1 و َكانَ يَفتاحُ الجِلْعادِيُّ مُحارِباَ مُقتَدِراً. وَهُوَ ابْنُ امْرأةٍ عاهِرَةٍ. وَجِلْعادُ هُوَ أبُو يَفتاحَ.

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a valiant warrior, but he was the son of a harlot. And Gilead was the father of Jephthah.

2 و َأنجَبَتْ زَوجَةُ جِلْعادَ أيضاً لَهُ أولاداً. وَلَمّا كَبِرَ أبناءُ الزَّوجَةِ، طَرَدُوا يَفُتاحَ وَقالُوا لَهُ: «لَنْ تُشارِكَنا فِي المِيراثِ فِي بَيتِ أبِينا، لِأنَّكَ ابْنُ امْرأةٍ غَريبَةٍ.»

Gilead’s wife bore him sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, “You shall not have an inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.”

3 ف َتَرَكَ يَفْتاحُ إخْوَتَهُ وَعاشَ فِي أرْضِ طُوبٍ. وَاجتَمَعَ حَولَ يَفتاحَ بَعضُ الرِّجالِ المَنبُوذينَ وَتَبِعُوهُ.

So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob; and worthless fellows gathered themselves about Jephthah, and they went out with him.

4 و َبَعْدَ مُدَّةٍ، تَوَجَّهَ العَمُّونِيُّونَ لِقِتالِ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ،

It came about after a while that the sons of Ammon fought against Israel.

5 ف َلَمّا ذَهَبَ العَمُّونِيُّونَ لِمُحارَبَةِ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ، جاءَ شُيُوخُ جِلْعادَ لِيَأخُذُوا يَفْتاحَ مِنْ أرْضِ طُوبٍ،

When the sons of Ammon fought against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob;

6 و َقالُوا لِيَفْتاحَ: «تَعالَ وَكُنْ آمِرَنا لِكَي نِسْتَطِيعَ مُقاتَلَةَ العَمُّونِيِّينَ.»

and they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our chief that we may fight against the sons of Ammon.”

7 ف َقالَ يَفتاحُ لِشُيُوخِ جِلْعادَ: «أما رَفَضْتُمُوني وَطَرَدْتُمُونِي مِنْ بَيتِ أبِي؟ فَلِماذا تَأْتُونَ إلَيَّ الآنَ وَأنْتُمْ فِي ضِيقٍ؟»

Then Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “ Did you not hate me and drive me from my father’s house? So why have you come to me now when you are in trouble?”

8 ف َقالَ شُيُوخُ جِلْعادَ لِيَفْتاحَ: «بِسَبَبِ ذَلِكَ التَجَأْنا إلَيكَ الآنَ. نُرِيدُكَ أنْ تَأتِيَ مَعَنا، وَأنْ تُقاتِلَ العَمُّونِيِّينَ، وَتَصِيرَ زَعِيماً عَلَيْنا وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ سُكّانِ جِلْعادَ.»

The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “For this reason we have now returned to you, that you may go with us and fight with the sons of Ammon and become head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

9 ف َقالَ يَفْتاحُ لِشُيُوخِ جِلْعادَ: «إنِ استَدْعَيتُمُونِي لِمُقاتَلَةِ الأمُورِيِّينَ، وَأعانَنِي اللهُ عَلَى هَزِيمَتِهِمْ، فَلا بُدَّ أنْ أصِيرَ زَعِيمَكُمْ.»

So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you take me back to fight against the sons of Ammon and the Lord gives them up to me, will I become your head?”

10 ف َقالَ شُيُوخُ جِلْعادَ لِيَفتاحَ: « اللهُ شاهِدٌ عَلَى وَعدِنا لَكَ، وَسَنَفعَلُ كَما تَقُولُ.»

The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “ The Lord is witness between us; surely we will do as you have said.”

11 ف َذَهَبَ يَفتاحُ مَعَ شُيُوخِ جِلَعادَ، وَجَعَلَهُ الشَّعبُ زَعِيماً وَآمِراً عَلَيهِمْ. وَكَرَّرَ يَفتاحُ كُلَّ كَلامِهِ فِي حَضرَةِ اللهِ فِي المِصْفاةِ. رِسالَةُ يَفتاحَ إلَى مَلِكِ عَمُّون

Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord at Mizpah.

12 ث ُمَّ أرسَلَ يَفتاحُ رُسُلاً إلَى مَلِكِ العَمُّونِيِّينَ وَقالَ: «ماذا بِينِي وَبَينَكَ حَتَّى إنَّكَ جِئْتَ لِتُقاتِلَ بِلادِي؟»

Now Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, “What is between you and me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?”

13 ف َقالَ مَلِكُ العَمُّونِيِّينَ لِرُسُلِ يَفتاحَ: «لِأنَّ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ أخَذُوا أرْضِي مِنْ نَهْرِ أرنُونَ إلَى نَهْرِ يَبُّوقَ وَإلَى نَهْرِ الأُردُنِّ عِندَما صَعِدُوا مِنْ مِصْرَ. فَالآنَ، أعِدْ هَذِهِ الأراضِي لِي بِلا حَرْبٍ.»

The king of the sons of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan; therefore, return them peaceably now.”

14 ف َعادَ الرُّسُلُ إلَى يَفتاحَ. فَأرسَلَ يَفتاحُ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى رُسُلاً إلَى مَلِكِ العَمُّونِيِّينَ.

But Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the sons of Ammon,

15 و َقالَ يَفتاحُ لَلمَلِكِ فِي رِسالَتِهِ: «هَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ يَفْتاحُ: لَمْ يَأخُذْ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ أرْضَ مُوآبَ أوْ أرْضَ العَمُّونِيِّينَ.

and they said to him, “Thus says Jephthah, ‘Israel did not take away the land of Moab nor the land of the sons of Ammon.

16 ف َعِندَما صَعِدَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ مِنْ مِصْرَ، صَعِدُوا عَبْرَ الصَّحراءِ إلَى البَحرِ الأحمَرِ، ثُمَّ جاءُوا إلَى قادَشَ.

For when they came up from Egypt, and Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh,

17 ث ُمَّ أرسَلَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ رُسُلاً إلَى مَلِكِ أدُومَ يَقُولُونَ لَهُ: نَرجُو أنْ تَسمَحَ لَنا بِالمُرُورِ عَبْرَ أرْضِكَ، لَكِنَّ مَلِكَ أدُومَ رَفَضَ أنْ يُصغِيَ. ثُمَّ أرسَلَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ رُسُلاً أيضاً إلَى مَلِكِ مُوآبَ، لَكِنَّهُ رَفَضَ أيضاً أنْ يَسْمَحَ لَهُمْ بِالعُبُورِ. فَمَكَثَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ فِي قادَشَ.

then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please let us pass through your land,” but the king of Edom would not listen. And they also sent to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel remained at Kadesh.

18 « ثُمَّ ارتَحَلَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ فِي الصَّحْراءِ، وَدارُوا حَولَ أرْضِ أدُومَ وَأرْضِ مُوآبَ، وَجاءُوا إلَى شَرْقِ أرْضِ مُوآبَ. وَخَيَّمُوا عَلَى الجانِبِ الآخَرِ مِنْ نَهْرِ أرنُونَ. وَلَمْ يَدخُلُوا أراضِي مُوآبَ، إذْ كانَ نَهْرُ أرنُونَ عَلَى حُدُودِ مُوآبَ.

Then they went through the wilderness and around the land of Edom and the land of Moab, and came to the east side of the land of Moab, and they camped beyond the Arnon; but they did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab.

19 ث ُمَّ أرسَلَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ رُسُلاً لِسِيحُونَ مَلِكِ الأمُورِيِّينَ، وَقالُوا لَهُ: اسْمَحْ لَنِا بِأنْ نَعبُرَ عَبْرَ أرْضِكَ إلَى أرْضِنا.

And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, “Please let us pass through your land to our place.”

20 ل َكِنَّ سِيحُونَ لَمْ يَأْمَنْ أنْ يَعبُرَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ أراضِيِهِ. فَحَشَدَ كُلَّ قُوّاتِهِ، وَعَسْكَرَ فِي ياهَصَ، وَقاتَلَ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ.

But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory; so Sihon gathered all his people and camped in Jahaz and fought with Israel.

21 ف َأعانَ اللهُ ، إلَهُ إسْرائِيلَ، شَعبَهُ عَلَى مُحارَبَةِ سِيحُونَ، فَهَزَمُوهُ. فَأخَذَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ كُلَّ أرْضِ الأمُورِيِّينَ السّاكِنِينَ فِي ذَلِكَ البَلَدِ.

The Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated them; so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.

22 و َاحتَلُّوا كُلَّ أراضِي الأمُورِيِّينَ مِنْ نَهْرِ أرنُونَ إلَى نَهْرِ يَبُّوقَ. وَمِنَ الصَّحْراءِ إلَى نَهْرِ الأُردُنِّ.

So they possessed all the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok, and from the wilderness as far as the Jordan.

23 « وَالانَ، طَرَدَ اللهُ ، إلَهُ إسْرائِيلَ الأمُورِيِّينَ مِنْ أمامِ شَعبِهِ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ، فَهَلْ تُرِيدُ أنْ تَأخُذَ هَذِهِ الأرْضَ؟

Since now the Lord, the God of Israel, drove out the Amorites from before His people Israel, are you then to possess it?

24 أ لَسْتَ تَمتَلِكُ ما يُعطِيكَ أنْ تَمتَلِكَهُ إلَهُكَ كَمُوشُ؟ أمّا نَحْنُ فَنَمتَلِكُ الأراضِي الَّتِي أخَذَها إلَهُنا يهوه وَأعْطانا إيّاها.

Do you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever the Lord our God has driven out before us, we will possess it.

25 أ أنْتَ أفضَلُ مِنْ بالاقَ بْنِ صِفُّورَ، مَلِكِ مُوآبَ؟ فَهَلْ خاصَمَ يَوماً بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ عَلَى هَذِهِ الأرْضِ؟ أوْ هَلْ حارَبَهُمْ يَوماً؟

Now are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive with Israel, or did he ever fight against them?

26 ع ِندَما سَكَنَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ حَشْبُونَ وَقُراها، وَعَرُوعِيرَ وَقُراها، وَفِي كُلِّ المُدُنِ عَلَى ضِفافِ نَهْرِ أرنُونَ هَذِهِ الثَّلاثَ مِئَةِ سَنَةٍ، لِماذا لَمْ تَسْتَعِدْها مِنْهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ الوَقتِ؟

While Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time?

27 أ نا لَمْ أُخطِئْ إلَيكَ، أمّا أنتَ فَتَفعَلُ بِي شَرّاً بِمُحارَبَتِكَ إيّايَ. فَلْيَقْضِ اليَومَ اللهُ القاضِي بَينَ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ وَبَينَ العَمُّونِيِّينَ.»

I therefore have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by making war against me; may the Lord, the Judge, judge today between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.’”

28 ل َكِنَّ مَلِكَ العَمُّونِيِّينَ لَمْ يُصْغِ إلَى الكَلامِ الَّذِي أرسَلَهُ إلَيهِ يَفْتاحُ. نَذْرُ يَفتاح

But the king of the sons of Ammon disregarded the message which Jephthah sent him. Jephthah’s Tragic Vow

29 ث ُمَّ حَلَّ رُوحُ اللهِ عَلَى يَفتاحَ، فَعَبَرَ أراضِي جِلْعادَ وَمَنَسَّى، وَواصَلَ تَقَدُّمَهُ إلَى المِصفاةِ فِي جِلْعادَ، وَمِنَ المِصْفاةِ فِي جِلْعادَ، هاجَمَ العَمُّونِيِّينَ.

Now the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon.

30 و َنَذَرَ يَفْتاحُ للهِ نَذْراً، قالَ: «إنْ أعَنْتَنِي عَلَى هَزِيمَةِ العَمُّونِيِّينَ،

Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand,

31 ف َأوَّلُ ما يَخرُجُ مِنْ أبوابِ بَيتِي لِيُلاقِينِي عِندَما أعُودُ مُنتَصِراً مِنَ مَعْرَكَتِي مَعَ العَمُّونِيِّينَ، سَيَكُونُ تَقْدِمَةً للهِ.»

then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”

32 ف َذَهَبَ يَفْتاحُ إلَى العَمُّونِيِّينَ لِيُقاتِلَهُمْ، فَأعانَهُ اللهُ عَلَى هَزِيمَتِهِمْ.

So Jephthah crossed over to the sons of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord gave them into his hand.

33 و َهَزَمَهُمْ مِنْ عَرُوعِيرَ حَتَّى جِوارِ مِنِّيتَ، عِشْرِينَ مَدِينَةً، وَحَتَّى آبِلَ الكُرُومِ هَزِيمَةً مُنكَرَةً. فَأُخضِعَ العَمُّونِيُّونَ لِبَنِي إسْرائِيلَ.

He struck them with a very great slaughter from Aroer to the entrance of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim. So the sons of Ammon were subdued before the sons of Israel.

34 و َلَمّا عادَ يَفْتاحُ إلَى بَيتِهِ فِي المِصْفاةِ، إذا بابنَتِهِ خارِجَةٌ تَضْرِبُ الدَّفَّ وَتَرْقُصُ. وَكانَتْ وَحِيدَةَ أبِيها، إذْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ ابْنٌ أوْ بِنتٌ غَيرُها.

When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had no son or daughter.

35 ف َلَمّا رَآها، مَزَّقَ ثِيابَهُ حُزْناً، وَقالَ: «آهٍ يا ابْنَتِي! لَقَدْ أحزَنْتِنِي جِدّاً وَصِرْتِ سَبَبَ تَعاسَتِي، فَقَدْ نَذَرْتُ نَذْراً للهِ لا أستَطِيعُ التَّراجُعَ عَنْهُ.»

When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.”

36 ف َقالَتْ لَهُ: «لَقَدْ نَذَرْتَ للهِ نَذْراً يا أبِي، فافْعَلْ بِي كَما نَذَرْتَ، بِما أنَّ اللهَ قَدْ نَصَرَكَ عَلَى أعدائِكَ العَمُّونِيِّينَ.»

So she said to him, “My father, you have given your word to the Lord; do to me as you have said, since the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the sons of Ammon.”

37 و َقالَتِ لِأبِيها: «لَكِنْ اصْنَعْ مَعِي هَذا المَعْرُوفَ. أمْهِلْنِي شَهْرَينِ، فَأتَجَوَّلُ عَلَى التِّلالِ، وَأبكِي مَعَ صاحِباتِي لأنَّنِي سَأبقَى عَذْراءَ.»

She said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me; let me alone two months, that I may go to the mountains and weep because of my virginity, I and my companions.”

38 ف َقالَ لَها: «اذْهَبِي.» وَصَرَفَها مُدَّةَ شَهْرَينِ. فَذَهَبَتْ هِيَ وَصاحِباتُها وَبَكَيْنَ عَلَى التِّلالِ لأنَّها سَتَبقَى عَذْراءَ.

Then he said, “Go.” So he sent her away for two months; and she left with her companions, and wept on the mountains because of her virginity.

39 و َفِي نِهايَةِ الشَّهْرَينِ عادَتْ إلَى أبِيها، فَفَعَلَ بِها كَما سَبَقَ أنْ نَذَرَ. وَلأنَّها لَمْ تُعاشِرْ رَجُلاً قَطُّ، صارَتْ عادَةً عِنْدَ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ سَنَةً بَعْدَ سَنَةٍ،

At the end of two months she returned to her father, who did to her according to the vow which he had made; and she had no relations with a man. Thus it became a custom in Israel,

40 أ نْ تَخرُجَ بَناتُ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ لِيُحيِينَ ذِكرَى ابْنَةِ يَفْتاحِ الجِلْعادِيِّ، أرْبَعَةَ أيّامٍ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ.

that the daughters of Israel went yearly to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in the year.