Judges 11 · Verse 8

Judges 11:8

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.
Judges 11:8, King James Version

Judges 11:8 in other translations

BSBThey 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.”
WEBThe elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “Therefore we have turned again to you now, that you may go with us and fight with the children of Ammon. You will be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”
ASVAnd the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore are we turned again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight with the children of Ammon; and thou shalt be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
YLTand the elders of Gilead say unto Jephthah, ‘Therefore, now, we have turned back unto thee; and thou hast gone with us, and fought against the Bene-Ammon, and thou hast been to us for head--to all the inhabitants of Gilead.'
DARBYAnd the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, Therefore we have returned to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be head over all of us the inhabitants of Gilead.
BBEAnd the responsible men of Gilead said to Jephthah, That is the reason we have come back to you; so go with us and make war against the children of Ammon, and we will make you our head over all the people of Gilead.
WebsterAnd the elders of Gilead said to 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.

What does Judges 11:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 11:7-9

7-9. Jephthah said, Did not ye hate me?--He gave them at first a haughty and cold reception. It is probable that he saw some of his brothers among the deputies. Jephthah was now in circumstances to make his own terms. With his former experience, he would have shown little wisdom or prudence without binding them to a clear and specific engagement to invest him with unlimited authority, the more especially as he was…

Read the full comment on Judges 11:7-9 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Therefore we turn again to thee now - We are convinced that we have dealt unjustly by thee, and we wish now to repair our fault, and give thee this sincere proof of our regret for having acted unjustly, and of our confidence in thee.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 11:1-11

Men ought not to be blamed for their parentage, so long as they by their personal merits roll away any reproach. God had forgiven Israel, therefore Jephthah will forgive. He speaks not with confidence of his success, knowing how justly God might suffer the Ammonites to prevail for the further punishment of Israel. Nor does he speak with any confidence at all in himself. If he succeed, it is the Lord delivers them…

Read the full comment on Judges 11:1-11 →

Judges 11:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩vai.yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
זִקְנֵ֨יzik.Nei[the] elders ofH2205
גִלְעָ֜דgil.'AdGileadH1568
אֶל\־'el-toH413
יִפְתָּ֗חyif.TachJephthahH3316
לָכֵן֙la.Khen<to> thereforeH3651
עַתָּה֙'a.TahnowH6258
שַׁ֣בְנוּShav.nuwe have returnedH7725
אֵלֶ֔יךָ'e.Lei.khato youH413
וְהָלַכְתָּ֣ve.ha.lakh.Taand you will comeH1980
עִמָּ֔נוּ'i.Ma.nuwith usH5973
וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֖ve.nil.cham.Taand you will fightH3898
בִּבְנֵ֣יbiv.Neiagainst [the] people ofH1121
עַמּ֑וֹןa.MonAmmonH5983
וְהָיִ֤יתָve.ha.Yi.taand you will becomeH1961
לָּ֙נוּ֙la.nuof us
לְרֹ֔אשׁle.Rosh<into> chiefH7218
לְכֹ֖לle.Kholof allH3605
יֹשְׁבֵ֥יyo.she.Vei[the] inhabitants ofH3427
גִלְעָֽד\׃gil.'AdGileadH1568

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 11:8

  • Judges 10:18

    And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

  • Exodus 9:28

    Intreat the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.

  • Exodus 10:17

    Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the Lord your God, that he may take away from me this death only.

  • 1 Kings 13:6

    And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.

  • Exodus 8:28

    And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me.

  • Exodus 8:8

    Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord.

  • Luke 17:3-4

    Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the elders.
Ex 8:8,28; 9:28; 10:17; 1Ki 13:6; Lu 17:3,4
we turn.
10:18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 11:7

    And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father’s house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?

  • Judges 11:8

    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.

  • 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?

Read all of Judges 11

Judges 11:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y los ancianos de Galaad respondieron á Jephté: Por esta misma causa tornamos ahora á ti, para que vengas con nosotros, y pelees contra los hijos de Ammón, y nos seas cabeza á todos los que moramos en Galaad.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les anciens de Galaad dirent à Jephthé: C’est pour ceci que nous sommes maintenant revenus vers toi, afin que tu viennes avec nous, et que tu fasses la guerre contre les fils d’Ammon; et tu seras notre chef, à nous tous, les habitants de Galaad.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Ältesten von Gilead sprachen zu Jephtha: Darum sind wir jetzt zu dir zurückgekehrt, daß du mit uns ziehest und wider die Kinder Ammon streitest; und du sollst uns zum Haupte sein, allen Bewohnern Gileads.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixeruntque principes Galaad ad Jephte: Ob hanc igitur causam nunc ad te venimus, ut proficiscaris nobiscum, et pugnes contra filios Ammon, sisque dux omnium qui habitant in Galaad.