Jephthah (Judges 11)

Is bigotry often proven wrong when the very object of our prejudices comes to help us? Does God often use society’s rejects for great purposes? Have we ever made a foolish promise? Let’s look at Judges 11.

Gilead was a descendant of Manasseh and the region of Gilead was east of the Jordan River. The land of Tob was probably back country used by outlaws. Despite prejudice against him, did the people of Gilead ask Jephthah to lead their army?

The leaders of the Gilead clan decided to ask a brave warrior named Jephthah son of Gilead to lead the attack against the Ammonites. Even though Jephthah belonged to the Gilead clan, he had earlier been forced to leave the region where they had lived. Jephthah was the son of a prostitute, but his half brothers were the sons of his father's wife. One day his half brothers told him, “You don't really belong to our family, so you can't have any of the family property.” Then they forced Jephthah to leave home. Jephthah went to the country of Tob, where he was joined by a number of men who would do anything for money. So the leaders of Gilead went to Jephthah and said, “Please come back to Gilead! If you lead our army, we will be able to fight off the Ammonites.” (Judges 11:1-6 CEV)

What promises were made if Jephthah would lead their army?

But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me and drive me out of my father's house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?” And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That is why we have turned to you now, that you may go with us and fight against the Ammonites and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.” Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me home again to fight against the Ammonites, and the Lord gives them over to me, I will be your head.” And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The Lord will be witness between us, if we do not do as you say.” So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and leader over them. And Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord at Mizpah. (Judges 11:7-11 ESV)

What dispute did the indigenous tribes have with Israel?

Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, saying, “What do you have against me that you have come to fight against me in my land?” The king of the Ammonites said to Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came from Egypt, they seized my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and the Jordan. Now restore it peaceably.” (Judges 11:12-13 HCSB)

Were the Edomites and Moabites once inhospitable to Israel?

But Jephthah sent additional messengers again to the king of the Ammonites and they informed him, “This is Jephthah’s response: ‘Israel didn’t seize the land of Moab nor the land of the Ammonites. Here’s what happened: When Israel came up from Egypt, passed through the desert to the Red Sea, and arrived at Kadesh, Israel sent a delegation to the king of Edom and asked him, “Please let us pass through your territory.” ‘But the king of Edom wouldn’t listen. So they also sent word to the king of Moab, but he wouldn’t consent, either. So Israel stayed at Kadesh. Then they went through the desert, circumventing the territory belonging to Edom and Moab. They encamped on the other side of the Arnon River, but never entered the territory of Moab because the Arnon River is the border of Moab. (Judges 11:14-18 ISV)

Were the Amorites also once very inhospitable to Israel?

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. 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. 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. And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. (Judges 11:19-22 KJV)

Who then was to blame for the indigenous tribes losing their land? Did the king of the Ammonites believe Jephthah’s explanation?

So now Yahweh, the God of Israel, dispossessed the Amorites from before His people Israel. Are you then to possess it? Do you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever Yahweh our God has taken possession of before us, we will possess it. So now are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive with Israel, or did he ever fight against them? While Israel lived in Heshbon and its towns and in Aroer and its towns and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, 300 years, why did you not deliver them for yourself within that time? I therefore have not sinned against you, but you are doing me evil by making war against me; may Yahweh, the Judge, judge today between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.’” But the king of the sons of Ammon did not listen to the words which Jephthah sent him. (Judges 11:23-28 LSB)