now amended by the calamities they had undergone,
betook themselves to supplications to God; and brought sacrifices to
him, beseeching him not to be too severe upon them, but to be moved by
their prayers to leave off his anger against them. So God became more
merciful to them, and was ready to assist them.

8. When the Ammonites had made an expedition into the land of Gilead,
the inhabitants of the country met them at a certain mountain, but
wanted a commander. Now there was one whose name was Jephtha, who, both
on account of his father's virtue, and on account of that army which
he maintained at his own expenses, was a potent man: the Israelites
therefore sent to him, and entreated him to come to their assistance,
and promised him the dominion over them all his lifetime. But he did not
admit of their entreaty; and accused them, that they did not come to his
assistance when he was unjustly treated, and this in an open manner by
his brethren; for they cast him off, as not having the same mother with
the rest, but born of a strange mother, that was introduced among them
by his father's fondness; and this they did out of a contempt of his
inability [to vindicate himself]. So he dwelt in the country of Gilead,
as it is called, and received all that came to him, let them come from
what place soever, and paid them wages. However, when they pressed him
to accept the dominion, and sware they would grant him the government
over them all his life, he led them to the war.

9. And when Jephtha had taken immediate care of their affairs, he placed
his army at the city Mizpeh, and sent a message to the Ammonite [king],
complaining of his unjust possession of their land. But that king sent a
contrary message; and complained of the exodus of the Israelites out of
Egypt, and desired him to go out of the land of the Amorites, and yield
it up to him, as at first his paternal inheritance. But Jephtha returned
this answer: That he did not justly complain of his ancestors about the
land of the Amorites, and ought rather to thank them that they left the
land of the Ammonites to them, since Moses could have taken it also; and
that neither would he recede from that land of their own, which God
had obtained for them, and they had now inhabited [above] three hundred
years, but would fight with them about it.

10. And when he had given them this answer, he sent the ambassadors
away. And when he had prayed for victory, and had vowed to perform
sa