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Sunday, August 3rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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Easy-to-Read Version

Judges 10:18

The leaders of the people living in the area of Gilead said, "Whoever leads us in the attack against the Ammonites will become the head of all the people living in Gilead."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ammonites;   Israel;   Prayer;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ammonites, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jephthah;   War;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Governor;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jephthah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Judges (1);   Levi;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Gilead;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The rulers of Gilead said to one another, “Which man will begin the fight against the Ammonites? He will be the leader of all the inhabitants of Gilead.”
Hebrew Names Version
The people, the princes of Gil`ad, said one to another, What man is he who will begin to fight against the children of `Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gil`ad.
King James Version
And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
Lexham English Bible
The people, the ones commanding Gilead, said to each other, "Who is the man that will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He will be as head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."
English Standard Version
And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said one to another, "Who is the man who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."
New Century Version
The leaders of the people of Gilead said, "Who will lead us to attack the Ammonites? He will become the head of all those who live in Gilead."
New English Translation
The leaders of Gilead said to one another, "Who is willing to lead the charge against the Ammonites? He will become the leader of all who live in Gilead!"
Amplified Bible
The people, the leaders of Gilead (Israel) said to one another, "Who is the man who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He shall become head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."
New American Standard Bible
And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said to one another, "Who is the man who will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? He shall become head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, Whosoeuer will beginne the battell against the children of Ammon, the same shal be head ouer all the inhabitants of Gilead.
Legacy Standard Bible
that they were saying to you, "In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts."
Contemporary English Version
The leaders of Gilead asked each other, "Who can lead an attack on the Ammonites?" Then they agreed, "If we can find someone who can lead the attack, we'll make him the ruler of Gilead."
Complete Jewish Bible
The people, the chiefs of Gil‘ad, said to each other, "Whoever leads the battle against the army of ‘Amon will be head over everyone living in Gil‘ad."
Darby Translation
And the people, the chief men of Gilead, said one to another, Who is the man that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
George Lamsa Translation
And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, Whosoever shall first start to fight against the children of Ammon, he shall be prince over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
Good News Translation
There the people and the leaders of the Israelite tribes asked one another, "Who will lead the fight against the Ammonites? Whoever does will be the leader of everyone in Gilead."
Literal Translation
And the people said, The chief men of Gilead, each man to his neighbor, Who will be the man who will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? He shall be head over all the people of Gilead.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And ye people of the chefest of Gilead sayde amoge them selues: Who so euer begynneth to fight agaynst the children of Ammon, shalbe heade ouer all them that dwell in Gilead.
American Standard Version
And the people, the princes of Gilead, said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
Bible in Basic English
And the people of Israel said to one another, Who will be the first to make an attack on the children of Ammon? We will make him head over all Gilead.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the people and lordes of Gilead sayde eche to other: whosoeuer will beginne the battell agaynst the children of Ammon, the same shalbe head ouer all the inhabitauntes of Gilead.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the people, the princes of Gilead, said one to another: 'What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.'
King James Version (1611)
And the people and Princes of Gilead, said one to another, What man is hee that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be Head ouer all the inhabitants of Gilead.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the people the princes of Galaad said every man to his neighbour, Who is he that shall begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall even be head over all that dwell in Galaad.
English Revised Version
And the people, the princes of Gilead, said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
Berean Standard Bible
The rulers of Gilead said to one another, "Whoever will launch the attack against the Ammonites will be the head of all who live in Gilead."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the princes of Galaad seiden ech to hise neiyboris, He, that bigynneth first of vs to fiyte ayens the sones of Amon, schal be duyk of the puple of Galaad.
Young's Literal Translation
And the people -- heads of Gilead -- say one unto another, `Who [is] the man that doth begin to fight against the Bene-Ammon? he is for head to all inhabitants of Gilead.'
Update Bible Version
And the people, the princes of Gilead, said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the people [and] princes of Gilead said one to another, What man [is he] that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
World English Bible
The people, the princes of Gilead, said one to another, What man is he who will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
New King James Version
And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said to one another, "Who is the man who will begin the fight against the people of Ammon? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."
New Living Translation
The leaders of Gilead said to each other, "Whoever attacks the Ammonites first will become ruler over all the people of Gilead."
New Life Bible
The leaders of Gilead said to one another, "Who is the man who will be first to fight against the men of Ammon? He will be the head of all the people of Gilead."
New Revised Standard
The commanders of the people of Gilead said to one another, "Who will begin the fight against the Ammonites? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said the people, the princes of Gilead, one to another, Who is the man that will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? he shall become head to all the inhabitants of Gilead.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the princes of Galaad said one to another: Whosoever of us shall first begin to fight against the children of Ammon, he shall be the leader of the people of Galaad.
Revised Standard Version
And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said one to another, "Who is the man that will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The people, the leaders of Gilead, said to one another, "Who is the man who will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? He shall become head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."

Contextual Overview

10 So the Israelites cried to the Lord for help. They said, "God, we have sinned against you. We left our God and worshiped the false god Baal." 11 The Lord answered the Israelites, "You cried to me when the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, and the Philistines hurt you. I saved you from these people. 12 You cried to me when the people of Sidon, the Amalekites, and the Midianites hurt you. I also saved you from those people. 13 But you left me and started worshiping other gods, so I refuse to save you again. 14 You like worshiping those gods, so go call to them for help. Let them save you when you are in trouble." 15 But the Israelites said to the Lord , "We have sinned. Do whatever you want to do to us, but please save us today." 16 Then the Israelites threw away the foreign gods and began to worship the Lord again. So he felt sorry for them when he saw them suffering. 17 The Ammonites gathered together for war. Their camp was in the area of Gilead. The Israelites gathered together. Their camp was at the city of Mizpah. 18 The leaders of the people living in the area of Gilead said, "Whoever leads us in the attack against the Ammonites will become the head of all the people living in Gilead."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

What man: Judges 1:1, Judges 11:5-8, Isaiah 3:1-8, Isaiah 34:12

he shall be: Judges 11:11, Judges 12:7, 1 Samuel 17:25

Reciprocal: Genesis 31:21 - Gilead Judges 8:23 - I will Judges 11:8 - we turn

Cross-References

Genesis 10:16
Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites,
Genesis 10:17
Hivites, Arkites, the Sinites,
Numbers 34:8
From Mount Hor it will go to Lebo Hamath, and then to Zedad.
Joshua 18:22
Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
2 Samuel 8:9
King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated Hadadezer's whole army.
2 Kings 17:24
The king of Assyria took the Israelites out of Samaria and brought in other people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim. They took over Samaria and lived in the cities around it.
2 Kings 17:30
The people of Babylon made the false god Succoth Benoth. The people of Cuthah made the false god Nergal. The people of Hamath made the false god Ashima.
2 Chronicles 13:4
Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim and said, "Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me!
Isaiah 10:9
The city of Calno is no better than the city of Carchemish. Arpad is like Hamath, and Samaria is like Damascus.
Ezekiel 27:8
Men from Sidon and Arvad rowed your boats for you. Tyre, your wise men were the pilots on your ships.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another,.... Being thus assembled and encamped:

what man is he that will begin to fight with the children of Ammon? for though the forces were assembled together for battle, yet it seems they had no general to command them, and lead them on to it:

he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead, this they ordered to be proclaimed, to encourage some person to take the command of them, and go before them to battle, promising him that he should be judge or governor over all the tribes on that side Jordan.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the people and princes ... - The inhabitants of Gilead appear as a separate and independent community, electing their own chief, without any reference to the West-Jordanic tribes.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 10:18. What man is he that will begin to fight — It appears that, although the spirit of patriotism had excited the people at large to come forward against their enemies, yet they had no general, none to lead them forth to battle. God, however, who had accepted their sincere repentance, raised them up an able captain in the person of Jephthah; and in him the suffrages of the people were concentrated, as we shall see in the following chapter.

In those ancient times much depended on the onset; a war was generally terminated in one battle, the first impression was therefore of great consequence, and it required a person skillful, valorous, and strong, to head the attack. Jephthah was a person in whom all these qualifications appear to have met. When God purposes to deliver, he, in the course of his providence, will find out, employ, and direct the proper means.


 
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