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11 Jefta ará Gileadi jẹ́ akọni jagunjagun. Gileadi ni baba rẹ̀; ṣùgbọ́n ìyá rẹ̀ jẹ́ panṣágà. Ìyàwó 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.” Jefta 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.

Ní àsìkò kan, nígbà tí àwọn ará Ammoni dìde ogun sí àwọn Israẹli, Ó sì ṣe nígbà tí àwọn Ammoni bá Israẹli jagun, àwọn àgbàgbà Gileadi tọ Jefta lọ láti pè é wá láti ilẹ̀ Tobu. Wọ́n wí fún Jefta wí pé, “Wá kí o sì jẹ́ olórí ogun wa kí a lè kọjú ogun sí àwọn ará Ammoni.”

Jefta 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?”

Àwọn 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.”

Jefta 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?”

10 Àwọn àgbàgbà Gileadi sì wí fún Jefta pé, “Àwa fi Olúwa ṣe ẹlẹ́rìí: àwa yóò ṣe ohunkóhun tí o bá wí.” 11 Jefta 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.

12 Jefta 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?”

13 Ọba 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.”

14 Jefta sì tún ránṣẹ́ padà sí ọba àwọn ará Ammoni 15 ó sì wí fún un pé:

“Báyìí ni Jefta wí: àwọn ọmọ Israẹli kò gba ilẹ̀ Moabu tàbí ilẹ̀ àwọn ará Ammoni. 16 Ṣùgbọ́n nígbà tí wọ́n jáde kúrò ní Ejibiti àwọn ọmọ Israẹli la aginjù kọjá lọ sí ọ̀nà Òkun pupa wọ́n sì lọ sí Kadeṣi. 17 Nígbà 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.’ 20 Ṣùgbọ́n 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, 22 wọ́n 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? 24 Ǹjẹ́ 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. 25 Ǹjẹ́ 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? 26 Fún 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? 27 Èmi 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.”

28 Ṣùgbọ́n ọba àwọn Ammoni kò fetí sí iṣẹ́ tí Jefta rán sí i.

29 Ẹ̀mí 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. 30 Jefta sì jẹ́ ẹ̀jẹ́ fún Olúwa pé, “Bí ìwọ bá fi àwọn ará Ammoni lé mi lọ́wọ́, 31 Yóò 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.”

32 Jefta sì jáde lọ láti bá àwọn ará Ammoni jagun, Olúwa sì fi wọ́n lé e lọ́wọ́. 33 Òun 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.

34 Nígbà 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. 35 Ní 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.”

36 Ọmọ 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. 37 Ṣùgbọ́n 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.”

38 Jefta 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. 39 Lẹ́yìn 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 40 wí pé ní ọjọ́ mẹ́rin láàrín ọdún àwọn obìnrin Israẹli a máa lọ láti ṣọ̀fọ̀ àti ṣe ìrántí ọmọbìnrin Jefta ti Gileadi.

11 Jephthah(A) the Gileadite was a mighty warrior.(B) His father was Gilead;(C) his mother was a prostitute.(D) Gilead’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.” So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob,(E) where a gang of scoundrels(F) gathered around him and followed him.

Some time later, when the Ammonites(G) were fighting against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. “Come,” they said, “be our commander, so we can fight the Ammonites.”

Jephthah said to them, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me from my father’s house?(H) Why do you come to me now, when you’re in trouble?”

The 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(I) over all of us who live in Gilead.”

Jephthah answered, “Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me—will I really be your head?”

10 The elders of Gilead replied, “The Lord is our witness;(J) we will certainly do as you say.” 11 So Jephthah went with the elders(K) of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them. And he repeated(L) all his words before the Lord in Mizpah.(M)

12 Then Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king with the question: “What do you have against me that you have attacked my country?”

13 The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they took away my land from the Arnon(N) to the Jabbok,(O) all the way to the Jordan. Now give it back peaceably.”

14 Jephthah sent back messengers to the Ammonite king, 15 saying:

“This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take the land of Moab(P) or the land of the Ammonites.(Q) 16 But when they came up out of Egypt, Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea[a](R) and on to Kadesh.(S) 17 Then Israel sent messengers(T) to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Give us permission to go through your country,’(U) but the king of Edom would not listen. They sent also to the king of Moab,(V) and he refused.(W) So Israel stayed at Kadesh.

18 “Next they traveled through the wilderness, skirted the lands of Edom(X) and Moab, passed along the eastern side(Y) of the country of Moab, and camped on the other side of the Arnon.(Z) They did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was its border.

19 “Then Israel sent messengers(AA) to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon,(AB) and said to him, ‘Let us pass through your country to our own place.’(AC) 20 Sihon, however, did not trust Israel[b] to pass through his territory. He mustered all his troops and encamped at Jahaz and fought with Israel.(AD)

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, 22 capturing all of it from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the desert to the Jordan.(AE)

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? 24 Will you not take what your god Chemosh(AF) gives you? Likewise, whatever the Lord our God has given us,(AG) we will possess. 25 Are you any better than Balak son of Zippor,(AH) king of Moab? Did he ever quarrel with Israel or fight with them?(AI) 26 For three hundred years Israel occupied(AJ) Heshbon, Aroer,(AK) the surrounding settlements and all the towns along the Arnon. Why didn’t you retake them during that time? 27 I have not wronged you, but you are doing me wrong by waging war against me. Let the Lord, the Judge,(AL) decide(AM) the dispute this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.(AN)

28 The king of Ammon, however, paid no attention to the message Jephthah sent him.

29 Then the Spirit(AO) of the Lord came on Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah(AP) of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites.(AQ) 30 And Jephthah made a vow(AR) to the Lord: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph(AS) from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.(AT)

32 Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands. 33 He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith,(AU) as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.

34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing(AV) to the sound of timbrels!(AW) She was an only child.(AX) Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes(AY) 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.(AZ)

36 “My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised,(BA) now that the Lord has avenged you(BB) of your enemies,(BC) the Ammonites. 37 But 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. 39 After 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 40 that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 11:16 Or the Sea of Reeds
  2. Judges 11:20 Or however, would not make an agreement for Israel

11 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.

And 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.

Then 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.

And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.

And 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:

And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.

And 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?

And 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.

And 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?

10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The Lord be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.

11 Then 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?

13 And 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.

14 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:

15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:

16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;

17 Then 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.

18 Then 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.

19 And 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.

20 But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.

21 And 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.

22 And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.

23 So now the Lord God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?

24 Wilt 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.

25 And 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,

26 While 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?

27 Wherefore 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.

28 Howbeit 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.

30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,

31 Then 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.

32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord delivered them into his hands.

33 And 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.

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.

35 And 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.

36 And 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.

37 And 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.

38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.

39 And 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,

40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.