1. Now Yiftach the Gileadi was a gibbor chayil, and he was the ben of an isha zonah; and Gil`ad fathered Yiftach.
2. And Gil'ad's isha bore him banim; and the bnei haisha grew up, and they thrust out Yiftach, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our bais avi; for thou art the ben isha acheret.
3. Then Yiftach fled from his achim, and dwelt in Eretz Tov; and there were gathered anashim reikim (outlaws) around Yiftach, and went out with him.
4. And it came to pass in process of time, that the Bnei Ammon made war against Yisroel.
5. And it was so, that when the Bnei Ammon made war against Yisroel, the ziknei Gil`ad went to fetch Yiftach out of Eretz Tov;
6. And they said unto Yiftach, Come, and be our katzin (leader), that we may fight with the Bnei Ammon.
7. And Yiftach said unto the ziknei Gil`ad, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my bais avi? And why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?
8. And the ziknei Gil`ad said unto Yiftach, Nevertheless, we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the Bnei Ammon, and be our rosh over all the inhabitants of Gil`ad.
9. And Yiftach said unto the ziknei Gil`ad, If ye bring me home again to fight against the Bnei Ammon, and Hashem deliver them before me, shall I be your rosh?
10. And the ziknei Gil`ad said unto Yiftach, Hashem be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words.
11. Then Yiftach went with the ziknei Gil`ad, and the people made him rosh and katzin over them; and Yiftach uttered all his words before Hashem in Mitzpah.
12. And Yiftach sent malachim unto the melech Bnei Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?
13. And the melech Bnei Ammon answered unto the malachim of Yiftach, Because Yisroel took away my land, when they came up out of Mitzrayim, from Arnon even unto Yabbok, and unto Yarden; now therefore give back those lands again b'shalom (peaceably).
14. And Yiftach sent malachim again unto the melech Bnei Ammon;
15. And said unto him, Thus saith Yiftach, Yisroel took not away Eretz Moav, nor the Eretz Bnei Ammon;
16. But when Yisroel came up from Mitzrayim, and walked through the midbar until Yam Suf, and came to Kadesh;
17. Then Yisroel sent malachim unto the melech Edom, saying, Let me, now, pass through thy land; but the melech Edom would not pay heed thereto. In like manner they sent unto the melech Moav; but he would not consent; Yisroel abode in Kadesh.
18. Then they went along through the midbar, skirted the Eretz Edom, and Eretz Moav, and came by the east side of Eretz Moav, encamped on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the territory of Moav; for the Arnon was the boundary of Moav.
19. And Yisroel sent malachim unto Sichon melech HaEmori, the melech Cheshbon; and Yisroel said unto him, Let us pass, now, through thy land into my makom.