Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 74
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IMMERSE
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KINGDOMS
10:7–11:9
all. So the Lord burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them
over to the Philistines and the Ammonites, who began to oppress them
that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites east of the
Jordan River in the land of the Amorites (that is, in Gilead). The Am
monites also crossed to the west side of the Jordan and attacked Judah,
Benjamin, and Ephraim.
The Israelites were in great distress. Finally, they cried out to the Lord
for help, saying, “We have sinned against you because we have abandoned
you as our God and have served the images of Baal.”
The Lord replied, “Did I not rescue you from the Egyptians, the Am
orites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Sidonians, the Amal ekites, and
the Maonites? When they oppressed you, you cried out to me for help, and
I rescued you. Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will
not rescue you anymore. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let
them rescue you in your hour of distress!”
But the Israelites pleaded with the Lord and said, “We have sinned.
Punish us as you see fit, only rescue us today from our enemies.” Then the
Israelites put aside their foreign gods and served the Lord. And he was
grieved by their misery.
At that time the armies of Ammon had gathered for war and were camped
in Gilead, and the people of Israel assembled and camped at Mizpah. The
leaders of Gilead said to each other, “Whoever attacks the Ammonites first
will become ruler over all the people of Gilead.”
Now Jephthah of Gilead was a great warrior. He was the son of Gilead,
but his mother was a prostitute. Gilead’s wife also had several sons, and
when these half brothers grew up, they chased Jephthah off the land. “You
will not get any of our father’s inheritance,” they said, “for you are the son
of a prostitute.” So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of
Tob. Soon he had a band of worthless rebels following him.
At about this time, the Ammonites began their war against Israel. When
the Ammonites attacked, the elders of Gilead sent for Jephthah in the land
of Tob. The elders said, “Come and be our commander! Help us fight the
Ammonites!”
But Jephthah said to them, “Aren’t you the ones who hated me and drove
me from my father’s house? Why do you come to me now when you’re in
trouble?”
“Because we need you,” the elders replied. “If you lead us in battle against
the Ammonites, we will make you ruler over all the people of Gilead.”
Jephthah said to the elders, “Let me get this straight. If I come with you
and if the Lord gives me victory over the Ammonites, will you really make
me ruler over all the people?”