Scriptures

New Living Translation (NLT)

Judges 10
¹⁵ But the Israelites pleaded with the LORD and said, “We have sinned. Punish us as you see fit, only rescue us today from our enemies.”
¹⁶ Then the Israelites put aside their foreign gods and served the LORD. And he was grieved by their misery.
¹⁷ At that time the armies of Ammon had gathered for war and were camped in Gilead, and the people of Israel assembled and camped at Mizpah.
¹⁸ The leaders of Gilead said to each other, “Whoever attacks the Ammonites first will become ruler over all the people of Gilead.”
Judges 11
¹ Now Jephthah of Gilead was a great warrior. He was the son of Gilead, but his mother was a prostitute.
² Gilead’s wife also had several sons, and when these half brothers grew up, they chased Jephthah off the land. “You will not get any of our father’s inheritance,” they said, “for you are the son of a prostitute.”
³ So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Soon he had a band of worthless rebels following him.
⁴ At about this time, the Ammonites began their war against Israel.
⁵ When the Ammonites attacked, the elders of Gilead sent for Jephthah in the land of Tob. The elders said,
⁶ “Come and be our commander! Help us fight the Ammonites!”
⁷ But Jephthah said to them, “Aren’t you the ones who hated me and drove me from my father’s house? Why do you come to me now when you’re in trouble?”