Judges

Judges 11:5–11

⁵and made war with them, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. ⁶“Come,” they said, “be our commander, so that we can fight against the Ammonites.”

⁷Jephthah replied to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me and expel me from my father’s house? Why then have you come to me now, when you are in distress?”

⁸They answered Jephthah, “This is why we now turn to you, that you may go with us, fight the Ammonites, and become leader over all of us who live in Gilead.”

⁹But Jephthah asked them, “If you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the LORD gives them to me, will I really be your leader?”

¹⁰And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The LORD is our witness if we do not do as you say.”

¹¹So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him their leader and commander. And Jephthah repeated all his terms in the presence of the LORD at Mizpah.

Read all of Judges 11

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Judges 11:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
and	וַיְהִ֕י	way·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
made war	נִלְחֲמ֥וּ	nil·ḥă·mū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H3898 fight, do battle
with	עִם־	‘im-	Preposition	H5973 with
the elders	זִקְנֵ֣י	ziq·nê	Adjective - masculine plural construct	H2205 old
of Gilead	גִלְעָ֔ד	ḡil·‘āḏ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1568 Gilad
went	וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙	way·yê·lə·ḵū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk
to get	לָקַ֥חַת	lā·qa·ḥaṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3947 take
Jephthah	יִפְתָּ֖ח	yip̄·tāḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3316 Jephthah
from the land	מֵאֶ֥רֶץ	mê·’e·reṣ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H776 earth, land
of Tob	טֽוֹב׃	ṭō·wḇ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H2897 Tob

Judges 11:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Come	לְכָ֕ה	lə·ḵāh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
they said	וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
be	וְהָיִ֥יתָה	wə·hā·yî·ṯāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
our	לָּ֖נוּ	lā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural
commander	לְקָצִ֑ין	lə·qā·ṣîn	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H7101 chief, ruler
so that we can fight	וְנִֽלָּחֲמָ֖ה	wə·nil·lā·ḥă·māh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural	H3898 fight, do battle
against the Ammonites	בִּבְנֵ֥י	biḇ·nê	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son

Judges 11:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Jephthah	יִפְתָּח֙	yip̄·tāḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3316 Jephthah
replied	וַיֹּ֤אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to the elders	לְזִקְנֵ֣י	lə·ziq·nê	Preposition-l; Adjective - masculine plural construct	H2205 old
of Gilead	גִלְעָ֔ד	ḡil·‘āḏ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1568 Gilad
Did you	אַתֶּם֙	’at·tem	Pronoun - second person masculine plural	H859 thou
not	הֲלֹ֤א	hă·lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
hate	שְׂנֵאתֶ֣ם	śə·nê·ṯem	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H8130 hate
me	אוֹתִ֔י	’ō·w·ṯî	Direct object marker; first person common singular	H853 mark of the accusative
and expel me	וַתְּגָרְשׁ֖וּנִי	wat·tə·ḡā·rə·šū·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural; first person common singular	H1644 drive out, cast out
from my father’s	אָבִ֑י	’ā·ḇî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1 father
house	מִבֵּ֣ית	mib·bêṯ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
Why	וּמַדּ֜וּעַ	ū·mad·dū·a‘	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative	H4069 wherefore?
then have you come	בָּאתֶ֤ם	bā·ṯem	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to me	אֵלַי֙	’ê·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H413 motion to
now	עַ֔תָּה	‘at·tāh	Adverb	H6258 now
when	כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
you are in distress	צַ֥ר	ṣar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6862 narrow, tight

Judges 11:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They	זִקְנֵ֨י	ziq·nê	Adjective - masculine plural construct	H2205 old
answered	וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
Jephthah	יִפְתָּ֗ח	yip̄·tāḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3316 Jephthah
This is why	לָכֵן֙	lā·ḵên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
we now	עַתָּה֙	‘at·tāh	Adverb	H6258 now
turn	שַׁ֣בְנוּ	šaḇ·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural	H7725 turn back, return
to you	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
that you may go	וְהָלַכְתָּ֣	wə·hā·laḵ·tā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
with us	עִמָּ֔נוּ	‘im·mā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H5973 with
fight	וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֖	wə·nil·ḥam·tā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H3898 fight, do battle
the Ammonites	בִּבְנֵ֣י	biḇ·nê	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
and become	וְהָיִ֤יתָ	wə·hā·yî·ṯā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
leader	לְרֹ֔אשׁ	lə·rōš	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H7218 head
over all	לְכֹ֖ל	lə·ḵōl	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
of us	לָּ֙נוּ֙	lā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural
who live	יֹשְׁבֵ֥י	yō·šə·ḇê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
in Gilead	גִלְעָֽד׃	ḡil·‘āḏ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1568 Gilad

Judges 11:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But Jephthah	יִפְתָּ֜ח	yip̄·tāḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3316 Jephthah
asked	וַיֹּ֨אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
If	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
you	אַתֶּ֤ם	’at·tem	Pronoun - second person masculine plural	H859 thou
take me back	מְשִׁיבִ֨ים	mə·šî·ḇîm	Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural	H7725 turn back, return
to fight	לְהִלָּחֵם֙	lə·hil·lā·ḥêm	Preposition-l; Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct	H3898 fight, do battle
the Ammonites	בִּבְנֵ֣י	biḇ·nê	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
and the LORD	יְהוָ֛ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
gives them	וְנָתַ֧ן	wə·nā·ṯan	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
to me	לְפָנָ֑י	lə·p̄ā·nāy	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H6440 face, before
will I	אָנֹכִ֕י	’ā·nō·ḵî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H595 I
really be	אֶהְיֶ֥ה	’eh·yeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
your	לָכֶ֖ם	lā·ḵem	Preposition; second person masculine plural
leader	לְרֹֽאשׁ׃	lə·rōš	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H7218 head

Judges 11:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And the elders	זִקְנֵֽי־	ziq·nê-	Adjective - masculine plural construct	H2205 old
of Gilead	גִלְעָ֖ד	ḡil·‘āḏ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1568 Gilad
said	וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Jephthah	יִפְתָּ֑ח	yip̄·tāḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3316 Jephthah
The LORD	יְהוָ֗ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
is	יִהְיֶ֤ה	yih·yeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
our witness	שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙	šō·mê·a‘	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H8085 hear
if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
we do not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
do	נַעֲשֶֽׂה׃	na·‘ă·śeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural	H6213 do, make
as you say	כִדְבָרְךָ֖	ḵiḏ·ḇā·rə·ḵā	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1697 speech, word

Judges 11:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So Jephthah	יִפְתָּח֙	yip̄·tāḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3316 Jephthah
went	וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ	way·yê·leḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
with	עִם־	‘im-	Preposition	H5973 with
the elders	זִקְנֵ֣י	ziq·nê	Adjective - masculine plural construct	H2205 old
of Gilead	גִלְעָ֔ד	ḡil·‘āḏ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1568 Gilad
and the people	הָעָ֥ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
made him	וַיָּשִׂ֨ימוּ	way·yā·śî·mū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7760 put, place, set
their	עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם	‘ă·lê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H5921 height
leader	לְרֹ֣אשׁ	lə·rōš	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H7218 head
and commander	וּלְקָצִ֑ין	ū·lə·qā·ṣîn	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H7101 chief, ruler
And Jephthah	יִפְתָּ֧ח	yip̄·tāḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3316 Jephthah
repeated	וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר	way·ḏab·bêr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1696 speak
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
his terms	דְּבָרָ֛יו	də·ḇā·rāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
in the presence	לִפְנֵ֥י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
of the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
at Mizpah	בַּמִּצְפָּֽה׃פ	bam·miṣ·pāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4709 Mitspah