8 ISRAel FINkelSTeIN [people of Gilead] came together, and they encamped at Mizpah. And 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”. Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty war- rior, but he was the son of a harlot. And [...] was the father of Jephthah. And [...] wife also bore him sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they thrust Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall not inherit in our father’s house; for you are the son of another woman”. Then Jephthah fled from his brothers, and dwelt in the land of Tob; and worthless fel- lows collected round Jephthah, and went raiding with him. The elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of Tob. And they said to Jephthah, “come and be our leader, that we may fight with the Ammonites”. So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and leader over them; and [Jephthah] passed to Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed on to the Ammonites to fight against them. And he smote them with a very great slaughter. So the Ammonites were subdued before [the inhabitants of Gilead?]. Table 1: Suggested layers in the Jephthah narrative Reflection of North late Dtr Post-Dtr late the old oral tale Israelite North post-Dtr author Israelite Verses 10,17-18; 11,1-3 11,4-5a.29a2. 12,1-6 10,6-16 without Philistines in 11,30-31. without Gilead 33 without the post-Dtr 10,6-7; 34-40 as the father of 3b2 material; Gilead Amorites in Jephthah, 5b-6, as the father 10,8; 10,11b-12; 11a, 29b, of Jephthah Gilead as the single words in 11,1-2?; father of Jephthah in 32-33 11,7-10.11b?. in 11,1-2?; 29a.32b; 12,7 11,11b?.12-28 characteristic expansion of ephraim The typical the old oral polemic cycle of sin, cry, tale to a punishment and broader redemption in Israelite Judges; Divine conflict intervention Geography conflict with Aroer, the Ammonites; Minnith towns of Gilead and Abel- and Mizpah keramim