1Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute. 2Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, “because you are the son of another woman.” 3So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a gang of scoundrels gathered around him and followed him.
4Some time later, when the Ammonites were fighting against Israel, 5the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. 6“Come,” they said, “be our commander, so we can fight the Ammonites.”
7Jephthah said to them, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me from my father’s house? Why do you come to me now, when you’re in trouble?”
8The elders of Gilead said to him, “Nevertheless, we are turning to you now; come with us to fight the Ammonites, and you will be head over all of us who live in Gilead.”
9Jephthah answered, “Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me—will I really be your head?”
10The elders of Gilead replied, “The Lord is our witness; we will certainly do as you say.” 11So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them. And he repeated all his words before the Lord in Mizpah.
12Then Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king with the question: “What do you have against me that you have attacked my country?”
13The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they took away my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, all the way to the Jordan. Now give it back peaceably.”
14Jephthah sent back messengers to the Ammonite king, 15saying:
“This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites. 16But when they came up out of Egypt, Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea11:16 Or the Sea of Reeds and on to Kadesh. 17Then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Give us permission to go through your country,’ but the king of Edom would not listen. They sent also to the king of Moab, and he refused. So Israel stayed at Kadesh.
18“Next they traveled through the wilderness, skirted the lands of Edom and Moab, passed along the eastern side of the country of Moab, and camped on the other side of the Arnon. They did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was its border.
19“Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, ‘Let us pass through your country to our own place.’ 20Sihon, however, did not trust Israel11:20 Or however, would not make an agreement for Israel to pass through his territory. He mustered all his troops and encamped at Jahaz and fought with Israel.
21“Then the Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and his whole army into Israel’s hands, and they defeated them. Israel took over all the land of the Amorites who lived in that country, 22capturing all of it from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the desert to the Jordan.
23“Now since the Lord, the God of Israel, has driven the Amorites out before his people Israel, what right have you to take it over? 24Will you not take what your god Chemosh gives you? Likewise, whatever the Lord our God has given us, we will possess. 25Are you any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever quarrel with Israel or fight with them? 26For three hundred years Israel occupied Heshbon, Aroer, the surrounding settlements and all the towns along the Arnon. Why didn’t you retake them during that time? 27I have not wronged you, but you are doing me wrong by waging war against me. Let the Lord, the Judge, decide the dispute this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.”
28The king of Ammon, however, paid no attention to the message Jephthah sent him.
29Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites. 30And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”
32Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands. 33He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.
34When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of timbrels! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.”
36“My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised, now that the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites. 37But grant me this one request,” she said. “Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry.”
38“You may go,” he said. And he let her go for two months. She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never marry. 39After the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin.
From this comes the Israelite tradition 40that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.
111:1 Ahib 11:32; Ndar 26:29Na rĩrĩ, Jefitha aarĩ Mũgileadi warĩ njamba yarĩ hinya. Nake ithe wa Jefitha eetagwo Gileadi, na nyina aarĩ mũmaraya. 2Mũtumia wa Gileadi o nake akĩmũciarĩra aanake, na rĩrĩa maagimarire makĩingata Jefitha. Nao makiuga atĩrĩ, “Wee ndũkagaya igai thĩinĩ wa nyũmba iitũ, tondũ ũrĩ wa mũtumia ũngĩ.” 311:3 2Sam 10:6, 8Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Jefitha akĩũrĩra ariũ a ithe, agĩthiĩ gũtũũra bũrũri wa Tobu, kũrĩa gĩkundi kĩa andũ matarĩ kĩene kĩamũrigiicĩirie na gĩkĩmũrũmĩrĩra.
411:4 Atiir 10:9Thuutha wa ihinda inini, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Aamoni maahaarĩirie mbaara na Isiraeli, 5athuuri a Gileadi magĩthiĩ kũgĩĩra Jefitha kuuma bũrũri wa Tobu. 6Nao makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũka, ũtuĩke mũnene witũ wa ita, nĩgeetha tũhũũrane na Aamoni.”
711:7 Kĩam 26:16Jefitha akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Githĩ mũtiathũũrire mũkĩnyingata kuuma nyũmba ya baba? Nĩ kĩĩ kĩratũma mũũke kũrĩ niĩ rĩu mũrĩ na thĩĩna?”
811:8 Atiir 10:18Athuuri a Gileadi makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “O na kũrĩ ũguo, nĩtwagũcookerera; twarana na ithuĩ tũkahũũrane na Aamoni, na nĩũgũtuĩka mũnene witũ wa gwathaga andũ othe arĩa matũũraga Gileadi.”
9Jefitha akĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Mũngĩnjookia ngahũũrane na Aamoni nake Jehova amaneane kũrĩ niĩ-rĩ, ti-itherũ niĩ nĩngatuĩka mũnene wanyu?”
1011:10 Kĩam 31:50Athuuri acio a Gileadi makĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Jehova nĩwe mũira witũ; nĩtũgwĩka o ta ũrĩa ũkuuga.” 1111:11 1Sam 8:4; Thaam 19:9Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Jefitha agĩthiĩ hamwe na athuuri a Gileadi, na andũ acio makĩmũtua mũnene na mwathi wao. Nake agĩcookera ciugo ciake ciothe mbere ya Jehova o kũu Mizipa.
12Ningĩ Jefitha agĩtũmana kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Aamoni na kĩũria gĩkĩ: “Nĩ ũhoro ũrĩkũ ũrĩ naguo na ithuĩ nĩgeetha ũtharĩkĩre bũrũri witũ?”
1311:13 Ndar 21:24Mũthamaki wa Aamoni agĩcookeria andũ a Jefitha atĩrĩ, “Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Isiraeli maambatire kuuma Misiri, nĩmooire bũrũri wakwa kuuma Arinoni nginya Jaboku, o na nginya Jorodani. Rĩu njookeriai bũrũri ũcio na thayũ.”
14Nake Jefitha agĩtũma andũ rĩngĩ kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Aamoni, 1511:15 Gũcook 2:9akiuga atĩrĩ:
“Ũũ nĩguo Jefitha oiga: Isiraeli ndooire bũrũri wa Moabi kana bũrũri wa Aamoni. 1611:16 Ndar 14:25; Gũcook 1:40No rĩrĩa maambatire makiuma Misiri, Isiraeli maatuĩkanĩirie werũ-inĩ nginya Iria Itune, magĩkinya Kadeshi. 1711:17 Ndar 20:14Ningĩ Isiraeli agĩtũma andũ kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Edomu, makamwĩre atĩrĩ, ‘Twĩtĩkĩrie tũtuĩkanĩrie bũrũri-inĩ waku,’ no mũthamaki wa Edomu ndaigana gũthikĩrĩria. Ningĩ magĩtũmana kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Moabi, nake akĩrega. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Isiraeli magĩikara kũu Kadeshi.
1811:18 Gũcook 2:8; Ndar 21:13“Magĩcooka magĩtuĩkanĩria werũ-inĩ, magĩthiũrũrũka bũrũri wa Edomu na Moabi, makĩgerera mwena wa irathĩro wa bũrũri wa Moabi, na makĩamba hema ciao mũrĩmo ũũrĩa ũngĩ wa Arinoni. Nao matiatoonyire bũrũri wa Moabi, nĩgũkorwo Rũũĩ rwa Arinoni nĩruo rwarĩ mũhaka wakuo.
1911:19 Josh 12:2“Ningĩ Isiraeli agĩtũma andũ kũrĩ Sihoni mũthamaki wa Aamori, ũrĩa waathanaga Heshiboni, makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Twĩtĩkĩrie tũhĩtũkĩre bũrũri-inĩ waku tũthiĩ bũrũri witũ.’ 2011:20 Ndar 21:23Na rĩrĩ, Sihoni ndaigana kwĩhoka Isiraeli mahĩtũkĩre bũrũri wake. Akĩũngania ita rĩake rĩothe na akĩamba hema kũu Jahazu, na akĩhũũrana na Isiraeli.
21“Nake Jehova, Ngai wa Isiraeli, akĩneana Sihoni na andũ ake othe moko-inĩ ma Isiraeli, makĩmahoota. Isiraeli makĩĩyoera bũrũri wothe wa Aamori arĩa maatũũraga bũrũri ũcio, 2211:22 Ndar 21:21-26magĩtunyana guothe kuuma Arinoni nginya Jaboku, na kuuma werũ-inĩ nginya Jorodani.
23“Na rĩrĩ, kuona atĩ Jehova, Ngai wa Isiraeli nĩwe ũingatĩte Aamori akameheria mbere ya andũ ake Isiraeli-rĩ, wee ũkĩrĩ na kĩhooto kĩrĩkũ gĩa kũwĩgwatĩra? 2411:24 Ndar 21:29; Josh 3:10Kaĩ ũtangĩoya kĩrĩa Kemoshu ngai yaku ĩkũheete? Ithuĩ na ithuĩ twĩgwatĩre kĩrĩa gĩothe Jehova Ngai witũ atũheete. 2511:25 Josh 24:9Anga wee nĩũkĩrĩte Balaki mũrũ wa Ziporu, mũthamaki wa Moabi? Nĩ kũrĩ hĩndĩ arĩ ahaarana na Isiraeli kana akĩrũa nao? 2611:26 Ndar 21:25; Josh 13:9Handũ ha mĩaka magana matatũ Isiraeli matũũrĩte kũu Heshiboni, na Aroeri, na matũũra marĩa mothe magũthiũrũrũkĩirie, na matũũra mothe marĩa marĩ hũgũrũrũ-inĩ cia Arinoni. Nĩ kĩĩ kĩagiririe ũmeyoere rĩngĩ hĩndĩ ĩyo? 2711:27 Kĩam 18:25; 2Maũ 20:12Niĩ ndikũhĩtĩirie, no wee nĩũranjĩka ũũru nĩ ũndũ wa kũndehera mbaara. Reke Jehova, ũrĩa mũtuithania, atuithanie ciira ũyũ ũmũthĩ gatagatĩ ka andũ a Isiraeli na Aamoni.”
28O na kũrĩ ũguo, mũthamaki wa Amoni ndaigana kũrũmbũiya ndũmĩrĩri ĩyo aatũmĩirwo nĩ Jefitha.
2911:29 Atiir 3:10; Kĩam 31:49Hĩndĩ ĩyo Roho wa Jehova agĩũka igũrũ rĩa Jefitha. Akĩringa Gileadi na Manase, akĩhĩtũkĩra Mizipa ya Gileadi, na kuuma kũu agĩthiĩ gũkora Aamoni. 3011:30 Kĩam 28:20; Thim 31:2Nake Jefitha akĩĩhĩta mwĩhĩtwa mbere ya Jehova, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ũngĩneana Aamoni moko-nĩ makwa-rĩ, 3111:31 Kĩam 8:20; Alaw 1:3o kĩrĩa gĩkoima nja na mũrango wa nyũmba yakwa kĩndũnge rĩrĩa ngaacooka hootanĩte kuuma kũrĩ Aamoni, gĩgaatuĩka kĩa Jehova, na nĩngakĩruta gĩtuĩke igongona rĩa njino.”
32Nake Jefitha agĩthiĩ kũhũũrana na Aamoni, nake Jehova akĩmaneana moko-inĩ make. 3311:33 Ezek 27:17Agĩthũkangia matũũra mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ kuuma Aroeri nginya gũkuhĩ na Minithu, o nginya Abeli-Karamimu. Ũguo nĩguo Isiraeli maatooririe Aamoni.
3411:34 Kĩam 31:37Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Jefitha aacookire gwake mũciĩ kũu Mizipa-rĩ, nũũ wagĩũkire kũmũtũnga tiga mwarĩ, akĩmũinagĩra na akĩhũũraga tũhembe! Nake aarĩ mwana wa mũmwe. Tiga o we wiki, Jefitha ndaarĩ na kahĩĩ kana kairĩtu. 3511:35 Ndar 30:2; Koh 5:2, 4, 5Rĩrĩa aamuonire-rĩ, agĩtembũranga nguo ciake agĩkaya, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ũũi! Mwarĩ wakwa! Nĩwandua mũndũ mũthĩĩnĩku na mũnyamarĩku nĩ ũndũ nĩndĩhĩtĩte mwĩhĩtwa harĩ Jehova ũrĩa itangĩaga kũhingia.”
36Nake akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Baba, wee nĩweehĩtire mwĩhĩtwa kũrĩ Jehova. Njĩka o ta ũrĩa weranĩire, kuona atĩ Jehova nĩakũrĩhĩria harĩ Aamoni thũ ciaku.” 37Ningĩ akiuga atĩrĩ, “No nĩngũkũũria ũnjĩtĩkĩrie ũndũ ũyũ ũmwe: Ũũhe mĩeri ĩĩrĩ ngacangacange irĩma-inĩ na ndĩre hamwe na arata akwa, tondũ ndikaahika.”
38Akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “No ũthiĩ.” Akĩmwĩtĩkĩria athiĩ mĩeri ĩĩrĩ. We marĩ na airĩtu acio angĩ magĩthiĩ irĩma-inĩ, makĩrĩranĩra tondũ ndarĩ hĩndĩ angĩkaahika. 39Thuutha wa mĩeri ĩyo ĩĩrĩ, agĩcooka kũrĩ ithe, nake akĩmwĩka o ta ũrĩa eehĩtĩte. Nake aarĩ mũirĩtu gathirange.
Kuumanagia na ũndũ ũcio, ũgĩtuĩka mũtugo wa andũ a Isiraeli, 40atĩ o mwaka airĩtu a Isiraeli mathiiage nja mĩthenya ĩna kũririkana mwarĩ wa Jefitha ũcio Mũgileadi.
