Focused Passage

Judges 11:23-28

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

23Now since the LORD, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites from before His people Israel, should you now possess it?

24Do you not possess whatever your god Chemosh grants you? So also, we possess whatever the LORD our God has granted us.

25Are you now so much better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever contend with Israel or fight against them?

26For three hundred years Israel has lived in Heshbon, Aroer, and their villages, as well as all the cities along the banks of the Arnon. Why did you not take them back during that time?

27I have not sinned against you, but you have done me wrong by waging war against me. May the LORD, the Judge, decide today between the Israelites and the Ammonites.”

28But the king of the Ammonites paid no heed to the message Jephthah sent him.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 23

Original words

Now sinceוְעַתָּ֞הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֣ה׀H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Godאֱלֹהֵ֣יH430Noun - masculine plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularhas driven outהוֹרִישׁ֙H3423Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe Amoritesהָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔יH567Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularfrom beforeמִפְּנֵ֖יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructHis peopleעַמּ֣וֹH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularshould you nowוְאַתָּ֖הH859Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singularpossess itתִּירָשֶֽׁנּוּ׃H3423Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular

Verse 24

Cross-references

Micah 4:5Classic cross-references Numbers 21:29Classic cross-references Psalms 78:55Classic cross-references 1 Kings 11:7Classic cross-references Joshua 3:10Classic cross-references

Original words

Do you notהֲלֹ֞אH3808Adverb - Negative particle-אֵ֣תH853Direct object markerpossessיוֹרִֽישְׁךָ֛H3423Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularwhateverאֲשֶׁ֧רH834Pronoun - relativeyour godאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular-אוֹת֥וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularChemoshכְּמ֥וֹשׁH3645Noun - proper - masculine singulargrants youתִירָ֑שׁH3423Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularSo alsoוְאֵת֩H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerwe possessהוֹרִ֜ישׁH3423Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularwhateverכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular construct-אֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֧הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularour Godאֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּH430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralhas grantedנִירָֽשׁ׃H3423Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common pluralusמִפָּנֵ֖ינוּH6440Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural-אוֹת֥וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singular

Verse 25

Cross-references

Joshua 24:9Classic cross-references Micah 6:5Classic cross-references Numbers 22:2Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 23:3Classic cross-references

Original words

Are youאַתָּ֔הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularnowוְעַתָּ֗הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbso much betterהֲט֥וֹבH2895Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute. . .טוֹב֙H2895Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularthan Balakמִבָּלָ֥קH1111Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Zipporצִפּ֖וֹרH6834Noun - proper - masculine singularkingמֶ֣לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Moabמוֹאָ֑בH4124Noun - proper - feminine singularDid he ever contendהֲר֥וֹבH7378Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute. . .רָב֙H7378Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularwithעִם־H5973PrepositionIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularorאִם־H518Conjunctionfightנִלְחֹ֥םH3898Verb - Nifal - Infinitive absolute. . .נִלְחַ֖םH3898Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularagainst themבָּֽם׃Preposition | third person masculine plural

Verse 26

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 2:36Classic cross-references

Original words

For threeשְׁלֹ֥שׁH7969Number - feminine singular constructhundredמֵא֖וֹתH3967Number - feminine pluralyearsשָׁנָ֑הH8141Noun - feminine singularIsraelיִ֠שְׂרָאֵלH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularhas livedבְּשֶׁ֣בֶתH3427Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructin Heshbonבְּחֶשְׁבּ֨וֹןH2809Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular-וּבִבְנוֹתֶ֜יהָH1323Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singularAroerוּבְעַרְע֣וֹרH6177Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singularand their villagesוּבִבְנוֹתֶ֗יהָH1323Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singularas well as allוּבְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructthe citiesהֶֽעָרִים֙H5892Article | Noun - feminine plural-אֲשֶׁר֙H834Pronoun - relativealongעַל־H5921Prepositionthe banksיְדֵ֣יH3027Noun - feminine dual constructof the Arnonאַרְנ֔וֹןH769Noun - proper - feminine singularWhyוּמַדּ֥וּעַH4069Conjunctive waw | Interrogativedid you notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particletake them backהִצַּלְתֶּ֖םH5337Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine pluralduring thatהַהִֽיא׃H1931Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singulartimeבָּעֵ֥תH6256Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular

Verse 27

Cross-references

1 Samuel 24:12Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 20:12Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 24:15Classic cross-references Genesis 16:5Classic cross-references Genesis 18:25Classic cross-references

Original words

Iוְאָֽנֹכִי֙H595Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularhave notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlesinnedחָטָ֣אתִיH2398Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularagainst youלָ֔ךְPreposition | second person feminine singularbut youוְאַתָּ֞הH859Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singularhave doneעֹשֶׂ֥הH6213Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularmeאִתִּ֛יH854Direct object marker | first person common singularwrongרָעָ֖הH7451Adjective - feminine singularby waging warלְהִלָּ֣חֶםH3898Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive constructagainst meבִּ֑יPreposition | first person common singularMay the LORDיְהוָ֤הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Judgeיִשְׁפֹּ֨טH8199Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singulardecideהַשֹּׁפֵט֙H8199Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singulartodayהַיּ֔וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singularbetweenבֵּ֚יןH996Prepositionthe Israelitesבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וּבֵ֖יןH996Conjunctive waw | Prepositionand the Ammonitesבְּנֵ֥יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .עַמּֽוֹן׃H5983Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 28

Cross-references

2 Kings 14:11Classic cross-references Proverbs 16:18Classic cross-references

Original words

But the kingמֶ֖לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singular constructof the Ammonitesבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .עַמּ֑וֹןH5983Noun - proper - masculine singularpaid noוְלֹ֣אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleheedשָׁמַ֔עH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe messageדִּבְרֵ֣יH1697Noun - masculine plural constructJephthahיִפְתָּ֔חH3316Noun - proper - masculine singularאֲשֶׁ֥ראֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativesentשָׁלַ֖חH7971Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularhimאֵלָֽיו׃פH413Preposition | third person masculine singular

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