Shall I Be Your Head? - Judges 11:9

In the book of Judges we learned how Jephthah asked, “Did not you hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are you come unto me now when you are in distress?And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to you now, that you may go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead”, and in chapter eleven and verse nine of Judges, we learn how Jephthah asked if, “the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?” where we read,

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

The verse reads, “And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If you bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, …” The writer began with the words, “and Jephthah” whose name means “he opens” and was a son of Gilead and a concubine and the judge who defeated the Ammonites; after the victory because of a vow taken before the battle he sacrificed his daughter as a burnt offering “said unto the elders of Gilead” or ”uttered, declared and proclaimed to the aged and older men belonging to Gilead whose name means ‘rocky region’ and was a mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon; sometimes called 'Mount Gilead' or the 'land of Gilead' or just 'Gilead'. Divided into north and south Gilead”, “if you bring me home again” which means “whether and in case you, the elders of Gilead, return and take me, Jephthah, back to my dwelling place, habitation and abode” “to fight against the children of Ammon” or “to wage war and battle in opposition to the offspring and progeny belonging to Ammon whose name means ‘tribal’ and was a people dwelling in Transjordan descended from Lot through Ben-ammi” and the following shall occur. The writer shared how “Jephthah” told the “elders of Gilead” that in case they return him to his dwelling place to wage war in opposition to the offspring of “Ammon” the following shall occur. 

The verse goes on to say, “… and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?” The writer continued with the words, “and the LORD delivered them before me which means “and Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God rescue, save and free them, the people of Gilead, in front and in the presence of me, Jephthah”,“shall I be your head” or “will I, Jephthah, exist as your, the people of Gilead’s, top, summit, chief, chieftain and choice”? The writer shared how “Jephthah” included the idea that Jehovah God would rescue and save the people of “Gilead” in his presence which would cause him to become their choice leader. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how “Jephthah” wanted the “elders of Gilead” to confirm that should he return with them to wage war in opposition to the offspring of “Ammon” that he would be the choice leader and ruler over all the people in “Gilead”. This was Jehovah God’s design and plan all the while, and because it became necessary for the people of “Gilead” to be rescued from the offspring of “Ammon”, they needed the help of “Jephthah”. God also desires to use us in His Kingdom work, and regardless of the circumstances before God’s timing for using us, He will let us know when it is our time to work. God worked on our behalf when He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and raised Him from the dead after three days. By doing this, He made the way through faith and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord” to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and given His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and equip us for His use according to His timing and will. (See Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

Next time we learn how the elders of Gilead said “the LORD be witness between us”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance”.