King James Version

Judges 11:9

And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…יִפְתָּ֜חyiftachJephthahיִפְתָּחnoun, proper name — “Jephthah”H3316Jiphtach, an Israelite; also a place in PalestineJephthah, Jiphtah.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).זִקְנֵ֣יziqneoldזָקֵןadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, construct — “old”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2205oldaged, ancient (man), elder(-est), old (man, men and...women), senator.גִלְעָ֗דgiladGileadגִּלְעָדnoun, proper name — “Gilead”H1568Gilad, a region East of the Jordan; also the name of three IsraelitesGilead, Gileadite.אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…מְשִׁיבִ֨יםmeshivimagainשׁוּבverb, hiphil, participle, absolute — “again”, a verb used as a describing wordH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…אַתֶּ֤םatemtheeאַתָּהpronoun, personal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.אוֹתִי֙otiobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).לְהִלָּחֵם֙lehilachemto devourלָחַםpreposition, verb, niphal, infinitive construct — “to devour”, the to-form of the verbH3898to feed on; figuratively, to consume; by implication, to battle (as destruction)devour, eat, [idiom] ever, fight(-ing), overcome, prevail, (make) war(-ring).בִּבְנֵ֣יbivnein sonבֵּןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “in son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […עַמּ֔וֹןamonAmmonעַמּוֹןnoun, proper name — “Ammon”H5983Ammon, a son of Lot; also his posterity and their countryAmmon, Ammonites.וְנָתַ֧ןvenatanand giveנָתַןconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and give”, a completed action in a sequenceH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…יְהוָ֛הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).אוֹתָ֖םotamobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).לְפָנָ֑יlefanayto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…אָנֹכִ֕יanokhimeאָנֹכִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “me”H595II, me, [idiom] which.אֶהְיֶ֥הehyehbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “be”, an unfinished actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.לָכֶ֖םlakhemtoלָכֶ֖םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “to”toלְרֹֽאשׁleroshto headרֹאשׁpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to head”, the ordinary formH7218the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead: 'If ye bring me back home to fight with the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, I will be your head.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight with the children of Ammon, and Jehovah deliver them before me, shall I be your head?

Young’s Literal Translation

And Jephthah saith unto the elders of Gilead, 'If ye are taking me back to fight against the Bene-Ammon, and Jehovah hath given them before me — I, am I to you for a head?'

World English Bible

Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me home again to fight with the children of Ammon, and Yahweh delivers them before me, will I be your head?”

Darby Translation

And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, If ye take me back to fight against the children of Ammon, and Jehovah give them up before me, shall I be your head?

Douay-Rheims

Jephte also said to them: If you be come to me sincerely, that I should fight for you against the children of Ammon, and the Lord shall deliver them into my band, shall I be your prince?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead: 'If ye bring me back home to fight with the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, I will be your head.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Jephthae said to the elders of Galaad, If ye turn me back to fight with the children of Ammon, and the Lord should deliver them before me, then will I be your head.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰεφθάε πρὸς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους Γαλαὰδ, εἰ ἐπιστρέφετέ με ὑμεῖς παρατάξασθαι ἐν υἱοῖς Ἀμμὼν, καὶ παραδῷ αὐτοὺς Κύριος ἐνώπιον ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἐγὼ ὑμῖν ἔσομαι εἰς ἄρχοντα.