111:1 Amu 12:1; 1Sam 12:11; Ebr 11:32; Amu 6:12; Hes 26:29; Mwa 38; 15Basi Yefta Mgileadi alikuwa mtu shujaa. Baba yake alikuwa Gileadi, naye mama yake alikuwa kahaba. 2Mke wa Gileadi akamzalia wana wengine, nao watoto hao walipokua, wakamfukuza Yefta na kumwambia, “Wewe huwezi kupata urithi katika jamii yetu, kwa sababu wewe ni mwana wa mwanamke mwingine.” 311:3 2Sam 10:6-8; Amu 9:4Basi Yefta akawakimbia ndugu zake akaenda kuishi katika nchi ya Tobu, mahali ambako watu waasi walijiunga naye na kumfuata.
411:4 Amu 10:9Baada ya muda Waamoni wakafanya vita na Israeli, 5viongozi wa Gileadi wakaenda kumchukua Yefta katika nchi ya Tobu. 6Wakamwambia Yefta, “Uwe jemadari wetu, ili tuweze kupigana na Waamoni.”
711:7 Mwa 26:16, 27Yefta akawaambia, “Je, hamkunichukia mimi na kunifukuza katika nyumba ya baba yangu? Kwa nini mnanijia sasa, wakati mna matatizo.”
811:8 Amu 10:18Viongozi wa Gileadi wakamwambia Yefta, “Lakini sasa tumegeuka kukuelekea wewe, ili uende pamoja nasi kupigana na Waamoni, nawe utakuwa kiongozi wetu juu ya watu wote wa Gileadi.”
9Yefta akawaambia, “Ikiwa mtanirudisha kwetu kupigana na Waamoni, naye Bwana akanisaidia kuwashinda, Je, ni kweli nitakuwa kiongozi wenu?”
1011:10 Mwa 31:50; Isa 1:2; Yer 42:5Viongozi wa Gileadi wakamjibu Yefta, “Bwana ndiye shahidi yetu. Kwa hakika tutafanya kama usemavyo.” 1111:11 1Sam 9:4; 2Sam 3:17; Kut 19:9; 1Sam 8; 21; Yos 11:3Basi Yefta akaenda na viongozi wa Gileadi, nao watu wakamfanya kiongozi na jemadari wao. Naye akarudia maneno yake yote mbele za Bwana huko Mispa.
12Ndipo Yefta akatuma wajumbe kwa mfalme wa Waamoni akisema, “Una nini juu yetu, hata umekuja kushambulia nchi yetu?”
1311:13 Hes 21:13; 21:24; Mwa 32:22Mfalme wa Waamoni akawajibu wajumbe wale wa Yefta, “Wakati Waisraeli walipopanda kutoka Misri, waliichukua nchi yangu kuanzia Arnoni mpaka Yaboki, hadi kufikia Yordani. Sasa rudisha kwa amani.”
14Yefta akarudisha wajumbe kwa mfalme wa Waamoni, 1511:15 Kum 2:9; 1:19kusema:
“Hili ndilo asemalo Yefta, Israeli hawakuchukua nchi ya Moabu wala ya Waamoni. 1611:16 Hes 14:25; Kum 1:40; Mwa 14:7; Hes 20:1Lakini walipopanda kutoka Misri, Israeli walipitia katika jangwa hadi Bahari ya Shamu na wakafika Kadeshi. 1711:17 Mwa 32:3; Hes 20:14-17; Yer 48:1; Yos 24:9Ndipo Israeli wakatuma wajumbe kwa mfalme wa Edomu, wakisema, ‘Tupe ruhusa kupita katika nchi yako,’ Lakini mfalme wa Edomu hakutusikia. Wakapeleka pia wajumbe kwa mfalme wa Moabu, naye akakataa. Kwa hiyo Israeli wakakaa huko Kadeshi.
1811:18 Hes 20:21; Kum 2:8; Hes 21:13; 21:4“Baadaye wakasafiri kupitia jangwa, wakiambaa na nchi za Edomu na Moabu, wakapitia upande wa mashariki wa nchi ya Moabu na kupiga kambi upande mwingine wa Arnoni. Hawakuingia katika nchi ya Moabu, kwa kuwa Arnoni ilikuwa mpaka wake.
1911:19 Hes 21:21-22; Yos 12:2; Kum 2:26-27“Kisha Israeli wakatuma wajumbe kwa Sihoni mfalme wa Waamori, aliyetawala Heshboni, na kumwambia, ‘Tupe ruhusa kupita katika nchi yako ili kufikia mahali petu.’ 2011:20 Hes 21:23; Kum 2:32Hata hivyo, Sihoni hakuwaamini Waisraeli kupita katika nchi yake. Akaandaa jeshi lake lote na kupiga kambi huko Yahasa, nao wakapigana na Israeli.
21“Ndipo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, akamtia Sihoni na watu wake wote mikononi mwa Israeli, nao wakawashinda. Israeli wakaitwaa nchi yote ya Waamori, waliokuwa wakiishi katika nchi hiyo, 2211:22 Hes 21:21-22; Kum 2:36wakiiteka nchi yote kuanzia Arnoni mpaka Yaboki, na kutoka jangwani mpaka Yordani.
23“Basi kwa kuwa Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, amewafukuza Waamori watoke mbele ya watu wake Israeli, wewe unayo haki gani ya kuitamalaki? 2411:24 Hes 21:29; Yos 3:10; Kum 2:3; 1Fal 11:7Je, haikupasi kuchukua kile ambacho mungu wako Kemoshi amekupa? Vivyo hivyo, chochote kile Bwana Mungu wetu alichotupa sisi, tutakimiliki. 2511:25 Hes 22:2; Yos 24:9Je, wewe ni bora kuliko Balaki mwana wa Sipori, mfalme wa Moabu? Je, yeye alishagombana na Israeli au kupigana nao wakati wowote? 2611:26 Hes 21:25; 32:34; Yos 13:9Kwa maana kwa miaka 300 Israeli wameishi Heshboni na vijiji vyake, Aroeri na vijiji vyake, na katika miji yote iliyo kando ya Arnoni. Kwa nini wewe haukuyachukua wakati huo? 2711:27 Mwa 18:25; 16:5; 2Nya 20; 12; Mwa 31:53; 1Sam 24:12-15Mimi sijakukosea jambo lolote, bali wewe ndiye unayenikosea kwa kufanya vita nami. Basi Bwana, aliye Mwamuzi, leo na aamue ugomvi kati ya Waisraeli na Waamoni.”
28Hata hivyo, Mfalme wa Waamoni, hakuyajali maneno ya ujumbe wa Yefta.
2911:29 Amu 3:10; Mwa 31:49; Amu 10:17; Hes 11:25; Isa 11; 2Ndipo Roho wa Bwana akaja juu ya Yefta. Akapita katikati ya Gileadi na Manase, pia akapita katika Mispa ya Gileadi, na kutokea huko akasonga mbele kushambulia Waamoni. 3011:30 Mwa 28:20; Hes 30:10; 1Sam 1:11; Mit 31:2Naye Yefta akaweka nadhiri mbele za Bwana akisema, “Ikiwa utawatia Waamoni mikononi mwangu, 3111:31 Mwa 28:21; 8:20; Law 1:3; Amu 13:16chochote kile kitakachotoka katika mlango wa nyumba yangu cha kwanza ili kunilaki nirudipo kwa amani katika kuwashinda Waamoni, kitakuwa ni cha Bwana na nitakitoa kuwa sadaka ya kuteketezwa.”
32Ndipo Yefta akavuka kupigana na hao Waamoni, naye Bwana akawatia mkononi mwake. 3311:33 Eze 27:17Akawapiga kwa ushindi mkubwa kuanzia Aroeri mpaka karibu na Minithi na kuendelea mpaka Abel-Keramimu, miji yote iliyopigwa ni ishirini. Basi Israeli wakawashinda Waamoni.
3411:34 Kut 15:20; Mwa 31:27; Yer 31:4; Zek 12; 10Yefta aliporudi nyumbani Mispa, tazama, binti yake akatoka ili kumlaki kwa matari na kucheza. Alikuwa ndiye mtoto pekee, hakuwa na mwana wala binti mwingine. 3511:35 Hes 14:6; 30:2; Kum 23:21; Mhu 5:2-5Alipomwona akararua mavazi yake akalia, “Ee! Binti yangu! Umenifanya niwe na huzuni na kunyongʼonyea sana, kwa kuwa nimeweka nadhiri kwa Bwana, ambayo siwezi kuivunja.”
3611:36 Lk 1:38; Hes 31:3; 2Sam 18:19Akajibu, “Baba yangu, umetoa neno lako kwa Bwana. Nitendee mimi kama vile ulivyoahidi, kwa kuwa Bwana amekupa ushindi dhidi ya adui zako Waamoni.” 37Naye akamwambia baba yake, “Naomba nifanyiwe jambo hili. Nipewe miezi miwili ili kuzunguka vilimani nikaulilie ubikira wangu, mimi na wenzangu.”
38Baba yake akamwambia, “Waweza kwenda.” Naye akamwacha aende kwa miezi miwili. Hivyo akaondoka pamoja na wasichana wenzake, naye akaulilia ubikira wake huko vilimani kwa sababu asingeolewa kamwe. 39Baada ya hiyo miezi miwili, alirejea kwa baba yake, naye baba yake akamtendea kama alivyokuwa ametoa nadhiri yake. Naye alikuwa bikira.
Nayo ikawa desturi katika Israeli, 40kwamba kila mwaka binti wa Israeli huenda kwa siku nne ili kumkumbuka huyo binti wa Yefta, Mgileadi.
1Jephthah was a mighty warrior. He was from the land of Gilead. His father’s name was Gilead. Jephthah’s mother was a prostitute. 2Gilead’s wife also had sons by him. When they had grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You aren’t going to get any share of our family’s property,” they said. “You are the son of another woman.” 3So Jephthah ran away from his brothers. He made his home in the land of Tob. A group of men who weren’t good for anything gathered around him there. And they followed him.
4Some time later, the Ammonites were fighting against Israel. 5So the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. 6“Come with us,” they said. “Be our commander. Then we can fight against the Ammonites.”
7Jephthah said to them, “Didn’t you hate me? Didn’t you drive me away from my father’s house? Why are you coming to me only when you are in trouble?”
8The elders of Gilead replied to him. “You are right,” they said. “That’s why we’re turning to you now. Come with us and fight against the Ammonites. Then you will rule over all of us who live in Gilead.”
9Jephthah said, “Suppose you take me back to fight against the Ammonites. And suppose the Lord gives me victory over them. Then will I really be your leader?”
10The elders of Gilead replied, “The Lord is our witness. We’ll certainly do as you say.” 11So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead. And the people made him their leader and commander. He went to Mizpah. There he repeated to the Lord everything he had said.
12Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of Ammon. They asked, “What do you have against me? Why have you attacked my country?”
13The king of Ammon answered Jephthah’s messengers. He said, “Israel came up out of Egypt. At that time they took my land away. They took all the land between the Arnon River and the Jabbok River. It reached all the way to the Jordan River. Now give it back. Then there will be peace.”
14Jephthah sent messengers back to the king of Ammon. 15They said,
“Here is what Jephthah says to you. Israel didn’t take the land of Moab. They didn’t take the land of Ammon. 16When Israel came up out of Egypt, they went through the desert to the Red Sea. From there they went on to Kadesh. 17Then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom. They said, ‘Please let us go through your country.’ But the king of Edom wouldn’t listen to them. They sent the same message to the king of Moab. But he refused too. So Israel stayed at Kadesh.
18“Next, they traveled through the desert. They traveled along the borders of the lands of Edom and Moab. They passed along the east side of the country of Moab. They camped on the other side of the Arnon River. They didn’t enter the territory of Moab. The Arnon River was Moab’s border.
19“Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon. He was the king of the Amorites. He ruled in Heshbon. They said to him, ‘Let us pass through your country to our own land.’ 20But Sihon didn’t trust Israel to pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered all his troops together. They camped at Jahaz. And they fought against Israel.
21“Then the Lord, the God of Israel, handed Sihon and his whole army over to Israel. Israel won the battle over them. Amorites were living in the country at that time. And Israel took over all their land. 22Israel captured all the land between the Arnon River and the Jabbok River. It reached from the desert all the way to the Jordan River.
23“The Lord, the God of Israel, has driven the Amorites out to make room for his people. So what right do you have to take it over? 24You will take what your god Chemosh gives you, won’t you? In the same way, we will take over what the Lord our God has given us. 25Are you any better than Balak, the son of Zippor? Balak was the king of Moab. Did he ever argue with Israel? Did he ever fight against them? 26For 300 years Israel has been living in Heshbon and Aroer. They have been living in the settlements around those cities. They have also been living in all the towns along the Arnon River. Why didn’t you take those places back during that time? 27I haven’t done anything wrong to you. But you are doing something wrong to me. You have gone to war against me. The Lord is the Judge. So let him decide our case today. Let him settle matters between the Israelites and the Ammonites.”
28But the king of Ammon didn’t pay any attention to the message Jephthah sent him.
29Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah. He went across the territories of Gilead and Manasseh. He passed through Mizpah in the land of Gilead. From there he attacked the people of Ammon. 30Jephthah made a promise to the Lord. Jephthah said, “Hand the Ammonites over to me. 31If you do, here’s what I’ll do when I come back from winning the battle. Anything that comes out the door of my house to meet me will belong to the Lord. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”
32Then Jephthah went over to fight against the Ammonites. The Lord handed them over to him. 33Jephthah destroyed 20 towns between Aroer and the area of Minnith. He destroyed them all the way to Abel Keramim. So Israel brought Ammon under their control.
34Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah. And guess who came out to meet him. It was his daughter! She was dancing to the beat of tambourines. She was his only child. He didn’t have any other sons or daughters. 35When Jephthah saw her, he was so upset that he tore his clothes. He cried out, “Oh no, my daughter! You have filled me with trouble and sorrow. I’ve made a promise to the Lord. And I can’t break it.”
36“My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the Lord. So do to me just what you promised to do. The Ammonites were your enemies. And the Lord has paid them back for what they did to you. 37But please do one thing for me,” she continued. “Give me two months to wander around in the hills. Let me weep there with my friends. I want to do that because I’ll never get married.”
38“You may go,” he said. He let her go for two months. She and her friends went into the hills. They were filled with sadness because she would never get married. 39After the two months were over, she returned to her father. He did to her just what he had promised to do. And she was a virgin.
So that became a practice in Israel. 40Each year the young women of Israel go away for four days. They do it in honor of the daughter of Jephthah. He was from the land of Gilead.
