Haftarah of Chukat

Shoftim 11:1-33

The Haftarah takes place toward the end of the era of Judges, a time when the Jewish People had neither a coherent political structure nor a standing army, and the leaders were chosen on an ad-hoc basis to solve specific problems. It tells the story of one of the last Judges, Yiftach, how he was chosen and about the problem he needed to solve.

Yiftach was an illegitimate son of a prominent land-owner in the province of Gilead, across the Jordan River. His half-brothers threw him out of the house, and he ran off to a different part of the country, where he gathered up other hopeless, bitter men and turned them into a gang of outlaws.

1) Yiftach the Gileadi was a warrior. He was the son of a prostitute; Gilead had born Yiftach.	(א) וְיִפְתָּח הַגִּלְעָדִי הָיָה גִּבּוֹר חַיִל וְהוּא בֶּן אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה וַיּוֹלֶד גִּלְעָד אֶת יִפְתָּח:
2) Gilead's wife bore him sons; the sons of the wife grew up and chased away Yiftach. They said, "You will not inherit from our father's estate because you are the son of another woman."	(ב) וַתֵּלֶד אֵשֶׁת גִּלְעָד לוֹ בָּנִים וַיִּגְדְּלוּ בְנֵי הָאִשָּׁה וַיְגָרְשׁוּ אֶת יִפְתָּח וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ לֹא תִנְחַל בְּבֵית אָבִינוּ כִּי בֶּן אִשָּׁה אַחֶרֶת אָתָּה:
3) Yiftach ran away from his brothers; he settled in the land of Tov. Yiftach attracted empty men, who ranged with him.	(ג) וַיִּבְרַח יִפְתָּח מִפְּנֵי אֶחָיו וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ טוֹב וַיִּתְלַקְּטוּ אֶל יִפְתָּח אֲנָשִׁים רֵיקִים וַיֵּצְאוּ עִמּוֹ: פ

B’nei Amon, the nation that bordered Gilead to the south, attacked Israel. The leaders of Gilead realized that the only one with any military experience, the only one who could possibly ensure a victory, was that outlaw Yiftach. With no other viable options, they humbled themselves and asked him to lead them into battle. Yiftach, still bitter about how he was treated by his family, did not feel that he owed them any favors, nor did he trust them to keep their word. The elders of Gilead raised their offer from officer of the military to chieftain of the entire tribe of Gilead. Yiftach accepted, but only if they would swear to it in the name of G-d and in public.

4) Sometime later, B'nei Amon fought with Israel.	(ד) וַיְהִי מִיָּמִים וַיִּלָּחֲמוּ בְנֵי עַמּוֹן עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל:
5) When B'nei Amon fought with Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Yiftach from the land of Tov.	(ה) וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר נִלְחֲמוּ בְנֵי עַמּוֹן עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּלְכוּ זִקְנֵי גִלְעָד לָקַחַת אֶת יִפְתָּח מֵאֶרֶץ טוֹב:
6) They said to Yiftach, "Go be our officer, and we will fight B'nei Amon."	(ו) וַיֹּאמְרוּ לְיִפְתָּח לְכָה וְהָיִיתָה לָּנוּ לְקָצִין וְנִלָּחֲמָה בִּבְנֵי עַמּוֹן:
7) Yiftach said to the elders of Gilead, "Aren’t you the ones who hated me, and chased me out of my father's house? So why have you come to me now, when you are in trouble?!"	(ז) וַיֹּאמֶר יִפְתָּח לְזִקְנֵי גִלְעָד הֲלֹא אַתֶּם שְׂנֵאתֶם אוֹתִי וַתְּגָרְשׁוּנִי מִבֵּית אָבִי וּמַדּוּעַ בָּאתֶם אֵלַי עַתָּה כַּאֲשֶׁר צַר לָכֶם:
8) The elders of Gilead said to Yiftach, "That is why we have returned to you now; so you should go with us, and you would fight B'nei Amon, and be our chieftain, of all the residents of Gilead."	(ח) וַיֹּאמְרוּ זִקְנֵי גִלְעָד אֶל יִפְתָּח לָכֵן עַתָּה שַׁבְנוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ עִמָּנוּ וְנִלְחַמְתָּ בִּבְנֵי עַמּוֹן וְהָיִיתָ לָּנוּ לְרֹאשׁ לְכֹל יֹשְׁבֵי גִלְעָד:
9) Yiftach said to the elders of Gilead, "If you will bring me back to fight B'nei Amon, and Hashem will give them up before me, I will be your chieftain."	(ט) וַיֹּאמֶר יִפְתָּח אֶל זִקְנֵי גִלְעָד אִם מְשִׁיבִים אַתֶּם אוֹתִי לְהִלָּחֵם בִּבְנֵי עַמּוֹן וְנָתַן ה' אוֹתָם לְפָנָי אָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה לָכֶם לְרֹאשׁ:
10) The elders of Gilead said to Yiftach, "Let Hashem arbitrate between us, if we do not do as you say."	(י) וַיֹּאמְרוּ זִקְנֵי גִלְעָד אֶל יִפְתָּח ה' יִהְיֶה שֹׁמֵעַ בֵּינוֹתֵינוּ אִם לֹא כִדְבָרְךָ כֵּן נַעֲשֶׂה:
11) Yiftach went with the elders of Gilead. The people placed him over them as a chieftain and an officer; Yiftach said all his words before Hashem in Mitzpah.	(יא) וַיֵּלֶךְ יִפְתָּח עִם זִקְנֵי גִלְעָד וַיָּשִׂימוּ הָעָם אוֹתוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם לְרֹאשׁ וּלְקָצִין וַיְדַבֵּר יִפְתָּח אֶת כָּל דְּבָרָיו לִפְנֵי ה' בַּמִּצְפָּה: פ

As the official political leader, Yiftach begins by opening diplomatic channels to Bnei Amon. The king of Bnei Amon makes the following claim: the land that you say is yours was stolen from us by your ancestors; if you want peace, give it back.

12) Yiftach sent messengers to the king of B'nei Amon, saying, “What is there between us that you have come to me to fight against my land?”	(יב) וַיִּשְׁלַח יִפְתָּח מַלְאָכִים אֶל מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן לֵאמֹר מַה לִּי וָלָךְ כִּי בָאתָ אֵלַי לְהִלָּחֵם בְּאַרְצִי:
13) The king of B'nei Amon said to Yiftach's messengers: "Because Israel took my land when they left Egypt, from Arnon to the Yabok to the Yarden; now return them for peace."	(יג) וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן אֶל מַלְאֲכֵי יִפְתָּח כִּי לָקַח יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת אַרְצִי בַּעֲלוֹתוֹ מִמִּצְרַיִם מֵאַרְנוֹן וְעַד הַיַּבֹּק וְעַד הַיַּרְדֵּן וְעַתָּה הָשִׁיבָה אֶתְהֶן בְּשָׁלוֹם:

Yiftach continues with the diplomatic process, and makes several arguments to prove the legitimacy of Israel’s claim to the Gilead. First, he disproves Amon’s claim that "Israel stole our land when they left Egypt." He reviews the history of that original war and points out that at the time, the land was not held by Amon but rather by the Emori. The story that he tells (which appears in Parshat Chukat) shows that Israel did its best to abide by international law. They asked permission before crossing through lands belonging to other nations, and when that permission was denied, they detoured around. When the king of Emori attacked them without provocation, Israel fought a defensive war and captured territory belonging to the Emori. At no time did they fight Amon or their brother nation Moav, nor did they ever conquer any territory belonging to them.

14) Yiftach once again sent messengers to the king of B'nei Amon.	(יד) וַיּוֹסֶף עוֹד יִפְתָּח וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים אֶל מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן:
15) He said to him, "Thus says Yiftach: Israel did not take the land of Moav, nor the land of B'nei Amon.	(טו) וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ כֹּה אָמַר יִפְתָּח לֹא לָקַח יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת אֶרֶץ מוֹאָב וְאֶת אֶרֶץ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן:
16) Rather, when they were going up from Egypt, Israel went through the desert to the Red Sea, and came to Kadesh.	(טז) כִּי בַּעֲלוֹתָם מִמִּצְרָיִם וַיֵּלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר עַד יַם סוּף וַיָּבֹא קָדֵשָׁה:
17) Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, "Let me pass through your land," but the king of Edom did not listen; and also to the king of Moav, he sent, but he did not agree; Israel stayed in Kadesh.	(יז) וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִים אֶל מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם לֵאמֹר אֶעְבְּרָה נָּא בְאַרְצֶךָ וְלֹא שָׁמַע מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם וְגַם אֶל מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב שָׁלַח וְלֹא אָבָה וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקָדֵשׁ:
18) He walked in the desert; he detoured around the land of Edom and the land of Moav; he came from the east toward the land of Moav. He camped on the bank of Arnon, and did not go into the territory of Moav, as Arnon was the border of Moav.	(יח) וַיֵּלֶךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיָּסָב אֶת אֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם וְאֶת אֶרֶץ מוֹאָב וַיָּבֹא מִמִּזְרַח שֶׁמֶשׁ לְאֶרֶץ מוֹאָב וַיַּחֲנוּן בְּעֵבֶר אַרְנוֹן וְלֹא בָאוּ בִּגְבוּל מוֹאָב כִּי אַרְנוֹן גְּבוּל מוֹאָב:
19) Israel sent messengers to Sichon, the king of the Emori, king of Cheshbon. Israel said to him, "Let us pass through your land to my destination."	(יט) וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִים אֶל סִיחוֹן מֶלֶך הָאֱמֹרִי מֶלֶךְ חֶשְׁבּוֹן וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל נַעְבְּרָה נָּא בְאַרְצְךָ עַד מְקוֹמִי:
20) But Sichon did not trust Israel to cross his territory; Sichon gathered his whole nation; they camped at Yahatz, and fought with Israel.	(כ) וְלֹא הֶאֱמִין סִיחוֹן אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבֹר בִּגְבֻלוֹ וַיֶּאֱסֹף סִיחוֹן אֶת כָּל עַמּוֹ וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּיָהְצָה וַיִּלָּחֶם עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל:
21) Hashem, the G-d of Israel, gave over Sichon and his whole nation to Israel, and they defeated them. Israel occupied the entire land of the Emori, who were living in that land.	(כא) וַיִּתֵּן ה' אֱ-לֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת סִיחוֹן וְאֶת כָּל עַמּוֹ בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּכּוּם וַיִּירַשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת כָּל אֶרֶץ הָאֱמֹרִי יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ הַהִיא:
22) They occupied the entire territory of the Emori, from Arnon to the Yabok, from the desert up to the Yarden.	(כב) וַיִּירְשׁוּ אֵת כָּל גְּבוּל הָאֱמֹרִי מֵאַרְנוֹן וְעַד הַיַּבֹּק וּמִן הַמִּדְבָּר וְעַד הַיַּרְדֵּן:

The next argument Yiftach makes is a religious one. Just as Bnei Amon believe that their god, Kemosh, gives them their land, Israel believes that their G-d, Hashem, gives them their land. By attempting to displace Israel from this land, they would be circumventing the will of G-d.

23) Now, Hashem the G-d of Israel, displaced the Emori in favor of His nation, Israel, and you would push them out?	(כג) וְעַתָּה ה' אֱ-לֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הוֹרִישׁ אֶת הָאֱמֹרִי מִפְּנֵי עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאַתָּה תִּירָשֶׁנּוּ:
24) Isn't it the case that whatever Kemosh, your god, gives you, that's what you will occupy, and whatever Hashem our G-d gives us, that is what we will occupy.	(כד) הֲלֹא אֵת אֲשֶׁר יוֹרִישְׁךָ כְּמוֹשׁ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אוֹתוֹ תִירָשׁ וְאֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר הוֹרִישׁ ה' אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מִפָּנֵינוּ אוֹתוֹ נִירָשׁ:

At the time of the supposed illegal conquest, the king of Moav was the legendary Balak. If he did not find it necessary to fight Israel over this land, why would the current king second-guess him?

25) And you now, are you better than Balak ben Tzipor, king of Moav? Did he fight with Israel? Did he make war with them?

(כה) וְעַתָּה הֲטוֹב טוֹב אַתָּה מִבָּלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב הֲרוֹב רָב עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם נִלְחֹם נִלְחַם בָּם:

Furthermore, these events took place three hundred years ago. If Bnei Amon genuinely believed that the land was theirs, why did they not attempt to make this claim in the past?

26) While Israel has been living in Cheshbon and its suburbs, and in Aror and its suburbs, and in all the cities by the Arnon, for three hundred years, why haven't you tried to liberate it during that time?

(כו) בְּשֶׁבֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן וּבִבְנוֹתֶיהָ וּבְעַרְעוֹר וּבִבְנוֹתֶיהָ וּבְכָל הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר עַל יְדֵי אַרְנוֹן שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וּמַדּוּעַ לֹא הִצַּלְתֶּם בָּעֵת הַהִיא:

Yiftach sums up by restating the justice of Israel’s ownership of the Gilead.

27) I have not done anything bad to you, while you are doing evil to me by making war with me. Let Hashem judge today between B'nei Israel, and B'nei Amon."

(כז) וְאָנֹכִי לֹא חָטָאתִי לָךְ וְאַתָּה עֹשֶׂה אִתִּי רָעָה לְהִלָּחֶם בִּי יִשְׁפֹּט ה' הַשֹּׁפֵט הַיּוֹם בֵּין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵין בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן:

However, the diplomatic process does not succeed, and the king of B’nei Amon rejects Yiftach’s arguments.

28) But he did not listen, the king of B'nei Amon, to the words of Yiftach, that he had sent to him.

(כח) וְלֹא שָׁמַע מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן אֶל דִּבְרֵי יִפְתָּח אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח אֵלָיו:

Yiftach is given power by G-d to fight this war. Nevertheless, he feels that he needs to ensure G-d’s support by pledging something to Him and makes the infamous oath to sacrifice whoever comes out to greet him.

29) The spirit of Hashem came over Yiftach; he crossed Gilead and Menashe; he crossed Mitzpeh Gilead, and from Mitzpeh Gilead he crossed to B'nei Amon.	(כט) וַתְּהִי עַל יִפְתָּח רוּחַ ה' וַיַּעֲבֹר אֶת הַגִּלְעָד וְאֶת מְנַשֶּׁה וַיַּעֲבֹר אֶת מִצְפֵּה גִלְעָד וּמִמִּצְפֵּה גִלְעָד עָבַר בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן:
30) Yiftach made a vow to Hashem, he said, "If He will indeed give over B'nei Amon to me,	(ל) וַיִּדַּר יִפְתָּח נֶדֶר לה' וַיֹּאמַר אִם נָתוֹן תִּתֵּן אֶת בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן בְּיָדִי:
31) Then, whoever comes out of the doors of my house towards me, when I come home safely from B'nei Amon, will be for Hashem, and I will bring it up as an offering."	(לא) וְהָיָה הַיּוֹצֵא אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִדַּלְתֵי בֵיתִי לִקְרָאתִי בְּשׁוּבִי בְשָׁלוֹם מִבְּנֵי עַמּוֹן וְהָיָה לה' וְהַעֲלִיתִהוּ עוֹלָה: פ

Hashem does indeed help Yiftach win the war against B’nei Amon, and they never again attempt to “liberate” the Gilead.

32) Yiftach crossed to B'nei Amon to make war with them; Hashem gave them over to him.	(לב) וַיַּעֲבֹר יִפְתָּח אֶל בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן לְהִלָּחֶם בָּם וַיִּתְּנֵם ה' בְּיָדוֹ:
33) He defeated them from Aror to Minit, twenty cities, up to Avel Kramim, a tremendous blow; B'nei Amon were subjugated before B'nei Yisrael.	(לג) וַיַּכֵּם מֵעֲרוֹעֵר וְעַד בּוֹאֲךָ מִנִּית עֶשְׂרִים עִיר וְעַד אָבֵל כְּרָמִים מַכָּה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד וַיִּכָּנְעוּ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: פ

Copyright © Kira Sirote

In memory of my father, Peter Rozenberg, z"l

לעילוי נשמת אבי מורי פנחס בן נתן נטע ז''ל