Jephthah

Passages on this topic

From Nave’s Topical Bible (1896), a historical reference index. The groupings are Nave’s; the verses are shown in the text used across this site.

(A judge (leader, hero) of Israel)

Illegitimate, and therefore not entitled to inherit his father's property

• Judges 11:1–2 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor; he was the son of a prostitute, and Gilead was his father. And Gilead’s wife bore him sons who grew up, drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have no inheritance in our father’s house, because you are the son of another woman.”

Escapes the violence of his half-brothers; lives in the land of Tob

• Judges 11:3 So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where worthless men gathered around him and traveled with him.

Recalled from the land of Tob by the elders of Gilead

• Judges 11:5 and made war with them, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob.

Made captain of the army

• Judges 11:5–11 and made war with them, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. “Come,” they said, “be our commander, so that we can fight against the Ammonites.” Jephthah 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…

Made head of the land of Gilead

• Judges 11:7–11 Jephthah 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?” They 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 wh…

His message to the king of the Ammonites

• Judges 11:12–28 Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, saying, “What do you have against me that you have come to fight against my land?” The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they seized my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and all the w…

Leads the army of Israel against the Ammonites

• Judges 11:29–33 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, then through Mizpah of Gilead. And from there he advanced against the Ammonites. Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: “If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out the door of…

His rash vow concerning bis daughter

• Judges 11:31 then whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”
• Judges 11:34–40 And when Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child; he had no son or daughter besides her. As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You…

Falsely accused by the Ephraimites

• Judges 12:1 Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!”

Leads the army of the Gileadites against the Ephraimites

• Judges 12:4 Jephthah then gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim, living in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.”

Leads Israel for six years, dies, and is buried in Gilead

• Judges 12:7 Jephthah judged Israel six years, and when he died, he was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

Faith of

• Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets,