Jephthah

Jephthah is a biblical judge, the son of Gilead, first named as a Gileadite and described as a mighty man of valor Judges 11:1. Gilead's other sons drove him from their father's house, after which he lived in Tob; men gathered around him there Judges 11:2; Judges 11:3.

When the sons of Ammon fought against Israel, Gilead's elders asked Jephthah to lead their fight. He recalled that he had been driven out, but agreed on the condition that, if the LORD gave the Ammonites into his hand, he would be their head. The people then made him head and leader, and he spoke before the LORD at Mizpah Judges 11:5; Judges 11:7; Judges 11:9; Judges 11:11.

Jephthah sent messages to the Ammonite king, denying that Israel had taken Moabite or Ammonite land. The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and the text says that the LORD gave the sons of Ammon into his hand Judges 11:15; Judges 11:29; Judges 11:32. His daughter met him at his house, and the daughters of Israel later lamented her Judges 11:34; Judges 11:40. Jephthah is also named as Iphtah in 1 Samuel 12:11 and listed in Hebrews 11:32.