Chukat Haftarah

Shoftim 11: 1-33
Jdg 11:1 Now Yiftach, a brave soldier from Gil`ad, was the son of a prostitute. His father, Gil`ad,
Jdg 11:2 had other sons by his wife; and when his wife's sons grew up, they drove Yiftach away and told him, "You will not inherit from our father, because you are another woman's son."
Jdg 11:3 Then Yiftach fled from his brothers and lived in the territory of Tov, where he enlisted a gang of rowdies who would go out raiding with him.
Jdg 11:4 After a while the people of `Amon made war against Yisra’el.
Jdg 11:5 When the army of `Amon attacked Yisra’el, the leaders of Gil`ad went to fetch Yiftach from the territory of Tov
Jdg 11:6 and said to him, "Come and be our chief, so that we can fight the army of `Amon."
Jdg 11:7 Yiftach answered the leaders of Gil`ad, "Didn't you hate me so much that you forced me out of my father's house? Why are you coming to me now, when you're in trouble?"
Jdg 11:8 The leaders of Gil`ad replied, "Here is why we've come back to you now: if you lead us in war with the people of `Amon, you will be head over everyone living in Gil`ad."
Jdg 11:9 Yiftach answered them, "If you bring me back home to fight the army of `Amon, and YHVH defeats them for me, I will be your head."
Jdg 11:10 The leaders of Gil`ad said to Yiftach, "YHVH is witness that we promise to do what you have said."
Jdg 11:11 Then Yiftach went with the leaders of Gil`ad, and the people made him head and chief over them. Yiftach repeated all these conditions at Mitzpah in the presence of YHVH.
Jdg 11:12 Yiftach sent messengers to the king of the people of `Amon to say, "What's your problem with us? Why are you invading our territory?"
Jdg 11:13 The king of `Amon answered the messengers of Yiftach, "Because Yisra’el took away my territory when they came up from Mitsrayim. They took everything from the Arnon to the Yabok and the Yarden. Now, restore it peacefully."
Jdg 11:14 Yiftach sent messengers again to the melech of the people of `Amon
Jdg 11:15 with this response, "Here is what Yiftach has to say: 'Yisra’el captured neither the territory of Mo'av nor the territory of the people of `Amon.
Jdg 11:16 But when Yisra’el came up from Mitsrayim, walked through the desert to the Yam Suf and arrived at Kadesh,
Jdg 11:17 then Yisra’el sent messengers to the king of Edom, to say, "Please let us pass through your land." But the king of Edom wouldn't let them. He sent a similar message to the king of Mo'av, but neither would he, so Yisra’el stayed at Kadesh.
Jdg 11:18 Then they walked through the desert, around the territory of Edom and the territory of Mo'av, past the east border of the territory of Mo'av, and pitched camp on the other side of the Arnon; but they did not cross the border into Mo'av, for the Arnon was the border of Mo'av.
Jdg 11:19 Yisra’el sent messengers to Sichon king of the Emori and king of Heshbon with this message, "Please let us pass through your land to our own place."
Jdg 11:20 But Sichon did not trust that Yisra’el would only pass through his land, so he gathered all his people together, pitched camp in Yahatz and fought against Yisra’el.
Jdg 11:21 YHVH the Elohim of Yisra’el handed Sichon and all his people over to Yisra’el, and they killed them. Thus Yisra’el possessed all the territory of the Emori who lived there.
Jdg 11:22 They took possession of all the territory of the Emori from the Arnon to the Yabok and from the desert to the Yarden.
Jdg 11:23 So now that YHVH the Elohim of Yisra’el has expelled the Emori before his people Yisra’el, do you think that you will expel us?
Jdg 11:24 You should just keep the territory your Elohim K'mosh has given you; while we, for our part, will hold onto whatever YHVH our Elohim has given us of the lands that belonged to others before us.
Jdg 11:25 Really, are you better than Balak the son of Tzippor, king of Mo'av? Did he ever pick a quarrel with Yisra’el or fight with us?
Jdg 11:26 Yisra’el lived in Heshbon and its villages, in `Aro`er and its villages and in all the cities on the banks of the Arnon for three hundred years. Why didn't you take them back during that time?
Jdg 11:27 No, I have done you no wrong. But you are doing me wrong to war against me. May YHVH the Judge be judge today between the people of Yisra’el and the people of `Amon.' "
Jdg 11:28 But the king of the people of `Amon paid no attention to the message Yiftach sent him.
Jdg 11:29 Then the spirit of YHVH came upon Yiftach; and he passed through Gil`ad and M'nasheh, on through Mitzpeh of Gil`ad, and from there over to the people of `Amon.
Jdg 11:30 Yiftach made a vow to YHVH: "If you will hand the people of `Amon over to me,
Jdg 11:31 then whatever comes out the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the people of `Amon will belong to YHVH; I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering."
Jdg 11:32 So Yiftach crossed over to fight the people of `Amon, and YHVH handed them over to him.
Jdg 11:33 He killed them from `Aro`er until you reach Minnit, twenty cities, all the way to Avel-K'ramim; it was a massacre. So the people of `Amon were defeated before the people of Yisra’el.