士師記 11
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
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。 2 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。」 3 耶弗他只好逃走，住在陀伯地區。有一群匪徒跟隨了他。
4 後來，亞捫人攻打以色列， 5 基列的眾長老就去陀伯請耶弗他， 6 對他說：「請你回來做統帥帶領我們對抗亞捫人。」 7 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？」 8 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。」 9 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。
Judges 11
New King James Version
Jephthah
11 Now (A)Jephthah the Gileadite was (B)a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah. 2 Gilead’s wife bore sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have (C)no inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.” 3 Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and dwelt in the land of (D)Tob; and (E)worthless men banded together with Jephthah and went out raiding with him.
4 It came to pass after a time that the (F)people of Ammon made war against Israel. 5 And so it was, when the people of Ammon made war against Israel, that the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. 6 Then they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our commander, that we may fight against the people of Ammon.”
7 So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, (G)“Did you not hate me, and expel me from my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in [a]distress?”
8 (H)And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That is why we have (I)turned[b] again to you now, that you may go with us and fight against the people of Ammon, and be (J)our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”
9 So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you take me back home to fight against the people of Ammon, and the Lord delivers them to me, shall I be your head?”
10 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, (K)“The Lord will be a witness between us, if we do not do according to your words.” 11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him (L)head and commander over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words (M)before the Lord in Mizpah.
12 Now Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the people of Ammon, saying, (N)“What do you have against me, that you have come to fight against me in my land?”
13 And the king of the people of Ammon answered the messengers of Jephthah, (O)“Because Israel took away my land when they came up out of Egypt, from (P)the Arnon as far as (Q)the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. Now therefore, restore those lands peaceably.”
14 So Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the people of Ammon, 15 and said to him, “Thus says Jephthah: (R)‘Israel did not take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the people of Ammon; 16 for when Israel came up from Egypt, they walked through the wilderness as far as the Red Sea and (S)came to Kadesh. 17 Then (T)Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please let me pass through your land.” (U)But the king of Edom would not heed. And in like manner they sent to the (V)king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel (W)remained in Kadesh. 18 And they (X)went along through the wilderness and (Y)bypassed the land of Edom and the land of Moab, came to the east side of the land of Moab, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the border of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab. 19 Then (Z)Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, “Please (AA)let us pass through your land into our place.” 20 (AB)But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So Sihon gathered all his people together, encamped in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 21 And the Lord God of Israel (AC)delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they (AD)defeated[c] them. Thus Israel gained possession of all the land of the Amorites, who inhabited that country. 22 They took possession of (AE)all the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan.
23 ‘And now the Lord God of Israel has [d]dispossessed the Amorites from before His people Israel; should you then possess it? 24 Will you not possess whatever (AF)Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever (AG)the Lord our God takes possession of before us, we will possess. 25 And now, are you any better than (AH)Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel? Did he ever fight against them? 26 While Israel dwelt in (AI)Heshbon and its villages, in (AJ)Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities along the banks of the Arnon, for three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time? 27 Therefore I have not sinned against you, but you wronged me by fighting against me. May the Lord, (AK)the Judge, (AL)render judgment this day between the children of Israel and the people of Ammon.’ ” 28 However, the king of the people of Ammon did not heed the words which Jephthah sent him.
Jephthah’s Vow and Victory
29 Then (AM)the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpah of Gilead; and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced toward the people of Ammon. 30 And Jephthah (AN)made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, 31 then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, (AO)shall surely be the Lord’s, (AP)and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”
32 So Jephthah advanced toward the people of Ammon to fight against them, and the Lord delivered them into his hands. 33 And he [e]defeated them from Aroer as far as (AQ)Minnith—twenty cities—and to [f]Abel Keramim, with a very great slaughter. Thus the people of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
Jephthah’s Daughter
34 When Jephthah came to his house at (AR)Mizpah, there was (AS)his daughter, coming out to meet him with timbrels and dancing; and she was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he (AT)tore his clothes, and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low! You are among those who trouble me! For I (AU)have [g]given my word to the Lord, and (AV)I cannot [h]go back on it.”
36 So she said to him, “My father, if you have given your word to the Lord, (AW)do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, because (AX)the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the people of Ammon.” 37 Then she said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me: let me alone for two months, that I may go and wander on the mountains and [i]bewail my virginity, my [j]friends and I.”
38 So he said, “Go.” And he sent her away for two months; and she went with her friends, and bewailed her virginity on the mountains. 39 And it was so at the end of two months that she returned to her father, and he (AY)carried out his vow with her which he had vowed. She [k]knew no man.
And it became a custom in Israel 40 that the daughters of Israel went four days each year to [l]lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.
Footnotes
- Judges 11:7 trouble
- Judges 11:8 returned
- Judges 11:21 Lit. struck
- Judges 11:23 driven out
- Judges 11:33 Lit. struck
- Judges 11:33 Lit. Plain of Vineyards
- Judges 11:35 Lit. opened my mouth
- Judges 11:35 Lit. take it back
- Judges 11:37 lament
- Judges 11:37 companions
- Judges 11:39 Remained a virgin
- Judges 11:40 commemorate
Judges 11
King James Version
11 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.
2 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.
3 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.
4 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.
5 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:
6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.
7 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?
8 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.
9 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.
Judges 11
English Standard Version
Jephthah Delivers Israel
11 Now (A)Jephthah the Gileadite was (B)a mighty warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was the father of Jephthah. 2 And Gilead's wife also bore him sons. And when his wife's sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, “You shall not have an inheritance in our father's house, for you are the son of another woman.” 3 Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of (C)Tob, and (D)worthless fellows collected around Jephthah and went out with him.
4 After a time the Ammonites made war against Israel. 5 And when the Ammonites made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of (E)Tob. 6 And they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our leader, that we may fight against the Ammonites.” 7 But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me and drive me out of my father's house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?” 8 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That is why we have turned to you now, that you may go with us and fight against the Ammonites and (F)be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.” 9 Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me home again to fight against the Ammonites, and the Lord gives them over to me, I will be your head.” 10 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, (G)“The Lord will be witness between us, if we do not do as you say.” 11 So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people (H)made him head and leader over them. And Jephthah spoke all his words (I)before the Lord at (J)Mizpah.
12 Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites and said, “What do you have against me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?” 13 And the king of the Ammonites answered the messengers of Jephthah, (K)“Because Israel on coming up from Egypt took away my land, from the (L)Arnon to the (M)Jabbok and to the Jordan; now therefore restore it peaceably.” 14 Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites 15 and said to him, “Thus says Jephthah: (N)Israel did not take away the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites, 16 but when they came up from Egypt, Israel went through the wilderness (O)to the Red Sea and (P)came to Kadesh. 17 (Q)Israel then sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Please let us pass through your land,’ (R)but the king of Edom would not listen. And they sent also to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel (S)remained at Kadesh.
18 “Then they journeyed through the wilderness and (T)went around the land of Edom and the land of Moab and (U)arrived on the east side of the land of Moab and (V)camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the boundary of Moab. 19 (W)Israel then sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land to our country,’ 20 but Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory, so Sihon gathered all his people together and encamped at Jahaz and fought with Israel. 21 And the Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated them. So Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites, who inhabited that country. 22 And they took possession of all the territory of the Amorites from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan. 23 So then the Lord, the God of Israel, dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel; and are you to take possession of them? 24 Will you not possess what (X)Chemosh your god gives you to possess? (Y)And all that the Lord our God has dispossessed before us, we will possess. 25 Now are you any better than (Z)Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever contend against Israel, or did he ever go to war with them? 26 While Israel lived (AA)in Heshbon and its villages, and (AB)in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, 300 years, why did you not deliver them within that time? 27 I therefore have not sinned against you, and you do me wrong by making war on me. (AC)The Lord, the Judge, decide this day between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon.” 28 But the king of the Ammonites did not listen to the words of Jephthah that he sent to him.
Jephthah's Tragic Vow
29 (AD)Then the Spirit of the Lord was upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh and passed on to Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed on to the Ammonites. 30 And Jephthah (AE)made a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, 31 then whatever[a] comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites (AF)shall be the Lord's, and (AG)I will offer it[b] up for a burnt offering.” 32 So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the Lord gave them into his hand. 33 And he struck them from Aroer to the neighborhood of (AH)Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim, with a great blow. So the Ammonites were subdued before the people of Israel.
34 Then Jephthah came to his home at (AI)Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him (AJ)with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the Lord, (AK)and I cannot take back my vow.” 36 And she said to him, “My father, you have opened your mouth to the Lord; do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, now that the Lord has avenged you on your enemies, on the Ammonites.” 37 So she said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me: leave me alone two months, that I may go up and down on the mountains and weep for my virginity, I and my companions.” 38 So he said, “Go.” Then he sent her away for two months, and she departed, she and her companions, and wept for her virginity on the mountains. 39 And at the end of two months, she returned to her father, (AL)who did with her according to his vow that he had made. She had never known a man, and it became a custom in Israel 40 that the daughters of Israel went year by year to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in the year.
Footnotes
- Judges 11:31 Or whoever
- Judges 11:31 Or him
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
