Judges 10:17

THE INTRODUCTION FOR JEPHTHAH (Judges 10:17-18)

"Then the children of Ammon were gathered together and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together and encamped in Mizpah. And the people, the 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."

As Yates noted, "This forms an introduction for the story of Jephthah."[23]

"Israel ... encamped in Mizpah" (Judges 10:17). Of course, Mizpah was also in Gilead; and, as, "Four or five places of this name are found in Scripture,"[24] we cannot be certain just exactly where this was. Bruce identified it with that place, "Where Jacob and Laban piled `the cairn of witness' (Genesis 31:46ff)."[25] This, of course, could be correct.

"The people of Gilead, the princes of Gilead" (Judges 10:18). These phrases are in apposition, and the meaning would be clearer if the passage were written, The people of Gilead, that is, the princes of Gilead.

The big problem they confronted was that of finding a capable commander to lead them in the impending war with the Ammonites. As an inducement, they promised that whoever consented to do this would be recognized as their ruler.

"He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead" (Judges 10:18). This means that he would be head over those tribes of Israel which dwelt east of the Jordan River. Gad, Reuben and half of Manasseh were those tribes.