The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, Therefore are we turned again to you now, that you may go with us, and fight with the children of Ammon; and you shall be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
Jephthah’s personal background was quite similar to Abimelech’s (Judges 8:31 to Judges 9:4). His character, though, seems to have been considerably purer in view of what follows. Unlike Abimelech, he was more sensitive and submissive to Yahweh.