9. Jephthah said, "Suppose you take me back to fight against the Ammonites. And suppose the Lord gives them over to me. Then will I really be your leader?"
10. The elders of Gilead replied, "The Lord is our witness. We'll certainly do as you say."
11. So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead. And the people made him their leader and commander. He went to Mizpah. There he repeated to the Lord everything he had said.
12. Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of Ammon. They asked, "What do you have against us? Why have you attacked our country?"
13. The king of Ammon answered Jephthah's messengers. He said, "Israel came up out of Egypt. At that time they took my land away. They took all of the land that was between the Arnon River and the Jabbok River. It reached all the way to the Jordan River. Now give it back. Then there will be peace."
14. Jephthah sent messengers back to the king of Ammon.
15. They said, "Here is what Jephthah says to you. Israel didn't take the land of Moab. They didn't take the land of Ammon.
16. When Israel came up out of Egypt, they went through the desert to the Red Sea. From there they went on to Kadesh.