Changes

== The Oppression ==

== The Oppression ==

The expulsion of Jephthah probably occurred during the eighteen-year period in which Israel was oppressed by a [[Philistines|Philistine]]-[[Ammon]]ite coalition. Evidently [[Judge]] [[Jair]], who was serving at the time, did not do a very good job, because the Israelites were worshiping every god ''except'' the True [[God]]. For the most part they joined one cult or another of [[Baal]] and [[Asherah]], but they also worshipped the national gods of [[Aram]], [[Sidon]], [[Moab]], and even of [[Ammon]] and [[Philistines|Philistia]]. And so the Ammonites conquered [[Gilead]], in which the [[Gad (tribe)|Gadites]] and [[Reuben (tribe)|Reubenites]] lived, and then crossed the Jordan and conquered some [[Judah (tribe)|Judahite]], [[Benjamin (tribe)|Benjamite]] and [[Ephraim (tribe)|Ephraimite]] territory. Philistia lay to the west of Judah, so one may infer from the Biblical description that Philistine troops also operated in Judahite territory.

The expulsion of Jephthah probably occurred during the eighteen-year period in which Israel was oppressed by a [[Philistines|Philistine]]-[[Ammon]]ite coalition. Evidently [[Judge (biblical)]] [[Jair]], who was serving at the time, did not do a very good job, because the Israelites were worshiping every god ''except'' the True [[God]]. For the most part they joined one cult or another of [[Baal]] and [[Asherah]], but they also worshipped the national gods of [[Aram]], [[Sidon]], [[Moab]], and even of [[Ammon]] and [[Philistines|Philistia]]. And so the Ammonites conquered [[Gilead]], in which the [[Gad (tribe)|Gadites]] and [[Reuben (tribe)|Reubenites]] lived, and then crossed the Jordan and conquered some [[Judah (tribe)|Judahite]], [[Benjamin (tribe)|Benjamite]] and [[Ephraim (tribe)|Ephraimite]] territory. Philistia lay to the west of Judah, so one may infer from the Biblical description that Philistine troops also operated in Judahite territory.

The people of Israel cried out to God, and at first God was disinclined to help. Presumably through some unnamed [[prophet]]s, He suggested that the Israelites could cry out to their strange gods and see what help they would be. In answer, the Israelites renounced all their worship of the various cults. Only then was God inclined to deliver them.

The people of Israel cried out to God, and at first God was disinclined to help. Presumably through some unnamed [[prophet]]s, He suggested that the Israelites could cry out to their strange gods and see what help they would be. In answer, the Israelites renounced all their worship of the various cults. Only then was God inclined to deliver them. This deliverance occurred after Jair had died, and God's chosen champion came from the same region ([[Gilead]]) that Jair came from.

== Recruitment ==

== Recruitment ==