1. Jephthah the Gileadite was a warrior. He was the son of a prostitute, fathered by Gilead.
2. Gilead’s wife had also borne him sons. When they grew up the sons of the wife had driven Jephthah away, saying to him, “You shall inherit nothing in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.”
3. So Jephthah had fled from his brothers and taken up residence in the land of Tob. Worthless men had joined company with him, and went out with him on raids.
4. Some time later, the Ammonites went to war with Israel.
5. As soon as the Ammonites were at war with Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of Tob.
6. “Come,” they said to Jephthah, “be our commander so that we can fight the Ammonites.”
7. “Are you not the ones who hated me and drove me from my father’s house?” Jephthah replied to the elders of Gilead, “Why do you come to me now, when you are in distress?”
8. The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “This is the reason we have come back to you now: if you go with us to fight against the Ammonites, you shall be the leader of all of the inhabitants of Gilead.”