“be our commander,”
The request for Jephthah to be their commander highlights the desperation of the Gileadites. They needed a strong leader to guide them in battle. This mirrors other instances in the Bible where God raises leaders during times of crisis, such as Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10). The term "commander" suggests a military role, emphasizing the need for strategic leadership and courage.

so that we can fight against the Ammonites.”
The Ammonites were a perennial enemy of Israel, often engaging in conflict over land and resources. Historically, the Ammonites were descendants of Lot (Genesis 19:38), and their territory was located east of the Jordan River. This conflict is part of a larger narrative of Israel's struggle to maintain its God-given land against surrounding nations. The request to fight against the Ammonites also foreshadows the deliverance that God often provides through chosen leaders, a type of Christ who delivers His people from sin and oppression.

• The elders of Gilead turn toward Jephthah with an urgent invitation. The single word “Come” signals repentance for having driven him away (Judges 11:2–3) and shows their recognition that they now need what they once rejected.

• Similar moments of invitation run through Scripture: “Come, let us return to the LORD” (Hosea 6:1); “Come to Me, all you who are weary” (Matthew 11:28). Each shows that God often works through a humble request that begins with coming back.

• For us, this first word reminds that when crisis hits, the right move is always to turn and come—first to the Lord, then to the people of His choosing.

• The elders speak with one voice, revealing unity born out of desperation. Earlier they were divided and dismissive; now, necessity drives them together (Judges 10:17–18).

• In Scripture, collective appeals surface at pivotal moments: “Then all the people answered together and said, ‘All that the LORD has spoken we will do’ ” (Exodus 19:8); “Then Samuel took a stone… and named it Ebenezer” when Israel united in repentance (1 Samuel 7:5–12).

• Words spoken in agreement can open doors that strife had slammed shut. God honors unified confession and plea.

• The elders do not merely ask Jephthah to join the fight; they grant him authority. Commander means head, ruler, leader on the field.

• Comparable moments: Deborah summons Barak, “Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded, ‘Go… I will give him into your hand’ ?” (Judges 4:6); Moses prays, “May the LORD… appoint a man over the congregation” (Numbers 27:16).

• Leadership in God’s economy often comes to the unlikely—the outcast, the overlooked. Jephthah, labeled “son of a prostitute” (Judges 11:1), now stands as God’s chosen commander, echoing David the shepherd boy (1 Samuel 16:11–13).

• This challenges us to recognize God-appointed leadership even when it arrives in unexpected packaging.

• Their goal is explicit: victory over oppression. They recognize human leadership is a means God can use to accomplish deliverance.

• Cross references reveal the joining of divine and human action: “For the LORD your God is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you victory” (Deuteronomy 20:4); “The battle is the LORD’s” (1 Samuel 17:47).

• Faith never excuses passivity. The elders show faith by preparing for action, partnering with the leader God will empower.

• The enemy is named. Ammon had oppressed Gilead for eighteen years (Judges 10:7–9), a judgment for Israel’s idolatry. Now repentance (Judges 10:15–16) sets the stage for deliverance.

• Other showdowns with Ammon underline God’s rescuing hand: Saul’s first victory (1 Samuel 11:1–11) and later battles under David (2 Samuel 10:6–14).

• Identifying the foe keeps the mission clear. In our lives, naming the struggle—be it sin, compromise, or worldly pressure—focuses our reliance on God’s power to overthrow it.

Judges 11:6 captures the turning point where rejected Jephthah is summoned, united elders plead, leadership is offered, battle readiness is declared, and the enemy is identified. The verse teaches that repentance opens the door to God-appointed leadership, unity of purpose invites divine intervention, and clear identification of the battle aligns us with the Lord who gives victory.