Focused Passage

Judges 11:1-3

Jephthah's Rise, Covenant Argument, and Tragic Vow

Jephthah rises from rejected son and outlaw leader to covenant spokesman and Spirit-empowered deliverer against Ammon, yet his unnecessary vow turns victory into domestic tragedy and exposes the dangerous mixture of faith, courage, ignorance, and disordered worship in Israel's leadership.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor; he was the son of a prostitute, and Gilead was his father.

2And 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.”

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

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Hebrews 11:32Classic cross-references Judges 6:12Classic cross-references 2 Kings 5:1Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 12:11Classic cross-references

Original words

Now Jephthahוְיִפְתָּ֣חH3316Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Gileaditeהַגִּלְעָדִ֗יH1569Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularwasהָיָה֙H1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singulara mighty manגִּבּ֣וֹרH1368Adjective - masculine singular constructof valorחַ֔יִלH2428Noun - masculine singularheוְה֖וּאH1931Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singularwas the sonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular construct. . .אִשָּׁ֣הH802Noun - feminine singularof a prostituteזוֹנָ֑הH2181Noun - feminine singularand Gileadגִּלְעָ֖דH1568Noun - proper - feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerwas hisיִפְתָּֽח׃H3316Noun - proper - masculine singularfatherוַיּ֥וֹלֶדH3205Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 23:2Classic cross-references Genesis 12:10Classic cross-references Proverbs 2:16Classic cross-references

Original words

And Gilead’sגִּלְעָ֛דH1568Noun - proper - feminine singular. . .ל֖וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularwifeאֵֽשֶׁת־H802Noun - feminine singular constructbore himוַתֵּ֧לֶדH3205Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularsonsבָּנִ֑יםH1121Noun - masculine pluralwhoבְֽנֵי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .הָאִשָּׁ֜הH802Article | Noun - feminine singulargrew upוַיִּגְדְּל֨וּH1431Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraldrove Jephthahיִפְתָּ֗חH3316Noun - proper - masculine singularoutוַיְגָרְשׁ֣וּH1644Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerand saidוַיֹּ֤אמְרוּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralto himלוֹ֙Preposition | third person masculine singularYou shall have noלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleinheritanceתִנְחַ֣לH5157Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularin our father’sאָבִ֔ינוּH1Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common pluralhouseבְּבֵית־H1004Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructbecauseכִּ֛יH3588Conjunctionyouאָֽתָּה׃H859Pronoun - second person masculine singularare the sonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof anotherאַחֶ֖רֶתH312Adjective - feminine singularwomanאִשָּׁ֥הH802Noun - feminine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

Judges 9:4Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 22:2Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 27:2Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 10:6Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 10:8Classic cross-references

Original words

So Jephthahיִפְתָּח֙H3316Noun - proper - masculine singularfledוַיִּבְרַ֤חH1272Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularfromמִפְּנֵ֣יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructhis brothersאֶחָ֔יוH251Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularand settledוַיֵּ֖שֶׁבH3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularin the landבְּאֶ֣רֶץH776Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof Tobט֑וֹבH2897Noun - proper - feminine singularwhere worthless menרֵיקִ֔יםH7386Adjective - masculine pluralgathered aroundוַיִּֽתְלַקְּט֤וּH3950Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .אֶל־H413Preposition[him]יִפְתָּח֙H3316Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .אֲנָשִׁ֣יםH582Noun - masculine pluraland traveledוַיֵּצְא֖וּH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralwith himעִמּֽוֹ׃פH5973Preposition | third person masculine singular

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