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 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.
