1. Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a brave warrior. His mother was a prostitute, but Gilead was his father.
2. Gilead’s wife also gave him sons. When his wife’s sons grew up, they made Jephthah leave and said to him, “You are not going to inherit any of our father’s wealth, because you are another woman’s son.”
3. So Jephthah left his half-brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Lawless men joined Jephthah’s gang and traveled with him.
4. It was some time after this when the Ammonites fought with Israel.
5. When the Ammonites attacked, the leaders of Gilead asked Jephthah to come back from the land of Tob.
6. They said, “Come, be our commander, so we can fight with the Ammonites.”
7. Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead, “But you hated me and made me leave my father’s house. Why do you come to me now, when you are in trouble?”
8. The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That may be true, but now we pledge to you our loyalty. Come with us and fight with the Ammonites. Then you will become the leader of all who live in Gilead.”