The Strand Study Bible

JUDGES 11:4

457

JUDGES 11:22

and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered 1 vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.

of Gilead, and the people made him 5 head and captain over them: and Je- phthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh. 12 And Jephthah 6 sent 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? 13 And the king of the children of Am- mon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, 7 when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably. Jephthah warns the Ammonites to get their history straight! 14 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon: 15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, 8 Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: 16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, 9 and came to Kadesh; 17 10 Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: 11 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. 18 Then they went along through the wilderness, and 12 compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, 13 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. 19 14 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. 20 15 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. 21 And the LORD God of Israel deliv- ered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, 16 and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.

1. I Sam 22:1-2 Note - You’ll know when

you’re succeeding spiritually –people with needs will begin to seek you out ( and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah ), looking for answers. Did not our LORD attract the same kind of people to Himself (Mt 11:1-5 and Acts 4:13)? Interestingly enough, the same kind of people that were attracted to Jephthah were attracted to CHRIST –people with needs. As God’s people, we are here for one reason –to attract people with need and to offer them hope both in this world and in the world to come - Mt 15: 29- 31 . 2. Judg 10:9-17 3. or, “Jephthah’s step brothers” – vs 2 Note – His step brothers came to him because he was a mighty man of valour. 4. that is, “Are you going to give me the last say” – Judg 10:18 Note – People who lead know what they need in order to lead. 5. or “leader”

SYRIA

MED SEA

HAVOTHJAIR Tob • Mizpeh •

AMMON

MOAB

Jephthah dwells in Tob Map #118

4 And it came to pass in process of time, that the 2 children of Ammon made war against Israel. 5 And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the 3 elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: 6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon. 7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gil- ead, Did 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? 8 And the elders of Gilead said unto Je- phthah, 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. Real leadership knows what it needs in order to lead 9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, 4 shall I be your head? 10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Je- phthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words. 11 Then Jephthah went with the elders

6. Deut 20:10-14 7. Num 21:21-28 8. Deut 2:9-19 9. Num 12:16 10. Num 20:14 11. Num 20:18-21 12. Num 21:4 13. Num 21:11-13 14. Num 21:21-22 15. Num 21:23 16. Num 21:24-25

22 And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, 11:12 You can’t help but respect the person who knows the Word and its promises ( in my land – Num 21:21-35) and trusts it (vs 23-24).