26. The Israelites have lived in the city of Heshbon and the towns around it for 300 years. They have lived in the city of Aroer and the towns around it for 300 years. They have lived in all the cities along the side of the Arnon River for 300 years. Why have you not tried to take these cities in all that time?
27. The Israelites have not sinned against you. But you are doing a very bad thing against them. May the Lord, the true Judge, decide whether the Israelites or the Ammonites are right.”
28. The king of the Ammonites refused to listen to this message from Jephthah.
29. Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah, and he passed through the area of Gilead and Manasseh. He went through the city of Mizpah in Gilead on his way to the land of the Ammonites.
30. Jephthah made a promise to the Lord. He said, “If you will let me defeat the Ammonites,
31. I will give you the first thing that comes out of my house when I come back from the victory. I will give it to the Lord as a burnt offering.”
32. Then Jephthah went to the land of the Ammonites. He fought the Ammonites, and the Lord helped him defeat them.
33. He defeated them from the city of Aroer to the city of Minnith. Jephthah captured 20 cities. Then he fought the Ammonites to the city of Abel Keramim. The Israelites defeated them. It was a very great defeat for the Ammonites.
34. Jephthah went back to Mizpah. He went to his house, and his daughter came out to meet him. She was playing a tambourine and dancing. She was his only daughter, and Jephthah loved her very much. He did not have any other sons or daughters.
35. When Jephthah saw that his daughter was the first thing to come out of his house, he tore his clothes to show his sadness. Then he said, “Oh, my daughter! You have ruined me! You have made me very sad! I made a promise to the Lord, and I cannot change it!”