Chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Judges 11:10

ESV And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The LORD will be witness between us, if we do not do as you say.”
NIV The elders of Gilead replied, 'The LORD is our witness; we will certainly do as you say.'
NASB And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, 'The Lord is witness between us; be assured we will do as you have said.'
CSB The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The Lord is our witness if we don't do as you say."
NLT The Lord is our witness,' the elders replied. 'We promise to do whatever you say.'
KJV And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.

What does Judges 11:10 mean?

Jephthah was the first to bring God's will into the conversation about leading fighters of Gilead against the Ammonites (Judges 11:4–9). He put any chance of victory squarely in the Lord's hands, saying that he would become leader over the elders and all the people of Gilead only if the Lord gave the Ammonites over to him.

Here, the elders of Gilead match Jephthah's commitment to the Lord. They place themselves under threat of the Lord's judgment if they do not follow through in making Jephthah the leader over all of Gilead, including themselves. This, of course, presumes that he succeeds and defeats the Ammonites. In that era and culture, this was as firm a contract as one could ask for. Jephthah will take the job (Judges 11:11).
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app: