Greek Text · Translation · Interlinear · Discourse Structure

The Book of Judges, Chapter 11ΚΡΙΤΑΙ ΙΑ′

Each verse opens with the running Greek, an English translation, and a discourse note (its connective, relation, and role in the argument). Below follows the word-by-word breakdown in six tiers: gloss, case (color), parsing, syntax, semantic force, and a lexical note.

Case Nominative Genitive Dative Accusative Vocative Verb (no case) Indeclinable

Discourse notes head each verse: relation · connective · clause-flow. Indentation marks prominence — flush-left = main line of argument; indented = supporting / subordinate material.

Theme

Jephthah's rise, victory, and rash vow turn deliverance into one of Judges' gravest tragedies.

Translation & textual notes

The Greek text of Judges 11 follows the standard critical text of the Septuagint as established in the Rahlfs–Hanhart edition (Septuaginta, rev. ed. 2006), an ancient and public-domain text; the critical apparatus is not reproduced. NOTE ON VERSE NUMBERING: the Rahlfs text of Judges 11 presents 39 verses numbered 1, 2, 3, then jumping directly to 5 and continuing through 40 — there is NO verse 4 in this edition; the numbering used here reproduces the reference exactly and does NOT renumber. The Book of Judges survives in two divergent Greek text-forms (the so-called A-text, associated with Codex Alexandrinus, and the B-text, associated with Codex Vaticanus); Rahlfs prints the two forms on facing registers, and the verbatim reference annotated here follows that printed text as given. Judges 11 narrates the Jephthah cycle: the Gileadite Jephthah (Ιεφθαε), son of a prostitute (γυναικὸς πόρνης, v. 1), is driven out by his half-brothers and disinherited (vv. 1–3), becoming the captain of a band of 'empty men' (ἄνδρες κενοί) in the land of Tob. When Ammon makes war, the elders of Gilead recall him as their ἀρχηγός ('leader, captain'), and he is installed as εἰς κεφαλὴν καὶ εἰς ἀρχηγόν ('as head and leader') before the LORD at Mizpah (vv. 5–11). Jephthah's embassy to the king of Ammon (vv. 12–28) is one of the great diplomatic-historical apologias of the OT, rehearsing the conquest tradition (the refusal of passage by Edom and Moab, the defeat of Sihon the Amorite, the appeal to Chemosh, the 300 years of occupation, vv. 13–27); the LXX renders the messenger-exchange in close calque of the Hebrew. The Spirit of the LORD comes upon Jephthah (ἐγένετο ἐπὶ Ιεφθαε πνεῦμα κυρίου, v. 29), and he utters the tragic, rash vow (εὐχή, vv. 30–31) — that whatever first comes out of the door of his house to meet him will be offered as a ὁλοκαύτωμα ('whole burnt-offering'). After the victory (vv. 32–33), his daughter, his only child (μονογενής, v. 34), comes out to meet him with timbrels and dances (ἐν τυμπάνοις καὶ χοροῖς). The chapter closes with the daughter's acceptance, her two months' mourning of her virginity (τὰ παρθένιά μου) upon the mountains, the fulfilment of the vow, and the aetiological note that the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament (θρηνεῖν) Jephthah's daughter four days each year (vv. 35–40).

1

καὶ Ιεφθαε ὁ Γαλααδίτης ἐπηρμένος δυνάμει καὶ αὐτὸς υἱὸς γυναικὸς πόρνης ἣ ἐγέννησεν τῷ Γαλααδ τὸν Ιεφθαε

And Jephthah the Gileadite was lifted up in might, and he himself was the son of a woman who was a prostitute, who bore Jephthah to Gilead.

New narrative unit: introduction of the protagonist (circumstantial/descriptive opening)καὶ Ιεφθαε ὁ Γαλααδίτης
The chapter opens with a fronted nominal clause introducing Jephthah by name, gentilic, and a participial predicate (ἐπηρμένος δυνάμει, 'lifted up / mighty in strength'), then immediately qualifies his honor with the dishonor of his birth (υἱὸς γυναικὸς πόρνης). The juxtaposition of valor and illegitimacy is programmatic for the whole cycle: Jephthah's competence and his marginality are stated together in the first verse.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Hebraizing καί-parataxis opening the unit)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ΙεφθαεJephthahsubject (indeclinable proper noun)Ιεφθαε: transliteration of Hebrew יִפְתָּח ('he [God] opens / sets free'); indeclinable in the LXX (same form in all cases); the name is darkly ironic in this chapter, since Jephthah will 'open his mouth' (ἤνοιξα … τὸ στόμα μου, v. 35) in the vow that destroys his house.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with the gentilic Γαλααδίτης)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΓαλααδίτηςGileaditeNominativeapposition to Ιεφθαε (gentilic identifier)Γαλααδίτης: 'Gileadite, man of Gilead'; a declinable Greek gentilic (first-declension masculine) formed on the place/clan name Γαλααδ (Hebrew גִּלְעָד); locates Jephthah in the Transjordanian territory of Gilead, the region that will both reject and recall him.
ἐπηρμένοςlifted up / mightyPerf Mid/Pass Ptcp Nom Masc Sg · ἐπαίρωpredicate participle (descriptive: 'was mighty')→ stative perfect (settled condition of strength)ἐπαίρω (perf. mid/pass. ptcp.): 'raise up, lift up'; the perfect participle ἐπηρμένος δυνάμει ('lifted up in/by strength') is the LXX's rendering of Hebrew גִּבּוֹר חַיִל ('mighty man of valor'); the perfect denotes an achieved and enduring state of military eminence — the very quality that makes Jephthah indispensable despite his outcast status.
δυνάμειin mightDativedative of respect/means (specifying the sphere of ἐπηρμένος)δύναμις: 'power, might, strength, army'; here the dative δυνάμει specifies the respect in which Jephthah is 'lifted up' — military strength and valor; renders חַיִל, which can denote both personal valor and an armed force.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the adversative birth-note)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
αὐτὸςhe himselfNominativeintensive pronoun (subject of implied copula)αὐτός: the intensive nominative αὐτός ('he himself') sets the following dishonorable birth-note in pointed contrast to the preceding note of valor — 'mighty, yet himself the son of a prostitute.'
υἱὸςsonNominativepredicate nominative (with implied ἦν: 'was a son')υἱός: 'son'; renders בֵּן; the predicate υἱὸς γυναικὸς πόρνης fixes Jephthah's legal vulnerability — a son by a prostitute had no secure claim to inheritance, the precise issue that triggers his expulsion in v. 2.
γυναικὸςof a womanGenitivegenitive of relationship (mother of Jephthah)γυνή (gen. γυναικός): 'woman, wife'; here in the genitive of origin defining Jephthah's maternity; the term is immediately qualified by πόρνης.
πόρνηςa prostituteGenitivegenitive in apposition to γυναικὸς (describing the mother)πόρνη: 'prostitute, harlot'; renders Hebrew זוֹנָה; the LXX states baldly the social stain that defines Jephthah's marginal status; the same idea is restated in v. 2 with ἑταίρα ('courtesan').
ἣwhoNominativerelative pronoun (feminine, subject of ἐγέννησεν, referring to the mother)ἣ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ἐγέννησενbore / gave birth toAor Act Indic 3 Sg · γεννάωverb of relative clause (the mother's bearing of Jephthah)→ constative aorist (single completed event of birth)γεννάω: 'beget, bear, bring forth'; here of the mother bearing the child (with τῷ Γαλααδ, a dative of advantage: 'bore to Gilead'); the relative clause establishes Gilead as the biological father, so that Jephthah's claim against his half-brothers is genuine even though his mother's status is impugned.
τῷtoDativearticle (with Γαλααδ, dative of advantage)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΓαλααδGileaddative of advantage (indeclinable: 'bore to Gilead')Γαλααδ: transliteration of Hebrew גִּלְעָד; indeclinable in the LXX, here functioning as a dative (marked by the article τῷ); 'Gilead' is at once a personal/clan name (Jephthah's father) and the regional name of Transjordan, a deliberate genealogical-geographical fusion typical of Judges.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Ιεφθαε, accusative object)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙεφθαεJephthahaccusative object of ἐγέννησεν (marked by article τόν)Ιεφθαε: the indeclinable name recurs as the direct object (marked by the accusative article τόν); the verse forms a ring, opening and closing with Ιεφθαε, framing the whole introduction around the protagonist.
2

καὶ ἔτεκεν ἡ γυνὴ Γαλααδ αὐτῷ υἱούς καὶ ἡδρύνθησαν οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ ἐξέβαλον τὸν Ιεφθαε καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ οὐ κληρονομήσεις ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν ὅτι υἱὸς γυναικὸς ἑταίρας σύ

And the wife of Gilead bore him sons, and the sons of the wife grew up and drove out Jephthah and said to him, 'You shall not inherit in the house of our father, for you are the son of another woman.'

Sequential narrative: the legitimate sons' expulsion of Jephthahκαὶ ἔτεκεν ἡ γυνὴ Γαλααδ
A chain of καί-coordinated aorists (ἔτεκεν … ἡδρύνθησαν … ἐξέβαλον … εἶπαν) drives the action of expulsion. The legitimate heirs' direct speech (οὐ κληρονομήσεις …) states the legal-economic motive: inheritance. The chapter's keyword κληρονομέω ('inherit, take possession') is introduced here and will dominate the Ammon-dispute (vv. 21–24).
Word-by-word analysis· 33 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔτεκενboreAor Act Indic 3 Sg · τίκτωmain verb (the legitimate wife's bearing of sons)→ constative aorist (completed event)τίκτω: 'bring forth, bear (a child)'; renders יָלַד; distinct from γεννάω of v. 1 in that τίκτω foregrounds the act of the mother giving birth; here it establishes the existence of legitimate half-brothers who will dispossess Jephthah.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with γυνή)ἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γυνὴwifeNominativesubject (the legitimate wife of Gilead)γυνή: here 'wife' (the legitimate spouse), in deliberate contrast with the γυνὴ πόρνη of v. 1; the same noun denotes both women, sharpening the legitimate/illegitimate opposition that drives the plot.
Γαλααδof Gileadgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'wife of Gilead')Γαλααδ: indeclinable; functions here as a genitive ('Gilead's wife') without article, the case shown only by context.
αὐτῷto himDativedative of advantage (bore sons 'to him', i.e. to Gilead)αὐτῷ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
υἱούςsonsAccusativedirect object of ἔτεκενυἱός: the plural υἱούς (the legitimate sons) are the antagonists of vv. 2–3; their plurality against the single outcast Jephthah underscores his isolation.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἡδρύνθησανgrew up / became strongAor Pass Indic 3 Pl · ἁδρύνωmain verb (the sons' coming of age)→ ingressive aorist (entered into adulthood/strength)ἁδρύνω (aor. pass. ἡδρύνθησαν): 'make thick/strong, mature'; the passive 'grew up, came to full strength'; renders Hebrew גָּדַל ('grow up, become great'); their reaching maturity is the precondition for asserting their exclusive inheritance rights against Jephthah.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with υἱοί)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject (the legitimate sons)υἱοὶ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with γυναικός)τῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γυναικὸςof the wifeGenitivegenitive of relationship ('sons of the [legitimate] wife')γυνή (gen. γυναικός): designating the legitimate wife; 'the sons of the wife' are set in implicit opposition to the son of the πόρνη, the legal crux of the dispute.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐξέβαλονdrove outAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐκβάλλωmain verb (the expulsion of Jephthah)→ constative aorist (decisive act of expulsion)ἐκβάλλω: 'throw out, drive out, expel'; renders גָּרַשׁ; the same verb of forcible expulsion used of driving out nations and enemies; here it is turned against a brother — Jephthah's expulsion by his own kin foreshadows his later role as the one who must 'drive out' the Ammonites.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Ιεφθαε)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙεφθαεJephthahaccusative object of ἐξέβαλον (marked by article τόν)Ιεφθαε: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing direct speech)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπανsaidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction; Koine -αν aorist)→ constative aorist (single speech-act)λέγω (aor. εἶπαν): the Hellenistic/Koine 3 pl. ending -αν (for classical εἶπον) is standard in the LXX; introduces the brothers' formal disinheritance pronouncement.
αὐτῷto himDativedative indirect object (addressee of the speech)αὐτῷ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
οὐnotnegative particle (with future κληρονομήσεις)οὐ + future indicative: a categorical denial of right ('you shall not inherit'); the future has the force of a binding legal declaration.
κληρονομήσειςyou shall inheritFut Act Indic 2 Sg · κληρονομέωmain verb of direct speech (denial of inheritance right)→ predictive/legislative future (binding denial)κληρονομέω: 'inherit, take possession of, hold as a patrimony'; renders יָרַשׁ / נָחַל; THE keyword of the chapter — denied to Jephthah here by his brothers, it becomes the very basis of his argument for Israel's right to Sihon's land (κληρονομήσεις αὐτόν, vv. 21–24). The personal grievance and the national legal claim are bound by a single verb.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative/sphere)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῷtheDativearticle (with οἴκῳ)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἴκῳhouseDativedative of place (sphere of inheritance: 'in the house')οἶκος: 'house, household, family estate'; renders בַּיִת; 'the house of our father' denotes the patrimonial estate from which Jephthah is excluded; the same word recurs at v. 31 (the door of his own οἶκος), poignantly tying the inheritance he was denied to the daughter who will come out of his door.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with πατρός)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατρὸςfatherGenitivegenitive of possession (the father's house)πατήρ: 'father'; renders אָב; 'the house of our father' (Gilead's estate); the brothers claim exclusive sonship even though Jephthah too is Gilead's son (v. 1).
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession (1 pl., excluding Jephthah)ἡμῶν: the exclusive 'our' (over against Jephthah) is rhetorically loaded — they call Gilead 'our father,' implicitly denying that he is Jephthah's father in the inheriting sense.
ὅτιbecausecausal conjunction (giving the legal ground)ὅτι: 'because'; introduces the stated legal rationale for the disinheritance — his mother's status.
υἱὸςsonNominativepredicate nominative (with implied εἶ: 'you are a son')υἱός: the predicate echoes v. 1's υἱὸς γυναικὸς πόρνης, now restated by the brothers as the legal disqualifier.
γυναικὸςof a womanGenitivegenitive of relationship (the disqualifying maternity)γυναικὸς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἑταίραςanother / a courtesanGenitivegenitive in apposition to γυναικὸς (describing the mother)ἑταίρα: 'courtesan, companion, kept woman'; a near-synonym of πόρνη (v. 1) but with a nuance of a 'consort / other woman'; the LXX here renders Hebrew אִשָּׁה אַחֶרֶת ('another woman') — hence the gloss 'another woman / courtesan'; the brothers brand Jephthah's mother as an outsider to the legitimate household.
σύyouNominativesubject pronoun (emphatic, closing the accusation)σύ: the emphatic second-person pronoun stands last for rhetorical force — 'the son of another woman are YOU' — pointedly excluding Jephthah from the patrimony.
3

καὶ ἔφυγεν Ιεφθαε ἀπὸ προσώπου ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ᾤκησεν ἐν γῇ Τωβ καὶ συνεστράφησαν πρὸς Ιεφθαε ἄνδρες κενοὶ καὶ ἐξῆλθον μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ

And Jephthah fled from the face of his brothers and dwelt in the land of Tob, and empty men gathered to Jephthah and went out with him.

Sequential narrative: Jephthah's flight and rise as an outlaw-captainκαὶ ἔφυγεν Ιεφθαε
Three aorists (ἔφυγεν … ᾤκησεν … συνεστράφησαν) trace Jephthah's trajectory from refugee to leader of a raiding band. The phrase ἄνδρες κενοί ('empty/worthless men', Hebrew אֲנָשִׁים רֵיקִים) marks the band as social outcasts like Jephthah himself; the same Davidic-type motif (cf. 1 Sam 22:2) frames the exiled hero who gathers the marginalized. Note: the LXX has no verse 4 — the next verse is numbered 5.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔφυγενfledAor Act Indic 3 Sg · φεύγωmain verb (Jephthah's flight)→ constative aorist (completed act of flight)φεύγω: 'flee, escape'; renders בָּרַח; Jephthah's flight 'from the face of his brothers' parallels other exilic-hero flights in the OT and prepares his transformation in a foreign land.
ΙεφθαεJephthahsubject (indeclinable proper noun)Ιεφθαε: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation, in the Hebraism ἀπὸ προσώπου)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
προσώπουface / presenceGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό (Hebraism: 'from the face of')πρόσωπον: 'face, presence'; the phrase ἀπὸ προσώπου renders the Hebrew מִפְּנֵי ('from before, away from'), a pervasive LXX Hebraism for fleeing/withdrawing from someone's presence; recurs at vv. 23, 33 (ἀπὸ προσώπου) of removing/humbling enemies.
ἀδελφῶνbrothersGenitivegenitive (of the brothers from whom he flees)ἀδελφός: 'brother'; renders אָח; the half-brothers who expelled him (v. 2); the kinship term underscores the tragedy of intra-familial rejection.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ᾤκησενdwelt / settledAor Act Indic 3 Sg · οἰκέωmain verb (Jephthah's settling in Tob)→ constative aorist (took up residence)οἰκέω: 'dwell, inhabit, settle'; renders יָשַׁב; establishes Jephthah's base in the land of Tob, a region east/northeast of Gilead (cf. 2 Sam 10:6, 8, 'Ish-tob').
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
γῇlandDativedative of place (locative: 'in the land')γῆ: 'land, earth, region'; with the place-name Τωβ, 'the land of Tob.'
ΤωβTobgenitive of location (indeclinable: 'land of Tob')Τωβ: transliteration of Hebrew טוֹב (lit. 'good'); indeclinable place-name designating a region in northern Transjordan where Jephthah took refuge; the same locale appears in v. 5 (ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς Τωβ).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
συνεστράφησανgathered / banded togetherAor Pass Indic 3 Pl · συστρέφωmain verb (the gathering of the band around Jephthah)→ ingressive aorist (formed into a band)συστρέφω (aor. pass. συνεστράφησαν): 'twist together, gather, band together'; the passive/middle 'collected themselves, banded together'; renders Hebrew לָקַט / קָבַץ; depicts the formation of Jephthah's freebooter company, the military nucleus the elders will later seek.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (movement/association toward Jephthah)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΙεφθαεJephthahaccusative object of πρός (the one to whom they gathered)Ιεφθαε: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject of συνεστράφησανἀνήρ (pl. ἄνδρες): 'man, male'; renders אִישׁ / אֲנָשִׁים; the followers who attach themselves to the outcast chieftain.
κενοὶempty / worthlessNominativeattributive adjective (modifying ἄνδρες)κενός: 'empty, vain, worthless'; renders Hebrew רֵיקִים ('empty/reckless men'); a stock phrase for landless, déclassé adventurers who attach themselves to a rising leader (cf. the men who gathered to David, 1 Sam 22:2; the men hired by Abimelech, Judg 9:4); the term subtly mirrors Jephthah's own outcast status.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐξῆλθονwent outAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb (the band's going out on raids with Jephthah)→ constative/customary aorist (they went out [raiding] with him)ἐξέρχομαι: 'go out, come forth'; here 'went out (on raids/forays) with him'; the verb idiomatically denotes going out to war or plunder; the same root marks the daughter who 'came out' (ἐξεπορεύετο, v. 34) and 'came forth' from his mouth (ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ στόματός σου, v. 36), a grim verbal echo.
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment; elided before vowel)μετ᾿: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτοῦhimGenitivegenitive object of μετ᾿ (accompaniment: 'with him')αὐτοῦ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
5

καὶ ἐγένετο ἡνίκα παρετάξαντο οἱ υἱοὶ Αμμων μετὰ Ισραηλ καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι Γαλααδ λαβεῖν τὸν Ιεφθαε ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς Τωβ

And it came to pass, when the sons of Ammon made war with Israel, that the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah from the land of Tob.

New scene (temporal frame): the Ammonite threat and the recall of Jephthahκαὶ ἐγένετο ἡνίκα
The chapter resumes after the missing verse 4 (the LXX numbering jumps 3→5). The macro-syntactic formula καὶ ἐγένετο ('and it came to pass') with the temporal conjunction ἡνίκα ('when') renders the Hebrew וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר and opens a new narrative panel: the outbreak of war with Ammon creates the need that drives the elders to recall the very man they had cast out.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (with ἐγένετο, macro-syntactic opener)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐγένετοit came to passAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (impersonal narrative-frame formula)→ constative aorist (temporal-frame marker)γίνομαι (aor. ἐγένετο): the formula καὶ ἐγένετο renders Hebrew וַיְהִי, a macro-syntactic discourse marker introducing a new temporal episode; recurs at the chapter's turning points (vv. 29, 35, 39).
ἡνίκαwhentemporal conjunction (introducing the time-clause)ἡνίκα: 'when, at the time when'; renders כַּאֲשֶׁר / כִּי; sets the temporal circumstance (the war) for the main action (the elders' journey).
παρετάξαντοmade war / drew up in battleAor Mid Indic 3 Pl · παρατάσσωverb of the temporal clause (Ammon's array against Israel)→ constative aorist (opened hostilities)παρατάσσω (mid. παρετάξαντο): 'draw up in battle order, array for war, do battle'; renders Hebrew נִלְחַם / עָרַךְ מִלְחָמָה; the verb (and the noun παράταξις) is a leitwort of this chapter (vv. 6, 8, 9, 12, 20, 27, 32), framing the whole crisis as a 'battle-array' against Ammon.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with υἱοί)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject of παρετάξαντο (the 'sons of Ammon')υἱός: in the idiom οἱ υἱοὶ Αμμων ('the sons of Ammon') the plural renders Hebrew בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן, the standard designation of the Ammonite people/nation; recurs throughout the chapter.
ΑμμωνAmmongenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'sons of Ammon')Αμμων: transliteration of Hebrew עַמּוֹן; indeclinable; the Transjordanian nation descended from Lot (Gen 19:38), Israel's antagonist in this chapter.
μετὰwith / againstpreposition + genitive (here adversative: 'made war with/against')μετά + genitive: normally 'with (accompaniment),' but with verbs of fighting it carries the adversative sense 'against' (a Hebraism rendering עִם in hostile contexts); 'arrayed for battle against Israel.'
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive object of μετά (indeclinable proper noun)Ισραηλ: transliteration of Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל; indeclinable; here the covenant nation as the object of Ammonite aggression.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing the apodosis of καὶ ἐγένετο)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπορεύθησανwent / journeyedAor Pass Indic 3 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb (the elders' journey to fetch Jephthah)→ constative aorist (completed journey)πορεύομαι (aor. pass. dep. ἐπορεύθησαν): 'go, journey, travel'; renders הָלַךְ; the elders' going to Tob is the formal reversal of Jephthah's earlier flight from them.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with πρεσβύτεροι)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρεσβύτεροιeldersNominativesubject of ἐπορεύθησανπρεσβύτερος: 'elder, older man'; renders זְקֵנִים; the governing council of Gilead, who as a body negotiate with and install Jephthah (vv. 5–11); their formal authority lends legal weight to Jephthah's installation.
Γαλααδof Gileadgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'elders of Gilead')Γαλααδ: here the regional name in genitive function ('the elders of Gilead').
λαβεῖνto take / to fetchAor Act Inf · λαμβάνωinfinitive of purpose (the goal of their journey)→ telic aorist infinitive (purpose: in order to bring Jephthah back)λαμβάνω (aor. inf. λαβεῖν): 'take, fetch, bring'; the aorist infinitive expresses purpose ('went … to fetch'); renders לָקַח; the elders 'take' the man they had cast out — a deliberate narrative irony.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Ιεφθαε)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙεφθαεJephthahaccusative object of λαβεῖν (marked by article τόν)Ιεφθαε: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (source/origin)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with γῆς)τῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆςlandGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό ('from the land')γῆ: 'land'; with Τωβ, 'the land of Tob' (cf. v. 3), the place of Jephthah's exile from which the elders now retrieve him.
ΤωβTobgenitive of location (indeclinable: 'land of Tob')Τωβ: see v. 3; the region of Jephthah's refuge.
6

καὶ εἶπαν τῷ Ιεφθαε δεῦρο καὶ ἔσῃ ἡμῖν εἰς ἀρχηγόν καὶ παραταξώμεθα πρὸς υἱοὺς Αμμων

And they said to Jephthah, 'Come, and be to us a leader, and let us make war against the sons of Ammon.'

Direct speech: the elders' first offer of leadershipκαὶ εἶπαν τῷ Ιεφθαε
The elders' opening proposal is terse and urgent: an imperative of summons (δεῦρο), a predicate-of-office offer (ἔσῃ … εἰς ἀρχηγόν), and a hortatory subjunctive of common purpose (παραταξώμεθα). The Hebraistic εἰς + accusative for predicate ('be as/for a leader') renders the Hebrew לְ of product/role.
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing speech)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπανsaidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction, Koine -αν aorist)→ constative aorist (single speech-act)λέγω (aor. εἶπαν): the elders address Jephthah collectively; the Koine -αν ending is standard LXX morphology.
τῷtoDativearticle (with Ιεφθαε, dative of address)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙεφθαεJephthahdative indirect object (addressee; marked by article τῷ)Ιεφθαε: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δεῦροcome!adverbial imperative of summonsδεῦρο: 'come here!, come now!'; an adverb used as an imperatival summons; renders Hebrew לְכָה; the urgent call inviting the outcast to return as commander.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔσῃyou shall beFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (volitive future: offer of office)→ volitive/imperatival future ('be our leader!')εἰμί (fut. ἔσῃ): 'you will be'; the future with imperatival force in the construction ἔσῃ … εἰς ἀρχηγόν ('you shall be to us as a leader'); the εἰς-predicate is a Hebraism (לְ of role).
ἡμῖνto us / for usDativedative of advantage (the beneficiaries of his leadership)ἡμῖν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
εἰςas / forpreposition + accusative (predicate-of-role Hebraism)εἰς + accusative: in the predicate sense 'as, for' (Hebraism rendering לְ); 'be for us as a leader.'
ἀρχηγόνleader / captainAccusativepredicate accusative (the office offered)ἀρχηγός: 'leader, chief, captain, founder'; renders Hebrew קָצִין ('commander'); the military leadership offered in the immediate crisis (cf. the fuller civil office ἄρχων offered in v. 8); the same title is conferred in v. 11 (εἰς κεφαλὴν καὶ εἰς ἀρχηγόν).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing hortatory clause)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
παραταξώμεθαlet us make warAor Mid Subj 1 Pl · παρατάσσωhortatory subjunctive (common purpose with the new leader)→ hortatory aorist subjunctive (exhortation to joint battle)παρατάσσω (aor. mid. subj.): 'let us array for battle, do battle'; the leitwort of the chapter (cf. v. 5); the hortatory 'let us' binds the elders and Jephthah in a single fighting enterprise.
πρὸςagainstpreposition + accusative (adversative: 'against')πρός + accusative: with verbs of fighting, 'against'; renders Hebrew בְּ / עִם in hostile contexts.
υἱοὺςsonsAccusativeaccusative object of πρός ('the sons of Ammon')υἱός: in οἱ υἱοὶ Αμμων, see v. 5.
ΑμμωνAmmongenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'sons of Ammon')Αμμων: see v. 5.
7

καὶ εἶπεν Ιεφθαε τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις Γαλααδ οὐχὶ ὑμεῖς ἐμισήσατέ με καὶ ἐξεβάλετέ με ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός μου καὶ ἐξαπεστείλατέ με ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν καὶ διὰ τί ἤλθατε πρός με νῦν ἡνίκα χρῄζετε

And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, 'Was it not you who hated me and drove me out of my father's house and sent me away from you? And why have you come to me now, when you are in need?'

Direct speech: Jephthah's reproachful counter-questionκαὶ εἶπεν Ιεφθαε
Jephthah answers the offer with a double rhetorical question. The first (οὐχὶ ὑμεῖς …) recalls their threefold past wrong (hatred, expulsion, banishment) with three aorists; the emphatic ὑμεῖς ('you yourselves') indicts the very body now petitioning him. The second (διὰ τί … νῦν ἡνίκα χρῄζετε) exposes their self-interest: they come only because they are 'in need.'
Word-by-word analysis· 33 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing speech)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aorist (single speech-act)λέγω: introduces Jephthah's reproachful reply.
ΙεφθαεJephthahsubject (indeclinable proper noun)Ιεφθαε: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
τοῖςtheDativearticle (with πρεσβυτέροις)τοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρεσβυτέροιςeldersDativedative indirect object (the addressees)πρεσβύτερος: see v. 5; the dative of address.
Γαλααδof Gileadgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'elders of Gilead')Γαλααδ: see v. 5.
οὐχὶwas it not?interrogative negative (expecting an affirmative answer)οὐχί: emphatic form of οὐ; introducing a rhetorical question expecting the answer 'yes' ('Did you not …?'); renders Hebrew הֲלֹא; sharpens the accusation.
ὑμεῖςyouNominativeemphatic subject pronoun (2 pl.)ὑμεῖς: the emphatic 'you yourselves' (the very elders now petitioning) foregrounds their hypocrisy.
ἐμισήσατέhatedAor Act Indic 2 Pl · μισέωmain verb (first of three accusing aorists)→ constative aorist (the settled past hostility)μισέω: 'hate, reject'; renders שָׂנֵא; the first count in Jephthah's indictment; the accentuation ἐμισήσατέ με reflects the enclitic με throwing an acute onto the final syllable.
μεmeAccusativedirect object (enclitic pronoun)με: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐξεβάλετέdrove outAor Act Indic 2 Pl · ἐκβάλλωmain verb (second accusing aorist)→ constative aoristἐκβάλλω: 'drive out, expel'; cf. v. 2 (ἐξέβαλον); here Jephthah turns the very verb of his expulsion back upon the elders, holding the community responsible for the brothers' act.
μεmeAccusativedirect objectμε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐκout ofpreposition + genitive (separation)ἐκ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with οἴκου)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἴκουhouseGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ ('out of the house')οἶκος: 'house, household'; cf. v. 2 (ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρός); Jephthah quotes back the brothers' inheritance-denial, naming 'my father's house' to reassert his sonship.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with πατρός)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατρόςfatherGenitivegenitive of possession ('my father's house')πατήρ: see v. 2; note Jephthah says 'MY father' (μου), countering the brothers' exclusive 'OUR father' (ἡμῶν, v. 2).
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (1 sg.)μου: the pointed 'my' reclaims the paternity the brothers had denied (cf. ἡμῶν in v. 2).
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐξαπεστείλατέsent awayAor Act Indic 2 Pl · ἐξαποστέλλωmain verb (third accusing aorist)→ constative aoristἐξαποστέλλω: 'send away, dismiss, drive off'; the intensive compound (ἐξ-απο-) stresses total banishment; the third and climactic verb of the indictment, escalating from hatred to expulsion to formal dismissal.
μεmeAccusativedirect objectμε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἀφ᾿frompreposition + genitive (separation; elided before rough breathing)ἀφ᾿: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ὑμῶνyouGenitivegenitive object of ἀφ᾿ ('away from you')ὑμῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the second question)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
διὰbecause of / forpreposition + accusative (in the interrogative idiom διὰ τί)διὰ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τίwhat / whyAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (in διὰ τί, 'why?')τίς, τί: interrogative; the idiom διὰ τί ('on account of what? why?') renders Hebrew מַדּוּעַ / לָמָּה; introduces Jephthah's second, sharper question.
ἤλθατεhave you comeAor Act Indic 2 Pl · ἔρχομαιmain verb of the question→ constative aorist (their present arrival)ἔρχομαι (aor. ἤλθατε, Koine -ατε for classical ἤλθετε): 'come'; the question exposes the timing of their visit — only now, in extremity.
πρόςtopreposition + accusative (direction toward)πρός: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
μεmeAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςμε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
νῦνnowtemporal adverb (pointedly: 'now, at last')νῦν: 'now'; emphatic — the contrast between past rejection and present need; renders עַתָּה.
ἡνίκαwhentemporal conjunction (introducing the circumstance of need)ἡνίκα: 'when'; cf. v. 5; here pinpointing the self-serving timing of the elders' approach.
χρῄζετεyou are in needPres Act Indic 2 Pl · χρῄζωverb of the temporal clause (their state of need)→ stative present (ongoing condition of need)χρῄζω: 'have need of, be in want'; renders Hebrew צַר ('be in distress') vel sim.; the present tense marks the ongoing distress that alone explains their reversal — Jephthah names their need as the true motive.
8

καὶ εἶπαν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι Γαλααδ πρὸς Ιεφθαε διὰ τοῦτο νῦν ἐπεστρέψαμεν πρὸς σέ καὶ πορεύσῃ μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν καὶ παρατάξῃ πρὸς υἱοὺς Αμμων καὶ ἔσῃ ἡμῖν εἰς ἄρχοντα πᾶσιν τοῖς οἰκοῦσιν Γαλααδ

And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, 'For this reason now we have turned back to you, that you may go with us and make war against the sons of Ammon, and you shall be to us a ruler over all the inhabitants of Gilead.'

Direct speech: the elders' counter-offer, raising the stake to permanent ruleκαὶ εἶπαν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι Γαλααδ
The elders concede the point (διὰ τοῦτο, 'for this very reason') and escalate the offer: not merely a wartime ἀρχηγός (v. 6) but a permanent civil ἄρχων ('ruler') over all Gilead. The future verbs (πορεύσῃ … παρατάξῃ … ἔσῃ) function as the terms of a binding agreement.
Word-by-word analysis· 31 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing speech)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπανsaidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω (aor. εἶπαν): introduces the elders' counter-offer.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with πρεσβύτεροι)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρεσβύτεροιeldersNominativesubject of εἶπανπρεσβύτερος: see v. 5.
Γαλααδof Gileadgenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Γαλααδ: see v. 5.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΙεφθαεJephthahaccusative object of πρός (addressee)Ιεφθαε: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
διὰbecause ofpreposition + accusative (causal, in διὰ τοῦτο)διὰ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοῦτοthisAccusativedemonstrative (object of διά, 'for this reason')οὗτος: the idiom διὰ τοῦτο ('therefore, for this very reason') renders Hebrew לָכֵן / עַל־כֵּן; the elders accept Jephthah's reproach as itself the reason for their return.
νῦνnowtemporal adverbνῦν: echoes Jephthah's νῦν (v. 7), conceding the timing he had thrown at them.
ἐπεστρέψαμενwe have turned back / returnedAor Act Indic 1 Pl · ἐπιστρέφωmain verb (the elders' return to Jephthah)→ constative aorist (accomplished reversal)ἐπιστρέφω: 'turn back, return, turn around'; renders שׁוּב; the elders frame their approach as a 'turning back' to Jephthah — an admission of reversal; the verb is a keyword (cf. ἐπιστρέφετε v. 9, ἐπίστρεψον v. 13, ἐπιστρέφειν v. 31, ἐπιστρέψαι v. 35).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
σέyouAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (emphatic form)σύ (acc. σέ): the accented form (not enclitic σε) carries emphasis: 'back to YOU.'
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the terms)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
πορεύσῃyou shall goFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (first term of the agreement)→ predictive/volitive future (stipulated action)πορεύομαι (fut. πορεύσῃ): 'you shall go'; the first stipulated term — Jephthah is to march with them.
μεθ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment; elided)μεθ᾿: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ἡμῶνusGenitivegenitive object of μεθ᾿ (accompaniment)ἡμῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
παρατάξῃyou shall make warFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · παρατάσσωmain verb (second term of the agreement)→ predictive/volitive futureπαρατάσσω: see v. 5; the second stipulated term — Jephthah is to do battle against Ammon.
πρὸςagainstpreposition + accusative (adversative)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
υἱοὺςsonsAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςυἱός: 'sons of Ammon,' see v. 5.
ΑμμωνAmmongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the reward-clause)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔσῃyou shall beFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (the offered office)→ promissory future (the reward of leadership)εἰμί (fut. ἔσῃ): 'you shall be'; the promised reward in the εἰς-predicate construction (cf. v. 6); now the office is upgraded from ἀρχηγός to permanent ἄρχων.
ἡμῖνto usDativedative of advantageἡμῖν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
εἰςaspreposition + accusative (predicate-of-role Hebraism)εἰς + acc.: predicate 'as' (Hebraism); see v. 6.
ἄρχονταrulerAccusativepredicate accusative (the office offered)ἄρχων: 'ruler, chief, head'; renders Hebrew רֹאשׁ ('head'); a stronger, more permanent and civil office than the wartime ἀρχηγός of v. 6 — the elders raise their bid from a captain for one campaign to a standing ruler over all Gilead.
πᾶσινallDativeattributive adjective (modifying τοῖς οἰκοῦσιν)πᾶς: 'all'; the dative πᾶσιν underscores the comprehensive scope of the rule offered — over the whole population of Gilead.
τοῖςtheDativearticle (with the substantival participle οἰκοῦσιν)τοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἰκοῦσινinhabitants / dwellersPres Act Ptcp Dat Masc Pl · οἰκέωsubstantival participle (dative: 'over all the inhabitants')→ customary present participle (those habitually dwelling)οἰκέω (pres. ptcp. οἰκοῦντες): 'dwell, inhabit'; cf. v. 3 (ᾤκησεν); the substantival participle 'the dwellers/inhabitants'; the dative defines the realm over which Jephthah is to be ἄρχων.
ΓαλααδGileadgenitive of location (indeclinable: 'inhabitants of Gilead')Γαλααδ: the region; the realm of the offered rulership.
9

καὶ εἶπεν Ιεφθαε πρὸς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους Γαλααδ εἰ ἐπιστρέφετέ με ὑμεῖς παρατάξασθαι ἐν υἱοῖς Αμμων καὶ παραδῷ κύριος αὐτοὺς ἐνώπιον ἐμοῦ καὶ ἐγὼ ἔσομαι ὑμῖν εἰς ἄρχοντα

And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, 'If you bring me back to do battle against the sons of Ammon, and the LORD gives them up before me, then I myself will be to you a ruler.'

Direct speech: Jephthah's conditional acceptanceκαὶ εἶπεν Ιεφθαε
Jephthah accepts, but binds the elders to a sworn condition cast as a double protasis (εἰ … καὶ …) with a single apodosis (ἐγὼ ἔσομαι …). Crucially he inserts the theological premise the elders had left out: victory depends on the LORD's giving (παραδῷ κύριος), so his rulership will rest on a divine, not merely a human, grant. The emphatic ἐγώ matches the elders' ὑμεῖς.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing speech)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Jephthah's conditional reply.
ΙεφθαεJephthahsubject (indeclinable)Ιεφθαε: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with πρεσβυτέρους)τοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρεσβυτέρουςeldersAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (addressees)πρεσβύτερος: see v. 5.
Γαλααδof Gileadgenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Γαλααδ: see v. 5.
εἰifconditional conjunction (introducing the protasis)εἰ: 'if'; introduces the real/assumed condition on which Jephthah's acceptance turns; renders Hebrew אִם.
ἐπιστρέφετέyou bring backPres Act Indic 2 Pl · ἐπιστρέφωverb of the protasis (the elders' bringing him back)→ present indicative in a real condition (their actual proposal)ἐπιστρέφω: here transitive/causative, 'bring back, cause to return'; cf. v. 8 (ἐπεστρέψαμεν); Jephthah takes up their own verb — 'if you really are bringing me back …'; the enclitic με draws the second accent (ἐπιστρέφετέ με).
μεmeAccusativedirect object (enclitic pronoun)με: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ὑμεῖςyouNominativeemphatic subject pronoun (2 pl.)ὑμεῖς: the emphatic 'you' answers the elders' role and matches Jephthah's own emphatic ἐγώ in the apodosis.
παρατάξασθαιto do battleAor Mid Inf · παρατάσσωinfinitive of purpose (the aim of bringing him back)→ telic aorist infinitive (purpose: to give battle)παρατάσσω (aor. mid. inf.): see v. 5; the infinitive of purpose, 'in order to do battle.'
ἐνagainstpreposition + dative (adversative Hebraism: 'against')ἐν + dative: with verbs of fighting, the LXX uses ἐν in the adversative sense 'against' (calquing Hebrew בְּ); 'do battle against the sons of Ammon.'
υἱοῖςsonsDativedative object of ἐν ('against the sons')υἱός: 'sons of Ammon,' see v. 5.
ΑμμωνAmmongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the second protasis-clause)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
παραδῷshould give up / deliverAor Act Subj 3 Sg · παραδίδωμιverb of the second protasis (the LORD's hypothetical granting of victory)→ prospective aorist subjunctive (contingent divine act)παραδίδωμι (aor. subj. παραδῷ): 'hand over, deliver up, give into the hand of'; renders נָתַן (בְּיַד); THE verb of holy-war victory (cf. vv. 21, 30, 32); Jephthah makes his rulership contingent not on his own prowess but on the LORD's giving the enemy over.
κύριοςthe LORDNominativesubject of παραδῷ (the divine victory-giver)κύριος: the standard LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the nominative subject introduces YHWH as the decisive agent of victory; Jephthah's piety here contrasts with the rashness of his later vow (vv. 30–31).
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativedirect object of παραδῷ (the Ammonites)αὐτοὺς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἐνώπιονbeforepreposition + genitive (Hebraism: 'before/in front of')ἐνώπιον: 'before, in the presence of, in front of'; Hebraism rendering לִפְנֵי; 'give them up before me' = deliver them into my power.
ἐμοῦmeGenitivegenitive object of ἐνώπιον (emphatic form)ἐγώ (gen. ἐμοῦ): the accented/emphatic genitive.
καὶthenapodotic conjunction (introducing the apodosis; Hebraistic waw)καί: here apodotic ('then'), introducing the consequence of the double condition — a Hebraism rendering the apodosis-waw.
ἐγὼINominativeemphatic subject pronoun (1 sg.)ἐγώ: the emphatic 'I myself' answers the elders' emphatic ὑμεῖς and stresses Jephthah's personal claim to the office should the condition be met.
ἔσομαιI will beFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίmain verb of the apodosis (Jephthah's acceptance of office)→ promissory future (conditioned acceptance)εἰμί (fut. ἔσομαι): 'I will be'; the apodosis completing the εἰς-predicate (ἔσομαι … εἰς ἄρχοντα); Jephthah commits to the rulership only on the stated condition.
ὑμῖνto youDativedative of advantageὑμῖν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
εἰςaspreposition + accusative (predicate-of-role Hebraism)εἰς + acc.: predicate 'as'; see v. 6.
ἄρχονταrulerAccusativepredicate accusative (the accepted office)ἄρχων: 'ruler, head'; see v. 8; Jephthah accepts precisely the higher office the elders had offered, sealing the bargain.
10

καὶ εἶπαν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι Γαλααδ πρὸς Ιεφθαε κύριος ἔστω ἀκούων ἀνὰ μέσον ἡμῶν εἰ μὴ κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου οὕτως ποιήσομεν

And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, 'Let the LORD be hearing between us, if we do not act thus according to your word.'

Direct speech: the elders' oath sealing the agreementκαὶ εἶπαν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι Γαλααδ
The elders ratify the bargain with a covenant-oath, invoking the LORD as witness (κύριος ἔστω ἀκούων ἀνὰ μέσον ἡμῶν, 'let the LORD be one hearing between us'). The elliptical εἰ μή ('[may God do so] if not …') is the standard Hebrew self-imprecatory oath-formula, its apodosis suppressed: 'God witness against us if we fail to keep your terms.'
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing speech)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπανsaidAor Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω (aor. εἶπαν): introduces the ratifying oath.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with πρεσβύτεροι)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρεσβύτεροιeldersNominativesubject of εἶπανπρεσβύτερος: see v. 5.
Γαλααδof Gileadgenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Γαλααδ: see v. 5.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΙεφθαεJephthahaccusative object of πρός (addressee)Ιεφθαε: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
κύριοςthe LORDNominativesubject of the periphrastic ἔστω ἀκούωνκύριος: rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; invoked as the divine witness to the oath; the LORD 'hearing between' the parties guarantees the covenant.
ἔστωlet him bePres Act Impv 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (third-person imperative; with ἀκούων forms a periphrastic)→ imperatival present (invocation/jussive)εἰμί (impv. ἔστω): 'let him be'; the third-person imperative of invocation; with the participle ἀκούων it forms a periphrastic 'let him be (one) hearing,' a Hebraistic construction stressing the continuous witnessing of the LORD.
ἀκούωνhearing / a witnessPres Act Ptcp Nom Masc Sg · ἀκούωpredicate participle (with ἔστω, periphrastic: 'be hearing')→ durative present participle (continuous hearing/witnessing)ἀκούω (pres. ptcp.): 'hear, listen, heed'; here 'one who hears' = a witness; the LXX casts the oath as an appeal to the LORD as auditor between the parties (cf. Gen 31:49–50; 1 Sam 12:5); contrasts ironically with the king of Ammon who 'did not hear' (οὐκ ἤκουσεν, v. 28).
ἀνὰbetweenpreposition (in the distributive idiom ἀνὰ μέσον)ἀνὰ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
μέσονthe midstAccusativeaccusative in the idiom ἀνὰ μέσον ('between')μέσος: 'middle, midst'; the idiom ἀνὰ μέσον ('in the midst of, between') renders Hebrew בֵּין; standard for parties to a covenant or judgment (cf. v. 27, ἀνὰ μέσον υἱῶν Ισραηλ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον υἱῶν Αμμων).
ἡμῶνusGenitivegenitive (the parties between whom the LORD hears)ἡμῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
εἰifconditional particle (in the oath-formula εἰ μή)εἰ: in the self-imprecatory oath-formula εἰ μή the protasis stands for an emphatic affirmation, the apodosis (a curse) being suppressed: '(may God punish us) if we do not …' = 'we will surely …'; renders Hebrew אִם לֹא.
μὴnotnegative particle (with εἰ in the oath-formula)μή: the negative in εἰ μή; in the oath idiom it produces a positive asseveration ('we will most certainly do thus').
κατὰaccording topreposition + accusative (standard/measure)κατά + accusative: 'according to, in conformity with'; introduces the standard of their compliance — Jephthah's stipulated word.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with ῥῆμα)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥῆμάwordAccusativeaccusative object of κατά ('according to your word')ῥῆμα: 'word, saying, matter'; renders Hebrew דָּבָר; 'according to your word' = on the very terms Jephthah laid down in v. 9; the enclitic σου draws the second accent (ῥῆμά σου).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (enclitic)σου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
οὕτωςthus / soadverb of manner (anticipating ποιήσομεν)οὕτως: 'thus, in this manner'; renders כֵּן; 'so will we do' — the elders bind themselves to act exactly as Jephthah's terms require.
ποιήσομενwe will doFut Act Indic 1 Pl · ποιέωmain verb (the sworn commitment)→ promissory future (oath-bound undertaking)ποιέω: 'do, make, act'; renders עָשָׂה; the future of solemn commitment completing the oath; the same verb dominates the tragic fulfilment (ποίησόν μοι v. 36; ἐποίησεν … τὴν εὐχήν v. 39).
11

καὶ ἐπορεύθη Ιεφθαε μετὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων Γαλααδ καὶ ἔθηκαν αὐτὸν ὁ λαὸς ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς εἰς κεφαλὴν καὶ εἰς ἀρχηγόν καὶ ἐλάλησεν Ιεφθαε τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ πάντας ἐνώπιον κυρίου ἐν Μασσηφα

And Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people set him over them as head and as leader; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the LORD in Mizpah.

Narrative resolution of the negotiation: Jephthah's installationκαὶ ἐπορεύθη Ιεφθαε
The bargain is enacted: Jephthah goes, the people install him (ἔθηκαν … εἰς κεφαλὴν καὶ εἰς ἀρχηγόν, combining the two offered titles), and he ratifies the whole arrangement before the LORD at Mizpah. The cult-site Μασσηφα (Mizpah, 'watchtower') is where the words are spoken before YHWH — and, ominously, the very place to which he will return to be met by his daughter (v. 34).
Word-by-word analysis· 30 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπορεύθηwentAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (Jephthah's going with the elders)→ constative aorist (completed action)πορεύομαι: 'go, journey'; cf. v. 5; Jephthah's going with the elders enacts the agreement of vv. 9–10.
ΙεφθαεJephthahsubject (indeclinable)Ιεφθαε: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (accompaniment)μετὰ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with πρεσβυτέρων)τῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρεσβυτέρωνeldersGenitivegenitive object of μετά (accompaniment)πρεσβύτερος: see v. 5.
Γαλααδof Gileadgenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Γαλααδ: see v. 5.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔθηκανset / appointedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · τίθημιmain verb (the people's installation of Jephthah)→ constative aorist (act of installation)τίθημι (aor. ἔθηκαν): 'place, set, appoint'; renders שִׂים; 'set him over them as head' — the formal act of public investiture; the construction with a constructio ad sensum (plural verb with collective ὁ λαός) is Hebraistic.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of ἔθηκαν (Jephthah)αὐτὸν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with λαός)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαὸςpeopleNominativesubject of ἔθηκαν (collective, with plural verb: constructio ad sensum)λαός: 'people'; renders עָם; the collective noun governs a plural verb (ἔθηκαν), a Hebraistic agreement-by-sense; the whole community, not only the elders, ratifies Jephthah's leadership.
ἐπ᾿overpreposition + accusative (authority 'over'; elided)ἐπί + accusative: 'over, in authority over'; renders עַל; Jephthah is set 'over them.'
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπ᾿ ('over them')αὐτοὺς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
εἰςaspreposition + accusative (predicate-of-role Hebraism)εἰς + acc.: predicate 'as'; see v. 6.
κεφαλὴνheadAccusativepredicate accusative (the office)κεφαλή: 'head'; renders רֹאשׁ; metaphor for chief/ruler; paired with ἀρχηγός, the two titles together confer both civil headship and military command — the full grant the elders and people now confirm.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἰςaspreposition + accusative (predicate-of-role Hebraism)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ἀρχηγόνleaderAccusativepredicate accusative (the office)ἀρχηγός: 'leader, captain'; see v. 6; the wartime title now joined to the standing title κεφαλή.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐλάλησενspokeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαλέωmain verb (Jephthah's ratifying utterance before the LORD)→ constative aorist (single completed act of speaking)λαλέω: 'speak, utter'; renders דִּבֶּר; Jephthah 'speaks all his words before the LORD,' i.e. rehearses/ratifies the terms of his office in a cultic, oath-like setting at the sanctuary.
ΙεφθαεJephthahsubject (indeclinable)Ιεφθαε: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with λόγους)τοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λόγουςwordsAccusativedirect object of ἐλάλησενλόγος: 'word, statement, matter'; renders דָּבָר; 'all his words' = the terms and undertakings agreed with the elders, now declared in the sanctuary.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
πάνταςallAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying λόγους: 'all his words')πᾶς: 'all'; underscores the completeness of the ratification — nothing of the agreement is left unspoken before the LORD.
ἐνώπιονbeforepreposition + genitive (Hebraism: 'before, in the presence of')ἐνώπιον: 'before, in the presence of'; see v. 9; here in cultic sense — the words are spoken 'before the LORD' at the sanctuary, lending sacral force to the covenant.
κυρίουthe LORDGenitivegenitive object of ἐνώπιον (the divine presence)κύριος (gen. κυρίου): rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; 'before the LORD' marks Mizpah as a place of YHWH's cultic presence where vows and covenants are validated.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΜασσηφαMizpahdative of place (indeclinable: 'in Mizpah')Μασσηφα: transliteration of Hebrew מִצְפָּה ('watchtower, lookout'); indeclinable; the Gileadite sanctuary-town where Jephthah is installed and from which he sets out, and to which he returns to be met by his daughter (v. 34) — the place-name frames the tragedy.
12

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ιεφθαε ἀγγέλους πρὸς βασιλέα υἱῶν Αμμων λέγων τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί ὅτι ἦλθες πρός με τοῦ παρατάξασθαι ἐν τῇ γῇ μου

And Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, 'What is there between me and you, that you have come against me to make war in my land?'

New scene: the opening of the diplomatic exchange with Ammonκαὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ιεφθαε ἀγγέλους
Before fighting, Jephthah pursues diplomacy. The idiom τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί ('what to me and to you?', Hebrew מַה־לִּי וָלָךְ) is a confrontational formula of disengagement — 'what quarrel is there between us?' The articular infinitive of purpose τοῦ παρατάξασθαι states Ammon's aggressive intent. This opens the great apologia of vv. 12–28.
Word-by-word analysis· 23 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀπέστειλενsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (Jephthah's dispatch of envoys)→ constative aorist (completed act of sending)ἀποστέλλω: 'send, dispatch (with a commission)'; renders שָׁלַח; the verb governs the whole embassy-motif of the chapter (vv. 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 28); Jephthah's resort to envoys before war casts him as a measured, law-minded leader.
ΙεφθαεJephthahsubject (indeclinable)Ιεφθαε: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ἀγγέλουςmessengersAccusativedirect object of ἀπέστειλενἄγγελος: 'messenger, envoy' (the same word as 'angel,' here in the secular sense); renders מַלְאָךְ; the diplomatic envoys carrying Jephthah's case to Ammon.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (the recipient of the embassy)βασιλεύς: 'king'; renders מֶלֶךְ; the (unnamed) king of Ammon, Jephthah's diplomatic interlocutor (cf. vv. 13, 14, 17, 19, 28).
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive of relationship ('king of the sons of Ammon')υἱός: in οἱ υἱοὶ Αμμων, see v. 5.
ΑμμωνAmmongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
λέγωνsayingPres Act Ptcp Nom Masc Sg · λέγωparticiple of speech (introducing the quoted message; Hebraism)→ durative present participle (speech-marker λέγων = 'as follows')λέγω (pres. ptcp. λέγων): the participle 'saying' renders Hebrew לֵאמֹר, the standard quotation-marker introducing direct speech; functions almost as a colon.
τίwhatNominativeinterrogative pronoun (subject of the verbless idiom)τίς, τί: interrogative; in the idiom τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί ('what to me and to you?') it heads a confrontational formula of disavowal/disengagement (cf. 2 Sam 16:10; 19:23; Jn 2:4); renders Hebrew מַה־לִּי וָלָךְ; 'what business have we with each other?'
ἐμοὶto meDativedative of relation (in the τί … καὶ … idiom)ἐγώ (dat. ἐμοί): the emphatic dative in the confrontation-formula.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the two datives)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
σοίto youDativedative of relation (in the idiom)σύ (dat. σοί): the accented/emphatic dative completing the formula 'what to me and to you?'
ὅτιthatconjunction (consecutive/causal: 'that, seeing that')ὅτι: here 'that, seeing that'; introduces the grievance — Ammon's invasion is the occasion of the disputed 'business between us.'
ἦλθεςyou have comeAor Act Indic 2 Sg · ἔρχομαιverb of the ὅτι-clause (Ammon's aggressive arrival)→ constative aorist (the completed invasion)ἔρχομαι (aor. ἦλθες): 'come'; here of hostile arrival/invasion 'against me'; the same verb in the king's accusation (ἦλθες, cf. v. 7 ἤλθατε).
πρόςagainstpreposition + accusative (here hostile: 'against')πρός + acc.: 'to, against'; with the verb of coming and the war-context, hostile ('against me').
μεmeAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςμε: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
τοῦto / in order toGenitivearticle with the articular infinitive of purpose (τοῦ παρατάξασθαι)ὁ (gen. τοῦ): the genitive article forming the articular infinitive of purpose τοῦ παρατάξασθαι ('in order to make war'); a common LXX construction rendering the Hebrew לְ + infinitive.
παρατάξασθαιto make warAor Mid Inf · παρατάσσωarticular infinitive of purpose (Ammon's hostile intent)→ telic aorist infinitive (purpose: to give battle)παρατάσσω (aor. mid. inf.): see v. 5; with τοῦ, the articular infinitive of purpose stating why the king has come — to wage war in Jephthah's land.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῇtheDativearticle (with γῇ)τῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῇlandDativedative of place ('in my land')γῆ: 'land'; Jephthah calls Gilead 'my land,' asserting Israelite tenure — the very point the king will dispute in v. 13.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (enclitic)μου: the possessive 'my' frames the territorial claim that the whole apologia (vv. 14–27) defends.
13

καὶ εἶπεν βασιλεὺς υἱῶν Αμμων πρὸς τοὺς ἀγγέλους Ιεφθαε ὅτι ἔλαβεν Ισραηλ τὴν γῆν μου ἐν τῷ ἀναβαίνειν αὐτὸν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἀπὸ Αρνων καὶ ἕως Ιαβοκ καὶ ἕως τοῦ Ιορδάνου καὶ νῦν ἐπίστρεψον αὐτὰς ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ πορεύσομαι

And the king of the sons of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, 'Because Israel took my land when he came up out of Egypt, from Arnon as far as Jabbok and as far as the Jordan; and now restore them peaceably, and I will go away.'

Direct speech: the king of Ammon's territorial claimκαὶ εἶπεν βασιλεὺς υἱῶν Αμμων
The king states his casus belli: Israel allegedly seized his land at the Exodus, defining its bounds (Arnon to Jabbok to the Jordan), and he demands restitution. The temporal articular infinitive ἐν τῷ ἀναβαίνειν αὐτόν ('when he came up') anchors the grievance in the conquest era — precisely the history Jephthah will re-narrate to refute the claim.
Word-by-word analysis· 38 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing speech)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the king's reply to the envoys.
βασιλεὺςkingNominativesubject of εἶπενβασιλεύς: see v. 12; here anarthrous but definite ('the king of Ammon').
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive of relationship ('king of the sons of Ammon')υἱός: see v. 5.
ΑμμωνAmmongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with ἀγγέλους)τοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀγγέλουςmessengersAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (the envoys)ἄγγελος: see v. 12; the king replies to Jephthah's envoys.
Ιεφθαεof Jephthahgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'messengers of Jephthah')Ιεφθαε: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
ὅτιbecausecausal conjunction (giving the ground of the claim)ὅτι: 'because'; introduces the king's stated grievance/casus belli.
ἔλαβενtookAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb of the ὅτι-clause (Israel's alleged seizure)→ constative aorist (the alleged past act)λαμβάνω (aor. ἔλαβεν): 'take, seize'; renders לָקַח; the king's central accusation — that Israel 'took' his land; Jephthah's rebuttal repeats and denies the verb (οὐκ ἔλαβεν Ισραηλ, v. 15).
ΙσραηλIsraelsubject of ἔλαβεν (indeclinable)Ισραηλ: see v. 5; here as a collective singular (note the singular verb ἔλαβεν and the masculine αὐτόν below).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of ἔλαβενγῆ: 'land'; the king claims 'my land' — the disputed Transjordan between Arnon and Jabbok.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (the king's claim)μου: the king's possessive 'my land' directly contests Jephthah's 'my land' (v. 12).
ἐνin / whenpreposition + dative (temporal, with articular infinitive)ἐν + dat. of the articular infinitive: the construction ἐν τῷ + infinitive ('when, while') renders the Hebrew בְּ + infinitive construct, a temporal clause.
τῷtheDativearticle with the articular infinitive (ἐν τῷ ἀναβαίνειν)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀναβαίνεινcoming upPres Act Inf · ἀναβαίνωarticular infinitive (temporal: 'when he came up')→ durative present infinitive (the process of the Exodus journey)ἀναβαίνω: 'go up, come up'; renders עָלָה; the standard verb for the Exodus 'coming up out of Egypt' (cf. v. 16); the temporal infinitive locates the alleged seizure in the wilderness/conquest period.
αὐτὸνhe / it (Israel)Accusativeaccusative subject of the infinitive (referring to Israel)αὐτός: the accusative subject of the articular infinitive, referring back to the collective Ισραηλ ('when he/it came up').
ἐξout ofpreposition + genitive (source)ἐξ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΑἰγύπτουEgyptGenitivegenitive object of ἐξ ('out of Egypt')Αἴγυπτος (gen. Αἰγύπτου): 'Egypt'; declinable; 'come up out of Egypt' is the fixed Exodus formula (cf. v. 16).
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (boundary-point: start)ἀπό: in the boundary-formula ἀπὸ … ἕως … ('from … as far as …') delimiting the disputed territory.
ΑρνωνArnongenitive of source (indeclinable: 'from Arnon')Αρνων: transliteration of Hebrew אַרְנוֹן; indeclinable; the Arnon gorge/river, the southern boundary of the disputed Transjordanian territory (the historic border of Moab/Amorites; cf. vv. 18, 22, 26, 33).
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἕωςas far aspreposition + genitive (boundary-point: limit)ἕως: 'as far as, up to'; the upper limit in the boundary-formula.
ΙαβοκJabbokgenitive of limit (indeclinable: 'as far as Jabbok')Ιαβοκ: transliteration of Hebrew יַבֹּק; indeclinable; the Jabbok river, the northern boundary of the disputed Amorite/Gilead territory (cf. v. 22).
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἕωςas far aspreposition + genitive (boundary-point: western limit)ἕως: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with Ιορδάνου)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙορδάνουJordanGenitivegenitive of limit ('as far as the Jordan')Ιορδάνης (gen. Ιορδάνου): the Jordan river; a declinable first-declension masculine in the LXX (hence the article τοῦ); the western boundary of the claimed territory.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the demand)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
νῦνnowtemporal adverb (transition to the demand)νῦν: 'now'; marks the move from the historical grievance to the present demand for restitution.
ἐπίστρεψονrestore / give backAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἐπιστρέφωmain verb (the king's demand: imperative)→ ingressive aorist imperative (demand for restitution)ἐπιστρέφω (aor. impv. ἐπίστρεψον): here transitive/causative, 'restore, give back, return (something)'; cf. vv. 8, 9; renders הָשִׁיב; the demand to hand back the territory.
αὐτὰςthemAccusativedirect object of ἐπίστρεψον (the lands/territories)αὐτός: the feminine plural αὐτάς refers to the lands/regions (γῆ understood as plural territories, or the cities of the claimed area); 'restore them.'
ἐνinpreposition + dative (manner: 'peaceably')ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
εἰρήνῃpeaceDativedative of manner ('in peace, peaceably')εἰρήνη: 'peace'; renders שָׁלוֹם; 'restore them peaceably' = settle the matter without war (the only peaceful resolution the king will accept is full restitution); contrast Jephthah's hoped-for peaceful return (ἐν εἰρήνῃ, v. 31).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the consequence)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
πορεύσομαιI will go awayFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (the king's offered consequence of restitution)→ promissory future (the offered withdrawal)πορεύομαι (fut. πορεύσομαι): 'I will go (away), depart'; the king promises to withdraw if his demand is met — the carrot accompanying the territorial ultimatum.
14

καὶ προσέθηκεν ἔτι Ιεφθαε καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἀγγέλους πρὸς βασιλέα υἱῶν Αμμων

And Jephthah again sent messengers once more to the king of the sons of Ammon.

Narrative transition: Jephthah's second embassy (introducing the apologia)καὶ προσέθηκεν ἔτι Ιεφθαε
The Hebraistic auxiliary προσέθηκεν … καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ('he added and sent' = 'he sent again') renders the Hebrew יָסַף + verb idiom for repeated action; reinforced by ἔτι ('further, once more'). The redoubled embassy frames the lengthy historical rebuttal of vv. 15–27 as a patient second attempt at diplomacy.
Word-by-word analysis· 11 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
προσέθηκενadded / did againAor Act Indic 3 Sg · προστίθημιauxiliary verb (Hebraistic 'again' construction with ἀπέστειλεν)→ constative aorist (functioning as an iterative auxiliary)προστίθημι (aor. προσέθηκεν): lit. 'add, put to'; in the idiom προσέθηκεν … καὶ ἀπέστειλεν it serves as an auxiliary 'he did again, he once more,' calquing the Hebrew וַיּוֹסֶף … וַיִּשְׁלַח ('he again sent'); a characteristic LXX Hebraism for repeated action.
ἔτιstill / once moreadverb (reinforcing the 'again' sense)ἔτι: 'still, yet, further, once more'; reinforces προσέθηκεν, underscoring that this is a renewed, second embassy.
ΙεφθαεJephthahsubject (indeclinable)Ιεφθαε: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the auxiliary to the main verb)καί: in the Hebraistic auxiliary construction, links προσέθηκεν to the semantically main ἀπέστειλεν ('again … sent').
ἀπέστειλενsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (the second sending of envoys)→ constative aoristἀποστέλλω: see v. 12; the renewed dispatch of envoys carrying the full historical rebuttal.
ἀγγέλουςmessengersAccusativedirect object of ἀπέστειλενἄγγελος: see v. 12.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative object of πρόςβασιλεύς: see v. 12.
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive of relationship ('king of the sons of Ammon')υἱός: see v. 5.
ΑμμωνAmmongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
15

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ οὕτω λέγει Ιεφθαε οὐκ ἔλαβεν Ισραηλ τὴν γῆν Μωαβ καὶ τὴν γῆν υἱῶν Αμμων

And he said to him, 'Thus says Jephthah: Israel did not take the land of Moab nor the land of the sons of Ammon.'

Direct speech: the thesis of Jephthah's rebuttalκαὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ οὕτω λέγει Ιεφθαε
Jephthah's reply opens with a messenger-formula (οὕτω λέγει Ιεφθαε, modeled on the prophetic כֹּה אָמַר) and states his thesis as a flat denial that directly negates the king's verb: οὐκ ἔλαβεν Ισραηλ (contrast ἔλαβεν, v. 13). The denial covers both Moab and Ammon, anticipating the careful distinction between Amorite land (which Israel did take) and Moabite/Ammonite land (which it did not).
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing speech)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Jephthah's message (via the envoy).
αὐτῷto himDativedative indirect object (the king of Ammon)αὐτῷ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
οὕτωthusadverb (messenger-formula: 'thus says')οὕτω(ς): 'thus, in this way'; in the messenger-formula οὕτω λέγει Ιεφθαε ('thus says Jephthah') it calques the prophetic citation-formula כֹּה אָמַר, lending Jephthah's reply quasi-oracular authority.
λέγειsaysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb of the messenger-formula (historic/citation present)→ citation present ('thus says Jephthah')λέγω (pres. λέγει): the present in the messenger-formula presents Jephthah's words as a standing declaration delivered by the envoy in the first person on his behalf.
ΙεφθαεJephthahsubject of λέγει (indeclinable)Ιεφθαε: function word shaping the local clause or phrase relation in this oracle.
οὐκnotnegative particle (negating ἔλαβεν)οὐκ: the categorical denial directly negating the king's accusation ἔλαβεν (v. 13).
ἔλαβενtookAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb (the denied seizure)→ constative aorist (denied past act)λαμβάνω (aor. ἔλαβεν): see v. 13; Jephthah negates the very word of the king's charge — 'Israel did NOT take.'
ΙσραηλIsraelsubject of ἔλαβεν (indeclinable)Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of ἔλαβεν (the land of Moab)γῆ: 'land'; the disputed territory, here specified as Moab's.
Μωαβof Moabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'land of Moab')Μωαβ: transliteration of Hebrew מוֹאָב; indeclinable; the Transjordanian nation south of Ammon; Jephthah's distinction between Moabite/Ammonite land and Amorite land is the crux of his legal argument (vv. 19–23).
καὶnor / andcoordinate conjunction (under the scope of οὐκ: 'nor')καί: under the negation, 'and not = nor'; extends the denial to Ammon's land.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of ἔλαβεν (the land of Ammon)γῆ: 'land'; the second territory in the denial — Ammon's own land.
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive of relationship ('land of the sons of Ammon')υἱός: see v. 5.
ΑμμωνAmmongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
16

ὅτι ἐν τῷ ἀναβαίνειν αὐτοὺς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐπορεύθη Ισραηλ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἕως θαλάσσης Σιφ καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς Καδης

For when they came up out of Egypt, Israel went in the wilderness as far as the Red Sea and came to Kadesh.

Causal/evidential: the historical narration begins (proof of the thesis)ὅτι ἐν τῷ ἀναβαίνειν αὐτοὺς
ὅτι ('for') introduces the historical evidence supporting the denial of v. 15. The narration traces Israel's itinerary — wilderness, the Red Sea (θάλασσα Σιφ = Yam Suph), Kadesh — establishing that Israel approached the Transjordan as a transient seeking passage, not as an invader of Moab or Ammon. The temporal infinitive ἐν τῷ ἀναβαίνειν echoes the king's own phrase (v. 13), now turned to Jephthah's purpose.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
ὅτιfor / becausecausal conjunction (introducing the supporting history)ὅτι: 'for, because'; introduces the evidential narration that grounds Jephthah's thesis.
ἐνwhenpreposition + dative (temporal, with articular infinitive)ἐν + dat. articular infinitive: temporal 'when, while'; see v. 13.
τῷtheDativearticle with the articular infinitive (ἐν τῷ ἀναβαίνειν)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀναβαίνεινcoming upPres Act Inf · ἀναβαίνωarticular infinitive (temporal: 'when they came up')→ durative present infinitive (the Exodus journey)ἀναβαίνω: see v. 13; Jephthah repeats the king's own temporal frame ('when they came up out of Egypt') to retell the history on his own terms.
αὐτοὺςtheyAccusativeaccusative subject of the infinitive (the Israelites)αὐτός: the plural accusative subject of the infinitive ('when they [Israel] came up').
ἐξout ofpreposition + genitive (source)ἐξ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΑἰγύπτουEgyptGenitivegenitive object of ἐξ ('out of Egypt')Αἴγυπτος: see v. 13.
ἐπορεύθηwentAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (Israel's journey through the wilderness)→ constative aorist (the completed itinerary)πορεύομαι: 'go, journey'; cf. v. 5; here of Israel's wilderness wandering toward the Transjordan.
ΙσραηλIsraelsubject of ἐπορεύθη (indeclinable, collective singular)Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῇtheDativearticle (with ἐρήμῳ)τῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐρήμῳwildernessDativedative of place ('in the wilderness')ἔρημος: 'desert, wilderness'; renders מִדְבָּר; the wilderness route emphasizes Israel's transient, non-invasive passage (cf. vv. 18, 22).
ἕωςas far aspreposition + genitive (limit of travel)ἕως: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
θαλάσσηςseaGenitivegenitive of limit ('as far as the sea')θάλασσα: 'sea'; in θάλασσα Σιφ ('the sea of Suph'), the Red Sea / Sea of Reeds (Hebrew יַם־סוּף).
ΣιφSuph / Reedsgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'sea of Suph')Σιφ: transliteration of Hebrew סוּף ('reed[s]'); indeclinable; in θάλασσα Σιφ = the 'Red Sea / Sea of Reeds' (יַם־סוּף); the transliteration (rather than translation 'ἐρυθρά') reflects the proper-name treatment here.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἦλθενcameAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb (arrival at Kadesh)→ constative aorist (completed arrival)ἔρχομαι (aor. ἦλθεν): 'come'; Israel's arrival at Kadesh, the staging-point from which envoys were sent to Edom and Moab (v. 17).
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal of motion)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΚαδηςKadeshaccusative of goal (indeclinable: 'to Kadesh')Καδης: transliteration of Hebrew קָדֵשׁ (Kadesh-barnea); indeclinable; the wilderness encampment on the edge of Edom from which Israel sought passage (cf. v. 17; Num 20:1, 14).
17

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ισραηλ ἀγγέλους πρὸς βασιλέα Εδωμ λέγων παρελεύσομαι δὴ ἐν τῇ γῇ σου καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσεν βασιλεὺς Εδωμ καὶ πρὸς βασιλέα Μωαβ ἀπέστειλεν καὶ οὐκ εὐδόκησεν καὶ ἐκάθισεν Ισραηλ ἐν Καδης

And Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, 'Let me pass, please, through your land'; but the king of Edom did not listen. And he sent also to the king of Moab, and he was not willing; and Israel remained in Kadesh.

Evidential narration: the refused requests for passage (Edom and Moab)καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ισραηλ ἀγγέλους
The legal heart of the apologia: Israel formally requested passage (παρελεύσομαι δή, a polite request with δή) from both Edom and Moab and was refused by both. The refusals prove that Israel respected their borders — it did not invade their land, but waited at Kadesh. The narration sets up the contrast with Sihon the Amorite (vv. 19–22), who not only refused but attacked.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀπέστειλενsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (Israel's embassy to Edom)→ constative aoristἀποστέλλω: see v. 12; Israel itself sends envoys, mirroring Jephthah's own diplomatic method and proving its peaceful intent.
ΙσραηλIsraelsubject (indeclinable)Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
ἀγγέλουςmessengersAccusativedirect object of ἀπέστειλενἄγγελος: see v. 12.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (king of Edom)βασιλεύς: see v. 12.
Εδωμof Edomgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'king of Edom')Εδωμ: transliteration of Hebrew אֱדוֹם; indeclinable; the nation south of Moab descended from Esau; refused Israel passage (cf. Num 20:14–21).
λέγωνsayingPres Act Ptcp Nom Masc Sg · λέγωparticiple of speech (introducing the request; Hebraism λέγων = לֵאמֹר)→ durative present participle (quotation-marker)λέγω (ptcp. λέγων): see v. 12; the quotation-marker introducing Israel's request.
παρελεύσομαιlet me pass / I will passFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · παρέρχομαιmain verb of the request (politely volitive future)→ volitive/request future (softened by δή: 'let me pass, please')παρέρχομαι (fut. παρελεύσομαι): 'pass by, pass through'; renders עָבַר; the request for safe transit through Edom's territory; the future with δή functions as a courteous petition; the verb παρ-/passage is a leitmotif (παρελθεῖν v. 20, παρέλθωμεν v. 19, παρῆλθεν vv. 29, 32).
δὴplease / nowparticle of entreaty (softening the request)δή: emphatic/hortatory particle; here softening the request to a polite entreaty ('pray, please'); renders Hebrew נָא; marks Israel's deference toward Edom's sovereignty.
ἐνin / throughpreposition + dative (locative: route through)ἐν + dat.: 'in, through'; the route of passage through the land.
τῇtheDativearticle (with γῇ)τῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῇlandDativedative of place ('through your land')γῆ: 'land'; Israel asks only to pass through, acknowledging Edom's ownership ('YOUR land').
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (Edom's land)σου: 'your'; the explicit acknowledgment of Edom's title to the land underlines Israel's respect for foreign borders.
καὶbutcoordinate conjunction (here adversative: 'but')καί: here adversative ('but'), a Hebraistic waw introducing the refusal.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἤκουσεν)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἤκουσενlistened / heededAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀκούωmain verb (Edom's refusal)→ constative aorist (the refusal)ἀκούω (aor. ἤκουσεν): 'hear, heed, listen to'; here 'did not heed/grant the request'; the same verb-with-negation recurs of the Ammonite king's final refusal (οὐκ ἤκουσεν, v. 28), framing the whole dispute between those who 'hear' and those who do not.
βασιλεὺςkingNominativesubject of ἤκουσενβασιλεύς: see v. 12.
Εδωμof Edomgenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Εδωμ: see above.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (parallel embassy to Moab)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction; fronted for emphasis)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (king of Moab)βασιλεύς: see v. 12.
Μωαβof Moabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'king of Moab')Μωαβ: see v. 15.
ἀπέστειλενhe sentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (the parallel embassy to Moab)→ constative aoristἀποστέλλω: see v. 12; the same request made to Moab, with the same result.
καὶbutcoordinate conjunction (adversative: 'but')καί: adversative; introduces Moab's refusal.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with εὐδόκησεν)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
εὐδόκησενwas willing / consentedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · εὐδοκέωmain verb (Moab's refusal)→ constative aorist (the refusal)εὐδοκέω (aor. εὐδόκησεν): 'be well pleased, consent, be willing'; here negated, 'was not willing/did not consent'; renders אָבָה; Moab, like Edom, declines Israel's request for passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (consequence)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκάθισενremained / settledAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καθίζωmain verb (Israel's stay at Kadesh)→ constative aorist (took up a stay)καθίζω (aor. ἐκάθισεν): 'sit down, settle, remain'; renders יָשַׁב; Israel 'remained/stayed put' in Kadesh rather than forcing passage — decisive proof of its non-aggression toward Edom and Moab.
ΙσραηλIsraelsubject of ἐκάθισεν (indeclinable)Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΚαδηςKadeshdative of place (indeclinable: 'in Kadesh')Καδης: see v. 16.
18

καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ ἐκύκλωσεν τὴν γῆν Εδωμ καὶ τὴν γῆν Μωαβ καὶ ἦλθεν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν ἡλίου τῇ γῇ Μωαβ καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐν πέραν Αρνων καὶ οὐκ εἰσῆλθεν ἐν ὁρίοις Μωαβ ὅτι Αρνων ὅριον Μωαβ

And he went in the wilderness and went around the land of Edom and the land of Moab, and came from the east of the sun to the land of Moab, and they encamped beyond the Arnon; and he did not enter into the territory of Moab, for the Arnon is the boundary of Moab.

Evidential narration: Israel skirts Edom and Moab, encamping beyond the Arnonκαὶ ἐπορεύθη ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ
The itinerary's legal point is made explicit: Israel 'went around' (ἐκύκλωσεν) Edom and Moab rather than through them, encamped beyond the Arnon (the Moabite frontier), and 'did not enter the territory of Moab.' The closing aetiological clause (ὅτι Αρνων ὅριον Μωαβ, 'for the Arnon is the border of Moab') is the legal lynchpin: Israel respected Moab's recognized boundary, so Ammon's land-claim cannot rest on Moabite territory.
Word-by-word analysis· 37 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπορεύθηwentAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (Israel's continued journey)→ constative aoristπορεύομαι: see v. 5; the continued wilderness journey skirting the nations.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῇtheDativearticle (with ἐρήμῳ)τῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐρήμῳwildernessDativedative of place ('in the wilderness')ἔρημος: see v. 16; the wilderness route around the settled lands.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκύκλωσενwent around / encircledAor Act Indic 3 Sg · κυκλόωmain verb (Israel's detour around Edom and Moab)→ constative aorist (the completed detour)κυκλόω: 'encircle, go around, skirt'; renders סָבַב; the key verb proving Israel avoided rather than invaded Edom and Moab — it went 'around' their lands.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of ἐκύκλωσεν (Edom's land)γῆ: 'land'; the land Israel skirted, not entered.
Εδωμof Edomgenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Εδωμ: see v. 17.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of ἐκύκλωσεν (Moab's land)γῆ: 'land'; Moab's land, likewise skirted.
Μωαβof Moabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Μωαβ: see v. 15.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἦλθενcameAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb (arrival east of Moab)→ constative aoristἔρχομαι (aor. ἦλθεν): 'come'; Israel approached Moab from the east, i.e. from the desert side, not by invading from within.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (direction of approach)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ἀνατολῶνrisings / eastGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό (in the idiom 'from the rising of the sun' = the east)ἀνατολή (pl. ἀνατολαί): 'rising (of the sun), east'; in ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν ἡλίου ('from the risings of the sun') = 'from the east'; renders Hebrew מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁמֶשׁ; specifies that Israel approached Moab from its desert (eastern) side.
ἡλίουof the sunGenitivegenitive of relationship (in the idiom 'rising of the sun')ἥλιος: 'sun'; in the compass-idiom ἀνατολαὶ ἡλίου ('sunrise' = east).
τῇto theDativearticle (with γῇ, dative of place/direction)τῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῇlandDativedative of place/direction ('to/at the land of Moab')γῆ: 'land'; the bare dative (without preposition) marks the region Israel reached on Moab's eastern flank — a Hebraistic dative of place.
Μωαβof Moabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'land of Moab')Μωαβ: see v. 15.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
παρενέβαλονthey encampedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · παρεμβάλλωmain verb (Israel's encampment beyond Arnon; plural by sense)→ constative aorist (took up camp)παρεμβάλλω (aor. παρενέβαλον): 'encamp, pitch camp, draw up'; renders חָנָה; the plural (constructio ad sensum with collective Israel) marks the encampment beyond the Arnon — outside Moab's border; the same verb of Sihon's hostile encampment in v. 20.
ἐνin / atpreposition (with πέραν, locative phrase)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
πέρανbeyond / acrossadverb/improper preposition ('beyond, on the far side of')πέραν: 'on the other side, beyond, across'; renders עֵבֶר; 'beyond the Arnon' locates Israel's camp outside Moabite territory — the legally decisive point; cf. v. 29 (εἰς τὸ πέραν υἱῶν Αμμων).
ΑρνωνArnongenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'beyond Arnon')Αρνων: see v. 13; the Arnon as Moab's boundary.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with εἰσῆλθεν)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
εἰσῆλθενenteredAor Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰσέρχομαιmain verb (the explicit denial of invasion)→ constative aorist (denied entry)εἰσέρχομαι (aor. εἰσῆλθεν): 'enter, go in'; the categorical 'did NOT enter the territory of Moab' is the decisive legal statement of Israel's non-violation of Moab's border.
ἐνin / intopreposition + dative (locative, with verb of entering)ἐν + dat.: with εἰσῆλθεν, 'into' (a Koine/LXX overlap of ἐν and εἰς).
ὁρίοιςterritory / bordersDativedative object of ἐν ('into the territory')ὅριον (pl. ὅρια): 'boundary, border, territory'; renders גְּבוּל; the plural ὅρια denotes the bordered territory of Moab; cf. the singular ὅριον at the verse's end.
Μωαβof Moabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'territory of Moab')Μωαβ: see v. 15.
ὅτιforcausal conjunction (introducing the aetiological boundary-note)ὅτι: 'for, because'; introduces the explanatory clause defining the Arnon as Moab's border — the legal foundation of the argument.
ΑρνωνArnonsubject of the verbless clause (indeclinable)Αρνων: see v. 13.
ὅριονboundaryNominativepredicate nominative (verbless clause: 'Arnon [is] the border of Moab')ὅριον: 'boundary, border'; the singular here names the Arnon as the recognized frontier line of Moab; the verbless clause states a settled geographical-legal fact.
Μωαβof Moabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'border of Moab')Μωαβ: see v. 15.
19

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ισραηλ ἀγγέλους πρὸς Σηων βασιλέα τοῦ Αμορραίου βασιλέα Εσεβων καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ισραηλ παρέλθωμεν δὴ ἐν τῇ γῇ σου ἕως τοῦ τόπου ἡμῶν

And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, 'Let us pass, please, through your land as far as our place.'

Evidential narration: the request to Sihon the Amoriteκαὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ισραηλ ἀγγέλους πρὸς Σηων
The argument pivots to the Amorites. Israel made the same courteous request for passage (παρέλθωμεν δή) to Sihon, king of the Amorites at Heshbon, as it had to Edom and Moab. The triple identification (Σηων / βασιλέα τοῦ Αμορραίου / βασιλέα Εσεβων) carefully marks this as Amorite, not Moabite or Ammonite, territory — the basis for the claim that Israel's later possession was legitimate conquest of Amorite land.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀπέστειλενsentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (Israel's embassy to Sihon)→ constative aoristἀποστέλλω: see v. 12; the third embassy in the apologia, this time to the Amorite king.
ΙσραηλIsraelsubject (indeclinable)Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
ἀγγέλουςmessengersAccusativedirect object of ἀπέστειλενἄγγελος: see v. 12.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΣηωνSihonaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable proper noun)Σηων: transliteration of Hebrew סִיחוֹן; indeclinable; the Amorite king of Heshbon whose attack on Israel (v. 20) led to his defeat and the Israelite conquest of his land (Num 21:21–31), the historical basis of Jephthah's title-claim.
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative in apposition to Σηων ('king of the Amorites')βασιλεύς: see v. 12; here in apposition, identifying Sihon's office.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with Αμορραίου)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑμορραίουAmoriteGenitivegenitive of relationship ('king of the Amorite[s]')Αμορραῖος: 'Amorite'; a declinable gentilic noun (hence the article and genitive ending); renders Hebrew אֱמֹרִי; the collective singular 'the Amorite' for the Amorite nation; crucially NOT Moab or Ammon — the land Israel took was Amorite, the linchpin of the legal argument (cf. vv. 21, 22, 23).
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative in apposition (further specifying: 'king of Heshbon')βασιλεύς: the second appositional 'king,' now localizing his capital.
Εσεβωνof Heshbongenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'king of Heshbon')Εσεβων: transliteration of Hebrew חֶשְׁבּוֹן; indeclinable; Heshbon, Sihon's royal city in the Transjordan, the centre of the conquered Amorite kingdom (cf. v. 26).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing speech)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Israel's request to Sihon.
αὐτῷto himDativedative indirect object (Sihon)αὐτῷ: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ΙσραηλIsraelsubject of εἶπεν (indeclinable)Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
παρέλθωμενlet us passAor Act Subj 1 Pl · παρέρχομαιhortatory subjunctive (the request for passage)→ hortatory aorist subjunctive (polite request, softened by δή)παρέρχομαι (aor. subj. παρέλθωμεν): 'let us pass through'; cf. v. 17; the same courteous request for transit, now to Sihon; the verb of 'passing through' is central to the apologia.
δὴpleaseparticle of entreaty (softening the request)δή: see v. 17; renders נָא, marking the polite petition.
ἐνthroughpreposition + dative (route through)ἐν + dat.: 'through (your land)'; cf. v. 17.
τῇtheDativearticle (with γῇ)τῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῇlandDativedative of place ('through your land')γῆ: 'land'; again acknowledging Sihon's ownership ('YOUR land') in asking only for passage.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (Sihon's land)σου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ἕωςas far aspreposition + genitive (limit/goal of passage)ἕως: 'as far as, until'; marking the goal of the requested transit.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with τόπου)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τόπουplaceGenitivegenitive of limit ('as far as our place')τόπος: 'place, region'; renders מָקוֹם; 'our place' = the destination (Canaan/the inheritance) Israel sought to reach by passing through Amorite territory.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession (Israel's destination)ἡμῶν: 'our'; the destination as Israel's own appointed place — passage through Sihon's land was only a means, not a conquest aim.
20

καὶ οὐκ ἐνεπίστευσεν Σηων τῷ Ισραηλ παρελθεῖν ἐν ὁρίῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ συνῆξεν Σηων τὸν πάντα λαὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ παρενέβαλον εἰς Ιασα καὶ παρετάξατο πρὸς Ισραηλ

But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory, and Sihon gathered all his people and they encamped at Jahaz, and he made war against Israel.

Evidential narration: Sihon's refusal and unprovoked attackκαὶ οὐκ ἐνεπίστευσεν Σηων
Sihon goes beyond Edom's and Moab's mere refusal: he distrusts Israel, musters his whole army, encamps at Jahaz, and 'made war against Israel' (παρετάξατο πρὸς Ισραηλ). This unprovoked aggression is the legal turning-point — Israel did not seek Sihon's land but was attacked, and the war that followed was defensive, making the resulting conquest just.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
καὶbutcoordinate conjunction (adversative: 'but')καί: adversative ('but'), introducing Sihon's refusal.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἐνεπίστευσεν)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐνεπίστευσενtrustedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐμπιστεύωmain verb (Sihon's distrust/refusal)→ constative aorist (the refusal of trust)ἐμπιστεύω (aor. ἐνεπίστευσεν): 'entrust, trust, have confidence in'; here 'did not trust Israel (enough) to let it pass'; renders Hebrew לֹא־הֶאֱמִין; Sihon's distrust, not Israel's aggression, blocks the passage.
ΣηωνSihonsubject (indeclinable)Σηων: see v. 19.
τῷtheDativearticle (with Ισραηλ, dative object of trust)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙσραηλIsraeldative object of ἐνεπίστευσεν (indeclinable; 'trust Israel'; marked by article τῷ)Ισραηλ: see v. 5; here in dative function (the object of Sihon's distrust).
παρελθεῖνto pass throughAor Act Inf · παρέρχομαιcomplementary/epexegetic infinitive ('trust … to pass')→ aorist infinitive (the requested passage)παρέρχομαι (aor. inf. παρελθεῖν): see v. 17; the infinitive specifying what Sihon would not trust Israel to do — pass through his territory.
ἐνthrough / inpreposition + dative (route)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ὁρίῳterritoryDativedative object of ἐν ('through his territory')ὅριον: see v. 18; here singular, 'his (bordered) territory.'
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (Sihon's territory)αὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
συνῆξενgathered / musteredAor Act Indic 3 Sg · συνάγωmain verb (Sihon's mustering of his army)→ constative aorist (the muster)συνάγω (aor. συνῆξεν): 'gather together, assemble, muster'; renders אָסַף / קָבַץ; Sihon assembles his whole army for an offensive — escalating from refusal to aggression.
ΣηωνSihonsubject (indeclinable; repeated for clarity)Σηων: see v. 19.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with λαόν)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πάνταallAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying λαόν: 'all his people')πᾶς: 'all'; the totality of Sihon's forces underscores that he committed his whole nation to the attack — and thus lost it all (v. 21).
λαὸνpeopleAccusativedirect object of συνῆξεν (Sihon's army/people)λαός: 'people'; here Sihon's people as his fighting host.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
παρενέβαλονthey encampedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · παρεμβάλλωmain verb (Sihon's army encamps; plural by sense)→ constative aoristπαρεμβάλλω: see v. 18; here of Sihon's hostile encampment at Jahaz, mustering for battle.
εἰςat / topreposition + accusative (goal of encampment)εἰς + acc.: with the verb of encamping, 'at' (the destination of the muster).
ΙασαJahazaccusative of place (indeclinable: 'at Jahaz')Ιασα: transliteration of Hebrew יַהְצָה (Jahaz/Jahzah); indeclinable; the site of the decisive battle against Sihon (cf. Num 21:23; Deut 2:32).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
παρετάξατοhe made warAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · παρατάσσωmain verb (Sihon's offensive against Israel)→ constative aorist (opened battle)παρατάσσω (mid. παρετάξατο): see v. 5; Sihon 'arrayed for battle against Israel' — the unprovoked attack that justifies Israel's defensive war and subsequent conquest of Amorite land.
πρὸςagainstpreposition + accusative (adversative)πρός + acc.: 'against' (adversative); see v. 6.
ΙσραηλIsraelaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable)Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
21

καὶ παρέδωκεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ τὸν Σηων καὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν χειρὶ Ισραηλ καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτόν καὶ ἐκληρονόμησεν Ισραηλ τὴν πᾶσαν γῆν τοῦ Αμορραίου τοῦ κατοικοῦντος τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην

And the LORD, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and he struck him; and Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorite who dwelt in that land.

Evidential narration: the LORD's gift of victory and Israel's possession of Amorite landκαὶ παρέδωκεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ
The theological centre of the apologia: it was the LORD, the God of Israel, who gave Sihon into Israel's hand (παρέδωκεν … ἐν χειρὶ Ισραηλ — holy-war language echoing Jephthah's own condition in v. 9). Therefore Israel 'inherited' (ἐκληρονόμησεν) all the Amorite's land — by divine grant through just war, not by robbery of Ammon. The keyword κληρονομέω returns (cf. vv. 2, 23, 24).
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
παρέδωκενgave up / deliveredAor Act Indic 3 Sg · παραδίδωμιmain verb (the LORD's delivering of Sihon)→ constative aorist (the decisive divine act)παραδίδωμι (aor. παρέδωκεν): 'hand over, deliver into the hand of'; see v. 9; the holy-war formula παρέδωκεν … ἐν χειρί ('gave into the hand') makes YHWH the author of the victory and thus the guarantor of Israel's title to the land.
κύριοςthe LORDNominativesubject of παρέδωκενκύριος: rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; in the full title κύριος ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ ('the LORD, the God of Israel') it identifies the covenant God as the agent of the conquest — a pointed contrast to Chemos, Ammon's god (v. 24).
ὁtheNominativearticle (with θεός)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativeapposition to κύριος ('the LORD, the God of Israel')θεός: 'God'; renders אֱלֹהִים; in apposition to κύριος, with the genitive Ισραηλ identifying YHWH as Israel's covenant deity (cf. vv. 23, 24).
Ισραηλof Israelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'God of Israel')Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Σηων, marking the accusative object)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΣηωνSihonaccusative object of παρέδωκεν (indeclinable; marked by article τόν)Σηων: see v. 19.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
πάνταallAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying λαόν: 'all his people')πᾶς: 'all'; the whole army Sihon had mustered (v. 20) is given over — total defeat answering total aggression.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with λαόν)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαὸνpeopleAccusativesecond accusative object of παρέδωκεν (Sihon's army)λαός: see v. 20.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ἐνintopreposition + dative (in the holy-war idiom ἐν χειρί)ἐν + dat.: in the idiom ἐν χειρί ('into the hand of'), rendering בְּיַד; the standard expression for delivering an enemy into another's power.
χειρὶhandDativedative in the idiom ἐν χειρί ('into the hand of')χείρ: 'hand'; renders יָד; metonymy for power/control; cf. vv. 30, 32 (the Ammonites given into Jephthah's hand).
Ισραηλof Israelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'hand of Israel')Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπάταξενstruck / defeatedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πατάσσωmain verb (Israel's defeat of Sihon)→ constative aorist (the decisive blow)πατάσσω (aor. ἐπάταξεν): 'strike, smite, defeat'; renders נָכָה / הִכָּה; the standard verb for striking down an enemy in battle; cf. v. 33 (Jephthah strikes Ammon).
αὐτόνhimAccusativedirect object of ἐπάταξεν (Sihon)αὐτόν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐκληρονόμησενtook possession of / inheritedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · κληρονομέωmain verb (Israel's possession of Amorite land)→ constative aorist (the act of taking possession)κληρονομέω (aor. ἐκληρονόμησεν): 'inherit, take possession of, dispossess'; THE keyword of the chapter (cf. vv. 2, 23, 24); Israel 'inherited' all the Amorite's land — by divine grant through just war; the same verb denied to Jephthah by his brothers (v. 2) now grounds Israel's national title.
ΙσραηλIsraelsubject of ἐκληρονόμησεν (indeclinable)Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πᾶσανall / wholeAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying γῆν: 'all the land')πᾶς: 'all, whole'; the totality of the conquered Amorite territory — precisely the land Ammon now claims, but which was Amorite, not Ammonite.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of ἐκληρονόμησενγῆ: 'land'; the Amorite territory inherited by Israel.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with Αμορραίου)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑμορραίουAmoriteGenitivegenitive of relationship ('land of the Amorite')Αμορραῖος: see v. 19; the repeated insistence that the land is 'the Amorite's' is the legal crux — Israel took Amorite, not Ammonite, land.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with the participle κατοικοῦντος)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κατοικοῦντοςdwelling / who dweltPres Act Ptcp Gen Masc Sg · κατοικέωattributive participle (modifying Αμορραίου: 'the Amorite who dwelt')→ customary present participle (habitual dwelling)κατοικέω (pres. ptcp.): 'dwell, inhabit, reside'; renders יָשַׁב; the attributive participle 'who was dwelling in that land' specifies the Amorite as the prior inhabitant whom Israel dispossessed — establishing the chain of title.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of the participle κατοικοῦντος ('dwelling [in] that land')γῆ: 'land'; the territory the Amorite formerly inhabited.
ἐκείνηνthatAccusativedemonstrative adjective (modifying γῆν: 'that land')ἐκεῖνος: 'that'; the deictic 'that land' points back to the specific Amorite territory under dispute.
22

ἀπὸ Αρνων καὶ ἕως τοῦ Ιαβοκ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐρήμου ἕως τοῦ Ιορδάνου

from Arnon and as far as the Jabbok, and from the wilderness as far as the Jordan.

Evidential narration (continuation): the bounds of the inherited Amorite landἀπὸ Αρνων
A verbless boundary-formula completing v. 21: the inherited Amorite land ran from the Arnon to the Jabbok (south–north) and from the wilderness to the Jordan (east–west). These are exactly the bounds the king of Ammon claimed in v. 13 — Jephthah grants the geography but reassigns the title: the land was Amorite, taken justly, not Ammonite.
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (southern boundary-point)ἀπό: in the boundary-formula ἀπὸ … ἕως …; cf. vv. 13, 33.
ΑρνωνArnongenitive of source (indeclinable: 'from Arnon')Αρνων: see v. 13; the southern boundary of the inherited land.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἕωςas far aspreposition + genitive (northern boundary-point)ἕως: 'as far as'; the northern limit.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with Ιαβοκ)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙαβοκJabbokgenitive of limit (indeclinable, with article: 'as far as the Jabbok')Ιαβοκ: see v. 13; the Jabbok as the northern boundary; the article τοῦ accompanies the indeclinable river-name.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the second axis)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (eastern boundary-point)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with ἐρήμου)τῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐρήμουwildernessGenitivegenitive of source ('from the wilderness')ἔρημος: see v. 16; the eastern (desert) boundary of the inherited land.
ἕωςas far aspreposition + genitive (western boundary-point)ἕως: 'as far as'; the western limit.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with Ιορδάνου)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙορδάνουJordanGenitivegenitive of limit ('as far as the Jordan')Ιορδάνης (gen. Ιορδάνου): see v. 13; the Jordan as the western boundary, completing the four-sided delimitation of the Amorite land.
23

καὶ νῦν κύριος ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ ἐξῆρεν τὸν Αμορραῖον ἀπὸ προσώπου λαοῦ αὐτοῦ Ισραηλ καὶ σὺ κληρονομήσεις αὐτόν

And now the LORD, the God of Israel, has removed the Amorite from before his people Israel; and shall you take possession of him?

Argumentative inference: the LORD's dispossession of the Amorite grounds Israel's titleκαὶ νῦν κύριος ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ
καὶ νῦν ('and now') draws the legal conclusion from the history: since YHWH himself 'removed' (ἐξῆρεν) the Amorite before his people Israel, the land is Israel's by divine act. The final clause καὶ σὺ κληρονομήσεις αὐτόν is best read as an indignant rhetorical question — 'and shall YOU [Ammon] dispossess it?' — denying Ammon any standing to claim what the LORD gave Israel.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (with νῦν, inferential transition)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
νῦνnowtemporal/inferential adverb (drawing the conclusion)νῦν: 'now'; the idiom καὶ νῦν ('and now therefore') marks the transition from historical narration to legal conclusion; renders Hebrew וְעַתָּה.
κύριοςthe LORDNominativesubject of ἐξῆρενκύριος: rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the divine subject again named in full as κύριος ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ, stressing that the dispossession of the Amorite was YHWH's own act.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with θεός)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativeapposition to κύριοςθεός: see v. 21.
Ισραηλof Israelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'God of Israel')Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
ἐξῆρενremoved / dispossessedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξαίρωmain verb (the LORD's removal of the Amorite)→ constative aorist (the accomplished dispossession)ἐξαίρω (aor. ἐξῆρεν): 'remove, take away, drive out, destroy'; renders הוֹרִישׁ / הִשְׁמִיד; YHWH 'removed' the Amorite from before Israel — the divine basis of Israel's title; the same verb is used of YHWH's removals in v. 24.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Αμορραῖον)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΑμορραῖονAmoriteAccusativedirect object of ἐξῆρεν (the Amorite nation, collective)Αμορραῖος (acc. Αμορραῖον): see v. 19; the collective 'the Amorite,' object of YHWH's dispossession.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (in the Hebraism ἀπὸ προσώπου)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
προσώπουface / presenceGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό (Hebraism: 'from before')πρόσωπον: see v. 3; ἀπὸ προσώπου ('from before') renders מִפְּנֵי; YHWH removed the Amorite 'from before' his people; cf. v. 33.
λαοῦpeopleGenitivegenitive of relationship ('his people')λαός: see v. 11; 'his people Israel' — the covenant relationship undergirds the claim.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (YHWH's people)αὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ΙσραηλIsraelapposition to λαοῦ (indeclinable: 'his people Israel')Ισραηλ: see v. 5; in apposition, identifying 'his people.'
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the rhetorical question)καί: introduces the indignant rhetorical question — 'and (shall) YOU …?'
σὺyouNominativeemphatic subject pronoun (the king of Ammon)σύ: the emphatic 'you' (Ammon) set against κύριος — the absurdity of Ammon claiming what YHWH bestowed.
κληρονομήσειςwill you take possessionFut Act Indic 2 Sg · κληρονομέωmain verb (rhetorical-question future: 'shall you dispossess?')→ deliberative/indignant future (rhetorical question)κληρονομέω (fut. κληρονομήσεις): see vv. 2, 21; the keyword returns in an indignant rhetorical question — 'and will YOU take possession of it?' i.e. you have no right to dispossess what the LORD has granted Israel.
αὐτόνhim / itAccusativedirect object of κληρονομήσεις (the Amorite/his land)αὐτός: the object 'him/it' — the Amorite (and so his land) which Ammon would presume to claim.
24

οὐχὶ ἃ ἐὰν κληρονομήσει σε Χαμως ὁ θεός σου αὐτὰ κληρονομήσεις καὶ τοὺς πάντας οὓς ἐξῆρεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ἀπὸ προσώπου ἡμῶν αὐτοὺς κληρονομήσομεν

Will you not possess whatever Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever the LORD our God has removed from before us, those we will possess.

Argumentative analogy: each nation holds what its god grantsοὐχὶ ἃ ἐὰν κληρονομήσει σε Χαμως
Jephthah argues by parity (an argumentum ad hominem on theological premises): just as Ammon holds what its god Chemosh grants it, so Israel holds what YHWH grants. The fivefold play on κληρονομέω binds the argument together. (Historically Chemosh was Moab's deity; the LXX, like the Hebrew, here associates him with Ammon, perhaps reflecting overlapping Moabite-Ammonite claims to the contested Transjordan.)
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
οὐχὶwill you not?interrogative negative (expecting an affirmative answer)οὐχί: see v. 7; introduces a rhetorical question expecting 'yes' — 'do you not (rightly) possess whatever Chemosh gives you?'
ἃwhatever / the things whichAccusativerelative pronoun (neuter pl., object of κληρονομήσει; antecedent to αὐτά)ὅς (n. pl. ἅ): relative pronoun 'the things which, whatever'; the indefinite relative clause ('whatever Chemosh gives') with the resumptive αὐτά is a Hebraistic construction (Hebrew את אשר … אֹתָם).
ἐὰνeverparticle generalizing the relative (ἃ ἐάν = 'whatever')ἐάν: here the indefinite particle (= ἄν) generalizing the relative ἅ ('whatever'); with the subjunctive/future indicating a contingent grant.
κληρονομήσειgives to possess / causes to inheritFut Act Indic 3 Sg · κληρονομέωverb of the relative clause (Chemosh's granting)→ gnomic/contingent future (what the god customarily grants)κληρονομέω (fut.): here in a causative/transitive sense, 'cause (you) to inherit, give (you) to possess' (with double accusative σε … ἅ); the LXX uses the same verb for both granting and possessing, intensifying the wordplay; renders the Hiphil of יָרַשׁ.
σεyouAccusativeaccusative object of the causative κληρονομήσει ('cause YOU to inherit')σύ (acc. σε): the personal object of the causative — Chemosh causes 'you' (Ammon) to possess.
ΧαμωςChemoshsubject of κληρονομήσει (indeclinable divine name)Χαμως: transliteration of Hebrew כְּמוֹשׁ (Chemosh); indeclinable; the national god (historically of Moab; here associated with Ammon); set in deliberate parallel/contrast with κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν — Jephthah grants Ammon's theology only to defeat its claim by parity.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with θεός)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόςgodNominativeapposition to Χαμως ('Chemosh your god')θεός: here 'god' of the nation (a pagan deity), in apposition to Chemosh; the lowercase sense contrasts with κύριος ὁ θεός of Israel.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship ('your god')σου: 'your'; Chemosh is Ammon's god — the parity argument turns on each nation's own deity.
αὐτὰthose things / themAccusativeresumptive pronoun (object of κληρονομήσεις, resuming ἅ)αὐτός (n. pl. αὐτά): the resumptive 'those (very) things,' picking up the relative ἅ — a Hebraistic pleonasm (cf. the resumptive pronoun after a relative).
κληρονομήσειςyou shall possessFut Act Indic 2 Sg · κληρονομέωmain verb of the apodosis ('those you will possess')→ predictive future (the conceded right of Ammon)κληρονομέω (fut. κληρονομήσεις): see v. 21; Jephthah concedes Ammon's right to hold what Chemosh grants — to establish the symmetrical claim for Israel.
καὶand / socoordinate conjunction (drawing the parallel for Israel)καί: 'and so,' introducing the parallel application to Israel.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with πάντας)τοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πάνταςallAccusativesubstantival adjective (object of κληρονομήσομεν, antecedent of οὕς)πᾶς (acc. pl. πάντας): 'all (of them)'; the masculine plural refers to all the peoples/nations YHWH dispossessed before Israel.
οὓςwhomAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἐξῆρεν)ὅς (acc. pl. οὕς): relative 'whom'; introduces the clause naming those YHWH removed.
ἐξῆρενremovedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξαίρωverb of the relative clause (YHWH's dispossession)→ constative aoristἐξαίρω (aor. ἐξῆρεν): see v. 23; YHWH's removal of the nations before Israel parallels Chemosh's supposed grants to Ammon.
κύριοςthe LORDNominativesubject of ἐξῆρενκύριος: rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; in κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ('the LORD our God'), set in pointed parallel to Χαμως ὁ θεός σου ('Chemosh your god').
ὁtheNominativearticle (with θεός)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativeapposition to κύριος ('the LORD our God')θεός: see v. 21; 'our God' answers 'your god' (Chemosh) in the parity argument.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of relationship ('our God')ἡμῶν: 'our'; the possessive answering Ammon's σου, completing the symmetry.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (in the Hebraism ἀπὸ προσώπου)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
προσώπουface / presenceGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό (Hebraism: 'from before')πρόσωπον: see vv. 3, 23; ἀπὸ προσώπου ἡμῶν ('from before us').
ἡμῶνusGenitivegenitive (the ones before whom YHWH removed the nations)ἡμῶν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativeresumptive pronoun (object of κληρονομήσομεν, resuming οὕς)αὐτός (acc. pl. αὐτούς): the resumptive 'them,' picking up the relative οὕς — again the Hebraistic resumptive pronoun.
κληρονομήσομενwe will possessFut Act Indic 1 Pl · κληρονομέωmain verb (Israel's claim, parallel to Ammon's)→ predictive/assertive future (Israel's title affirmed)κληρονομέω (fut. κληρονομήσομεν): see v. 21; the climactic first-person plural — 'we (Israel) will possess' what our God has given; the fifth occurrence of the verb in two verses seals the parity argument.
25

καὶ νῦν μὴ ἐν ἀγαθῷ ἀγαθώτερος σὺ ὑπὲρ Βαλακ υἱὸν Σεπφωρ βασιλέα Μωαβ μὴ μαχόμενος ἐμαχέσατο μετὰ Ισραηλ ἢ πολεμῶν ἐπολέμησεν αὐτόν

And now, are you really any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever contend at all with Israel, or did he ever make war against him?

Argument from precedent: even Balak of Moab never pressed the claimκαὶ νῦν μὴ ἐν ἀγαθῷ ἀγαθώτερος σὺ
Jephthah appeals to historical precedent: even Balak, king of Moab — who had every reason to contest the territory — never went to war over it. Two emphatic cognate constructions (μὴ μαχόμενος ἐμαχέσατο; πολεμῶν ἐπολέμησεν) render the Hebrew infinitive-absolute, intensifying the rhetorical questions: 'did he ever so much as quarrel … or fight?' The implied answer is no — so Ammon's belated war is unjustified.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (with νῦν, inferential transition)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
νῦνnowtemporal/inferential adverbνῦν: see v. 23; introduces the argument from precedent.
μὴsurely not?interrogative particle (introducing a question expecting 'no')μή: the interrogative μή introduces a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer ('you are surely not better …?'); renders the Hebrew interrogative; deflates Ammon's pretension.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (in the intensifying idiom ἐν ἀγαθῷ ἀγαθώτερος)ἐν + dat.: in the Hebraistic intensifying phrase ἐν ἀγαθῷ ἀγαθώτερος ('better in goodness' = 'really any better'), a calque emphasizing the comparison.
ἀγαθῷgoodDativedative of respect (intensifying the comparative)ἀγαθός: 'good'; the dative ἐν ἀγαθῷ with the comparative ἀγαθώτερος is a Hebraistic intensification ('really/at all better'), echoing the figura etymologica style of the verse.
ἀγαθώτεροςbetterNominativepredicate comparative adjective ('better than Balak')ἀγαθός (compar. ἀγαθώτερος): 'better'; the (irregular Koine) comparative; 'are you any better than Balak?' — Jephthah denies Ammon any superior right or claim over Moab's former king.
σὺyouNominativeemphatic subject pronoun (the king of Ammon)σύ: the emphatic 'you' — Ammon set against the precedent of Balak.
ὑπὲρthan / beyondpreposition + accusative (comparison: 'than')ὑπέρ + acc.: 'beyond, more than'; the comparative 'than' after ἀγαθώτερος (a Hebraistic comparison with מִן rendered by ὑπέρ).
ΒαλακBalakaccusative object of ὑπέρ (indeclinable proper noun)Βαλακ: transliteration of Hebrew בָּלָק; indeclinable; Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab in the Balaam episode (Num 22–24); though hostile to Israel, he never made war over the territory — the historical precedent Jephthah invokes.
υἱὸνsonAccusativeaccusative in apposition to Βαλακ ('son of Zippor')υἱός: 'son'; in the patronymic apposition identifying Balak.
Σεπφωρof Zipporgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'son of Zippor')Σεπφωρ: transliteration of Hebrew צִפּוֹר (Zippor); indeclinable; Balak's father (cf. Num 22:2).
βασιλέαkingAccusativeaccusative in apposition to Βαλακ ('king of Moab')βασιλεύς: see v. 12; identifying Balak's office.
Μωαβof Moabgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'king of Moab')Μωαβ: see v. 15.
μὴdid he ever?interrogative particle (second rhetorical question expecting 'no')μή: introduces the second rhetorical question ('did he ever actually contend …?'), again expecting a negative answer.
μαχόμενοςcontendingPres Mid Ptcp Nom Masc Sg · μάχομαιparticiple in the cognate intensifying construction (μαχόμενος ἐμαχέσατο)→ intensifying participle (Hebraism: infinitive absolute)μάχομαι (pres. ptcp.): 'fight, contend, quarrel'; the cognate participle + finite verb (μαχόμενος ἐμαχέσατο) renders the Hebrew infinitive absolute (רוֹב רָב), intensifying: 'did he ever really contend at all?'
ἐμαχέσατοdid he contendAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · μάχομαιmain verb of the rhetorical question (with cognate participle)→ constative aorist in a rhetorical question (implied 'no')μάχομαι (aor. ἐμαχέσατο): 'contend, quarrel, strive'; the finite verb of the cognate construction; 'did Balak ever truly contend with Israel?' — answer: no.
μετὰwith / againstpreposition + genitive (here adversative: 'against')μετά + gen.: with verbs of contending, 'against' (Hebraism); see v. 5.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive object of μετά (indeclinable)Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
ἢordisjunctive conjunction (joining the two rhetorical questions)ἤ: 'or'; joins the second cognate question (war) to the first (contention).
πολεμῶνwarringPres Act Ptcp Nom Masc Sg · πολεμέωparticiple in the cognate intensifying construction (πολεμῶν ἐπολέμησεν)→ intensifying participle (Hebraism: infinitive absolute)πολεμέω (pres. ptcp.): 'make war, fight'; the cognate participle + finite verb renders the Hebrew infinitive absolute (נִלְחֹם נִלְחַם), intensifying: 'did he ever actually wage war?'
ἐπολέμησενdid he make warAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πολεμέωmain verb of the second rhetorical question (with cognate participle)→ constative aorist in a rhetorical question (implied 'no')πολεμέω (aor. ἐπολέμησεν): 'make war, fight'; renders לָחַם; 'did Balak ever wage war against Israel?' — the implied answer is no, so Ammon has even less ground for war.
αὐτόνhimAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπολέμησεν (Israel)αὐτός: 'him' (Israel as the collective object of the [non-]war).
26

ἐν τῷ οἰκῆσαι ἐν Εσεβων καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς καὶ ἐν γῇ Αροηρ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς καὶ ἐν πάσαις ταῖς πόλεσιν ταῖς παρὰ τὸν Ιορδάνην τριακόσια ἔτη καὶ διὰ τί οὐκ ἐρρύσω αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ

While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and in its territory, and in the land of Aroer and in its territory, and in all the cities along the Jordan, three hundred years — why did you not recover them in that time?

Argument from prescription: 300 years of unchallenged possessionἐν τῷ οἰκῆσαι ἐν Εσεβων
The decisive argument from long possession (a kind of prescriptive title): Israel has dwelt in Heshbon, Aroer, and the Jordan-cities for three hundred years. The temporal articular infinitive ἐν τῷ οἰκῆσαι frames the long tenure, and the rhetorical question διὰ τί οὐκ ἐρρύσω … ('why did you not recover them?') exposes the lateness — and thus the bad faith — of Ammon's claim: three centuries of silence forfeit any right to sudden war.
Word-by-word analysis· 40 words
ἐνwhilepreposition + dative (temporal, with articular infinitive)ἐν + dat. articular infinitive: temporal 'while, during'; see vv. 13, 16; here framing the 300-year tenure.
τῷtheDativearticle with the articular infinitive (ἐν τῷ οἰκῆσαι)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἰκῆσαιdwellingAor Act Inf · οἰκέωarticular infinitive (temporal: 'while [Israel] dwelt')→ constative aorist infinitive (the whole period of occupation)οἰκέω (aor. inf. οἰκῆσαι): 'dwell, inhabit'; cf. vv. 3, 8; the articular infinitive marks the long stretch of Israelite habitation — the basis of the prescriptive argument.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΕσεβωνHeshbondative of place (indeclinable: 'in Heshbon')Εσεβων: see v. 19; Sihon's former capital, now long held by Israel.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοῖςtheDativearticle (with ὁρίοις)τοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὁρίοιςterritoryDativedative of place ('in its territory')ὅριον: see v. 18; the dependent territory/villages of Heshbon.
αὐτῆςitsGenitivegenitive of possession (Heshbon's territory)αὐτός (gen. f. αὐτῆς): 'its' (referring to the feminine πόλις/Heshbon understood).
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
γῇlandDativedative of place ('in the land of Aroer')γῆ: 'land'; with the place-name Aroer.
ΑροηρAroergenitive of location (indeclinable: 'land of Aroer')Αροηρ: transliteration of Hebrew עֲרוֹעֵר (Aroer); indeclinable; a town on the Arnon marking the southern edge of the Israelite Transjordan (cf. v. 33; Deut 2:36).
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τοῖςtheDativearticle (with ὁρίοις)τοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὁρίοιςterritoryDativedative of place ('in its territory')ὅριον: see v. 18; the dependent territory of Aroer.
αὐτῆςitsGenitivegenitive of possession (Aroer's territory)αὐτῆς: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
πάσαιςallDativeattributive adjective (modifying πόλεσιν: 'all the cities')πᾶς (dat. f. pl. πάσαις): 'all'; the totality of the Jordan-cities under long Israelite occupation.
ταῖςtheDativearticle (with πόλεσιν)ταῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεσινcitiesDativedative of place ('in all the cities')πόλις (dat. pl. πόλεσιν): 'city'; renders עִיר; the settlements along the Jordan held by Israel for three centuries (cf. the 'twenty cities' struck in v. 33).
ταῖςtheDativearticle (attributive, with παρὰ τὸν Ιορδάνην)ταῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παρὰalong / besidepreposition + accusative (position: 'alongside')παρά + acc.: 'beside, along'; 'the cities along the Jordan,' locating the territory.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Ιορδάνην)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙορδάνηνJordanAccusativeaccusative object of παρά ('along the Jordan')Ιορδάνης (acc. Ιορδάνην): see v. 13; the river along which the cities lay.
τριακόσιαthree hundredAccusativenumeral adjective (accusative of duration, modifying ἔτη)τριακόσιοι: 'three hundred'; the round number for the whole period since the conquest of the Transjordan — the chronological backbone of the prescriptive argument; renders שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת.
ἔτηyearsAccusativeaccusative of duration ('for three hundred years')ἔτος (pl. ἔτη): 'year'; the accusative of extent of time; 'three hundred years' of unchallenged Israelite tenure.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the rhetorical question)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
διὰfor / because ofpreposition + accusative (in the interrogative διὰ τί)διὰ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τίwhat / whyAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (in διὰ τί, 'why?')τίς, τί: see v. 7; διὰ τί ('why?') introduces the climactic rhetorical question of the apologia.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἐρρύσω)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐρρύσωdid you recover / rescueAor Mid Indic 2 Sg · ῥύομαιmain verb of the rhetorical question (Ammon's failure to reclaim)→ constative aorist (the failure to act over 300 years)ῥύομαι (aor. mid. ἐρρύσω): 'rescue, deliver, recover, reclaim'; renders הִצִּיל; 'why did you not recover them in that time?' — the long inaction undercuts Ammon's present claim; the verb usually means 'deliver/rescue' but here 'recover/reclaim (the territory).'
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativedirect object of ἐρρύσω (the cities/territories)αὐτός: 'them' — the cities/lands Ammon now belatedly claims.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (temporal)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῷtheDativearticle (with καιρῷ)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καιρῷtimeDativedative of time ('in that time')καιρός: 'time, appointed time, season'; renders עֵת; 'in that time' = during the three centuries when a claim, if valid, should have been pressed.
ἐκείνῳthatDativedemonstrative adjective (modifying καιρῷ: 'that time')ἐκεῖνος: 'that'; the deictic pointing back to the long period of Israelite occupation.
27

καὶ νῦν ἐγώ εἰμι οὐχ ἥμαρτόν σοι καὶ σὺ ποιεῖς μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ πονηρίαν τοῦ παρατάξασθαι ἐν ἐμοί κρίναι κύριος κρίνων σήμερον ἀνὰ μέσον υἱῶν Ισραηλ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον υἱῶν Αμμων

And now I have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong in making war against me. May the LORD, the Judge, judge this day between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.

Peroration: appeal to the LORD as Judgeκαὶ νῦν ἐγώ εἰμι οὐχ ἥμαρτόν σοι
Jephthah's closing peroration: he declares his innocence (οὐχ ἥμαρτόν σοι) and indicts Ammon's aggression as πονηρία ('evil, wrongdoing'), then commits the case to the divine tribunal. The cognate phrase κρίναι κύριος κρίνων ('may the LORD the Judge judge') renders the Hebrew intensive and invokes YHWH as arbiter 'between' the two peoples (ἀνὰ μέσον … ἀνὰ μέσον), echoing the oath-witness of v. 10.
Word-by-word analysis· 30 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (with νῦν)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
νῦνnowtemporal/inferential adverb (transition to peroration)νῦν: see v. 23; introduces the concluding declaration.
ἐγώINominativeemphatic subject pronounἐγώ: emphatic 'I'; in the construction ἐγώ εἰμι (lit. 'I am') used as an emphatic 'as for me' — a Hebraism (אָנֹכִי) fronting the speaker before the assertion of innocence.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula in the emphatic self-reference (ἐγώ εἰμι)→ stative present (emphatic self-assertion)εἰμί (pres. εἰμι): in ἐγώ εἰμι the verb reinforces the emphatic pronoun, a Hebraistic way of fronting the subject ('I, for my part …'); cf. the same idiom in v. 35, 37.
οὐχnotnegative particle (with ἥμαρτόν)οὐχ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἥμαρτόνI have sinnedAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ἁμαρτάνωmain verb (Jephthah's declaration of innocence)→ constative aorist (the denied offense)ἁμαρτάνω (aor. ἥμαρτον): 'sin, do wrong, offend against'; renders חָטָא; Jephthah denies any wrong done to Ammon — the accent on the final syllable (ἥμαρτόν σοι) reflects the following enclitic σοι.
σοιagainst youDativedative of disadvantage ('sinned against you'; enclitic)σύ (dat. σοι): the dative of the person wronged; 'I have not sinned against you.'
καὶbutcoordinate conjunction (here adversative: 'but')καί: adversative ('but'), contrasting Jephthah's innocence with Ammon's wrongdoing.
σὺyouNominativeemphatic subject pronoun (the king of Ammon)σύ: the emphatic 'you' set against ἐγώ — 'I … but YOU.'
ποιεῖςyou are doingPres Act Indic 2 Sg · ποιέωmain verb (Ammon's present wrongdoing)→ progressive present (the ongoing offense)ποιέω: 'do, commit'; see v. 10; the present tense marks Ammon's wrongdoing as currently underway — making war is the very act of πονηρία.
μετ᾿with / topreposition + genitive (here 'against/toward me'; elided)μετά + gen.: in ποιεῖν … μετά ('do [evil] with/toward'), a Hebraism (עָשָׂה עִם) for acting wrongly toward someone.
ἐμοῦmeGenitivegenitive object of μετ᾿ (emphatic form)ἐγώ (gen. ἐμοῦ): the accented form; 'wrong toward ME.'
πονηρίανevil / wrongAccusativedirect object of ποιεῖς ('doing evil/wrong')πονηρία: 'wickedness, evil, wrongdoing'; renders רָעָה; the legal characterization of Ammon's aggression as a moral wrong, not a just claim.
τοῦin / byGenitivearticle with the articular infinitive (epexegetic: τοῦ παρατάξασθαι)ὁ (gen. τοῦ): forming the epexegetic articular infinitive τοῦ παρατάξασθαι ('in/by making war'), specifying wherein the πονηρία consists.
παρατάξασθαιto make warAor Mid Inf · παρατάσσωarticular infinitive (epexegetic of πονηρίαν: the wrong = making war)→ aorist infinitive (defining the wrongdoing)παρατάσσω (aor. mid. inf.): see v. 5; the epexegetic infinitive identifies Ammon's wrong precisely as waging war on Jephthah.
ἐνagainstpreposition + dative (adversative Hebraism: 'against')ἐν + dat.: with the war-verb, 'against' (Hebraism); see v. 9.
ἐμοίmeDativedative object of ἐν ('against me'; emphatic form)ἐγώ (dat. ἐμοί): the accented form, object of the war directed 'against me.'
κρίναιmay he judgeAor Act Opt 3 Sg · κρίνωmain verb (optative of wish; with cognate κρίνων)→ optative of wish (invocation of divine judgment)κρίνω (aor. opt. κρίναι): 'judge, decide, arbitrate'; the optative of wish 'may (the LORD) judge'; with the cognate participle κρίνων it renders the Hebrew intensive (יִשְׁפֹּט … הַשֹּׁפֵט), invoking YHWH as the supreme arbiter between the nations.
κύριοςthe LORDNominativesubject of κρίναικύριος: rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; invoked as the divine judge to settle the dispute — the same LORD who was called as oath-witness in v. 10.
κρίνωνthe JudgePres Act Ptcp Nom Masc Sg · κρίνωsubstantival/cognate participle (in apposition to κύριος: 'the LORD the Judge')→ durative present participle (the one who judges; cognate intensification)κρίνω (pres. ptcp. κρίνων): 'the one judging, the Judge'; the cognate participle with κρίναι intensifies ('may the Judge judge'), a Hebraism; in the Book of Judges the title resonates with the κριταί (judges) theme — YHWH himself is the ultimate κριτής.
σήμερονtodaytemporal adverb ('this day')σήμερον: 'today, this day'; renders הַיּוֹם; the case is to be decided 'today' — by the imminent battle as divine verdict.
ἀνὰbetweenpreposition (in the idiom ἀνὰ μέσον)ἀνὰ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
μέσονthe midstAccusativeaccusative in the idiom ἀνὰ μέσον ('between')μέσος: see v. 10; ἀνὰ μέσον … καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον ('between … and between') is the standard LXX rendering of בֵּין … וּבֵין for parties in a dispute.
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive (the first party: 'sons of Israel')υἱός: 'sons of Israel,' the covenant people.
Ισραηλof Israelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the two parties)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀνὰbetweenpreposition (in the idiom ἀνὰ μέσον)ἀνὰ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
μέσονthe midstAccusativeaccusative in the idiom ἀνὰ μέσον (second party)μέσος: see v. 10.
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive (the second party: 'sons of Ammon')υἱός: see v. 5.
Αμμωνof Ammongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
28

καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσεν βασιλεὺς υἱῶν Αμμων τῶν λόγων Ιεφθαε ὧν ἀπέστειλεν πρὸς αὐτόν

But the king of the sons of Ammon did not listen to the words of Jephthah which he had sent to him.

Narrative closure of the diplomatic unit: the king's refusalκαὶ οὐκ ἤκουσεν βασιλεὺς υἱῶν Αμμων
The diplomatic section closes as it must: the king 'did not listen' (οὐκ ἤκουσεν), the same verb-with-negation that marked Edom's and Moab's refusals (v. 17). The failure of the word now opens the way for the sword — the Spirit-empowered campaign of vv. 29–33. The whole apologia is thus framed as exhausted diplomacy, vindicating the war that follows.
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
καὶbutcoordinate conjunction (here adversative: 'but')καί: adversative ('but'); introduces the king's refusal that ends diplomacy.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἤκουσεν)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἤκουσενlistened / heededAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀκούωmain verb (the king's refusal)→ constative aorist (the decisive refusal)ἀκούω (aor. ἤκουσεν): see v. 17; 'did not listen/heed' — the same phrase as Edom's refusal (v. 17), framing the apologia between two refusals to 'hear'; ironically the LORD was invoked as the one 'hearing' (ἀκούων, v. 10), but the king will not hear.
βασιλεὺςkingNominativesubject of ἤκουσενβασιλεύς: see v. 12; the king of Ammon, who rejects Jephthah's case.
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive of relationship ('king of the sons of Ammon')υἱός: see v. 5.
Αμμωνof Ammongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with λόγων)τῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λόγωνwordsGenitivegenitive object of ἤκουσεν ('did not heed the words')λόγος: see v. 11; ἀκούω + genitive ('listen to the words'); the 'words of Jephthah' = the whole diplomatic apologia of vv. 14–27.
Ιεφθαεof Jephthahgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'words of Jephthah')Ιεφθαε: see v. 1.
ὧνwhichGenitiverelative pronoun (genitive by attraction to λόγων; object of ἀπέστειλεν)ὅς (gen. pl. ὧν): the relative 'which,' attracted into the genitive of its antecedent λόγων (relative attraction, common in Greek and the LXX); refers to the words/message sent.
ἀπέστειλενhe had sentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωverb of the relative clause (Jephthah's sending of the message)→ constative aorist (the completed sending)ἀποστέλλω: see v. 12; the message Jephthah had dispatched to the king, now rejected.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτόνhimAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (the king)αὐτός: 'him' — the king of Ammon, recipient of the rejected message.
29

καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ Ιεφθαε πνεῦμα κυρίου καὶ παρῆλθεν τὸν Γαλααδ καὶ τὸν Μανασση καὶ παρῆλθεν τὴν σκοπιὰν Γαλααδ εἰς τὸ πέραν υἱῶν Αμμων

And the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through the watchtower of Gilead to the region beyond the sons of Ammon.

New scene (divine empowerment): the Spirit comes upon Jephthahκαὶ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ Ιεφθαε πνεῦμα κυρίου
The narrative-frame formula καὶ ἐγένετο introduces the decisive turn: the Spirit of the LORD comes upon Jephthah (the recurring judge-empowerment motif, cf. 3:10; 6:34; 14:6). The threefold movement (παρῆλθεν … παρῆλθεν) sweeps him through Gilead, Manasseh, and the watchtower of Gilead toward Ammon. Strikingly, the Spirit's coming immediately precedes — but does not prevent — the rash vow of vv. 30–31.
Word-by-word analysis· 23 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (with ἐγένετο, scene-opener)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐγένετοcame / came to beAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (the Spirit's coming upon Jephthah)→ ingressive aorist (the Spirit's onset)γίνομαι (aor. ἐγένετο): 'come to be, come upon'; in ἐγένετο ἐπί + acc. ('came upon'), the idiom for the Spirit seizing a judge; renders Hebrew וַתְּהִי עַל; cf. the same formula at vv. 5, 35, 39 in other senses.
ἐπὶuponpreposition + accusative (the recipient of the Spirit)ἐπί + acc.: 'upon'; in the Spirit-empowerment idiom 'the Spirit came upon (him).'
ΙεφθαεJephthahaccusative object of ἐπί (indeclinable)Ιεφθαε: see v. 1.
πνεῦμαSpiritNominativesubject of ἐγένετοπνεῦμα: 'spirit, breath, wind'; renders רוּחַ; πνεῦμα κυρίου ('the Spirit of the LORD') is the divine empowerment that makes a deliverer in Judges (3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14).
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of source/possession ('Spirit of the LORD')κύριος (gen. κυρίου): rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; 'the Spirit of the LORD' — the divine power authorizing and equipping Jephthah for the deliverance.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
παρῆλθενpassed throughAor Act Indic 3 Sg · παρέρχομαιmain verb (Jephthah's sweep through the territories)→ constative aorist (the rapid traverse)παρέρχομαι (aor. παρῆλθεν): 'pass by, pass through, traverse'; cf. vv. 17, 19; here of Jephthah's Spirit-driven march mustering the tribes; the same verb of crossing to attack Ammon in v. 32.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Γαλααδ, marking the accusative)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΓαλααδGileadaccusative of extent/place (indeclinable; marked by article τόν)Γαλααδ: see v. 1; here the region traversed (the article marks the indeclinable as accusative object of motion).
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Μανασση)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΜανασσηManassehaccusative of extent/place (indeclinable; marked by article τόν)Μανασση: transliteration of Hebrew מְנַשֶּׁה (Manasseh); indeclinable; the half-tribe of Manasseh in the Transjordan, mustered alongside Gilead for the campaign.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
παρῆλθενpassed throughAor Act Indic 3 Sg · παρέρχομαιmain verb (the second movement of the sweep)→ constative aoristπαρέρχομαι: see above; the repeated verb traces the advance from the muster-grounds toward the front.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with σκοπιάν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σκοπιὰνwatchtower / lookoutAccusativedirect object of παρῆλθεν ('passed through the watchtower')σκοπιά: 'lookout, watchtower, height'; renders the Hebrew מִצְפֵּה גִלְעָד ('Mizpeh of Gilead'); the LXX here translates rather than transliterates the place-name, yielding 'the watchtower of Gilead' (cf. Μασσηφα in v. 11, 34, where it is transliterated).
Γαλααδof Gileadgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'watchtower of Gilead')Γαλααδ: see v. 1.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal/direction)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (substantivizing πέραν)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πέρανregion beyondsubstantivized adverb (object of εἰς: 'to the far side')πέραν: see v. 18; with the article (τὸ πέραν) substantivized, 'the far side, the region beyond'; 'beyond the sons of Ammon' = toward the Ammonite frontier where battle would be joined.
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive of relationship ('beyond the sons of Ammon')υἱός: see v. 5.
Αμμωνof Ammongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
30

καὶ ηὔξατο Ιεφθαε εὐχὴν τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ εἶπεν ἐὰν διδοὺς δῷς τοὺς υἱοὺς Αμμων ἐν τῇ χειρί μου

And Jephthah vowed a vow to the LORD and said, 'If you indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand,'

The rash vow (protasis): Jephthah's conditional vow to the LORDκαὶ ηὔξατο Ιεφθαε εὐχὴν τῷ κυρίῳ
The tragic hinge of the chapter. The cognate phrase ηὔξατο … εὐχήν ('vowed a vow') is a Hebraism (נָדַר נֶדֶר). The protasis is intensified by the cognate-participle construction διδοὺς δῷς ('if giving you give' = 'if you surely give'), rendering the Hebrew infinitive absolute, and echoes Jephthah's pious condition of v. 9 — but now it sets up the fatal counter-gift of v. 31.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ηὔξατοvowedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · εὔχομαιmain verb (with cognate object εὐχήν)→ constative aorist (the act of vowing)εὔχομαι (aor. ηὔξατο): 'vow, pray'; the cognate construction ηὔξατο … εὐχήν ('vowed a vow') renders the Hebrew נָדַר נֶדֶר; the same root recurs at v. 39 (ἣν ηὔξατο); the vow is the engine of the tragedy.
ΙεφθαεJephthahsubject (indeclinable)Ιεφθαε: see v. 1; ironically 'he-opens,' here opening his mouth in a vow that will cost him his child.
εὐχὴνa vowAccusativecognate accusative (object of ηὔξατο: 'vowed a vow')εὐχή: 'vow, prayer'; renders נֶדֶר; the cognate accusative; the εὐχή here is a votive offering conditional on victory — a binding, irrevocable pledge (cf. Num 30; Deut 23:21–23) that Jephthah will feel unable to retract (v. 35).
τῷto theDativearticle (with κυρίῳ)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίῳLORDDativedative indirect object (the recipient of the vow)κύριος (dat. κυρίῳ): rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the vow is made 'to the LORD' — its sacral object is what makes Jephthah regard it as unbreakable.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing the words of the vow)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction of the vow's content)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the words of the vow.
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (introducing the protasis of the vow)ἐάν: 'if'; with the subjunctive introduces the condition on which the vow turns; renders אִם.
διδοὺςgivingPres Act Ptcp Nom Masc Sg · δίδωμιparticiple in the cognate intensifying construction (διδοὺς δῷς)→ intensifying participle (Hebraism: infinitive absolute)δίδωμι (pres. ptcp. διδούς): 'give'; the cognate participle + subjunctive (διδοὺς δῷς) renders the Hebrew infinitive absolute (נָתֹן תִּתֵּן), intensifying: 'if you indeed/surely give'; the same construction-type as v. 25.
δῷςyou giveAor Act Subj 2 Sg · δίδωμιverb of the protasis (with cognate participle: 'surely give')→ prospective aorist subjunctive (the contingent divine gift of victory)δίδωμι (aor. subj. δῷς): 'give'; the finite verb of the cognate construction; 'if you surely give the sons of Ammon into my hand' — the requested victory that triggers the vow's obligation.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with υἱούς)τοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὺςsonsAccusativedirect object of δῷς ('give the sons of Ammon')υἱός: 'sons of Ammon,' see v. 5; the object of the requested divine gift.
Αμμωνof Ammongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
ἐνintopreposition + dative (in the idiom ἐν τῇ χειρί)ἐν + dat.: in the idiom ἐν χειρί ('into the hand of'); see v. 21.
τῇtheDativearticle (with χειρί)τῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
χειρίhandDativedative in the idiom ἐν τῇ χειρί ('into my hand')χείρ: 'hand'; see v. 21; metonymy for power — victory 'into my hand'; fulfilled in v. 32 (ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ).
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my hand')μου: 'my'; the victory is sought for Jephthah's own hand — the very hand that will have to carry out the vow.
31

καὶ ἔσται ὁ ἐκπορευόμενος ὃς ἐὰν ἐξέλθῃ ἀπὸ τῆς θύρας τοῦ οἴκου μου εἰς συνάντησίν μου ἐν τῷ ἐπιστρέφειν με ἐν εἰρήνῃ ἀπὸ υἱῶν Αμμων καὶ ἔσται τῷ κυρίῳ ἀνοίσω αὐτὸν ὁλοκαύτωμα

then it shall be that the one coming out, whoever comes out from the door of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, shall belong to the LORD, and I will offer him up as a whole burnt-offering.

The rash vow (apodosis): the fatal pledge of a burnt-offeringκαὶ ἔσται ὁ ἐκπορευόμενος
The apodosis of the vow, and the chapter's tragic crux. The indefinite ὁ ἐκπορευόμενος ὃς ἐὰν ἐξέλθῃ ('the one coming out, whoever comes out') leaves the victim unspecified — and so dooms whoever first emerges. The double ἔσται frames the pledge: the one who comes out 'shall be the LORD's,' and 'I will offer him up (ἀνοίσω) as a ὁλοκαύτωμα (whole burnt-offering).' The masculine αὐτόν makes the catastrophe of the daughter (v. 34) all the more cruel.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandapodotic conjunction (introducing the apodosis of the vow)καί: apodotic ('then'), introducing the consequence of the condition in v. 30 — a Hebraism (apodosis-waw).
ἔσταιit shall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (the apodosis-frame: 'and it shall be that …')→ predictive future (the framing 'it shall come to pass')εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): in καὶ ἔσται ('and it shall be/come to pass'), the macro-syntactic frame rendering וְהָיָה, introducing the content of the pledge.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with the substantival participle ἐκπορευόμενος)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐκπορευόμενοςthe one coming outPres Mid Ptcp Nom Masc Sg · ἐκπορεύομαιsubstantival participle (subject: 'the one coming out')→ durative present participle (whoever is in the act of coming out)ἐκπορεύομαι (pres. ptcp.): 'come out, go forth'; renders יָצָא; 'the one coming out' — deliberately indefinite; the same root in ἐξεπορεύετο of the daughter coming out to meet him (v. 34), binding the vow to its terrible fulfilment.
ὃςwhoeverNominativerelative pronoun (in the indefinite ὃς ἐάν: 'whoever')ὅς: relative; in ὃς ἐάν ('whoever') it generalizes — Jephthah does not specify who; the vague wording is the seed of the tragedy.
ἐὰνeverparticle generalizing the relative (ὃς ἐάν = 'whoever')ἐάν: the indefinite particle (= ἄν) with the relative and subjunctive; 'whoever comes out.'
ἐξέλθῃcomes outAor Act Subj 3 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιverb of the indefinite relative clause (the act of emerging)→ prospective aorist subjunctive (whoever may come out)ἐξέρχομαι (aor. subj. ἐξέλθῃ): 'come out, go forth'; cf. v. 3; the subjunctive in the indefinite clause; the same verb describes what 'came forth' from his mouth in v. 36 — a grim echo.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (source: out of the door)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with θύρας)τῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θύραςdoorGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό ('from the door')θύρα: 'door, doorway'; renders דֶּלֶת / פֶּתַח; 'the door of my house' — the threshold from which the victim will emerge; Jephthah perhaps imagined an animal of the household, but a person came.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with οἴκου)τοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἴκουhouseGenitivegenitive of possession ('of my house')οἶκος: 'house, household'; cf. vv. 2, 7; bitterly, the 'house' from which the daughter comes is the very kind of patrimonial 'house' Jephthah had been denied (v. 2) and now reclaimed at the cost of his only heir.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my house')μου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
εἰςto / forpreposition + accusative (purpose: 'to meet')εἰς + acc.: 'to, for'; in εἰς συνάντησιν ('to meet'), expressing purpose.
συνάντησίνa meetingAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (in the idiom εἰς συνάντησιν: 'to meet me')συνάντησις: 'a meeting, encounter'; the idiom εἰς συνάντησιν ('to meet') renders לִקְרַאת; cf. εἰς ὑπάντησιν (v. 34), where the daughter does exactly this; the accent on the final syllable (συνάντησίν μου) reflects the enclitic μου.
μουmeGenitiveobjective genitive ('to meet me'; enclitic)μου: the objective genitive after συνάντησιν, 'to meet me.'
ἐνwhenpreposition + dative (temporal, with articular infinitive)ἐν + dat. articular infinitive: temporal 'when'; see vv. 13, 16, 26.
τῷtheDativearticle with the articular infinitive (ἐν τῷ ἐπιστρέφειν)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐπιστρέφεινreturningPres Act Inf · ἐπιστρέφωarticular infinitive (temporal: 'when I return')→ durative present infinitive (the act of returning)ἐπιστρέφω (pres. inf.): 'return, turn back'; cf. vv. 8, 9, 13; 'when I return in peace' — Jephthah anticipates a triumphant homecoming, the very moment that will become his ruin; cf. ἐπιστρέψαι (v. 35), where he cannot 'turn back' from the vow.
μεI / meAccusativeaccusative subject of the infinitive ('when I return')ἐγώ (acc. με): the accusative subject of the articular infinitive.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (manner: 'in peace')ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
εἰρήνῃpeaceDativedative of manner ('in peace, safely')εἰρήνη: 'peace, safety'; see v. 13; 'in peace' = safe and victorious; the irony is acute — his peaceful return brings catastrophe to his house.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (source: 'from the sons of Ammon')ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό ('from the sons of Ammon')υἱός: see v. 5; the enemy from whom Jephthah returns victorious.
Αμμωνof Ammongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
καὶand / thenapodotic conjunction (resuming the main pledge after the long subject)καί: resumptive/apodotic, picking up after the lengthy subject-clause: 'then [he] shall be the LORD's.'
ἔσταιshall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (the pledge: 'shall be the LORD's')→ predictive/votive future (the consecration of the victim)εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'shall be'; with the dative of possession τῷ κυρίῳ, 'shall belong to the LORD' — the consecration that the next clause specifies as a burnt-offering.
τῷto theDativearticle (with κυρίῳ)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίῳLORDDativedative of possession ('shall be the LORD's')κύριος (dat. κυρίῳ): rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the dative of possession — the one who comes out is devoted/belongs to YHWH.
ἀνοίσωI will offer upFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀναφέρωmain verb (the second pledge: 'I will offer up')→ promissory future (the votive offering)ἀναφέρω (fut. ἀνοίσω): 'bring up, offer up (a sacrifice)'; renders הֶעֱלָה ('cause to go up' = offer); the technical verb for presenting a burnt-offering on the altar; here, horrifyingly, with a human object (αὐτόν).
αὐτὸνhim / itAccusativedirect object of ἀνοίσω (the one who comes out)αὐτός: the masculine αὐτόν ('him/it') — grammatically masculine (agreeing with ὁ ἐκπορευόμενος), the more shocking when the one who comes out proves to be his daughter (v. 34).
ὁλοκαύτωμαa whole burnt-offeringAccusativeaccusative in apposition / predicate ('offer up as a burnt-offering')ὁλοκαύτωμα: 'whole burnt-offering, holocaust'; renders עוֹלָה; the sacrifice wholly consumed by fire (ὅλος + καίω); the vow pledges to make the one who comes out a complete burnt-offering — the heart of the tragedy and the subject of long Jewish and Christian moral reflection.
32

καὶ παρῆλθεν Ιεφθαε πρὸς υἱοὺς Αμμων παρατάξασθαι πρὸς αὐτούς καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς κύριος ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ

And Jephthah crossed over to the sons of Ammon to make war against them, and the LORD gave them into his hand.

Narrative: the engagement and the LORD's grant of victoryκαὶ παρῆλθεν Ιεφθαε πρὸς υἱοὺς Αμμων
The condition of the vow is met. Jephthah crosses over (παρῆλθεν, resuming v. 29) to give battle, and the LORD 'gave them into his hand' (παρέδωκεν … ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ) — the exact answer to the vow's protasis (v. 30) and to Jephthah's pious condition (v. 9). The terse report makes the divine response unmistakable, and so seals the vow's obligation.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
παρῆλθενcrossed overAor Act Indic 3 Sg · παρέρχομαιmain verb (Jephthah's advance to battle)→ constative aorist (the crossing to engage)παρέρχομαι (aor. παρῆλθεν): 'pass over, cross, advance'; cf. v. 29; here of crossing to engage Ammon in battle.
ΙεφθαεJephthahsubject (indeclinable)Ιεφθαε: see v. 1.
πρὸςto / againstpreposition + accusative (direction/hostility)πρός + acc.: 'to, against'; with the war-context, advancing against Ammon.
υἱοὺςsonsAccusativeaccusative object of πρός ('to the sons of Ammon')υἱός: see v. 5.
Αμμωνof Ammongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
παρατάξασθαιto make warAor Mid Inf · παρατάσσωinfinitive of purpose (the aim of crossing)→ telic aorist infinitive (purpose: to give battle)παρατάσσω (aor. mid. inf.): see v. 5; the infinitive of purpose, 'to do battle against them.'
πρὸςagainstpreposition + accusative (adversative)πρός + acc.: 'against'; see v. 6.
αὐτούςthemAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (the Ammonites)αὐτούς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
παρέδωκενgave up / deliveredAor Act Indic 3 Sg · παραδίδωμιmain verb (the LORD's grant of victory)→ constative aorist (the decisive divine act)παραδίδωμι (aor. παρέδωκεν): see vv. 9, 21; 'the LORD gave them into his hand' answers exactly the vow's condition (v. 30) — the victory granted, the vow now binding.
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativedirect object of παρέδωκεν (the Ammonites)αὐτοὺς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
κύριοςthe LORDNominativesubject of παρέδωκενκύριος: rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the LORD as the giver of victory, fulfilling both Jephthah's condition (v. 9) and the vow's protasis (v. 30).
ἐνintopreposition + dative (in the idiom ἐν χειρί)ἐν + dat.: in the idiom ἐν χειρί ('into the hand of'); see vv. 21, 30.
χειρὶhandDativedative in the idiom ἐν χειρί ('into his hand')χείρ: 'hand'; see vv. 21, 30; the victory 'into his hand' precisely fulfils the vow's wording ('into my hand,' v. 30).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession ('his hand')αὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
33

καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ Αροηρ ἕως ἐλθεῖν ἄχρις Αρνων ἐν ἀριθμῷ εἴκοσι πόλεις καὶ ἕως Εβελχαρμιν πληγὴν μεγάλην σφόδρα καὶ συνεστάλησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Αμμων ἀπὸ προσώπου υἱῶν Ισραηλ

And he struck them from Aroer until you come to Arnon, twenty cities in number, and as far as Abel-keramim, a very great slaughter; and the sons of Ammon were humbled before the sons of Israel.

Narrative: the victory report and the subjugation of Ammonκαὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτοὺς
The victory is reported in conquest-list style: Jephthah 'struck' (ἐπάταξεν, the verb used of Sihon's defeat, v. 21) from Aroer to Arnon, twenty cities, as far as Abel-keramim, 'a very great slaughter.' The closing συνεστάλησαν … ἀπὸ προσώπου ('were humbled/subdued before') marks Ammon's total subjugation and completes the deliverance — but it is the very success that obligates the tragic homecoming of vv. 34–40.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπάταξενstruck / defeatedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · πατάσσωmain verb (Jephthah's defeat of Ammon)→ constative aorist (the decisive blow)πατάσσω (aor. ἐπάταξεν): see v. 21; the same verb used of striking down Sihon — Jephthah's victory parallels the conquest he had invoked in his apologia.
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativedirect object of ἐπάταξεν (the Ammonites)αὐτοὺς: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (starting point of the rout)ἀπό: in the extent-formula ἀπό … ἕως … delimiting the sweep of the victory.
ΑροηρAroergenitive of source (indeclinable: 'from Aroer')Αροηρ: see v. 26; the southern start-point of the rout.
ἕωςuntilconjunction (with the infinitive ἐλθεῖν: 'until you come')ἕως: 'until'; with the infinitive ἐλθεῖν it forms the idiom ἕως ἐλθεῖν ('until one comes to'), a Hebraistic spatial extent-marker (Hebrew עַד־בּוֹאֲךָ).
ἐλθεῖνto comeAor Act Inf · ἔρχομαιinfinitive in the spatial idiom ἕως ἐλθεῖν ('until one comes to')→ aorist infinitive (idiomatic extent-marker)ἔρχομαι (aor. inf. ἐλθεῖν): 'come'; in ἕως ἐλθεῖν ἄχρις … ('until one comes as far as …'), an idiom of geographical extent rendering עַד־בּוֹאֲךָ.
ἄχριςas far aspreposition + genitive (limit: 'as far as')ἄχρι(ς): 'as far as, up to'; reinforces the spatial limit (with ἕως ἐλθεῖν), 'until one comes as far as Arnon.'
ΑρνωνArnongenitive of limit (indeclinable: 'as far as Arnon')Αρνων: see v. 13; the southern boundary, here the limit of the rout.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (in the idiom ἐν ἀριθμῷ: 'in number')ἐν + dat.: in the phrase ἐν ἀριθμῷ ('in number, to the number of').
ἀριθμῷnumberDativedative of respect ('twenty cities in number')ἀριθμός: 'number, count'; ἐν ἀριθμῷ specifies the tally of cities struck — twenty.
εἴκοσιtwentynumeral (indeclinable; modifying πόλεις)εἴκοσι: 'twenty'; an indeclinable cardinal numeral; the count of cities devastated (rendered as a noun/numeral, kind 'n').
πόλειςcitiesAccusativeaccusative in apposition (the extent of the destruction: 'twenty cities')πόλις (acc. pl. πόλεις): 'city'; see v. 26; the twenty cities measure the scale of the victory.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἕωςas far aspreposition + genitive (extent: 'as far as Abel-keramim')ἕως: 'as far as'; extending the sweep to Abel-keramim.
ΕβελχαρμινAbel-keramimgenitive of limit (indeclinable place-name)Εβελχαρμιν: transliteration of Hebrew אָבֵל כְּרָמִים ('Abel-keramim,' = 'meadow of vineyards'); indeclinable; the northern/eastern limit of the rout (cf. the A/B textual variation in the place-name forms of Judges).
πληγὴνblow / slaughterAccusativecognate/adverbial accusative ('with a … slaughter')πληγή: 'blow, stroke, slaughter, plague'; renders מַכָּה; here the accusative πληγὴν μεγάλην σφόδρα ('a very great slaughter') as a cognate/internal accusative of ἐπάταξεν, quantifying the defeat.
μεγάληνgreatAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying πληγήν)μέγας (acc. f. μεγάλην): 'great'; intensifying the scale of the slaughter.
σφόδραexceedinglyadverb of degree (intensifying μεγάλην)σφόδρα: 'very, exceedingly'; renders מְאֹד; 'a very great slaughter' — the totality of the victory.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (result)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
συνεστάλησανwere humbled / subduedAor Pass Indic 3 Pl · συστέλλωmain verb (Ammon's subjugation)→ constative aorist passive (the resulting subjugation)συστέλλω (aor. pass. συνεστάλησαν): 'draw together, contract, humble, subdue'; here passive 'were brought low/subdued'; renders Hebrew וַיִּכָּנְעוּ ('were humbled/subdued'); marks the completed deliverance of Israel from Ammon.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with υἱοί)οἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὶsonsNominativesubject of συνεστάλησαν ('the sons of Ammon')υἱός: see v. 5.
Αμμωνof Ammongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
ἀπὸfrom / beforepreposition + genitive (in the Hebraism ἀπὸ προσώπου)ἀπὸ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
προσώπουface / presenceGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό (Hebraism: 'before')πρόσωπον: see vv. 3, 23; ἀπὸ προσώπου ('before, in the face of') renders מִפְּנֵי; Ammon was subdued 'before the sons of Israel.'
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive of relationship ('before the sons of Israel')υἱός: see v. 5.
Ισραηλof Israelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
34

καὶ ἦλθεν Ιεφθαε εἰς Μασσηφα εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἰδοὺ ἡ θυγάτηρ αὐτοῦ ἐξεπορεύετο εἰς ὑπάντησιν ἐν τυμπάνοις καὶ χοροῖς καὶ ἦν αὕτη μονογενής οὐκ ἦν αὐτῷ ἕτερος υἱὸς ἢ θυγάτηρ

And Jephthah came to Mizpah, to his house, and behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with timbrels and dances; and she was an only child — he had no other son or daughter.

The catastrophe: the daughter comes out to meet the returning victorκαὶ ἦλθεν Ιεφθαε εἰς Μασσηφα
The homecoming and the catastrophe. The dramatic ἰδού ('behold') marks the horror: the one who 'comes out' (ἐξεπορεύετο, echoing the vow's ὁ ἐκπορευόμενος, v. 31) is his daughter, greeting the victor with timbrels and dances (ἐν τυμπάνοις καὶ χοροῖς — the customary women's victory-celebration, cf. Exod 15:20; 1 Sam 18:6). The crushing aside — she is μονογενής, his only child — converts triumph into ruin in a single clause.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandnarrative conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἦλθενcameAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb (Jephthah's return home)→ constative aorist (the homecoming)ἔρχομαι (aor. ἦλθεν): 'come'; Jephthah's peaceful return (cf. ἐπιστρέφειν ἐν εἰρήνῃ, v. 31) — the very moment the vow had specified.
ΙεφθαεJephthahsubject (indeclinable)Ιεφθαε: see v. 1.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal of motion)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΜασσηφαMizpahaccusative of goal (indeclinable: 'to Mizpah')Μασσηφα: see v. 11; he returns to the very place where he had spoken his words 'before the LORD' (v. 11) — now the scene of the vow's fulfilment.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal: his house)εἰς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with οἶκον)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκονhouseAccusativeaccusative of goal ('to his house')οἶκος: 'house, household'; cf. vv. 2, 7, 31; 'the door of his house' (v. 31) now yields its victim; the οἶκος-motif binds disinheritance, vow, and tragedy.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession ('his house')αὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing the ἰδού clause)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjection (dramatic 'behold!')ἰδού: 'behold, look!'; renders הִנֵּה; the presentative particle marks the shocking sight — heightening the dramatic horror of who comes out.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with θυγάτηρ)ἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυγάτηρdaughterNominativesubject of ἐξεπορεύετοθυγάτηρ: 'daughter'; renders בַּת; the one who comes out is his daughter — the catastrophic fulfilment of the indefinite vow; recurs as the keyword of the tragic close (vv. 35, 40).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession ('his daughter')αὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ἐξεπορεύετοwas coming outImpf Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐκπορεύομαιmain verb (the daughter's coming out; vivid imperfect)→ descriptive imperfect (the unfolding, in-progress emergence)ἐκπορεύομαι (impf. ἐξεπορεύετο): 'come out, go forth'; cf. the vow's ὁ ἐκπορευόμενος (v. 31); the imperfect paints the scene vividly, freezing the moment of emergence; the verbal echo of the vow is devastating.
εἰςto / forpreposition + accusative (purpose: 'to meet')εἰς + acc.: in εἰς ὑπάντησιν ('to meet'), purpose; cf. εἰς συνάντησιν (v. 31).
ὑπάντησινa meetingAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (idiom: 'to meet [him]')ὑπάντησις: 'a meeting, encounter'; synonymous with συνάντησις (v. 31); εἰς ὑπάντησιν ('to meet') renders לִקְרַאת; the daughter does precisely what the vow had described.
ἐνwithpreposition + dative (accompaniment/instrument)ἐν + dat.: 'with' (accompanying circumstance/instrument), of the festal music and dance.
τυμπάνοιςtimbrels / tambourinesDativedative of accompaniment ('with timbrels')τύμπανον: 'timbrel, hand-drum, tambourine'; renders תֹּף; the instrument of women's victory-celebration (cf. Miriam, Exod 15:20; the women greeting Saul and David, 1 Sam 18:6) — the festive joy that makes the tragedy unbearable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
χοροῖςdancesDativedative of accompaniment ('with dances')χορός: 'dance, dancing, choral procession'; renders מְחֹלָה; the dancing that accompanied the timbrel in victory-celebrations — the daughter leads the triumph for her father, all unknowing.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing the pathetic aside)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἦνwasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopula (predicating μονογενής of the daughter)→ descriptive imperfect (her settled status)εἰμί (impf. ἦν): 'was'; the imperfect copula in the narrator's heart-rending aside about her being the only child.
αὕτηsheNominativesubject (demonstrative pronoun: 'she')οὗτος (f. αὕτη): 'this (one), she'; the demonstrative as subject, focusing pathos on the daughter.
μονογενήςonly-begotten / only childNominativepredicate adjective ('she was an only child')μονογενής: 'only(-begotten), one of a kind'; renders יְחִידָה; the same weighty word later used of Isaac (cf. its use in Heb 11:17) and christologically (Jn 1:14, 18; 3:16); here it intensifies the loss to the maximum — Jephthah's sole heir, and so the end of his line.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἦν)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἦνthere wasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίexistential copula ('he had no … ')→ descriptive imperfect (the existential negation)εἰμί (impf. ἦν): here existential with the dative of possession αὐτῷ ('there was to him' = 'he had'); 'he had no other son or daughter' — the line ends with her.
αὐτῷto him / he hadDativedative of possession ('there was to him' = 'he had')αὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): the dative of possession with ἦν.
ἕτεροςotherNominativeattributive adjective (modifying υἱός: 'other son')ἕτερος: 'other, another'; emphasizes there was no other offspring at all — neither son nor daughter besides her.
υἱὸςsonNominativesubject of ἦν (in the existential negation)υἱός: 'son'; the absence of a son means Jephthah's house has no heir — the disinherited man (v. 2) is left, by his own vow, without posterity.
ἢordisjunctive conjunction ('son or daughter')ἤ: 'or'; under the negation, 'no son or daughter (at all).'
θυγάτηρdaughterNominativesubject of ἦν (second member of the existential negation)θυγάτηρ: 'daughter'; the repetition of the keyword underscores that this one daughter was his all.
35

καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς εἶδεν αὐτὴν αὐτός διέρρηξεν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἆ ἆ θυγάτηρ μου ταραχῇ ἐτάραξάς με καὶ σὺ ἦς ἐν τῷ ταράχῳ μου καὶ ἐγώ εἰμι ἤνοιξα κατὰ σοῦ τὸ στόμα μου πρὸς κύριον καὶ οὐ δυνήσομαι ἐπιστρέψαι

And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his garments and said, 'Ah, ah, my daughter! You have utterly brought me low, and you yourself are among those who trouble me; for I have opened my mouth to the LORD against you, and I will not be able to turn back.'

Jephthah's anguish: the recognition and lamentκαὶ ἐγένετο ὡς εἶδεν αὐτὴν
The narrative-frame καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ('and it came to pass when') introduces Jephthah's recognition and grief: he tears his garments (the gesture of mourning) and cries out ἆ ἆ ('ah, ah!'). The cognate ταραχῇ ἐτάραξάς με ('with trouble you have troubled me') renders the Hebrew infinitive absolute, intensifying. The tragic core is his sense of irrevocability: 'I have opened my mouth to the LORD … and I cannot turn back' — the vow, once uttered, binds absolutely (cf. Num 30:2).
Word-by-word analysis· 41 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (with ἐγένετο, scene-frame)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐγένετοit came to passAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (impersonal narrative-frame formula)→ constative aorist (temporal-frame marker)γίνομαι (aor. ἐγένετο): the formula καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ('and it came to pass when') renders וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר; see vv. 5, 29, 39.
ὡςwhentemporal conjunction ('when, as soon as')ὡς: 'when, as'; temporal, introducing the moment of recognition.
εἶδενsawAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ὁράωverb of the temporal clause (Jephthah's seeing his daughter)→ constative aorist (the moment of seeing)ὁράω (aor. εἶδεν): 'see, perceive'; the moment of recognition that triggers the lament.
αὐτὴνherAccusativedirect object of εἶδεν (the daughter)αὐτὴν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
αὐτόςheNominativeemphatic subject pronoun (resuming Jephthah)αὐτός: the intensive 'he (himself),' marking the shift to Jephthah's reaction.
διέρρηξενtore / rentAor Act Indic 3 Sg · διαρρήγνυμιmain verb (the mourning-gesture)→ constative aorist (the act of tearing)διαρρήγνυμι (aor. διέρρηξεν): 'tear apart, rend'; renders קָרַע; tearing one's garments is the conventional gesture of grief and dismay (cf. Gen 37:34; Josh 7:6) — Jephthah's first response to the catastrophe.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with ἱμάτια)τὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱμάτιαgarmentsAccusativedirect object of διέρρηξενἱμάτιον: 'garment, cloak'; renders בֶּגֶד; 'his garments,' torn in grief.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possessionαὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing the lament)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction of the lament)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Jephthah's cry of anguish.
ἆah!interjection of grief/dismayἆ: an exclamation of grief or distress, 'ah! alas!'; renders Hebrew אֲהָהּ; the doubled ἆ ἆ conveys overwhelming anguish.
ἆah!interjection of grief (repeated for intensity)ἆ: the repetition doubles the cry of grief — 'Ah, ah!'
θυγάτηρdaughterNominativenominative of address (vocative force: 'my daughter!')θυγάτηρ: 'daughter'; the nominative form used as a vocative (common in Koine/LXX); the keyword of the tragedy, now in direct, anguished address.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my daughter')μου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ταραχῇwith troubleDativecognate dative (intensifying ἐτάραξας: Hebraism)ταραχή: 'trouble, disturbance, confusion'; the cognate dative ταραχῇ ἐτάραξάς με ('with trouble you have troubled me') renders the Hebrew infinitive absolute (הַכְרֵעַ הִכְרַעְתִּנִי, 'you have brought me very low'), intensifying the verb.
ἐτάραξάςyou have troubled / brought lowAor Act Indic 2 Sg · ταράσσωmain verb of the lament (with cognate dative)→ constative aorist (the accomplished devastation)ταράσσω (aor. ἐτάραξας): 'trouble, agitate, throw into confusion, bring low'; with the cognate ταραχῇ; 'you have utterly brought me low/troubled me' — not blame so much as anguished helplessness; the accent reflects the enclitic με.
μεmeAccusativedirect object of ἐτάραξας (enclitic)με: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
σὺyouNominativeemphatic subject pronoun (the daughter)σύ: emphatic 'you' — 'you yourself have become a source of my trouble.'
ἦςyou were / have becomeImpf Act Indic 2 Sg · εἰμίcopula ('you were/are among those troubling me')→ descriptive imperfect (her resulting place in his grief)εἰμί (impf. 2 sg. ἦς): 'you were'; in the idiom ἦς ἐν τῷ ταράχῳ μου ('you were among my troublers / a cause of my trouble'); a Hebraizing turn expressing that she has unwittingly become the agent of his distress.
ἐνamong / inpreposition + dative (in the idiom 'among my troublers')ἐν + dat.: 'among, in'; here in the phrase 'you were among/in (the number of) those who trouble me.'
τῷtheDativearticle (with ταράχῳ)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ταράχῳtrouble / troublingDativedative object of ἐν ('in/among my trouble')τάραχος: 'trouble, disturbance, distress'; near-synonym of ταραχή; 'you were in/among my trouble' — she has, all unknowing, become bound up with the source of his anguish.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my trouble')μου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶfor / andcoordinate conjunction (here explanatory: 'for')καί: here explanatory ('for'), introducing the reason for his anguish — the irrevocable vow.
ἐγώINominativeemphatic subject pronoun (in ἐγώ εἰμι)ἐγώ: emphatic 'I'; in ἐγώ εἰμι ('I, for my part'), a Hebraism fronting the speaker; see v. 27.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula in the emphatic self-reference (ἐγώ εἰμι)→ stative present (emphatic self-assertion)εἰμί (pres. εἰμι): in ἐγώ εἰμι, reinforcing the emphatic pronoun ('I myself …'); see v. 27.
ἤνοιξαI have openedAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀνοίγωmain verb (Jephthah's fatal utterance of the vow)→ constative aorist (the completed, irrevocable speech-act)ἀνοίγω (aor. ἤνοιξα): 'open'; the idiom 'I have opened my mouth to the LORD' = I have made a binding vow (cf. ἀνοίγω τὸ στόμα for solemn speech); darkly resonant with the name Ιεφθαε ('he opens'); the daughter repeats the phrase back to him in v. 36 (ἤνοιξας).
κατὰagainstpreposition + genitive (disadvantage: 'against you')κατά + gen.: 'against, to the detriment of'; 'I have opened my mouth against you' — the vow, made to the LORD, now falls upon her.
σοῦyouGenitivegenitive object of κατά ('against you'; emphatic form)σύ (gen. σοῦ): the accented form; the vow's victim.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with στόμα)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
στόμαmouthAccusativedirect object of ἤνοιξα ('opened my mouth')στόμα: 'mouth'; renders פֶּה; 'open the mouth to the LORD' = utter a binding vow (cf. Num 30:3, 'whatever proceeds from his mouth'); the daughter will appeal to the same idiom (vv. 36).
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my mouth')μου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of the vow)πρός + acc.: 'to'; the vow directed to the LORD.
κύριονthe LORDAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (the addressee of the vow)κύριος (acc. κύριον): rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the vow was sworn 'to the LORD,' which is precisely why Jephthah holds it irrevocable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the consequence)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
οὐnotnegative particle (with δυνήσομαι)οὐ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δυνήσομαιI will be ableFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · δύναμαιmain verb (Jephthah's sense of helplessness)→ predictive future (the impossibility of retraction)δύναμαι (fut. δυνήσομαι): 'be able'; 'I will not be able to turn back' — Jephthah regards the vow as absolutely binding (cf. Num 30:2; Deut 23:21–23; Eccl 5:4–5).
ἐπιστρέψαιto turn back / retractAor Act Inf · ἐπιστρέφωcomplementary infinitive (with δυνήσομαι: 'able to turn back')→ aorist infinitive (the act of reversing the vow)ἐπιστρέφω (aor. inf. ἐπιστρέψαι): 'turn back, return, reverse'; cf. vv. 8, 9, 31; here 'turn back' = retract the vow; the same root that pervaded the negotiation now expresses the impossibility of undoing his word — he cannot 'turn back' from what he 'turned' his mouth to say.
36

ἡ δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν πάτερ ἤνοιξας τὸ στόμα σου πρὸς κύριον ποίησόν μοι ὃν τρόπον ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ στόματός σου ἐν τῷ ποιῆσαί σοι κύριον ἐκδίκησιν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου ἀπὸ υἱῶν Αμμων

But she said to him, 'Father, you have opened your mouth to the LORD; do to me according to what came forth from your mouth, since the LORD has worked vengeance for you on your enemies, on the sons of Ammon.'

The daughter's submission: she accepts the vowἡ δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν
The daughter's noble acceptance. She echoes her father's own words back to him (ἤνοιξας τὸ στόμα σου πρὸς κύριον, cf. v. 35) and consents: 'do to me according to what came forth from your mouth.' Her reasoning is theological — since the LORD has granted vengeance (ἐκδίκησιν) on Ammon, the vow that secured it must stand. Her composure heightens the pathos and gives the tragedy its moral weight.
Word-by-word analysis· 33 words
ἡsheNominativearticle used as pronoun (in ἡ δέ: 'but she')ὁ, ἡ, τό: the article in the idiom ἡ δέ ('but she') functions as a demonstrative/pronoun marking a change of speaker — a classical/LXX usage.
δὲbut / andpost-positive conjunction (marking change of speaker)δέ: post-positive; here marks the shift from Jephthah's lament to the daughter's reply.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the daughter's reply.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
αὐτόνhimAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (her father)αὐτόν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
πάτερfatherVocativevocative of addressπατήρ (voc. πάτερ): 'father'; the tender vocative opening her acceptance — the kinship-address makes her submission the more poignant.
ἤνοιξαςyou have openedAor Act Indic 2 Sg · ἀνοίγωmain verb (echoing her father's vow)→ constative aorist (the accomplished vow)ἀνοίγω (aor. ἤνοιξας): 'open'; she repeats Jephthah's own idiom (ἤνοιξα … τὸ στόμα μου, v. 35) — 'you have opened your mouth to the LORD' — accepting the vow's binding force on his own terms.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with στόμα)τὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
στόμαmouthAccusativedirect object of ἤνοιξας ('opened your mouth')στόμα: 'mouth'; see v. 35; the daughter holds her father to what 'came forth from his mouth.'
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your mouth')σου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of the vow)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
κύριονthe LORDAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (the addressee of the vow)κύριος (acc. κύριον): rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the vow was to the LORD, so for the daughter too it is inviolable.
ποίησόνdoAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ποιέωmain verb (the daughter's consent: imperative)→ ingressive aorist imperative (her willing submission)ποιέω (aor. impv. ποίησον): 'do, carry out'; see v. 10; 'do to me' — her astonishing consent; the accent reflects the enclitic μοι; the same verb describes the vow's execution in v. 39 (ἐποίησεν … τὴν εὐχήν).
μοιto meDativedative indirect object ('do to me'; enclitic)ἐγώ (dat. μοι): 'to me'; the daughter offers herself as the vow's object.
ὃνwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (in the idiom ὃν τρόπον: 'according to what')ὅς (acc. ὅν): relative; in ὃν τρόπον ('in the manner which, just as, according to what') an adverbial accusative idiom = 'according to that which.'
τρόπονmanner / wayAccusativeadverbial accusative (in the idiom ὃν τρόπον: 'in the way that')τρόπος: 'manner, way'; ὃν τρόπον ('in the manner that, according to what') renders Hebrew כַּאֲשֶׁר; 'do to me according to what came from your mouth.'
ἐξῆλθενcame forthAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιverb of the relative clause (what proceeded from his mouth)→ constative aorist (the uttered word)ἐξέρχομαι (aor. ἐξῆλθεν): 'come/go out'; cf. vv. 3, 31; 'what came forth from your mouth' = the spoken vow (cf. Num 30:13, 'all that proceeds out of her mouth'); the verb of 'coming out' grimly echoes the daughter's own 'coming out' (v. 34).
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (source)ἐκ: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
στόματόςmouthGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ ('from your mouth')στόμα (gen. στόματος): 'mouth'; see v. 35; the accent reflects the enclitic σου (στόματός σου); 'what came from your mouth' = the binding vow.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your mouth'; enclitic)σου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ἐνsince / whenpreposition + dative (temporal-causal, with articular infinitive)ἐν + dat. articular infinitive: temporal/causal 'since, inasmuch as, when'; here giving the ground of her consent.
τῷtheDativearticle with the articular infinitive (ἐν τῷ ποιῆσαι)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ποιῆσαίworking / doingAor Act Inf · ποιέωarticular infinitive (causal: 'since [the LORD] has worked')→ constative aorist infinitive (the accomplished vengeance)ποιέω (aor. inf. ποιῆσαι): 'do, work, accomplish'; in ποιῆσαι … ἐκδίκησιν ('to work vengeance'), the idiom for executing judgment; the accent reflects the enclitic σοι; her ground: the LORD has already granted the victory the vow secured.
σοιfor youDativedative of advantage ('worked vengeance for you'; enclitic)σύ (dat. σοι): 'for you'; the vengeance was granted for Jephthah's benefit.
κύριονthe LORDAccusativeaccusative subject of the infinitive ποιῆσαι (the LORD as agent)κύριος (acc. κύριον): rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the accusative subject of the articular infinitive — 'since the LORD has worked vengeance'; YHWH is the author of the victory that the vow ratified.
ἐκδίκησινvengeanceAccusativedirect object of the infinitive ποιῆσαι ('work vengeance')ἐκδίκησις: 'vengeance, vindication, retribution'; renders נְקָמָה; the LORD's judicial vindication of Israel against Ammon — the very outcome Jephthah had committed to the divine Judge (v. 27).
ἀπὸon / frompreposition + genitive (the objects of vengeance)ἀπό: 'from, on'; in 'vengeance on/from your enemies,' rendering the Hebrew מִן of the party against whom vengeance is taken.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with ἐχθρῶν)τῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐχθρῶνenemiesGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό ('on your enemies')ἐχθρός: 'enemy'; renders אֹיֵב; 'your enemies' = the Ammonites, specified in the next phrase.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your enemies')σου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ἀπὸon / frompreposition + genitive (epexegetic: specifying the enemies)ἀπό: the repeated ἀπό specifies the enemies as the sons of Ammon.
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive in apposition to ἐχθρῶν ('the sons of Ammon')υἱός: see v. 5; the enemies identified as Ammon.
Αμμωνof Ammongenitive of relationship (indeclinable)Αμμων: see v. 5.
37

καὶ ἥδε εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα αὐτῆς ποιησάτω δὴ ὁ πατήρ μου τὸν λόγον τοῦτον ἔασόν με δύο μῆνας καὶ πορεύσομαι καὶ καταβήσομαι ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη καὶ κλαύσομαι ἐπὶ τὰ παρθένιά μου ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ αἱ συνεταιρίδες μου

And she said to her father, 'Let my father indeed do this thing: let me alone for two months, and I will go and go down upon the mountains and bewail my virginity, I myself and my companions.'

The daughter's single request: two months to bewail her virginityκαὶ ἥδε εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα αὐτῆς
Having consented, the daughter makes one request, phrased with deferential third-person courtesy (ποιησάτω δὴ ὁ πατήρ μου, 'let my father indeed do this'). She asks for two months to go upon the mountains and 'bewail her virginity' (κλαύσομαι ἐπὶ τὰ παρθένιά μου) with her companions — mourning that she will die childless, unmarried, the end of Jephthah's line. The motif grounds the annual commemoration of v. 40.
Word-by-word analysis· 38 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing speech)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἥδεsheNominativedemonstrative pronoun (subject: 'she, this one')ὅδε, ἥδε, τόδε: 'this (one)'; the feminine ἥδε as subject 'she,' marking continued focus on the daughter.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces the daughter's request.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with πατέρα)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατέραfatherAccusativeaccusative object of πρός ('to her father')πατήρ (acc. πατέρα): 'father'; see vv. 2, 7; the kinship-term sustains the pathos of the exchange.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession ('her father')αὐτῆς: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ποιησάτωlet him doAor Act Impv 3 Sg · ποιέωthird-person imperative (deferential request)→ ingressive aorist imperative (courteous third-person petition)ποιέω (aor. impv. 3 sg. ποιησάτω): 'let him do'; the third-person imperative with δή ('let my father indeed do') is a deferential, courteous mode of request — she speaks of her father in the third person out of respect.
δὴindeed / pleaseparticle of entreaty (softening the request)δή: see v. 17; renders נָא, softening the petition to a respectful 'please, indeed.'
ὁtheNominativearticle (with πατήρ)ὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατήρfatherNominativesubject of ποιησάτω ('let my father do')πατήρ: 'father'; the deferential third-person reference to Jephthah as the subject of the request.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my father')μου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with λόγον)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λόγονword / thingAccusativedirect object of ποιησάτω ('do this thing')λόγος: 'word, matter, thing'; see v. 11; here 'this thing' = the request she is about to make (the two months' reprieve).
τοῦτονthisAccusativedemonstrative adjective (modifying λόγον: 'this thing')οὗτος (acc. τοῦτον): 'this'; pointing forward to her specific petition.
ἔασόνlet alone / leaveAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἐάωmain verb (the actual request: imperative)→ ingressive aorist imperative (the petition proper)ἐάω (aor. impv. ἔασον): 'let, permit, leave alone'; renders הֶרֶף ('let be, leave'); 'let me alone (i.e. grant me) two months'; the accent reflects the enclitic με; she now shifts to direct second-person address for the petition itself.
μεmeAccusativedirect object of ἔασον (enclitic)με: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
δύοtwoAccusativenumeral (indeclinable; modifying μῆνας)δύο: 'two'; indeclinable cardinal; the two months' reprieve she requests (cf. vv. 38, 39).
μῆναςmonthsAccusativeaccusative of duration ('for two months')μήν (acc. pl. μῆνας): 'month'; renders חֹדֶשׁ; the accusative of extent of time; the brief reprieve before the vow's execution.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (chaining the requested actions)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
πορεύσομαιI will goFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (her intended departure)→ predictive future (her plan during the reprieve)πορεύομαι (fut. πορεύσομαι): 'go, depart'; see v. 5; she will go away to the mountains for her mourning.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
καταβήσομαιI will go downFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · καταβαίνωmain verb (descent to/upon the mountains)→ predictive futureκαταβαίνω (fut. καταβήσομαι): 'go down, descend'; renders יָרַד; 'go down upon the mountains' (the idiom may reflect descending to roam the hill-country); the LXX follows the Hebrew וְיָרַדְתִּי עַל־הֶהָרִים.
ἐπὶuponpreposition + accusative (place: 'upon the mountains')ἐπί + acc.: 'upon, on'; the mountains as the place of her mourning.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with ὄρη)τὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὄρηmountainsAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί ('upon the mountains')ὄρος (pl. ὄρη): 'mountain, hill'; renders הַר; the wild hill-country as the place of solitary lament, away from the town.
καὶandcoordinate conjunctionκαὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
κλαύσομαιI will weep / bewailFut Mid Indic 1 Sg · κλαίωmain verb (the purpose of her going: mourning)→ predictive future (her intended lament)κλαίω (fut. κλαύσομαι): 'weep, wail, bewail'; renders בָּכָה; 'bewail my virginity' — mourn that she will die unwed and childless; cf. ἔκλαυσεν (v. 38).
ἐπὶover / forpreposition + accusative (object of mourning: 'over')ἐπί + acc.: 'over, for'; the object of lament.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with παρθένια)τὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παρθένιάvirginityAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί ('over my virginity')παρθένια (n. pl.): 'virginity, maidenhood'; renders בְּתוּלִים; she mourns that she will die a virgin — unmarried and childless, so that her father's line dies with her; the accent reflects the enclitic μου (παρθένιά μου); cf. vv. 38, 39 (οὐκ ἔγνω ἄνδρα).
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my virginity'; enclitic)μου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ἐγώINominativeemphatic subject pronoun (in ἐγώ εἰμι)ἐγώ: emphatic 'I (myself)'; in ἐγώ εἰμι, a Hebraism fronting the speaker; see vv. 27, 35.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula in the emphatic self-reference (ἐγώ εἰμι)→ stative present (emphatic self-assertion)εἰμί (pres. εἰμι): in ἐγώ εἰμι ('I myself'), reinforcing the pronoun; here = 'I and my companions'; see vv. 27, 35.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining her companions)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
αἱtheNominativearticle (with συνεταιρίδες)αἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
συνεταιρίδεςcompanionsNominativesubject (joined to ἐγώ: 'I and my companions')συνεταιρίς (pl. συνεταιρίδες): 'female companion, fellow, friend'; renders רֵעוֹת ('companions, friends'); her young women friends who accompany her in the mourning (cf. v. 38) and whose later daughters keep the memorial (v. 40).
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my companions')μου: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
38

καὶ εἶπεν πορεύου καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὴν δύο μῆνας καὶ ἐπορεύθη αὐτὴ καὶ αἱ συνεταιρίδες αὐτῆς καὶ ἔκλαυσεν ἐπὶ τὰ παρθένια αὐτῆς ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη

And he said, 'Go,' and he sent her away for two months; and she went, she and her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.

Narrative: Jephthah grants the request; the daughter's mourningκαὶ εἶπεν πορεύου
Jephthah grants the petition with a single word (πορεύου, 'go') and sends her away for the two months. The narration then fulfils each element of her request (vv. 37): she went, with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains — the descriptive narration mirroring her own words, deepening the pathos by its very repetition.
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing speech)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aoristλέγω: introduces Jephthah's brief assent.
πορεύουgoPres Mid Impv 2 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb of direct speech (Jephthah's assent: imperative)→ durative present imperative (the granting of leave)πορεύομαι (pres. impv. πορεύου): 'go'; see v. 5; Jephthah's single-word consent grants the two-month reprieve — its terseness conveys his grief-stricken resignation.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἀπέστειλενsent awayAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (Jephthah's sending her off)→ constative aoristἀποστέλλω (aor. ἀπέστειλεν): 'send away, dismiss'; see v. 12; here of letting his daughter go for her time of mourning.
αὐτὴνherAccusativedirect object of ἀπέστειλεν (the daughter)αὐτὴν: lexical item interpreted according to its local syntactic role in this passage.
δύοtwoAccusativenumeral (indeclinable; modifying μῆνας)δύο: 'two'; see v. 37; the granted reprieve.
μῆναςmonthsAccusativeaccusative of duration ('for two months')μήν (acc. pl. μῆνας): 'month'; see v. 37; the extent of the granted reprieve.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (fulfilment of the request)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐπορεύθηwentAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (the daughter's going, fulfilling v. 37)→ constative aorist (the carried-out departure)πορεύομαι (aor. pass. ἐπορεύθη): 'go, depart'; see v. 5; the narration fulfils her request word for word.
αὐτὴsheNominativeintensive/appositional pronoun (subject: 'she [herself]')αὐτός (f. αὐτή): 'she (herself)'; emphasizing the subject, paralleled with her companions.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining her companions)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
αἱtheNominativearticle (with συνεταιρίδες)αἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
συνεταιρίδεςcompanionsNominativesubject (joined to αὐτή: 'she and her companions')συνεταιρίς: see v. 37; her female companions who share the mourning.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession ('her companions')αὐτῆς: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἔκλαυσενbewailed / weptAor Act Indic 3 Sg · κλαίωmain verb (the daughter's mourning)→ constative aorist (the completed lament over the two months)κλαίω (aor. ἔκλαυσεν): 'weep, bewail'; see v. 37; the narration confirms she did exactly as she had asked — bewailed her virginity on the mountains.
ἐπὶover / forpreposition + accusative (object of mourning)ἐπί + acc.: 'over, for'; the object of the lament; see v. 37.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with παρθένια)τὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παρθένιαvirginityAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί ('over her virginity')παρθένια: see v. 37; her maidenhood, mourned because she will die unwed and childless.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession ('her virginity')αὐτῆς: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ἐπὶuponpreposition + accusative (place: 'upon the mountains')ἐπί + acc.: 'upon'; the place of mourning; see v. 37.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with ὄρη)τὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὄρηmountainsAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί ('upon the mountains')ὄρος (pl. ὄρη): see v. 37; the hill-country of her solitary lament.
39

καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τέλει τῶν δύο μηνῶν καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα αὐτῆς καὶ ἐποίησεν ἐν αὐτῇ τὴν εὐχὴν αὐτοῦ ἣν ηὔξατο καὶ αὐτὴ οὐκ ἔγνω ἄνδρα καὶ ἐγένετο εἰς πρόσταγμα ἐν Ισραηλ

And it came to pass at the end of the two months that she returned to her father, and he carried out on her his vow which he had vowed; and she had not known a man. And it became a custom in Israel,

Narrative: the fulfilment of the vow; the origin of the customκαὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τέλει τῶν δύο μηνῶν
The fulfilment, narrated with restraint. The narrative-frame καὶ ἐγένετο introduces the daughter's return; Jephthah 'did to her his vow which he had vowed' (the cognate εὐχὴν … ἣν ηὔξατο echoing v. 30); the poignant clause αὐτὴ οὐκ ἔγνω ἄνδρα ('she had not known a man') confirms she died a virgin. The closing καὶ ἐγένετο εἰς πρόσταγμα ('it became a custom') turns the tragedy into the aetiology of the rite described in v. 40.
Word-by-word analysis· 33 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (with ἐγένετο, scene-frame)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐγένετοit came to passAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (impersonal narrative-frame formula)→ constative aorist (temporal-frame marker)γίνομαι (aor. ἐγένετο): the formula καὶ ἐγένετο ('and it came to pass') with the temporal phrase introduces the final scene; see vv. 5, 29, 35.
ἐνatpreposition + dative (temporal: 'at the end')ἐν + dat.: temporal 'at'; in ἐν τέλει ('at the end').
τέλειendDativedative of time ('at the end of the two months')τέλος: 'end, completion'; renders קֵץ; 'at the end of the two months' — the reprieve is over, the vow falls due.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with μηνῶν)τῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δύοtwoGenitivenumeral (indeclinable; modifying μηνῶν)δύο: 'two'; see v. 37.
μηνῶνmonthsGenitivegenitive (partitive/temporal: 'of the two months')μήν (gen. pl. μηνῶν): 'month'; see v. 37; the completed reprieve.
καὶand / thatnarrative conjunction (apodosis of καὶ ἐγένετο)καί: introduces the apodosis after the temporal frame ('it came to pass … that she returned').
ἐπέστρεψενreturnedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐπιστρέφωmain verb (the daughter's return)→ constative aorist (the completed return)ἐπιστρέφω (aor. ἐπέστρεψεν): 'return, turn back'; see vv. 8, 9, 31, 35; she 'returns' to her father — a heartrending counterpart to Jephthah's own peaceful 'return' (v. 31) that began the tragedy.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)πρὸς: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with πατέρα)τὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατέραfatherAccusativeaccusative object of πρός ('to her father')πατήρ (acc. πατέρα): 'father'; see vv. 2, 37.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession ('her father')αὐτῆς: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (sequential)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐποίησενcarried out / didAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωmain verb (Jephthah's execution of the vow)→ constative aorist (the completed fulfilment)ποιέω (aor. ἐποίησεν): 'do, carry out, perform'; see vv. 10, 27, 36; 'he did to her his vow' — the LXX, like the Hebrew, narrates the fulfilment with stark brevity, the horror left implicit; the very verb the daughter had used in her consent (ποίησόν μοι, v. 36).
ἐνon / topreposition + dative (on whom the vow was carried out)ἐν + dat.: here 'on, to' (the person on whom the vow was performed), a Hebraism (עָשָׂה בְּ).
αὐτῇherDativedative object of ἐν ('on her')αὐτός (dat. f. αὐτῇ): 'on her'; the daughter as the one to whom the vow was done.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with εὐχήν)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
εὐχὴνvowAccusativedirect object of ἐποίησεν ('carried out his vow')εὐχή: 'vow'; see v. 30; the cognate phrase τὴν εὐχὴν … ἣν ηὔξατο ('the vow which he had vowed') closes the ring opened at v. 30 (ηὔξατο … εὐχήν).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession ('his vow')αὐτοῦ: pronominal form marking person, possession, or reference within the clause.
ἣνwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ηὔξατο)ὅς (f. acc. ἥν): relative 'which,' referring to the vow.
ηὔξατοhe had vowedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · εὔχομαιverb of the relative clause (the original vowing)→ constative aorist (the prior vow)εὔχομαι (aor. ηὔξατο): 'vow'; see v. 30; the cognate verb echoing the vow's making, sealing the narrative frame of the εὐχή.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the explanatory note)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
αὐτὴsheNominativeemphatic subject pronoun ('she [for her part]')αὐτός (f. αὐτή): the emphatic 'she' fronting the poignant note about her virginity.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἔγνω)οὐκ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔγνωhad knownAor Act Indic 3 Sg · γινώσκωmain verb (the note on her virginity)→ constative aorist (her settled state at death)γινώσκω (aor. ἔγνω): 'know'; the idiom 'know a man' (γινώσκω ἄνδρα) renders the Hebrew euphemism יָדַע אִישׁ for sexual relations; 'she had not known a man' confirms she died a virgin — the loss complete, Jephthah's line ended; cf. her mourning her παρθένια (vv. 37–38).
ἄνδραa manAccusativedirect object of ἔγνω (in the idiom 'know a man')ἀνήρ (acc. ἄνδρα): 'man, husband'; in the idiom 'know a man' = have marital relations; cf. v. 3 (ἄνδρες).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing the aetiological note)καὶ: connective element linking clauses, phrases, or discourse developments in the passage.
ἐγένετοit becameAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (the origin of the custom)→ constative aorist (the establishing of the custom)γίνομαι (aor. ἐγένετο): 'become'; in ἐγένετο εἰς πρόσταγμα ('it became a custom/ordinance'), the εἰς-predicate (Hebraism) marking the institution of an annual rite; introduces the aetiology completed in v. 40.
εἰςinto / aspreposition + accusative (predicate-of-result Hebraism)εἰς + acc.: predicate 'into, as' (Hebraism, לְ); 'became a custom.'
πρόσταγμαcustom / ordinanceAccusativepredicate accusative (the result: 'a custom')πρόσταγμα: 'ordinance, decree, established custom'; renders חֹק; here the practice that became a fixed annual observance in Israel (described in v. 40) — the tragedy memorialized as a recurring rite.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative/sphere)ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
ΙσραηλIsraeldative of place (indeclinable: 'in Israel')Ισραηλ: see v. 5; the custom held throughout Israel — a national memorial of Jephthah's daughter.
40

ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας ἐπορεύοντο θυγατέρες Ισραηλ θρηνεῖν τὴν θυγατέρα Ιεφθαε Γαλααδ ἐπὶ τέσσαρας ἡμέρας ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ

that from days to days the daughters of Israel would go to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite, four days in the year.

Aetiological conclusion: the annual lament by the daughters of Israelἀπὸ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας
The chapter closes with the aetiology of the rite. The idiom ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας ('from days to days' = year by year) renders the Hebrew מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה. The daughters of Israel would go yearly to 'lament' (θρηνεῖν) Jephthah's daughter for four days each year. The final words — τὴν θυγατέρα Ιεφθαε Γαλααδ — give her no name of her own, memorializing her only as her father's daughter, the lasting monument of the rash vow.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (in the idiom ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας)ἀπό: in the temporal idiom ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας ('from days to days' = year by year), rendering מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה.
ἡμερῶνdaysGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό ('from days')ἡμέρα (gen. pl. ἡμερῶν): 'day'; in the idiom ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν ('from days') = 'from year to year, annually'; ἡμέραι ('days') can mean 'a year' in Hebrew idiom (יָמִים).
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (in the idiom 'to days')εἰς + acc.: in ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας; 'to days' completing the 'year by year' idiom.
ἡμέραςdaysAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς ('to days')ἡμέρα (acc. pl. ἡμέρας): 'day'; the second member of the 'from days to days' (yearly) idiom.
ἐπορεύοντοwould goImpf Mid Indic 3 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb (the recurring annual journey; customary imperfect)→ customary/iterative imperfect (the repeated yearly practice)πορεύομαι (impf. ἐπορεύοντο): 'go'; see v. 5; the imperfect is iterative/customary — 'they would go (year after year)' — marking the established annual rite.
θυγατέρεςdaughtersNominativesubject of ἐπορεύοντο ('the daughters of Israel')θυγάτηρ (nom. pl. θυγατέρες): 'daughter'; the keyword of the tragedy now widened to all 'the daughters of Israel' who keep the memorial — perhaps the successors of the daughter's own companions (συνεταιρίδες, vv. 37–38).
Ισραηλof Israelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'daughters of Israel')Ισραηλ: see v. 5.
θρηνεῖνto lamentPres Act Inf · θρηνέωinfinitive of purpose (the aim of their going: lamentation)→ durative present infinitive (purpose: to keep up the lament)θρηνέω (pres. inf. θρηνεῖν): 'lament, sing a dirge, bewail'; renders תָּנָה (a rare verb, perhaps 'recount/commemorate' or 'lament'); the infinitive of purpose — they go in order to lament/commemorate Jephthah's daughter; a formal, ritual mourning (θρῆνος = dirge).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with θυγατέρα)τὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυγατέραdaughterAccusativedirect object of θρηνεῖν ('lament the daughter')θυγάτηρ (acc. θυγατέρα): 'daughter'; the object of the lament; tellingly she is named only as 'the daughter of Jephthah' — anonymous, remembered solely in relation to the father whose vow undid her.
Ιεφθαεof Jephthahgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'daughter of Jephthah')Ιεφθαε: see v. 1; the chapter ends as it began, with the name Ιεφθαε — but now bound to 'the daughter of Jephthah,' the lasting memorial of his vow.
Γαλααδthe Gileaditegenitive of relationship/apposition (indeclinable: 'Jephthah [of] Gilead')Γαλααδ: see v. 1; appended to Jephthah's name ('Jephthah the Gileadite/of Gilead'), recalling his gentilic introduction in v. 1 and rounding off the cycle.
ἐπὶforpreposition + accusative (extent of time: 'for four days')ἐπί + acc.: 'for, over (a period)'; marking the duration of the annual rite.
τέσσαραςfourAccusativenumeral adjective (modifying ἡμέρας: 'four days')τέσσαρες (acc. τέσσαρας): 'four'; renders אַרְבַּעַת; the four days of annual commemoration.
ἡμέραςdaysAccusativeaccusative of duration ('for four days')ἡμέρα (acc. pl. ἡμέρας): 'day'; the four-day span of the yearly lament.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (temporal: 'in the year')ἐν: preposition governing its complement and marking the relation specified by the clause.
τῷtheDativearticle (with ἐνιαυτῷ)τῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐνιαυτῷyearDativedative of time ('in the year')ἐνιαυτός: 'year'; renders שָׁנָה; 'four days in the year' — the fixed annual observance that perpetuates the memory of Jephthah's daughter; the chapter ends on this note of recurring, communal grief.