9. The Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim; and Israel was very distressed.
10. Then the Israelites cried out to Yahweh, saying, “We have sinned against you; we have abandoned our God and served the Baals.”
11. And Yahweh said to the Israelites, “Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, from the Ammonites, and from the Philistines?
12. And when the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites oppressed you, you cried out to me, and I delivered you from their hand.
13. Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. Therefore I will no longer deliver you.
14. Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your trouble.”
15. And the Israelites said to Yahweh, “We have sinned; do to us accordingly as you see fit; only please deliver us this day.”
16. So they removed the foreign gods from their midst and served Yahweh; and he could no longer bear the misery of Israel.
17. And the Ammonites were summoned, and they camped in Gilead. And the Israelites gathered and camped at Mizpah.
18. The people, the ones commanding Gilead, said to each other, “Who is the man that will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He will be as head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”