Judges 10
10After Abimelech died, Tola son of Puah, son of Dodo, was the next person to rescue Israel. He was from the tribe of Issachar but lived in the town of Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.H310H40H6965H3467H3478H8439H1121H6312H1121H1734H376H3485H3427H8069H2022H6692He judged Israel for twenty-three years. When he died, he was buried in Shamir.H8199H3478H6242H7969H8141H4191H6912H80693After Tola died, Jair from Gilead judged Israel for twenty-two years.H310H6965H2971H1569H8199H3478H6242H8147H81414His thirty sons rode around on thirty donkeys, and they owned thirty towns in the land of Gilead, which are still called the Towns of Jair.H7970H1121H7392H7970H5895H7970H5892H7121H2334H3117H776H15685When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.H2971H4191H6912H70566Again the Israelites did evil in the LORD's sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and Philistia. They abandoned the LORD and no longer served him at all.H1121H3478H6213H7451H3254H5869H3068H5647H1168H6252H430H758H430H6721H430H4124H430H1121H5983H430H6430H5800H3068H56477So the LORD burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to the Philistines and the Ammonites,H639H3068H2734H3478H4376H3027H6430H3027H1121H59838who began to oppress them that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites east of the Jordan River in the land of the Amorites (that is, in Gilead).H8141H7492H7533H1121H3478H8083H6240H8141H1121H3478H5676H3383H776H567H15689The Ammonites also crossed to the west side of the Jordan and attacked Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. The Israelites were in great distress.H1121H5983H5674H3383H3898H3063H1144H1004H669H3478H3966H333410Finally, they cried out to the LORD for help, saying, "We have sinned against you because we have abandoned you as our God and have served the images of Baal."H1121H3478H2199H3068H559H2398H5800H430H5647H116811The LORD replied, "Did I not rescue you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines,H3068H559H1121H3478H4714H567H1121H5983H643012the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites? When they oppressed you, you cried out to me for help, and I rescued you.H6722H6002H4584H3905H6817H3467H302713Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will not rescue you anymore.H5800H5647H312H430H3467H325414Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!"H3212H2199H430H977H1992H3467H6256H686915But the Israelites pleaded with the LORD and said, "We have sinned. Punish us as you see fit, only rescue us today from our enemies."H1121H3478H559H3068H2398H6213H5869H2896H5337H311716Then the Israelites put aside their foreign gods and served the LORD. And he was grieved by their misery.H5493H5236H430H7130H5647H3068H5315H7114H5999H347817At that time the armies of Ammon had gathered for war and were camped in Gilead, and the people of Israel assembled and camped at Mizpah.H1121H5983H6817H2583H1568H1121H3478H622H2583H470918The leaders of Gilead said to each other, "Whoever attacks the Ammonites first will become ruler over all the people of Gilead."H5971H8269H1568H559H376H7453H376H2490H3898H1121H5983H7218H3427H1568
Judges 11
11Now Jephthah of Gilead was a great warrior. He was the son of Gilead, but his mother was a prostitute.H3316H1569H1368H2428H1121H802H2181H1568H3205H33162Gilead's wife also had several sons, and when these half brothers grew up, they chased Jephthah off the land. "You will not get any of our father's inheritance," they said, "for you are the son of a prostitute."H1568H802H3205H1121H802H1121H1431H1644H3316H559H5157H1H1004H1121H312H8023So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Soon he had a band of worthless rebels following him.H3316H1272H6440H251H3427H776H2897H3950H7386H582H3316H33184At about this time, the Ammonites began their war against Israel.H3117H1121H5983H3898H34785When the Ammonites attacked, the elders of Gilead sent for Jephthah in the land of Tob. The elders said,H1121H5983H3898H3478H2205H1568H3212H3947H3316H776H28976"Come and be our commander! Help us fight the Ammonites!"H559H3316H3212H7101H3898H1121H59837But Jephthah said to them, "Aren't you the ones who hated me and drove me from my father's house? Why do you come to me now when you're in trouble?"H3316H559H2205H1568H8130H1644H1H1004H935H68878"Because we need you," the elders replied. "If you lead us in battle against the Ammonites, we will make you ruler over all the people of Gilead."H2205H1568H559H3316H7725H1980H3898H1121H5983H7218H3427H15689Jephthah said to the elders, "Let me get this straight. If I come with you and if the LORD gives me victory over the Ammonites, will you really make me ruler over all the people?"H3316H559H2205H1568H7725H3898H1121H5983H3068H5414H6440H721810"The LORD is our witness," the elders replied. "We promise to do whatever you say."H2205H1568H559H3316H3068H8085H6213H169711So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him their ruler and commander of the army. At Mizpah, in the presence of the LORD, Jephthah repeated what he had said to the elders.H3316H3212H2205H1568H5971H7760H7218H7101H3316H1696H1697H6440H3068H470912Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of Ammon, asking, "Why have you come out to fight against my land?"H3316H7971H4397H4428H1121H5983H559H935H3898H77613The king of Ammon answered Jephthah's messengers, "When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they stole my land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River and all the way to the Jordan. Now then, give back the land peaceably."H4428H1121H5983H559H4397H3316H3478H3947H776H5927H4714H769H2999H3383H7725H796514Jephthah sent this message back to the Ammonite king.H3316H7971H4397H3254H4428H1121H598315"This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not steal any land from Moab or Ammon.H559H559H3316H3478H3947H776H4124H776H1121H598316When the people of Israel arrived at Kadesh on their journey from Egypt after crossing the Red Sea,H3478H5927H4714H3212H4057H5488H3220H935H694617they sent messengers to the king of Edom asking for permission to pass through his land. But their request was denied. Then they asked the king of Moab for similar permission, but he wouldn't let them pass through either. So the people of Israel stayed in Kadesh.H3478H7971H4397H4428H123H559H5674H776H4428H123H8085H7971H4428H4124H14H3478H3427H694618"Finally, they went around Edom and Moab through the wilderness. They traveled along Moab's eastern border and camped on the other side of the Arnon River. But they never once crossed the Arnon River into Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab.H3212H4057H5437H776H123H776H4124H935H4217H8121H776H4124H2583H5676H769H935H1366H4124H769H1366H412419"Then Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled from Heshbon, asking for permission to cross through his land to get to their destination.H3478H7971H4397H5511H4428H567H4428H2809H3478H559H5674H776H5704H472520But King Sihon didn't trust Israel to pass through his land. Instead, he mobilized his army at Jahaz and attacked them.H5511H539H3478H5674H1366H5511H622H5971H622H2583H3096H3898H347821But the LORD, the God of Israel, gave his people victory over King Sihon. So Israel took control of all the land of the Amorites, who lived in that region,H3068H430H3478H5414H5511H5971H3027H3478H5221H3478H3423H776H567H3427H77622from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River, and from the eastern wilderness to the Jordan.H3423H1366H567H769H2999H4057H338323"So you see, it was the LORD, the God of Israel, who took away the land from the Amorites and gave it to Israel. Why, then, should we give it back to you?H3068H430H3478H3423H567H6440H5971H3478H342324You keep whatever your god Chemosh gives you, and we will keep whatever the LORD our God gives us.H3423H3645H430H3423H3068H430H3423H6440H342325Are you any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he try to make a case against Israel for disputed land? Did he go to war against them?H2896H1111H1121H6834H4428H4124H7378H7378H3478H3898H389826"Israel has been living here for 300 years, inhabiting Heshbon and its surrounding settlements, all the way to Aroer and its settlements, and in all the towns along the Arnon River. Why have you made no effort to recover it before now?H3478H3427H2809H1323H6177H1323H5892H3027H769H7969H3967H8141H5337H625627Therefore, I have not sinned against you. Rather, you have wronged me by attacking me. Let the LORD, who is judge, decide today which of us is right—Israel or Ammon."H2398H6213H853H7451H3898H3068H8199H8199H3117H1121H3478H1121H598328But the king of Ammon paid no attention to Jephthah's message.H4428H1121H5983H8085H1697H3316H797129At that time the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he went throughout the land of Gilead and Manasseh, including Mizpah in Gilead, and from there he led an army against the Ammonites.H7307H3068H3316H5674H1568H4519H5674H4708H1568H4708H1568H5674H1121H598330And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD. He said, "If you give me victory over the Ammonites,H3316H5087H5088H3068H559H5414H5414H1121H5983H302731I will give to the LORD whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering."H3318H3318H1817H1004H7125H7725H7965H1121H5983H3068H5927H593032So Jephthah led his army against the Ammonites, and the LORD gave him victory.H3316H5674H1121H5983H3898H3068H5414H302733He crushed the Ammonites, devastating about twenty towns from Aroer to an area near Minnith and as far away as Abel-keramim. In this way Israel defeated the Ammonites.H5221H6177H935H4511H6242H5892H58H3754H64H3966H1419H4347H1121H5983H3665H6440H1121H347834When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy. She was his one and only child; he had no other sons or daughters.H3316H935H4709H1004H1323H3318H7125H8596H4246H3173H1121H176H132335When he saw her, he tore his clothes in anguish. "Oh, my daughter!" he cried out. "You have completely destroyed me! You've brought disaster on me! For I have made a vow to the LORD, and I cannot take it back."H7200H7167H899H559H162H1323H3766H3766H3766H5916H6475H6310H3068H3201H772536And she said, "Father, if you have made a vow to the LORD, you must do to me what you have vowed, for the LORD has given you a great victory over your enemies, the Ammonites.H559H1H6475H6310H3068H6213H834H3318H6310H310H3068H6213H5360H341H1121H598337But first let me do this one thing: Let me go up and roam in the hills and weep with my friends for two months, because I will die a virgin."H559H1H1697H6213H7503H8147H2320H3212H3381H2022H1058H1331H7464H747438"You may go," Jephthah said. And he sent her away for two months. She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never have children.H559H3212H7971H8147H2320H3212H7464H1058H1331H202239When she returned home, her father kept the vow he had made, and she died a virgin. So it has become a custom in IsraelH7093H8147H2320H7725H1H6213H5088H5087H3045H376H2706H347840for young Israelite women to go away for four days each year to lament the fate of Jephthah's daughter.H1323H3478H3212H3117H3117H8567H1323H3316H1569H702H3117H8141
Judges 12
12Then the people of Ephraim mobilized an army and crossed over the Jordan River to Zaphon. They sent this message to Jephthah: "Why didn't you call for us to help you fight against the Ammonites? We are going to burn down your house with you in it!"H376H669H6817H5674H6828H559H3316H5674H3898H1121H5983H7121H3212H8313H1004H7842Jephthah replied, "I summoned you at the beginning of the dispute, but you refused to come! You failed to help us in our struggle against Ammon.H3316H559H5971H1961H3966H376H7379H1121H5983H2199H3467H30273So when I realized you weren't coming, I risked my life and went to battle without you, and the LORD gave me victory over the Ammonites. So why have you now come to fight me?"H7200H3467H7760H5315H3709H5674H1121H5983H3068H5414H3027H5927H3117H38984The people of Ephraim responded, "You men of Gilead are nothing more than fugitives from Ephraim and Manasseh." So Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and attacked the men of Ephraim and defeated them.H3316H6908H582H1568H3898H669H582H1568H5221H669H559H1568H6412H669H8432H669H8432H45195Jephthah captured the shallow crossings of the Jordan River, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim tried to go back across, the men of Gilead would challenge him. "Are you a member of the tribe of Ephraim?" they would ask. If the man said, "No, I'm not,"H1568H3920H4569H3383H669H669H6412H559H5674H582H1568H559H673H5596they would tell him to say "Shibboleth." If he was from Ephraim, he would say "Sibboleth," because people from Ephraim cannot pronounce the word correctly. Then they would take him and kill him at the shallow crossings of the Jordan. In all, 42,000 Ephraimites were killed at that time.H559H559H7641H559H5451H3559H1696H3559H270H7819H4569H3383H5307H6256H669H705H8147H5057Jephthah judged Israel for six years. When he died, he was buried in one of the towns of Gilead.H3316H8199H3478H8337H8141H4191H3316H1569H6912H5892H15688After Jephthah died, Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel.H310H78H1035H8199H34789He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sent his daughters to marry men outside his clan, and he brought in thirty young women from outside his clan to marry his sons. Ibzan judged Israel for seven years.H7970H1121H7970H1323H7971H2351H935H7970H1323H2351H1121H8199H3478H7651H814110When he died, he was buried at Bethlehem.H4191H78H6912H103511After Ibzan died, Elon from the tribe of Zebulun judged Israel for ten years.H310H356H2075H8199H3478H8199H3478H6235H814112When he died, he was buried at Aijalon in Zebulun.H356H2075H4191H6912H357H776H207413After Elon died, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel.H310H5658H1121H1985H6553H8199H347814He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He judged Israel for eight years.H705H1121H7970H1121H1121H7392H7657H5895H8199H3478H8083H814115When he died, he was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.H5658H1121H1985H6553H4191H6912H6552H776H669H2022H6003
Dublin, OH
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