士師耶弗他

11 基列人耶弗他是個英勇的戰士,他父親名叫基列,母親是個妓女。 基列的妻子還生了幾個兒子,他們長大後,便把耶弗他趕出家門,說:「你是別的女人生的,你休想繼承我們父親的任何產業。」 耶弗他只好逃走,住在陀伯地區。有一群匪徒跟隨了他。

後來,亞捫人攻打以色列, 基列的眾長老就去陀伯請耶弗他, 對他說:「請你回來做統帥帶領我們對抗亞捫人。」 耶弗他說:「從前你們不是厭惡我,把我從父親家趕走的嗎?現在你們遭難,為什麼來找我?」 基列的眾長老說:「現在我們是來請你跟我們一起回去抵抗亞捫人,你可以做所有基列人的首領。」 耶弗他說:「如果我跟你們回去與亞捫人作戰,耶和華讓我打敗他們,我就真的可以做你們的首領嗎?」 10 基列的首領們說:「我們必聽從你的吩咐,有耶和華為我們作證。」 11 於是,耶弗他便跟他們一起回去。民眾擁立他做他們的首領和元帥。耶弗他在米斯巴將之前所說的話在耶和華面前重申一遍。

12 然後,他派遣使者去問亞捫王:「你與我有什麼相干?為什麼要攻打我的領土?」 13 亞捫王對他的使者說:「因為以色列人從埃及出來的時候佔據了我們的土地——從亞嫩河到雅博河,一直到約旦河。現在你們要乖乖地把這些土地還給我們。」 14 耶弗他再差遣使者去見亞捫王, 15 對他說:「以色列人並沒有佔據摩押和亞捫的土地。 16 當年以色列人離開埃及,經曠野渡過紅海來到加低斯, 17 然後派遣使者去見以東王,說,『求你讓我們經過你的領土。』以東王卻不答應。他們又派遣使者去見摩押王,摩押王也不答應。於是,以色列人就住在加低斯。 18 後來,他們走過曠野,繞過以東和摩押,到了摩押的東邊,在摩押的邊界亞嫩河東岸紮營,並沒有進入摩押境內。 19 以色列人派遣使者去見希實本的亞摩利王西宏,對他說,『求讓我們經過你的領土前往我們自己的土地。』 20 但西宏不信任以色列人,拒絕了他們的請求,並招聚全軍駐紮在雅雜,攻打他們。 21 但以色列的上帝耶和華幫助以色列人戰勝西宏和他的軍隊,佔領了他們所有的土地, 22 從亞嫩河直到雅博河,從曠野直到約旦河。 23 既然是以色列的上帝耶和華為祂的以色列子民趕走了亞摩利人,你憑什麼要奪取這塊土地? 24 你擁有你們的神明基抹給你們的土地,我們也要擁有我們的上帝耶和華賜給我們的土地。 25 難道你比摩押王西撥的兒子巴勒更強嗎?他從未挑戰過以色列人,也未和以色列人交過戰。 26 三百年來,以色列人一直住在希實本及其周圍的鄉村、亞羅珥及其周圍的鄉村和亞嫩河沿岸一帶的城邑。在這期間,你們為什麼不收回這些土地呢? 27 我們沒有得罪你們,你們卻攻打我們。願審判者耶和華今天在以色列人和亞捫人之間主持公道。」 28 可是,亞捫王不理會耶弗他派使者所傳的話。

29 那時,耶和華的靈降在耶弗他身上,他便經過基列和瑪拿西,來到基列的米斯巴,然後從那裡去迎戰亞捫人。 30 他向耶和華許願說:「如果你把亞捫人交在我手中, 31 讓我凱旋而歸,第一個從我家門出來迎接我的人必歸給你,我必把他獻給你作燔祭。」 32 於是,耶弗他率軍與亞捫人作戰,耶和華把敵人交在他手中, 33 他大敗敵軍,摧毀了從亞羅珥到米匿、遠至亞備勒·基拉明的二十座城。這樣,以色列人征服了亞捫人。

34 耶弗他返回自己在米斯巴的家,他的獨生女兒敲著鼓、跳著舞出來迎接他。 35 他一見自己的女兒,便撕裂衣服,說:「唉,我的女兒啊,你真讓我傷心欲絕!我向耶和華許了願,不能收回了!」 36 他女兒說:「父親啊,你既然向耶和華許了願,就照你許的願對待我吧!因為耶和華幫你打敗了敵軍亞捫人,為你報了仇。 37 但求你先給我兩個月的時間,讓我和同伴到山上去為我終身未嫁哀哭。」 38 耶弗他答應了,給了她兩個月的時間。於是,她便和同伴到山上為自己終身未嫁哀哭。 39 兩個月後,她回到父親那裡。她父親履行了自己所許的願。她終身未嫁。自此以後,在以色列有個習俗: 40 每年以色列的女子都去為基列人耶弗他的女兒哀哭四天。

耶弗他

11 基列人耶弗他是個英勇的戰士;他是個妓女的兒子;耶弗他是基列所生的。 基列的妻子也給他生了幾個兒子。他妻子的兒子長大了,就把耶弗他趕出去,對他說:“你不可以在我們的父家繼承產業,因為你是另一個婦人的兒子。” 耶弗他就從他的兄弟面前逃跑,住在陀伯地;有些無賴聚集到他那裡,與他一起出入。

過了些日子,亞捫人與以色列人爭戰。 亞捫人與以色列人爭戰的時候,基列的眾長老就去,把耶弗他從陀伯請回來。 他們對耶弗他說:“請你來作我們的統帥,我們好攻打亞捫人。” 耶弗他對基列的長老說:“從前你們不是恨我,趕逐我離開我的父家嗎?現在你們遭遇患難的時候,為甚麼到我這裡來呢?” 基列的長老對耶弗他說:“現在我們回到你這裡來,是要你與我們一同回去,與亞捫人爭戰,你要作我們基列所有居民的首領。” 耶弗他對基列的長老說:“如果你們帶我回去,攻打亞捫人,耶和華把他們交在我面前,那麼我就可以作你們的首領嗎?” 10 基列的長老對耶弗他說:“有耶和華在我們中間作證,我們必定照著你的話行。” 11 於是耶弗他與基列的長老一同回去了,眾人就立耶弗他作他們的首領,作他們的統帥;耶弗他在米斯巴,在耶和華面前,把自己的一切話都說了出來。

耶弗他與亞捫人交涉

12 耶弗他派遣使者去見亞捫人的王,說:“我跟你有甚麼關係呢?你竟到我這裡來攻打我的土地呢?” 13 亞捫人的王對耶弗他的使者說:“因以色列人從埃及上來的時候,奪了我的土地,從亞嫩河到雅博河,直到約旦河;現在你要把它和和平平地交還。” 14 耶弗他又再派使者去見亞捫人的王, 15 對他說:“耶弗他這樣說:‘以色列人並沒有奪取過摩押地和亞捫人的土地。 16 以色列人從埃及上來的時候,是走過曠野到紅海,到了加低斯; 17 就派遣使者去見以東王,說:求你讓我們經過你的領土。以東王卻不答應;又派遣使者去見摩押王,摩押王也不肯;以色列人就住在加低斯。 18 以後,他們走過曠野,繞過以東地和摩押地,到了摩押地的東邊,在亞嫩河那邊安營;他們並沒有進入摩押境內,因為亞嫩河是摩押的邊界。 19 以色列人又派遣使者去見亞摩利人的王西宏,就是希實本王,對他說:求你讓我們經過你的領土,到我們自己的地方去。 20 西宏卻不信任以色列人,不讓他們經過他的境界;西宏聚集了他所有的人民,在雅雜安營,與以色列人爭戰。 21 耶和華以色列的 神,把西宏和他所有的人民都交在以色列人手中,以色列人擊殺了他們,奪取了住在那地的亞摩利人的全地, 22 佔領了亞摩利人四周的境界,從亞嫩河到雅博河,從曠野直到約旦河。 23 現在耶和華以色列的 神,已經把亞摩利人從他的子民以色列人面前趕走了,你竟要佔有這地嗎? 24 你不是應佔有你的神基抹要你佔有的地嗎?我們不是應佔有耶和華我們的 神,從我們面前趕走的人的一切地嗎? 25 現在難道你比摩押王西撥的兒子巴勒還強嗎?他曾經與以色列人爭競嗎?或是與以色列人交戰過嗎? 26 以色列人住在希實本和屬希實本的村鎮,亞羅珥和亞羅珥的村鎮,以及亞嫩河沿岸的一切城市,已經有三百年了;在這時期內,你們為甚麼沒有奪回這些地方呢? 27 我沒有得罪你,你竟惡待我,攻打我;願審判者耶和華今日在以色列人和亞捫人中間,判斷是非。’” 28 但亞捫人的王不聽從耶弗他差派人去對他所說的話。

耶弗他許願

29 那時耶和華的靈臨到耶弗他身上,他就經過基列和瑪拿西,經過基列的米斯巴,又從基列的米斯巴去到亞捫人那裡。 30 耶弗他向耶和華許願,說:“如果你真的把亞捫人交在我手裡, 31 我從亞捫人那裡平平安安回來的時候,無論誰先從我的家門出來迎接我,他就必歸耶和華,我也必把他當作燔祭。” 32 於是耶弗他去到亞捫人那裡攻打他們,耶和華把他們交在他手裡。 33 於是他從亞羅珥開始擊殺他們,去到米匿,直到亞備勒.基拉明,共二十座城,是一場大擊殺;這樣,亞捫人就在以色列人面前被制伏了。

耶弗他還願

34 耶弗他回米斯巴去,到了自己的家,不料,他的女兒拿著鼓、跳著舞,出來迎接他;她是耶弗他的獨生女,除她以外,耶弗他沒有其他的兒女。 35 耶弗他看見了她,就撕裂自己的衣服,說:“啊!我的女兒啊,你真使我憂愁,你叫我太作難了;因為我已經向耶和華開過口許願,我不能收回。” 36 她對他說:“我的父親啊,你既然向耶和華開過口許了願,就照著你口裡所說的向我行吧!因為耶和華已經在你的仇敵亞捫人身上,為你報了仇。” 37 她又對自己的父親說:“請你准我這件事吧:給我兩個月時間,讓我和我的同伴去漫遊山間,為我的童貞哀哭。” 38 耶弗他說:“你去吧!”就讓她離去兩個月;她就帶著她的同伴去了,在山上為她的童貞哀哭。 39 兩個月後,她回到她的父親那裡,她父親就照他所許的願向她行了。她沒有與男人同過房。以後,在以色列中有個慣例: 40 以色列的女子年年都去哀悼基列人耶弗他的女兒,每年四日。

11 Jephthah(A) the Gileadite was a mighty warrior.(B) His father was Gilead;(C) his mother was a prostitute.(D) Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, “because you are the son of another woman.” So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob,(E) where a gang of scoundrels(F) gathered around him and followed him.

Some time later, when the Ammonites(G) were fighting against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. “Come,” they said, “be our commander, so we can fight the Ammonites.”

Jephthah said to them, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me from my father’s house?(H) Why do you come to me now, when you’re in trouble?”

The elders of Gilead said to him, “Nevertheless, we are turning to you now; come with us to fight the Ammonites, and you will be head(I) over all of us who live in Gilead.”

Jephthah answered, “Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me—will I really be your head?”

10 The elders of Gilead replied, “The Lord is our witness;(J) we will certainly do as you say.” 11 So Jephthah went with the elders(K) of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them. And he repeated(L) all his words before the Lord in Mizpah.(M)

12 Then Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king with the question: “What do you have against me that you have attacked my country?”

13 The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they took away my land from the Arnon(N) to the Jabbok,(O) all the way to the Jordan. Now give it back peaceably.”

14 Jephthah sent back messengers to the Ammonite king, 15 saying:

“This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take the land of Moab(P) or the land of the Ammonites.(Q) 16 But when they came up out of Egypt, Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea[a](R) and on to Kadesh.(S) 17 Then Israel sent messengers(T) to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Give us permission to go through your country,’(U) but the king of Edom would not listen. They sent also to the king of Moab,(V) and he refused.(W) So Israel stayed at Kadesh.

18 “Next they traveled through the wilderness, skirted the lands of Edom(X) and Moab, passed along the eastern side(Y) of the country of Moab, and camped on the other side of the Arnon.(Z) They did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was its border.

19 “Then Israel sent messengers(AA) to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon,(AB) and said to him, ‘Let us pass through your country to our own place.’(AC) 20 Sihon, however, did not trust Israel[b] to pass through his territory. He mustered all his troops and encamped at Jahaz and fought with Israel.(AD)

21 “Then the Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and his whole army into Israel’s hands, and they defeated them. Israel took over all the land of the Amorites who lived in that country, 22 capturing all of it from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the desert to the Jordan.(AE)

23 “Now since the Lord, the God of Israel, has driven the Amorites out before his people Israel, what right have you to take it over? 24 Will you not take what your god Chemosh(AF) gives you? Likewise, whatever the Lord our God has given us,(AG) we will possess. 25 Are you any better than Balak son of Zippor,(AH) king of Moab? Did he ever quarrel with Israel or fight with them?(AI) 26 For three hundred years Israel occupied(AJ) Heshbon, Aroer,(AK) the surrounding settlements and all the towns along the Arnon. Why didn’t you retake them during that time? 27 I have not wronged you, but you are doing me wrong by waging war against me. Let the Lord, the Judge,(AL) decide(AM) the dispute this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.(AN)

28 The king of Ammon, however, paid no attention to the message Jephthah sent him.

29 Then the Spirit(AO) of the Lord came on Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah(AP) of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites.(AQ) 30 And Jephthah made a vow(AR) to the Lord: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph(AS) from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.(AT)

32 Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands. 33 He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith,(AU) as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.

34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing(AV) to the sound of timbrels!(AW) She was an only child.(AX) Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes(AY) and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.(AZ)

36 “My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised,(BA) now that the Lord has avenged you(BB) of your enemies,(BC) the Ammonites. 37 But grant me this one request,” she said. “Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry.”

38 “You may go,” he said. And he let her go for two months. She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never marry. 39 After the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin.

From this comes the Israelite tradition 40 that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 11:16 Or the Sea of Reeds
  2. Judges 11:20 Or however, would not make an agreement for Israel

11 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.

And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.

Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him.

And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.

And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:

And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.

And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, 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?

And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, 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.

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, shall I be your head?

10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The Lord be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.

11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh.

12 And Jephthah 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 Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.

14 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:

15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, 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, and came to Kadesh;

17 Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: 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 compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, 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 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 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 delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.

22 And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.

23 So now the Lord God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?

24 Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the Lord our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.

25 And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them,

26 While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?

27 Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the Lord the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.

28 Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.

29 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.

30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,

31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord delivered them into his hands.

33 And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.

34 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back.

36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.

37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.

38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.

39 And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,

40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.