1 Jephthah was a strong man in Gilead. His dad was Gilead. His mom was not his dad’s wife. ️ 2 Gilead’s wife had sons. They said to Jephthah, “Go away. You get no share here. You are son of another woman.” 3 Jephthah left and went to a place called Tob. Some rough men came to him and went with him. ➡️️ 4 Later, the Ammon people came to fight Israel. ⚔️ 5 The old leaders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from Tob. ➡️ 6 They said, “Come be our leader. Help us fight Ammon.” ️️ 7 Jephthah said, “You were mean to me. You sent me away. Why come now when you are in trouble?” ❓ 8 The leaders said, “We came back to you now. Come fight Ammon. Be our boss of Gilead.” 9 Jephthah said, “If I come and God lets me win, will I be your boss?” 10 The leaders said, “God hears us. We will do what you said.” ✋ 11 Jephthah went with the leaders. The people made him leader and boss. Jephthah told his plan to God at Mizpah. 12 Jephthah sent men with a message to the king of Ammon: “Why do you fight me in my land?” ❓ 13 The king of Ammon said, “Israel took my land long ago. Give it back nicely.” ️➡️ 14 Jephthah sent men with a message again to the king of Ammon. 15 Jephthah said, “Israel did not take the land of Moab or Ammon.” ♂️️ 16 “Israel came from Egypt and went in the wild to Kadesh.” ️♂️ 17 “They asked Edom and Moab, ‘Let us pass.’ They said no. So Israel stayed at Kadesh.” 18 “They went around Edom and Moab. They camped by Arnon, the edge of Moab.” ⛺️ 19 “They asked Sihon, king of the Amorites, ‘Let us pass to our place.’” 20 “Sihon did not trust Israel. He called his men and fought at Jahaz.” ⚔️ 21 “God, the God of Israel, helped Israel win. They beat Sihon and his men. Israel took that land.” ️ 22 “They took all the towns from Arnon to Jabbok, and to the Jordan.” ️➡️ 23 “So God took the land from the Amorites for Israel. Why should you take it now?” ♂️️ 24 “You keep what your god Chemosh gives you. We keep what our God gives us.” ️ 25 “Are you better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? He did not fight Israel.” ❌⚔️ 26 “We lived in Heshbon, Aroer, and towns near for 300 years. Why did you not take it back then?” ⏳️ 27 “I did not hurt you. You hurt me by war. God will judge today between Israel and Ammon.” ⚖️ 28 But the king of Ammon did not listen. 29 God’s Holy Spirit came on Jephthah. He went across Gilead and Manasseh, to Mizpah, and to the Ammon men. ️♂️ 30 Jephthah made a promise to God: “If You let me win over Ammon,” ️ 31 “Then the first thing that comes out of my house to meet me, I will give to God as a gift.” ➡️ 32 Jephthah went to fight Ammon. God let him win. ️✅ 33 He won in many towns, from Aroer to Minnith to Abel-keramim. Ammon lost to Israel. ️️ 34 Jephthah came home to Mizpah. His only child, his girl, came out with songs and dance. 35 Jephthah saw her and ripped his clothes. He said, “Oh no, my girl! I am very sad. I promised God. I cannot go back.” ✋ 36 She said, “Dad, you promised God. Do what you said. God let you win over Ammon.” ️ 37 She said, “Let me go to the hills for two months with my friends. I will cry because I will not marry.” ⛰️ 38 He said, “Go.” He sent her for two months. She went with her friends and cried in the hills. ⏳⛰️ 39 After two months, she came back. He did what he promised to God. She did not marry. A new way to remember her started in Israel. ⏰ 40 Each year the girls of Israel went four days to talk about and remember Jephthah’s girl. ️