Judges 11

NIV — New International Version Bible (NIV)

NAV — Ketab El Hayat (NAV)

Verse 1

Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute.

وَكَانَ يَفْتَاحُ الْجِلْعَادِيُّ مُحَارِباً شَدِيدَ الْبَأْسِ، أَنْجَبَهُ أَبُوهُ جِلْعَادُ مِنِ امْرَأَةٍ عَاهِرَةٍ.

Verse 2

Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, “because you are the son of another woman.”

وَأَنْجَبَ جِلْعَادُ أَيْضاً عَدَداً مِنَ الأَبْنَاءِ مِنْ زَوْجَتِهِ، فَلَمَّا كَبُرُوا طَرَدُوا يَفْتَاحَ قَائِلِينَ لَهُ: «أَنْتَ ابْنُ عَاهِرَةٍ، وَلَنْ تَرِثَ شَيْئاً مِنْ بَيْتِ أَبِينَا».

Verse 3

So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a gang of scoundrels gathered around him and followed him.

فَهَرَبَ يَفْتَاحُ مِنْ إِخْوَتِهِ وَأَقَامَ فِي أَرْضِ طُوبٍ، فاجْتَمَعَ إِلَيْهِ رِجَالٌ بَطَّالُونَ وَتَبِعُوهُ.

Verse 4

Some time later, when the Ammonites were fighting against Israel,

وَبَعْدَ زَمَنٍ، حَارَبَ بَنُو عَمُّونَ إِسْرَائِيلَ،

Verse 5

the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob.

فَمَضَى شُيُوخُ جِلْعَادَ لِيَأْتُوا بِيَفْتَاحَ مِنْ أَرْضِ طُوبٍ،

Verse 6

“Come,” they said, “be our commander, so we can fight the Ammonites.”

وَقَالُوا لَهُ: «تَعَالَ وَكُنْ قَائِداً لَنَا فِي حَرْبِنَا مَعَ الْعَمُّونِيِّينَ».

Verse 7

Jephthah said to them, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me from my father’s house? Why do you come to me now, when you’re in trouble?”

فَأَجَابَهُمْ يَفْتَاحُ: «أَلَمْ تُبْغِضُونِي وَتَطْرُدُونِي مِنْ بَيْتِ أَبِي؟ فَمَا بَالُكُمْ تَأْتُونَ إِلَيَّ فِي ضِيقَتِكُمْ؟»

Verse 8

The elders of Gilead said to him, “Nevertheless, we are turning to you now; come with us to fight the Ammonites, and you will be head over all of us who live in Gilead.”

فَأَجَابُوهُ: «لأَنَّنَا فِي ضِيقٍ جِئْنَا إِلَيْكَ لِتَرْجِعَ مَعْنَا وَتُحَارِبَ بَنِي عَمُّونَ، وَتَكُونَ رَئِيساً عَلَى كُلِّ سُكَّانِ جِلْعَادَ».

Verse 9

Jephthah answered, “Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me—will I really be your head?”

فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «إِنْ أَرْجَعْتُمُونِي لِمُحَارَبَةِ بَنِي عَمُّونَ وَهَزَمَهُمُ الرَّبُّ أَمَامِي، فَهَلْ حَقّاً تَجْعَلُونَنِي رَئِيساً عَلَيْكُمْ؟»

Verse 10

The elders of Gilead replied, “The Lord is our witness; we will certainly do as you say.”

فَأَجَابُوهُ: «الرَّبُّ شَاهِدٌ بَيْنَنَا إِنْ كُنَّا لَا نَفْعَلُ حَسَبَ قَوْلِكَ».

Verse 11

So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them. And he repeated all his words before the Lord in Mizpah.

فَانْطَلَقَ يَفْتَاحُ مَعَ شُيُوخِ جِلْعَادَ فَنَصَبَهُ الشَّعْبُ عَلَيْهِمْ رَئِيساً وَقَائِداً، وَرَدَّدَ يَفْتَاحُ تَعَهُّدَاتِهِ أَمَامَ الرَّبِّ فِي الْمِصْفَاةِ.

Verse 12

Then Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king with the question: “What do you have against me that you have attacked my country?”

ثُمَّ بَعَثَ يَفْتَاحُ رُسُلاً إِلَى مَلِكِ عَمُّونَ يَسْأَلُهُ: «مَاذَا تُضْمِرُ ضِدَّنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْتَ لِتُهَاجِمَنَا فِي بِلادِنَا؟»

Verse 13

The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they took away my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, all the way to the Jordan. Now give it back peaceably.”

فَأَجَابَ مَلِكُ عَمُّونَ رُسُلَ يَفْتَاحَ: «لأَنَّ إِسْرَائِيلَ قَدِ اسْتَوْلَى عَلَى أَرْضِي عِنْدَ خُرُوجِهِ مِنْ مِصْرَ مِنْ أَرْنُونَ إِلَى يَبُّوقَ حَتَّى نَهْرِ الأُرْدُنِّ. وَالآنَ رُدَّهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ حَرْبٍ».

Verse 14

Jephthah sent back messengers to the Ammonite king,

فَعَادَ يَفْتَاحُ فَبَعَثَ رُسُلاً إِلَى مَلِكِ بَنِي عَمُّونَ،

Verse 15

saying:

“This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites.

قَائِلِينَ لَهُ: «هَذَا مَا يُجِيبُكَ بِهِ يَفْتَاحُ: إِنَّ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَمْ يَسْتَوْلُوا عَلَى أَرْضِ مُوآبَ وَلا عَلَى أَرْضِ بَنِي عَمُّونَ،

Verse 16

But when they came up out of Egypt, Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea^[a] and on to Kadesh.

لأَنَّهُ عِنْدَ خُرُوجِهِمْ مِنْ مِصْرَ سَارُوا فِي الصَّحْرَاءِ حَتَّى بَلَغُوا الْبَحْرَ الأَحْمَرَ وَأَتَوْا إِلَى قَادَشَ.

Verse 17

Then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Give us permission to go through your country,’ but the king of Edom would not listen. They sent also to the king of Moab, and he refused. So Israel stayed at Kadesh.

ثُمَّ بَعَثَ الإِسْرَائِيلِيُّونَ رُسُلاً إِلَى مَلِكِ أَدُومَ يَقُولُونَ لَهُ: دَعْنَا نَجْتَازُ فِي أَرْضِكَ. فَلَمْ يَأْذَنْ لَهُمْ مَلِكُ أَدُومَ. ثُمَّ بَعَثُوا رُسُلاً أَيْضاً إِلَى مَلِكِ مُوآبَ فَرَفَضَ هُوَ الآخَرُ. فَمَكَثَ الإِسْرَائِيلِيُّونَ فِي قَادَشَ.

Verse 18

“Next they traveled through the wilderness, skirted the lands of Edom and Moab, passed along the eastern side of the country of Moab, and camped on the other side of the Arnon. They did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was its border.

ثُمَّ دَارُوا فِي الصَّحْرَاءِ مُلْتَفِّينَ حَوْلَ أَرْضِ أَدُومَ وَأَرْضِ مُوآبَ قَادِمِينَ مِنَ الشَّرْقِ إِلَى أَرْضِ مُوآبَ، وَخَيَّمُوا وَرَاءَ حُدُودِ أَرْنُونَ، وَلَمْ يَعْبُرُوا إِلَى تُخْمِ مُوآبَ لأَنَّ أَرْنُونَ هِيَ حَدُّ مُوآبَ.

Verse 19

“Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, ‘Let us pass through your country to our own place.’

بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بَعَثَ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ رُسُلاً إِلَى سِيحُونَ مَلِكِ الأَمُورِيِّينَ فِي عَاصِمَتِهِ حَشْبُونَ يَقُولُونَ: دَعْنَا نَعْبُرُ فِي أَرْضِكَ إِلَى حَيْثُ نَحْنُ مُتَوَجِّهُونَ.

Verse 20

Sihon, however, did not trust Israel^[b] to pass through his territory. He mustered all his troops and encamped at Jahaz and fought with Israel.

وَلَكِنَّ سِيحُونَ لَمْ يَأْمَنْ أَنْ يَعْبُرَ الإِسْرَائِيلِيُّونَ فِي أَرْضِهِ، بَلْ حَشَدَ كُلَّ جَيْشِهِ وَعَسْكَرَ فِي يَاهَصَ وَحَارَبَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ.

Verse 21

“Then the Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and his whole army into Israel’s hands, and they defeated them. Israel took over all the land of the Amorites who lived in that country,

فَنَصَرَ الرَّبُّ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ شَعْبَهُ عَلَى سِيحُونَ وَجَيْشِهِ، فَهَزَمُوهُمْ وَاسْتَوْلَوْا عَلَى كُلِّ أَرْضِ الأَمُورِيِّينَ سُكَّانِ تِلْكَ الْبِلادِ.

Verse 22

capturing all of it from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the desert to the Jordan.

فَامْتَلَكُوا كُلَّ بِلادِ الأَمُورِيِّينَ مِنْ أَرْنُونَ فِي الْجَنُوبِ إِلَى الْيَبُّوقِ فِي الشِّمَالِ، وَمِنَ الصَّحْرَاءِ فِي الشَّرْقِ إِلَى نَهْرِ الأُرْدُنِّ فِي الْغَرْبِ.

Verse 23

“Now since the Lord, the God of Israel, has driven the Amorites out before his people Israel, what right have you to take it over?

وَالآنَ وَقَدْ طَرَدَ الرَّبُّ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ الأَمُورِيِّينَ مِنْ أَمَامِ شَعْبِهِ إِسْرَائِيلَ،

Verse 24

Will you not take what your god Chemosh gives you? Likewise, whatever the Lord our God has given us, we will possess.

فَبِأَيِّ حَقٍّ تُرِيدُ أَنْتَ أَنْ تَسْتَرِدَّهَا؟ أَلَسْتَ تَحْتَفِظُ بِمَا أَعْطَاهُ لَكَ كَمُوشُ إِلَهُكَ؟ وَنَحْتَفِظُ نَحْنُ أَيْضاً بِمَا أَعْطَاهُ لَنَا الرَّبُّ إِلَهُنَا؟

Verse 25

Are you any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever quarrel with Israel or fight with them?

ثُمَّ هَلْ أَنْتَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ بَالاقَ بْنِ صِفُّورَ مَلِكِ مُوآبَ؟ هَلْ خَاصَمَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَوْ أَثَارَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَرْباً؟

Verse 26

For three hundred years Israel occupied Heshbon, Aroer, the surrounding settlements and all the towns along the Arnon. Why didn’t you retake them during that time?

لَقَدْ أَقَامَ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي حَشْبُونَ وَقُرَاهَا، وَعَرُوعِيرَ وَقُرَاهَا وَكُلِّ الْمُدُنِ الَّتِي عَلَى مُحَاذَاةِ نَهْرِ أَرْنُونَ ثَلاثَ مِئَةِ سَنَةٍ، فَلِمَاذَا لَمْ تَسْتَرِدَّهَا طَوَالَ تِلْكَ الْحِقْبَةِ؟

Verse 27

I have not wronged you, but you are doing me wrong by waging war against me. Let the Lord, the Judge, decide the dispute this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.”

إِنَّنِي لَمْ أُسِئْ إِلَيْكَ، أَمَّا أَنْتَ فَتَرْتَكِبُ شَرّاً فِي حَقِّي بِإِثَارَتِكَ الْحَرْبَ عَلَيَّ. فَلْيَكُنِ الرَّبُّ الْيَوْمَ قَاضِياً بَيْنَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَبَيْنَ بَنِي عَمُّونَ».

Verse 28

The king of Ammon, however, paid no attention to the message Jephthah sent him.

فَلَمْ يَأْبَهْ مَلِكُ بَنِي عَمُّونَ لِرِسَالَةِ يَفْتَاحَ.

Verse 29

Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites.

فَحَلَّ رُوحُ الرَّبِّ عَلَى يَفْتَاحَ، فَاجْتَازَ أَرَاضِي جِلْعَادَ وَمَنَسَّى وَمِصْفَاةَ جِلْعَادَ، وَمِنْهَا تَقَدَّمَ نَحْوَ بَنِي عَمُّونَ.

Verse 30

And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands,

وَنَذَرَ يَفْتَاحُ نَذْراً لِلرَّبِّ وَقَالَ: «إِنْ نَصَرْتَنِي عَلَى بَنِي عَمُّونَ،

Verse 31

whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”

فَإِنَّنِي عِنْدَ رُجُوعِي سَالِماً مِنْ مُحَارَبَةِ بَنِي عَمُّونَ أُصْعِدُ لِلرَّبِّ مُحْرَقَةً: أَوَّلَ مَنْ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ بَيْتِي لِلِقَائِي».

Verse 32

Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands.

ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ يَفْتَاحُ لِمُحَارَبَةِ بَنِي عَمُّونَ، فَأَظْفَرَهُ الرَّبُّ بِهِمْ،

Verse 33

He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.

وَهَزَمَهُمْ هَزِيمَةً مُنْكَرَةً مِنْ عَرُوعِيرَ حَتَّى مِنِّيتَ عَلَى امْتِدَادِ عِشْرِينَ مَدِينَةً إِلَى آبَلِ الْكُرُومِ. وَهَكَذَا أَخْضَعَ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ الْعَمُّونِيِّينَ.

Verse 34

When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of timbrels! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter.

ثُمَّ رَجَعَ يَفْتَاحُ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ فِي الْمِصْفَاةِ، فَخَرَجَتِ ابْنَتُهُ الْوَحِيدَةُ، إِذْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ ابْنٌ أَوِ ابْنَةٌ سِوَاهَا، لِلِقَائِهِ بِدُفُوفٍ وَرَقْصٍ.

Verse 35

When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.”

فَلَمَّا رَآهَا مَزَّقَ ثِيَابَهُ وَوَلْوَلَ قَائِلاً: «آهِ يَا ابْنَتِي، لَقَدْ أَحْزَنْتِنِي وَحَطَّمْتِنِي، لأَنَّنِي نَذَرْتُ نَذْراً لِلرَّبِّ وَلا سَبِيلَ لِلرُّجُوعِ عَنْهُ».

Verse 36

“My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised, now that the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites.

فَأَجَابَتْهُ: «لَقَدْ نَذَرْتَ نَذْرَكَ لِلرَّبِّ، فَافْعَلْ بِي كَمَا نَذَرْتَ، وَلاسِيَّمَا أَنَّ الرَّبَّ قَدِ انْتَقَمَ لَكَ مِنْ أَعْدَائِكَ بَنِي عَمُّونَ».

Verse 37

But grant me this one request,” she said. “Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry.”

ثُمَّ قَالَتْ لأَبِيهَا: «وَلَكِنْ حَقِّقْ لِي هَذَا الطَّلَبَ: أَمْهِلْنِي شَهْرَيْنِ أَتَجَوَّلُ فِيهِمَا فِي الْجِبَالِ وَأَنْدُبُ عَذْرَاوِيَّتِي مَعَ صَاحِبَاتِي».

Verse 38

“You may go,” he said. And he let her go for two months. She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never marry.

فَقَالَ لَهَا: «اذْهَبِي». وَأَمْهَلَهَا شَهْرَيْنِ قَضَتْهُمَا هِيَ وَصَاحِبَاتُهَا عَلَى الْجِبَالِ تَنْدُبُ عَذْرَاوِيَّتَهَا.

Verse 39

After the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin.

From this comes the Israelite tradition

ثُمَّ رَجَعَتْ فِي نِهَايَةِ الشَّهْرَيْنِ إِلَى أَبِيهَا، فَأَصْعَدَهَا مُحْرَقَةً وَفَاءً بِنَذْرِهِ، فَمَاتَتْ عَذْرَاءَ،

Verse 40

that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

فَصَارَ مِنْ عَادَةِ الإِسْرَائِيلِيَّاتِ أَنْ يَذْهَبْنَ إِلَى الْجِبَالِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ فِي السَّنَةِ لِيَنُحْنَ عَلَى ابْنَةِ يَفْتَاحَ الْجِلْعَادِيِّ.