ ni Arnoni wà.
19“Nígbà náà ni Israẹli rán àwọn oníṣẹ́ sí Sihoni ọba àwọn ará Amori, ẹni tí ń ṣe àkóso ní Heṣboni, wọ́n sì wí fún un pé, ‘Jẹ́ kí a la ilẹ̀ rẹ kọjá lọ sí ibùgbé wa.’ 20Ṣùgbọ́n Sihoni kò gba Israẹli gbọ́ (kò fọkàn tán an) láti jẹ́ kí ó kọjá. Ó kó gbogbo àwọn ènìyàn rẹ̀ jọ, ó sì tẹ̀dó sí Jahisa láti bá Israẹli jagun.
21“Olúwa Ọlọ́run Israẹli sì fi Sihoni àti àwọn ọmọ-ogun rẹ̀ lé Israẹli lọ́wọ́, wọ́n sì ṣẹ́gun wọn. Israẹli sì gba gbogbo ilẹ̀ àwọn ará Amori tí wọ́n ń gbé ní agbègbè náà, 22wọ́n gbà gbogbo agbègbè àwọn ará Amori, láti Arnoni tí ó fi dé Jabbok, àti láti aginjù dé Jordani.
23“Wàyí o, nígbà tí Olúwa Ọlọ́run Israẹli, ti lé àwọn ará Amori kúrò níwájú àwọn ènìyàn rẹ̀; Israẹli, ẹ̀tọ́ wo ni ẹ ní láti gba ilẹ̀ náà? 24Ǹjẹ́ ìwọ kì yóò ha gba èyí tí Kemoṣi òrìṣà rẹ fi fún ọ? Bákan náà àwa yóò gba èyíkéyìí tí Olúwa Ọlọ́run wa fi fún wa. 25Ǹjẹ́ ìwọ ha sàn ju Balaki ọmọ Sippori, ọba Moabu lọ? Ǹjẹ́ òun ha ṣe gbólóhùn asọ̀ pẹ̀lú Israẹli bí? Tàbí òun dojú ìjà kọ wọ́n rí bí? 26Fún ọ̀ọ́dúnrún ọdún (300) ni Israẹli fi ṣe àtìpó ní Heṣboni, Aroeri àti àwọn ìgbèríko àti àwọn ìlú tí ó yí Arnoni ká. Èéṣe tí ìwọ kò fi gbà wọ́n padà ní àsìkò náà? 27Èmi kọ́ ni ó ṣẹ̀ ọ́, ṣùgbọ́n ìwọ ni ó ṣẹ̀ mí nípa kíkógun tọ̀ mí wá. Jẹ́ kí Olúwa olùdájọ́, ṣe ìdájọ́ lónìí láàrín àwọn ọmọ Israẹli àti àwọn ará Ammoni.”
28Ṣùgbọ́n ọba àwọn Ammoni kò fetí sí iṣẹ́ tí Jefta rán sí i.
29Ẹ̀mí Olúwa sì bà lé Jefta òun sì la Gileadi àti Manase kọjá. Ó la Mispa àti Gileadi kọjá láti ibẹ̀, ó tẹ̀síwájú láti bá àwọn ará Ammoni jà. 30Jefta sì jẹ́ ẹ̀jẹ́ fún Olúwa pé, “Bí ìwọ bá fi àwọn ará Ammoni lé mi lọ́wọ́, 31Yóò sì ṣe, ohunkóhun tí ó bá jáde láti ẹnu-ọ̀nà ilé mi láti wá pàdé mi, nígbà tí èmi bá ń padà bọ̀ láti ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn ọmọ Ammoni ní àlàáfíà, yóò jẹ́ ti Olúwa, èmi yóò sì fi rú ẹbọ bí ọrẹ ẹbọ sísun.”
32Jefta sì jáde lọ láti bá àwọn ará Ammoni jagun, Olúwa sì fi wọ́n lé e lọ́wọ́. 33Òun sì ṣẹ́gun wọn, ó sì pa wọ́n ní à pa tán láti Aroeri títí dé agbègbè Minniti, ó jẹ́ ogún ìlú, títí dé Abeli-Keramimu. Báyìí ni Israẹli ti ṣẹ́gun àwọn ará Ammoni.
34Nígbà tí Jefta padà sí ilé rẹ̀ ní Mispa, wò ó, ọmọ rẹ̀ obìnrin ń jáde bọ̀ wá pàdé rẹ̀ pẹ̀lú timbrili àti ijó. Òun ni ọmọ kan ṣoṣo tí ó ní: kò ní ọmọkùnrin àti ọmọbìnrin mìíràn yàtọ̀ sí òun nìkan. 35Ní ìgbà tí ó rí i ó fa aṣọ rẹ̀ ya ní ìbànújẹ́, ó sì ké wí pé, “Háà! Ọ̀dọ́mọbìnrin mi, ìwọ fún mi ní ìbànújẹ́ ọkàn ìwọ sì rẹ̀ mí sílẹ̀ gidigidi, nítorí pé èmi ti ya ẹnu mi sí Olúwa ní ẹ̀jẹ́, èmi kò sì le sẹ́ ẹ̀jẹ́ mi.”
36Ọmọ náà sì dáhùn pé, “Baba mi bí ìwọ bá ti jẹ́ ẹ̀jẹ́ fún Olúwa, ṣe sí mi gẹ́gẹ́ bí ìlérí rẹ, ní báyìí tí Olúwa ti gba ẹ̀san fún ọ lára àwọn ọ̀tá rẹ, àwọn ará Ammoni. 37Ṣùgbọ́n yọ̀ǹda ìbéèrè kan yìí fún mi, gbà mí láààyè oṣù méjì láti rìn ká orí àwọn òkè, kí n sọkún pẹ̀lú àwọn ẹlẹgbẹ́ mi torí mo jẹ́ wúńdíá tí n kò sì ní lè ṣe ìgbéyàwó.”
38Jefta dá lóhùn pé, “Ìwọ lè lọ.” Ó sì gbà á láààyè láti lọ fún oṣù méjì. Òun àti àwọn ọmọbìnrin yòókù lọ sí orí àwọn òkè, wọ́n sọkún nítorí pé kì yóò lè ṣe ìgbéyàwó. 39Lẹ́yìn oṣù méjì náà, ó padà tọ baba rẹ̀ wá òun sì ṣe sí i bí ẹ̀jẹ́ tí ó ti jẹ́. Ọmọ náà sì jẹ́ wúńdíá tí kò mọ ọkùnrin rí.
Èyí sì bẹ̀rẹ̀ àṣà kan ní Israẹli 40wí pé ní ọjọ́ mẹ́rin láàrín ọdún àwọn obìnrin Israẹli a máa lọ láti ṣọ̀fọ̀ àti ṣe ìrántí ọmọbìnrin Jefta ti Gileadi.
