JEPHTHAH, judge of Israel, and successor to Jair in the government of the people, was a native of Mizpeh, and the son of one Gilead by a woman of indifferent reputation. This Gilead having married a lawful wife, and had children by her, drove Jephthah from his father's house, saying that he should not be heir with them. Jephthah retired into the land of Tob, and there became captain of a band of thieves. At that time the Israelites beyond Jordan, seeing themselves pressed by the Ammonites, came to desire assistance from Jephthah, and to request that he would take upon him the command. Jephthah at first reproached them with the injustice which they had done him, or at least which they had not prevented, when he was forced from his father's house. But as these people were earnest and pressing in their request, he told them that he would succour them, provided at the end of the war they would acknowledge him as their prince. This they consented to, and promised with an oath. Jephthah having thus been acknowledged prince of the Israelites in an assembly of the people, was filled with the spirit of God, and began to get his troops together; and for this purpose he travelled over all the land which the children of Israel possessed beyond Jordan. At the same time he made a vow to the Lord, that if he were successful against the Ammonites, he would offer up as a burnt-offering whatever should first come out of his house to meet him. The battle being fought, Jephthah proved victorious, and ravaged all the land of Ammon. But as he returned to his house, his only daughter came out to meet him, with timbrels and with dances; whereupon Jephthah tore his clothes, saying, "Alas, my daughter, thou hast brought me very low, for I have made a vow unto the Lord, and cannot fail in the performance of it." His daughter answered, "My father, if thou hast made a vow unto the Lord, do with me as thou hast promised; grant me only the favour that I may be at liberty to go up to the mountains, and there for two months bewail my virginity with my companions." Jephthah granted her this liberty; and at the expiration of two months he offered up his daughter as a burnt-offering, agreeably to his vow. Meanwhile, the Ephraimites, jealous of the victory obtained by Jephthah over the Ammonites, passed the river Jordan in a tumultuous manner, and complaining to Jephthah that he had not invited them to this war, threatened to set fire to his house. Jephthah answered them, that he had sent to desire their assistance; but observing that they did not come, he put his life in the hands of God, and hazarded a battle. The Ephraimites not being satisfied with these reasons, Jephthah assembled the people of Gilead, gave them battle, and defeated them; so that of the tribe of Ephraim there were forty-two thousand men killed on that day. We know nothing more concerning the life of Jephthah, except that he judged Israel during six years, and was buried in a city of Gilead.