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Thursday, August 28th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Green's Literal Translation

Judges 12:2

And Jephthah said to them, I have been a man of war, my people and I, having great strife with the sons of Ammon. And I called you, and you did not save me out of their hands.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ammonites;   Citizens;   Israel;   Judge;   Strife;   Treason;   War;   Thompson Chain Reference - Jephthah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ephraim, Tribe of;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Shibboleth;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jephthah;   Judges, book of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Shibboleth;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ephraim, Wood of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Judges, Book of;   Tribes of Israel, the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ammon, Ammonites;   Levi;   Shibboleth;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ephraim ;   Forest;   Jephthah, Jephthae ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jephthah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Arnon;   Israel, History of the People;   Jephthah;   Judges, Period of;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Accuser;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Jephthah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Jephthah said to them, “My people and I had a bitter conflict with the Ammonites. So I called for you, but you didn’t deliver me from their power.
Hebrew Names Version
Yiftach said to them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of `Ammon; and when I called you, you didn't save me out of their hand.
King James Version
And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.
Lexham English Bible
And Jephthah said to them, "I and my people were engaged in great conflict with the Ammonites; I called you, but you did not deliver me from their hand.
English Standard Version
And Jephthah said to them, "I and my people had a great dispute with the Ammonites, and when I called you, you did not save me from their hand.
New Century Version
Jephthah answered them, "My people and I fought a great battle against the Ammonites. I called you, but you didn't come to help me.
New English Translation
Jephthah said to them, "My people and I were entangled in controversy with the Ammonites. I asked for your help, but you did not deliver me from their power.
Amplified Bible
And Jephthah said to them, "My people and I were in a major conflict with the Ammonites, and when I called you [for help], you did not rescue me from their hand.
New American Standard Bible
So Jephthah said to them, "I and my people were in a major dispute with the sons of Ammon; and I did call you, but you did not save me from their hand.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Iphtah said vnto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon, and when I called you, ye deliuered me not out of their handes.
Legacy Standard Bible
Maar Jefta sê vir hulle: Ek en my volk het 'n hewige twis met die kinders van Ammon gehad, en ek het julle opgeroep, maar julle het my nie uit hulle hand verlos nie.
Contemporary English Version
"But I did ask for your help," Jephthah answered. "That was back when the people of Gilead and I were having trouble with the Ammonites, and you wouldn't do a thing to help us.
Complete Jewish Bible
Yiftach answered, "When my people and I were in a serious dispute with the people of ‘Amon, I called you; and you didn't rescue me from their power.
Darby Translation
And Jephthah said to them, I was at great strife, I and my people, with the children of Ammon; and I called you, but ye saved me not out of their hand.
Easy-to-Read Version
Jephthah answered them, "The Ammonites have been giving us many problems. So my people and I fought against them. I called you, but you didn't come to help us.
George Lamsa Translation
And Jephthah said to them, O men! I and my people had strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hands.
Good News Translation
But Jephthah told them, "My people and I had a serious quarrel with the Ammonites. I did call you, but you would not rescue me from them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Iephthae sayde vnto the: I and my people had a greate matter with ye children of Ammon, and I cried vpon you, but ye helped me not out of their handes.
American Standard Version
And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye saved me not out of their hand.
Bible in Basic English
And Jephthah said to them, I and my people were in danger, and the children of Ammon were very cruel to us, and when I sent for you, you gave me no help against them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Iephthah sayde vnto them, I & my people were at great stryfe with the children of Ammon: And when I called you, ye deliuered me not out of their handes.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Jephthah said unto them: 'I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye saved me not out of their hand.
King James Version (1611)
And Iephthah saide vnto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon: and when I called you, ye deliuered me not out of their hands.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Jephthae said to them, I and my people and the children of Ammon were very much engaged in war; and I called for you, and ye did not save me out of their hand.
English Revised Version
And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye saved me not out of their hand.
Berean Standard Bible
But Jephthah replied, "My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites, and when I called, you did not deliver me out of their hands.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whiche he answeride, Greet strijf was to me and to my puple ayens the sones of Amon, and Y clepide you, that ye schulden `yyue help to me, and ye nolden do.
Young's Literal Translation
And Jephthah saith unto them, `A man of great strife I have been (I and my people) with the Bene-Ammon, and I call you, and ye have not saved me out of their hand,
Update Bible Version
And Jephthah said to them, I and my people were at great strife with the sons of Ammon; and when I called you, you didn't save me out of their hand.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Jephthah said to them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.
World English Bible
Jephthah said to them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, you didn't save me out of their hand.
New King James Version
And Jephthah said to them, "My people and I were in a great struggle with the people of Ammon; and when I called you, you did not deliver me out of their hands.
New Living Translation
Jephthah replied, "I summoned you at the beginning of the dispute, but you refused to come! You failed to help us in our struggle against Ammon.
New Life Bible
Jephthah said to them, "I and my people were having much trouble with the people of Ammon. I did call you, but you did not take me away from them.
New Revised Standard
Jephthah said to them, "My people and I were engaged in conflict with the Ammonites who oppressed us severely. But when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Jephthah said unto them, Great strife, had, I and my people, even with the sons of Ammon; but, when I cried unto you for help, ye saved me not out of their hand.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he answered them: I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon: and I called you to assist me, and you would not do it.
Revised Standard Version
And Jephthah said to them, "I and my people had a great feud with the Ammonites; and when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand.
THE MESSAGE
Jephthah said, "I and my people had our hands full negotiating with the Ammonites. And I did call to you for help but you ignored me. When I saw that you weren't coming, I took my life in my hands and confronted the Ammonites myself. And God gave them to me! So why did you show up here today? Are you spoiling for a fight with me?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Jephthah said to them, "I and my people were at great strife with the sons of Ammon; when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand.

Contextual Overview

1 And the men of Ephraim were called together, and went northward, and said to Jephthah, Why have you passed over to fight against the sons of Ammon, and you have not called on us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire. 2 And Jephthah said to them, I have been a man of war, my people and I, having great strife with the sons of Ammon. And I called you, and you did not save me out of their hands. 3 And seeing that you did not save us, I put my life in my hand and passed over against the Ammonites, and Jehovah delivered them into my hand. And why have you come up to me today to fight with me? 4 And Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, You Gileadites are fugitives from Ephraim, in the midst of Ephraim, in the midst of Manasseh. 5 And Gilead captured the fords of the Jordan before Ephraim. And it happened when the fugitives from Ephraim said, Let me pass over, then the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite? And he said, No. 6 And they said to him, Please say Shibboleth. And he said, Sibboleth, and they could not frame to speak so. And they would seize him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. And at that time forty two thousand of Ephraim fell. 7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. And Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in the cities of Gilead.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I and my: Judges 11:12-33

Reciprocal: Numbers 21:24 - Israel

Cross-References

Genesis 12:3
And I will bless those who bless you, and curse the one despising you. And in you all families of the earth shall be blessed.
Genesis 12:4
And Abram went out, even as Jehovah had spoken to him. And Lot went with him. And Abram was a son of seventy five years when he went out from Haran.
Genesis 12:6
And Abram passed through the land as far as the place of Shechem, to the Oak of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
Genesis 12:8
And he moved from there to a mountain on the east of Bethel, and stretched his tent with Bethel toward the sea, and Ai on the east. And he built an altar there to Jehovah, and called on the name of Jehovah.
Genesis 12:9
And Abram pulled up stakes , going on and pulling up stakes toward the Negeb.
Genesis 12:10
And a famine was in the land, so Abram went down into Egypt to stay there. For the famine was heavy in the land.
Genesis 12:14
And it happened, when Abram had come into Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful.
Genesis 12:16
And he did good to Abram because of her. And he had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and male slaves, and slave-girls, and she-asses, and camels.
Genesis 12:17
And Jehovah touched Pharaoh and his house with great plagues on the word of Sarai, Abram's wife.
Genesis 12:18
And Pharaoh called for Abram and said, What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me she is your wife?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at a great strife with the children of Ammon,.... As to the cause of the war, or the reason of his going over to fight the children of Ammon, it was a strife or contention between the Gileadites and them, concerning their country; which the children of Ammon claimed as theirs, and the Gileadites insisted on it they had a just right to it; by which it appeared that this was not a personal contention between Jephthah and them; and therefore the Ephraimites had no reason to fall so furiously upon him particularly; and it was a contention which chiefly concerned the two tribes and a half, and not the rest; and so could not be blamed for defending themselves alone if they could, without interesting others in the quarrel: but this is not all he has to say, he adds,

and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands; it seems he had called them to assist in driving the enemy out of their boarders when there, and they refused to help him; though it is not elsewhere said, and it is not denied by them, so that it was false what they alleged; or however, since they declined giving him any assistance, when the children of Ammon were in his country, he could not expect they would join him in an expedition into theirs.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

When I called you ... - This circumstance is not related in the main narrative. It is likely to have occurred when Jephthah was first chosen leader by the Gileadites, and when Ephraim would probably ignore his pretensions.


 
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