Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, August 7th, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Judges 12:2

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?"

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.
Literal Translation
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.
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.
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 The men of Ephraim mustered their troops, crossed to Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, "Why did you go out to fight the Ammonites without letting us go with you? We're going to burn your house down on you!" 2Jephthah 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?" 4 So Jephthah got his Gilead troops together and fought Ephraim. And the men of Gilead hit them hard because they were saying, "Gileadites are nothing but half breeds and rejects from Ephraim and Manasseh." 5Gilead captured the fords of the Jordan at the crossing to Ephraim. If an Ephraimite fugitive said, "Let me cross," the men of Gilead would ask, "Are you an Ephraimite?" and he would say, "No." And they would say, "Say, ‘Shibboleth.'" But he would always say, "Sibboleth"—he couldn't say it right. Then they would grab him and kill him there at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two Ephraimite divisions were killed on that occasion. 7 Jephthah judged Israel six years. Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in his city, Mizpah 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 12:4
So Abram left just as God said, and Lot left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot with him, along with all the possessions and people they had gotten in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan and arrived safe and sound. Abram passed through the country as far as Shechem and the Oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites occupied the land.
Genesis 12:8
He moved on from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent between Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. He built an altar there and prayed to God .
Genesis 12:9
Abram kept moving, steadily making his way south, to the Negev.
Genesis 12:10
Then a famine came to the land. Abram went down to Egypt to live; it was a hard famine. As he drew near to Egypt, he said to his wife, Sarai, "Look. We both know that you're a beautiful woman. When the Egyptians see you they're going to say, ‘Aha! That's his wife!' and kill me. But they'll let you live. Do me a favor: tell them you're my sister. Because of you, they'll welcome me and let me live."
Genesis 12:14
When Abram arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians took one look and saw that his wife was stunningly beautiful. Pharaoh's princes raved over her to Pharaoh. She was taken to live with Pharaoh.
Genesis 12:16
Because of her, Abram got along very well: he accumulated sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, men and women servants, and camels. But God hit Pharaoh hard because of Abram's wife Sarai; everybody in the palace got seriously sick.
Genesis 12:18
Pharaoh called for Abram, "What's this that you've done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she's your wife? Why did you say, ‘She's my sister' so that I'd take her as my wife? Here's your wife back—take her and get out!"
Genesis 15:5
Then he took him outside and said, "Look at the sky. Count the stars. Can you do it? Count your descendants! You're going to have a big family, Abram!"
Genesis 19:29
And that's the story: When God destroyed the Cities of the Plain, he was mindful of Abraham and first got Lot out of there before he blasted those cities off the face of the Earth.
Genesis 35:11
God continued, I am The Strong God. Have children! Flourish! A nation—a whole company of nations!— will come from you. Kings will come from your loins; the land I gave Abraham and Isaac I now give to you, and pass it on to your descendants.

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile