📖 Judges — Chapter 11 (KJV)
Read the complete King James Version chapter below, then explore the passage sections, check what you remember, and keep your private study notes.
Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.
Judges 11:1 Now TJephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of Tan harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.
Judges 11:2 And Gilead’s wife bare him sons; and his wife’s sons grew up, and they Rthrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.
Judges 11:3 Then Jephthah fled Tfrom his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered Rvain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.
Judges 11:4 And it came to pass Tin process of time, that the children of Ammon Rmade war against Israel.
Judges 11:5 And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went Rto fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:
Judges 11:6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.
Judges 11:7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, RDid not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father’s house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?
Judges 11:8 And Rthe elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
Judges 11:9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, RIf ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?
Judges 11:10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, RThe LORD be Twitness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.
Judges 11:11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah Ruttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh.
Judges 11:12 And Jephthah Rsent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?
Judges 11:13 And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, RBecause Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.
Judges 11:14 And Jephthah sent messengers Ragain unto the king of the children of Ammon:
Judges 11:15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, RIsrael took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:
Judges 11:16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and Rwalked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh;
Judges 11:17 Then Israel Rsent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh.
Judges 11:18 Then they Rwent along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab.
Judges 11:19 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.
Judges 11:20 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.
Judges 11:21 And the RLORD 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.
Judges 11:22 RAnd they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.
Judges 11:23 So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?
Judges 11:24 Wilt not thou possess that which RChemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.
Judges 11:25 And now art thou any thing better than RBalak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,
Judges 11:26 While Israel dwelt in RHeshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?
Judges 11:27 Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD Rthe Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.
Judges 11:28 Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
Judges 11:29 Then Rthe Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.
Judges 11:30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
Judges 11:31 Then it shall be, that Twhatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, Rshall surely be the LORD’s, Tand I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
Judges 11:32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and Rthe LORD delivered them into his hands.
Judges 11:33 And he smote them from RAroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto Tthe plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
Judges 11:34 And Jephthah came to RMizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; Tbeside her he had neither son nor daughter.
Judges 11:35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he Rrent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.
Judges 11:36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; Rforasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.
Judges 11:37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may Tgo up and down upon the mountains, and Rbewail my virginity, I and my fellows.
Judges 11:38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.
Judges 11:39 And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according Rto his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a Tcustom in Israel,
Judges 11:40 That the daughters of Israel went RTyearly Tto lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
📚 Study This Chapter
📖 What We’re Reading
Judges 11:1–11 — An outcast is asked to lead
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Jephthah is driven from his home because of his parentage. When Ammon threatens, Gilead's elders seek his help. He questions their earlier rejection and agrees to lead under a publicly witnessed commitment, speaking his words before the LORD.
Key Truth: The narrative exposes the elders' rejection of the man they later need.
Check What You Remember
1. Where did Jephthah live after fleeing? (Judges 11:3)
Find it in Judges 11:3 (KJV).
2. Who went to fetch him? (Judges 11:5)
Find it in Judges 11:5 (KJV).
3. Where did Jephthah speak before the LORD? (Judges 11:11)
Find it in Judges 11:11 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Judges 11:12–28 — A dispute over Israel's land
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Jephthah answers Ammon's claim with Israel's journey and the defeat of Sihon. He argues that Israel received Amorite territory through the LORD's deliverance and appeals to the LORD as judge. The king of Ammon refuses to listen; Jephthah's diplomatic words should be read as his argument within that dispute.
Key Truth: The dispute is presented through remembered history before battle begins.
Check What You Remember
1. Which Amorite king fought Israel during its journey? (Judges 11:19)
Find it in Judges 11:19 (KJV).
2. How many years did Jephthah say Israel had occupied these towns? (Judges 11:26)
Find it in Judges 11:26 (KJV).
3. Whom did Jephthah appeal to as Judge? (Judges 11:27)
Find it in Judges 11:27 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Judges 11:29–40 — Deliverance and a tragic vow
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
The Spirit of the LORD comes upon Jephthah before he makes his vow. After victory his only child meets him, and the vow brings grief. Verse 39 states that he did according to his vow without describing the act in detail. Interpretations differ, but the passage gives no command from God to make this vow or offer a child; Israel's law condemns child sacrifice.
Key Truth: God's deliverance is not an endorsement of every vow a deliverer makes.
Check What You Remember
1. Who came out to meet Jephthah at home? (Judges 11:34)
Find it in Judges 11:34 (KJV).
2. How long did she ask to go with her companions? (Judges 11:37)
Find it in Judges 11:37 (KJV).
3. How many days each year did Israel's daughters lament her? (Judges 11:40)
Find it in Judges 11:40 (KJV).
Related Scripture (KJV)
Deuteronomy 12:31 — Israel's law explicitly condemns burning sons and daughters to gods.
This related passage is selected for its connection with this chapter. It is separate from the chapter text.
Reflect and Apply
What does the text state about the timing of the Spirit's coming and the vow? Keep the tragedy distinct from an instruction God gave.
Advanced Questions and Answers
Study this chapter’s wording, patterns, contrasts, and meaning in greater depth.
1. What reversal does Jephthah point out when the elders request his help?
2. What condition is discussed for Jephthah becoming head?
3. How does Jephthah distinguish the disputed land from Ammon’s claim?
4. What appeal closes Jephthah’s message before the campaign?
5. What does the account explicitly say when the daughter returns?
Notes
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