Bible Strands
Judges 11:8
They answered Jephthah, “This is why we now turn to you, that you may go with us, fight the Ammonites, and become leader over all of us who live in Gilead.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The elders of Gilead respond to Jephthah’s question about their past rejection of him. They approach him during a military crisis to request his command against the Ammonites and their own leadership over the region.
The words — The verb שַׁבְנוּ (Shav.nu) literally means “we have returned” or “we have turned back,” indicating a reversal of their previous stance. The conjunction לָ/כֵן (la./Khen) translates as “therefore” or “for this reason,” explicitly tying their current appeal to their prior actions.
The thread — This appeal for a military commander mirrors Judges 10:18, where Gilead’s rulers agree to appoint a head to fight the Ammonites. The pattern of communities seeking deliverance in distress appears repeatedly in the historical narrative.
Why it lands — The text records a pragmatic request for leadership without offering moral justification for the elders’ past behavior. It requires the reader to note how institutional survival often dictates political alliances before personal reconciliation occurs.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
Cross-references
- Judges 10:18 And the rulers of Gilead said to one another, “Whoever will launch the attack against the Ammonites will be the head of all who live in Gilead.”
- Exodus 9:28 Pray to the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go; you do not need to stay any longer.”
- Exodus 10:17 Now please forgive my sin once more and appeal to the LORD your God, that He may remove this death from me.”
- Exodus 8:8 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people. Then I will let your people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”
- Exodus 8:28 Pharaoh answered, “I will let you go and sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”
- 1 Kings 13:6 Then the king responded to the man of God, “Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him as it was before.
- Luke 17:3 Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.