11
Jephthah
1Now ⚓Jephthah the Gileadite was ⚓a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah.
2Gilead’s wife bore sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have ⚓no inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.”
3Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and dwelt in the land of ⚓Tob; and ⚓worthless men banded together with Jephthah and went out raiding with him.
4It came to pass after a time that the ⚓people of Ammon made war against Israel.
5And 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.
6Then they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our commander, that we may fight against the people of Ammon.”
7So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, ⚓“Did you not hate me, and expel me from 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 again to you now, that you may go with us and fight against the people of Ammon, and be ⚓our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”
9So 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?”
10And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, ⚓“The Lord will be a witness between us, if we do not do according to your words.”
11Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him ⚓head and commander over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words ⚓before the Lord in Mizpah.
12Now Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the people of Ammon, saying, ⚓“What do you have against me, that you have come to fight against me in my land?”
13And the king of the people of Ammon answered the messengers of Jephthah, ⚓“Because Israel took away my land when they came up out of Egypt, from ⚓the Arnon as far as ⚓the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. Now therefore, restore those lands peaceably.”
14So Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the people of Ammon,
15and said to him, “Thus says Jephthah: ⚓‘Israel did not take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the people of Ammon;
16for when Israel came up from Egypt, they walked through the wilderness as far as the Red Sea and ⚓came to Kadesh.
17Then ⚓Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please let me pass through your land.” ⚓But the king of Edom would not heed. And in like manner they sent to the ⚓king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel ⚓remained in Kadesh.
18And they ⚓went along through the wilderness and ⚓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.
19Then ⚓Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, “Please ⚓let us pass through your land into our place.”
20⚓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.
21And the Lord God of Israel ⚓delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they ⚓defeated them. Thus Israel gained possession of all the land of the Amorites, who inhabited that country.
22They took possession of ⚓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 dispossessed the Amorites from before His people Israel; should you then possess it?
24Will you not possess whatever ⚓Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever ⚓the Lord our God takes possession of before us, we will possess.
25And now, are you any better than ⚓Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel? Did he ever fight against them?
26While Israel dwelt in ⚓Heshbon and its villages, in ⚓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?
27Therefore I have not sinned against you, but you wronged me by fighting against me. May the Lord, ⚓the Judge, ⚓render judgment this day between the children of Israel and the people of Ammon.’ ”
28However, the king of the people of Ammon did not heed the words which Jephthah sent him.
Jephthah’s Vow and Victory
29Then ⚓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.
30And Jephthah ⚓made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands,
31then 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, ⚓shall surely be the Lord’s, ⚓and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”
32So Jephthah advanced toward the people of Ammon to fight against them, and the Lord delivered them into his hands.
33And he defeated them from Aroer as far as ⚓Minnith—twenty cities—and to Abel Keramim, with a very great slaughter. Thus the people of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
Jephthah’s Daughter
34When Jephthah came to his house at ⚓Mizpah, there was ⚓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.
35And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he ⚓tore his clothes, and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low! You are among those who trouble me! For I ⚓have given my word to the Lord, and ⚓I cannot go back on it.”
36So she said to him, “My father, if you have given your word to the Lord, ⚓do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, because ⚓the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the people of Ammon.”
37Then 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 bewail my virginity, my friends and I.”
38So he said, “Go.” And he sent her away for two months; and she went with her friends, and bewailed her virginity on the mountains.
39And it was so at the end of two months that she returned to her father, and he ⚓carried out his vow with her which he had vowed. She knew no man.
And it became a custom in Israel
40that the daughters of Israel went four days each year to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.
11
Yetha
1Yetha uas yog neeg Kile‑a yog ib tug tub rog siab loj siab tuab. Nws niam yog ib tug poj muag cev, nws txiv yog Kile‑a.
2Kile‑a tus niam tsav cuab muaj ob peb tug tub. Thaum cov tub ntawd hlob lawm lawv txawm ntiab Yetha khiav mus thiab hais tias, “Koj yuav tsis muaj feem tau peb txiv li qub txeeg qub teg rau qhov koj yog dua ib tug niam yug.”
3Yetha txawm khiav ntawm cov kwvtij mus nyob hauv lub tebchaws Thauj. Cov neeg tsis tsheej haj tuaj koom nrog nws mus ua tub sab tub nyiag.
4Tom qab ntawd cov Asmoo ua rog rau cov Yixayee.
5Thaum cov Asmoo ua rog rau cov Yixayee ntawd, cov kev txwj laus hauv Kile‑a tebchaws txawm mus coj Yetha hauv Thauj tebchaws los.
6Lawv hais rau Yetha tias, “Cia li los ua peb tus thawj es peb yuav ua rog rau cov Asmoo.”
7Tiamsis Yetha hais rau Kile‑a cov kev txwj laus tias, “Nej ntxub kuv thiab ntiab kuv tawm hauv kuv txiv lub tsev los tsis yog? Ua cas nimno nej raug kev ceeblaj txom nyem nej ho tuaj nrhiav kuv thiab?”
8Kile‑a cov kev txwj laus hais rau Yetha tias, “Qhov uas peb tuaj cuag koj no kuj yog cheem tsum koj nrog peb mus ntaus cov Asmoo thiab mus ua peb tus thawj kav tag nrho cov Kile‑a huvsi.”
9Yetha thiaj hais rau Kile‑a cov kev txwj laus tias, “Yog nej coj kuv rov mus tsev mus ua rog rau cov Asmoo thiab yog Yawmsaub muab lawv cob rau hauv kuv txhais tes, mas kuv yuav ua nej tus thawj.”
10Kile‑a cov kev txwj laus hais rau Yetha tias, “Yawmsaub ua timkhawv rau peb, peb yeej yuav ua raws li koj hais.”
11Yetha thiaj nrog Kile‑a cov kev txwj laus mus mas cov pejxeem thiaj tsa nws ua tus thawj thiab ua tus kav hlo lawv. Yetha thiaj hais tej lus uas lawv hais hum huvsi ntawd tab meeg Yawmsaub ntawm lub moos Mixapa.
12Yetha thiaj tso neeg xa xov mus hais rau cov Asmoo tus vajntxwv tias, “Koj muaj plaub dabtsi rau kuv es koj yuav tuaj ua rog rau kuv lub tebchaws?”
13Cov Asmoo tus vajntxwv teb Yetha tej tub xa xov tias, “Vim yog thaum cov Yixayee tawm hauv Iyi tebchaws los lawv txeeb kuv lub tebchaws lawm txij ntua tus dej Anoo mus txog tus dej Yanpo thiab mus txog tus dej Yaladee. Nimno cia li thim lub tebchaws no zoo zoo rov los.”
14Yetha tso neeg xa xov rov mus cuag cov Asmoo tus vajntxwv dua,
15lawv hais tias, “Yetha hais li no tias, Cov Yixayee tsis tau txeeb Mau‑a lub tebchaws thiab cov Asmoo lub tebchaws li.
16Tiamsis thaum cov Yixayee tawm hauv Iyi tebchaws los, lawv taug kev hauv tebchaws moj sab qhua mus txog Hiavtxiv Liab thiab los txog ntawm Khade.
17Mas cov Yixayee tso neeg xa xov mus hais rau Edoo tus vajntxwv tias, ‘Thov koj kheev peb hla koj lub tebchaws mus,’ tiamsis Edoo tus vajntxwv tsis quav ntsej li. Lawv tso neeg mus thov Mau‑a tus vajntxwv ib yam li ntawd, los nws kuj tsis kheev. Yog li ntawd cov Yixayee thiaj nyob ntawm Khade.
18Ces lawv txawm mus hauv tebchaws moj sab qhua lug Edoo thiab Mau‑a lub tebchaws los txog ntawm Mau‑a lub tebchaws sab hnub tuaj thiab tsuam chaw nyob ntawm tus dej Anoo sab ped. Lawv twb tsis mus rau hauv Mau‑a tebchaws li, rau qhov tus dej Anoo twb ua ciam teb quas Mau‑a tebchaws lawm.
19Cov Yixayee thiaj tso neeg xa xov mus cuag cov Amaulai tus vajntxwv Xihoo hauv lub moos Hesanpoo. Cov Yixayee hais rau nws tias, ‘Thov cia peb hla koj lub tebchaws mus rau hauv peb lub tebchaws.’
20Tiamsis Xihoo tsis tso siab cia cov Yixayee hla nws lub tebchaws, Xihoo txawm txhij nws cov neeg sawvdaws mus ua lub yeej rau ntawm Yahaj thiab ua rog rau cov Yixayee.
21Mas Yawmsaub uas yog cov Yixayee tus Vajtswv thiaj muab Xihoo thiab nws cov neeg huvsi rau hauv cov Yixayee txhais tes, nws thiaj sib lawm. Cov Yixayee thiaj txeeb kiag cov Amaulai uas nyob qhov ntawd lub tebchaws huvsi.
22Cov Yixayee txeeb kiag cov Amaulai lub tebchaws txij ntua tus dej Anoo mus txog tus dej Yanpo, thiab txij ntua lub tebchaws moj sab qhua mus txog tus dej Yaladee.
23“Yog li no Yawmsaub uas yog cov Yixayee tus Vajtswv thiaj ntiab cov Amaulai khiav tawm ntawm nws haiv neeg Yixayee hauv ntej mus. Mas koj txawm yuav muab ua koj tug lov?
24Koj tsis ceev tej uas koj tus dab Khemauj muab cob rau koj lov? Txhua thaj uas peb tus Vajtswv Yawmsaub ntiab luag tawm ntawm peb hauv ntej mus es pub rau peb, peb yuav ceev cia.
25Koj zoo dua Xipau tus tub Npalaj uas ua vajntxwv hauv Mau‑a tebchaws lov? Npalaj txeev nrog cov Yixayee sib ntsuas zog thiab ua rog rau lawv lov?
26Cov Yixayee twb nyob hauv lub moos Hesanpoo thiab ib ncig lub moos ntawd thiab nyob hauv lub moos Alau‑aw thiab ib ncig ntawd thiab nyob hauv txhua lub moos raws tus ntug dej Anoo tau peb puas xyoo, ua cas koj tsis txeeb rov qab thaum ntawd?
27Yog li no kuv tsis tau ua txhaum rau koj, koj yog tus ua txhaum rau kuv rau qhov uas ua rog rau kuv. Cia Yawmsaub uas yog tus txiav txim los tu plaub rau cov Yixayee thiab cov Asmoo hnub no.”
28Tiamsis cov Asmoo tus vajntxwv tsis mloog tej lus uas Yetha tso neeg mus hais ntawd.
29Mas Yawmsaub tus Ntsuj Plig los kav kiag Yetha, nws thiaj hla hlo Kile‑a thiab Manaxe tebchaws mus rau ntawm lub moos Mixapa hauv Kile‑a, thiab tawm ntawm Mixapa hauv Kile‑a mus txog cov Asmoo.
30Yetha thiaj fiv rau Yawmsaub hais tias, “Yog koj muab cov Asmoo rau hauv kuv txhais tes lawm,
31mas leejtwg uas tawm hauv kuv lub qhov rooj tuaj tos kuv rau thaum kuv kov yeej cov Asmoo rov qab los, tus ntawd yuav muab ua Yawmsaub li thiab kuv yuav muab nws ua kevcai hlawv xyeem.”
32Ces Yetha txawm hla mus ua rog rau cov Asmoo mas Yawmsaub muab lawv cob rau hauv nws txhais tes.
33Mas nws tua tau lawv txij ntua lub moos Alau‑aw mus yuav txog lub moos Minij, huvsi ntaus tau nees nkaum lub moos thiab mus txog ntua lub moos Anpee Khelamee, neeg tuag coob heev. Cov Asmoo thiaj swb kiag zwm rau cov Yixayee.
Yetha tus ntxhais
34Yetha txawm rov qab los tsev rau hauv Mixapa, ces nws tus ntxhais npuaj nruas seev cev tuaj tos nws. Nws li menyuam muaj tib tug ntxhais ntawd xwb tsis muaj dua lwm tus tub ntxhais kiag li.
35Thaum nws pom dheev tus ntxhais ntawd nws txawm dua rhe nws lub tsho thiab hais tias, “Au mivntxhais 'e, koj ua rau kuv txom nyem lauj! Koj ua rau kuv nyuaj siab heev kawg vim kuv tau tsa ncauj fiv rau Yawmsaub lawm, yuav thim tsis tau tej lus ntawd.”
36Nws thiaj hais rau leej txiv tias, “Txiv, yog koj tau tsa ncauj cog lus rau Yawmsaub li cas lawm, cia li ua rau kuv raws li koj cog lus ntawd, rau qhov Yawmsaub twb pauj cov Asmoo uas yog koj tej yeeb ncuab rau koj lawm.”
37Nws kuj hais rau leej txiv tias, “Kuv thov koj cia kuv ua li no xwb, thov tso kuv nyob kab ntsab ob lub hlis kuv thiaj tau mus mus los los rau pem roob thiab nrog kuv tej phoojywg quaj ntsuag txog kuv txojkev ua ntxhais nkauj xwb.”
38Leejtxiv teb tias, “Cia li mus.” Nws thiaj tso tus ntxhais mus ob lub hlis. Mas tus ntxhais thiab tej phoojywg thiaj tawm mus quaj ntsuag txog nws lub cev nkauj xwb rau pem roob.
39Thaum puv ob hlis lawd, nws thiaj rov los rau ntawm leej txiv, mas leej txiv kuj muab nws xyeem raws li nws tau cog lus tseg lawd. Nws yeej tsis tau nrog dua txivneej pw li.
Qhov no thiaj ua ib txoj kevcai rau cov Yixayee,
40kom lawv tej ntxhais niaj xyoo quaj ntsuag txog Yetha uas yog neeg Kile‑a tus ntxhais ib xyoos mas plaub hnub.