Judges 11:5

“And when the sons of Ammon fought against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of Tob.”

Judges 11:5 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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5

Judges 11:5, word by word

And whenיְהִיyehi

happen

For something to occur or take place; many stories open with this word.

Where else “yehi” appears
the sonsבְנֵיvene

descendant

A descendant or member of a people: "sons of Israel".

Where else “vene” appears
of Ammonעַמּוֹןamon

Ammon

See it on the mapWhere else “amon” appears
foughtנִלְחֲמוּnilchamu

fight

To struggle against an enemy with weapons and give battle; God also fights for his people.

Where else “nilchamu” appears
Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael

Israel

Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.

Where else “yisrael” appears
the eldersזִקְנֵיzikne

elder

The senior men who led a city or the people.

Where else “zikne” appears
of Gileadגִלְעָדgilad

Gilead

See it on the mapWhere else “gilad” appears
wentיֵּלְכוּyelchu

go

To head for a place, to leave where one is in order to reach another.

Where else “yelchu” appears
to bringקַחַתkachat

fetch

To take someone along, or go and fetch something.

Where else “kachat” appears
Jephthahיִפְתָּחyiftach

Iphtah, Jephthah

Iphtah: a town of Judah in the Shephelah. It is the same name as Jephthah: "he opens."

Where else “yiftach” appears
from the landאֶרֶץerets

land

A region or nation, above all Israel's.

Where else “erets” appears
of Tobטוֹבtov

Tob

Tob, a region east of the Jordan to which Jephthah fled. The name means "good."

Where else “tov” appears

Places in this verse

JerusalemAmmonGilead
Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.
  • 1Ammon

    Today: Amman (Rabbah) and surroundings, Jordan

    The land east of the Jordan around Rabbah (present-day Amman, Jordan).

    The Ammonites came from a son of Lot (Gen 19:38). Jephthah defeated them (Judg 11:32-33) and David took their capital (2 Sam 12:26).

    Genesis 19:38Judges 11:42 Samuel 10:62 Samuel 12:26

  • 2Gilead

    Today: northern Jordan, east of the Jordan River

    A hill region east of the Jordan River, in present-day Jordan.

    Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh settled there (Num 32:1, 33). Jephthah was from Gilead (Judg 11:1). Jeremiah spoke of its balm (Jer 8:22).

    Genesis 31:21Numbers 32:1Judges 11:1Jeremiah 8:22

The context

4After some time the sons of Ammon fought against Israel.

5 · This verse (above)

6They said to Jephthah, “Come and be our commander, and let us fight against the sons of Ammon.”

Read all of Judges 11

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